Couldn't agree more, there's also nothing wrong with having 10 men behind the ball when leading and playing on the counter. This trait of complacency and not digging in has cost us big time this season.It is still possible and perfectly acceptable to win 1-0 though. Something we had the chance to do in all three games we lost. You don’t have to win 5-0 every game
We have some very bright people running our club but they really should have learnt by now that you have to do more after winning a title.
Yup, and in not having done so, they’ve just stoked up potential problems for next season. If we’ve ballsed up in the transfer market before, it hasn’t been such an issue because we always had that magnificent core (Kompers, Sergio, Dave, Ya Ya, Ferna, Zab) to keep us at a relatively exalted level regardless. Now however, we’re going to lose Dave, Kompers, Sergio and Ferna in the next 1 to 2 years, whilst we still have clear issues in both full back berths (Mendy is Rodwell mkII, a perpetual sick note, and Walker is an accident waiting to happen every week), and a £60m wet lettuce on the bench that the manager doesn’t even trust to bring on when we’re 2-1 down with 10 minutes left in games with the title on the line.
If the club’s policy (re Frenkie De Jong) is to refuse to pay “over the odds” for anyone, then we’re going to have some serious issues in the fairly immediate future, not least a very unhappy manager
LOLLeadership is overrated.
With Vinny on that pitch last night, we don't lose, IMO
But we are capable of playing in another way as the win against Liverpool demonstrated. We obviously aren't limited to rinse and repeat. Blood and mud is there if needed. Even at 1-1 last night there was no sign of applying a different approach. Whether that was down to Pep, the players or a combination of both I don't know. But it's frustrating to know that we are more than one-dimensional but seem unable to apply it when the situation merits itPep couldn't motivate them tonight when the needed lifting. Just poor all round. This is not a criticism, more an observation, City play in Peps image. He is the brains behind how we play 100%. If how we play doesnt work, Im not sure the players can respond in any other way than rinse and repeat. Players are expected to execute the game plan not show individual leadership.
Especially from Danilo. He must have looked up after his pass and realised he’s cocked it up playing to the wrong side of Fernandinho. So why he couldn’t immediately shout to his compatriot to let him know of the danger I don’t know. Everything about us was meek.Possibly debatable as the whether this point is down to leadership or not but think it might be not suitable in this thread:
Why didn't Fernandinho get a shout for the pen? He had no idea that other player was coming for him but ederson and other players were close enough to him to give him a shout but they can't have, surely?
I really dont know what was going on last night. Our strongest team on paper and they never looked capable of creating the number of chances we needed to win that game. Pep was as animated as ever in the first half of the first half. He clearly could see that we were having one of those nights despite the early goal. Then he slumped in his chair for the rest of the game with at first his head in his hands and then increasingly a look of real disgust at what he was watching. I cant read his emotions but that is what his face said to me. Everybody was guilty of mis passing and the tempo of play was as slow as I have seen it. The two or three times we attacked quickly and precisely we scored and cut them open the other two times. The thing that worried me most was the response when the penalty went in. There wasnt one.But we are capable of playing in another way as the win against Liverpool demonstrated. We obviously aren't limited to rinse and repeat. Blood and mud is there if needed. Even at 1-1 last night there was no sign of applying a different approach. Whether that was down to Pep, the players or a combination of both I don't know. But it's frustrating to know that we are more than one-dimensional but seem unable to apply it when the situation merits it
you mention Mendy as a sick note & Mahrez as a wet lettuce, both Pep signings I'm afraid, he plays strong teams in the cups instead of some of the kids, Phil should of played tonite instead of Merlin, how is he supposed to learn if he doesn't play, Garcia as well, give them game time there not scared the manager is.Yup, and in not having done so, they’ve just stoked up potential problems for next season. If we’ve ballsed up in the transfer market before, it hasn’t been such an issue because we always had that magnificent core (Kompers, Sergio, Dave, Ya Ya, Ferna, Zab) to keep us at a relatively exalted level regardless. Now however, we’re going to lose Dave, Kompers, Sergio and Ferna in the next 1 to 2 years, whilst we still have clear issues in both full back berths (Mendy is Rodwell mkII, a perpetual sick note, and Walker is an accident waiting to happen every week), and a £60m wet lettuce on the bench that the manager doesn’t even trust to bring on when we’re 2-1 down with 10 minutes left in games with the title on the line.
If the club’s policy (re Frenkie De Jong) is to refuse to pay “over the odds” for anyone, then we’re going to have some serious issues in the fairly immediate future, not least a very unhappy manager
you mention Mendy as a sick note & Mahrez as a wet lettuce, both Pep signings I'm afraid, he plays strong teams in the cups instead of some of the kids, Phil should of played tonite instead of Merlin, how is he supposed to learn if he doesn't play, Garcia as well, give them game time there not scared the manager is.