Spurs (H) | PL | Post Match Thread

[B\connellblue]

They were better due to being older and more experienced. Sterling gave us 7 years and Mahrez 5. Whether Doku and Savinho become as good as good remains to be seen as Doku is only in his second season and Savinho his first.

Patience is the virtue, as they say.

You either score goals or you don't. Why is this so difficult to see. We have a team full of non scoring wingers, how on earth can we hope to win games. Stop Haaland and we're pretty much toothless.

 

[waspish]

Perhaps, but last season he didn't play the personnel that could do it.

He was trying something new - he's like David Bowie, hits on something great, then moves on, sometimes better, but this time not.

I fancy he was trying the replicate a bit of his Bayern approach but Doku, and now Savinho, are no Robben and Ribery. Intelligent players that could easily switch to midfield or even wingback without compromise. The whole structure and system was foregone and I imagine, some players players confidence affected. That Treble team was incredibly tight and bonded.

I see at least 3 players going this summer the dynamics of the dressing room will be totally different. It's up to Rodri Dias Akanji and Foden to be the main spokesmen in the squad! Got start a new bond with the newish players now and the ones who will come in, the ones that come in though had to be first team players with a high mentality!

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Fernandinho must shudder watching that midfield. We’ve lost our nasty streak completely - way too soft and soft teams dont win titles

Fernandinho (age 28 again) would be the perfect addition .

 

[chesterbells]

Glad in a way it was a clear cut tonking, and not a close loss by 1 goal a dodgy penalty decision etc. Don’t want any cracks papering over.
The case for player change is clear cut now.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

I see at least 3 players going this summer the dynamics of the dressing room will be totally different. It's up to Rodri Dias Akanji and Foden to be the main spokesmen in the squad! Got start a new bond with the newish players now and the ones who will come in, the ones that come in though had to be first team players with a high mentality!

Yep, I should have added, continuing with that team and system, but adding direct replacements as and when age and injury hit, was the way to go. Instead we didn't address such things and experimented with direct wingers (again). A regression is the result.

 

[johnny crossan]

Glad in a way it was a clear cut tonking, and not a close loss by 1 goal a dodgy penalty decision etc. Don’t want any cracks papering over.
The case for player change is clear cut now.

Any of these free agent CDMs knocking about decent ? We d have a vacant space in the squad. (Don't think pulling Kalvin out of Ipswich would go down well there or here.)

Free agents

In dieser Übersicht werden alle Spieler aufgeführt, die derzeit keine Verträge besitzen und somit Vertragslos sind.

www.transfermarkt.co.uk

 

[ancoats]

He’s right , Sterling was one of the most dangerous wingers we’ve ever had. He might’ve missed chances but he scored a ton. Mahrez the same dragged us through champions league games. Produced in vital games such as Spurs and PSG at home.

We right now have zero wingers with end product that can score as many goals as they did, they are young and can improve hopefully but Doku has never been a goal scorer, Savio was I don’t know what’s happened to him I watched him at Girona and he was a real threat. The disrespect to Sterling who at one time was one of the best wingers in the prem and in Peps time at city.

New players need time to settle down and for Doku the injury has set him back

But also when the team is struggling, the new player struggles even worse because the crowd get straight on his back
I saw Pep yesterday clapping Savio all the time because he could hear the fans getting on his back

 

[jamesha]

Makes you wonder why there doesn’t appear to be anybody at the club that could see this situation looming and nothing was done

Maybe the club are not as confident about the outcome of the 115 charges as they publically state. Or maybe do not have the faith in the process being fair.
That would restrict spending but fails to explain things like giving Walker a three year contract when the signs were clear that he was on the decline. In retrospect not offering Gundo a two year deal was sensible and taking him back has not worked yet.
The transfer situation is harder than it used to be but the club seem to move slowly. 15 years ago we could take good players away from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool but that would not happen now.
Our new Director of Football will have his work cut out.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Mahrez was here for 6 yrs, Sterling 7 yrs, Doku is in his 2nd season and Sav in his first.

I could turn round and say we need a Yaya, D Silva and Barry because our current midfield of KDB, Gundog and Lewis aren’t good enough.

But you have to put things in context, all players are different and all players bring different attributes to the table.

Don’t forget many blues we’re giving Rodri dogs for his first 18 months at City.

>> Don’t forget many blues we’re giving Rodri dogs for his first 18 months at City.
I never doubted Rodri. He was absolute class from day one but needed to improve his defensive side of the game.

I've doubted Doku from the start. Flashy but extremely inconsistent end-product. I think Doku will be an impact, change of place, substitute, squad player.

Savinho may come good. I was very enthusiastic about him initially - but he needs to improve. Time will tell. Initially I thought that Savinho was a lock for a first place starting role - now, I'm not so sure.

 

[Gumzy97]

Agree with Mahrez but Sterling was consistently poor

Sterling at city. He missed chances yes but his numbers speak for themselves.

Sterling hit double figures in every campaign at the Etihad, exceeding 20 goals in three consecutive seasons between 2017 and 2020.

His total tally of 131 leaves him 10th on City’s all-time top scorer’s list, just one behind Billy Gillespie and Fred Tilson.

The forward entered the top 10 with his 127th strike in February 2022 when he netted a superb curling effort against Sporting.

His best goalscoring season came in 2019/20 when he was on target 31 times in all competitions and his overall tally of 131 is second only to record goalscorer Sergio Aguero (153) in the same period

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Maybe the club are not as confident about the outcome of the 115 charges as they publically state. Or maybe do not have the faith in the process being fair.
That would restrict spending but fails to explain things like giving Walker a three year contract when the signs were clear that he was on the decline. In retrospect not offering Gundo a two year deal was sensible and taking him back has not worked yet.
The transfer situation is harder than it used to be but the club seem to move slowly. 15 years ago we could take good players away from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool but that would not happen now.
Our new Director of Football will have his work cut out.

