Leeds (H) | Post Match Thread

I think given the amount of rotation it was an unfortunate result but hardly as impactful as losing with a full strength 11. The Derby defeat was more concerning than Leeds by quite some distance if you want to dabble in negativity..
 
Many have said it, that team should have won that game, to squander so many shots on target and possession is not anything to do with Pep. Pep has to and is looking at the bigger picture. We are still in 4 competitions and need to be pragmatic with lineups etc.
I am only concerned that going for all four has resulted in a little drop off in quality lately, as the number of games and changes is really having a toll on us. The reason the quad has never been done is because it’s bloody hard. People are allowed their own views but some of the comments in this thread read like spoilt know all kids and it’s embarrassing for me that they “support” the same team I do
 
Much of the discussion of the match - not only on here but also in the media - has concentrated on our team selection and on the fact that Leeds had only ten men for half the match. This is far too simplistic and mechanistic. That City team was easily strong enough to win, especially against ten men and if the match were played ten times City would probably win eight or nine times. Bielsa said after the match that a City win would have been the only just and fair result. So why didn't we win?

My opinion is that on Saturday a number of old faults came back to haunt us. Over 38 games City are the most consistent and best team in the country, but over 90 minutes we can be infuriatingly prone to certain faults. Football is an "on the day" affair. On Saturday we saw Cancelo - who would NOT have had him in the team? - make a complete mess of dealing with a hopeful high clearance and Ferna - anyone NOT have him in the team? - not cover Dallas's run through to receive the ball and score. The second Leeds goal was our old problem from Last season - the failure to strangle counter attacks at birth. We started the game with Stones and Ake, both pacey enough to deal with the problem but Ake was playing his first game since Boxing day and was never going to play 90 minutes and John Stones became our free man to carry the ball at Leeds, leaving Ferna to control the break. Ferna has never been particularly pacey and in the 91st minute he was unable to do it. Dallas clearly finished both chances well but combined with the peculiar circumstances of Saturday Leeds scored two goals from only two shots. This contrasts with City's one goal from 29 shots. Of these 29 only seven were on target and I don't remember any of the seven drawing a really good save from their keeper. Raheem scored 30 goals last season but on Saturday he looked like the player who signed for us in 2015 - his confidence in front of goal has gone completely and he is (temporarily) way out of form. He scuffed the best chance of the match way wide. Other than that it was like Southampton last season with shot after shot being blocked and City being unable to play those clever balls to get to the by line.

So was it deep rooted problems with the squad or a poor performance or just the football gods smiling on Leeds?
 
BillyShears said:
The most unbothered I've been by a competitive City game in quite some time.

All about Wednesday.
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Same. I’ve given up trying to explain to those in hysterics that the team selection was spot on, even with the benefit of hindsight and knowing we lost the game. We have 4 games now where the rotation will be minimal, maybe no more than 3 per game, then heavy changes against Crystal Palace. The rotation v Leeds was crucial to give us any chance whatsoever of getting through the next 4 games still in the CL and FA Cup and with a trophy in the bag. Our chances of an unprecedented (and almost impossible) quadruple actually INCREASED this weekend, as 7 key players got the rest they need to keep it within the realms of possibility.
 
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half & half derby scarf said:
Totally illogical post from you once again. 3pts is 3pts. Win against Leeds and take the pressure off.
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Beating Leeds with a "full strength" team would have piled more pressure on not taken any off. Would the same team have trotted out at Dortmund and then again at Wembley on Saturday? And what about Villa on the following Wednesday? DD is perfectly correct that Pep does most certainly not "make it up as he goes along". The club's avowed aim is to compete for every trophy and that involves playing a maximum of 60+ games, in a very condensed season this season. We have assemled a squad of high quality to make this possible. Pep has to take an overview of the season and plan in detail as circumstances change. The paradox is that, as Pep says, every game is equally important but circumstances dictate which games are more urgent. He will have planned the changes to be made in advance in the light of circumstances and I don't think anyone would argue that we need our "best" eleven to be freshest and fittest for Dortmund since defeat may well mean elimination and the end of a dream. But he will also have a good idea of the eleven to start against Chelsea and even Villa. And Spurs. Squad management (Rotation!) is not a panicky, last minute manoeuvre but a long term, flexible affair and Pep is better at it than anyone else.
 
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