Stoke Vs City Post Match Discussion Thread

[Berkovic_blue]

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

We've got through a difficult fixture when we were very much weakened.

I think we will now start to move forward

I'm a bit confused how suddenly Demichelis is part of our best back 4 when he's never even played. Can I borrow your crystal ball?

 

[jollylescott]

Barry would have made no difference in today's game since we kept a clean sheet and his role is mostly a defensive one. His contribution going forward has always been pretty limited. He might have helped against Cardiff, but he struggles against high intensity, high pressing teams. Actually, opponents like Chelsea (as they were today) and United have suited Barry a lot more than opponents like Southampton and Everton who are always snapping at your heels. It's no coincidence we seem to play well against United and Chelsea who haven't pressed us very hard, it's the mid to lower table teams who seem to be applying pressing tactics a lot more and we can't seem to handle them.

There is something in that because we do seem to play well against the rags and Chelski. Whereas Liverpool, for example, always seems a struggle.

I expect Plzen to play a pressing game next week, so I sincerely hope Manuel has the formula to deal with it.

 

[Anonymous]

Most City fans still don't realize this fact. They keep blaming the strikers, but they don't ask themselves why City creates only like 2 real chances in the entire half, while the other tops teams create chances every 5 minutes.

We looked dreadful up front today ... so much so that the Stoke keeper could have nipped to nearby Alton Towers for an hour or two and still not conceded a goal upon his return !

It's just as well that Stoke couldn't finish or we'd have been well spanked again , we look totally disjointed as a team , and look no better individually ...... only Joe Hart was really noticeable today , and some should be downright ashamed to pick up their wages after yet another dismal non performance on our travels.

Pellegrini holds his head in his hands , and has that 'haunted' look about him already ..... if these players are as desperate to impress him as we keep hearing , then they have a funny way of showing it !

He benches his all singing and dancing 30 million pound defensive midfielder that he signed to save him for the mid week CL game aswell- another baffling decision, in fact he doesn't seem to fancy any of the players he spunked nigh on 100 million pound on. Yaya is safe though - regardless of how shit he plays.

Yes , it would seem so ....... i saw nothing from Yaya today to back up claims that some think he's 'world class'.

 

[Ja Salford Blue]

Go point. Shit performance!

 

[Anonymous]

It was after a v long time that we didn't really posted a goal scoring threat during the whole game,a point gained surely

Only a point gained if you're prepared to settle for second best ...... United , Spurs and Arsenal all won today , they all got three points , because they raised their game that bit more than we did !

All draws will do for you is keep your backside warm!

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

Sack the clowns who thought it was a good idea to get rid of barry. Absolutely fucking clueless.

You are clueless if you think Barry would help in a midfield 3. He'd be totally bypassed. I watched the whole of the Chelsea Everton game, and at times Barry was very ragged indeed.

Barry had a very good game against Chelsea today.And I for one wish he was still with us.

 

[Scfcboothen]

Hi stokie in peace here, with all due respect I think you we're very lucky to get a point today. If Walters could finish you lot would have been in the shit. I saw pelligini pre match saying he was preparing for a physical test, sorry lads but pulis has gone and were not that simple anymore, but anyhow thought negredo looked utterly useless today but I must admit I was scared shitless when navas and Sergio aguero came on, but can't understand why both didn't start (we're they injured or somthing) but anyway just wondering what what you thought of the new 'footbAlling' stoke ( cus the abuse saying we're still a bunch of long ball leg breakers) ;)

 

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

Sack the clowns who thought it was a good idea to get rid of barry. Absolutely fucking clueless.

You are clueless if you think Barry would help in a midfield 3. He'd be totally bypassed. I watched the whole of the Chelsea Everton game, and at times Barry was very ragged indeed.

Barry had a very good game against Chelsea today.And I for one wish he was still with us.

Seconded.

 

[stonerblue]

Hi stokie in peace here, with all due respect I think you we're very lucky to get a point today. If Walters could finish you lot would have been in the shit. I saw pelligini pre match saying he was preparing for a physical test, sorry lads but pulis has gone and were not that simple anymore, but anyhow thought negredo looked utterly useless today but I must admit I was scared shitless when navas and Sergio aguero came on, but can't understand why both didn't start (we're they injured or somthing) but anyway just wondering what what you thought of the new 'footbAlling' stoke ( cus the abuse saying we're still a bunch of long ball leg breakers) ;)

After that performance i was relieved to get a point.

