Grassland Blue
Well-Known Member
Foden the goalscorer - that guy?
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Sporting CP (A) | CL | Post Match Thread
- Thread starter MCFC1993
- Start date
Lovebitesandeveryfing
Well-Known Member
Just watching the match back now. A couple of remarks.
Both before and after Gyokeres's goal in the first half, we dominated them thoroughly. There's no two ways about it. We were good, and it is utter bollocks to say we were shit right through the match. But I've been watching Kova closely, concentrating on him. Now Kova is a good defensive midfielder. But he is defensive. He's very good at breaking up play, and playing square balls that keep the game ticking over. But he really doesn't have much of an attacking pass in his locker. This is where you see the huge difference with Rodri. Rodri will seem to be doing the pretty ordinary bog-standard duties of a defensive midfielder that I've just described, and then, on the turn of a sixpence, he will produce a raking pass through the midfield or out to the wing that puts the opposition in all kinds of difficulty. He in fact lulls the opposition midfield asleep. Kova, with a fully fit De Bruyne beside him, would be perfect. Will we see that De Bruyne again? Who knows?
Gyokeres's goal really got me thinking. Because it is downright eerie how it is a pure Haaland goal of his first season. You would swear it's the Erling of 2022-23. Time and again, he would hang on the shoulder of the defender, and then go. After that devastating first season, every coach and his little dog cottoned to it, and nobody plays that kind of line against City any more. They just don't dare to do it. Erling doesn't have anything like that kind of space of thirty yards to run into any more.
Finally, Savinho. I'll say it: his first touch is Mahrez level. No sweat. Simply, he needs to get a fair bit cannier about when he is really in a position to try a shot, and when it's not on and he should put the ball over.
Both before and after Gyokeres's goal in the first half, we dominated them thoroughly. There's no two ways about it. We were good, and it is utter bollocks to say we were shit right through the match. But I've been watching Kova closely, concentrating on him. Now Kova is a good defensive midfielder. But he is defensive. He's very good at breaking up play, and playing square balls that keep the game ticking over. But he really doesn't have much of an attacking pass in his locker. This is where you see the huge difference with Rodri. Rodri will seem to be doing the pretty ordinary bog-standard duties of a defensive midfielder that I've just described, and then, on the turn of a sixpence, he will produce a raking pass through the midfield or out to the wing that puts the opposition in all kinds of difficulty. He in fact lulls the opposition midfield asleep. Kova, with a fully fit De Bruyne beside him, would be perfect. Will we see that De Bruyne again? Who knows?
Gyokeres's goal really got me thinking. Because it is downright eerie how it is a pure Haaland goal of his first season. You would swear it's the Erling of 2022-23. Time and again, he would hang on the shoulder of the defender, and then go. After that devastating first season, every coach and his little dog cottoned to it, and nobody plays that kind of line against City any more. They just don't dare to do it. Erling doesn't have anything like that kind of space of thirty yards to run into any more.
Finally, Savinho. I'll say it: his first touch is Mahrez level. No sweat. Simply, he needs to get a fair bit cannier about when he is really in a position to try a shot, and when it's not on and he should put the ball over.
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chickaroon
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- 31 Jan 2018
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I really believe that Rodri makes Kova and Gundo look better than they are. Kova started the season well with Rodri next to him and Gundo didn't get the chance to build that partnership again. We have to buy a DM in January.I’m just not sure how we solve our midfield issues with the players we have. Defensively we need to get the back 4 stable again and fit, but without Rodri and seeing the demise of Gundo and how ploddy Kovacic is, I just struggle to see what we do.
Yeah I normally agree with not buying in Jan, but we do need someone with legs in there. Not sure who, but we just need to make it happen.I really believe that Rodri makes Kova and Gundo look better than they are. Kova started the season well with Rodri next to him and Gundo didn't get the chance to build that partnership again. We have to buy a DM in January.
StillBluessinceHydeRoad
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Last night we began well and we did dominate the game for half an hour but even then there was a warning break from Sporting which should have produced an equaliser but for a terrible finish. We have been vulnerable to such breaks all season but fortunately teams such as Ipswich, Brentford, Southampton and others have not seen enough of the ball and have not been able to defend well enough to make us pay the full price. Against Spurs and Bournemouth, however, and again last night we lost and the opening goal at Spurs and Bournemouth was eerily similar to Wolves's opener (and even WHU's equaliser) with a ball through our back line and a ball in beyond a retreating (but too slow?) defence. Last night their equaliser and their two penalties resulted from passes through our back line and/or their players simply running at or through us.
