City's tactics have always been based around Plan A and over 38 games, they work out fine.
However, there will always be occasions when we lose the ball in daft positions, and suddenly our flanks are exposed to a quick counter attack. Sterling is the biggest culprit, but yesterday De Bruyne and Rodri were equally guilty.
Mahrez has to start more often, because he rarely concedes posession.
Similarly, just because Cancelo creates so many opportunities, we can't ignore the fact that he's a defensive liability who makes no proper attempt to block a cross. Fulham profited, and even in Lisbon he struggled against their right winger in the first 20 minutes.
To be fair Plan A is effective like 95% of the time.
Occasionally we do need a Plan B. Lack of for me, has cost us a few times under Pep tenure. Particularly in Europe at the business end of a campaign..
I felt from 20 minutes in yesterday we needed that Plan B.
Spurs game plan was pretty obvious, playing with a defensive back 8.And waiting for us to lose the Ball on the edge of their Box, getting quick Balls out to Kane and Son who were stood on the half way line virtually goal hanging.
It wasn't Rocket Science, this is what they do effectively against us. They were playing to their own strengths .A shit average side with 2 decent players. We could literally have man marked Kane and Son for 90 minutes and won that game. They are literally their only threats. There will not be another side this season as accommodating as we were yesterday. They will likely lose their next game after coming down off the euphoria of being gifted the "We beat City Cup".
All we had to do yesterday was try something different, And Spurs would have been fucked.Mix things up a bit.
They knew how we play, and set up to smother us, and stifle our play.
All we did was carry on regardless, banging at the Door, hoping that a piece of individual brilliance would save the day. When what was really needed was a change of style. I think the Players subconsciously knew we need to change, hence why they started crossing Balls to the non existent striker in Spurs Box.
Spurs are shit at defending set pieces. Yet we chose not to put on Delap to try and exploit convert the crosses coming in. No idea why we don't change our style in games like this.
When we get these types of games, we need a better Plan B than just aimlessly crossing to 5 foot 5 players playing in opponents box.
For me it is all that has stopped Pep from achieving true greatness. His arrogance can also be his Achilles Heal. Sure he plays beautiful sexy football, very easy on the Eye, Great to watch. But i do think the philosophy of his sides will never change how they play regardless of opposition has cost him a few Champions Leagues with us and Bayern Munich. Fact is playing like Spurs did is what will likely happen to us again at some point in the Champions League, and again the best team, who should be winning it will go out again.
