Last 10 mins of league games

[Goaters]

It’s an interesting point and one that seemingly points towards a mentality issue. Previously pep ball would entail smoothing the opposition so they didn’t have the ball, we would then pass them to death.

Now it seems rather inevitable that we will concede if we have a one goal lead, that feeling I’m sure consumes the players too and it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

At lot of this comes down to stability at cm though, we can get walked through.

There is no surprise Stones, Gundo, KDB, Gundo and Silva out wide were driving forces last season where we could retain the ability to keep calm and pick the right option. Now 4 of those players aren’t either playing in the same role or have been injured, so when this clears up I’m sure slowly but surely the confidence will return.

One thing I do wonder though is - we clearly are very dependant as a team on controlling play and slowing things down so we can retain our shape if countered on, however the team we play now that is more aggressive in transitions, I’d say is still firing but has been let down by finishing, therefore exemplifying the weaknesses playing this way rather than showcasing the positves. If haaland could finish his dinner the urgent pining for returning players wouldn’t be such an issue.

 

[Eric Hitchmough]

Agree with what’s been said, but also worth factoring in that the Dippers are back on the inhalers and Arsenal get more added time than any club in the history of football.

 

[halfcenturyup]

Look at it this way. These other clubs scoring late goals won't continue. Think Arsenal last year. They couldn't keep scoring last minute winners, and once they stopped, they crumbled. And they will again. Liverpool are made of sterner stuff, but they will run out of last minute goals as well at some point.

On the other hand, our luck will change and we will either get some last minute winners, or not concede some last minute equalisers.

Just keep calm and carry on :)

 

[ChicagoBlue]

We score, then we rarely go for the jugular. Instead, we try to pass the other team to death, believing they have to “come out” and get the ball! They don’t! They know that they need 1 attack and 1 shot on goal to get a draw against the “best team in the world!”

Teams do it all the time…hang in a goal behind, then bring on a slew of subs that can run at us, then pin us back, because we are a very nervous defensive team!

Do we have a defensive coach on the bench? A defensive specialist? We pay a high price for defensive talent then leave them exposed while we attack with 8 players…then get done on the counter. It’s not even a secret, but a well-known tactic.

Pep LOVES the overload, but it creates 1 on 1s at the back and we have a terrible record of conceding late in a game to counter-attacks.

This weekend is a prime example of us losing a good victory against a Top 6 team at home, while Liverpool & Arsenal both won 7 goal “thrillers” against lower tier teams…fucking Fulham & Luton…in the dying minutes (often “injury time” in injury time!!!).

Why is this happening?

We are fucking knackered! No bench to fall back on when you have a handful of injuries and/or suspensions. Pep loves his 16 man squads, but in England it just doesn’t feel like enough. Couple that with 3 of the 4 recent signings not really performing in midfield while KDB is injured and we end up playing Akanji & Bernardo in CM!!

Not exactly a “best team in the world” CM!

Throw in a player like Kyle Walker allowing crosses to come in in the last minute, a keeper who seems to carry a “1 shot, 1 goal” monicker around his neck, a central defender who enjoys sliding around in the box, and a midfield that dissolves with Rodri to hold it up and together, and our defensive fragilities are plain for all to see.

People focus on our swarming attacking play and our press, but once you break through it, even bottom-feeders are off to the races! The amount of “last ditch” defending we do is ridiculous, and we can only be thankful do many teams are such poor finishers that we don’t give up more late goals.

It used to be that people marveled at our bench and the subs WE could put on in the last 15-20 mins to get the 3-0, 4-0, or more. Today, it’s “Who can they bring off the bench to stop the tide?” and the answer is no-one!

We play our two CFs in every game, so God help us if one gets injured.

We play our midfielders here, there and everywhere to fill gaps, and we play CBs as second DMs because the guy we paid £50M to go that job isn’t trusted to do the job. We don’t, and haven’t for years, had a recognized LB, but not to worry because he’s going to play in midfield, too! And, we play 3 at the back to release players forward, but only have 1 defender with any real pace, but he can be found overlapping on the right wing anyway!

