Spurs vs City post match

[cibaman]

Perhaps the times they don't perform up to standard will be against the better sides?

Inevitably so. I think they'll be fine most home games because few teams will commit so many players forward. But there will be more away games when they crack under pressure.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Have to say, that yesterday was the least disappointed I have been after a defeat. Not because we played well and were unlucky but more it showed exactly which players are the square pegs in this side. We are definitely a midfielder short, unless we can clone Fernandinho, Zabaleta is done, Kolarov's renaissance could be short lived if he can't show a little more composure and Otamendi needs to stay on his feet.

I doubt Pep would throw any match more that he was a little handcuffed in team selection in midfield. Gundogan isn't fully fit, KdB is injured and Nolito was suspended. I can't fathom why he started Zabaleta though.

Spurs were very good, everyone played very well and they all looked very comfortable in their system. They also despite being far better than us for the entire first half got a little lucky with Kolarov's own goal and the mess he made with ball at his feet for their second.

I also thought Fernandinho was fouled in the build up to their first and that Kun should've had a penalty. Marriner let the game flow but could easily have dismissed Otamendi and Rose. I thought he allowed Spurs bully us, time and again Spurs players got away with niggly fouls in that the likes of Silva, Kun and Navas were nudged and kicked but kept the ball but it did enought to interrupt our flow. But it worked for Spurs so fair play to them.

I expect we'll see a lot of stories that Spurs and Celtic have shown how to beat City and that we should stop playing it from the back. I am sure we're on the right path though, at one point first half Fernandinho took the ball on the half turn from Bravo and 6 Spurs players were out of the game. That's the way we're going to play so we'd better buckle up and enjoy.

Lest anybody need reminding: we didn't lose to Celtic! We showed a ton of character in coming back every time we were down, and they were shitting solid bricks for the last fifteen minutes. If anything, we should have won it…

 

[Bill]

City should have been one player down well before. Intentional hand ball is always a yellow

thing is nobody really knows if it was intentional. the entire universe saw rose offend on many occasions.

the ref was a cheat, then again we expect nothing else from him, win or lose.

 

[Father Paul]

Just checked the table and we are top, hope this crisis ends soon.

It's not a crisis but their are some valid concerns

 

[Chippy_boy]

Not an option, I'm afraid. Not when you're playing a game every three to four days, as we have been doing, and will be doing pretty much right through the season. They would be completely burned out half way through. Best case scenario (and it's not ideal) is to play the lads, Maffeo and Angelino for all league cup matches, and maybe some of the easier (?) league matches at home, alternating them with Zab and Kolarov for those last ones. Otherwise, all of the league matches, barring the easiest ones, plus all Champions League matches without exception: Sagna and Clichy. But even Sagna and Clichy aren't ideal, not in the long term, or even in the medium term. They're not young men, as atheletes go. Pep must be looking regularly at the lads and weighing up whether they'll make the grade as long-term options – and otherwise keeping a close eye on what's available in Europe/Latin America. In central defence Stones will be with us for years, Otamendi's still got a role to play (although he was back to his Keystone Cops stuff of last season yesterday, it seemed to me). I'm no longer even thinking of Vinny any longer, tragic as it is to admit. A fully fit Vinny, paired with Stones, and Bravo behind them, playing match after match? I honestly think we'd walk the league, whoever the fullbacks were. Sadly, it isn't going to happen.
That leaves Tosin, but he's not ready to step in on a regular basis, not for a season, maybe even two. It all looks a bit thin, to me, frankly.

As I said, "Unfortunately, barring transfers, I don't know how Pep is going to fix this".

Clichy is an average left back imho - OK(ish) defensively and utterly useless going forward. Sagna, pretty much the same. And they are comfortably the best we've got, i.e. desperately needs strengthening.

 

[Father Paul]

Our poor results against the better sides last year cost us big time.

As disappointing as yesterday was it would almost impossible for us to perform as poorly against these sides for two seasons on the spin.

