Spurs (A) | PL | Post-Match Thread

[JewelZee]

with our recruitment being hit and miss recently I think it will take more than one summer to re-build.

pep's ready for a re build, next season we will be awesome, expect big changes, ITK

Watching this unfold with Haaland I think is doing some serious damage to our ability to recruit the very top players. Haaland will be telling Bellingham he'd be nuts to come here...

 

[paulchapo]

Yep we ain’t been at our best we are second! Hoping to win the fa cup or champs league and finish top four

For any of that to happen we need a massive upturn in form and for Pep to sort out whatever unrest is happening behind the scenes. People can deny nothings wrong but clearly something is.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Anyone confident about Leipzig? They’re now 16 games unbeaten and haven’t lost since 17th September. They are going to be worth a punt I reckon.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

Yeah I can’t see the club ownership letting him go i was just reading the thread. Not counting you guys out either as you correctly noted a lot to play for with two matches against us. Why do you think as a City there seems to be a number of guys having poor seasons at same time?

Law of averages.

 

[Zinchilla]

We're not getting outplayed by anyone, but we're getting outthought. Opposition are quite happy for us to have the vast majority of possession as we seldom do much with it. We've been playing teams who park the bus for a few seasons now, hence one of the reasons we let Sterling go (as defences sat deep and there was no space to run into) and bought Grealish (who holds the ball against packed defences well and wins lots of free kicks around the box).

We're not coping well with time wasting tactics, niggly and hard fouls and gullable officiating. We let opponents and officials disrupt our composure, when we should rise above it and it should increase our determination. Time wasting never gets fully added on (like it did at the world cup) so if we go behind then we'll struggle (apart from Spurs at home).

We're starting too slow in an early attempt to control the game. Apart from against the rags at home when we went for it in the first half, we're quite content to control first halves instead of winning the game in the first half. We've scored more goals in the second halves than any other club in the country. We've also wasted more first halves than any other club in the country.

We've become too risk averse. Always the safe pass, usually sideways or backwards. We've become too ponderous and predictable. If I'm the opposition I'd love our back 4 to be passing to each other and our midfield passing back to them and our forwards isolated and frustrated. Thats's about 90% of the our possession. Possession outside the box is great when we're ahead, so lets do it when we're ahead....not when we're level or losing. This also applies to passes around the edge of the box. Why not have a few shots from there occasionally eh?

We don't mix it up enough. Same old, same old, rinse and repeat. Lets try a few long balls when we can (Eddie is capable but has been instructed not to) and whilst mentioning Eddie (love the guy), can you please try to save a shot now and then please. His career is starting to mimmick Bravo's if he's not careful and is in danger of being benched for Ortega. And whilst we're at it, if Kev ain't playing a through ball, then who is? No through balls to Haaland when he starts his run is a complete waste of his main strength. Any young talented player would rightly be frustrated in that situation.

We have the players, the experience and the manager to yet make this season a successful one (again thankfully). Sorting most of the above out would go a long way towards achieving it.

Yes, good post, first 3 paras bang on, though I think what you say in the first is reason for your last two points.

 

[JewelZee]

Nought wrong with Foden. Its a behind the scene issue. I dont believe hes "not feeling well". Although hes not the answer to our current problems.

He's not the answer now, what a shame. SMH

 

[WestGorton]

Anyone confident about Leipzig? They’re now 16 games unbeaten and haven’t lost since 17th September. They are going to be worth a punt I reckon.

Fantastic team. Watched them dismantle Schalke recently. Need to play a very strong team and be on form in both legs in my opinion.

 

[Loverdoodle]

Just the flow of energy. After 4 out of 5 titles and changes in personnel it was probably predictable. We aren't going away any time soon whoever wins the league this season.

Fair enough also when you consider WC season and your squad has so many internationals and all those trophies and cups, i mean no one can win everything every year. A lot more has been asked of your squad and still is because you guys win so much. Again not counting you guys out at all not this year or afterwards just wanted City fans take, pretty much what i think also

 

[sutty66]

supposedly pep and city don’t keep players when they want to leave but bernardo is in 4th window wanting to leave yet he starts over bruyne?! in important game?!

 

[argyle]

Watching this unfold with Haaland I think is doing some serious damage to our ability to recruit the very top players. Haaland will be telling Bellingham he'd be nuts to come here...

No he won't if anything he'd want him here tomorrow as Bellingham would pass to him!