It is arguable that these problems result from an injury crisis and we can all reel off a list as long as our arms of players missing and I think injuries are a major cause of our difficulties. But I was horrified last night at how quickly and completely we crumbled in the face of a competent opponent who seemed to have done little more than realise that we were incapable of defending balls through us or players running through us. I was convinced our defence was much more solid, but it wasn't, and they got no cover from our midfielders.
It is to be hoped that the return to fitness of our absentees will bring a speedy remedy, but unfortunately Rodri, who is absolutely vital, is out all season, Kyle Walker looked way short of match fitness on Saturday and we need those players who are good at keeping the ball, Jack especially. Unfortunately Savinho and Doku take a few too many risks at the moment. And boy, do we need a fully fit KdB.
Patience! - but I'm not looking forward to Brighton on Saturday.
It is arguable that these problems result from an injury crisis and we can all reel off a list as long as our arms of players missing and I think injuries are a major cause of our difficulties. But I was horrified last night at how quickly and completely we crumbled in the face of a competent opponent who seemed to have done little more than realise that we were incapable of defending balls through us or players running through us. I was convinced our defence was much more solid, but it wasn't, and they got no cover from our midfielders.
It is to be hoped that the return to fitness of our absentees will bring a speedy remedy, but unfortunately Rodri, who is absolutely vital, is out all season, Kyle Walker looked way short of match fitness on Saturday and we need those players who are good at keeping the ball, Jack especially. Unfortunately Savinho and Doku take a few too many risks at the moment. And boy, do we need a fully fit KdB.
Patience! - but I'm not looking forward to Brighton on Saturday.
Eaststander1
Well-Known Member
Couldn't quite believe what I was seeing to be honest, we had dominated that game until Sporting got their first penalty, and we probably should have been three or four goals up by that point ..... after that penalty though, and thanks to some kamikaze schoolboy defending straight from the second half kick off, we were just a complete and utter shambles .... and the longer it went on the more useless and inneffective we appeared to look.
It didn't look any better even after the four pints of Guinness that I had!
I can't recall their keeper even making a save in the 2nd half ...... that second half non-performance of ours was a throwback to the countless embarrassing capitulations in games that we used to suffer during the barren decades before the takeover.
It didn't look any better even after the four pints of Guinness that I had!
I can't recall their keeper even making a save in the 2nd half ...... that second half non-performance of ours was a throwback to the countless embarrassing capitulations in games that we used to suffer during the barren decades before the takeover.
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He didn't make a save but we did miss a penaltyCouldn't quite believe what I was seeing to be honest, we had dominated that game until Sporting got their first penalty, and we probably should have been three or four goals up by that point ..... after that penalty though, and thanks to some kamikaze schoolboy defending straight from the second half kick off, we were just a complete and utter shambles .... and the longer it went on the more useless and innefective we appeared to look.
It didn't look any better even after the four pints of Guinness that I had!
I can't recall their keeper even making a save in the 2nd half ...... that second half non-performance of ours was a throwback to the countless embarrassing capitulations in games that we used to suffer during the barren decades before the takeover.
I'm convinced that if Haaland puts that away we go on to get at least a point
zandvoort blue
Well-Known Member
Rico needs to grow a pair otherwise he's going to fade away. Gets in great positions attacking wise and then shirks responsibility.
I really believe that Rodri makes Kova and Gundo look better than they are. Kova started the season well with Rodri next to him and Gundo didn't get the chance to build that partnership again. We have to buy a DM in January.
Kova looked brilliant at Chelsea, because he had Kante next to him. Looked very good at the start of the season because he had Rodri.
Kova is very good at bringing the ball forward , dribbling etc you see the best Kova when he has a ball winner next to him.
Honestly if we had a ball winning dm next to him he’d look very good again. We desperately need a ball winner/Interceptor we don’t have one.
Kova looked brilliant at Chelsea, because he had Kante next to him. Looked very good at the start of the season because he had Rodri.
I don't disagree with the point you're trying to make... but in actual fact Kovacic and Rodri haven't played a single minute together this season