***Treble Winners v Palace Official Match Thread***

[Harry Dowd scored]

They say all good things come to an end:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pBo-GL9SRg

[Mase]

We had Alvarez stood in the box, the last thing we needed today was to try and launch balls into him with tall Palace defenders around him.

[s1ty m]

Palace deployed the familiar deep defensive block. Very little room at all through the middle. It was very difficult for Alvarez Rico and Foden as a result. Rodri had more room coming from deeper but we needed to work play down the flanks. Gvardiol and Grealish combined decently down the left but Walker and Bernardo far less well down the right. This was chiefly because Walker simply hasn’t got the technique to put in quality ball from wide positions. Gvardiol I suspect can but he largely left it to Grealish.

Palace played very narrow but we certainly don't help by having our only width coming from two full backs who won't or can't put in a decent ball. Grealish and Silva are on the wrong foot for crossing and have to stop, turn and go back inside. Very frustrating to watch. Gvardiol is a decent player but is never a left back, put him at centre back and Ake at left back. Preferably we should be buying a left back but we've only needed one for the last whole of Guardiola's tenure so he obviously can't see it. Oscar Bobb is a natural wide right player and would be on a high after scoring midweek, he should have been wide right, Silva in the middle and Lewis at right back. Walker the worst of a bad bunch today.

Good post. Gvardiol was horrible, arguably worse.

[carl_feedthegoat]

The finger points at fuckign PeP......He is by far the worst manager in the premier league for using his subs , he gets that right one out of fucking 5 !!!

We have lost most points in injury time or near abouts.

Why the fuck the bald twat doesn't make any changes when we are suffering is beyond the comprehension of MOST CITY FANS!!

[s1ty m]

The finger points at fuckign PeP......He is by far the worst manager in the premier league for using his subs , he gets that right one out of fucking 5 !!!

We have lost most points in injury time or near abouts.

Why the fuck the bald twat doesn't make any changes when we are suffering is beyond the comprehension of MOST CITY FANS!!

Carl, Pep has been unbelievable, as has this era. There are emerging questions, for sure. Quite a few, to be honest. I back the guy, but fuck me this is a bit odd. He's not seeing the bleeding obvious. Happy to listen to opinions.

[Harry Dowd scored]

Apparently we have the lowest points total after this number of games since pep started as manager. Knowing how these guys are with their egos, that is going to rankle with pep

[PaulieIrish]

First City game I haven’t seen in ages (on tv granted). But watching the feed, I can’t believe he didn’t bring on Stones for last 20 mins, or even after they scored, to shore things up. Losing a 2 nil,lead is so unlike us. Like many here, I agre that the squad significantly weaker this summer. A friend who’s a dippers fan said we still have our long unbeaten run to go on after Xmas. This year I’m not so sure it will happen. Even with KBD back, I think we’re missing the match winners of Gundo &Mahrez. Grealish has stepped up last couple of games, but who else? Can we rely on.

Sadly, I don’t think this will be out year

[carl_feedthegoat]

I’m waiting for the usual ‘minority ‘ to come out defending pep because of the ‘treble ‘ we won and to slate anyone who criticises his complete and utter shit use of his subs and his continuous use of a shit performing starting 11 !! Gvardiol = shit ! Walker = shit !game after game after game .

I still just do not get it - Pep has turned into another manager this season , he’s made so many bad decisions that I’ve lost count of them .

[Plain Speaking]

There's quite a few players in this squad Pep just doesn't really trust. Obviously there's Philips but Gomez, and Nunes also, plus he's worried about Stones and Ake getting injured if they play too much. With Doku, Haaland and Kev out it leaves us with a very thin squad. We will likely loan Philips in January but we need a replacement Pep will actually play and trust, because if Rodri gets suspended or injured we're in big trouble.

[zuricity]

Palace played for most of the game with a back line of six , sometimes seven players. For a winger to get to the goal line and get a cross in against seven is very difficult.

we have to force them to come out , even if it means passing the ball between Ed and the defenders for minutes at a time.

Our first goal was deemed marginally onside. VAR could have used video from a split second earlier to prove onside easier.

Until the midfield is full strength again it will be a problem.

Personally, i prefer the midfield players dictating the play and not Dias or Walker.

[PeterParker]

Serious question: Anyone expected this year to have another go? To reach the same level like last season?

Me for sure, remember the 2014 title turnaround

Watch on youtube.com

That's not the same JC.
After the Inter game, the final, we found ourselves in a new situation.
If you look at the pattern in modern football, after a season like that, teams have a mare the next one. They have a hungover.

And about Pep's and the Spafia.
They need to rebuild a lot of shit, but for the moment they seem lost.

[Dubciteh]

I know our attack hasnt functioned properly and we arent clicking but these results have to be on the defence. Two nil up at home against a palace side who were content to lose 2-0 without any shots are then gift wrapped a point.

4 goals against Chelsea
3 goals against spurs

Thats more than enough goals to win those matches.

