What's the problem(s)?

[Marvin]

The problem is that the damage is done already.

We can realistically afford to drop points in 6 games if we want to challenge for the title, we've already dropped points in 2 and we're only 3 games in - non of which have been against a top 4 side.

Yes, we've been unlucky yet again with injuries to key players, but why is that a surprise? We have injury prone players.

To say "wait til Liverpool have our kind of injuries" is stupid as well and is just a way of avoiding blaming our set up. They don't get injuries. People should just accept that and stop moaning about how unfair it is.

The posts in this and the match thread are not an over-reaction, we need to stop comparing ourselves to 2017-19, this season just looks like a continuation of last season, with the trajectory heading further down, not up.

Trajectory after 3 games lol. The trajectory was informed by injury and a Covid Summer. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with this squad. Wait and see.

 

[bluemc]

Gundogan has been missed . The most underrated player in the league

Hi Ilkay. Hope you're feeling better.

 

[Bigga]

Funnily enough, I have a lot of issues with Rodri, but I thought his game was as good as his last one with Fern as partner.

My issue, is that we have too many players, up front that like to check and check again before making a decision in front of goal.

We can't have Sterling, Mahrez AND Bernardo (& Gabby from time to time) doing the same thing in front of goal.

It's fucking frustrating!

We need a more direct striker who thinks I'll have a go or I'll square it and if it means putting Liam Delap in as a counterfoil to this checking nonsense, so be it.

 

[edinburgh123]

Last week after Leicester we had a problem. The window was shutting and one year on from Kompany's retirement we had still to replace him.

Perhaps we've at last addressed the achilles heel from last season. If we have, that's it. This squad when its fit does not have a problem scoring goals. We score 100 a season.

We are becoming flat track bullies though. Scoring 100 goals is irrelevant if 8 are against Watford etc and then In the games that matter we don’t outscore other decent teams

 

[TheThirdDeano]

We are becoming flat track bullies though. Scoring 100 goals is irrelevant if 8 are against Watford etc and then In the games that matter we don’t outscore other decent teams

if we were flat track bullies we'd have beaten a newly promoted side

 

[brian the blue]

Trajectory after 3 games lol. The trajectory was informed by injury and a Covid Summer. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with this squad. Wait and see.

There is something fundamentally wrong with the squad though?

Being overly reliant on an a highly injury-prone, aging Aguero.
Mahrez becoming a fixture in the team when he clearly isn't what we need.
Mendy being our only proper left back and he is an injury-prone liability.
Only 2 of our 6 CM's (Bernardo and De Bruyne) being of the required standard. (Fernandinho too old, Foden too inexperienced and Rodri/Gundogan not quite good enough)

 

[hilts]

Pep's already a parody of himself?

So, his methods won the first ever domestic treble in England and 6 trophies in a row from 6 on offer just 15 months ago. Now, 15 months later, his methods and understanding of the game are already left behind and he has to reinvent himself? That looks very stupid to me.

How can you be sure that it's not injuries and the difficulty of replacing aging legends that causes the current crisis but precisely the manager's understanding of the game?

Three quick responses

If 15 months isn’t long enough what is the exact time frame in your book? 17 months? 24? How about his methods in Europe is 100 months enough?

Injuries? ageing legends? Did he not see certain players injury records or their birth certificates?

How many teams last season and this and how many in Europe for 4 seasons that we have lost to have had better teams?

Answer these honestly and without emotional attachment and the problem becomes a lot clearer.

If he stays and adapts that’s fine just decide now. If he stays and doesn’t adapt I think it’s a mistake.

 

[Stevieatlasblue]

To put it right we need a top class striker and a top class left back. Not sure about Rodri either

 

[mexico1970]

Giving the ball away is our biggest problem IMO, Mahrez, Raz and Rodri yesterdays game were consistent in this. When we play a fast moving game we look good but we can't seem to keep that pace up, we've turned into a Jekyll and Hyde team.

 

[daztrueblue91]

There’s two ways of currently looking at the situation and IMO, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

On one hand, we’ve been desperately unlucky so far. The lack of pre-season, multiple injuries and refereeing decisions has cost us so far. Liverpool beat Leeds due to a penalty given for a harsh handball. We don’t get given a penalty in a similar manner. That’s a potential 4 point swing right there. Those are the fine margins that seem to go against us at the minute.

On the other, I can’t help but feel we’re turning into fucking Arsenal. We’ve got an inflexible manager, a team full of nice players who like to walk the ball into the net but also shit the bed under pressure and a chronic lack of leadership.