Technical ability of the squad isn't good enough.

[leighton]

Marmoush I won't be writing him off he needs minutes to get up to speed. Always wondered if we could play both him and Haaland up as a 2. That be something to look at. I think him out wide could also be a option. Doku apart the wingers are hit and miss. Rijanders is a bit of a worry and more of a concern don't think he has settled yet or is up to speed of the league yet. Was expecting him to be doing more than what he is. Needs to show it.

 

[sh249]

I think lack of physicality is a bigger problem. Too many small weak slow players. Cant beat a man. Cant tackle a man. Cant win a duel.

I think it’s both. We‘ve stripped out so much technical ability and footballing intelligence from the squad, in favour of players who can run and dribble.
And yet somehow, we‘re also dreadful physically.
It‘s been quite the feat to take the team that, for the last few months of the treble winning season, was easily the best in Europe, and to reduce it to what we have now.

 

[Georgian Maestro]

Marmoush really thrived when Erling was out for 2 months or so at the back end of last season.

I think if you make him a main man and play him consistently he will be decent, but he ain't ever getting in over Haaland and he isn't technically good enough to play as one of the 3 behind Haaland.

He doesn't look a player to me that you can swap and bench as the weeks go on. He needs to be playing every week.

I personally think he found his level and place at Frankfurt.

I do think the orginal plan was for him to cover for Haaland and also to play wide left or as a 10 but his lack of technical ability has meant that Pep can't do that. It's probably been a shock to the coaching staff just how poor he is on the ball.

 

[urban genie]

nah, when they press and play quick football, technically we are sound, unfortunately we don't do it enough, we saunter and pass back letting the opposition set up. positionally or double up on us.

Technical ability is there, bravery is lacking

 

[Blue Maverick]

Need bigger more athletic players in midfield, Nico is getting overrun on his own, players like Eze etc are needed just for the physical battle. Lewis, Bernardo, Savinho are so light weight.

 

[madloaf]

nah, when they press and play quick football, technically we are sound, unfortunately we don't do it enough, we saunter and pass back letting the opposition set up. positionally or double up on us.

Technical ability is there, bravery is lacking

Agreed. Style of play comes from the coaches.

 

[Truesilverblue]

Pep is losing it, how can he select such a weak starting side against German opposition. Very frustrating. Reminds one of Thomas Frank.

 

[M18CTID]

Let’s not forget that just a few weeks ago we won 3 home games on the bounce playing excellent football in all of them. Plenty of technical ability on show in those matches so the players do have it IMO. That first goal against Liverpool was a thing of beauty. The issue for me is the lack of consistency, particularly away from home where we’re struggling to stamp our authority on games. By and large, things are pretty good when playing at home. Last night aside of course, but that was possibly more to do with the number of changes Pep made than anything else.

 

[.db.]

Pep is losing it, how can he select such a weak starting side against German opposition. Very frustrating. Reminds one of Thomas Frank.

Leverkusen had conceded 27 goals in all comps this season, PSG put 7 past them in Germany, and last night they had 9 players out injured or suspended.

Bayern easily beat them 3-0 a few weeks back and they rested a load of players n’all.



Pep might well look mental in hindsight for starting that team last night but the players badly let him down because that was by no means a star studded German outfit we played. Was our XI any worse than Bayern’s there^? I’ve never even heard of a couple of those players. One of those names is more famous for being a biscuit than a footballer.

 

[mayo31]

I do think the orginal plan was for him to cover for Haaland and also to play wide left or as a 10 but his lack of technical ability has meant that Pep can't do that. It's probably been a shock to the coaching staff just how poor he is on the ball.

So you are suggesting that checks were not done on his ability with the ball before we signed him

 

[Craig]

I do think the orginal plan was for him to cover for Haaland and also to play wide left or as a 10 but his lack of technical ability has meant that Pep can't do that. It's probably been a shock to the coaching staff just how poor he is on the ball.

Certainly been a big shock to me. His touch is staggeringly poor for the amount of money we paid. When you look at his record he’d been very average before that breakout half season in a fairly average league. I do think if he played regularly he’d contribute a decent amount of goals but you’d be sacrificing a far better footballer (though not currently those playing half the time on the right).

