Pep’s Spurs (H) Post-Match Interview

[Stoned Rose]

So is Pep congratulating us then for showing our unhappiness and getting a reaction out of the team? Or are we the reason why they're not performing, or is he going to tell us that it was a bollocking that got them going. He has to stop having a go at the fans when the team and his head falls off, what is noticeable is he's a very passionate guy , both for football and the club, ill be honest though, this team needs some fresh faces and quick before this attitude problem becomes an issue throughout the first team.

Maybe our fan base needs some fresh faces.

 

[paulchapo]

Maybe our fan base needs some fresh faces.

There won't be many at £68+ a ticket.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Good job he never experienced the Maine rd days when the booing would make a city player petrified to touch the ball.
Fans who go to the game have a right to express their feelings regardless that some will be offended & some won't .
It was only done at halftime not during the game & the players gave them the right reaction 2nd half for them to get behind the team .

Genuine question: are we now going to boo the team every time we feel they aren’t playing well?

 

[domalino]

It didn't prove that - it didn't really prove anything apart from the fact we have excellent players who can turn a game, which we knew anyway. The first half they were ok, the second Lewis seemed to push forward more and the wingers were more direct - which Mahrez essentially stated in his interview.

As with everything, City's recent performances aren't monocausal: lack of intensity, eclectic lineups, different strategies, players in poor form all have contributed and impact each other.

Pep did not change anything except the attitudes at half time. Mahrez didn't say they were told to be more direct in the second half, he said they were more direct which is what Jack's been saying Pep's been telling him to do for weeks.

You can look at Rico's touches first half vs second half here, there's no pushing up or change of position.

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The same tactics, selection and formation in both half. One was shit, the other won 4-0.

 

[flb]

Maybe our fan base needs some fresh faces.

You're probably right of course, and that's down to the club to attract a younger enthusiastic vocal support, instead of alienating blues who will make a noise, instead of crisp munching, half and half scarf wearing bubbleheads who only got to the game once a season for the "experience".

 

[JWP1926]

Totally agree with Pep's comments. The club feels comfortable and we've taken a step back as a result.

The whole organisation needs to look at where they need to improve if we're going to be successful come May.

A few tips that could help improve the atmosphere:

- The club needs to defend the fans better in certain moments, the whole Liverpool/Chelsea coin throwing incidents needed to be addressed publicly and in defence of the fans, whilst making the obvious security changes for future fixtures (whether that's netting or a change of location for the away fans in cup games).

- Ticket pricing is still an issue and although it does not directly impact the atmosphere it certainly leaves a large proportion of the fan base disillusioned with some of the decisions made by the club. £68 for a January game on Thursday isn't a good ticketing strategy.

- Pre-match atmosphere isn't where it needs to be. The execution of these light shows have been poor. We don't need some shite dance music. If you're going to do it at least refer back to some great moments in the club's history. Although my preference would be to turn the PA system off, leave it to the fans and communicate with groups like 1894 who can organise a pre-match atmosphere in the stands.

- There also has to be a bit of self-reflection from the home supporters. It's not nice being called out by the manager, especially considering all the abuse we get about our home crowds/atmosphere from the Media/other fanbases. However, instead of being offended and talking about how you went York Away and so that means you can do whatever you want, why not just swallow a bit of pride and get involved? What's the point of going to all those games under the likes of Pearce or Alan Ball if you're not going to embrace the club when we're at our peak?

Anyway I'll be there Row M, South Stand doing my bit vs Wolves, it would be nice to see everyone else do there bit too.

 

[Jesus H Gabz]

Credit for naming the players busting their guts. The rest, mixed bag.

Haha! Go on Pep, he’s right (I’ve done it myself, probably too much) we shouldn’t be worrying about the line up, we should be putting our faith in him and the players selected. Must admit, I took my seat 30 minutes before kick off, without knowing the team & looked over at the smaller group tossing it off with ball, keepy-uppys etc, and thought that is one of the greatest benches I’ve ever seen, today I’m thinking I’ve done the starting eleven a massive disservice, Mahrez is playing out of his skin, Ake has been fantastic, Stones along with Rodri have both been imperious, Jack has been aggressive, worked hard and is producing, Haaland gave every inch of his 6ft 5” frame, Alvarez was tireless, and our Rico has been incredible, what a performance that was. Those lads should be given the shirt and it’s up to the rest to fight for it back….kudos to Pep for bringing up the spending of others, he’s probably waited a few years to say that after being labelled chequebook Pep

 

[GazM]

Wonder if the last quote is regarding recruitment

Hope so...beggars belief that we still don't have a left back (and I don't mean a stand-in be that Cancelo or Ake).

 

[minimalistic]

Makes sense now why many senior players were benched. Clearly the passion is not there at the moment. When you look at Rico and Julian you can see how hungry they are. I'm not a fan of booing and it was probably aimed at the Ref, bit maybe it opened the eyes of some of the players at half time.
Yes, the fan base probably got too comfortable but at £70 a ticket for a mid week game you are always going to get more tourists than passionate fans.

 

[Gumzy97]

My mate took his lad last weekend for his Xmas present to the San Siro before it is knocked down.

Inter v Verona I think it was.

£200 for the flights and 6 euros each for tickets in the under 30s Ultras zone.

It's 6 Euros whether you are 29 or five, which is why it is the packed, loudest area.

I've spent more than that for a home game and tickets against Fulham.

My mate is a Dipper and goes in the Kop, and he said there was no comparison in terms of the Inter fans and feeling the Club want them there and price accordingly.

