OB1 said:Not long been home from the game and having looked at few pages on this thread and noted that the Pellegrini thread is missing, it looks like the meltdown that I anticapted as I left Carrow Road is present and correct.
I cannot pretend not to be bitterly disappointed in the result and somewhat disappointed in the team's performance but Pellegrini picked exactly the same team as me and made that subs that I would have made; although I would rather have taken Negredo off before Jovetic but I assume fitness was a factor there.
The game was a bit bloodless and we definitely lacked tempo. Norwich though were extremely well organised and work hard to deny us space in the danger areas; they also did a good job of cutting out our crosses. The big problem, as has too often been the case when we face a parked bus, was a lack of clinical final balls and finishes.
Navas put in 17 crosses and 11 corners but not one resulted in a goal attempt. He should have managed even more crosses but did not take on his full back often enough.
Dzeko was not on the pitch long but managed four goal attempts but not one worked the keeper. Kolarov was on the pitch even less time but had two shots, both of which were feeble, despite him possessing a hammer of a shot.
Yaya had a below par day and never took anyone on, even though the situation was crying out for him to make some drivig runs at the heart of their defence.
pavelsrnicek said:If we lose the league it will be due to the injury to fernandinho. He's missed 3 league games and we haven't scored in any of them. I wouldn't blame Pellegrini for today instead I would say Txiki failed to see how important it was for us to sign cover for fernandinho and Yaya in January. We were given a warning against Sunderland, without him we were slow and payed without tempo. We didn't heed it balked at signing Fernando and instead we lose one player and we are a shadow of ourselves.
Didsbury Dave said:I dont like yaya sitting so deep but I'm starting to think he's carrying an injury which is inhibiting him. I would have swapped him and Milner when we were turning the screw in the second half.
Didsbury Dave said:OB1 said:Not long been home from the game and having looked at few pages on this thread and noted that the Pellegrini thread is missing, it looks like the meltdown that I anticapted as I left Carrow Road is present and correct.
I cannot pretend not to be bitterly disappointed in the result and somewhat disappointed in the team's performance but Pellegrini picked exactly the same team as me and made that subs that I would have made; although I would rather have taken Negredo off before Jovetic but I assume fitness was a factor there.
The game was a bit bloodless and we definitely lacked tempo. Norwich though were extremely well organised and work hard to deny us space in the danger areas; they also did a good job of cutting out our crosses. The big problem, as has too often been the case when we face a parked bus, was a lack of clinical final balls and finishes.
Navas put in 17 crosses and 11 corners but not one resulted in a goal attempt. He should have managed even more crosses but did not take on his full back often enough.
Dzeko was not on the pitch long but managed four goal attempts but not one worked the keeper. Kolarov was on the pitch even less time but had two shots, both of which were feeble, despite him possessing a hammer of a shot.
Yaya had a below par day and never took anyone on, even though the situation was crying out for him to make some drivig runs at the heart of their defence.
Yet again we read it the same, OB. Total domination of possession but nowhere near enough cutting edge. An incredible number of Poor quality balls into the box, particularly from navas and zabaleta. Not enough tempo apart from the last ten of the first half and the last 15 of the second. A hugely frustrating afternoon, but not the end of the world. We need to get the absentees back and get back Into gear again.
I dont like yaya sitting so deep but I'm starting to think he's carrying an injury which is inhibiting him. I would have swapped him and Milner when we were turning the screw in the second half.
A bad week, but we fight on in four competitions. It happens.
stan bowles said:After reading the posts on here I expected to see a dismal, limp City performance. Just been watching the extensive highlights on SS1 and I thought it was a decent performance. Totally bossed the first half and most of the game. Plenty of effort and no one not trying. We've played much worse than this. Lacked a cutting edge maybe but definitely the better team. Certainly still in the title race.
Didsbury Dave said:We tried very hard to buy a holding midfielder for exactly this reason in January. The management were clearly aware that with rodwell's lack of progress, there was a potential problem, and we got unlucky the very next week. None of us know the details of the Fernando transfer, or the other similar players we tried to do deals with. There's no point in recriminations with nothing but rumour to base them on. This club has made too many short term decisions in the transfer market with longer term ramifications.