 

[Del_Bosque]

We just gave Savinho and Rico new contracts

They play like they should be on TRT the pair of fannies

Reijnders and Bobb not far off either but they get more leeway due to the move and injury

 

[MCFC1993]

I think lack of physicality is a bigger problem. Too many small weak slow players. Cant beat a man. Cant tackle a man. Cant win a duel.

I think they're linked, we're not good at either after being excellent at one of them for 7 years. Now we're caught in the middle of both and we need to pick a direction.

Need to go back the passing and technical football we were playing, it's a better style long term than trying to be more physical.

 

[Marvin.]

I think they're linked, we're not good at either after being excellent at one of them for 7 years. Now we're caught in the middle of both and we need to pick a direction.

Need to go back the passing and technical football we were playing, it's a better style long term than trying to be more physical.

You think we have a choice of power vs technique? Ask Yaya Toure or Erling Haaland what they think of that theory.

 

[Semper aggressus]

I think lack of physicality is a bigger problem. Too many small weak slow players. Cant beat a man. Cant tackle a man. Cant win a duel.

This for me.

If we’d signed Rice instead of Arsenal getting him we’d be sat top of the table now and would probably have won the title last season.

 

[Semper aggressus]

I do think the orginal plan was for him to cover for Haaland and also to play wide left or as a 10 but his lack of technical ability has meant that Pep can't do that. It's probably been a shock to the coaching staff just how poor he is on the ball.

Surely we watch these players before spanking tens of millions on them?

 

[carlosthejackal]

Surely we watch these players before spanking tens of millions on them?

I seriously wonder if we do .

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

I think lack of physicality is a bigger problem. Too many small weak slow players. Cant beat a man. Cant tackle a man. Cant win a duel.

Exactly. Marmoush, Reijnders, Savinho, all grade ‘A’ fannies. Lewis and Bobb at least try, but they’re irredeemable lightweights as well

 

[heslops barnet]

I think it’s both. We‘ve stripped out so much technical ability and footballing intelligence from the squad, in favour of players who can run and dribble.
And yet somehow, we‘re also dreadful physically.
It‘s been quite the feat to take the team that, for the last few months of the treble winning season, was easily the best in Europe, and to reduce it to what we have now.

Even our ‘big’ lads are weak on the ground and particularly in the air……

 

[VOOMER]

Feels like the obvious point to me.

I dont know when or why we started to move away from the style of passing teams to death, but, in the last 3-4 years we have bought players that aren't good enough on the ball to challenge for the title consistently.

Pep mentioned pre-Brighton that we need to get back to 1000 passes a game, but watching them yesterday, some of the players could barely make a 10-15 yard pass without it bobbling, or putting the receiving player in a worse position. Beyond the passing, the control of the ball was even worse, just bouncing 5-10 yards off of our players.

I say it's the technical ability because passing and controlling the ball allows us to control the game on and off the ball.

A previous version of City 1 nil up yesterday, they would have had Brighton running themselves into the ground trying to get the ball back.

Compare to any team we've had in the last 10 years.

Technical ability 2017/18 v 2025/26 (yesterday):
Ederson > Trafford
Walker > Nunes
Stones = Stones
Otamendi = Khusanov
Delph = Ait Nouri
Fernandinho < Rodri
David Silva > Reijnders
De Bruyne > Bernardo
Sane > Marmoush
Aguero > Haaland
Sterling = Bobb

1 player in the starting XI better than on the ball than what we had 8 years ago

It's the same if you go back 4 years too.

2021/22 v 2025/26:
Ederson > Trafford
Walker > Nunes
Laporte = Stones
Dias = Khusanov
Cancelo > Ait Nouri
Rodri = Rodri
Bernardo > Bernardo
De Bruyne > Reijnders
Sterling = Marmoush
Aguero > Haaland
Mahrez > Bobb

Arguably none better.

Now we may disagree on the odd placement of player's technical ability, but as a whole we are way down across the board.

Players press better now, it is harder to pass but I look at the modern game and players like Aguero, David Silva, a peak KDB would still take the piss and find time and space.

Might seem like a bit of a flap but we aren't going to get better until we start picking an XI that can pass opponents off the park.
Do we have such an XI capable? Not sure we do.

We signed Erling