And hopefully prove that the club has made the right choice for the demands ahead.

 

[waspish]

A midfield of Bernardo, Gundo, Rico and Phil is simply far too weak. That’s it in a nutshell. Add in defenders coming back from injury, and not match fit then there’s the issuue.

What to do is a different matter. I’d have certainly preferred us to start Nunes and/or KDB. I’d be interested to know why they didn’t. Far be it from me to question Pep, but the starting midfield so obviously lightweight.

As a thought, maybe the fact that there is no competition for places is having an impact. Or the absence of players on the training ground is impacting training sessions.

Pep sees the player with the ball and off it we press to make the opposition lose the ball! Now teams can keep the ball as good as us as well as defending robustly against us! Pep did say he doesn't coach defending it's because we don't defend as such! We back of we don't stop crosses we give teams to much time on the ball to cross in dangerous areas..

 

[inthenextlife]

Media.Black.Out.

I'm of an age where I still like a Sunday newspaper but at this rate I'll not be buying one for weeks!

Like you I avoided all media until the next match but after 5 in a row fuck it! Sky is off limits though. After hearing Neville's whoops in the background when they scored their third they and him can all get screwed.

 

[youngbob]

Agree with Mahrez but Sterling was consistently poor

Consistently poor? Fuck sake man.

 

[waspish]

I still scratch my head this morning how we can have 23 attempts on goal and not score ! Yet nearly every team we play seems to have a ridiculously high conversion rate from far less attempts…. [emoji2357]

I don’t know quite where to start but our midfield would be high up the list. Gundo, Rico and Bernardo were all easily out muscled….

We simply must find a way to win on Tuesday and then somehow avoid defeat at Anfield…

I’ll be there again on Tuesday and watching from behind the settee on Sunday

CTID

Because they have many players in there box defending closing down!

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

You either score goals or you don't. Why is this so difficult to see. We have a team full of non scoring wingers, how on earth can we hope to win games. Stop Haaland and we're pretty much toothless.

I can't disagree tbh.

 

[jollylescott]

>> Don’t forget many blues we’re giving Rodri dogs for his first 18 months at City.
I never doubted Rodri. He was absolute class from day one but needed to improve his defensive side of the game.

I've doubted Doku from the start. Flashy but extremely inconsistent end-product. I think Doku will be an impact, change of place, substitute, squad player.

Savinho may come good. I was very enthusiastic about him initially - but he needs to improve. Time will tell. Initially I thought that Savinho was a lock for a first place starting role - now, I'm not so sure.

When Oscar Bobb returns, I would always play him ahead of Savinho. In my opinion he’s simply a better player.

 

[the blue panther]

On reflection, having started well enough, as the game went on, in midfield and defence we looked like a Championship team, struggling against strong Premier league opposition yesterday. Yet we still bought numerous great saves out of their keeper, and blasted many a shot straight at him or wide.

I said on here pre match that I daren't guess the formation/team Pep would choose, once we'd lost Kova. The fact he went with Gundo I hoped was due to him having had a strong 2 weeks back at our base to improve his fitness, but sadly, he still looks a shadow of his former self - and he never was much of a 'holding' midfielder when at his best. I hoped Stones would have been a lynchpin alongside him; not to be. Mostly, it was Lewis, who is too lightweight - he might look good when we're 'flying', but , again imho, he's out of his depth currently and the fact that he is seen as good enough for a weak England squad is nothing to go by. If not Lewis, it was Bernardo; again, too lightweight without being alongside a commanding holding midfielder.

So, we were overrun easily at times; a struggling, unfit defence exposed; Ederson saved us. And we can't legislate for the ball being given away so needlessly for the 1st goal, by a guy who's been one of our better players all season (Gvardiol).

At the end of a difficult day, we're still 2nd in the league! But, with all that said, what the fuck does Pep do at Anfield next week?

Earn his money by stopping the rot - even with his threadbare squad; find a way; that's what!
Come on City!!!

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

>> Don’t forget many blues we’re giving Rodri dogs for his first 18 months at City.
I never doubted Rodri. He was absolute class from day one but needed to improve his defensive side of the game.

I've doubted Doku from the start. Flashy but extremely inconsistent end-product. I think Doku will be an impact, change of place, substitute, squad player.

Savinho may come good. I was very enthusiastic about him initially - but he needs to improve. Time will tell. Initially I thought that Savinho was a lock for a first place starting role - now, I'm not so sure.

I share the same reservations regarding Doku and his future role.

I think Savinho has better potential but has suffered due to the results the team has experienced.

He needs time imo before he can be properly judged.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Pep sees the player with the ball and off it we press to make the opposition lose the ball! Now teams can keep the ball as good as us as well as defending robustly against us! Pep did say he doesn't coach defending it's because we don't defend as such! We back of we don't stop crosses we give teams to much time on the ball to cross in dangerous areas..

Well sure... given our current squad this is so.

We play a very high line, aggressive attacking formation with the ball, maximizing width to create space. When the ball turns over, one or more City players will be near the point of turn over and it's up to them to press. This demands stamina, positional nous and a commitment to aggressively press.

This strategy is obviously sound - we won the last 4 titles in a row - trouble is, our squad isn't good enough currently (Rodri is a huge miss) - to implement the strategy. Ball turns over, our line is very high, our fullbacks (one or both) are way up field - and there's no instant aggressive pressure on the ball. From there, a skillful attacker with time on the ball is going to cause problems - and we've been leaking goals as a result.