Better quality players v better organised team.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

Ted, the problems go beyond this game.
We won the league on goal dfference. Since then, we lost two good players and haven't replaced them. We went backwards - or sideways. They signed RVP, massively improving them as a team, it's no surprise they're in the lead.

The main issue is that, winning the league clouded everyones judgement and we all forgot about our (sometimes blatant) weaknesses of last season. We still moved the ball too slowly last season at times, were wasteful in and around the box etc. None of these issues were adressed. Defensively we're the same but we've gone backwards offensively.

You watch them play, they move the ball twice as quick as we do, spread the play and flood the box.
We seem intent on walking the ball into the net.

We have always had problems defensively against that kind of play imo. It's just that we haven't seen so much of it domestically, more in europe. Now the Premier League is learning.

Imo we need both Mancini to up his game to the next level, & the club to bring in several top players.

I think both will happen.

Let's hope so. We still need a long term quality forward to partner Aguerro.
Nasri needs to go, Barry and Garcia in the middle are too static, only need one of them.

[Hazy2]

Its called pressing and it only works if all 10 outfield players are doing it properly.

You can either press, or find shape when the ball changes hands. Sadly we did neither and got raped on the counter time and time again.

If the dippers were decent we could have been mullered. The space behind our midfield like against the rags leaves us open to C.A we never had the problem when NDJ was sitting. Shape was all over the shop Sunday. We looked leggy and clueless at times.

We did have the same problem when Nige was there, in fact we had the problem v Liverpool, Napoli & Bayern when they beat us last season & when Nige played v Southampton this season.

We are weak tactically as a team in that area when teams have a bit of pace & are well drilled.

We beat Arsenal playing high tempo and high line, Liverpool did the same to us, The manager seems to have an issue with a Plan B I know we went 3 at the back, but that was forced, what do you think of no Tevez.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

Watching Spurs v the Rags, Lennon stood out as exactly the type of player we need. Every time he got the ball he took on men, he ran at men and committed them. None of this tip tappy shit. He caused them problems all game with his pace and dribbling. I've been saying for the last 4 years we need a player like this and we still don't have.

[bobby brows]

Ted, the problems go beyond this game.
We won the league on goal dfference. Since then, we lost two good players and haven't replaced them. We went backwards - or sideways. They signed RVP, massively improving them as a team, it's no surprise they're in the lead.

The main issue is that, winning the league clouded everyones judgement and we all forgot about our (sometimes blatant) weaknesses of last season. We still moved the ball too slowly last season at times, were wasteful in and around the box etc. None of these issues were adressed. Defensively we're the same but we've gone backwards offensively.

You watch them play, they move the ball twice as quick as we do, spread the play and flood the box.
We seem intent on walking the ball into the net.

We have always had problems defensively against that kind of play imo. It's just that we haven't seen so much of it domestically, more in europe. Now the Premier League is learning.

Imo we need both Mancini to up his game to the next level, & the club to bring in several top players.

I think both will happen.

I thought it was quite funny that he was trying to develop Plan B in the summer playing 352 when Plan A hadn't fully been discovered.

I'm still not sure that Mancini knows what his best XI is and the fact that Garcia has been preferred to Milner at times and the fact that he's left Nasri out for long spells is evidence of that. I think we won the league last year in spite of our tactics at times and a big factor for this was Micah Richards. Micah missing all of this season practically and Mancini's failure to replicate or replace has been the catalyst for our title race failings. The closest we've come is Zabba and Milner playing as a pair.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

Ted, the problems go beyond this game.
We won the league on goal dfference. Since then, we lost two good players and haven't replaced them. We went backwards - or sideways. They signed RVP, massively improving them as a team, it's no surprise they're in the lead.

The main issue is that, winning the league clouded everyones judgement and we all forgot about our (sometimes blatant) weaknesses of last season. We still moved the ball too slowly last season at times, were wasteful in and around the box etc. None of these issues were adressed. Defensively we're the same but we've gone backwards offensively.

You watch them play, they move the ball twice as quick as we do, spread the play and flood the box.
We seem intent on walking the ball into the net.

We have always had problems defensively against that kind of play imo. It's just that we haven't seen so much of it domestically, more in europe. Now the Premier League is learning.

Imo we need both Mancini to up his game to the next level, & the club to bring in several top players.

I think both will happen.

I thought it was quite funny that he was trying to develop Plan B in the summer playing 352 when Plan A hadn't fully been discovered.

I'm still not sure that Mancini knows what his best XI is and the fact that Garcia has been preferred to Milner at times and the fact that he's left Nasri out for long spells is evidence of that. I think we won the league last year in spite of our tactics at times and a big factor for this was Micah Richards. Micah missing all of this season practically and Mancini's failure to replicate or replace has been the catalyst for our title race failings. The closest we've come is Zabba and Milner playing as a pair.

