Our attack - what's off?

[Akira]

We used to do those dinks over the top of a packed defense, much like Silva used to.

I remembered when Silva is not playing, Gundogan could do the same. But he wasn't doing those last game, not that he played badly by any means.

Wonder what happened to that form of attack?

 

[City Raider]

The playmaker is what's off. KDB.

It's now blindingly obvious. I don't play FIFA but if there was a FIFA engine rating he's at 80%, and you need to be able to hit the byline, or accelerate to make the one-twos, or get the shot away. He is way way below his past standards, and because of his position in the side, we struggle.

If you play Rodri as a sitting midfielder then you are in real trouble if your creative player is off his game. Look at the impact of Fernandes on Man Utd. Without him they are crippled. KDB has morphed into Toure in his end days.

I made this call weeks ago and got a lot of criticism for it but now you have to see it. I know its a damaging conclusion because he is crucial for City but Pep needs to take him out of the side for an extended period.

Go with Bernardo and press sides. Bernardo may not be on form but physically he has all the attributes to unlock sides. We have Foden, and we have Mahrez. Trust in the other players in the squad, but Pep has to make this call now or we'll drop off the pace.

99 problems but De Bruyne ain’t one

 

[Beanhead]

This is the entire "we need to sign Dzeko/any tall striker" we've seen over and over again.

No we don’t need to sign a tall striker unless we are playing in a style that requires one. At this moment in time our build up play is like with have Zlaten stood in their 6 yard box. And we don’t. A few years ago we were all about width and getting in behind then cutting the ball back for a tap in. Now we have changed our style but clearly don’t have the right personnel to implement it. I’m personally all for going back to the old style but if we insist on playing through the middle with inverted wingers we need a proper presence in the the box.

 

[supercity88]

The playmaker is what's off. KDB.

It's now blindingly obvious. I don't play FIFA but if there was a FIFA engine rating he's at 80%, and you need to be able to hit the byline, or accelerate to make the one-twos, or get the shot away. He is way way below his past standards, and because of his position in the side, we struggle.

If you play Rodri as a sitting midfielder then you are in real trouble if your creative player is off his game. Look at the impact of Fernandes on Man Utd. Without him they are crippled. KDB has morphed into Toure in his end days.

I made this call weeks ago and got a lot of criticism for it but now you have to see it. I know its a damaging conclusion because he is crucial for City but Pep needs to take him out of the side for an extended period.

Go with Bernardo and press sides. Bernardo may not be on form but physically he has all the attributes to unlock sides. We have Foden, and we have Mahrez. Trust in the other players in the squad, but Pep has to make this call now or we'll drop off the pace.

Completely agree, he needs a spell out. We've played a couple of games without him in the CL and been much better.

He played two cracking balls in which we should have scored from and won the game, and he created the chance against United Mahrez should have done better from, but overall his play is predictable. He just wants to pick up the ball wide right and whip a cross in. But he needs to be doing more than that. When he gets it he plays it 5 yards sideways or backwards. When he's not got it, he's stood in a crowd of people looking to play a 1-2. There's no guile to what he's doing. He is much better sat deeper driving forwards and playing that quick initial pass.

On last night's form, we'd be better switching him deeper and having Gundogan as the man in the no.10 position because he was much more creative and clever with his passing and switching the play.

I'd give Kev a rest though, he's not been himself all season. Because he's offering very little you end up with Sterling and Foden looking to come deeper and more narrow to get on the ball because they want to make something happen.

Our best football under Pep had our wide players hugging the touchline and our full backs inverted to enable the midfield players to find pockets because of the width we had created. Now we're all stood still in a narrow area.

Pep has to try something new to make things work.

 

[Inter Me Nan]

Not ruthless enough, not just these last two seasons either it's been like this for ages.

 

[adam.marrett]

It's pretty obvious this season, they can't finish without Aguero.

Between Jesus, Sterling & Mahrez this season they've all missed sitters. Kev has been guilty of it to. From those 4 I can think of Sterling against West Ham, Mahrez against the Rags, Jesus & De Bruyne against Liverpool all missing regulation chances to win games. That's 3 draws instead of wins right there, and I've missed other misses as well.

Then you factor in the total lack of width we're playing with, Cancelo at left back most games and we are all clogged up playing centrally more often then not. We don't have any space. We used to play wide wingers to stretch the defence and the pitch to create space centrally but without the width we are just easy to contain.

Pep has to have a solution surely, the double pivot isn't it.

 

[Marvin]

It's pretty obvious this season, they can't finish without Aguero.

Between Jesus, Sterling & Mahrez this season they've all missed sitters. Kev has been guilty of it to. From those 4 I can think of Sterling against West Ham, Mahrez against the Rags, Jesus & De Bruyne against Liverpool all missing regulation chances to win games. That's 3 draws instead of wins right there, and I've missed other misses as well.

Then you factor in the total lack of width we're playing with, Cancelo at left back most games and we are all clogged up playing centrally more often then not. We don't have any space. We used to play wide wingers to stretch the defence and the pitch to create space centrally but without the width we are just easy to contain.

Pep has to have a solution surely, the double pivot isn't it.

Until Gundogan and Sterling's late chances we created next to nothing in that game.

You're being lazy as are most City fans who are reflecting on this game.

 

[Marvin]

Not ruthless enough, not just these last two seasons either it's been like this for ages.

We created very little until the last moments.

 

[HelloCity]

The playmaker is what's off. KDB.

It's now blindingly obvious. I don't play FIFA but if there was a FIFA engine rating he's at 80%, and you need to be able to hit the byline, or accelerate to make the one-twos, or get the shot away. He is way way below his past standards, and because of his position in the side, we struggle.

If you play Rodri as a sitting midfielder then you are in real trouble if your creative player is off his game. Look at the impact of Fernandes on Man Utd. Without him they are crippled. KDB has morphed into Toure in his end days.

I made this call weeks ago and got a lot of criticism for it but now you have to see it. I know its a damaging conclusion because he is crucial for City but Pep needs to take him out of the side for an extended period.

Go with Bernardo and press sides. Bernardo may not be on form but physically he has all the attributes to unlock sides. We have Foden, and we have Mahrez. Trust in the other players in the squad, but Pep has to make this call now or we'll drop off the pace.

Bernardo hasn’t contributed to the side for 15 months.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Bernardo hasn’t contributed to the side for 15 months.

He did last Winter. Was our most or one of the most important and impressive players in games like Leicester Arsenal United(EFL Cup).