Everton - Post match thread.

[BlueAnorak]

Oh and by the way David - grow your hair back. You looked like and quite frequently played like Steve Ireland.

 

[venom99]

no more 3-5-2 plz

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/08/21/manchester-city-vs-everton-premier-league-live/

 

[Akiva]

I love the posters with an agenda who act as if Sane playing LWB will continue after Mendy is fit and/or that he played any better when moved forward anyway (he didn't)

The "Pep got it wrong" narrative is bullshit. We had 23 clear chances in their box all game and they had 1. The only people getting it wrong are the officials and some of the tired flappers on here.

Agreed, if rumours are true, not sure spending yet another shit load of money on another small forward in Sanchez will change anything.

We are creating enough chances that aren't being converted that have absolutely nothing to do with height. I'm talking simple, take-the-shot, tap ins. This team is crying out for ruthlessness in the box and Sanchez is that kind of player.

If Aguero wasn't so stunningly off form, literally firing on 1 goal every 7 goal scoring opportunities right now, then we wouldn't be having this conversation. @Homar wouldn't have pissed off half the board by spamming the match thread, his first ever, with hyper-negative drivel. The Pep Out brigade would have to wait another week.

You could say the same about Madley fucking us too, but ultimately we made way, way more than enough opportunities to win the game and we just didn't take them. That's why we need a Sanchez.

 

[Stevieatlasblue]

Is it peps fault that Aguero has become a little slower..he's got him chasing back now and working harder for the team..is this why he's not as prolific in front of goal?

 

[uteblue]

Lots of people expressing lots of anger, and a few offering interesting observations from the first two games, so I'll try to be more constructive than angry.

We were quicker than we were at Brighton, and against a far better team, but it was a frustrating game plan from Everton, literally by them and for us. They defended well, but were cut open enough times in the first half to have killed off the game before they got a sniff. I have absolutely no idea why Aguero didn't pull the trigger, but it is getting to the point of ridiculousness that one of the best strikers in the world is becoming so gun shy. He needs to stop taking the third, fourth, fifth touches and either shoot or lay it off.

In the first half, we had one player put two shots on goal from th edge of the box. Who? Otamendi!!! This should be the wheel house of KDB and Silva, with the occasional Fernandinho shot. Instead, our "attacking" defender had more on target shots than our main strikers!

I am a little bemused by KDBs lack of attempt in goal when the keeper was out of his box (gave a bad ball to the advancing full back, who was tackled!) and why Sergio didn't even get a shot off when he only had the keeper to beat from the edge of the six yard box. I am also bemused at the notion that Sane can play left full back. He can't. It is stifling (killing?) his attacking game, because he is an impact dribbler, an explosive player, not the kind of "ploughing the furrow" defender who can get up and down the field, and his confidence is getting hammered! I thought this was the worst game I have seen from David Silva in a long time. How he can be one of Spain's top scorers, but barely ever shoot, let alone get the shot in target, for City is stupefying.

I think KDB is being asked to do too much...mainly because he can do it all...but it looks like he is being asked to go at 100% for 95 minutes, and do three jobs every game. As another poster mentioned, and I have pointed to in other games, he started out as one of our primary creative playmakers, to one of the most exhaustive pressers (both on the front line and right across the middle of the park), to being our DM/CM when we went to a back four and Fernandinho dropped into the LB position. Unfortunately, I foresee an early season fatigue injury for KDB, as he pushes himself past the threshold. I also see him getting openly frustrated on the field, especially with our profligacy in front of goal. He was livid with Aguero for not shooting when wide open, and allowing a 35 yr old Jagielka recover to put in a challenge. I hope against hope that Pep returns to Yaya/Fernandinho midfield, with Sterling/Bernardo/Sane in behind with Jesus up top against B'mouth, to give David and Kevin some rest. There will always be the second half, or last 30/20/10 mins, if needed, but they are carrying a massive load and it is costing them.

Pep is seeking something superhuman...and I don't think he realizes just how hard it is in THIS League. Barca strolled against 2/3 of the team's in La Liga, and Bayern steamrollered 3/4 of the team's in their League, because they simply bought every good player on every other team to blunt them the following season! It is a joke! However, Pep SAYS he has learned this League and has bought for the future. Really? I hope he has some 6' forward with some touch in his Rolodex, because right now we have flying wingers with no target man for crosses and the only chance we have to score is if we have enough space for our 5'8" attacking 6 players to have a minimum of three touches and an open goal...and even then it isn't enough!! When you look at the other top clubs, we see Lukaku/Zlatan, Morata/Costa/Batshuyai, Giroud/Lacazette, Kane/Janssen and we don't have anyone AT THE CLUB who fits that mound, let alone in the Starting XI or on the bench! I have discussed size, strength and the options they create and been pilloried, so I'll just leave it for the table to speak for it. I agree, that we are the most technically gifted squad in the League. So far, it has produced zero results.

Clearly, Pep can hardly wait for Mendy to be fit to play, and it may well be this weekend, because Danilo will be have to be on the right!

We are in for an interesting season, and it may be made far more interesting by what happens in the next 10 days!

The future is Blue.

I know it would be a unpopular choice on here but I think we should go for Diego costa, he is the type of Cf that can bully cbs and be a presence in the box, if pep could control his attitude I think he would do well with all of the chances we create

 

[mancity1]

Must take our chances and bury teams when we have the opportunity which deflates their confidence which is most of the battle.

