Southampton (H) | PL | Post-Match Thread

[Kippax Street 1880]

It really is all about the 3 points at this stage of the season. Injuries, constant international breaks. Multiple competitions to juggle. Just keep grinding it out until January when we can strengthen.

 

[Rory Bluelow]

Walker, Kevin, Stones, Ake, Rodri... The equivelent of Salah, vvd, taa all being out at the same time. Difference is we dont get that coverage so it isnt talked about as much, even by City fans. We have an injury crisis so grinding out these results is to be expected.

Spot on. I was dipping in and out of the Match Day thread yesterday (I know) and some of the comments were fucking awful. The players worked their bollocks off yesterday - this is just a temporary phase and we’re actually doing great.

 

[Godzilla]

Personally it’s more exciting when it’s close than a thrashing!

I don’t think Pep plays our best 11 every week, he’s bedding newer players in like Nunes, Savinho, Doku & Kobacic

Rotating players results in not overly relying on players when they get injured, but some players like Rodri & De Bruyne are just irreplaceable!

We are not the same team without them, but it makes for some nail biting games!

 

[The perfect fumble]

In an otherwise dull game....

 

[pride in battle]

The most exciting part of the game was when Southampton brought on that man-mountain up front. He was bloody colossal.

He actually looked a giant !!

 

[give it to gordon]

Spot on. I was dipping in and out of the Match Day thread yesterday (I know) and some of the comments were fucking awful. The players worked their bollocks off yesterday - this is just a temporary phase and we’re actually doing great.

Agree you get a clearer picture of the game at the match.
The lads worked their bollocks of yesterday.
Abit of luck and it would have 3 or 4 nil.
Southampton tactics where to try and tire City out by forcing City to close them down. Saint rode their luck and went for it in the last 10 minutes when City were dead on their feet.
Saint even brought on that bloke from 'The Green Mile' to try and bulldoze a draw.

 

[OB1]

Nothing to do with their game plan, Erling should have scored 5 on his own.

Even with Erl, we don’t take enough of our chances but teams always miss more than they score. We should be doing better on that front but absolutely battering teams score wise is not going to happen as much as it used to in the league.

Southampton went with a back 5 but they mostly use a back four. As Pep himself pointed out, they also kept the ball well (without threatening us) which reduces City’s opportunity to score.

Teams have generally become more reliant on packing their defence against us and the teams at the bottom usually get a full week to practice their plan for City, while Pep is left having a quick chat with his team while they recover from a midweek fixture.

Patience is the key, which is quite frustrating at times, mainly, from my PoV, because it makes for more stress when games are not put to bed until late of the final whistle.

 

[Gray]

In an otherwise dull game....

If he hadn't have scored would we have got the penalty that we deserved?

 

[Protein Junkie]

Walker, Kevin, Stones, Ake, Rodri... The equivelent of Salah, vvd, taa all being out at the same time. Difference is we dont get that coverage so it isnt talked about as much, even by City fans. We have an injury crisis so grinding out these results is to be expected.

That’s because we have three world class £50m players for each position Tubster !

 

[OB1]

This is getting a lot of stick but it’s not really far from the truth.. We have been poor, as we have been at this point for the last few seasons, obviously injuries playing its part this year but still we’re slow and not firing on all cylinders. But then again we’re sat top of the league for now and unbeaten so can’t complain too much regardless of what we know we can expect from this team. Personally I see it as we’re only gonna improve so take it as a positive but I can see why people get rattled cause we’re only a few different decisions and some wasted chances away from being behind the pack. One things for certain they’ll all be looking at us expecting a slip and these slim wins will be in their heads so god help them when we’re full strength and at full pace, that will crush them

32 games unbeaten in the league (one game lost so far in the calendar) and people are complaining that we have been poor. It’s a huge lack of perspective and I have banged on about it many times over the last three seasons. City not being at their very best is not the same ab being poor or shite and the number of times I’ve seen people call performances that whilst City go on to win the league (and more) is utterly ridiculous.

After hitting the pinnacle of the game, City are into a bit of a transitional stage, that could last a couple more years (ignoring the impact of a possible change of manager) and a bit of patience will be required but also some faith that Pep can keep getting his players to deliver trophies.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

Personally it’s more exciting when it’s close than a thrashing!

I don’t think Pep plays our best 11 every week, he’s bedding newer players in like Nunes, Savinho, Doku & Kobacic

Rotating players results in not overly relying on players when they get injured, but some players like Rodri & De Bruyne are just irreplaceable!

We are not the same team without them, but it makes for some nail biting games!

9 games in, top of the league and unbeaten. City haven’t hit the heights yet this season and are still in the fight without Rodri and KDB. We had a bit of a dip November going into December last year and then put a super human run together after that. Treble winning year before that there was the loss at Spurs and dropped points at Notts Forest had us all thinking it wouldn’t happen. Pep manages to search and find a balance in the system. Four centre backs playing solved it then with John Stones dropping into midfield, we might look in 2nd gear now but let’s see how we are in the new year.

 

[The perfect fumble]

If he hadn't have scored would we have got the penalty that we deserved?

Probably not.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Spot on. I was dipping in and out of the Match Day thread yesterday (I know) and some of the comments were fucking awful. The players worked their bollocks off yesterday - this is just a temporary phase and we’re actually doing great.

The match day thread is to be avoided due to some disgusting and inane sentiments and opinions which appear there.

Must be a nightmare for the mods to try and keep these so-called " supporters " under reign.

 

[.db.]

If he hadn't have scored would we have got the penalty that we deserved?

Most likely, yes.

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

The match day thread is to be avoided due to some disgusting and inane sentiments and opinions which appear there.

