citizen_maine
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It was one of our most comfortable performances of the season, but coupled with the usual frustration of missed chances. It could have been ten...
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WSL Crystal Palace (A) - 03/11/24 14:00
- Thread starter cleavers
- Start date
cleavers
Moderator
Their keeper made a couple of worldie saves to be fair, but as usual our final pass/finishing wasn't the best.Just seen the three goals - all good finishes and three points in the bag, but it still felt listening to the commentary and watching the stats that it was another heavy weather performance. Even at 78/79% possession we never seem to put teams to the sword.
Could do with chelsea dropping some points this evening, but they won't.
Nope, they are 3 up at half time plus won 7-0 at Palace a few weeks ago.Their keeper made a couple of worldie saves to be fair, but as usual our final pass/finishing wasn't the best.
Could do with chelsea dropping some points this evening, but they won't.
Still the team to beat, a lot will come down to our 2 games v them
cleavers
Moderator
Not surprised, our achiles heel is not scoring the chances we create, eventually, in a tight game it will cost us.Nope, they are 3 up at half time
I love watching the team play, truly enjoy its style. There have been circumstances recently where I’ve missed a match live because of work, and managed to make time at like 02.00 in the morning to watch the replay. Constantly with pause and replay, keeping notes etc (same process I’ve adopted for the men’s team for years), that would lead to like 3+ hours. Going to bed around 05.00, on my feet around 09.00 for work. That would be inconceivable, say 5 or 10 years ago. As I said, it’s a good team, so I blame the manager and the girls (lol)…
Call that subjective if you wish, other people enjoy different styles perhaps, even though I find it bizarre City fans, supposedly “educated” by the men’s football all these years under Pep, criticizing / complaining about the possession based approach. What is not subjective though is that City under GT have reached a level where the TEAM as a unit can and will take care of things itself, despite individual performances being below the expected / required standards. Nothing subjective about that, it’s a fact. Of course our football is possession based, we are happy to keep the ball (so it’s the opposition that chases us, whatever that means physically / for their morale in the process), we take our time circulating it, building the conditions and creating the circumstances in order to apply the attacking patterns (actually a variety of them) we’ve been systematically working on the training ground. If we are confident and focused (as well as fresh), our passing game will be quicker and sharper and our finishing will be effective. But this will not always be the case, for a series of reasons. Nevertheless the team will remain patient as well as determined, and will find a way to win: It’s the quality of our game, period. That is the team’s story so far…
This afternoon, for example: City will finish the game with a clean sheet having scored 3 goals. 78% possession, 6 attempts on target + 5 off target = 11. Opposition hit the post once at 0-2, and, if I’m not mistaken, had 1 shot on target and 1 off target? Which makes it 3 total attempts while playing at home? Well, I’m a perfectionist myself, so that makes it 3 attempts too many. Fact remains however that it was sheer domination, a situation never questioned by the opposition throughout the 90’. City created 6 or 7 clear chances, never mind the half chances, the scoreline is flattering for Palace. And it was basically game management after 0-2, and it was damage limitation for them in the later stages. Viv, Laia, Mary unavailable, Alex + Lauren off at 59’, Jess + Jill off at 73’ (Aoba off at 81’). Not bad…
All the above despite:
Palace started with the intention to attack with two upfront, in the process they “corrected” it turning into a 5-4-1, so as to cover spaces in midfield more effectively. We have already faced low blocks in 4-2-3-1, 4-4-1-1 and 4-4-2 formations. In terms of our build up process, 9 times out of 10 one player in the triangle [CB – CB – DM] will be free with the ball facing opposition net, organizing the game, playmaking etc. If Laia is playing (and is confident / in form), she can even start breaking the lines herself, advancing with the ball, forcing an opponent out of position. Opposition is already struggling to control Bunny, plus Jill and Jess behind her in the middle, whoever we have playing at the wings will keep their fullbacks pinned. Not to mention, given the experience of the previous matches, usually their wide midfielders stay narrow providing compactness in the middle. All the above combined mean that very often there will be spaces for Kerstin or Leila to exploit. Leading to promising situations through gaining numerical superiority in “sensitive” areas, penetration, dragging opponents out of position, etc. There were moments in previous matches where Kerstin or Leila did contribute to the creation of decisive actions (leading to chances or goals), but it has not been done consistently. I expect much more from both of them, needless to say they also have to be solid defensively (which has never been a given for neither of them). It’s a matter of gaining confidence, believing in themselves…
This afternoon, for example, Leila was nowhere near her standards during first half. She improved in the second, playing a key role in our crucial second goal (scored by Jill, having missed another through a header minutes before) from the left. Which gives you an idea about her capabilities. While at the same time, with City in possession, tactically responding to the well known sophisticated role of supporting Yui in the middle. But with her improving, it was Kerstin who dropped in the second half! By the way, did I say “she improved”? The moment I was typing it, I remembered her reaction on 86’! No idea what the fuck she was thinking, it could have led to a goal for them…
Palace gave everything from minute 1, it was expected that their intensity and running would drop in the second half -and it clearly did. Having the lead, City could manage the game rather comfortably, seeking for the decisive second goal. It arrived early in the second half, allowing the manager to gradually start taking key players out, protecting them ahead of a tight schedule. Hopefully it means he’s starting to trust his bench. Hopefully it also means all girls are motivated and will keep working hard on the training ground because they will be needed sooner or later, it’s a long season. Final result was sealed with Bunny’s third goal, typical of City’s fine passing game and team work, Jess providing the assist -but it starts with Alanna’s incisive pass from the back. Alex and Lauren our best players in the first half, while Bunny kept fighting throughout the 90’, constantly a pain in the ass for their defensive structure with her all round game…
A few final comments regarding GT:
Congratulations to the manager and the girls for the victory, good luck vs Spurs!