If we don't we will continue to see similar outcomes.

 

[TCIB]

Lots of people expressing lots of anger, and a few offering interesting observations from the first two games, so I'll try to be more constructive than angry.

We were quicker than we were at Brighton, and against a far better team, but it was a frustrating game plan from Everton, literally by them and for us. They defended well, but were cut open enough times in the first half to have killed off the game before they got a sniff. I have absolutely no idea why Aguero didn't pull the trigger, but it is getting to the point of ridiculousness that one of the best strikers in the world is becoming so gun shy. He needs to stop taking the third, fourth, fifth touches and either shoot or lay it off.

In the first half, we had one player put two shots on goal from th edge of the box. Who? Otamendi!!! This should be the wheel house of KDB and Silva, with the occasional Fernandinho shot. Instead, our "attacking" defender had more on target shots than our main strikers!

I am a little bemused by KDBs lack of attempt in goal when the keeper was out of his box (gave a bad ball to the advancing full back, who was tackled!) and why Sergio didn't even get a shot off when he only had the keeper to beat from the edge of the six yard box. I am also bemused at the notion that Sane can play left full back. He can't. It is stifling (killing?) his attacking game, because he is an impact dribbler, an explosive player, not the kind of "ploughing the furrow" defender who can get up and down the field, and his confidence is getting hammered! I thought this was the worst game I have seen from David Silva in a long time. How he can be one of Spain's top scorers, but barely ever shoot, let alone get the shot in target, for City is stupefying.

I think KDB is being asked to do too much...mainly because he can do it all...but it looks like he is being asked to go at 100% for 95 minutes, and do three jobs every game. As another poster mentioned, and I have pointed to in other games, he started out as one of our primary creative playmakers, to one of the most exhaustive pressers (both on the front line and right across the middle of the park), to being our DM/CM when we went to a back four and Fernandinho dropped into the LB position. Unfortunately, I foresee an early season fatigue injury for KDB, as he pushes himself past the threshold. I also see him getting openly frustrated on the field, especially with our profligacy in front of goal. He was livid with Aguero for not shooting when wide open, and allowing a 35 yr old Jagielka recover to put in a challenge. I hope against hope that Pep returns to Yaya/Fernandinho midfield, with Sterling/Bernardo/Sane in behind with Jesus up top against B'mouth, to give David and Kevin some rest. There will always be the second half, or last 30/20/10 mins, if needed, but they are carrying a massive load and it is costing them.

Pep is seeking something superhuman...and I don't think he realizes just how hard it is in THIS League. Barca strolled against 2/3 of the team's in La Liga, and Bayern steamrollered 3/4 of the team's in their League, because they simply bought every good player on every other team to blunt them the following season! It is a joke! However, Pep SAYS he has learned this League and has bought for the future. Really? I hope he has some 6' forward with some touch in his Rolodex, because right now we have flying wingers with no target man for crosses and the only chance we have to score is if we have enough space for our 5'8" attacking 6 players to have a minimum of three touches and an open goal...and even then it isn't enough!! When you look at the other top clubs, we see Lukaku/Zlatan, Morata/Costa/Batshuyai, Giroud/Lacazette, Kane/Janssen and we don't have anyone AT THE CLUB who fits that mound, let alone in the Starting XI or on the bench! I have discussed size, strength and the options they create and been pilloried, so I'll just leave it for the table to speak for it. I agree, that we are the most technically gifted squad in the League. So far, it has produced zero results.

Clearly, Pep can hardly wait for Mendy to be fit to play, and it may well be this weekend, because Danilo will be have to be on the right!

We are in for an interesting season, and it may be made far more interesting by what happens in the next 10 days!

The future is Blue.

A fine analysis imo and very close to my own feelings and observations. What really stands out is the bullshit in front of goal. I very rarely knock the team but the fact we are like Barca of old all the way until the final third is not good enough. We are fantastic then stumble and get caught up. I fear this is from to much focus on the one touch pass stuff drilled into them.

The main issue i see is when we all go forward when it gets to about 25yrds out we lose any dynamic we have in the movement. When play gets held up around that area we need to be more drilled with the overlap and cross. Not just that either, We seem to have no target in the box of any sort, everyone is play making around the box and those in it are easily marked out..

In peps system Sane can not afford to be in fairy land either and kdb needs to wind his neck in, attempting to much leads to little.

 

[NanaToure42]

Don't know if this has already been posted, if it has feel free to take it down. Saw this on Reddit.

 

[Scar Tissue]

Not going to bag any of the players over this. They all did their best on the day and in the circumstances.

10 v 11 we were magnificent against a good team.

Special mentions (in no particular order) to Otamendi, Silva D, Silva B, Sergio, Raheem and KDB. They were all tireless in their efforts.

Once the referee started guessing with his decisions he lost control of that game. Very poor.

 

[KCblue]

We absolutely dominated the second half with ten men. I'm sure going in to the game Koeman would have been fine with a point but they were sitting back against ten men when they should have been going for another goal. If we can play with the intensity we did in the second half we'll blow teams away. Just seems like it always takes some time (or conceding on the opponent's first chance) before we have any urgency.