Villa Vs City Post Match Discussion Thread

[Hanger]

Its exactly what happened last season, dominate play but not finishing teams off. Happened for Mancini and now for Pellegrini , need to start turning dominance into goals.

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

It appears we're on page 103 and we're no nearer understanding what happened yesterday. I think that's because we're trying to explain - and explain rationally - what is inexplicable and irrational. We played well enough, there was nothing wrong with our tactics, the team selection was easily good enough, the substitutions can't be criticised, but we lost. Pellegrini was spot on when he said that in two moments we threw away 90+ minutes of good work. I think that we've heard enough, and seen enough, to show that we will defend a higher line than we did under Mancini, that we'll get more players forward than last season and we will play a "high risk" game. This means that we will probably have more big wins than we did, but, I suppose, the corollary is that we'll concede goals that we didn't last season, and maybe lose games we would not have lost. My hope is that we're getting the bad news first - we can only defend such a high line if we put real pressure on the ball, and we haven't done this consistently yet, notably for their third yesterday and for all three at Cardiff. Hopefully this will be remedied in the next few games. Apart from that we suffered from a piece of very poor officiating and were victims of a free kickth at was of the "1 in 20 chance" - the commentators even got who was going to take it wrong, but then assured us that the lad had "done it before", but couldn't remember when! When you cop for all three - an "offside" goal, a free kick right in the top corner and a failure to mark up or attack a long punt down the middle - you've certainly fallen foul of sod's law!

 

[vintiz]

I agree that yesterday's problem was not about a lack of balance or about needing to go 4-5-1. None of that had anything to do with the officials allowing an offiside goal to stand from a rare Villa attack or Nasty committing a needless foul. Tactics, team selection and substitutions were not to blame for yesterday's defeat. Obviously, if any of those things had been different, the game would in some way have unfolded in a different way but I think that would be more of a philosophical debate!

I disagree. If we kept the pressure we would've scored a third and killed it. Instead, we we gave them a breather and they made every kick counts. You cant expose your CBs and expect them not to make mistakes. We lost edge in the midfield (first line of defense) by removing Nasri. Aside from an offside goal, the game was going so well for us until the substitutions and tactics change.

I don't think Pellegrini wanted his team to give Villa any sort of breather: IMO, he brought Navas on to try and strike a killer blow. After Nasri left, most of the play remained in the Villa half.

We'll just have to disagree.

That was what I also taught with the sub. And he almost provided an assist for our 3rd goal.

 

[Anonymous]

Why are you expecting Arsenal to be "reeled in". They have a much better record than us over the last 20 premier league games.

Blinkers off a realist would say Arse are improving while we have been declining for over a season now.

They're an unknown quantity imo. The biggest single factor to their form this season has been the form of Ramsey. Whether he can keep that form up is a big question.

 

[vintiz]

its the result that counts we lost we shouldn't have how many corners do we have to have to score a gaol? surely we need to get some basic footballing practice going between games to improve our set pieces and defending we need a response and that means some should be dropped from a great height

its not the first time we have been poor away and lost games when we should be cruising to victory not wishful thinking just an accurate analysis of what resources we have @ our disposal and what other teams in comparison have its embarrassing to think we cannot close a game down simply not good enough

I watched the game, our football was fantastic, one offside goal, a great free kick and freak 3rd don't change that. So we are playing great football and a result goes against us, there's not too much to fix. We will win the league by a good margin, only spurs are any real threat.

Well tbf our strikers let us down then ? Didn't score from open play. If our attacks where that potent then we should have been 2-0 up b4 half time.

 

[leewill31]

Well in that case it better work for him because whether you like or not he'll come under more pressure quicker than Mancini did because he's meant to be a significant upgrade. I have the feeling he's going to give everything to try and win our CL group, and take us fighting for 3rd/4th this season because he's going to rely on our players getting this gung-ho way and having a great league run at the end of the season and get us far in the CL so that we end the season in an optimistic mood.

Ultimately though every position we finish lower in the league the bar in the CL pretty much raises up to the next round. To win the league however you need to be able to hold onto leads against mediocre sides away from home, whether you have 1, 2 or 4 up front.

and one your penultimate point, if it doesn't work people are going to get on his back a lot quicker than you or me would like because of what happened last May. Last season was very poor but in reality the barometer he has to go up against isn't solely last season, it's Mancini's reign as a whole. That on a CL front is easy but on a league and FA Cup front isn't(even League Cup semis). I don't think a lot of City fans will take 3rd and Last 16 this season, which if we don't win on wednesday is quite likely as we could easily be handed a Barca or Real in the Last 16, especially if some of our other English teams happen to win their group and we get left with 4 potential Group Winners.

It's convenient that Arsenal have started playing their best football in 4 years when Wenger knows they have to get results against Napoli and Dortmund. Come January they'll fall off again because he'll have achieved what the board need him to. United are sods but would you rather end up in Spain or Donetsk?

In reality wednesday is hugely important because if Pelle isn't going to be pragmatic and is going to risk league form in the hope we turn the Premier League into La Liga and people roll over whenever they see a good player then he has to really win the group or his season is going to be risked on winning a Last 16 tie as an underdog.

That's where we'll find out more about Pellegrini ... between January and May rather than between August and December. A squad our size should prioritise every competition they enter.

completely agree with this.

Far to earlier to judge a new manager bringing a new style to a team and all so adapting new players to that style as well,im not overjoyed at our league away results but there is still plenty of time for improvement.

 

[waspish]

Watching the highlights today I think it was 1 player having a really really bad game Nasty was at fault directly and indirectly for all goals he needs to learn but he had time on his hands..

 

[samharris]

Beat Everton next week and thus ends the bullshit!!

 

[citytill1die84]

Beat Everton next week and thus ends the bullshit!!

Not really m8 because Everton is a home game.

 

[bluemoon32]

Beat Everton next week and thus ends the bullshit!!

Unless we wimp out at Upton Park too & then it'll start all over again