Spurs vs City post match

Navas & Fernando are honest players but just not good enough... Kolarov is shite, Zab's struggling now, Fernandinho is being asked to do a lot of work, Otamendi went back to headless chicken defending at times with a few brainless challenges unecessarily going to ground, to me Aguero reverted back to how he was under Pellegrini coming deep & in wide areas too much trying to get involved. Think Pep was cautious I would have preferred we started with Sane & Gundogan instead of Navas & Fernando and just gone for it .... Delph's energy would have been useful had he been fit and we miss Kev big time, he's a class player & gives us more control .... We are desperate for two new young, quality, quick, energetic full backs (look at Spurs with Walker & Rose), easier said than done, who would be available in January & can we spend and stay within FFP rules ??
 
Navas & Fernando are honest players but just not good enough... Kolarov is shite, Zab's struggling now, Fernandinho is being asked to do a lot of work, Otamendi went back to headless chicken defending at times with a few brainless challenges unecessarily going to ground, to me Aguero reverted back to how he was under Pellegrini coming deep & in wide areas too much trying to get involved. Think Pep was cautious I would have preferred we started with Sane & Gundogan instead of Navas & Fernando and just gone for it .... Delph's energy would have been useful had he been fit and we miss Kev big time, he's a class player & gives us more control .... We are desperate for two new young, quality, quick, energetic full backs (look at Spurs with Walker & Rose), easier said than done, who would be available in January & can we spend and stay within FFP rules ??


agree on most of that but delph is also nowhere near the quality we need....plus he is a sick note so I'm guessing we won't see much of him.......id sell him as soon as he is fit as we need better than him
 
agree on most of that but delph is also nowhere near the quality we need....plus he is a sick note so I'm guessing we won't see much of him.......id sell him as soon as he is fit as we need better than him

I agree about Delph's quality but with his energy & given the intensity of Spurs I think he would have been a lot more effective than Fernando in that game .. we need another CM in similiar mould to Fernandinho ...
 
I agree about Delph's quality but with his energy & given the intensity of Spurs I think he would have been a lot more effective than Fernando in that game .. we need another CM in similiar mould to Fernandinho ...

yes

but there is a drop in quality in a few areas that need to be addressed.......even Henry and carragher are saying it on sky sports.

the fullbacks were poor as well as fernando who simply isn't good enough and gudongan and ferna cant play all the games..thats just impossible
 
Watching it again I think some people are overreacting, for a start on another day we could easily have come away with a point, Sergio and Kelechi could have both scored at least a goal a piece in the second half, aside from the Penalty and a few shots from outside the box they didn't create that much compared to us. The own goal was very unlucky for us and set the tone for Spurs had that not gone in and maybe had Silva got a hold of that ball that was flashed across the box(Serg scored one like that at Swansea) it could have been a very different game.

Spurs were good but we weren't outplayed we gave as good as we got but there were individual mistakes and there will be days like that for all teams, some of our older players have played a lot of high intensity games and need a rest IMO that's when the mistakes come when players are tired.

Kolarov's f*ck ups are costing us
 
So just got in after watching that shit show, kolarov was bloody awful, day to forget. Crap.
 
Today, it was like having a free hit: if/when we lost, we knew we'd still be top!
It panned out virtually as I expected, but, I'm disappointed for a few reasons:
First, Sagna and Clichy are our 2 best defensive full backs, and as they we on the bench, I assume that they were both fit. I would have picked them. We were always going to need our most mobile full backs. Pep knows best, but, I don't understand that selection.
Second, worryingly, Zabba looked like he was running through treacle; Kolarov looked off the pace until 70 mins when spurs were tired - and that own goal was pathetic - but as per his first half performance.
Third, if there was a match where I wouldn't want to see 4 'reserves' playing - Zaba, Kola, Navas and Fernando in the same team - it was today at WHL - probably our most difficult away game. Needs must, to an extent, but just our luck that Nolito gets a completely unnecessary ban, and KDB got injured. Either of those 2 playing would have made a major difference, as Navas wouldn't have started.
Fourth, as a result of the above, Sterling starts on the left and was ineffective.
Fifth, despite the above, we could have scored a couple if Aguero had been on his game, but, he's in a 2 game lull.
Last, it looked like Nacho came on with Dzeko's old lead boots on!
Thank God spurs weren't at full strength!
Bad day at the office. Let's hope the break does us some good. Still top. United dropped points. We might be full strength again in 2 weeks. Still early days, and everything to play for - AND the Womens' team have done the double! But, Gareth Southgate's called up Jesse Lingard and Glen Johnson to the England squad, so maybe the world's gone fckin mad - or is it me?

Spurs would have been far less effective at 'full strength' imo with lumbering Harry trying to close down.

