Spurs vs City post match

[kevin horlocks wand]

Indeed,it also highlighted our lack of depth and especially how important Nolito and KDB are to his tactics and the dynamic.

Taking a positive from the negative though,we are still top of this league and the problems of yesterday will be something Pep will now be frantically seeking to rectify.

We have plenty of depth in our squad, unfortunately we have a policy where we would prefer to pay our players to play for other clubs than be part of our squad and give the players a rest in weaker games so they are fresher for these bigger games. The guys were knackered yesterday. Spurs battered us in the first half with pressing and attacking and it was diffficultnto get our game together.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

If we can just hang on until the gold, frankincense and myrrh come from Brazil after Christmas!

 

[GaudinoMotors]

The flight mode kicked in yesterday when we saw an aggressive, motivated pressing team have the temerity to not make it easy for us. Bottle and the willingness to mix it are the next things Pep needs to instill.

 

[Benarbia’s Backheel]

I missed the game, I was working and haven't watched the game yet, will do today. I just don't understand the selection - A. Garcia has shown moments of absolute class and is 100% a pep type player, so why not give him a chance instead of Fernando? Clichy and Sagna were both on the bench, our first choice full backs, when everyone knows the problems with Zab and Kolorov (he should only be played centre half, can't believe I'm saying that!), and how many times do we have to keep giving navas a game. He's absolute wank and Sane was sitting on the bench, let's see what he can do!

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

Thought we looked jaded, lacklustre and sluggish, but then again, it had a feel of last season's team and last season's performance. with defenders running into each other, Sterling forever falling over, and Silva remaining a peripheral figure for large periods.

Also, with Delph and Kompany permanently injured, our regular squad is smaller than it should be. Once you, lose De Bruyne and Nolito, the options are limited.

 

[Chippy_boy]

We recovered more loose ball than Spurs.

Could have fooled me.

 

[HelloCity]

Eugh.

It's started. One of the top stories for us on newsnow is a City fan blog titled 'Where was plan B?'.

The go to comment for thick football comments whenever a team lose a game.

 

[stonerblue]

One of the cornerstones of Pep's sides is aggression. Going back to his Barcelona team, they were small guys physically, but they were aggressive as fuck in their challenges. More than the lack of quality on the ball yesterday, I reckon the lack of aggression from back to front will have infuriated him.

I hope so Billy cos it annoyed the fuck out of me.
There was a perfect opportunity at one point to take the ball and Wanyama when he was on the touchline but the crunching challenge never came. I expected a bit more of the Fern's. Silva did hid damnedest ( i love the little scrapper in him) and PabZab spent the last 20 showing true bottle but far too many of the others simply dangled their feet around or didn't bother at all.
Surprising really as i thought we showed some real fight away at Stoke earlier this season.

 

[Danny_Johnson4]

Tell you what yesterday reminded me of..

Pre-Season.

Against arsenal (Game in Goteborg, Sweden), I was absolutely convinced this year would be a total transition year as we were pressed all over the pitch and out unsuitable players were not getting into pockets and constantly turning the ball over as we tried to play Peps way
I was actually saying to my mate that I felt a bit sorry for Pep, cause Arsenal were doing absolutely everything he wanted himself and they would be far more suited to him coming in and working immediately
I know it is a work in progress and this is our first year in such a style, but the shambles that was left behind by Pellegrini (underperforming players, dead wood on big wages, lack of work ethic due to shite training & no motivation) is taking its toll now and part of the struggle is now on guardiolas head

I dont think there is any reason to panic, nor is this a knee-jerk reaction, but we have played 5 of the bottom 6 and yes were excellent. But I am not looking forward to Anfield, Emirates or even Goodison this year, because those teams will press us and we arent ready for it yet and dont have the players.

Kolarov looked like his old self yesterday. He should only play at CB at home to teams who will park the bus, and shouldnt ever ever ever play at left back away to anyone in the top 6.
Zabaleta is probably the most upsetting to watch right now as hes totally out of his depth. I feel bad because watching him a few times this year it made me borderline dislike him in the heat of the moment when he is getting torn apart, which is wrong because hes been fantastic for the club and there is no way he should be still here im afraid.
Fernando just never done it for anyone. Not up to standard & never will be
Navas much the same. Im staggered these 4 are still at the club and involved in such big games like yesterdays was

Silva and Fernandinho were also bypassed on a pitch that was made to look like a 6-a-side one by spurs constant pressing and energy. We will NEVER be able to play like they did with the tools/players at our disposal right now, its just cold facts but I back Pep to get those in who are suited to his game

I genuinely think its one of spurs, arsenal or liverpool this year... with a little feeling Wenger will go out into the England job with a title in his last year to remember him by. I wouldnt be too against that either if we cant win it this year.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

That series had to end at some point. There was never any way that we were going to go unbeaten, we've got serious weaknesses at the back, everybody knows that, even with Stones and Bravo now in, and I'm absolutely certain that those will be addressed over the three years of Pep's tenure (very probably by the end of this season, in fact). Let's just say it with good grace, even if it hurts: we were beaten by a team who were, by some considerable distance, the best we've played in terms of quality and motivation, over the eleven matches played so far.
No, what I find ominous is the other results of the w/e, in fact. Liverpool go one down, and finally come back to take the three points (deservedly so, by all accounts) away from home; Chelsea take the three points away from home; I open up the paper this morning to find that Arsenal nick the three points in the ninety-third minute (grrrr!), again, away from home. All of these are our direct rivals, along with spuds. Only good result of the w/e: United. They've got nothing to crow about. Arguably, their result was worse than ours, if you look at where we were both playing, and against who.
It's a source of relief to me that there's now the international break (even if a number of ours will be playing) and that our next two games are at home. Pep will rethink, re-organise us, and I believe we'll take the six points. If we don't, then I think we can say a deeper kind of problem is brewing.