Tottenham Pre Match Thread

[The slaughtered lamb]

I fancyus against Tottenham in 'typical city' mode

Same here. Can see us being 3 points behind after next weekend's fixtures. It's the last chance saloon though and it all depends how the players/manager react after Saturday.

Can't see Spurs winning the league. Inferiority complex re the gooners and have the hardest run in.

 

[paulchapo]

I am working for this game and usually I would be gutted to miss such a game.This time I am actually relieved as I won't have to watch Spurs do what Liverpool and Leicester have this season and embarrass us on our own turf. A team that can't defend and with Aguero almost carrying the fight alone up front against a well organised skilful in form side with a game plan leaves only one outcome. We have got away with it...just sometimes...against teams with inferior players but when we come up against a better side we fail as our record against the top six proves.

 

[robbieh]

I feel we dont have the motivation. As soon as Pep was announced and all the rumours about players movements, both incoming and outgoing , I knew we would lose that bit of desire. Among the top 4, I feel we have the least to prove and it shows.

I literally feel the transition to Pep has cost us a chance at a league title this season. Pellegrini has been undermined and god knows how many players fear for their future with Pep coming. It had better be worth while form next season beyond, because the club has made a dogs breakfast out of this season.

Pellegrini is a bang average manager who has been extremely lucky to manage City for three years. He knew ages ago that the writing was on the wall for him and the poor performance against Leicester was nothing we hadn't seen before. There was a pre season game in Germany where we were a defensive shambles and every third game or so we implode, especially against the better teams. It's his fault that we don't defend better as a unit, no sympathy.

Besides all that Jupp Heynkes knew he was leaving Bayern but still won the treble in the shadow of Pep. Difference being Heynkes was a top coach and Pellegrini never was, isn't and never will be.

 

[The slaughtered lamb]

Pellegrini is a bang average manager who has been extremely lucky to manage City for three years. He knew ages ago that the writing was on the wall for him and the poor performance against Leicester was nothing we hadn't seen before. There was a pre season game in Germany where we were a defensive shambles and every third game or so we implode, especially against the better teams. It's his fault that we don't defend better as a unit, no sympathy.

Besides all that Jupp Heynkes knew he was leaving Bayern but still won the treble in the shadow of Pep. Difference being Heynkes was a top coach and Pellegrini never was, isn't and never will be.

Spot on. Don't agree with the 'undermined' comments at all, besides which, it's too soon to tell. The performance against Sunderland wasn't bad considering they hadn't played for 10 days. Saturday was poor but I've seen worse this season. The pre-season friendly (Stuttgart I think) was seen by many on here as nothing to worry about but we've seen similar all season.

Midfield 3 with Fernando parked in front of the CBs and defending a bit deeper like we did at Villa please. Not all the time, but as the situation requires, against Spurs would be a good time to start. Build the foundations for a good performance then go for them in the second half.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

I think we are seeing a combination of injurys and the coming to an end of certain players city careers.we are an ageing team all over the pitch the full backs and yaya in central mid so add it all together and we will probably witness this in more games u til the end of the season. I mentioned in other thread before the Foxes game I could see this happening and said I can't see us winning the league and just hoped we would make top 4 .hopefully our performances can improve but sadly it seems we have been saying this for the majority of the season.

 

[dubblue]

A defeat to Spurs will be hard to recover from from a players and fans point of view. It will mean a direct shoot out between us and the rags for 4th,which the way we are going I wouldn't be too confident. 20th March could be huge for both clubs but certainly not the way we expected it to be.

 

[paulchapo]

As someone said in this thread earlier we are paying for not giving youth a run out to gain experience, we have no fresh legs apart from Nacho.Say what you want about the rags but they played a right back against Chelsea who had a great game on Sunday.

 

[pavelsrnicek]

I watched Spurs draw with Everton and in truth Spurs were unlucky with a draw.

They are exactly the type of team we struggle against hard working, press from the front and very good at retaining and recovering possession. Unless our manager has a sea change in his team set up and loyalty to certain players we could well see pocchetino do to Manuel what his Southampton did to Mancini.

It would be a dream to see VK back with Delph and Fernandinho in front with Kelechi, Sterling and Celina/ Barker behind Kun. Compact without the ball and bring Yaya on when we're 2-0 up after 60 mins.

It won't happen though Yaya will be shoehorned into the side, we'll be unbalanced and struggle with the counter attack and Kun will be isolated. We'll lose 3-1 but it will be more comprehensive than that.

 

[yerwot?]

I think we are seeing a combination of injurys and the coming to an end of certain players city careers.we are an ageing team all over the pitch the full backs and yaya in central mid so add it all together and we will probably witness this in more games u til the end of the season. I mentioned in other thread before the Foxes game I could see this happening and said I can't see us winning the league and just hoped we would make top 4 .hopefully our performances can improve but sadly it seems we have been saying this for the majority of the season.

Pretty much sums up my thoughts, we seem to have aged rapidly this season. The point about players coming to the end of their careers is more obvious with each game that passes.
MP has left me bemused with his selections and tactics, but to be fair injuries cannot be dismissed, they have seriously held us back. Couple that with the number of games we have played and we should not be surprised when we lose to a team who were able to name the same side for the third week running! And had a full week to prepare. Going for 4 trophys is all well and good, but in reality our current squad are just not up to it. A top three finish should be the target overriding the rest .fielding a weaker team if it helps our league position is a must imo

 

[bluemc1]

................Hart................
..Zaba...Oti......Sanga........Clichy
..Fern......Fern......Delph......Sterling...
.................Toure...................
.................Aquero.............

no width, crowd Midfield and hope we get a goal