Palace (A) | PL | Post-Match Thread

[OB1]

I find it baffling. Our defence has been so good up to this year, then suddenly poof! We have conceded many more than our two rivals this season.
There have been injuries and individual loss of form, but it feels like something amiss with the set up, as sides can slide through us. We need a decent coach to sort it out!

We have conceded 3 more than Liverpool and played one more game so that is not a big difference.

Arsenal are further ahead defensively as they have conceded 7 fewer.

You mention injuries and they have been significant this season. I’m sure if we still had Gundo and Grealish had played more, we would have conceded less, because we would not have given away cheap possession as often.

City are currently 25 games unbeaten so not too much is wrong. I think the key factor for City will now be concentration levels and keeping them extremely high. To have achieved what they did last year and to be where they are right now is an incredible achievement, regardless of how things pan out for the rest of the season. To have done what they have so far must have been mentally (as well as physically) sapping. The competition in the league has been so tough and City are trying to maintain standards in a way no one has done before.

 

[west didsblue]

Those filling squad places & not pushing for a first team place or out on loan, & for whom we can improve upon.

Philips, Cancelo, Nunes, Gomez, & several academy products like McAtee, the Doyles, Harwood-Bellis etc, who it maybe best if we sell with a buyback/sell on clauses.

Phillips and Cancelo are effectively gone and won’t be coming back. Far too early to write off Nunes. The academy products aren’t in the first team squad. That just leaves Gomez who, although not first choice, is a reasonable stand in player in a position where we don’t have lots of options.
We’re far from having any deadwood in our squad.

 

[KS55]

We have conceded 3 more than Liverpool and played one more game so that is not a big difference.

Arsenal are further ahead defensively as they have conceded 7 fewer.

You mention injuries and they have been significant this season. I’m sure if we still had Gundo and Grealish had played more, we would have conceded less, because we would not have given away cheap possession as often.

City are currently 25 games unbeaten so not too much is wrong. I think the key factor for City will now be concentration levels and keeping them extremely high. To have achieved what they did last year and to be where they are right now is an incredible achievement, regardless of how things pan out for the rest of the season. To have done what they have so far must have been mentally (as well as physically) sapping. The competition in the league has been so tough and City are trying to maintain standards in a way no one has done before.

I agree strongly about the mental and emotional tiredness. It was apparent at the end of the CL final as several simply fell to the ground overcome by relief as well as joy.
If we win nowt this season, you will hear no complaint from me; we have had more than a decade showered with silverware, seen some really great players wearing the sky blue shirt, and witnessed some breathtaking football.

 

[Hes the left back remember]

This is so astonishing I just had to post it again. When people like Joey Barton slag off female pundits he should be shown this clip over and over.

Wonder why these guys were ever relevantly? Was it Merson who said Charlie Adams was a better signing than Aguero!!!

 

[OB1]

Phillips and Cancelo are effectively gone and won’t be coming back. Far too early to write off Nunes. The academy products aren’t in the first team squad. That just leaves Gomez who, although not first choice, is a reasonable stand in player in a position where we don’t have lots of options.
We’re far from having any deadwood in our squad.

My issue with the squad is that it has not really improved in a significant way for a few years and, at the moment, you would be hard pressed to argue it isn’t weaker than last season.

Gundo, Riyad and Laporte were experienced top quality players. The first two though were on the older side and City have invested mostly in much younger players whose full potential will only be realised in the future. City also let Cole Palmer go, his choice, which doesn’t have great optics at the moment but I don’t think he gets into City’s best XI I can’t say City were wrong to grant his wish to move.

After several seasons, I have hoped City would go into the transfer market and make the moves that would pull us even further ahead of our opponents but, generally, it seems like we let them close the gap. Although, I do believe that signing 3 or 4 players that would instantly give the team a quantum leap forward is almost impossible.

I think this summer will be particularly difficult because we may need to replace both Bernardo and KDB and how the heck you improve on those two players is beyond me but we’ve seen Yaya, Sergio, Sane and Merlin to name but a few go and have still gone on to greater prosperity.

I think City have at least been laying the foundations for another successful team (we have plenty of talent that is under 25) but I would like to see Pep move to a slightly bigger squad and City to flex their muscles in the next transfer window.

 

[OB1]

I agree strongly about the mental and emotional tiredness. It was apparent at the end of the CL final as several simply fell to the ground overcome by relief as well as joy.
If we win nowt this season, you will hear no complaint from me; we have had more than a decade showered with silverware, seen some really great players wearing the sky blue shirt, and witnessed some breathtaking football.

Just watched Pep’s post match press conference and he put a lot of emphasis on the mental strain on the players.

 

[KS55]

My issue with the squad is that it has not really improved in a significant way for a few years and, at the moment, you would be hard pressed to argue it isn’t weaker than last season.

Gundo, Riyad and Laporte were experienced top quality players. The first two though were on the older side and City have invested mostly in much younger players whose full potential will only be realised in the future. City also let Cole Palmer go, his choice, which doesn’t have great optics at the moment but I don’t think he gets into City’s best XI I can’t say City were wrong to grant his wish to move.

After several seasons, I have hoped City would go into the transfer market and make the moves that would pull us even further ahead of our opponents but, generally, it seems like we let them close the gap. Although, I do believe that signing 3 or 4 players that would instantly give the team a quantum leap forward is almost impossible.

I think this summer will be particularly difficult because we may need to replace both Bernardo and KDB and how the heck you improve on those two players is beyond me but we’ve seen Yaya, Sergio, Sane and Merlin to name but a few go and have still gone on to greater prosperity.

I think City have at least been laying the foundations for another successful team (we have plenty of talent that is under 25) but I would like to see Pep move to a slightly bigger squad and City to flex their muscles in the next transfer window.

Not easy to keep up our stunning brilliance but Bobb and Lewis both look eminently capable of growing into top players.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

 

[KS55]

Just watched Pep’s post match press conference and he put a lot of emphasis on the mental strain on the players.

Those last few weeks tough enough for us supporters, never mind the players.

 

[Dribble]

Phillips and Cancelo are effectively gone and won’t be coming back. Far too early to write off Nunes. The academy products aren’t in the first team squad. That just leaves Gomez who, although not first choice, is a reasonable stand in player in a position where we don’t have lots of options.
We’re far from having any deadwood in our squad.

I'd agree with Gomez, as he's always been decent when allowed to perform. But if Pep doesn't think he's quite got what it takes, it's better for Sergio & City that he rebuilds his career elsewhere.

Philips & Cancelo are City players who'll return this summer unless we can sell them, loan them out or cancel their contracts. Personally I just want us to cut our losses & move on.

I never thought Nunes was at the required level, & I've seen nothing since his arrival to change my view. In any case, he was a panic buy because of Paqueta's move collapsing.

Other teams have closed the gap on us this season, & we need a squad refresh imo. Making these changes will give the fans, playing & coaching staff a boost too, because right now we just seem to be missing that squad X Factor that we've become used to.

Many times this season it's seemed like we're wading through treacle & unable to step up a level beyond everyone else when needed. I sense now is the time to make these squad changes, & judging by the reports & rumours, it seems Pep & Txiki agree too.