Talking about wrong selections imo is just papering over the cracks that we weren't good enough.

There were no huge holes in the team, selection wise, like there were on many occasions last season. If it doesn't quite work, then ok, we tweak it. That doesn't mean we have to let in shite goals defensively.

Today's team should have been stronger, not weaker, defensively, than in many games. It should have been ideal for defending exactly the kind of goals, we conceded.

Pep has used his words carefully today imo by mentioning how many 'challenges' Spurs won.

He has always said that if the players give everything & play he right way, they have his permission to make mistakes. Imo he has just played them the joker with that comment, & now none are safe anymore.
 
This has some truth. I guess I'm just a bit disappointed that our manager is mortal after all - and yes we should have scored at least one goal. Aguero was unlucky on two occasions.

That said, I'd certainly have started with Clichy and Sagna as our full backs. They are out best and you have to play your best against the best teams.
Not starting with Fernandinho as the midfield pivot was bad though - hopefully Pep now realises Fernando is just a stopper. He really cannot pick a man out and pass the ball forward. If I had to pick a team, then knowing we would be a bit tired (actually not quite as sharp) after Wednesday I'd have gone for a midfield 2 or 3 as well, where Fernando's talent as a Stopper would be at least usable. Sterling would be on the right as well where he is far more dangerous.

Respect your opinion. It's always pleasing to hear someone with a reasoned view.

You may find me too stubborn, but I'm sure the result would be the same even with Carvajal and Alaba as fullbacks. The main problem now is the team's incoherence, not individual mistakes. The team is not educated properly, doesn't work as a unit, it's too early - Pep states it at every presser, does anybody listen to our coach? If the system doesn't function well, individual 'mistakes' start to occur, and people start to single out players and bash them. But modern football is a team sport, and the likes of Pep bring it to the level where the system can catalyze the effectiveness of its parts at unprecedented rate. In my very humble opinion, City need the new team now much more than new players.

It's laughable to hear that Pep is 'found out' and now any team can outplay us using the same 'pressing' approach. No, because Pep is actually a master of 'Pressing-resistance', he just needs 1) time 2) personnell to implement it. And supporters' patience, of course.

As for 'bad players' - most of them will be eventually replaced. But you can't just throw away all of them at once. Besides of purely financial aspect, such things can hurt squad morale badly, teambuilding is a subtle thing. Pep shows that every player has a chance, no matter how good/bad he was in the past. It's very important! Even if it costs us some results here and there. And tell me: don't you think that guys like Zaba deserve to be treated as legends in their final year with City? Even if they can't cope with fitter, younger opponents any more. Let them finish their job.

And one point about those who think that they know better than our coach. If i've learned anything during 8 years that I follow Pep, it's that he has more football brains that all football forums combined. You're in the safest hands, trust him, fasten your seatbelts, learn and enjoy! Do not question the Boss, support him! The moaning in today's match thread has reached absurd proportions.

Sorry for my far-from-perfect English, hope I'm understandable enough.
 
Pep's city career starts now.

Before you build a team, you need to kill it.

Mourinho knows it better than anyone else. Pep needs to learn from him in this aspect, how he gets rid of the decaying woods like Rooney. By dragging them to the bottom of despair with three back-to-back losses.
 
A curious, non-optimal starting lineup forced due to injuries and fitness issues in our squad. Up against one of the three best sides (us, Spurs and Liverpool) on their home pitch after an exhausting midweek match.

So yeah... it could have gone better, but the way it actually went isn't too surprising. This is far from our best lineup at a time when our side is still learning how to play under Pep.

I hope we're at full strength against Liverpool and against Spurs in the return fixture - too, I hope the opposition is at full strength. These will all be very entertaining matches.
 
Spurs would have been far less effective at 'full strength' imo with lumbering Harry trying to close down.

Talking about wrong selections imo is just papering over the cracks that we weren't good enough.

There were no huge holes in the team, selection wise, like there were on many occasions last season. If it doesn't quite work, then ok, we tweak it. That doesn't mean we have to let in shite goals defensively.

Today's team should have been stronger, not weaker, defensively, than in many games. It should have been ideal for defending exactly the kind of goals, we conceded.

Pep has used his words carefully today imo by mentioning how many 'challenges' Spurs won.

He has always said that if the players give everything & play he right way, they have his permission to make mistakes. Imo he has just played them the joker with that comment, & now none are safe anymore.
You think you're the new Guardiola? But you're trying to dissect the team too much. We simply got bullied off the ball today - nothing more - nothing less. Our defense wasn't shit (as you kept telling us it was), none of the goals could be put down to our incompetent players. It was nothing to do with that at all. Watch the game, digest and read it. We lost today because we were slow to pick up the second ball, and got bullied off the ball too easily. That is all it amounts to. Guardiola saw what was happening, and changed it (albeit too little too late), and the game changed. It 's not the end of the world though, we are going to lose the odd game - get used to it. I'd hate to watch a match with you - most of my City mates would run you out of town, for being a bandwagon jumper, or having no idea where we've come from. Start supporting your team for Gods sake!
 