We gave you far too much space and time. I think our first decent tackle was around the 50th minute. We seemed to be set up for a battling game but your use of the ball on the deck left us a bit clueless.
I didn't notice any real shape to our side and lots of 'em were just wandering all over the place.

Piss poor performance really and i can only conclude that Aguero was being 'saved' for midweek.
I was pleased to see Crouch on the bench though.<br /><br />-- Sun Sep 15, 2013 4:01 am --<br /><br />

You are clueless if you think Barry would help in a midfield 3. He'd be totally bypassed. I watched the whole of the Chelsea Everton game, and at times Barry was very ragged indeed.

Barry had a very good game against Chelsea today.And I for one wish he was still with us.

Seconded.

another one here.

 

[mancity1]

Hi stokie in peace here, with all due respect I think you we're very lucky to get a point today. If Walters could finish you lot would have been in the shit. I saw pelligini pre match saying he was preparing for a physical test, sorry lads but pulis has gone and were not that simple anymore, but anyhow thought negredo looked utterly useless today but I must admit I was scared shitless when navas and Sergio aguero came on, but can't understand why both didn't start (we're they injured or somthing) but anyway just wondering what what you thought of the new 'footbAlling' stoke ( cus the abuse saying we're still a bunch of long ball leg breakers) ;)

I am biased so I look at it from our perspective.

I agree with your view wholeheartedly.

We were bossed in the areas that matter and we were absolute dross.

We put in a performance that you would not be happy with I would guess if you reproduced that against a championship side.

If I was a Stoke supporter yesterday you had nothing to worry about but a number of sides less credentialed than us will give you a sterner test on your patch than we did yesterday.

You will be fine this year but I doubt under Hughes you will even reach the best levels you did under Pulis.

Hopefully for your sake Hughes has learnt from the mistake of the past , he has made many and is lucky to get another chance to manage in the premiership.

Like a number of managers with a misguided ego his comments about his time at City don't focus on his own shortcomings but you must be happy with the four games so far and although you didn't deserve it , had you taken the penalty at Anfield it would be very satisfactory.

 

[citymad]

It was after a v long time that we didn't really posted a goal scoring threat during the whole game,a point gained surely

That my friend with all the quality we have and money spent is a very worrying stat. Can you honestly see Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and the Rags doing the same ? Saying that, you are of course right we should've lost, its a point gained.

 

[Chi-town blues]

Hi stokie in peace here, with all due respect I think you we're very lucky to get a point today. If Walters could finish you lot would have been in the shit. I saw pelligini pre match saying he was preparing for a physical test, sorry lads but pulis has gone and were not that simple anymore, but anyhow thought negredo looked utterly useless today but I must admit I was scared shitless when navas and Sergio aguero came on, but can't understand why both didn't start (we're they injured or somthing) but anyway just wondering what what you thought of the new 'footbAlling' stoke ( cus the abuse saying we're still a bunch of long ball leg breakers) ;)

Co's we play on Tuesday and actually we play in Europe ;/ not just England.

 

[MillionDollarDream]

Here's the thing I've read through about 30 pages and I've yet to see anyone describe what Pellegrini's actual tactics are and why doesn't seem to work well with our players.

Pellegrini's Malaga side all last season lined up in 4-2-3-1, here he seems to be trying a standard English 4-4-2 that's something off the bat I find strange as I was almost certain he would be playing a 4-3-2-1.

In his 4-2-3-1 it would often look like 4-2-2-2 and 4-2-4 very quickly off the counter, our team hasn't shown that type of firepower since the Newcastle game. The team is forcing many long balls and are looking more like an old Stoke side instead of a Pellegrini side. Our midfield needs to be pushing the the ball up faster and moving into space versus just playing the long pass. Fernandinho is very key to this point as he is more than capable of fulfilling this duty. Toure I feel needs to be rested as I feel his poor form is due to being burnt out. The 2 in front of the Back 4 should be Fernandinho/Milner.


