Stoke Vs City Post Match Discussion Thread

[ksf42001]

I was going to start another post topic on this, but either can't find the new post button or haven't posted enough to earn that right yet, but I'm amazed that Huth was allowed to stay on the pitch after literally getting knocked unconscious.

I know it's a problem with sports with limited subs, and no subbing back on after subbing off, but it's amazing how nonchalantly managers risk their players future well-being just so they don't have to play with 10 men for a few minutes. Second-impact syndrome is no joke. Head injuries are something US sports are starting to grapple with, but it's only a matter of time before it becomes an issue in football as well.

 

[simon23]

The thing I've noticed about top class managers is that when they join a new club, they don't go out all guns blazing from the start, they seem to spend the first few months working on the defensive side of the game and things like team shape. Then after a while, they let the players off the leash a bit and the team starts to play better and better football. My memory of Mark Hughes' early days was really exciting, attacking football, whereas I remember Mancini being a bit more cautious (maybe I'm misremembering though). The result was that Mark Hughes' defence was a shambles and never improved, whereas Mancini could start to play attractive football once everyone had been fully drilled in their basic defensive and positional responsibilities. I seem to remember Sven being the same, as well as Mourinho in his first stint as Chelsea manager. In other words, if we're still playing dull football in ten games time, then I'll start to worry.

while you are exactly right in what you say there is one slight issue with it....................

we already had the best defense in the league (2 yrs running) and we now look decidely shakey at the back (and this is only in part because of VK missing.......the rest is down to what is happening infront of the back 4 and that is where we are a bit of a shambles at the moment

 

[Neil McNab]

Anyone watching Everton vs Chelsea,

How amazing is Barry playing.

This is what we are missing call the man back from loan

he should be starting every single game!

Yaya Fern and Rodwell are similar players what they need is someone like barry which allows them to go forward.

With two of these players playing as CDM it will just not work. From the last 3 games I'm not certain on finishing top 4 this season

Get Barry back !

I knew it was a mistake but nothing new, we get rid of the the consistent ones, Yaya is only consistent in that he plays every game, or part of it anyway.

 

[deano ou812]

He thought we played ok that's the worrying thing....

Bloody hell didn't see or hear his post match interview,maybe this is the holistic approach...

Here you go

Manuel Pellegrini has declared himself satisfied with a goalless draw at the Britannia Stadium. In a week that has seen the vast majority of his squad dispersing across the globe for international duty, the Chilean believes that a point at one of City's bogey grounds is no bad result.

The 59-year old also pointed to the five injury absentees as other obstacles that City had to overcome going into this tricky encounter.

"For us it was a very difficult week because we were missing four players," Pellegrini admitted.

"We know that here at Stoke it's always very difficult, so I think it's a good point for us in a difficult week because all of our players were away with their national teams.

"Players played with their national squad, two games in one week, we have to play today, next Tuesday, next Sunday, next Wednesday - we have seven games in 21 days, so it's important to have rotation.

"From the back four, Micah Richards, Vincent Kompany, and Gael Clichy and David Silva are out and we have the Champions League on Tuesday so it's a good point for us.

Although Stoke City undoubtedly had the best chances to claim all three points from the game, City's boss believes that it was a good performance from his side and that they were good value for their point.

"I think we played well, we want to make more chances to score but they are tough opposition and if we played like we played today in the Cardiff game we would have won," he declared.

"We must continue, we always want to win but if we cannot win, it's important not to lose.

"We have to create chances to score. Stoke did a very good game so it's a difficult team to play against, in a week where we had many special circumstances.

"We must improve in a lot of ways but we know about that."

Pellegrini revealed that his captain may well be available for selection again on Tuesday when City travel to the Czech Republic for their Champions League clash with Viktoria Plzen.

He also reserved special praise for Joe Hart after his accomplished performance between the posts.

"We'll see with Vincent what happens, we'll talk tomorrow, with the doctor with the player and we'll see if he can play on Tuesday but if not, I'm sure he'll be fine for the derby next Sunday," Pellegrini stated.

"I have trust in Joe Hart and it was a clean sheet again in the last four games and the two last games we played in the PL so that's always important for a goalkeeper and I'm sure Joe will continue with this."