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Respect your opinion. It's always pleasing to hear someone with a reasoned view.

You may find me too stubborn, but I'm sure the result would be the same even with Carvajal and Alaba as fullbacks. The main problem now is the team's incoherence, not individual mistakes. The team is not educated properly, doesn't work as a unit, it's too early - Pep states it at every presser, does anybody listen to our coach? If the system doesn't function well, individual 'mistakes' start to occur, and people start to single out players and bash them. But modern football is a team sport, and the likes of Pep bring it to the level where the system can catalyze the effectiveness of its parts at unprecedented rate. In my very humble opinion, City need the new team now much more than new players.

It's laughable to hear that Pep is 'found out' and now any team can outplay us using the same 'pressing' approach. No, because Pep is actually a master of 'Pressing-resistance', he just needs 1) time 2) personnell to implement it. And supporters' patience, of course.

As for 'bad players' - most of them will be eventually replaced. But you can't just throw away all of them at once. Besides of purely financial aspect, such things can hurt squad morale badly, teambuilding is a subtle thing. Pep shows that every player has a chance, no matter how good/bad he was in the past. It's very important! Even if it costs us some results here and there. And tell me: don't you think that guys like Zaba deserve to be treated as legends in their final year with City? Even if they can't cope with fitter, younger opponents any more. Let them finish their job.

And one point about those who think that they know better than our coach. If i've learned anything during 8 years that I follow Pep, it's that he has more football brains that all football forums combined. You're in the safest hands, trust him, fasten your seatbelts, learn and enjoy! Do not question the Boss, support him! The moaning in today's match thread has reached absurd proportions.

Sorry for my far-from-perfect English, hope I'm understandable enough.

It is laughable to suggest that Pep has been found out & pathetic tbh.

There was no reason to concede the goals & penalty we did today, other than incompetence by some of the people involved. It was not a particularly difficult job, to stop those moves. And the same was true on Wed.

We had the players there in position. They fucked up. If we had concede due to football brilliance or sheer force, ten it's different. But we were sleeping on the 2nd & Kolaroved on the first & the pen.

As I said on Wed, that will not win the title. It will have to be sorted.

Nothing to do with tactics.
 
yes

but there is a drop in quality in a few areas that need to be addressed.......even Henry and carragher are saying it on sky sports.

the fullbacks were poor as well as fernando who simply isn't good enough and gudongan and ferna cant play all the games..thats just impossible

Yes we all know full backs are a problem & we need another CM to ease the load on Fernandinho, by next summer I expect squad will be a lot closer to what Pep wants .....
 
It is laughable to suggest that Pep has been found out & pathetic tbh.

There was no reason to concede the goals & penalty we did today, other than incompetence by some of the people involved. It was not a particularly difficult job, to stop those moves. And the same was true on Wed.

We had the players there in position. They fucked up. If we had concede due to football brilliance or sheer force, ten it's different. But we were sleeping on the 2nd & Kolaroved on the first & the pen.

As I said on Wed, that will not win the title. It will have to be sorted.

Nothing to do with tactics.
You seem to love this word 'incompetence'. But you don't understand the the context in which you should use the word. You can use suggest 'incompetence' but that has as much baseless foundation as just saying the team was shit. Stop using the word 'incompetence' and tell us the solution - please ;-)
 
You think you're the new Guardiola? But you're trying to dissect the team too much. We simply got bullied off the ball today - nothing more - nothing less. Our defense wasn't shit (as you kept telling us it was), none of the goals could be put down to our incompetent players. It was nothing to do with that at all. Watch the game, digest and read it. We lost today because we were slow to pick up the second ball, and got bullied off the ball too easily. That is all it amounts to. Guardiola saw what was happening, and changed it (albeit too little too late), and the game changed. It 's not the end of the world though, we are going to lose the odd game - get used to it.
Will you please fuck of with the lectures ?

i don't need any 'get used to it ' or anything, I've been watching City for nearly 50 fucking years & this is the best game plan I've seen. Go and fucking tell someone else, I don't need it. i am happy as a pig in shit.

Just to avoid misunderstanding. i think Pep is basically G.O.D. as a manager, the best we will ever have in mylifetime & that we will win the title.

We have defended like shite in he last two games. I know that, because i watch football,

So i'm talikng about it, on a fucking football forum. It's not my fault you can't see it.
 

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