City_Sean
Well-Known Member
No, I'm making the point that we were poor off the ball, which our manager admitted.
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Stoke post match
- Thread starter balotelli's back pocket
- Start date
No, I'm making the point that we were poor off the ball, which our manager admitted.
HelloCity
Well-Known Member
+1
First half was okay but the second half wasn't great. For large parts the pressing, intensity and movement just stopped. Like you said the fact we still managed to put 4 past Stoke at their place is very exciting.
Context is important though.
We played a few days before in Romania.
Away PL games are always difficult after playing in Europe.
Both penalty decisions were a joke.
Agree and more so because no referees will give to soft pens like that in a game from a corner!
Luke The Blue
Well-Known Member
Was we that bad today? I get that we wasn't as good as previous games but we just beat Stoke away 4 - 1.... to think we're still geling and Pep is still learning.
For starters we didn't let them have possession from the off and we calmed the game down straight away, something we didn't do last season, which led to them battering us.
We started the second half a bit poor I get that but once they scored we controlled the game.
Don't let the pundits or the media get in your head.. the rags didn't play that well yesterday but they was jerking themselves silly over them.
I'm sure I read somewhere that not many of the top teams beat stoke away?
For starters we didn't let them have possession from the off and we calmed the game down straight away, something we didn't do last season, which led to them battering us.
We started the second half a bit poor I get that but once they scored we controlled the game.
Don't let the pundits or the media get in your head.. the rags didn't play that well yesterday but they was jerking themselves silly over them.
I'm sure I read somewhere that not many of the top teams beat stoke away?
HelloCity
Well-Known Member
No, I'm making the point that we were poor off the ball, which our manager admitted.
Poor or tired?
We played in Romania in mid week.
The general record of PL teams playing away from home in the league after playing in Europe isn't very good.
This was a place we had won at once in eight previous attempts in the league, so to go there and win, & deservedly so, after playing in Romania represents a fantastic result.
Wasn't it a perfect performance? No, but in the context of the situation, it was extremely positive and 9 goals in 2 seats games isn't half bad either.
whitenoise
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 30 Jan 2010
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- 1,122
Was we that bad today? I get that we wasn't as good as previous games but we just beat Stoke away 4 - 1.... to think we're still geling and Pep is still learning.
For starters we didn't let them have possession from the off and we calmed the game down straight away, something we didn't do last season, which led to them battering us.
We started the second half a bit poor I get that but once they scored we controlled the game.
Don't let the pundits or the media get in your head.. the rags didn't play that well yesterday but they was jerking themselves silly over them.
I'm sure I read somewhere that not many of the top teams beat stoke away?
I thought we were absolutely fantastic in the first half, and looked a bit knackered in the second half (no surprise considering the effort we'd put in and conceding a pen so early in the second) but finished brilliantly.
It’s funny reading this thread to see how many people can all see the same game so differently.
taleofbluehalves
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 19 Oct 2010
- Messages
- 5,941
I think you you also have to consider context how many teams would best Stoke away after winning away in Europe?No, I'm making the point that we were poor off the ball, which our manager admitted.
Yeah that's true and it's early days days yet we're just gonna get better.Context is important though.
We played a few days before in Romania.
Away PL games are always difficult after playing in Europe.
Everyone already looks 10x fitter than last season.
No, I'm making the point that we were poor off the ball, which our manager admitted.
He said the final ball was poor sometimes.....not we were poor off the ball.
Genuinely thought it was a good performance for the most part. 50-70th minutes were the exception, old habits crept in. The fantastic judgement when making substitutes from Guardiola changed that.
Caballero had little to do in the way of saves- distribution wasn't great on the whole but there were some moments of brilliance and I don't think Hart is any better- Bravo's coming soon so this Hart vs Willy debate will quickly become redundant.
Zabaleta was a mixed bag today, unfortunate not to get an obvious free kick but also lost possession a few times, think he'll rotate frequently with Sagna and later Maffeo.
Stones looked excellent, as did Otamendi- both comfortable on and off the ball and Kompany will need to be back to his best to have a chance of displacing either of thee two at CB.
Kolarov wasn't as impressive as he was the last two games but he still looked a much better player than last season and I think Guardiola likes him. His attitude seems to have improved immeasurably.
Fernandinho has looked off the pace the last two games for me- granted this is by his impressive standards but The Engine seemed to lose out more than I'm used to seeing from him.
Navas wasn't great in attack but looking back he did help out defensively when it was 1-2 so I'm willing to cut him some slack.
De Bruyne still looks like he's not fully fit yet, but in both of the last two games he's managed a great assist. Missed a few obvious passes in this game, hopefully he'll recover smoothly.
Silva was one of our best players IMO, he works so well in tight spaces and contributed so much in attack, just a shame we never managed to finish those moves off.
Sterling is a changed man. Fantastic play, so full of energy and ideas, much more confidence as well- though I think his pass to Nolito was fuelled by a fear he'd miss if he shot himself. Sterling is the player Navas would've been if Guardiola had been Sevilla coach when Navas was 21.
Aguero is still the same as he's always been- managing to bang in a ridiculous amount of goals no matter how well he plays. Nice to see him recover from the penalty misses and still a good header.
Iheanacho coming on was the turning point for me- after that the result was never in doubt. Played a key part in both goals including a great run to set up Nolito for the third. Nolito was also superb and didn't seem to struggle at all with the unfamiliar weather. These two are the reason we're top of the league at least until Saturday afternoon. Great players.
Caballero had little to do in the way of saves- distribution wasn't great on the whole but there were some moments of brilliance and I don't think Hart is any better- Bravo's coming soon so this Hart vs Willy debate will quickly become redundant.
Zabaleta was a mixed bag today, unfortunate not to get an obvious free kick but also lost possession a few times, think he'll rotate frequently with Sagna and later Maffeo.
Stones looked excellent, as did Otamendi- both comfortable on and off the ball and Kompany will need to be back to his best to have a chance of displacing either of thee two at CB.
Kolarov wasn't as impressive as he was the last two games but he still looked a much better player than last season and I think Guardiola likes him. His attitude seems to have improved immeasurably.
Fernandinho has looked off the pace the last two games for me- granted this is by his impressive standards but The Engine seemed to lose out more than I'm used to seeing from him.
Navas wasn't great in attack but looking back he did help out defensively when it was 1-2 so I'm willing to cut him some slack.
De Bruyne still looks like he's not fully fit yet, but in both of the last two games he's managed a great assist. Missed a few obvious passes in this game, hopefully he'll recover smoothly.
Silva was one of our best players IMO, he works so well in tight spaces and contributed so much in attack, just a shame we never managed to finish those moves off.
Sterling is a changed man. Fantastic play, so full of energy and ideas, much more confidence as well- though I think his pass to Nolito was fuelled by a fear he'd miss if he shot himself. Sterling is the player Navas would've been if Guardiola had been Sevilla coach when Navas was 21.
Aguero is still the same as he's always been- managing to bang in a ridiculous amount of goals no matter how well he plays. Nice to see him recover from the penalty misses and still a good header.
Iheanacho coming on was the turning point for me- after that the result was never in doubt. Played a key part in both goals including a great run to set up Nolito for the third. Nolito was also superb and didn't seem to struggle at all with the unfamiliar weather. These two are the reason we're top of the league at least until Saturday afternoon. Great players.