Post Match Thread - United (h)

[cleavers]

At 35 years of age Ferno is still quicker than Stones and Oti.

And better than Stones on todays evidence :)

 

[vmsuhail]

Their full backs and defenders had good game but shocking to see no one running behind them whenever Bernie received the ball.
They had him on double . Why not play Bernie in the middle with mahrez on the wings?

A midfield of Dinho-KDB-Bernardo will not be overrun or cut through. Pep doesn't fancy it though.

 

[vmsuhail]

Exact repeat of Chelsea game. Pep won't take David Silva off but it's obvious Foden should be playing in his place.

I didn't think it was a pen. That gave them the game. They could just counter attack from that moment

Anthony Taylor did okay today. Don't remember a controversial decision at all.

 

[tommo74]

He`s a better centre half than either of those two is my point.

And my point Is if he is? why are we still paying actual centre halfs money? pep clearly knew this and didn't sell them and buy someone he trusts as a centre half

 

[HarrytheBlue]

There's too much hyperbole flying around about our poor results this season. I don't think there is a huge amount wrong but there things wrong that are costing us too many points. We are failing to make our dominance pay too often and we are not dealing well enough with counter-attacks.

I thought the league was gone last week but any slight glimmer of a remarkable come back has now gone. So I hope Pep will use the league to try something a little different and then in the summer, I hope the club gets the cheque book out and makes three, maybe four, big signings. My biggest criticism of the club is that it has not done enough in the transfer market to push us forward after our title wins.

City can't realistically do much in January so it's down to Pep to get creative with his current resources to improve of league form and also to get some cups won.

The absence of Sane is really hurting us because neither Bernie or Mahrez are doing enough to make the right flank their own. A fully fit Sane would surely be starter at the moment, with Raz moved to the right. If Sane goes at the end of the season, replacing him will be one of the big signings I referred to.

The weakness at right wing is one of the reasons that I feel KDB is struggling for his best form: I think he is trying to do too much. He also faces the problem that there is not pace alongside him in midfield. Any two from the three of Rodri, Gundo and Merlin alongside leaves KDB as the only remotely quick or dynamic midfielder. Added to which, Merlin's magic is fizzling out.

Rodri is the future at DM and needs to keep playing so a more dynamic option is needed at inside left and I think it's time to try Foden, given Bernie's off colour (!) performances.

I'd also try Gabby on the left flank when Sergio is fit and move Raz to the right.

Left back is a big problem - although absent Zinchenko is our best bet there currently and will get better at it; he will never get more pace though and new LB is another of the big signings needed in the summer.

City need to identify the best centre back in the world that can be bought and pay whatever the necessary price is to get him. Ideally, along he needs to be big, strong and quick; excellent in the air and the tackle plus able to play accurate short passes under pressure. Ideally, they's do that in January but it seems unlikely that will be possible. In the interim, I'd like to see Garcia get a start in the league and see how he gets on.

Koulibaly will be on the market in the Summer and by then he'll be 29 so I can't see us signing him - we generally sign younger players. Pep won't sign an out and out stopper - to play for Pep you also have to be comfortable enough to go past players with the ball and pick a pass like a midfielder - or have the potential to do that stuff to a high level.

 

[tommo74]

Anthony Taylor did okay today. Don't remember a controversial decision at all.

Let's all blame the ref and var again, let's hide the fact we were shit from the first whistle to the last

 

[vmsuhail]

The cups are meaningless in the scheme of things, just got to achieve top four and rebuild.

They're now, as the League is over.

 

[cleavers]

Did anyone understand the subs we made today (apart from Otamendi for the Stones injury) ? Especially the one just after we'd scored ? It was crying out for more passion and energy, so we brought on Gundogan, which would have been fine at 2-1 up to close the game out.

 

[Marvin]

Did anyone understand the subs we made today (apart from Otamendi for the Stones injury) ? Especially the one just after we'd scored ? It was crying out for more passion and energy, so we brought on Gundogan, which would have been fine at 2-1 up to close the game out.

No. There was a case of a 1st half sub. Foden was the obvious one to make.

 

[cleavers]

There was a case of a 1st half sub.

I could easily have made three :) or even five.