Spurs (H) | PL | Post-Match Thread

[hammocity]

I have never looked back at a match-day thread but have just done so. My god, the calling out of players and Pep, calling for Raz, saying Grealish and Mahrez are not feared by anyone. What has happened to us as fans, seriously?

Last night, I couldn't believe what I was reading at half time so I posted this:

Some strange stuff here, as always. We have played decently, and were the better team, until 2 mistakes in two minutes. We can come back into this. I understand the emotion, but many don't speak like fans.

We are second in the league in what is a very strange season, with more players from City at the World Cup than any team in world football, with DIas, Walker, Stones and Laporte out for a chunk of the season and some seasoned professionals having left us, with replacements brand new to the PL. I stand by what I said: start acting like supporters who understand the club and football - it is not a given to win - and nearly every single supporter in the country would be very damn grateful for what we have, and have had.

My golf was cancelled today so I too had a look through the match day thread. The criticism of Pep is just ridiculous, he's managing us through a difficult period and we're still second with an outside chance of winning the league.

I know we haven't been anywhere near our best but the lack of form from KDB, Cancelo and Bernardo hasn't helped. Nor has the unsettled defence due to injuries to Walker, Stones and Dias plus the World Cup has been a distraction and we had 17 players at the tournament.

Hopefully now with a busy January coming to an end Pep can get the players focused and fit for an extremely tough February. I hate to say this but not being in the Carabao Cup is a bonus. Beat Wolves (hopefully) and we're in good shape to have a real go at retaining our title, I don't think we'll do it but we've chased down deficits before.

 

[bennyboy]

Must admit to liking the ESPN coverage.Burley and Nicol always seem to be fair in their analysis.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

I thought Ake and Lewis were brilliant last night, Lewis especially in that hybrid position he's been asked to play is so confident. What really surprises me is how much everyone trusts him, guys like Rodri aren't afraid to give him the ball in tight areas, that in itself proves how class he is. I thought defensively Ake again was excellent, he got forward a few times as well and credit to him for trying it, but it's clearly not his game. I suspect he was there to provide assurances going the other way, but personally i thought Cancelo was one of the better players in the derby and deserved to start.

I still have doubts on Akanji if i'm honest, too relaxed on the ball and just not aggressive enough in the air when needed, this is where Ake is superior to him.

I'm not sure what's going on with Ederson, putting the mistake(s?) aside i have been really disappointed with his kicking since he came back from Brazil. We have become so used to not having any worries when the ball is put back to Eddy, but he seems to be messing up relatively simple (for his talent) passes nowadays that would never happen before. His command of the box is really poor, there were moments where he should have just dominated the area and taken the ball but didn't, other times where his communication with those around him was non-existent. He needs a bollocking imo.

I thought Alvarez in the first half kind of struggled to get into the game, much better pressing in the second half which was helped by other players actually helping him. Spurs to their credit got out of some sticky situations, but i thought we allowed them the easier route out at times.

We really need to find a way to use Haaland's runs, he makes them constantly and obviously we can use them as distractions but they're no longer distractions if never used. At times we try and rush it to him with really obvious over the top passes, that's not what he's looking for and it's where we need to be better. Liverpool (i dread to say) are better at this than us, hitting space but with purpose, not just actually hitting and hoping.

Pep's right, we got away with one last night, Spurs were wank all game and didn't deserve their goals but we really are missing that drive right now where we would create chance after chance.

Get off Eddie's back. One kicking error in a long long time. Alisson's making a howler most games for Liverpool - same as Lloris. We play risk and reward footy - we take the ball under pressure in and around our own box. Occasionally, it will go wrong.

 

[jamiecav]

Apologies if this has been covered, but did anyone notice the bench reactions to our goals
Saw dias going mental when he was due to come on, but how do the others celebrate?

Just interested in regards to the comments re fire etc

 

[jamiecav]

Get off Eddie's back. One kicking error in a long long time. Alisson's making a howler most games for Liverpool - same was Lloris. We play risk and reward footy - we take the ball under pressure in and around our own box. Occasionally, it will go wrong.

