Spurs (A) | PL | Post-Match Thread

Plenty of time left. Beat Villa and Arsenal and it’s as you were. Obv we need to play a whole lot better at Arsenal than today but there’s no reason why we shouldn’t.
 
simon23 said:
Yup

We are creating very little.

Grealish worked really hard today and Ive been a huge critic of him so Im trying to find positives...he was probably our best forward today - but that is a HUGE problem as he creates very little...Mahrez going back to being Mahrez and creating fuck all as well
Bernardo worked hard but again created nothing either.

The only player coming out of that with any real credit is Ake

People are complaining about the non selection of KDB - HOWEVER i think thats the one thing that Pep got right today...he was wank when he came on and lost the ball countless times.....he has been doing that now quite regularly and we cannot rely on him anymore. ....its the huge elephant in the room but we need a firing KDB but I think we are seeing the downturn of him...its been there for weeks and weeks (unless he is carrying an injury) and without him we need to adapt the way we play and create chances.

Prior to the goal we actually looked like a closer version of the team we know....contolled in possession and dominating....until the fuck up by Rodri and Lewis - this experiment with Rico is just not working...you can see why Pep wants to play it as he has conrtol of the midfield but its creating conjestion along with the two wide men who also cut inwards and backwards on a constant basis...

This team is done and needs a huge rebuild.....the midfield is a huge problem and the lack of width and pace/penetration is a huge problem....If you look at the seasons where we were nigh on untouchable, we had Bernardo, Sterling, Sane, Foden, David Silva. Jesus constantly getting in behind the defence and to the by-line inside the penalty area...our whole midfield and wide players are now playing infront of an 8, 9 0r 10 man defence - no one is making those runs in behind (bernardo tried it once in the first half and Mahrez chose to cut inside and shoot). Mahrez rarely gets in behind anyone, Bernardo is playing deep and Grealish rarely looks like an attacking threat.
Click to expand...
Agree. Too many times Rodri and Lewis were inside 5-10 metres away from each other. Which closed us up and made easy to keep u der control. then when did get out to wings players too far away to move forward. So it goes back. Again and again and again.
 
We lack dynamism … and a little confidence. Perhaps a combination of factors: so many involved in the World Cup, a little complacency, a couple of key injuries at the wrong time (JS and PF) and, who knows, an eye on trying to break our duck in the champions league?

Personally, would like to see us at least fall on our sword by starting our most competitive 11 in the remaining games.

Dias, although out of sorts, is a leader and imho has a positive impact on those around him. If not, Laporte had to start with Ake continuing at LFB. Rico is a kid and needs managing with the same care Pep extended to young Phil Foden. If not careful we may burn him out before too long.

Kevin needs to start every week. After a longer-than-normal break between games it seemed reasonable to give him the opportunity to make a difference today.

Conversely, if it is about ‘happy faces’, as much as I love Bernado, he shouldn’t be a starter at the minute… ‘Feel wrong saying that :(

Lastly, whilst we are lucky to be blessed with 2 class strikers, it feels like we are shoe-horning Alvarez into the team. Not sure we can keep the two of them so Pep, again imho, needs to nail his colours to the mast and the other one remains the back up option.

In the summer (my dream), two fast orthodox wingers for the squad please. Let’s get the big Norwegian some support and a few decent crosses to direct towards goal.
 
Hank said:
I don't believe it's a bad result. I don't see any issues with this season. I'm very happy about our net spend numbers, we finished first in Europe back to back that's something to be proud of.

I also love appeasing our enemies in the media and the hateful 9. Their opinion matters, I need their approval to feel satisfied.
Click to expand...
Pep?
 
Lavinda Past said:
The Board hasn't got the bollocks to sack Pep Guardiola. They're (quite reasonably) in awe of him and I suspect that they haven't got a clue how they're going to replace him.
He could probably get us relegated two divisions and still get an extended contract.

Player power will be his undoing.
Click to expand...
Nor should they want to sack him, he’s been the best manager in the world for a number of years. We don’t know what Pep’s relationships are like with the players but I’ve always had the impression they’re good. If they’re willing to throw him under the bus it says more about them and if they do it once, they’ll do it again. If it really is broken, it won’t be put right overnight by a new manager.
 
I always repeat to myself just to listen to Pep and I'll know what's coming. And what I heard just prior to the WC was very depressing. I honestly think he wrote off this season the first week the WC started and when he lost most of his players to work with. And he started his little project figuring out how to fit Haaland in and somehow he is moving away further and further from that. He just looks like somebody who has no clue what is going on, not to mention how to fix it.
Our game has ben progressively worse even sine he started experimenting with hybrid back three, but today when we needed the result he came out with that fucking formation and players to somehow act on it. This was like one of those late Pellegrini era games when he was on the bench just in his fucking husk. I left that bloody stadium baffled at what I had just witnessed. How much I am missing those days when Jesus and Raheem were missing sitters...we were creating chances at least. And if Ake is the answer on playing high up on the left supporting Grealish, what the fuck is the question?
 
waspish said:
Ah right you think the best manager ever can’t sort it!? Oh and you want a manager who will win the league every season!

In general us fans have been spoiled and why 1 loss it’s the end of the world! These years under pep may never be bettered!
Click to expand...
I don’t know if he can sort it.

I think we all want a manager that can win the league every season but we’re not going to get one. I quite agree that we’ve been spoiled and that recent times may never be bettered. Does that mean we can’t ask for effort?

To be clear, I don’t care if we win the league every season or ever again, I’ll still be there. What I want is a team that is committed to giving their all, looking like they want to be here and enjoying their football. We haven’t got that currently
 
wev'e just got to ride this out, i'll be pissed off iff we don't win the fa cup, as for the rest, forget it.
 
Fiikso said:
I also understand where you’re coming from, but how sure are we that the play is indicative of a lost dressing room and not the complacency that usually comes with winning so much? How can you conclude that the World Cup has not had a detrimental effect on us when we had the most players in Qatar in the league?

I apologize for being rude initially, I should’ve just suggested to you that maybe you should consider the other possible mitigating factors in what has been essentially a one-off season. Gundogan was devastated after the exit, no doubt Bernardo and Ruben were frustrated that their tournament was interrupted by Ronaldo’s circus, and KDB was and has seemed moody since then. Spain were shell shocked and Netherlands tournament ended bitterly after the exhilaration of a last minute equalizer to go to extra time. All out of Pep’s control.

In my experience, complacency can look like downed tools. I do not believe that to be the case.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I would never accuse any of this team of lack of effort. They would never down tools. I just think there is a natural cycle. These players have worked their bollocks off for five years. Off the field they have lived through Covid and all the other shit that has hit us all. They are all very wealthy but they have families and are normal human beings. Sometimes you just need a change from any job. The World Cup is a factor but so are many things.
The club just needs to start moving to the next phase. We did well after the reign of Mancini and Pellegrini and now we have to change again. I am confident the club will manage this well.
 
chickaroon said:
When we are on with a chance of the title, why not look for at least a point at Spurs. Sit back, let them make the play and hit them on the break. We have the centre forward, to do that now.
Click to expand...
It would even be nice to surprise them by going long upto Haaland and trying to win the second ball, especially with a player like Alvarez on the pitch chasing harassing there defenders.
 
How many times have we played well in the league this season? A thrashing of Forest and the rags, maybe the second half against Palace and Spurs and that's it. I genuinely go into every game now expecting a boring dour struggle and a draw or defeat. We are easy to play against even for sides we would have thrashed last season . The drop off in pace, control and attacking has been vast and appears to be declining further every game. Pep now has to really earn his money or if it continues our top four place is under threat, never mind winning a trophy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top