We are holding this whole thing together with spit at the moment and we not only need reinforcements in January, but a nice run of results to even the keel. Certain players are getting flogged to death and not getting any respite, and it’s only a matter of time before that leads to trouble. We are thin in certain areas and injuries and suspensions are making it even harder to put out a First XI worthy of The Treble Winners.

This week could prove pivotal at the end of the season, with both Liverpool and Arsenal turning draws into wins and City doing the reverse, followed by this Villa game being a toss-up at best!

We don’t go into many games as the underdog, especially in England, but on current form, tonight’s fixture looks ominous.

Let’s hope we can find some inspiration from somewhere and Erling & Julian can find their shooting boots, because Spurs should have been dead and buried by Half Time this past weekend and yet nicked 2 points from a cross that should never have come in, scored by a player who has never scored a header in the PL before!

Lady Luck, where the fuck are you hiding?!

 

[mancityscot]

yeah it's clear Liverpool and Arsenal are keeping the foot down to the final whistle, or at least involving some sort of accelerated finish, while we are struggling to see games out.

I think recent seasons would see us grab late wins, if we were even in a position that required that, but this season we can't seem to cope with the increased intensity

I dont think, and correct me if i'm wrong, its something we generally do in matches. I remember a few in the 2017/18 season where raz popped up. But since then, in terms of last gasp winners only rodri at arsenal a few years back comes to mind.
The thing with Arsenal and Liverpool is they have a wealth of high quality attacking players all capable of scoring, and they just pile on intense pressure in the closing stages, yet at the same time have the composure to execute. You can call it good fortune, but you have to admire their mentality to consistently find a way to dig out late wins.

 

[EastMidlandsBlue]

This has been killing us this season. Based on goals scored/conceded in the 81st min onwards that changed results in prem games I reckon is -

Us
Sheff Utd +2
Arsenal -1
Chelsea -2
Dippers -2
Spurs -2
TOTAL -5

Dippers
Newcastle +3
Wolves +2
Spurs -1
Luton +1
Us +1
Fulham +3
TOTAL +9

Arsenal
Fulham -2
Us +2
Rags +2
Chelsea +1
Brentford +2
Luton +2
TOTAL +7

That’s a 14 points difference v dippers, and 12 v arsenal if my calculations are right

Definitely an area we can improve on

Sheffield united actually not +2, as we were 1-0 up in 80th minute and game ended 2-1. So was actually +0

 

[bluestevei]

i think last season, we was the lowest scorers after 75 mins i think we scored 5-6 goals, and that was in the premeriership

 

[Blue Til Death]

Once Christmas is out of the way, City will start going through the gears, while the rest complain their gear boxes are fucked ..

The arse can crow all they want at this stage of the season, didn’t turn out too well for em last season and it won’t be any different this time either…

 

[Spurs quarter 69]

I dont think, and correct me if i'm wrong, its something we generally do in matches. I remember a few in the 2017/18 season where raz popped up. But since then, in terms of last gasp winners only rodri at arsenal a few years back comes to mind.
The thing with Arsenal and Liverpool is they have a wealth of high quality attacking players all capable of scoring, and they just pile on intense pressure in the closing stages, yet at the same time have the composure to execute. You can call it good fortune, but you have to admire their mentality to consistently find a way to dig out late wins.

In 2012 we would have finished 4th but for goals scored after 90 mins, so ive been told.

 

[69FACUPfinal]

I don't think the team have played particularly consistently well since about the time of the Everton away game in May, that ultimately turned out to be the PL winning game. God I miss Gundo.


The fa Cup final was OK, the Champs League nervy and since then we seem to have managed to win by playing half a game. The defence has been dreadful last few, the middle is on a shoestring and Haaland really needs shooting boots.


Dippers and Arse strengthened fairly well, and of course we know refs/PGMOB/Pl rooting for them, but they make the most of their additional extra time and score instead of conceding.

I'm not particularly hopeful tonight....