***spuds vs pep's city***

[ashton287]

Defending against us had been world class

Not really. It's been rough and scrappy. They have just got back in numbers and got away with a lot of physical stuff.

Definitely this.

What's good defending then? They made several big tackles and blocks when we got better in the 2nd half. The pressing was key but we couldn't break them down when we had the ball either. Yes they were physical and scrappy but isn't that what top defending is? We weren't up for it.

Didnt say it wasnt good defending. It was what they needed to do. But it wasn't world class. World class defending doesn't require 7 men in the box.

[sheblue]

Defending against us had been world class

Not really. It's been rough and scrappy. They have just got back in numbers and got away with a lot of physical stuff.

Definitely this.

What's good defending then? They made several big tackles and blocks when we got better in the 2nd half. The pressing was key but we couldn't break them down when we had the ball either. Yes they were physical and scrappy but isn't that what top defending is? We weren't up for it.

10 out of 10. They defended superbly.

[Tony P]

It's like finding out Father Christmas isn't real.

[Tokyo Blue]

Defending against us had been world class

Not really. It's been rough and scrappy. They have just got back in numbers and got away with a lot of physical stuff.

Definitely this.

What's good defending then? They made several big tackles and blocks when we got better in the 2nd half. The pressing was key but we couldn't break them down when we had the ball either. Yes they were physical and scrappy but isn't that what top defending is? We weren't up for it.

10 out of 10. They defended superbly.

I don't disagree but we still made enough chances to win it: Aguero hitting the bar, scuffing his shot near the end straight at the keeper, the deflected one that Lloris saved, Iheanacho's one on one.

You have got to take your chances when they come.

[Tokyo Blue]

It's like finding out Father Christmas isn't real.

Come on, mate, smile. We are still top of the league.

[Woodyblue]

Literally every football fan/commentator/manager/anyone with a vague interest or connection to football wanted to see this happen.

Everyone has been saying for years "pep couldnt do it in a proper league" and when he has come in and we have looked class it's just got worse. It's like all of English football has a fucking point to prove and everyone will celebrate this. Everyone wants us and pep to fail. But we won't. They can all fuck right off. We will win the league and a cup this year minimum and just get better and better with every transfer window.

Fuck every cunt who isn't on board.

This +1

[Dubaimancityfan]

Well it was bound to happen at some stage in the season. Now it's out of the way and we have to move forward. We were much better in the second half and had a couple of chances. Definitely missed Kev big time. I'm sure Pep has learned a lot from this match and I'm confident he'll be able to fix it. Just a hiccup and we'll be back.

[Tokyo Blue]

Literally every football fan/commentator/manager/anyone with a vague interest or connection to football wanted to see this happen.

Everyone has been saying for years "pep couldnt do it in a proper league" and when he has come in and we have looked class it's just got worse. It's like all of English football has a fucking point to prove and everyone will celebrate this. Everyone wants us and pep to fail. But we won't. They can all fuck right off. We will win the league and a cup this year minimum and just get better and better with every transfer window.

Fuck every cunt who isn't on board.

+1

A beer for that man.

[Tru_Blu]

Its safe to say our new system is reliant on the DB factor. Silva does not have the speed or power that is required. Fact 2 Navas has done all he can do for us. Kolarov is our achilles heel and will be for the rest of the year. Still cant understand why we have Sane if we not gonna fucking use him. G.Jesus is the DB factor player we needed today.

[iwasthere2012]

Defending against us had been world class

Not really. It's been rough and scrappy. They have just got back in numbers and got away with a lot of physical stuff.

Definitely this.

What's good defending then? They made several big tackles and blocks when we got better in the 2nd half. The pressing was key but we couldn't break them down when we had the ball either. Yes they were physical and scrappy but isn't that what top defending is? We weren't up for it.

10 out of 10. They defended superbly.

Whether we like it or not, the better team won.
They defended as a team throughout the park, not just in their box. At no time were any of their players isolated. There was always an angle for an easy pass.

We can't say that about us today. We were second to every breaking ball. Tired passing, tired decision making, poor finishing as well as good Spurs defending.
We looked like s team that's played too many games in too short s space of time.

I wouldn't get too upset about Bravo. I thought he coped well with a defense that was over reliant on putting it back to him, because there was nobody showing in midfield. They in turn didn't show an angle for him.
If we are going to do this from the back then the whole team has to be moving and creating angles. It just wasn't happening.