Call that subjective if you wish, other people enjoy different styles perhaps, even though I find it bizarre City fans, supposedly “educated” by the men’s football all these years under Pep, criticizing / complaining about the possession based approach. What is not subjective though is that City under GT have reached a level where the TEAM as a unit can and will take care of things itself, despite individual performances being below the expected / required standards. Nothing subjective about that, it’s a fact. Of course our football is possession based, we are happy to keep the ball (so it’s the opposition that chases us, whatever that means physically / for their morale in the process), we take our time circulating it, building the conditions and creating the circumstances in order to apply the attacking patterns (actually a variety of them) we’ve been systematically working on the training ground. If we are confident and focused (as well as fresh), our passing game will be quicker and sharper and our finishing will be effective. But this will not always be the case, for a series of reasons. Nevertheless the team will remain patient as well as determined, and will find a way to win: It’s the quality of our game, period. That is the team’s story so far…
This afternoon, for example: City will finish the game with a clean sheet having scored 3 goals. 78% possession, 6 attempts on target + 5 off target = 11. Opposition hit the post once at 0-2, and, if I’m not mistaken, had 1 shot on target and 1 off target? Which makes it 3 total attempts while playing at home? Well, I’m a perfectionist myself, so that makes it 3 attempts too many. Fact remains however that it was sheer domination, a situation never questioned by the opposition throughout the 90’. City created 6 or 7 clear chances, never mind the half chances, the scoreline is flattering for Palace. And it was basically game management after 0-2, and it was damage limitation for them in the later stages. Viv, Laia, Mary unavailable, Alex + Lauren off at 59’, Jess + Jill off at 73’ (Aoba off at 81’). Not bad…
All the above despite:
- Yui having an unusually mediocre game in the first half (improved in the second), avoiding or missing either the simpler or the sharper options in her passing game,
- Jess clearly underperforming prior to scoring that fucking unbelievable goal (which made procedures more comfortable for the team therefore probably won us the game),
- Aoba occasionally doing everything possible to frustrate her teammates, appearing reluctant or / and ineffective in her final actions, etc.
Palace started with the intention to attack with two upfront, in the process they “corrected” it turning into a 5-4-1, so as to cover spaces in midfield more effectively. We have already faced low blocks in 4-2-3-1, 4-4-1-1 and 4-4-2 formations. In terms of our build up process, 9 times out of 10 one player in the triangle [CB – CB – DM] will be free with the ball facing opposition net, organizing the game, playmaking etc. If Laia is playing (and is confident / in form), she can even start breaking the lines herself, advancing with the ball, forcing an opponent out of position. Opposition is already struggling to control Bunny, plus Jill and Jess behind her in the middle, whoever we have playing at the wings will keep their fullbacks pinned. Not to mention, given the experience of the previous matches, usually their wide midfielders stay narrow providing compactness in the middle. All the above combined mean that very often there will be spaces for Kerstin or Leila to exploit. Leading to promising situations through gaining numerical superiority in “sensitive” areas, penetration, dragging opponents out of position, etc. There were moments in previous matches where Kerstin or Leila did contribute to the creation of decisive actions (leading to chances or goals), but it has not been done consistently. I expect much more from both of them, needless to say they also have to be solid defensively (which has never been a given for neither of them). It’s a matter of gaining confidence, believing in themselves…
This afternoon, for example, Leila was nowhere near her standards during first half. She improved in the second, playing a key role in our crucial second goal (scored by Jill, having missed another through a header minutes before) from the left. Which gives you an idea about her capabilities. While at the same time, with City in possession, tactically responding to the well known sophisticated role of supporting Yui in the middle. But with her improving, it was Kerstin who dropped in the second half! By the way, did I say “she improved”? The moment I was typing it, I remembered her reaction on 86’! No idea what the fuck she was thinking, it could have led to a goal for them…
Palace gave everything from minute 1, it was expected that their intensity and running would drop in the second half -and it clearly did. Having the lead, City could manage the game rather comfortably, seeking for the decisive second goal. It arrived early in the second half, allowing the manager to gradually start taking key players out, protecting them ahead of a tight schedule. Hopefully it means he’s starting to trust his bench. Hopefully it also means all girls are motivated and will keep working hard on the training ground because they will be needed sooner or later, it’s a long season. Final result was sealed with Bunny’s third goal, typical of City’s fine passing game and team work, Jess providing the assist -but it starts with Alanna’s incisive pass from the back. Alex and Lauren our best players in the first half, while Bunny kept fighting throughout the 90’, constantly a pain in the ass for their defensive structure with her all round game…
A few final comments regarding GT:
- I wrote a post following the Brighton game on the last day of September, I am not going to repeat myself. He doesn’t need me or anybody else to defend him, his work speaks for itself. This is a well coached team, a team with a clear identity, clear strategy, clear tactical patterns. Which needs to keep progressing, absolutely, while being consistent in terms of performance. It’s the only way to stay with the likes of Chelsea domestically (who won again tonight), and it’s the only way to advance in Europe. As I said, I do not doubt the progress but it’s a process and it has to be continued. To facilitate that process, to fulfill our potential, certain players need to find their form and improve their game as soon as possible…
- Given our experiences in the recent past, I raised two issues in that post (30/09), the handling of which I believe will determine our campaign: a) Personality and b) Game management.
Congratulations to the manager and the girls for the victory, good luck vs Spurs!
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