Crystal Palace (H) - Post Match

[kaz7]

I think he'd say he's been without his first choice central defence for most of the season, and doesn't have the players in the squad to make it work. We had a similar scenario in his first season. This time we have the players in the squad but they have both been injured. Stones plays two games, then misses two games and has constant changes of partner. City need stability in central defence and unlike others I don't rate Fernadinho as a central defender. That's an emergency move not a desired move.

It's not an emergency move,pep and dinho said at the end of the last season it was the plan to move him back

He is fucking awesome,you can't have been watching him save our arses time after time

 

[Gabriel]

Even when Laporte is fit, what is our best CB pair? We thought it would be him & Stones but without a dramatic turnaround, Stones won't be with us much longer.

Laporte and Fernandinho by a country mile. That presumably has to be the pairing that plays in the CL games. The problem, however, is whether six games Is enough to get the former fit and whether Fernandinho has enough in the tank to get through until then.

 

[ONTHERUNWITHTHAKSIN]

One point more than the corresponding game last season

Yes we looked tired but give this team and manager a fucking break

We were playing against 10 at the back for majority of the game

Keep the faith

 

[salfordbluetrue]

Can’t keep blaming VAR their not the ones that can’t defend

Bit harsh considering the fluke for the last goal and the 12 handballs not given this season

 

[Thomas Hearns]

The same mediocre opponents who beat us in the same game last season and stopped our 18 game winning run in 2017-18 ? Palace match up against us very well as the last 3 seasons shows.

Mediocre as in average which Palace are. I don’t necessarily advocate Phil starting against the top 6 but palace at home is a game where he’s capable of holding his own. I agree they’ve caused us more problems than might have been expected but suffering 1 freak defeat from 6 games shouldn’t make us wary to field squad players against them.

That said I’m kind of arguing against myself as I think Pep made a mistake fielding defensively suspect squad player Cancelo against their main danger man Zaha when Walker has been in such fine form but it’s easy to be wise after the event I suppose.

 

[balotellishaircut]

He had the best defensive record with barca and bayern,the prem is a different beast,defending high like we do is a massive risk,individual mistakes and injuries and no vinny is the problem,vinny leaving is the worst thing to happen in years,it was always going to be difficult

Don't forget Karen, Pep owes RM one, for the fact his Bayern Munich team got thrashed by RM in the semi finals of the champs league 5-0 in 2014 over 2 legs.
We was unlucky against Spurs last season but we will always score goals if we get the defence right, and there must be no excuses this season.

 

[sir baconface]

7 domestic trophies out of 8, including the community shields and denied by a shocking var decision in the champions League denying us the chance to win the lot suggests to me we are blessed..

Yeah, best football ever seen in England. But that was then and this is now. We’ve looked vulnerable on many occasions this year and have been overtaken by rampant dippers.

 

[john blue]

I’d drive him myself based on his recent form

Most overated player in prem.

 

[fathellensbellend]

Yeah, best football ever seen in England. But that was then and this is now. We’ve been overtaken by rampant dippers this year

There have been mitigating circumstances, losing 2 key players for a start. Pep has his philosophy and he will never change, and I for one hope he doesn't. This season can still be a huge success, let's get Laporte and Sane back and see where it takes us. Have some faith in Pep

 

[HarrytheBlue]

Yeah ok, I didn't think you could switch it on whether you want to be better defensively or not, it should just come naturally imo.
Fern is not working as a CB, he needs to go back into DM with Rodri for RM, I think we all want to see a pragmatic Pep for RM, it's not all about everyone bombing forward and leaving the team 2 on 2 with minutes to go, it's suicidal.

We need to come off the pitch in both legs totally knackered - running until it hurts. Pep will judge whether it's likely we'll dominate possession and decide on the best approach, but it'll only be a fairly minor adjustment. To be honest, I expect a slightly more energetic version of what we normally do, but with more numbers defending than normal when we're under pressure - more energy and busting a gut to get back and busting a gut to attack.