***Champions v Palace Official Match Thread***

[Wonderwall]

Alvarez needs to replace haaland at half time IMO

[johnny crossan]

Walker has been brilliant for years for us but has been off since his injury at the end of last season. Let's hope he's not lost a yard of pace and comes back to how he was.
Cancelo wasn't great yesterday but is so much better than some of the criticism on here. As stated it's a game of opinions but the opinions of all the Premier League players he plays against is obviously pretty high as they put him in their team of the year.

Maybe we'll see this line-up against Forest

[patrickblue]

I think it's harsh on Walker. This nonsense formation exposes him and Cancelo and also Rodri to some extent. When Pep realises how crap it is, like last Sunday and yesterday, we reverted to a more traditional formation and looked brilliant all over the pitch. The inverted full backs shit show must stop and stop now.

For me, Cancelo is any defensive role is garbage. He might be an option in midfield or even high up on either side but in defence he's a complete disaster. Baffles me how highly people rate him as I think he's a diabolical full back. Still, opinions and all that.

I'm one of those who really rate him. I believe he's the most technically gifted player in the squad.
I do however certainly agree that he shouldn't play defensively.
He's wasted at left back.
But as I've said on numerous occasions, as far as Pep is concerned, centre back is the only defensive position on the field, so full backs are primarily chosen for their offensive capabilities, their defensive abilities take a back seat.
Walker only gets away with it because he's so quick.

[johnny crossan]

I think it's harsh on Walker. This nonsense formation exposes him and Cancelo and also Rodri to some extent. When Pep realises how crap it is, like last Sunday and yesterday, we reverted to a more traditional formation and looked brilliant all over the pitch. The inverted full backs shit show must stop and stop now.

For me, Cancelo is any defensive role is garbage. He might be an option in midfield or even high up on either side but in defence he's a complete disaster. Baffles me how highly people rate him as I think he's a diabolical full back. Still, opinions and all that.

I'm one of those who really rate him. I believe he's the most technically gifted player in the squad.
I do however certainly agree that he shouldn't play defensively.
He's wasted at left back.
But as I've said on numerous occasions, as far as Pep is concerned, centre back is the only defensive position on the field, so full backs are primarily chosen for their offensive capabilities, their defensive abilities take a back seat.
Walker only gets away with it because he's so quick.

Agree 100% - forcing Cancelo to play on the left exposes him to the errors we saw yesterday. A naturally left footed full back would not have given away either the free kick or the corner which led to Palace goals - the various opposition managers all know & exploit this. Walker is not a gifted ball player and as his pace diminishes the mistakes proliferate - leading to him shouting at his teammates blaming them for his inability to control the ball and find a pass. It's a worry.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Alvarez needs to replace haaland at half time IMO

Half right - Alvarez came on and changed the game .

By the way ,why don’t you try getting involved in the actual match thread instead of post match ‘let’s see who said what and I’ll post’.

[Hazy2]

Some of us are at the games and nowifi is the norm.
I suspect WW is inside the nofi zone! I posted for the craic tbh.

[zuricity]

There are definitely questions about Ederson. He doesn't save much.

you can't be refering to yesterday's game surel. He had no chance on the first howler own goal or the second power header .

He lost the ball for the first which resulted in Cancelo committing the foul. Pretty easy take for any keeper. He got away with one with the Palace disallowed goal. Ball was released so should have stood. How bad has he got to be before he gets dropped?

He did indeed lose the ball, that wasn't a shot on goal though was it? it wasn't a non-save. Anyway Cancelo had no need to tackle badly and commit the foul . The player was not even facing the goal and out of the box. As for the second goal even a left footed left back would have got an elbow in the face.

[branny]

There are definitely questions about Ederson. He doesn't save much.

you can't be refering to yesterday's game surel. He had no chance on the first howler own goal or the second power header .

He lost the ball for the first which resulted in Cancelo committing the foul. Pretty easy take for any keeper. He got away with one with the Palace disallowed goal. Ball was released so should have stood. How bad has he got to be before he gets dropped?

He did indeed lose the ball, that wasn't a shot on goal though was it? it wasn't a non-save. Anyway Cancelo had no need to tackle badly and commit the foul . The player was not even facing the goal and out of the box. As for the second goal even a left footed left back would have got an elbow in the face.