Must be a nightmare for the mods to try and keep these so-called " supporters " under reign.

what was said?

 

[OB1]

You’re right,but if we stop letting our defenders dictate the game they have the ball more than anyone,give it to the players who can effect the game the midfielders/wingers and be slightly more direct in our play instead of the safe option side to side and back,possession is great when used correctly,fortunate favours the brave ..

Hard not to have your defenders positioned as they are in the grand scheme of things. This is where we especially miss Rodri. Players will keep having to learn and adapt and Pep looks for the best solutions.

I think there are times when the ball should be moved more quickly but you cannot ping it about for 98 minutes game after game.

I sue the phrase fortune favours the brave quite often (in life) but I also talk about balance a lot and City have to take care not to give the ball away too much because that is when the bravery of having your defenders so high can lead to trouble.

 

[Damanino]

I think it is just form. Apart from Haaland and Gvardiol no one is playing in their best form. Foden, Gundo, nowhere near as effective and in killer form yet as we see them before. KDB out. Rodri out. this gives huge responsibilty to Kovacic wh is doing good filling in albeit now imo he will be tested a lot more in games vs Spurs, Brighton, Bournemouth, Sporting etc.

my big worry is wingers, its ages between they score goals in PL. Doku scored one 2-3 weeks ago now next time one of Grealish, Savio, Nunes scores one it will be end of December. and then Doku again in March. its almost criminal we cannot rely on wingers hitting the back of the net regularly. surely its partially tactical as they are told to give width and pass it back to the fullback a lot. watch when Grealish or even Nunes defaulted back to it yesterday after his assist, 90% of his passes were back to Gvardiol. which slows us down even more as then Gvardiol passes inside to Kova maybe Gundo or Foden, who passes back to Gvardiol then out to left and repeat back to Gvardiol.

after 9 rounds total number of goals from players in wide positions in PL, including Bernardo who plays in multiple positions but sometimes on the right:
Grealish, Nunes, Doku, Savio, Bernardo: 1 goal
I know they are not Saka, Salah type of wingers, and dont get into shooting chances that often due to our tactics and the pared buses, but even when they do its way to often a mediocre shot.
Savio did score abut 9-10 in La Liga in a much lesser team. would be happy with 6-7 goals from him in PL in debut season as he seemingly getting fair amount of game time. Grealish, I give up on his end product really, maybe 5 goals in PL, is that too much to ask? Doku should be good for 7-8 goals imo. Nunes wont have much gametime but 3-4 goals is doable. Bernardo 7-8 is doable he deffo have the gametime.

given so far they only scored total of 1 goal between them, above numbers look quite optimistic now.

our PL goals so far:

Haaland 11
Kovacic 3
Gvardiol 2
Stones 2
Doku 1
KDB 1

we need lot more from Gundo, Foden and wingers thats clear plus whatever KDB adds. if Haaland gets injured then all of a sudden our winger will get goals? doubt it.
Rodri and Alvarez had lot of goals last season, others should start picking those up.

 

[SamBlue]

Us against back 5, 6, 7, ....

 

[OB1]

We have regressed if that’s the right word in how we used to play it’s all methodical at times slow build up now compared to the attacking football that had teams frightened to death,yes teams set up differently now but we don’t play as quick or as direct..

See the perfect goal vs Sparta for an example of what City can do and why teams go out of their way not to allow us the space to do that.

 

[citizen_maine]

I think it is just form. Apart from Haaland and Gvardiol no one is playing in their best form. Foden, Gundo, nowhere near as effective and in killer form yet as we see them before. KDB out. Rodri out. this gives huge responsibilty to Kovacic wh is doing good filling in albeit now imo he will be tested a lot more in games vs Spurs, Brighton, Bournemouth, Sporting etc.

my big worry is wingers, its ages between they score goals in PL. Doku scored one 2-3 weeks ago now next time one of Grealish, Savio, Nunes scores one it will be end of December. and then Doku again in March. its almost criminal we cannot rely on wingers hitting the back of the net regularly. surely its partially tactical as they are told to give width and pass it back to the fullback a lot. watch when Grealish or even Nunes defaulted back to it yesterday after his assist, 90% of his passes were back to Gvardiol. which slows us down even more as then Gvardiol passes inside to Kova maybe Gundo or Foden, who passes back to Gvardiol then out to left and repeat back to Gvardiol.

after 9 rounds total number of goals from players in wide positions in PL, including Bernardo who plays in multiple positions but sometimes on the right:
Grealish, Nunes, Doku, Savio, Bernardo: 1 goal
I know they are not Saka, Salah type of wingers, and dont get into shooting chances that often due to our tactics and the pared buses, but even when they do its way to often a mediocre shot.
Savio did score abut 9-10 in La Liga in a much lesser team. would be happy with 6-7 goals from him in PL in debut season as he seemingly getting fair amount of game time. Grealish, I give up on his end product really, maybe 5 goals in PL, is that too much to ask? Doku should be good for 7-8 goals imo. Nunes wont have much gametime but 3-4 goals is doable. Bernardo 7-8 is doable he deffo have the gametime.

given so far they only scored total of 1 goal between them, above numbers look quite optimistic now.

our PL goals so far:

Haaland 11
Kovacic 3
Gvardiol 2
Stones 2
Doku 1
KDB 1

we need lot more from Gundo, Foden and wingers thats clear plus whatever KDB adds. if Haaland gets injured then all of a sudden our winger will get goals? doubt it.
Rodri and Alvarez had lot of goals last season, others should start picking those up.

So taking Haaland out of the equation, we've scored 9 goals in 9 games. What's the problem?