***Southampton v Champions EFL QTR Final***

[john@staustell]

Pep always seems to think we will come through whoever we play in the team. But coming up against new manager syndrome and seemingly going in with a casual attitude, it was impossible to reverse it. It should always be the case that we get a game won then start resting players and subbing.

There were people out there last night who should not be playing for City at all (even if they have done something in the past) - Cancelo, Gomez and Palmer are top of that list. I'll reserve judgement on Phillips as the guy hasn't played - he looke pretty good at leeds and we are alwyas quick to slag off new players every time almost

[branny]

Pep always seems to think we will come through whoever we play in the team. But coming up against new manager syndrome and seemingly going in with a casual attitude, it was impossible to reverse it. It should always be the case that we get a game won then start resting players and subbing.

There were people out there last night who should not be playing for City at all (even if they have done something in the past) - Cancelo, Gomez and Palmer are top of that list. I'll reserve judgement on Phillips as the guy hasn't played - he looke pretty good at leeds and we are alwyas quick to slag off new players every time almost

Better players than Phillips have struggled in their first year. We're in January and that's his first start in a team that is out of sorts and has been for a while. The games are coming thick and fast and we're playing a different system every game with different personnel and square pegs in round holes. Added to that is the transition of learning to play with a striker again. There's absolutely no consistency anywhere. It's no wonder we're struggling.

[Dimples]

Pep always seems to think we will come through whoever we play in the team. But coming up against new manager syndrome and seemingly going in with a casual attitude, it was impossible to reverse it. It should always be the case that we get a game won then start resting players and subbing.

There were people out there last night who should not be playing for City at all (even if they have done something in the past) - Cancelo, Gomez and Palmer are top of that list. I'll reserve judgement on Phillips as the guy hasn't played - he looke pretty good at leeds and we are alwyas quick to slag off new players every time almost

Better players than Phillips have struggled in their first year. We're in January and that's his first start in a team that is out of sorts and has been for a while. The games are coming thick and fast and we're playing a different system every game with different personnel and square pegs in round holes. Added to that is the transition of learning to play with a striker again. There's absolutely no consistency anywhere. It's no wonder we're struggling.

I agree, lots of changes, the most since Pep arrived. When Pep arrived it took him a season to get his ideas across.
We have to adapt playing style, integrate new players and also absorb experimentation with new formations, for ex, what skill set is required of a City full back in a Pep team (is it defensive/attack/midfield skills, winger skills, etc...), whatever it is it is certainly not traditional.
We also sold four key players who understood the systems and Pep's ways.
Takes time......

What is baffling though is why we brought in some players who will never be good enough, for ex, Gomez
And it is becoming obvious that the jump from exceptional academy player to proficient first team player is difficult to gauge, for ex, Cole is struggling, Rico is thriving (small sample set). We also need pace out wide.

Transition is usually painful and I have given up on this season.
The talent is there to win things this season but Pep's way is complicated and takes time to bed in.

I am dreading Saturday, we are like a split personality. What will turn up, the beautiful Italian sports car or the unreliable Fiat?
To be clear, I would not want Ten Bob, no creativity, painting by numbers, his teams will be effective but predictable.

If Pep's new creation comes to fruition, you just know it will be like his previous teams, beautiful football in a different dimension whilst winning things.

[Wooders]

Controversial viewpoint: we threw the game

[nottsblue]

Controversial viewpoint: we threw the game

I don’t buy that

I get why yourself and one or two other posters echo those sentiments, but if it was the case that we threw the game there’s no way KDB and Haaland and Rodri get brought on and we’d have had more youth either starting on sat on the bench.

Pep put out a side he thought would win and pre match I was confident it would and comfortably so. What I was not expecting was the level of performance from International players that was not even close to being good enough. I am hoping that we have got both a shite performance from the players and unnecessary tinkering with positions from Pep, out of our system and that today we have put it behind us in training

[Nick]

Why is there so much change ? Why is he fucking about with full backs and midfield ? Is it because of haaland? I'm lost.

