Premier League (Midweek) Games 16/17 March '22

[MadchesterCity]

What you describe was blatantly obvious to everyone last season, we failed to address the issue and may miss out on the PL and CL because of it.

Liverpool can play poor for 75 mins but still win a game because they will take the chances they create. We don’t have that luxury.

From an attacking perspective, we’ve regressed every year since the Centurian season.

We’ve gone from a side with one of the most lethal finishers in the world and genuine pace in wide areas to support him, to a side with no genuine striker or pace in the attacking third.

I understand that we share goals around the squad unlike other sides, but the downside to that is that we are incredibly wasteful and struggle to take key chances at big moments.

I know Sterling gets a lot of shit for wasting big chances but Foden is just as bad IMO and he seems to be our starting false 9.

Nowhere near enough goals and goal creations from Foden to Grealish

 

[B\connellblue]

9 games left in our hands, we might win it I think we will,we might not. If we don’t you‘d need to be an idiot to start blaming Pep. But then you’ve never stopped blaming Pep even when we win things.

I cannot get my head around the school of thought that exists around Guardiola.
Theres no denying he's very succesful but for me he just doesnt seem to be able to or maybe he is unwilling to come up with the answers when we are chasing a goal.
we play some of the most rigid football around.
I'm referring to the possesion above all philosophy.
Boring and when its not working mightily ineffective.

 

[homerdog]

I cannot get my head around the school of thought that exists around Guardiola.
Theres no denying he's very succesful but for me he just doesnt seem to be able to or maybe he is unwilling to come up with the answers when we are chasing a goal.
we play some of the most rigid football around.
I'm referring to the possesion above all philosophy.
Boring and when its not working mightily ineffective.

What a crock of shit!

 

[Nelinho]

Arsenal have been trying hard, too hard, as if they had things to prove, as a unit as well as individually. Lacking calmness and serenity in their moves though. Bound to remain incomplete throughout the match...

Because of this, by the end of half time I was thinking that the danger here is they actually get tired earlier than their opponents, which could prove to be fatal in the final stages of the match. I was overly optimistic...

The naivety, ignorance of danger, lack of tactical education etc, during the whole passage of play leading to Liverpool's second goal, is more than evident (and I'm not referring solely to Saka and Gabriel here). As is the difference in terms of personality between the two teams. All that in Arteta's third year at the club, by the way. Who is on the job training...

The lesson here is what we already know: We can rely to nobody but ourselves. As I wrote recently, I expect nothing, literally nothing, from noone else...

PS. Mariner did a fantastic job. I'm serious. I don't think I hate another English ref as much as I hate this ****...

 

[Craig]

Rangers didn't play them last season. This season they had a shit load of injuries.

True but please don’t class Dortmund as a top team because they’ve not been for a long time now.

 

[wattle]

Yeah ok.....

We've won 3 of the past 4 titles.

Best not to reply to the deranged and attention seekers

 

[chaddblue]

Not looking forward to wolves away.

No.. West Ham away won’t be easy either

 

[Tangled up in blue.]

Not looking forward to wolves away.

I think getting 3 points is a big ask

 

[paulchapo]

I can't help fearing the worst, apologies I know any negativity pisses some off. I wish I could be more positive and admire people here who are. I've been going since 1968 and up until about 1978 I always thought we would win. A first big shock was throwing the title away in 1972 I think, the year Banks was world class for Stoke at Maine Road. The league cup final against Wolves in 1974 was another. We had Bell, Lee, Summerbee, Marsh and Law. Wolves had a rookie kid in goal called Gary Pierce. The rest is history. We absolutely pulverised them, he had the game of his life and we lost 2-1. 1976/7 we lost the title by a point to Liverpool in spite of being the best side. A Dave Watson own goal; n an icy pitch late on in a 1-1 draw ended up being crucial.

After that came the dark decades of relegations and promotions and countless cock ups. This period has left many Blues fearing the worst no matter how good we have been lately and how many trophies we've won. I fear if I'm overly optimistic the Gods will conspire against us and something will go wrong. I can't relax until we're 3-0 up and even then the bloody Leicester game gave me flashbacks as they pulled us back from 4-0 to 4-3 at one stage.

So there we have it. I'm a glass half empty fearing the worst Blue. I wish I wasn't and I wish I shared the faith and optimism of others here. I just can't, my mould is set.

 

[Chris B]

We’ve still got the easier run in. With us level on games played but having a point advantage we can afford to draw against them and still win the league. They have a tough run in, need to beat us, and avoid any mistakes.

Ok, they probably will beat Watford and go top, but we’ll more likely than not beat Burnley (is there a team we’ve got a better record against?).

After the game between us they need to play United, Everton, Spurs, Wolves at home. Away to Newcastle, Villa and Southampton. None of those are easy games. United and Everton are crap but those are derby games where anything can happen.

Just like we’d not won the league when we were eight points clear, we’ve not lost it now either and we’re still favourites.