I agree that we've missed Richards but Zabba's been great. It's more to do that more and more teams have sussed us out, we haven't adapted whereas the Rags have massively improved.

[dazby]

Watching Spurs v the Rags, Lennon stood out as exactly the type of player we need. Every time he got the ball he took on men, he ran at men and committed them. None of this tip tappy shit. He caused them problems all game with his pace and dribbling. I've been saying for the last 4 years we need a player like this and we still don't have.

We do too. His name is Scott Sinclair.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

We do too. His name is Scott Sinclair.

Sinclair is shit.

[dazby]

How do you know?

[Socrates]

I think this thread kind of touches on the gripe I've had with Mancini.

Football is not just about buying the best players at each position from all over the world and
assembling a super squad that turns into insta-winning. not even close. our current problems
will not be fully solved by acquiring Cavani or Falcao. They surely weren't by acquiring Aguero
last year.....yes, those guys are banging in the goals. well, they're in different, weaker leagues.
but, football is about having an organized team with good communication and some skilled players
without..not necessarily all world class players.

so, Mancini doesn't need to go out and blow 50m euros on Cavani. he needs to work on the organization
and tactics of the squad. the solution to losing isn't just to buy buy buy.

Mancini doesn't buy the players mate, he hasn't been getting his first choices though and that is showing more than I expected it to. I thought we were still gelling last season but instead of gelling more we seem to have become a bit unstuck. That said I am not adding to the doom and gloom, we won the title ahead of schedule and are still building. The idea that our improvement would be straight line was perhaps a bit unrealistic. People go on about the money but our overall expenditure annually now matches the rags rather than exceeding it. Given their sustained spending over decades, we are doing well to be competing strongly with them so soon! There is still a great opportunity coming when SBF goes and we need to hold our nerve now and continue to build in a stable way.

[Hazy2]

I think this thread kind of touches on the gripe I've had with Mancini.

Football is not just about buying the best players at each position from all over the world and
assembling a super squad that turns into insta-winning. not even close. our current problems
will not be fully solved by acquiring Cavani or Falcao. They surely weren't by acquiring Aguero
last year.....yes, those guys are banging in the goals. well, they're in different, weaker leagues.
but, football is about having an organized team with good communication and some skilled players
without..not necessarily all world class players.

so, Mancini doesn't need to go out and blow 50m euros on Cavani. he needs to work on the organization
and tactics of the squad. the solution to losing isn't just to buy buy buy.

Mancini doesn't buy the players mate, he hasn't been getting his first choices though and that is showing more than I expected it to. I thought we were still gelling last season but instead of gelling more we seem to have become a bit unstuck. That said I am not adding to the doom and gloom, we won the title ahead of schedule and are still building. The idea that our improvement would be straight line was perhaps a bit unrealistic. People go on about the money but our overall expenditure annually now matches the rags rather than exceeding it. Given their sustained spending over decades, we are doing well to be competing strongly with them so soon! There is still a great opportunity coming when SBF goes and we need to hold our nerve now and continue to build in a stable way.

the building has stalled dont no why or how, the players we have should be tearing the league to bits, we have a great squad, at times like QPR, shit tactics and a lack of width In fact clueless look about us, same thing down the middle, The rags are making the most of our draws and failure to beat teams intent on surviving, They find a way. We are nailed on 2nd,should be delighted, fact is we are failing at the mo to cement, the league we should own ,the rags will dip, so not all lost yet, but a braver manager needed and by that I mean Mancini taking of the brakes.

[phips]

I think this thread kind of touches on the gripe I've had with Mancini.

Football is not just about buying the best players at each position from all over the world and
assembling a super squad that turns into insta-winning. not even close. our current problems
will not be fully solved by acquiring Cavani or Falcao. They surely weren't by acquiring Aguero
last year.....yes, those guys are banging in the goals. well, they're in different, weaker leagues.
but, football is about having an organized team with good communication and some skilled players
without..not necessarily all world class players.

so, Mancini doesn't need to go out and blow 50m euros on Cavani. he needs to work on the organization
and tactics of the squad. the solution to losing isn't just to buy buy buy.

Mancini doesn't buy the players mate, he hasn't been getting his first choices though and that is showing more than I expected it to. I thought we were still gelling last season but instead of gelling more we seem to have become a bit unstuck. That said I am not adding to the doom and gloom, we won the title ahead of schedule and are still building. The idea that our improvement would be straight line was perhaps a bit unrealistic. People go on about the money but our overall expenditure annually now matches the rags rather than exceeding it. Given their sustained spending over decades, we are doing well to be competing strongly with them so soon! There is still a great opportunity coming when SBF goes and we need to hold our nerve now and continue to build in a stable way.

Yeah, i see your point. And thats and good and fine.

Whoever it is that decides we need 4-5 new players every window is fucking stupid. Like I said, the solution to losses isn't to buy buy buy.