gordondaviesmoustache said:Great post SR, especially the last bit. Never a dull moment.Stoned Rose said:When we slapped Utd 6-1 that was the beginning of an era.
To me today felt like an end of an era. That same sort of inevitable, lethargic feeling you get when a relationship is coming to an end. When the 'spark' has gone and there is no desire to even try one more time to get the old heart racing even for old time's sake.
It felt like a significant number of the players had 'given up' and already know they're going. It felt like we were genuinely simply going through the motions. To many of them simply have no fucks left to give.
Given this same group of men were Champions and Double Winners last season and played some breathtakingly wonderful football throughout the season that is a tragic state of affairs.
I spotted the seeds of this in the 2 CSKA games and those pathetic early domestic cup defeats. It was clear.
To many 'been there, done it, got nothing to prove' performances and to many players with their heads elsewhere made worse by a manager who is 'to nice' and doesn't shake them out of it.
We were shit today and Utd deserved the win. They were miles better than us because they wanted it more.
The end of an era.
What's to come is unknown but knowing this wonderful club it'll be one hell of a ride.
And I also completely agree: today felt very much like the end of an era for what has been a wonderful group of players.
Don't usually let these through but thought we needed some light relief tonight.Manchesterisred2000 said:4-2 yous are shite
Manchesterisred2000 said:4-2 yous are shite
Stoned Rose said:When we slapped Utd 6-1 that was the beginning of an era.
To me today felt like an end of an era. That same sort of inevitable, lethargic feeling you get when a relationship is coming to an end. When the 'spark' has gone and there is no desire to even try one more time to get the old heart racing even for old time's sake.
It felt like a significant number of the players had 'given up' and already know they're going. It felt like we were genuinely simply going through the motions. To many of them simply have no fucks left to give.
Given this same group of men were Champions and Double Winners last season and played some breathtakingly wonderful football throughout the season that is a tragic state of affairs.
I spotted the seeds of this in the 2 CSKA games and those pathetic early domestic cup defeats. It was clear.
To many 'been there, done it, got nothing to prove' performances and to many players with their heads elsewhere made worse by a manager who is 'to nice' and doesn't shake them out of it.
We were shit today and Utd deserved the win. They were miles better than us because they wanted it more.
The end of an era.
What's to come is unknown but knowing this wonderful club it'll be one hell of a ride.
Prestwich_Blue said:If you read the bit of Bellamy's autobiography where he signed for Liverpool, he talks about Benitez. He didn't really relate to him as a person but he said he was the most tactically aware manager he'd ever worked with. They didn't do five-a-sides in training, like we seem to do, but focused almost exclusively on the tactical situations they were planning to use in the next game and on nullifying the opponents' strengths. They'd practice these routines ad nauseam.lancs blue said:What I can't get my head round is, what was the preparation for this game?? Surely the coaching staff must have twigged that Fellaini would be a major focal point for their attacks yet there was no obvious attempt to man-mark him. Instead he was allowed to pull away onto each full back for their first two goals. I accept that you could never leave a man-marking job to Yaya in his current mood but why was no alternative attempted?
He would use video analysis to go through the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses. Our preparation for games was extremely thorough. Nothing was left to chance.
Does anyone think we prepare to that level?
Do we even do anything in regards to the opposition strengths?Prestwich_Blue said:If you read the bit of Bellamy's autobiography where he signed for Liverpool, he talks about Benitez. He didn't really relate to him as a person but he said he was the most tactically aware manager he'd ever worked with. They didn't do five-a-sides in training, like we seem to do, but focused almost exclusively on the tactical situations they were planning to use in the next game and on nullifying the opponents' strengths. They'd practice these routines ad nauseam.lancs blue said:What I can't get my head round is, what was the preparation for this game?? Surely the coaching staff must have twigged that Fellaini would be a major focal point for their attacks yet there was no obvious attempt to man-mark him. Instead he was allowed to pull away onto each full back for their first two goals. I accept that you could never leave a man-marking job to Yaya in his current mood but why was no alternative attempted?
He would use video analysis to go through the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses. Our preparation for games was extremely thorough. Nothing was left to chance.
Does anyone think we prepare to that level?
Thick scouse twat presumably?GaudinoMotors said:
It's an art not a science though, mate. If it was straightforward to anticipate it, then squads would never decline. The opposite side of the coin is what Big Mal did when he came back in 1979. Cycles are good for football as a whole. They make the game more interesting. We've just got to manage this one on the way back up, better than we have on the way down.TFC said:I think the key in future is anticipating when a 'cycle' will end and beating that to the punch by getting rid of problems before they manifest.
'your my boy said:Some are suggesting that during the game the 'players weren't up for it' or that there was a 'lack of desire' (relative to United players). Or even that the players 'left Pellgrini out for the wolves'.
I disagree, I think collectively and individually the players were up for it today - evidenced by the first 15 minutes. They wanted it.
The problem came when United got a grasp in the game around the 15 minute mark and we stopped attacking - it becomes irrelevant how much we 'wanted it' on the day.
Once we are required to work as a defensive unit, it is clear that we are not prepared properly. The players individually are poorly conditioned, they can't match United if they wanted to. (So many jogging back).
We so clearly don't train hard enough. We can't defend set pieces, or attack with them. We can't play offside. The fullbacks and wingers constantly lose their men. Midfielders don't know who to pick up. We press poorly so sporadically.
We rarely overwhelm certain key areas of the pitch and play triangles in these spaces. (which is certainly the only thing we train?)
Spot on. Fitness and conditioning are gained pre-season. The boot camps of old have been replaced by promotional trips criss-crossing America and SE Asia. All our players see pre-season are airport terminals and not sweat and ice buckets after rigorous training sessions. Ever seen the players on InsideCity look remotely tired during training ? No it's all jokes and smiles and laughs. Many of the players are simply not fit enough for the demands of Pl football. It's embarrassing seeing players strolling and jogging back when an attack breaks down.
The players were arsed today. But generally speaking, they havn't been arsed enough since last May - in their training and their tactical preparation.
The lack of conditioning and training is frightening - I just can't imagine Toure, Nasri, Dzeko et. al staying behind for an extra 30 minutes heading practice.
I bet training is far to cushy, and played at snails place. Would be shocked if set plays were trained with any sort of dedication or intensity.
In short: The players wanted it, their just hopelessly prepared/conditioned and trained: Ultimately this comes down to the manager and the extent to which the players buy into the manager's demands. From a purely professional point of view its poor that some of them are in such bad shape, but when we see Mangala and Kompany playing people onside for fun, thats the managers fault in my opinion.