Spurs (A) - Post-Match Thread

[LongsightM13]

This is sensible. What the fuck are you doing on this forum?

I would replace the word ‘sparingly’ with ‘never, ever again until we can find some desperate mugs who will give us a few quid to take him off our hands forever’ but otherwise a very fair analysis

 

[mancity1]

Resigned to a dire season. I don't think there is much Pep can do.

Its been a relatively quick change of heart of your thoughts on our fortunes for this season Marvin but I regard you as a realist when push comes to shove.

Any objective observer has seen the decline despite a relatively solid finish to last season when the season resumed.

The writing has been on the wall the best of those leaving has been replaced by players who either need time to bed in or just are not title material and need a role change or moving on.

I thought we would struggle to get top four this season I cannot see it , we haven't handled the covid situation as well as even some of the mid table sides and we have been well below the standard required for sometime now.

This squad is well short of title material I was surprised anybody considered us a realistic chance to win it this year.

Dropped 12 points in 8 games and while its likely the winner will achieve somewhere in the 80's this year we won't come within a bulls roar of 80 points.

We have to get tougher and meaner in the transfer market as well.

if Pep and our club ethos doesn't have the pulling power then changes throughout must be made.

 

[Nelinho]

I actually thought we played okay, good in the first half but it was just one of those days. Spurs with the usual boring Mourinho set up that got us on the sucker punch twice. I can’t really pick a man of the match but it certainly won’t be Eddie who had two rushes of blood to the head and ended up gifting them two goals surging out when he really didn’t need to. Still time this season lads.

There won't be many of you or me around this evening probably, but I guess we're used to that, aren't we?

Probably one of our best performances this season, in terms of pace and sharpness. Conceding an early goal, the way we did, and especially having a goal disallowed in that manner, increased the frustration within the team, resulting in wrong decision making during certain actions which could have easily ended with a different outcome...

Nevertheless City dominated the game once again against a top 6 team away, and if we have to pay the price for the philosophy we have chosen to adopt, so be it. At the same time, if this, typically for Mourinho, opportunistic strategy can help Spurs make a serious challenge for the title this season, good luck to them. I'm happy not being one of their supporters though...

Having said that, a couple of brief comments :

• Our defensive behavior remains a systematic weakness. Improving the personnel is certainly a step forward, but it's not enough. City's style, set up, team structure and selection, constitute a by default risky strategy. Our defensive coordination needs to be perfect so as to support the concept of a high defensive line. It isn't. Our reaction in that first goal, individually as well as a unit, was terrible. And by the way : aren't we familiar enough with Son's movement or / and Kane's intelligence creating space for the former?
• The lack of an easy goal is another systematic weakness. City have suffered through the years, so many times having been punished in matches they clearly deserved to win. Kane and Son, for example, are natural scorers, able to convert half a chance - and Mourinho becomes a genius. Why we did not invest in the striker area, especially this season, is totally beyond me. Furthermore, I am not sure our recruiting policy gives the necessary emphasis in the goal scoring attribute. Technique, creativity and vision define our game, an identity I love and admire. But without an end product, creativity becomes meaningless...
• Last but not least, the lack of preseason, you won't find a factor more systematic than that. This is not an anomaly of a temporary nature, expected to simply disappear or get fixed smoothly. Because it won't. It will follow the team throughout the season, it will influence its performance. Period. It's incredible some people fail to understand this reality, strongly related to vital elements of City's game such as high, sustainable energy...

It will be a difficult season and the players will need all the support they can get. Some of them, like Bernardo or Kevin, are not in their best form, others, like Kyle, should forget this match as soon as possible. But the effort was there, the professionalism of these men cannot be questioned. Now they need to find the strength to react. They will need to find their confidence again, they will need to show determination. The team's unity is expected to be key here...

PS. Guardiola's contract extension fulfills a strategic priority for the club, I'm absolutely delighted with it. Having said that, I find the disrespect expressed towards the manager and / or certain players embarrassing for this forum, to say the least. I have nothing against constructive criticism, on the contrary I believe in it. Under different circumstances, I myself would be more open contributing to it. But that's not what we're experiencing here, clearly not. Too much negativity around, to which I am not willing to contribute. As I've said in a previous post, towards this attitude, people like me will always defend the team. The manager and the players, this manager and these particular players, have nothing to prove, as far as I am concerned...

 

[Shirley]

For the good of the club he needs to fuck off or drop his arrogance and his outdated possession is all style of play.
How he gets a free ride for his abysmal champions league record, his transfer dealings and his overall lack of changing tactics when the time is needed is beyond me.

Rafa Benitez
Pochettino
Mancini

get any of these in and we improve

We?

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

Probably one of our best performances this season, in terms of pace and sharpnes

the effort was there, the professionalism of these men cannot be questioned.