Dortmund the same its electric incredible atmosphere and it cost me and my dad 17 euros each for a ticket in pretty good seats apart of the yellow wall got to hold the massive flag as well was incredible, people of all ages in that crowd due to the pricing.

Edit - been informed by my dad that it was 6 euro for me as I was under 17 and 10 euro for him. So 16 euros overall

 

[carlosthejackal]

My take for what it’s worth. He’s right about complacency from players , fans and management which includes himself along with the board . It’s been obvious for the majority of the season that certain experienced players have been coasting . The club doesn’t help itself with scandalous ticket prices and alienating its traditional fan base .
Don’t think Pep helps himself with his reluctance to use his bench , although he seems to be changing his thinking recently.
The left back scenario has been ongoing for numerous seasons now and the clubs reluctance to address it is baffling.
Hopefully this will be a turning point and a kick up the arse for everyone. I’ve got no doubt that his words will have reverberated around the changing room and club this morning . Players who felt comfortable over the last few years have got two options from here on in.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

Was at the game but haven't seen the interview. Pep's 100 per cent right. He's a high energy guy and I was hoping we'd create a cauldron atmosphere last night for the team to feed off. I've been going since 1968 and the current long periods of silence in the stands are like a fecking church service - it's embarrassing.

We used to be known for having a crazily noisy home crowd - pre-Etihad. Now we're known for being quiet like Arsenal. Unfortunately, we now have a lot of middle class fans who can afford the tickets. Mr and Mrs Middle Class from Bramhall, Hale and Alderley Edge. They tilt their middle class heads to the side and smile a lot in their designer jeans, make no noise apart from chuntering amongst themselves and leave early. Two years ago, I moved from the North/Family Stand to the East stand to sit with my mate. Jeez, I feel like I've moved to a library. In the North Stand I was nowhere near being the noisiest, but in the East Stand I am. Where I sit now, if I stand up and make some noise, Mr and Mrs Middle Class look at me as though it's 'Sit down, you're embarrassing us.'

We need to start making some noise or Pep will be off sooner than we think. The players feed off it.

 

[Asa's left peg]

He's using the press to get the supporters going. He's knows there will be a pile on now. Thats fair enough. But great short passes don't get you off your seat, it's great to watch but you can sit back in your seat and admire that stuff ( and I do) but its chances that get you off your seat and we don't / haven't created lots of those recently. So in a roundabout way it is his fault.
Now, if that is a lack of passion in the players ( apart form the ones he specially mentioned, Nathan, Julian and Rico) then he has to do something about that. We do move the ball to slowly at times and it's only when we do that we get at teams and create chances. This isn't new - and atm it's only Rico and Julian that do this. Jacks problem is that he doesn't make decisions early enough like Raz used to. Teams will let us knock it about for ages because it doesn't hurt them. It's not rocket science.

 

[meeesh]

More I'm calming,I could understand his outburst if we'd have lost,just one weird night that turned out to be

 

[Coatigan]

I see Pep doesn't get us has raised it's head again, i couldn't give a fuck if he does or doesn't he's not here to be our friend, he's here because he's a trophy machine.

Absolutely. Which is why it is on him, and not on fans whether regulars or tourists or whatever, to win football matches. Look at Liverpool's best fans in the world, support and passion quaking the fucking earth through thick and thin and what not, and where the are they, 10th in the table.

Huge distraction that, really is. But, if it gets the team going, and players bust a gut because they think they have to react to fans reacting to him, all for it.

 

[mrcakey]

Chant at the next match - "Pep is right - our fans are shite"

 

[Coatigan]

Just watched Micah response to pep after Match interview! Said sound like he has had enough! Micah you been with Carragher to long you 100% wrong and so so out of touch with Manchester City! Your playing the crowd! Totally disappointed with him

Agree or disagree with Pep, one thing you absolutely can not say is that he has 'had enough'.

 

[shevtheblue]

Who's he meant to play at the back though? Laporte and Dias haven't been fit enough to play every game and Stones has been off and on. It might calm down a bit now that Dias is back and he looked fired up when he came on last night.

To be honest, the only worry I have at the back is the full backs because any bad performance really hurts us going forwards. Walker has done alright but Cancelo has really gone off a bit over the last few games.

You could see how much it affects us last night. The amount of times Grealish came inside and then knocked the ball to Ake but Ake just isn't an attacking player, we're actually really missing Zinchenko! Lewis is ideal on the right but we don't have anyone to challenge Cancelo on the left other than Gomez (who's really more of a midfielder) so that's the main problem back there for me.

Fair point re injuries, but he was alternating constantly even when they were fit. We have known for ages that Cancelo is useless at RB, the fact that he got replaced in the national team in the WC but that the Portuguese Danny Mills at the rags proves it further. I honestly thought he was one of our better players in the derby. I love Zinny but he always wasn't very attacking, the problem now is that we have a guy up front that feeds on deliveries but we don't have any player in the fullback positions (other than Cancelo) that can provide.

 

[jamiecav]

Sorry, I’m sure his heart is in the right place but not all of us can afford a minimum £68 ticket price. I’d scream my lungs out if I could physically afford to be there.

Appreciate he doesn’t set the prices!

We're you at the Coventry conference?

 

[Coatigan]

Yesterday's match proved it's not about Pep or his tactics or his selections. It's about the players and their collective intensity.

You can argue yeaterday's match proved that. Plenty of other matches have proved otherwise. It is both, a lot of the time, either one changing could be the difference.