Our attack - what's off?

If you look at our run in 2019.....KDB didn’t play in the majority of games.....a brilliant player tho can be, unless he’s in absolute top form he struggles to do the basics......we are more creative with Foden or Bernardo in the side.
The other factor is the fall off the cliff form that Sterling is in....to be fair he is played in every game, but we need a pacy alternative....and not Mahrez
 
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OB1 said:
Of course Sterling is not good enough; how could he be when he's simply the player in the league that a couple of weeks back had scored the most goals in all competitions since August 2019. I think he might still be but Kane could have caught him.

Oh and he has done that mostly playing from the left.
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Sterling could get 100 assist and 100 goals in a single season and bellends on here would still call him out.

Sterling clearly isn't the problem lack of pace in CM is the major problem we ain't going from defence to attack quick enough.
 
Also let's not forget the fact we're obviously nowhere near as fit as we should be, for obvious reasons. We tried to play the way we normally do at the start of the season and for 3 consecutive games it looked great. We were all over the opposition, creating chances, looking like the City of 17/18. Until we fizzled out and turned to dust after 30 minutes each time. Liverpool themselves had the exact same problem against us yesterday.

It's why it's so vital the defence is looking good, because that's our major safety net moving forwards.


Of course other teams are scoring more than we are. But then they're not having to make the dramatic shift in playing style we are too.
 
David Silva.

Rodri and Gundoggan don't seem to play well together and don't function well in tight spaces. There is a clear lack of dominance in that area between the centre and wide wingers. Too many attacks seem to break down as the full backs can't seem to work the ball inwards on onwards.
 
So some of the points I think maybe be the reason are:

1) Our tempo seems to be lot slower in the starting matches. Maybe fitness/motivation reasons.

2) Our attack through wings is too much dependent on sterling, Mahrez has been wank for most matches and Torres is not creating much from wings when he played...Sterling had a lot of matches where he went missing in the past days.

3) KDB completely out of form/fitness(?). He unusually missed a lot of counter attack chances etc.. Not to mention he has to be the spark most of the matches..

4) we are missing the consistency of silva a lot. When he was in pitch KDB/sterling was not expected to be at 100% every match. He would carry a match on his own lot of times...

5) Bernardo is not trusted to start at all these days..I dont what happened to him...he used to run the right wing.

I think if Ferran torres (or mahrez) needs to be a solid threat in the wings while bernardo reaching 18/19 level will be more than enough to bring our attack to former levels.
 
I did say yesterday we are crying out for a player like Yaya. A big fucking beast of a man who can grab a game by the scruff and make it his own. Problem is they broke the mold when they made that fella.
 
Vicious111 said:
David Silva.

Rodri and Gundoggan don't seem to play well together and don't function well in tight spaces. There is a clear lack of dominance in that area between the centre and wide wingers. Too many attacks seem to break down as the full backs can't seem to work the ball inwards on onwards.
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Silva and Gundogan were a problem pace wise as well last season.
 
TFC said:
I did say yesterday we are crying out for a player like Yaya. A big fucking beast of a man who can grab a game by the scruff and make it his own. Problem is they broke the mold when they made that fella.
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Yaya is a once in a generation kind of player, as is Merlin.

I actually wish people would quit bemoaning the absence of players that have gone.

City have to build a team that functions well without such players and that means adjusting things.

We can create a revamped team that is excellent but not in quite the same way as before.

Other things have changed too, like how teams approach playing us.

At the moment, the team seems to be very focused on greater defensive solidity. Hopefully, that will produce a foundation that sooner of later gives us the springboard to start destroying teams again. However, maybe we won't score so many goals for a time. I think we need to wait and see how things develop.
 
bennyboy said:
Silva and Gundogan were a problem pace wise as well last season.
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I seem to remember many on Bluemoon saying how Silva could not do it any longer even last season, so the signs were there.
but we didn’t replace him and clearly Pep does not see Foden playing left side midfield
In all probability, replacing El Mago was always going to be impossible, but signing Aouar would have been a good shout. Why did we not go for him ?
The other issue for me is CM ...Rodri does drive us forward and we know he not a Fernandino. We need someone with pace and the ability to drive us forward not keep interchanging passes with the back 4. he makes lots of passes, but how many are effective ?
 
The big threat yesterday consistently came from Mane..his pace and strength gave Walker, who had been playing so well in previous games, big problems.
For City, you don’t see anyone with that pace or strength.
jesus was our striker and took his goal well, but most of the time was never up there. He drops off, he tries to link play, he runs himself into the ground. still feel he would be more of threat coming in from the left.
But we desperately need a strong quick No 9,
 
City_Sean said:
All the problems stem from the midfield. We miss someone who links the midfield to attack, we lack any control and our 8s aren't doing enough to show for the ball when our wide players have it.

We can't play triangles because Gundogan can't do it, and Kevin looks exhausted. Add to that Bernardo is off form.

Its staggering we didn't move for Auoar.
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We need Pep to sign a new contract, peak the interest of agents and get someone who’s absolutely mustard in midfield.
 
Yesterday was a prime example of when a team press us, we become stifled in attack and slow. Mane and Salah pushed up high cutting off the ball to Rodri. We also lose any momentum we may have had and allow the opposition to get back into formation. When we do happen to create a break, then because of our inverted wingers (fucking despise this system) we then stop altogether because the player wants to cut in on his natural foot. By which time he has 2 defenders to try and get through, inevitably losing the ball. We miss Sane direct approach and we miss Sterlings abilities on the right. we end up becoming narrow and trying to force our way through a defensive wall. I'm no coach but even I can see this. Pep needs to overcome this by being creative and flexible in his thinking. Yesterday was crying out for the flanks to be overloaded with naturally sided players, supported with over laps from full backs. Drag their attacking players back to support their overworked full backs. This wouldve created gaps in the middle for KDB to attack. In my humble opinion. In order to apply some balance if Pep is reading this hes quite welcome to nip to one of my sites and give his opinion on my project management skills. :)
 
I think a 442/3142 fixes some of our issues in attack:

Defensive Block
------------------Ferran--------------Jesus
Foden/Silva---------Gund-----KdB----------Sterling
Cancelo-----------Laporte----Dias-------Walker

Attacking Phase
--------------------Ferran----------------Jesus
Cancelo-------Foden/Silva---------KdB----------Sterling
--------------------------Gundogan
--------------------Laporte----Dias-------Walker

My Thinking for it (purely on maximizing player potential)

1. Ferran plays better as a inbetween winger/striker, his dribbling, finishing and link up play are better than Sterling's, and combined with Jesus (who has the same assets), makes them a great pair up front to finish chances.

2. Chemistry between Ferran, Cancelo, Foden/Silva I think would be really good, Cancelo-Silva read each other well, and Foden-Ferran read each other well.

The idea would be to build up play on the left side, and utilize Sterling's speed and positioning on the right.

3. Somewhat fixes the Foden and KdB problem by making Foden play as a pseudo winger/midfielder, KdB can still operate a bit deeper and try his risky passes.

4. Player depth:
Mendy LWB
Ake, Stones CB
Rodri DM
Mahrez as Sterling back up, but also potentially up front as a creative striker (could redefine him)
Silva LM or RCM
 
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