Eddie's shit kicking and yet got an assist (if you ignore the defenders touch)

 

[HarrytheBlue]

Ederson, 4 - Sloppy for both goals, especially the first

Lewis, 9 - They grow up fast, don't they?
Stones, 6 - Not really at fault for anything but was asked to do a lot and wasn't always on it
Akanji, 6 - a mixed night, some good, some bad, in a weird run of form
Ake, 8 - got caught out once but was otherwise great

Rodri, 7 - not his fault for the first goal, his usual self second half
Gundogan, 7 - always steady and controlled
Grealish, 7 - played at a good tempo I thought, could have had a bit more cutting edge

Alvarez, 8 - always active and pesky, great finish for his goal
Haaland, 8 - did what he's there to do, score big goals
Mahrez, 10 - take a bow, mate.

Stones 6. You sure? He was immense.

 

[the blue panther]

The nostalgia for Sterling is the funniest bit. In five years when we have a pacy winger with a shite first touch who keeps beating a defender and puttting an aimless cross in people on the match thread will be getting nostalgic about Mahrez's intelligent runs and match winning performances and saying we never replaced the thoughtful leadership and control of Gundo.

I was guilty of this at half time, but it's not a yearning to have Sterling back; it's a yearning to have some pace back in the team. Pace was sorely missing in the first half last night. Then, when you make the mistakes and go 2-0 down right on half time, I'm sure everyone else was thinking " How the fuck do we turn this round?!!"
So, I was yearning for pace and thinking that we hadn't got it in the team; it'd be good to bring Sterling on now - like we did against Villa, and he helped us to win the title last season.
Then, the second half begins and we find - from nowhere - energy and pace, and we get level, got a bit of luck, and everything was rosy again.
In the end, we had what we needed all along. It was pace and energy - and that's what's been missing for the last half a dozen games. Hopefully, we're back on track - as long as we can keep that intensity.
I hope Raheem does well at Chelsea, or wherever else he'll go.

 

[Keeper!]

How do you know he’s called them out privately. Do you work for City?

So he went full on public last night, do you think a coach of his stature would do that before speaking with them in private?

FFS

 

[Spurs quarter 69]

Two Christmas presents for Spurs - who look average at best. Well played to the lads for stepping it up and showing 'em who's the better team. Was at the game but haven't seen the interview. Pep's 100 per cent right. He's a high energy guy and I was hoping we'd create a cauldron atmosphere last night for the team to feed off. I've been going since 1968 and the current long periods of silence in the stands are like a fecking church service - it's embarrassing.

We used to be known for having a crazily noisy home crowd - pre-Etihad. Now we're known for being quiet like Arsenal. Unfortunately, we now have a lot of middle class fans who can afford the tickets. Mr and Mrs Middle Class from Bramhall, Hale and Alderley Edge. They tilt their middle class heads to the side and smile a lot in their designer jeans, make no noise apart from chuntering amongst themselves and leave early. Two years ago, I moved from the North/Family Stand to the East stand to sit with my mate. Jeez, I feel like I've moved to a library. In the North Stand I was nowhere near being the noisiest, but in the East Stand I am. Where I sit now, if I stand up and make some noise, Mr and Mrs Middle Class look at me as though it's 'Sit down, you're embarrassing us.'

We need to start making some noise or Pep will be off sooner than we think. The players feed off crowd energy.

Back at Maine Rd we would let the unwaged into the Kippax at child's prices. Better when we were shit.

 

[Aba452]

Well done City for a brilliant second half performance. First half, we played ok, nothing special but in control. Those 2 goals though, really poor from us.

Every week we seem to go on about the referees and this lardy specimen was no exception. Letting plenty of ugly spurs challenges go, renowned tackler Mahrez getting the first card!!!!!!
Their targeting of Lewis was disgusting. People entitled to expressing their opinions at half-time but I think it was more the sucker punch of their goals.

Second half we played like men possessed. The bald fraud strikes again! Mahrez deserves the acclaim, Julian was very good, Haaland found the net. But Grealish put in one of his best City performances, was powerful and direct, magnificent covering as was Mahrez.

Rico's got the heart of a lion, Ake was very industrious, Rodri just flicked a switch to beast mode. Really impressed by Stones defending, but the way he was involved in building up play, lovely. Gundo was steady if unspectacular, Akanji had some good touches. Supporters phenomenal.

Was really upset by Pep's comments last night but on reflection of this gets us all back together, he's earning his wardrobe full of tasteful knitwear!

Spurs were, are and always will be complete wankers.