I read a comment on Wednesday that Gabby needed a hat trick to boost his confidence. I thought that he probably wouldn't even kick it forward three times. In the event, every pass/ movement was backwards, then he was subbed.
If that's what Pep wants, so be it.
Which begs the question do we need a Haaland or do we need a similar player to Gabby who could score more (not sure there is a forward out there that matches these requirements). Gabby’s stats are suffering by the way we are setting up and playing, if we change the type of CF we may lose our control and style.Jesus is an ok goal scorer. It is very easy to get annoyed with his shortcomings in front of goal.
Positive contribution include:
Aggressive press
Constant running
Athletic player
Runs all day
Pass, pass, pass
Ball retention is good
Plays in multiple positions
Defends for the team.
Jesus is similar to Bernardo. Goal scoring not great but they bring all of the above to the team. Ederson is not the best goalkeepers in the world but his kicking, composure, mental strength is far more important for us. The team has no standout forward but what we do have is a lot of players who contribute greatly to how we play. More the sum of its parts rather than a specific attribute.
Jesus is an ok goal scorer. It is very easy to get annoyed with his shortcomings in front of goal.
Positive contribution include:
Aggressive press
Constant running
Athletic player
Runs all day
Pass, pass, pass
Ball retention is good
Plays in multiple positions
Defends for the team.
Jesus is similar to Bernardo. Goal scoring not great but they bring all of the above to the team. Ederson is not the best goalkeepers in the world but his kicking, composure, mental strength is far more important for us. The team has no standout forward but what we do have is a lot of players who contribute greatly to how we play. More the sum of its parts rather than a specific attribute.
Perfect post. As you say fodens goal the other night was a joy, we need to do that more often.I think he'll score a lot more when/if we get back to our 2017-2019 style of play, with high, wide wingers, quicker transitions and more standard attacks.
Everything we're doing these days is so congested through the middle, so stifling, very improvised. You very rarely see our forwards get big chances on the end of flowing moves like we used to do 10x a match. That's one of the reasons I loved Foden's goal on Wednesday so much, it was a bit of a throwback. This season, a lot of it is from forcing our way through the low block with intricate passing. It's hurt Sterling a lot too.
If we're going to buy someone like Haaland...we'll need to revert our old style to get the best out of him, and I'm sure we will, and Jesus will have a much better time.
"It is a very contentious opinion but the team against villa felt close to the total domination team we had on the 28 run bar an inform Cancelo." I fully agree with this and would like an in form Cancelo at RB and supporting Rodri with Gundogan pushing forward. I think it is the most balanced and flexible defence/midfield combination. If Kevin was fit I would like to see him play false 9 or a roving forward, beside Phil & Mahrez.That team is defensively solid but still has flair and attacking variation.I do think the club has a bit of a dilemma on its hands. We need a forward that can work like Jesus but score regularly. Where does city find that type of footballer? We might have to sacrifice how we suffocate games.
It is a very contentious opinion but the team against villa felt close to the total domination team we had on the 28 run bar an inform Cancelo. Kev’s absence makes it easier for us to control and press teams into submission but we lack that killer/risky pass. No one is doubting his ability or his importance to the club. In a way we are seeing the difference in approach we take to games when debruyne starts. A new forward no matter who it it or how good he maybe, some games we will play better without. Is it better to have that option? Or will it only cause us to look weaker as a unit?
I think he'll score a lot more when/if we get back to our 2017-2019 style of play, with high, wide wingers, quicker transitions and more standard attacks.
Everything we're doing these days is so congested through the middle, so stifling, very improvised. You very rarely see our forwards get big chances on the end of flowing moves like we used to do 10x a match. That's one of the reasons I loved Foden's goal on Wednesday so much, it was a bit of a throwback. This season, a lot of it is from forcing our way through the low block with intricate passing. It's hurt Sterling a lot too.
If we're going to buy someone like Haaland...we'll need to revert our old style to get the best out of him, and I'm sure we will, and Jesus will have a much better time.
I think you make a lot of good points, but from my perspective it's a personnel thing.I would love to see us with pacy wingers in their strong foot but we don’t seem interested and we changed our style as a result of how teams have adapted to us as well. We rarely see anything other than a 5-4-1 or deep 4-5-1 shells in defense these days and many teams have adapted to our wing play by ensuring they can put both wingers in 1 v 2 situations. I think the idea earlier this year was to combat that with overlapping fullbacks and two holding midfielders but it never looks right. Now we have pushed the wingers even wider and use them more like midfielders while bombing the midfielders into the last man of the defensive line to try to cope with the wall of defenders we have been facing. I just don’t know that any return to our “old style” is possible unless teams get so concerned with us centrally that they prefer to gamble on our wingers in more 1 v 1