Sunderland post match thread

[Tron Coltrane]

Tonight was the final nail in what has been a terrible end to the season.

As little as two months ago there was talk of a quadruple - but a lack of belief, a removal of all urgency and a plague of muscle injuries have ended this season for good now. Aguero wasn't fit and hasn't been since Spurs away (our last fantastic performance), Negredo's shoulder has been in an invisible sling since the League Cup semi-final and Zabaleta's very gradual tiredness has come about because Richards isn't fit enough. All of this has contributed to a very thin squad getting exactly what it was coming to it: diminuendo.

But that's not all. I've stood by him all season when the arrows have been flying towards him, but Pellegrini got it wrong tonight and has taken our title chances down with him. Leaving Silva out tonight wasn't down to Pellegrini just needing to learn about English football, it was down to him underestimating Sunderland and nothing more. Silva has been our best player for the best part of 6 weeks now - perhaps even the best part of 3 years if you want to look at the bigger picture - but he was left out of the picture completely. And no surprise, as sure as night follows day, a City team without Silva looked like a bunch of strangers in a silent room.

We were unlucky not to win at the very end of the game - and had Nasri's chance not been spooned over the bar from an almost unforgivable distance we'd be back on course for the title - but between minute number 3 and minute number 87 we were nowhere to be found. Kompany wasn't fit, Nasri was anonymous, Milner was a disaster, Aguero was unfit, Negredo was average and Zabaleta, understandably, looked knackered. All key players, all not ready for the fight for one reason or another.

I'm struggling to give a shit about how the season will pan out from this point on- as long as we finish in the top 3, which I'm sure we can, I won't be arsed either way. I just can't wait for the season to end, for the World Cup to start, and for the misery and depleted nature of this season's finale to become optimism and expectancy. I'm sick to the back teeth of watching injured, unfit players get thrown together because our squad either isn't big enough or our fitness experts are terrible at their jobs.

Fight to the end? Nah, I'd rather not waste my energy if the players don't want to.

Out of curiosity, since Silva was left out of the squad due to injury, how exactly would you have explained to the player that you want him to play despite not being fit? How exactly was Pellegrini meant to handle that differently?

Not exactly bailing MP out of some serious fallibility from today's game, but playing god and healing the wounded certainly aren't part of my expectations for him.

I didn't know Silva was injured at all. I've been away from most communications for the last 48 hours so it must have slipped by me. I saw Stuart Brennan say Silva was simply "left out" and nothing more before I went to the game but assumed it was just a case of resting him.

In that case, I'll retract that entire paragraph apart from the last line. Why do our players suddenly lose their ability to play confident link-up play when Silva isn't around? Nasri, Aguero and Milner are all skillful players in their own right, and yet it seems they were all blindfolded before tonight's game. Until Jovetic came on not one player was interested in picking the ball up from deep and moving towards Sunderland's goal. Why wasn't Nasri eager to drop deep and support the obviously knackered Fernandinho? The amount of times that Javi Garcia ended up isolated with three Sunderland players was down to Fernandinho pushing forward, and yet nobody felt like filling in. The way our entire midfield falls apart when Silva isn't there to hold their hand is mindblowing. They're grown men and professional footballers, for god's sake.

Fair play, and fully agreed... I'm hard pressed to think of a single team that suffers a greater dip in performance without a player than we do without Silva. I had hoped Nasri would take the chance to step up, and he seems to have divided a few opinions here today, but for me it was a shocking missed opportunity from him. Went hiding instead of filling the boots. Jovetic seems to be the only one with the skill to find a pass like Spanish Dave, but just doesn't cover the same ground or know the team as well. Would like to see Jovetic start taking that role in cup games next season and see if he can't lead the B team between cameo roles for the prominent starting 11.

 

[Bill]

there's an old saying.

"be careful what you wish for"

well bobby haters both players and fans alike, you must be delirious.

Indeed. Players got what they wanted and now will more than likely end up with their nice manager being sacked.

It's time to show some of these players where their place is.

exactly. been saying since bob was hoofed.

 

[MCFCinUSA]

The reason it has gone wrong is our strikers have stopped scoring....all of them. There is too much pressure on our midfielders to do their job and the strikers job.

