Stoke Vs City Post Match Discussion Thread

[LongLang]

Weve gone backwards.
Im not into these manager bashing posts. Its not my style. But, i dont think anyone can disagree that after the 4 games we have played, and 90ish million spent, we have improved on last season.
For me it looks like we have regressed.
Hopefully im wrong, and vinny coming back could change all that, but i fail to see how a centre half can change a lethargic, toothless midfield and an attacking line up who seem to be playing like strangers.
Im thinking that possibly kompany can come back, giving the midfield more confidence that they are looked after at the back and will be able to push on a little more. Yaya in particular should be playing as an attacking mid rather than holding.
Its frustrating, because we have arguably the best squad of players in the prem.
We need to absolutely destroy soneone in the next few games to take the pressure off. Next week would be a great time to start!!!

We started going backwards after we won the league. Poor close season signings but more importantly, instead of more of the same, Mancini started f*cking about with the defence, for reasons known only to him and then started slagging the players off for getting confused.

It's history now.Forget Mancini,someone had to replace him and Pelli it is.

Im not talking about mancini!
From the 4 games ive seen this season, we played 1 well (newcastle)
Other than that we have looked poor against poor opposition.
Im not at all interested in hearing "they put 10 men behind the ball" vecause there are teams that had had to put up eith that shit for years and they manage to find a way through.
Im talking about the fact that we look lethargic THIS season so far. Im saying peli, and i accept he needs time to impliment his grand plan successfully, does not look to be an improvement tactically over bobby SO FAR.

 

[LoveCity]

To rub salt in wounds, Barry is currently bossing Chelsea's midfield.

 

[NorCalBlue]

I'm not saying you're right or wrong, and I'm certainly not saying I want Pellegrini gone etc, but if that set of circumstances was the same last year under Mancini, and we produced that performance, there's no way you'd stand for it!

We did produce performances like that under Mancini last season. And he'd been in charge over 3 years. If we're still playing like that under Pellegrini in three years time I won't be standing for it either.

I'm struggling to come up with three performances in a row last year that were as poor as the last three. I don't rule out the possibility, and I'm all for giving Pelle time to sort things out, but apart from two or three games all season, I don't remember us looking so average against average teams in the Prem. Sure, we had some dodgy results, but in most of them we bossed the game and got hit on the break - the biggest frustration was that we couldn't convert territorial advantage into goals.

 

[Davs 19]

To rub salt in wounds, Barry is currently bossing Chelsea's midfield.

No surprise there LC based on the last couple of seasons....strange decision ( even allowing for the financial aspect) to let him go...good luck to the lad.......

 

[Bill]

not seen or heard a minute of the game but reading this thread it appears it was another Hull.

we've gone.

simple as that.

 

[cleavers]

Before you all criticise too much consider that City have lost Kompany, Demichelis, Richards and Clichy. That is our best back 4!!!

Is it ? Richards is made of glass, as may Demichelis be (injured before he even plays), and Clichy's best Cty performances were over 12 months ago.

Our best back 4 is Zaba Kompany Nastasic and Clichy, and the back up isn't very good if we're honest, however we kept another clean sheet today so I've no idea why the defence is getting stick.

Our 2 man midfield is a major issue, it doesn't work in the PL, it won't work in the PL, because the likes of Stoke don't play like La Liga teams do. 4 forward looking players may be attacking in La Liga, but in the PL, it gets over run far too often, do it when we're 2-0 up if needs be, but lets get 2-0 up first, that needs graft and skill in midfield, and not one player doing one, and the other the rest.

Luckily we've managed to take 7 points from 4 games, but we are pretty unconvincing all over the pitch at the moment, and after 2 relatively easy (on paper at least) away games, we have 1 point to show, that's a pattern continued from last year, just not good enough away from home.

Postives today - we didn't lose. We've a bigger game to win on Tuesday and a few have had a rest. Ireland didn't score.
Negatives - another very unconvincing performance, and a team selection that had me worried before we kicked a ball.


MP has an awful lot of work to do to get these players playing his way, just like RM did last year.

 

[chesterbells]

To rub salt in wounds, Barry is currently bossing Chelsea's midfield.

Good. Let's hope Chelsea lose.

Barry was indeed mostly great for us, but he's a player whose best days are behind him

 

[cucumberman]

Remember that moral victory game? We lost but how close did we come to nick it with one man down but a tactical change that was frightening to see they wished the 90mins came sooner.

 

[Blue Maverick]

I remember many including myself were lapping it up at the start of the season looking at the rags fixtures upto the derby saying we'd be clear of them but look at us on the same points and they've had the tougher start. I'm not saying we should be winning 4/5-0 but we just look shit, yes grinding out results when you are play bad is the sign if champions but it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't every week. Going into the derby I would say United are favourites if we play like we have in the last few games, maybe a decent performance on Tuesday may lift us but I'm not holding my breath. I've not seen anything to suggest attacking football and I don't go with the excuse about the defence because its the midfield that seems to be the problem YaYa was at centre half most of the time push him on leave Rodwell in there, when I looked at the team sheet today there was no one with pace in the starting 11 it's ridiculous in the premiership, I can only think Pellegrini has been told CL performances are more important for us.

 

[CityPar]

Four games. One good, three bad. Precious little sign of the new style of play that's been talked about. Our inability to seriously dominate anymore never mind get results away from home will only serve to put real pressure on us to win at home all the time. On this run of form we're not going to be top 4 material never mind champions. The only saving grace is we have a squad that should be capable of turning it round. But we need to do it soon. Quite simply we must win next week. Failure is not an option......

Pelligrinis report card so far? Below average..........