Sorry to be the party pooper, but that game sums up our season - brilliant and dreadful. I'm not surprised Pep was prickly in the interviews after watching that. Let's be honest, we won because Spurs didn't come out and sit back and defend in numbers. If that was practically any other team in the PL, we don't come back from that.
The end of that first half performance was absolutely rank. It's right up there for me with the crap we saw back in the 90s. I love Pep, but these quick-fire moments where we concede quick, pathetic goals is happening far too often for me. Liverpool, Lyon, Monaco, Real Madrid, United last week, Spurs this week etc etc - they happen too often and in big games. It's on him this and he's not showing any attempt at all to prepare the team not to collapse and lose all control of the game. How can a team that has complete control for 85 minutes be so brittle to throw games in the other 5 - if that?!
Quite honestly, giving two of the simplest, cheapest goals away within 2 minutes is absolutely unforgiveable. Great teams are built on great defences and at the minute, our defence is a lottery who gets picked and in what position. And behind it all is a keeper who's not on his game.
Ederson is on thin ice with me. His passing in the first half was shite. He isn't concentrating and needs dropping. Simple as that, he is not on form and quite honestly he was at fault for both goals. The pass to Rodri was shocking and that 'save' to Emerson(?) was a joke. I would've dropped him at HT for Ortega to be honest. He needs his backside kicking. It's no good setting up the 4th goal if you've let 2 in.
Second half we saw the best of this team. It infuriates me why we cannot start games like we did in the second half - on the front foot and going for their guts, they just couldn't handle us at all. I thought Mahrez and Grealish were superb - Mahrez tormented them and Grealish tried to grab the game but just lacked that 'something'. I still think he's a great player in the wrong team. I really like Lewis as well, his attitude and general play is superb.
I'm sure the neutrals loved this game, it had a bit of everything. However, I'm not neutral. This result might paper over cracks with some people, but we've got problems. A better team would've seen that game out 0-2.
I am normally completely wrong about football. I've had decades of backing the wrong team, the wrong manager and really hope I am with this result. I hope the outcome is we get belief that we can beat anyone. I just feel the balance is wrong - good teams come back from behind, but great teams don't need to do it.
As I've said before , I do think that once Pep finds the right balance we'll be unstoppable - again.
COME ON CITY!