No side including Spurs has indicated to anybody that they will take the league by the scruff of the neck this season.

If we play like that against Liverpool and the Gooners we will lose those games too I'm afraid.

 

[Magicpole]

After a sleep it's a little easier to analyse.

Like many have said the team sheet looked wrong from the start. Zab and kolarov were pretty dire in mid week and shouldn't have been anywhere near the team today.

Unfortunately they were and we did resort to type. Yesterday we needed to flood the midfield with quick, short passes making their press run around for minutes on end for little reward. Kolarov and Zabs needed to come in field and let navas and sterling stay out wide.

I really hope it's not the case but I can't help but feel that pep threw this game or at least positioned it to more than likely end in a loss. That might sound mad but in some lines of work you want to fail fast, knowing that it's coming anyway, so that you can learn from failing before too many habits bed in.

We were always going to end the weekend on top of the table and that's the most important part. If pep can spend the week with the boys, using the hurt from the weekend to inspire and motivate them then there's no reason we can't go another run of unbeaten games - as long as red cards and injuries give us the squad we need.

I think the likelihood of Pep basically throwing a game, is as unlikely as me receiving a call this very afternoon to replace Harry Styles in No direction.

Followed up by another request, around team time, to keep Angelina warm in bed until she gets over Brad.

What is required from Pep is devising a game plan that allows the high pressing/closing down and breaking at speed strategy. You certainly have the talent and are fit enough , it comes down to standing up to it, knowing you have the tools to deal with it and more importantly the balls to say bring it on.

You have the aspiration to be the top team in Europe, that won't happen until any game plan is ineffective against you as you have the ability to adapt.

Teams aren't going to sit back and watch you carve them up. What you will find is Pep will be looking into the eyes if his players and asking are you hard enough to take it and more importantly, deal with it.

I think he will sort it out, but it won't be easy. Wanting to be the best is easier said than done, no matter how much money you have.

Too much of, if that happened, if this happened, that wasn't allowed, blah blah, are not the right questions or assertions,

It did happen, how do we deal with it.

Every supporter the world over has the same views of the injustices, bad luck, etc. Jesus H, I'm Scottish, that's our mantra. The truth however is we are just not good enough. Right now, in relation to being the best in Europe, neither are you.

But, you are a helluva lot closer than most. Your defence was got at by my team, Celtic. If we can get through them, then those three wizards of Barcelona on form, will inflict a lot of pain. I know that thought has crossed all your minds. It should.

The back to back games against Barca will let us all see how far you have improved, or otherwise. Simple as that.

Football, it can seriously mess you up, and does with monotonous regularity. Again, being Scottish, we get more than our fair share of the games sharp end. Usually in the eye or balls, sometimes both.

And people wonder why we drink?

I believe you will get there and hope you do, but it needs to be earned. The defence is suspect at times. Too many times.

Hold on, there's the phone, I hope it's Angelina. Wish me luck.

 

[FantasyIreland]

thing is nobody really knows if it was intentional. the entire universe saw rose offend on many occasions.

the ref was a cheat, then again we expect nothing else from him, win or lose.

I take it you didnt see the handball,he almost caught it.

 

[middleton___blue]

Inevitably so. I think they'll be fine most home games because few teams will commit so many players forward. But there will be more away games when they crack under pressure.

I agree to an extent that teams wont press us as much at home, but if we were at home yesterday; we still would of got beat unfortunately.

Think its more a case of having the consistency to absorb all the pressure in midfield regardless of team selection both home and away which will take time but we'll have what pep wants sooner rather than later.

 

[bluemoon32]

Hate to say it as i detest the f*ckers but i was impressed with Spurs yesterday, every player seemed to know exactly what was expected of them and obviously buy into what their coach is trying to do.
We'll obviously get better under Pep but we still have a very lopsided squad ( loads of talent going forward but we lack class at the back) and can look lost at times when teams press us,