Manuel's counterpart, ex-City boss Mark Hughes, was understandably disappointed not to claim the points and rued missed chances in front of goal.

"I think the story of the game was that we were quite comfortable," Hughes told reporters after the game.

"We just lacked that final ball or that appreciation of what was required at that key moment and weren't able to capitalise."

Cheers..you can look at it as a decent point away from home but its the way we played that was galling,i posted earlier in thread to see what happens after another 9-10 games league games,but hope we dont have a ramos on our hands.....

 

[Eccles Blue]

We missed Vinny and David big time today. I've never seen us play well without them in the side. Have you? Yaya needed to be threat today but alas yet again he played to deep. Too much negative play today, our team lacks confidence at the moment.

Our team lacks flaming COMMITMENT not confidence. Missing players are NO excuse. Pelligrini standing in his technical area with his hands in his pockets looks as if he is only here for the money!!

I am sorry but today was disgraceful. I had to leave at 65 minutes because I was ill, something which, in the past I would have weathered but what was the point? It was obvious they were not going to do anything or score goals.

Having got home and had a rest I am still feeling ill but I needed to say this!! It's time for the lot of them to pull their finger out and get some work done. Zaba cannot carry that team alone but he should be Captain!! The only thing Captain like I saw YaYa do was argue with the ref!!

Barry should never have gone and if there is any chance of getting him back from his loan deal we should do it!!!

Back to my scik bed, see you in the morning!!!

 

[Blue Haze]

We should have bought Ozil. This team looks lost without Silva, we didn't even create one dangerous chance all game. Nasri isn't influential at all.

 

[ox-blue]

Chelsea result made this a whole lot better

 

[daxman]

I know its very early days, but so far the pre season high hopes/expectations are starting to evaporate. In our 4 games we have been very good in 1, and pretty abysmal in 3 of them.
Our supposed pressing style (a la Barca) is almost non existent - we get pressed off the park by most teams we come up against. And i wonder about the wisdom of having such a style with Yaya Toure - Im a huge fan of his but playing a pressing style as a team we are doing so with 10 men because pressing and putting constant pressure on oppostion players is not his game. On the subject of Yaya, i want to see him in the centre/advanced midfield role. Get him in the postition where he makes a difference. Fed up with seeing him 5 yards from our centre half to take the ball from him to try and start something from 20 yards inside our own half.

I worry about Plzen in the Champs league - they are going to be up for it big time. The timing of the CL fixtures is not the best in this instance - playing the so called whipping boys of our group in the first game in their back yard is far from ideal.

Apologies for the negative post but i suppose thats what comes from such dour performances - I do actually think a point at stoke is not that terrible, but our performance was.

Theese lies, really need to stop. Yaya was the only one adhering to the pressing philosophy most of the game. Just go back and watch everytime City lost possession or cleared a ball back to Stoke early, Yaya was always the first out to pressure the ball. Its why he dispossessed Nzonzi in their half. He made 4 tackles only one less than Milner. Simply put Yaya was on point today. It was Rodwell who was a dud for most of the game.

The Yaya is lazy lie needs to stop. He was NOT lazy today. Harried players all over the field.

 

[mancity1]

Positive is that Chelsea just lost so no need to panic at all. It it still way to early to abandon ship lads. I whoever wins the league this season will definiantly deserve it bc all the teams are very very close.

We shouldn't gain all solence form other teams results.

We should be on 12 points with the sides we were up against.

We are 5 points adrift of where we should be and quite frankly need to be.

Performance wise well its the poorest start all things considered since the new owners took over.

We know it and they know it.

Cardiff yes stoke don't be so sure. Again how many times have we won at stoke away??

Stoke were well drilled to handle us under TP.

Past results mean nothing , that side we put out today should have won against a side that is well organised but offer little more than that.

We were second best for much of the game.

You will find Stoke losing to and being outplayed by a number of sides that quite frankly are offering much more both to the eye and those sides that know how to grind out a result when required.

That includes the likes of Everton even and even a few others that will finish below them.

Quite frankly I like what I have seen of them far more than what I have seen of us this year.

 

[Sky Blue]

We should have bought Ozil. This team looks lost without Silva, we didn't even create one dangerous chance all game. Nasri isn't influential at all.

More to do with the way we are set up. We have enough talent out there to create a shed load of chances.