Do they score that first goal if he gathers the ball as he should have done? Second goal shouldn't have stood. Goal they had disallowed should have. First goal last week came from his distribution, then there was his walkabout which we got away with. He's not in the best of form at the minute and that's my point. Unfortunately, he's not on his own when it comes to the defence.

[s1ty m]

There are definitely questions about Ederson. He doesn't save much.

you can't be refering to yesterday's game surel. He had no chance on the first howler own goal or the second power header .

Be interested to know what his saves per shots on target ratio is over the last 20/25 games is though

That's what I meant.

[City64]

Some of us are at the games and nowifi is the norm.
I suspect WW is inside the nofi zone! I posted for the craic tbh.

Wi-Fi is shit in the Etihad just like the beer !

[johnny crossan]

There are definitely questions about Ederson. He doesn't save much.

you can't be refering to yesterday's game surel. He had no chance on the first howler own goal or the second power header .

Be interested to know what his saves per shots on target ratio is over the last 20/25 games is though

That's what I meant.

currently 19th place this season on save %
https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/keepers/Pr ... ague-Stats
11th last season but joint golden gloves winner
https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/2021-2022/ ... ague-Stats

[Mase]

Ederson getting a lot of shit, but let’s spin it. If Haaland is upfront for 85 mins without even touching the ball and then in the 86th min he has a chance, is he more likely to score or miss?

Ederson is fine imo.

[zuricity]

There are definitely questions about Ederson. He doesn't save much.

you can't be refering to yesterday's game surel. He had no chance on the first howler own goal or the second power header .

He lost the ball for the first which resulted in Cancelo committing the foul. Pretty easy take for any keeper. He got away with one with the Palace disallowed goal. Ball was released so should have stood. How bad has he got to be before he gets dropped?

He did indeed lose the ball, that wasn't a shot on goal though was it? it wasn't a non-save. Anyway Cancelo had no need to tackle badly and commit the foul . The player was not even facing the goal and out of the box. As for the second goal even a left footed left back would have got an elbow in the face.

Do they score that first goal if he gathers the ball as he should have done? Second goal shouldn't have stood. Goal they had disallowed should have. First goal last week came from his distribution, then there was his walkabout which we got away with. He's not in the best of form at the minute and that's my point. Unfortunately, he's not on his own when it comes to the defence.

re first goal, i repeat , he had no need to tackle .

re disallowed third goal . You are not allowed to block the goalie distributing the ball from his hands , Rule 12 i think.

You must give him free reign to make his move .

If the goalie is stupid enough to put the ball on the floor , that's his problem.

Cancelo makes no more mistakes than Tin tin.

[stupot]

Ederson getting a lot of shit, but let’s spin it. If Haaland is upfront got 85 mins without even touching the ball and then in the 86th min he has a chance, is he more likely to score or miss?

Ederson is fine imo.

I'd say Haaland is still more likely to score even though you'll get the odd one ( very odd one) calling for him to be substituted at half time.
Totally agree that Ederson is fine though, integral to our system. Loads called for him to be dropped for the semi against dippers- if he'd played we'd probably have won the double.

[sheblue]

Mmm Ed fine, is fine good enough.
The false 9 was fine, but it cost us the first game against Madrid when it should have been tie over.
Sometimes fine might not be enough.

[Beefymcfc]

We are changing, let’s see what comes.

[Mase]

Mmm Ed fine, is fine good enough.
The false 9 was fine, but it cost us the first game against Madrid when it should have been tie over.
Sometimes fine might not be enough.

I meant looks wise.

[Hazy2]

We are changing, let’s see what comes.

Pep is having to reduce control of everything to give us on the pitch momentum,quality players doing what they do in a flash of magic. Like Foden and the curling away ball to Erling. That would have had Pep head butting a wall in the past. If we are in the settling in phase, it’s going to be magic.

[City64]

We are changing, let’s see what comes.

Pep is having to reduce control of everything to give us on the pitch momentum,quality players doing what they do in a flash of magic. Like Foden and the curling away ball to Erling. That would have had Pep head butting a wall in the past. If we are in the settling in phase, it’s going to be magic.

Yeah deffo agree , 2 systems used v Palace one was crap in the first half the other majestic in the second half . Lots of technical tinkering going on with formations and positions against how opposition teams set up . Thinks it’s fair to say every team we have played so far this season has set up differently against us .

[Mase]

If this was last season it would have been Sterling missing those chances. Thankfully we’ve got Haaland now.