Spurs (A) - Post-Match Thread

[Tokyo32]

having read a good deal of the posts Im surprised no one has acknowledged that the eleven players from spuds negated us pretty well yesterday and id bet they could do that to almost every other prem team - adding foden or sterling would not have made much difference as it it is almost impossible to break that sort of defence down- we made two big errors and this is key- we do need to score more but the chances we have made have been squandered - we are making chances , add the fiasco that is VAR and once those chances start getting converted all the doubt will magically disappear - just like that- stick with this Pep knows far more than all of us put together and he will resolve this in his own way - yep we need a striker but good ones are thin on the ground - there are a couple and Im sure they are sorting it right now- it'll take a game or two when the goals flow and see what happens - nothing won in November as far as I know

This is the thing Tottenham negated us well and I know it is easier to defend when they have everybody behind the ball but did you expect anything different? We have played mourinho before and his Tottenham, it was the same thing they were not going to come out and press us. So obviously we had to do something different when we tried to break them down the but it was not working

 

[give it to gordon]

You know what annoys me today, it is the fact they are bigging Spurs up for this excellent performance, a performance that saw them create 4 chances at home against a shite out of sorts City team that created 22 chances, 10 corners to 0 66% possession.

Seems that that was supposedly the performance of Champions.

Fuck off.

we knew the press/media would do that but if fact even an out of sorts City that isnt firing on all cylinders still scared the shit out of maureen, and he parked the bus at home. OK he got 3 points but didnt have the confidence in his players to attack City, and go toe to toe with an out of form City.

 

[paddyblue]

if not for walkers speed we would have lost by 4 yesterday

And lately his recovery speed has gotten us out to f a lot of trouble in almost every game. Having his recovery speed is huge to playing our high line. He had a drop off in form a good while back now but for the last 16 months or so he’s been a beast of a player for us. One of our better performers.

To touch on blueabdi’s post, I’d say every defender is prone to making errors. The human element is part of the game.

 

[paddyblue]

You know what annoys me today, it is the fact they are bigging Spurs up for this excellent performance, a performance that saw them create 4 chances at home against a shite out of sorts City team that created 22 chances, 10 corners to 0 66% possession.

Seems that that was supposedly the performance of Champions.

Fuck off.

It wasn’t an excellent performance, they managed the game well, having managed to stay in it after being battered for most of it.

 

[Big Yaya Wilko 12]

I have a feeling you would lay the blame at Rodri’s door for any goal we concede. I’ve watched that goal from last night countless times and to actually blame Rodri is just garbage mate.

No defensive mid in the world should be letting that pass happen. Aurier has so much time because Rodri wasn't in position. If Rodri is there where he should be the pass doesn't get made and the mistakes don't compound. Of course Laporte shouldn't lose his head and push on, Cancello should have anticipated Son's run and Ederson maybe shouldn't have rushed out even though someone had to at least try and narrow the angle. It's a terrible goal to give away all around. An absolute nightmare. But Rodri is as culpable as the rest of them.

 

[Tokyo32]

You know what annoys me today, it is the fact they are bigging Spurs up for this excellent performance, a performance that saw them create 4 chances at home against a shite out of sorts City team that created 22 chances, 10 corners to 0 66% possession.

Seems that that was supposedly the performance of Champions.

Fuck off.

Don’t think what the media says matters. We need to worry about ourselves and We are struggling to break down park the bus teams and it is not going to get easier because that is what most teams are doing against us and it is working

 

[chesterbells]

the first goal yesterday was a collective calamity caused by 3 of our 4 defenders

Kyle Walker being the odd one out

When I see Kyle being singled out I just think back to Roy Keane calling him an idiot on air the other week. Not comfortable with it at all. He’s saved us a helluva lot of times in matches over the years.

 

[Jesus2020]

I worry that the prem has moved on from counter hoof ball to possesion based football to back to the counter attacking based football again. And we havn't adapted. Rodgers and Mourinho with players like Vardy and Kane know this is an almost guarenteed 3 points agisnt us. Not just us they aren't afraid to play like this against the lesser teams who aren't nowhere near as cabable as us in attacking.

When they attack it's fast paced, blistering smash n grab. When attacked they've flooded their own box yet they don't seem to need an 11 man attack to stil...attack.