The 3 behind the striker should be Jovetić/Silva/Navas. All very quick, creative and will all be able to push the attack with them in their roles in addition to Fernandinho running from box to box and Milner being able to help the back 4 and be the link to the attacking 4.


Negredo should be the main striker with the combo of his size/strength/skill and pace which when put together makes him the best possible target FROM JUMP in this formation, if Dzeko happens to up his level he can also fit but he has to be a little better on the ball.


The ideal line up with all things consider would be:

Hart
Zabaleta/Kompany/Nastasic/Clichy
Fernandinho/Milner
Jovetić/Silva/Navas
Negredo

Of course rotation and form will be key but these are the players I feel are most likely to pick up what Pellegrini wants/needs out of his team if he actually goes back to what he knows instead of what I believe is over thinking as in what I encounter a lot, a lot of Engineers do.

4-4-2 is not a Pellegrini formation this is why are team isn't playing well, in the first 4 games we are looking like when Mancini took what work and won him the title and started tinkering with 3-5-2 except Mancini actually worked with that formation before. This season we have a manager and his players all trying to adapt to very new situations in multiple areas. So people have every right to be concerned and pointing out all the flaws.

Of course nobody can plan for what happen to Pellegrini's family, the rash of injuries, and the international break certainly doesn't help, Pellegrini just hasn't had as much time to really locked down everything with a completely new system even with what looks like a "soft" schedule. Only Arsenal can say they have a lot of key pieces sitting in the training room.

 

[Shirley]

We would have won that game yesterday with Tevez in the team.
DeJong has been difficult to replace but I reckon replacing Tevez the player will be near impossible.

Anyway I still don't believe it is all doom and gloom as many on here have painted, we need a win on Tuesday to set us up to stuff the rags.

 

[Bluekiwi]

I haven't read all 70 pages so sorry if someone has already posted ------------ Thank god for Joe, his save from his own player was brilliant.

An the ref wasn't too bad either (for a change)

 

[jimmmy_L]

I was doing some research the other day on his record for Malaga and was quite surprised at what i found.

2011/12: Goals scored 54, Goals conceded 53. Pretty crap record considering that season they had a bit of money to spend and a good squad in comparison to the other teams.

2012/13: GS: 53, GC: 50. Pretty much the same the next season with a very similar team.

Hardly seems like he's going to bring attacking football with a record like that. Early days though i suppose.....

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

My seafood terrine was delicious, although I was a bit pissed off that my seat was five, possibly even ten centremetres to the right of the halfway line.

 

[IrelandSuperman]

My seafood terrine was delicious, although I was a bit pissed off that my seat was five, possibly even ten centremetres to the right of the halfway line.

Exactly the sort of analysis and contribution we need.

How did you find the peasants? Smelly at all? And would you rather have been sat in the manor playing bridge with the golf club boys?

 

[citytill1die84]

I was doing some research the other day on his record for Malaga and was quite surprised at what i found.

2011/12: Goals scored 54, Goals conceded 53. Pretty crap record considering that season they had a bit of money to spend and a good squad in comparison to the other teams.

2012/13: GS: 53, GC: 50. Pretty much the same the next season with a very similar team.

Hardly seems like he's going to bring attacking football with a record like that. Early days though i suppose.....

Real Madrid 2009/2010 GS 102 GA 35 What about this?

 

[FredTilson]

Did anyone see Villareal play against Real Madrid yesterday, totally outclassed them, such excellent short slick passing, great urgency and great hold up play. Who brought this style to Villareal? Pellegrini. Unless and until he is a double agent from United, why wouldn't he want us playing like that as well. Real Madrid were playing the most expensive first 11 in history, couldn't win against a newly promoted team. Their manager has won 2 CL trophies. Everyone needs time to adjust. There was one instance where Kolarov had the ball on the left and instead of passing it forward (to Nasri I think), sent it back to Garcia at CB. Pellegrini did a face palm in frustration. Our players need to show much more urgency than they are at the moment. Nasri seems to play as if he doesn't give a single F&^K

Pellegrini has the goods, asking for his head at this stage is just silly. Every manager needs time to adapt.