I really believe that's it.

yeah.. after the league match at home to Chelsea we haven't looked like the team that was tearing everyone up before it

 

[CitizenTID]

The crowd was shite tonight. A game we needed to win and there was nothing. They scored with ten minutes to go and it emptied. Those of you that left, you are a disgrace.

well said. the atmosphere is becoming quite embarrassing

Wow I am absolutely shocked at that! It was actually the best all season, in the second half the south stand sang different songs non-stop for ages, Kippax corner also sang more than they have all season. Granted it still pales is comparison to the past but tonight was brilliant by the previous standards set this season.

 

[Newman Noggs]

Just got in from the game. for me that looked a tired team tonight. I wouldn't fault the effort, nor accuse any of the players of complacency. Too many games and too many key injuries. It isn't just the players missing but the disruption to the team's patterns of play.

Fernandinho and Nasri looked goosed, Milner looked like he always does when he starts a game and I worry about Aguero. He was running like Spotty Dog out of the Woodentops at one point. His hamstring simply isn't right.

All in all a bad day at the office.

 

[Gray]

Not scoring is one thing - not trying is far worse!

 

[BoundedCascade]

there's an old saying.

"be careful what you wish for"

well bobby haters both players and fans alike, you must be delirious.

Indeed. Players got what they wanted and now will more than likely end up with their nice manager being sacked.

It's time to show some of these players where their place is.

exactly. been saying since bob was hoofed.

I think we need a good mix between the two, someone who knows who, how and when to coddle and when to be stern. I feel like Macnini's approach just wasn't right for the squad and it isn't like we didn't have these turgid performances under him. It is possible that it is the players and not the manager that needs a look at, although I feel that Pellegrini got it woefully wrong tonight.

 

[ErnieBilko]

Just how have we fallen so far in a couple of months? We have played the best football I have seen from City during the middle of the season. Even though we have continued to pick up results to keep us in the hunt, the performances haven't been great. I just cant understand it.

 

[80s Shorts]

Out of curiosity, since Silva was left out of the squad due to injury, how exactly would you have explained to the player that you want him to play despite not being fit? How exactly was Pellegrini meant to handle that differently?

Not exactly bailing MP out of some serious fallibility from today's game, but playing god and healing the wounded certainly aren't part of my expectations for him.

I didn't know Silva was injured at all. I've been away from most communications for the last 48 hours so it must have slipped by me. I saw Stuart Brennan say Silva was simply "left out" and nothing more before I went to the game but assumed it was just a case of resting him.

In that case, I'll retract that entire paragraph apart from the last line. Why do our players suddenly lose their ability to play confident link-up play when Silva isn't around? Nasri, Aguero and Milner are all skillful players in their own right, and yet it seems they were all blindfolded before tonight's game. Until Jovetic came on not one player was interested in picking the ball up from deep and moving towards Sunderland's goal. Why wasn't Nasri eager to drop deep and support the obviously knackered Fernandinho? The amount of times that Javi Garcia ended up isolated with three Sunderland players was down to Fernandinho pushing forward, and yet nobody felt like filling in. The way our entire midfield falls apart when Silva isn't there to hold their hand is mindblowing. They're grown men and professional footballers, for god's sake.

Fair play, and fully agreed... I'm hard pressed to think of a single team that suffers a greater dip in performance without a player than we do without Silva. I had hoped Nasri would take the chance to step up, and he seems to have divided a few opinions here today, but for me it was a shocking missed opportunity from him. Went hiding instead of filling the boots. Jovetic seems to be the only one with the skill to find a pass like Spanish Dave, but just doesn't cover the same ground or know the team as well. Would like to see Jovetic start taking that role in cup games next season and see if he can't lead the B team between cameo roles for the prominent starting 11.

Jovetic will be fantastic if he can stay fit and integrate into the team. He has a great touch and vision and looks a natural to me.

I have never taken to Nasri and would not shed a tear if he left. No stomach for a fight imo.

 

[CitizenTID]

We stopped trying.
Congratulations dippers/chavs.

There was sufficient body language on the pitch that was telling me too many City players thought the game was up and there was no chance chasing the points deficit.

Point deficit you mean?