***City v Spurs Official Match Thread***

[zabbadabbado]

Wasn't able to watch the game yesterday and just caught up with the highlights. On the issue of Trafford and possibility of signing Donnarumma, I feel that Trafford knew the pass to Nico was dangerous but thought that was what Pep would want done in that situation. He isn't strong enough in character to do what Ederson or I suspect Donnarumma would have done and put his foot through the ball and if needed tell the manager later that it was better to do that than lose a goal. Unfortunately Trafford is just at the start of what looks like being a good career but I feel we can't turn down the chance of signing Donnarumma as he has the strength of character and will to tell the manager that he can want the ball passed about at the back but sometimes the keeper has to out laces through the ball and be safe.

Good point you make there about Trafford thinking it was Pep would have wanted. You could be on to something.

It is well documented Pep frowns up on hoofing the Ball up field under any circumstances preferring to play out from the back regardless of the Press.

[PeterParker]

Asking Donnarumna to pass on the back will be comedy gold.

[Mase]

Asking Donnarumna to pass on the back will be comedy gold.

I thought the same, but apparently not -

Watch on youtube.com

Looks like he's better than Alison, Raya and Courtio with his passing

[Harry Dowd scored]

Wasn't able to watch the game yesterday and just caught up with the highlights. On the issue of Trafford and possibility of signing Donnarumma, I feel that Trafford knew the pass to Nico was dangerous but thought that was what Pep would want done in that situation. He isn't strong enough in character to do what Ederson or I suspect Donnarumma would have done and put his foot through the ball and if needed tell the manager later that it was better to do that than lose a goal. Unfortunately Trafford is just at the start of what looks like being a good career but I feel we can't turn down the chance of signing Donnarumma as he has the strength of character and will to tell the manager that he can want the ball passed about at the back but sometimes the keeper has to out laces through the ball and be safe.

Good point you make there about Trafford thinking it was Pep would have wanted. You could be on to something.

It is well documented Pep frowns up on hoofing the Ball up field under any circumstances preferring to play out from the back regardless of the Press.

Yes & therein lies the problem, how many times is there a fuck up by not sensibly clearing the danger than playing into danger.

[PeterParker]

Here you go

Pep Guardiola asked if he will re-assess playing with a high line after being caught out for Tottenham’s opening goal:

“No, I don’t think so. During sixteen years I’ve liked to be aggressive as a team.

Sometimes we cannot do it, but we will continue to do it - we will adjust, of course, I’m not saying all the time.

I’m not naive to say [we will do it] when the situation is going bad, but the intention to be aggressive, we have done it all the time and we will continue to do it.”

[sheblue]

Didn't see the game, probably not a bad thing. Big pressure on next week, cant really have two defeats on the bounce heading into the game against the red shite.

[Hazy2]

Didn't see the game, probably not a bad thing. Big pressure on next week, cant really have two defeats on the bounce heading into the game against the red shite.

I’m away so did not see it. 2 defeats the league will will difficult!!

[Indianablue]

Here you go

Pep Guardiola asked if he will re-assess playing with a high line after being caught out for Tottenham’s opening goal:

“No, I don’t think so. During sixteen years I’ve liked to be aggressive as a team.

Sometimes we cannot do it, but we will continue to do it - we will adjust, of course, I’m not saying all the time.

I’m not naive to say [we will do it] when the situation is going bad, but the intention to be aggressive, we have done it all the time and we will continue to do it.”

Its only agressive if you have fit, fast and aggressive players

[Nickyboy]

Here you go

Pep Guardiola asked if he will re-assess playing with a high line after being caught out for Tottenham’s opening goal:

“No, I don’t think so. During sixteen years I’ve liked to be aggressive as a team.

Sometimes we cannot do it, but we will continue to do it - we will adjust, of course, I’m not saying all the time.

I’m not naive to say [we will do it] when the situation is going bad, but the intention to be aggressive, we have done it all the time and we will continue to do it.”

Its only agressive if you have fit, fast and aggressive players

Last week the offside trap was well drilled and worked really well.

On Saturday it failed by the tightest of margins for the first goal because Stones slipped stepping out.

We're not going to have it all out own way like in the past because the standard of all teams feels a lot better - but its going to be a really interesting and tight season. Just a concern with me about the mentality of the new and younger players of being able to handle it as well as some of those we've had in the past.

I'm forever the optimist, pretty sure I used to always say we needed to give Pearce and even Alan Ball before him more time and it wasn't as bad as it looks and it was all down to misfortune.... But these days I think I've got a little more to back it up. Need a big statement win in the next match - if not then my opinion might start to change - also think we'll be more consistent once the window shuts - then we know who is in and who has gone and can just get their heads down and get on!

[Mase]

Here you go

Pep Guardiola asked if he will re-assess playing with a high line after being caught out for Tottenham’s opening goal:

“No, I don’t think so. During sixteen years I’ve liked to be aggressive as a team.