When we attack we are forced into passing it aimlessly until taking a pop with zero momentum and it's far to easy to defend against.

I have no soluton though?

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

Yesterday's loss was worrying. Firstly because Spurs played exceptionally well. They were a typical Mourinho team but they played his style better than any team has for many years. Harry Kane was easily the best player on the pitch and gave a performance of which I did not believe he was capable. I did not believe he was at all a Mourinho player but I have to admit that PEG has got him playing all over the pitch and he certainly changed my opinion of him. Beating Spurs last night would have been a tall order for any team at any time - and they got better as the match progressed, which was something else I would never have expected. The simple fact was that City were second best for much of last night's game and this is something that has never really happened for some considerable time.

Explaining why we are not as good as we were is beyond me. I think we haven't solved the problem of a deep lying midfielder - Rodri is an excellent player but he is not a replacement for Ferna. Ferna is not just a great player but he has that essential dose of cynicism so necessary. Few on here liked Neville's comment about the dark arts, but it was a genuine compliment and he pointed out at that all great sides needed it. Last night Ferna would never have turned his back on that free kick and he would have made sure it was not taken quickly or at all until we were in position. He would have stood over the ball to delay the free kick and that goal would not have been scored. Cancelo's positional play was poor to allow the pass "over the top" and Eddie was too far out. These were costly mistakes but I cannot accept some of the ludicrous comments made about Eddie on the goalkeepers thread.

The second goal was very well made and taken and this does highlight a problem in breaking down counter attacks which has been a problem against better teams for some time. This is not the fault of Kyle Walker or any other individual. Who do we trust to remedy the fault? A new manager? A panicky critic from bluemoon? Or Pep Guardiola, the man who remedied such a fault in 2016?

 

[LucahArchie10]

It's not the strikers, it's the supply.

Rodri wasn't even the issue yesterday, he was one of the better performers, but you know you are in trouble when Harry Kane is leaving you for dead and he effectively gave up the chase after him.

The goals conceded yesterday were very reminiscent of the ones against Lyon last season, people not switched on, balls over the top and into the channels, exposing Ederson stood in no-man's land.

Until we get someone who can do the hard yards and allow De Bruyne to make more considered bursts of energy, where it serves us best, in the attacking number ten space, we are still going to be banging our heads against a brick wall.

Teams have always sat in against us, nothing has changed on that score.

The only difference is that opponents are asking their forwards not to press Eddie or our backline, essentially telling them to drop into midfield and create a further block in front of our own midfield, the supply is becoming more high percentage risk passing when aimed between the lines.

Those opposing forwards are happy to drop deeper because they now have the ambition and knowledge that there will be fifty yards of space to run in behind us because we are all on top of each other.

They wouldn't do that previously when Fern was able to physically defend the transition.

Teams want us passing out wide, especially to Mahrez, who is an absolute liability every time he plays.

A shirker, someone who wants the personal glory, but doesn't have the heart or the bollocks to earn it for either himself or his team-mates, floating aimless lofted passes to the non-existent back post.

Teams are evolving and modifying because they know we have some players who are soft touches or don't want to fight for the right to play.

That's on Pep, he is a person who refuses to evolve or modify his demands to play a certain way, so buys players previously suited to a style of play which has been not so much found out, but isn't the all-conquering conundrum it once was.

if not for walkers speed we would have lost by 4 yesterday

Walker is by far our best player this season
Our defenders are still trying to work together, that back 4 is our best thats available although I would try Ake at LB when fit

We are watching both Sterling & Kev with tired legs & Bernardo has for some reason gone backwards

I don't think the manager knows how to solve his wing positions & why he doesnt start Phil weeknin week out is just crazy

I will stick my hand up as not being a massive Jesus fan but he has been a breath of fresh air on his return

Add the injuries to Dino & Aguero we are currently in a mad place where every game we look dominating only to throw 2 goals away from stupid counter attacks or daft penalty away

I think everyone is guilty but the buck stops with Pep

We now have a chance to go on a decent run with big players back, win in Greece & its sorted for Europe we can play the kids the same against Arsenal just use the squad players & kids

Rest up Kev & Sterling as well