[Nick]

But gundog showed as little fight and he was captain?

We are shithouses because we rarely come back when conceding, especially away from home. It's always been the way, no urgency and I don't get it. Total different to the last 20 mins needing a goal under mancini.

I don't get it.

[stupot]

But gundog showed as little fight and he was captain?

We are shithouses because we rarely come back when conceding, especially away from home. It's always been the way, no urgency and I don't get it. Total different to the last 20 mins needing a goal under mancini.

I don't get it.

Rarely come back when conceding!!!!
The last 5 times we'd been 2 down before the other night we'd won 2 and drawn 2 including away from home at West Ham and Newcastle.

[sheblue]

Controversial viewpoint: we threw the game

I don’t buy that

I get why yourself and one or two other posters echo those sentiments, but if it was the case that we threw the game there’s no way KDB and Haaland and Rodri get brought on and we’d have had more youth either starting on sat on the bench.

Pep put out a side he thought would win and pre match I was confident it would and comfortably so. What I was not expecting was the level of performance from International players that was not even close to being good enough. I am hoping that we have got both a shite performance from the players and unnecessary tinkering with positions from Pep, out of our system and that today we have put it behind us in training

I am not saying we definitely threw the game. But let's be honest the level of effort just was not there.
Pep likes rythim as he calls it, so the lads came on for some playing time ahead of the derby.
That's the hope I am clinging on to anyway.

[carl_feedthegoat]

One positive was that one of our academy players did well. Shame it was playing for Southampton. Hopefully we’re able to sell Phillips in the summer and bring Lavia back.

''If we compare Lavia’s stats from this season to Phillips from last season with Leeds, we also see that the Saints star has averaged more interceptions (1.3 vs 1.2) and more dribbles (0.7 vs 0.4) per game, while he has also been dribbled past on far fewer occasions (0.6 vs 1.7).

While the City flop might technically be the more established player right now, Lavia’s promising stats and potential suggest that City may have made a big mistake in letting him go so cheaply in the summer, only to replace him with an older, more injury-prone midfielder.''

[Mase]

One positive was that one of our academy players did well. Shame it was playing for Southampton. Hopefully we’re able to sell Phillips in the summer and bring Lavia back.

''If we compare Lavia’s stats from this season to Phillips from last season with Leeds, we also see that the Saints star has averaged more interceptions (1.3 vs 1.2) and more dribbles (0.7 vs 0.4) per game, while he has also been dribbled past on far fewer occasions (0.6 vs 1.7).

While the City flop might technically be the more established player right now, Lavia’s promising stats and potential suggest that City may have made a big mistake in letting him go so cheaply in the summer, only to replace him with an older, more injury-prone midfielder.''

It’s embarrassing that we’ve done that. Lavia could have been on our bench and played in the cup this season. The fact Chelsea bid £50m for him straight after we sold him tells us what a massive fuck up this is.

[Nickyboy]

But gundog showed as little fight and he was captain?

We are shithouses because we rarely come back when conceding, especially away from home. It's always been the way, no urgency and I don't get it. Total different to the last 20 mins needing a goal under mancini.

I don't get it.

Rarely come back when conceding!!!!
The last 5 times we'd been 2 down before the other night we'd won 2 and drawn 2 including away from home at West Ham and Newcastle.

And don't forget Aston Villa

[Nick]

But gundog showed as little fight and he was captain?

We are shithouses because we rarely come back when conceding, especially away from home. It's always been the way, no urgency and I don't get it. Total different to the last 20 mins needing a goal under mancini.

I don't get it.

Rarely come back when conceding!!!!
The last 5 times we'd been 2 down before the other night we'd won 2 and drawn 2 including away from home at West Ham and Newcastle.

And don't forget Aston Villa

Someone get the total stats. This was on the in game stats it was 50% this season whixh i think is the highest its been