A far bigger problem is the lack of creativity from the FBs when Cancelo doesn't play or isn't in form. Rico attempts only safe short passes, Ake and Walker lack creativity. Creative FBs are essential, especially vs low blocks. We've been lucky the previous two seasons that Cancelo was almost always available and in good form.
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Lack of pace on the wings
- Thread starter Cityinmyheart
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Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese
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Cancello + Walker = pace on the wings
bobbyowenquiff
Well-Known Member
This is true and has made the situation worse. The fact is that Grealish is slowing down the pace of our attack which makes it easier for defenders. We face packed defences every match unlike most other teams. Not enough pace and creativity on the flanks is killing us at present. Ironically there will games in the CL against the better teams where we want to slow things down. Perhaps this is part of Pep's thinking.A far bigger problem is the lack of creativity from the FBs when Cancelo doesn't play or isn't in form. Rico attempts only safe short passes, Ake and Walker lack creativity. Creative FBs are essential, especially vs low blocks. We've been lucky the previous two seasons that Cancelo was almost always available and in good form.
deano ou812
Well-Known Member
We take about pace on the wings and use sterling and sane as examples compared to mahrez and grealish yes I can see that,but is it just me that see‘s the style of football completely different from then compared to now,we seem more and more intent on keeping the ball at all costs now and possession of the ball for the sake of it,meaning cutting back playing constant backward passes going around the back four into midfield back to the back four,yes I understand keeping the ball prevents the opposition from threatening but it’s all to safe at times with no intent of attacking..
When a team plays mostly with a back 8 then pace is irrelevant. What matters more is moving the ball quicker. Grealish and Mahrez both like their touches though which inevitably slows us down especially when we play without the overlapping fullbacks.
And people moving into space quickly. Bursts of acceleration are handy. Sterling & Aguero were great for that and they played against packed defences.
tolmie's hairdoo
Well-Known Member
We are completely devoid of any pace and directness when both Mahrez and Grealish play.
Opponents know neither will go down the outside because they need to chop the ball back or inside, to afford themselves that yard of space to then work in.
Ironically, our goal came yesterday because Mahrez changed the habit of a lifetime by fooling his marker and going on outside.
Sadly, like with all signings we make, we are desperate for things to work out, but I fear Jack is already proving a costly mistake.
He doesn't have the ball skills of Mahrez to beat his man and so he does look clumsy and invariably draws the foul because the first touch out of his feet isn't quick enough.
His reaction to Haaland's first goal at Leeds showed how much it meant to him, even though it was an act of unselfishness which hardly pushed the footballing boundaries, with Pep even suggesting when his head is more confident, he might take those opportunities on himself?
Jack seems a good lad and the manager and players are clearly pulling for him to come good, yet unlike other players we have, he doesn't have the versatility to thrive in other positions.
The £100m fee isn't his fault, but it is the first time I felt we have made a United-type statement signing since Bony, where the public hype train was greater than the talent on display.
Similarly, how the cult of personality created a national group think that Sterling was still operating at an elite level in his final 18 months with City.
Jack wasn't a kid when he joined us, he's had more than a year to show there is more to come, and it still isn't.
Phil is a better fit for the team on the left and even Cancelo and Palmer have shown more threat in those areas of the pitch.
We need Jack to be chipping in with eight or ten goals a season and his record doesn't suggest he has ever been that?
My ideal three would be Foden, Haaland and Alvarez, from an intensity/goal threat perspective and hopefully we get to see more of that in the coming months and in Europe.
Jack isn't going anywhere soon and earns more than most. There comes a point, however, where in the next few weeks he needs to make the ultimate step, or we need to accept City and Pep got this one wrong.
Just as Chelsea did with Lukaku. A good player, yes, but in the wrong team and environment.
I'd have loved City to have been scouting someone like Luis Diaz at £37m :(
It's why, as much as I have loved Bellingham and his energy, I even question if I'm right, in terms of his City fit?
Opponents know neither will go down the outside because they need to chop the ball back or inside, to afford themselves that yard of space to then work in.
Ironically, our goal came yesterday because Mahrez changed the habit of a lifetime by fooling his marker and going on outside.
Sadly, like with all signings we make, we are desperate for things to work out, but I fear Jack is already proving a costly mistake.