A poor team performance from City.
Next.

[Michigan Blue]

28/11/2015 - Southampton (H)
10/9/2016 - Rags (A)

These are literally our only league victories against decent opposition in the last 15 months.

I think we'll all feel better once we put together a couple results against legitimate title contenders. We've just been nothing but flat track bullies for a while now.

[aaron bond]

Bad day at the office and it's largely Pep's fault. The team selection was terrible. But hopefully he'll learn from it.

Sagna and Clichy are clearly the better full backs, particularly Sagna over Zab. Zab is so slow now he's a completely liability.

Navas offers nothing and we moved Sterling to the left to accommodate him. Sterling needs to be on the right at all times.

By playing Fernando instead of Gundogan or Sane, Fernandinho was moved out of his usual position and we suffered for this.

And Otamendi...how on earth did this guy become a professional footballer? Unfortunately we are so short at centre back we don't have much choice to play him. We need to be lining up a centre back to buy in January.

It's still early in the season and we're still top of the league. It's been a tough week for us so all we can do is hope that Pep learns from this. We know he's a smart man so I'm sure he'll have us better prepared in future games.

Everton at home is a good test again for us next but I'm sure we'll be ready for them.

[BookJunior]

Well I'm not panicking. We've had two tough away games and a slight dip in form.

Wile the loss of KDB has been grievous, I've always believed in the maxim that Good players don't become bad after a couple of bad results.

[freshie]

Sums it up perfectly IWT2012. Just want to add that kolarov has resumed normal service. Pretty sure he was the same last season - played well for the first few games and then went back to his shit self. Zaba unfortunately looks past it. We should've signed new full backs in the summer. I hope to never see Navas, Fernando or Kolarov in a City shirt ever again

[Justified logic]

No booking for Lamella and then a clear penalty on Aguero not given. Refs have been told.

Clear penalty? Try zero contact and a dive

Aguero should have passed it out to ?Sterling free on the left before he fell over. If Aguero tried to do a few assists we'd do much better.

As it is, we're not at the races - again. I hope all are back OK from the internationals break and firing again come the Everton game. We can stand losing away to Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool as long as we win the home games and don't flunk it against the lower teams. Still, pressing and passing, and urgency and competitiveness, need to improve.

[South Stand Balti]

Sums it up perfectly IWT2012. Just want to add that kolarov has resumed normal service. Pretty sure he was the same last season - played well for the first few games and then went back to his shit self. Zaba unfortunately looks past it. We should've signed new full backs in the summer. I hope to never see Navas, Fernando or Kolarov in a City shirt ever again

We don't really have many options in central midfield. Gundo is not up to the pace yet and Delph is always injured and bang average like Fern2.

[carl_feedthegoat]

If PeP doesn't realize by now that Zabba should only be a sub and Kolorov is one of the worst left backs in the prem and should not start another important game and that Fernando only comes on when we are defending a lead, then I worry for him.

The problem is , PeP has already told the fuckign world that he thinks Kolorov is one of his best players thathe has at his disposal...talk about an own fuckign goal of a comment to make ffs!

Massive changes need to be implemented and I'm not talking about extra training for the players mentioned , I'm talking about changes in starting 11,s and postions need to be made......Sterling CANNOT play on the left...hes largely ineffective ffs!

[South Stand Balti]

If PeP doesn't realize by now that Zabba should only be a sub and Kolorov is one of the worst left backs in the prem and should not start another important game and that Fernando only comes on when we are defending a lead, then I worry for him.

The problem is , PeP has already told the fuckign world that he thinks Kolorov is one of his best players thathe has at his disposal...talk about an own fuckign goal of a comment to make ffs!

Massive changes need to be implemented and I'm not talking about extra training for the players mentioned , I'm talking about changes in starting 11,s and postions need to be made......Sterling CANNOT play on the left...hes largely ineffective ffs!

I generally agree with that but I'm not sure we can fix it without a transfer window. A couple of injuries and a suspension show the lack of balance in the squad. The much lauded strength in depth doesn't really exist. Fern 2 is an example of that. Not sure buying kids in the transfer window was the way forward.

[Tokyo Blue]

Not sure buying kids in the transfer window was the way forward.

All a matter of what sort of time scale you're looking at, mate.

[sheblue]

Would prefer to see nacho left and sterling right rather than sterling left and navas right. Navas was pure shite.