Too many players off form

[AshtonBlueMooner]

Disagree completely with the thread title.
This is the Premier league, the best league in the world.
Other clubs have strengthened.
We’ve had an injury to a player that is in the top 3 in the world.
We’ve just won a treble and three premier leagues on the bounce. Four has never been done.
We are Champions of Europe.
We could potentially be crowned the Best Team in the World in the next 10-11 days. Every other team in the world wants to beat us.
We’ve sold, or let go, two/three world class players and brought in new players that need time to understand Pep’s system, ethos and get to know their teammates.
We’re 4th in the league and 4 points off the top.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion but saying players are off form, from my perspective, is a little entitled and doesn‘t give any credit to opposition teams that have given us a really good game and on most occasions have deserved their point or three points.
Like I say, every one entitled to an opinion that’s just my two penn’orth. CTID

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

But our fault that it comes down to fine margins. Last season home to Spurs was a comfortable 4-2 even after going 2-0 down. Likewise Liverpool was 4-1 despite going a goal down. This season we’re relying on fine margins.

It's always fine margins - sometimes the margin is in our favour, sometimes not. I think the biggest margin is the absence of Kev. Had he been match fit for all the games we might not have thought the departure of Gundog and Mahrez was critical. We are still creating an enormous number of chances, I suspect as many as last season, but the last kick, head . . . . . . . .!

 

[RACHACE]

Don't fully understand the narrative building about Alvarez. His goals and assists are pretty decent, and there's stretches of games, especially when Doku isn't playing, that looks like he has a spark to make something out of nothing.

Don't think any of the blame for the last four games comes to our forward line, except in the abstract of balance and control. You score four against Chelsea and three against Spurs then they've done their job and need to keep the ball out of the net.

We've dropped points in the last 15 against too many of our rivals by letting in silly goals.

I agree. I'm not understanding the negative narrative around Alvarez.

He's the kind of player that'll shoot on sight in and around the 18 yard box. That threat drags defenders towards him and thus giving Erling more space.

Think he's featured in every game in the Premier League this season so Pep clearly sees him as a key player. Will be interesting when KDB returns but I'd wager that Alvarez will continue to play regularly.

 

[Gabriel]

The players we have don‘t fall out of form as a collective whole. They underperform individually if they are carrying injuries, tired, or, in our case, having to adapt to a system that doesn’t necessarily play to their strengths. Now that we are gravitating back to a more possession based game, the players will be more comfortable and familiar with each other, so we’ll suffocate teams and slowly strangle them Into submission. It won’t be as entertaining but it is proven effective and we need the points. The task Guardiola will then have is how to reintegrate Haaland and Doku without the scales tipping back in the other direction again.

 

[tweety]

I think we're playing OK, the Villa performance was poor but that happens, they're not robots. The standard of the Premier league is very high and there are very few gimmies.
We lost some significant players this season and the replacements haven't come on as yet barring Doku. Well be in the mix at the end of the season as usual. Tesco is open if anyone is low on fanny wipes!

 

[ancoats]

Let the media spout shit about a dip and City are in a mess with players not being arsed and losing to Villa

Well scum bags that called themself media reporters how about reporting the truth, Manchester City 2023 have won The Premer League, Champions League, FA Cup, the Super Cup, and is still in the Champions League by topping the group, Going to play for the Fifa World Club Trophy, 4 points behind the leaders and still in the FA Cup

Now take that all in and Look at the Bigger Picture, It's still 2023
Players are only Human and need to rest and refuel, Also, I did not bring up the Winter World Cup when Manchester City had the most players there,

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

I agree. I'm not understanding the negative narrative around Alvarez.

He's the kind of player that'll shoot on sight in and around the 18 yard box. That threat drags defenders towards him and thus giving Erling more space.

Think he's featured in every game in the Premier League this season so Pep clearly sees him as a key player. Will be interesting when KDB returns but I'd wager that Alvarez will continue to play regularly.

Alvarez is great but I think he has looked tired recently. Not surprising since he only got a few weeks rest after winning the World Cup and has played big qualifiers for Argentina since then. These players are being flogged to death and that’s why we are seeing so many injuries.

 

[Gabriel]

Alvarez is great but I think he has looked tired recently. Not surprising since he only got a few weeks rest after winning the World Cup and has played big qualifiers for Argentina since then. These players are being flogged to death and that’s why we are seeing so many injuries.

They’re also having to do too much running up and down the park when we concede possession. It’s been both the quantity and quality of games that’s taken its toll.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

I think the M/F is the problem area. Leaving the defence exposed and not shifting the ball forward quick enough. A strong, aggressive attacking M/F would eradicate the issue turning defence into attack ala 'Yaya'. Foden, whilst technically gifted is quite light and does not offer anything defensively. I don't know why Pep has not tried combining Rodri with Phillips in the same set up. Phillips holding when Rodri pushes forward and the pair doubling up on stronger teams (Liverpool/Spuds etc). Might improve Phillips sense of perspective within the team?

I agree about Rodri. In fact I think this was Pep's plan. But Phillips has shown nothing that suggests he is good enough to do this role. We may sign someone in January and push Rodri forward. Perhaps Akanji or Stones can do it? I think this is Pep's biggest decision to make this season. He usually gets it right.

 

[Gabriel]

We're highly unlikely to find a direct replacement for Rodri in this window, so we need to ensure that we always have cover on one wing that can slow the game down and retain possession. Doku can create chaos on either wing but we need someone to anchor the right if Grealish is unavailable on the left. Until we do find cover for Rodri next summer, what we don't need is another pace-based winger bringing more chaos or to push Bernardo out there instead, where he is far less influential. I'd prefer a surplus of midfielders (Bernardo, Kovacic, de Bruyne, Foden, Nunes) that can be regularly rotated and so ease the pressure on Rodri. Anyone fit the right-wing bill?