I would disagree with these 2 points. I thought we were good first half, but second half we didn't play well. After the second goal they just gave up. They didn't look like they thought they could get back in the game. The lack of effort second half should be questioned IMO.

 

[paddyblue]

And 1 very very dodgy VAR decision in each game that could have won us all 3 matches if they’d been correctly applied

It seems lately there’s a at least one dodgy var decision in every game for us, not just against Spurs.


Do the Pigmol fuckers and sky
have secret awards end of season I wonder. The awards list would look something like:

Award for fucking city with the most ridiculous decision of the season.

Award for most City passing lanes blocked.

Award for most soft fouls against City.

Award for most Sergio Agüero disallowed goals (this one includes the goal panel as they’ve taken a few off him over the years)

Awards for most assists taken from Kev.

Award for most offside calls against City.

Award for most Sterling penalties denied.

Award for treating fans like muppets by blatantly lying to us in live tv and expecting us to believe as the truth.

Award for weakest justification of the dodgiest ref calls.

each weekend the refs have a “12th man of the match award”.
In years gone by the ref who won most of these accolades over a season, would get a lavish weekend away to Aberdeen in the Piss cans holiday caravan.
That was cos the “12th man of the match” award would always go to the ref officiating the Rags.
Now it’s usually the ref officiating against city. After bacon face retired, and the Aberdeen retreat off the cards. I think the prize was a couple of pints and a dance at the Penn and Wig.


Awards for most savvy rule change to conflict the previous rule change that beat City. The hand ball rule change in between the Spurs Cl game and the 2-2 robbery of last season will take some beating still. They’re thinking about retiring that award now I believe as they don’t think can’t rule change robbery can be topped.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

There won't be many of you or me around this evening probably, but I guess we're used to that, aren't we?

Probably one of our best performances this season, in terms of pace and sharpness. Conceding an early goal, the way we did, and especially having a goal disallowed in that manner, increased the frustration within the team, resulting in wrong decision making during certain actions which could have easily ended with a different outcome...

Nevertheless City dominated the game once again against a top 6 team away, and if we have to pay the price for the philosophy we have chosen to adopt, so be it. At the same time, if this, typically for Mourinho, opportunistic strategy can help Spurs make a serious challenge for the title this season, good luck to them. I'm happy not being one of their supporters though...

Having said that, a couple of brief comments :

• Our defensive behavior remains a systematic weakness. Improving the personnel is certainly a step forward, but it's not enough. City's style, set up, team structure and selection, constitute a by default risky strategy. Our defensive coordination needs to be perfect so as to support the concept of a high defensive line. It isn't. Our reaction in that first goal, individually as well as a unit, was terrible. And by the way : aren't we familiar enough with Son's movement or / and Kane's intelligence creating space for the former?
• The lack of an easy goal is another systematic weakness. City have suffered through the years, so many times having been punished in matches they clearly deserved to win. Kane and Son, for example, are natural scorers, able to convert half a chance - and Mourinho becomes a genius. Why we did not invest in the striker area, especially this season, is totally beyond me. Furthermore, I am not sure our recruiting policy gives the necessary emphasis in the goal scoring attribute. Technique, creativity and vision define our game, an identity I love and admire. But without an end product, creativity becomes meaningless...
• Last but not least, the lack of preseason, you won't find a factor more systematic than that. This is not an anomaly of a temporary nature, expected to simply disappear or get fixed smoothly. Because it won't. It will follow the team throughout the season, it will influence its performance. Period. It's incredible some people fail to understand this reality, strongly related to vital elements of City's game such as high, sustainable energy...

It will be a difficult season and the players will need all the support they can get. Some of them, like Bernardo or Kevin, are not in their best form, others, like Kyle, should forget this match as soon as possible. But the effort was there, the professionalism of these men cannot be questioned. Now they need to find the strength to react. They will need to find their confidence again, they will need to show determination. The team's unity is expected to be key here...

PS. Guardiola's contract extension fulfills a strategic priority for the club, I'm absolutely delighted with it. Having said that, I find the disrespect expressed towards the manager and / or certain players embarrassing for this forum, to say the least. I have nothing against constructive criticism, on the contrary I believe in it. Under different circumstances, I myself would be more open contributing to it. But that's not what we're experiencing here, clearly not. Too much negativity around, to which I am not willing to contribute. As I've said in a previous post, towards this attitude, people like me will always defend the team. The manager and the players, this manager and these particular players, have nothing to prove, as far as I am concerned...

Exellent post i totally agree.

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

It seems lately there’s a at least one dodgy var decision in every game for us, not just against Spurs.


Do the Pigmol fuckers and sky
have secret awards end of season I wonder. The awards list would look something like:

Award for fucking city with the most ridiculous decision of the season.