Win those three games which we scored enough in and threw away in injury time and we are top of the league. Its that simple.

You can live with the arsenal and dippers results as you have them across a season but u cant score all those goals, not win and blame the attack. The defence is a shambles and ironically its the one area of the team we havent been missing any players(stones occasionally aside) and have our biggest depth.

[johnny crossan]

I know our attack hasnt functioned properly and we arent clicking but these results have to be on the defence. Two nil up at home against a palace side who were content to lose 2-0 without any shots are then gift wrapped a point.

4 goals against Chelsea
3 goals against spurs

Thats more than enough goals to win those matches.

Win those three games which we scored enough in and threw away in injury time and we are top of the league. Its that simple.

You can live with the arsenal and dippers results as you have them across a season but u cant score all those goals, not win and blame the attack. The defence is a shambles and ironically its the one area of the team we havent been missing any players(stones occasionally aside) and have our biggest depth.

6 pts adrift but all is not lost yet, we have to play all the teams ahead of us again and they have to play each other - come on the seagulls, the bees & even the rags this afternoon!

[johnny crossan]

Serious question: Anyone expected this year to have another go? To reach the same level like last season?

Me for sure, remember the 2014 title turnaround

Watch on youtube.com

That's not the same JC.
After the Inter game, the final, we found ourselves in a new situation.
If you look at the pattern in modern football, after a season like that, teams have a mare the next one. They have a hungover.

And about Pep's and the Spafia.
They need to rebuild a lot of shit, but for the moment they seem lost.

I remain very hopeful that soon after Christmas KDB will come back firing alongside a fully fit Haaland, Stones & Doku to give us an extra boost. Maybe find a top drawer replacement for Phillips who can get up to speed quickly too.

[nottsblue]

I know our attack hasnt functioned properly and we arent clicking but these results have to be on the defence. Two nil up at home against a palace side who were content to lose 2-0 without any shots are then gift wrapped a point.

4 goals against Chelsea
3 goals against spurs

Thats more than enough goals to win those matches.

Win those three games which we scored enough in and threw away in injury time and we are top of the league. Its that simple.

You can live with the arsenal and dippers results as you have them across a season but u cant score all those goals, not win and blame the attack. The defence is a shambles and ironically its the one area of the team we havent been missing any players(stones occasionally aside) and have our biggest depth.

That is all true

But the chopping and changing of the defence and playing players out of position is on us. Solely us

As is not making subs in games leaving us tired against fresh legs and it's not coincidence we concede so many sloppy late goals.

The season is by no means lost. At all

All we need to do is tighten the screws at the back as we generally score enough. And hopefully someone in our squad/management/coaching team have the balls to take Dias to one side and tell hom in no uncertain terms to pull his fucking finger out, sort his personal shit out, and get back to being Father again

[salford city]

Feels a lot like Brentford last season pre WC. IF we don't bring in a recognised lb in January we need to fuck Walker off and put either Stones or Lewis at RB. There are clearly injury concerns with Stones and Ake which is why we are seeing their game time being managed. Get over to Saudi reset and regroup. Bang some fucking heads together and let's see where we are. All that said, I can see Stones Jack and Dias partying which will totally fuck us over

[sheblue]

It's a bit different this time, we've lost quality and gained mediocre players.
Not writing us off, but we are different to last season.
I never liked gundo when he played at 6, but boy are we missing him at 8.
Kovacic and nunes are mediocre, haven't brought anything to the table. Sorry but one half decent champions league game against crap opposition doesn't cut it.

[Mase]

It's a bit different this time, we've lost quality and gained mediocre players.
Not writing us off, but we are different to last season.
I never liked gundo when he played at 6, but boy are we missing him at 8.
Kovacic and nunes are mediocre, haven't brought anything to the table. Sorry but one half decent champions league game against crap opposition doesn't cut it.

Spot on with everything you’ve said

[johnny crossan]

It's a bit different this time, we've lost quality and gained mediocre players.
Not writing us off, but we are different to last season.
I never liked gundo when he played at 6, but boy are we missing him at 8.
Kovacic and nunes are mediocre, haven't brought anything to the table. Sorry but one half decent champions league game against crap opposition doesn't cut it.

Mahrez & Gundo are undeniably both past their best now but agree in the latter's case his replacement(s) seem to be well off the level we need.

[Mase]

It's a bit different this time, we've lost quality and gained mediocre players.
Not writing us off, but we are different to last season.
I never liked gundo when he played at 6, but boy are we missing him at 8.
Kovacic and nunes are mediocre, haven't brought anything to the table. Sorry but one half decent champions league game against crap opposition doesn't cut it.

Mahrez & Gundo are undeniably both past their best now but agree in the latter's case his replacement(s) seem to be well off the level we need.

Gundo integral to us winning the treble. His goals in the Cup Final and we don’t win it. His goals towards the end of the season in the Prem and we don’t win it.

What in the world makes you think he was past his best?