Sometimes we cannot do it, but we will continue to do it - we will adjust, of course, I’m not saying all the time.

I’m not naive to say [we will do it] when the situation is going bad, but the intention to be aggressive, we have done it all the time and we will continue to do it.”

Its only agressive if you have fit, fast and aggressive players

Khus

[Nickyboy]

Here you go

Pep Guardiola asked if he will re-assess playing with a high line after being caught out for Tottenham’s opening goal:

“No, I don’t think so. During sixteen years I’ve liked to be aggressive as a team.

Sometimes we cannot do it, but we will continue to do it - we will adjust, of course, I’m not saying all the time.

I’m not naive to say [we will do it] when the situation is going bad, but the intention to be aggressive, we have done it all the time and we will continue to do it.”

Its only agressive if you have fit, fast and aggressive players

Khus

100%. Him and Stones would be my first choice pairing

[stupot]

Here you go

Pep Guardiola asked if he will re-assess playing with a high line after being caught out for Tottenham’s opening goal:

“No, I don’t think so. During sixteen years I’ve liked to be aggressive as a team.

Sometimes we cannot do it, but we will continue to do it - we will adjust, of course, I’m not saying all the time.

I’m not naive to say [we will do it] when the situation is going bad, but the intention to be aggressive, we have done it all the time and we will continue to do it.”

Its only agressive if you have fit, fast and aggressive players

Khus

100%. Him and Stones would be my first choice pairing

He'd be my 1st reserve.
Gvardiol and Stones for me when both fit.
Khus definitely ahead of Dias

[Im_Spartacus]

It's the same old story - we make a couple of mistakes and get punished, the opposition make a couple of mistakes and we don't punish them.

While the defending for the spurs goals was weak, ultimately the issue continues to be our lack of ability to fashion chances for our forward players - and by the looks of it, hqalf the team having a fucking nightmare - there were a few on the pitch who won't play that badly again all season. At half time through, I was fairly sure it was still our game to win - spurs dropped back with the low block and the game was effectively over.

Few observations:
- Playing high can work with someone like Walker with pace - I think we have to re-evaluate that approach, and I think Pep knows it too
- Trafford was nervous on the ball from the get go, no way in the world at Burnley he wasn't putting his foot through the ball in that situation, but it doesn't excuse playing such a simple pass so badly when he wasn't even under pressure.
- The Trafford pass is probably the clearest and most ridiculous example we will ever see of "The Grealish Effect" - forcing players away from their natural instincts too often.

[Mase]

Here you go

Pep Guardiola asked if he will re-assess playing with a high line after being caught out for Tottenham’s opening goal:

“No, I don’t think so. During sixteen years I’ve liked to be aggressive as a team.

Sometimes we cannot do it, but we will continue to do it - we will adjust, of course, I’m not saying all the time.

I’m not naive to say [we will do it] when the situation is going bad, but the intention to be aggressive, we have done it all the time and we will continue to do it.”

Its only agressive if you have fit, fast and aggressive players

Khus

100%. Him and Stones would be my first choice pairing

He'd be my 1st reserve.
Gvardiol and Stones for me when both fit.
Khus definitely ahead of Dias

We might need Josko at LB now, any news on RAN?

[sheblue]

We need a bit of pace in the backline when we get caught out high up the pitch.
Get Khus and Nunes into the team.
Dias is as fast as the titanic.

[PeterParker]

Someone said a while back that throwing Khus vs Chelsea after he just arrived was a fuck you to the board and I am starting to think that is the case.

The kid will not get the chances we are hoping he would. He is the fifth choice as a RB after Nunes, Lewis, Akanji and Stones.

[Harry Dowd scored]

We need a bit of pace in the backline when we get caught out high up the pitch.
Get Khus and Nunes into the team.
Dias is as fast as the titanic.

I have been informed milk turns faster than Dias

[Mase]

Dunnie was quicker than Dias

[stupot]

3 weeks apparently for RAN so hopefully straight after International break

[sheblue]

Someone said a while back that throwing Khus vs Chelsea after he just arrived was a fuck you to the board and I am starting to think that is the case.

The kid will not get the chances we are hoping he would. He is the fifth choice as a RB after Nunes, Lewis, Akanji and Stones.

But he is not a right back. He is a central defender that is where we should play him. I think going forward Khusanov and Josko will be our CB pairing. With Nouri at left back. Right back is another matter and I absolutely hate that were doing nothing about it. I think its crazy we made ZERO attempts to replace Walker who we knew was fucked two years ago. Nunes trys but he is not an instinctive natural defender who can see danger and deal with it in time, same for Lewis, they are squad midfielders and there is no defensive balance with square pegs in round holes.
Look at our rivals both domestic and in Europe they don't have squad midfielders in key defensive positions.