He doesn't have the ball skills of Mahrez to beat his man and so he does look clumsy and invariably draws the foul because the first touch out of his feet isn't quick enough.
His reaction to Haaland's first goal at Leeds showed how much it meant to him, even though it was an act of unselfishness which hardly pushed the footballing boundaries, with Pep even suggesting when his head is more confident, he might take those opportunities on himself?
Jack seems a good lad and the manager and players are clearly pulling for him to come good, yet unlike other players we have, he doesn't have the versatility to thrive in other positions.
The £100m fee isn't his fault, but it is the first time I felt we have made a United-type statement signing since Bony, where the public hype train was greater than the talent on display.
Similarly, how the cult of personality created a national group think that Sterling was still operating at an elite level in his final 18 months with City.
Jack wasn't a kid when he joined us, he's had more than a year to show there is more to come, and it still isn't.
Phil is a better fit for the team on the left and even Cancelo and Palmer have shown more threat in those areas of the pitch.
We need Jack to be chipping in with eight or ten goals a season and his record doesn't suggest he has ever been that?
My ideal three would be Foden, Haaland and Alvarez, from an intensity/goal threat perspective and hopefully we get to see more of that in the coming months and in Europe.
Jack isn't going anywhere soon and earns more than most. There comes a point, however, where in the next few weeks he needs to make the ultimate step, or we need to accept City and Pep got this one wrong.
Just as Chelsea did with Lukaku. A good player, yes, but in the wrong team and environment.
I'd have loved City to have been scouting someone like Luis Diaz at £37m :(
It's why, as much as I have loved Bellingham and his energy, I even question if I'm right, in terms of his City fit?
As soon as we drop a point, this is raised. Pace is almost completely ineffective against ten man defences so the belief that it is the answer is, IMO, completely flawed. Occasionally we will drop points and it does not mean there is anything wrong with the team, the manager or the tactics - it is the game.
I found it pretty bizarre against a low block yday that pep decided to play two inverted wingers and continue with the system of the fullback coming into midfield when we have possession and the other fullback creating a back 3.
It made our play extremely predictable and narrow and unfortunately I believe mahrez (anymore) and grealish are not capable of beating a player on the outside due to lack of pace/ability. The lack of an overlapping fullback also means it’s too easy for the opponents to double up on the wingers. The support usually comes from Kev and Bernardo but neither had a big impact yesterday.
I’m hoping for Alvarez and foden to come in but in all honesty I’m not entirely sure how that would work as alvarez is not a winger and pep has already said this and more importantly whether pep would want this as it sacrifices the ball retention qualities of grealish and mahrez especially in the games against teams who will counter us and have pace. I believe it was Newcastle away this year that pep afterwards said that with Grealish on instead of phil we would have conceded less as the game became too end to end due to us trying to play at a tempo too high for our midfield to cope.
For me there is too much reliance on de Bruyne worldies and cutting edge deliveries this season. We’ve struggled in a lot of games now to break teams down and usually it’s been when Kev has had a bad day.
It made our play extremely predictable and narrow and unfortunately I believe mahrez (anymore) and grealish are not capable of beating a player on the outside due to lack of pace/ability. The lack of an overlapping fullback also means it’s too easy for the opponents to double up on the wingers. The support usually comes from Kev and Bernardo but neither had a big impact yesterday.
I’m hoping for Alvarez and foden to come in but in all honesty I’m not entirely sure how that would work as alvarez is not a winger and pep has already said this and more importantly whether pep would want this as it sacrifices the ball retention qualities of grealish and mahrez especially in the games against teams who will counter us and have pace. I believe it was Newcastle away this year that pep afterwards said that with Grealish on instead of phil we would have conceded less as the game became too end to end due to us trying to play at a tempo too high for our midfield to cope.
For me there is too much reliance on de Bruyne worldies and cutting edge deliveries this season. We’ve struggled in a lot of games now to break teams down and usually it’s been when Kev has had a bad day.
wolviedinho
Well-Known Member
Pace is useless without a Dave pulling the strings. We need a new Dave. Can you imagine the through balls he would be playing into Haaland? He would also enable the wide players to get in behind the fullback.
The move away towards dribblers looks to have hamstrung out attack.
The move away towards dribblers looks to have hamstrung out attack.