Award for most City passing lanes blocked.

Award for most soft fouls against City.

Award for most Sergio Agüero disallowed goals (this one includes the goal panel as they’ve taken a few off him over the years)

Awards for most assists taken from Kev.

Award for most offside calls against City.

Award for most Sterling penalties denied.

Award for treating fans like muppets by blatantly lying to us in live tv and expecting us to believe as the truth.

Award for weakest justification of the dodgiest ref calls.

each weekend the refs have a “12th man of the match award”.
In years gone by the ref who won most of these accolades over a season, would get a lavish weekend away to Aberdeen in the Piss cans holiday caravan.
That was cos the “12th man of the match” award would always go to the ref officiating the Rags.
Now it’s usually the ref officiating against city. After bacon face retired, and the Aberdeen retreat off the cards. I think the prize was a couple of pints and a dance at the Penn and Wig.


Awards for most savvy rule change to conflict the previous rule change that beat City. The hand ball rule change in between the Spurs Cl game and the 2-2 robbery of last season will take some beating still. They’re thinking about retiring that award now I believe as they don’t think can’t rule change robbery can be topped.

There's only 3 certainties in life: death, taxes & City getting shafted by VAR/dodgy officiating.

 

[Akpowell]

Can't sleep, still pissed off

 

[LongsightM13]

There won't be many of you or me around this evening probably, but I guess we're used to that, aren't we?

Probably one of our best performances this season, in terms of pace and sharpness. Conceding an early goal, the way we did, and especially having a goal disallowed in that manner, increased the frustration within the team, resulting in wrong decision making during certain actions which could have easily ended with a different outcome...

Nevertheless City dominated the game once again against a top 6 team away, and if we have to pay the price for the philosophy we have chosen to adopt, so be it. At the same time, if this, typically for Mourinho, opportunistic strategy can help Spurs make a serious challenge for the title this season, good luck to them. I'm happy not being one of their supporters though...

Having said that, a couple of brief comments :

• Our defensive behavior remains a systematic weakness. Improving the personnel is certainly a step forward, but it's not enough. City's style, set up, team structure and selection, constitute a by default risky strategy. Our defensive coordination needs to be perfect so as to support the concept of a high defensive line. It isn't. Our reaction in that first goal, individually as well as a unit, was terrible. And by the way : aren't we familiar enough with Son's movement or / and Kane's intelligence creating space for the former?
• The lack of an easy goal is another systematic weakness. City have suffered through the years, so many times having been punished in matches they clearly deserved to win. Kane and Son, for example, are natural scorers, able to convert half a chance - and Mourinho becomes a genius. Why we did not invest in the striker area, especially this season, is totally beyond me. Furthermore, I am not sure our recruiting policy gives the necessary emphasis in the goal scoring attribute. Technique, creativity and vision define our game, an identity I love and admire. But without an end product, creativity becomes meaningless...
• Last but not least, the lack of preseason, you won't find a factor more systematic than that. This is not an anomaly of a temporary nature, expected to simply disappear or get fixed smoothly. Because it won't. It will follow the team throughout the season, it will influence its performance. Period. It's incredible some people fail to understand this reality, strongly related to vital elements of City's game such as high, sustainable energy...

It will be a difficult season and the players will need all the support they can get. Some of them, like Bernardo or Kevin, are not in their best form, others, like Kyle, should forget this match as soon as possible. But the effort was there, the professionalism of these men cannot be questioned. Now they need to find the strength to react. They will need to find their confidence again, they will need to show determination. The team's unity is expected to be key here...

PS. Guardiola's contract extension fulfills a strategic priority for the club, I'm absolutely delighted with it. Having said that, I find the disrespect expressed towards the manager and / or certain players embarrassing for this forum, to say the least. I have nothing against constructive criticism, on the contrary I believe in it. Under different circumstances, I myself would be more open contributing to it. But that's not what we're experiencing here, clearly not. Too much negativity around, to which I am not willing to contribute. As I've said in a previous post, towards this attitude, people like me will always defend the team. The manager and the players, this manager and these particular players, have nothing to prove, as far as I am concerned...

I would respectfully disagree that there was much pace or sharpness on show. Four or five touches when we used to take one or two has been a depressing feature of the last 18 months.
I think questioning the professionalism of a group of elite international footballers whose heads and hearts visibly sink when they concede, and who seem incapable of winning from a goal down, is fair enough.
And if a lack of pre-season is the main reason for this malaise then what explains the entirety of last season, when we were similarly underachieving? And why isn’t he more proactive with his use of substitutes?
Genuine questions btw. I just don’t see how he can turn this around without accepting his mistakes with a huge dose of humility, rather than doubling down on his most self destructive urges