Douglas Higginbottom wrote:iwasthere2012 wrote:Beefymcfc wrote:Were we allowed to play?
Some of the shit that went on in that game made me feel we were playing against 12 men. After a while it must really get the players down.
It wasn't a poor game by us, not the best, but not the worst.
Stayed up a bit just to watch the replays on SSN and they are now reporting that Everton missed the chance to go 2 up with Lukaku's slide to the back post, totally disregarding the fact that the ref gave offside for Lukaku.
A strange game tonight, that I thought, from the comfort of my large chair, was decided by PiGMOL and the way they officiate.
Still gets me that the cunts had plenty off time to show the Navas stonewall but failed to show it until Everton had scored again, as if subliminely saying it dfid not matter.
I hear what you're saying and felt pretty much the same about the ref all through the game. But there was a lot wrong with that performance that is the norm now, as I said earlier. I'm going to sleep on it though and maybe try and think rationally tomorrow.
I still think it's not s major overhaul that is needed, but certainly a change of pace and attitudes.
Goodnight.
There was a lot wrong but it was not as bad as the knee jerkers are making it out to be. The reality is we have started to expect top notch perfomances and anything less is deemed to be utter shite. There is somewhere in the middle and a lot of our efforts (home and away) are in the middle ground.
Having said that there are some individual bits which are appalling and I would say Yaya fell into that category tonight. Apart from the fact that most of us wouldn't start him I actually wouldn't know how bext to use him if he does play. When he plays in a deeper role in midfield he can be a total liability as he cannot and does not defend.Any team worth their salt can target him and the gaps he leaves.
But today he played more forward and was totally ineffective. Everton got to him quickly and completely snuffed him out. We all hoped he would produce something special as he has been but nothing tonight. We lost 2.1 had a penalty not given which was a joke and Kun missed a sitter. All the talk about their chances and goals disallowed are complete nonsense as they were all offside as we got it right in defence with the high line.
I agree we looked dodgy at the back especially when they broke through the middle of the park where Yaya wasn't but they didn't force Willy into too many saves did they so we can't have been all that bad.
Going forward was too slow (Yaya) but yet again we had Silva,Kun and Kevin not quite doing it.
This is long. Sorry, but here goes.
Well I've slept on it and have read down though the rest of this thread. This isn't an answer to your post solely Doug, but it's as good a place to reply as anywhere else as I think you've written a fairly balanced view of last night's game. I also agree with much of what Sparticus, Mr_Nool, some of Dub City, Hazy and dare I say it, Phips have written.
Last night's result wasn't a disaster, but the manner in which we are losing games that are actually there for the winning is very concerning. Let's get it out of the way firstly, Yaya has become a liability to the team. I don't think he's a lazy cnut or anything like that. Quite simply his brain is writing cheques his body can't cash. He knows what he wants to do, but the legs just won't carry him anymore. Not just running. Stretching for balls he should control, a yard off the pace constantly which puts him under more pressure than he was ever used too, which leads to him giving the ball away and not chasing back after. As someone said, 90 minutes a week is pushing it with him, never mind every three days.
That malaise seems to be affecting the whole team. If you take our performances in general and not just last night, I think our passing has gone to pot. We give the ball away very cheaply. Even players like Silva, KDB, Aguero who we would consider to have excellent technique are being caught in possession or giving away a weak two yard pass. Kevin does it all the time as does Kolorov. They dwell too long like they have all day and people press them and get a toe in.
Others that are not as technically gifted find themselves under more pressure than they can handle and we give up too many opportunities from our own cock-ups. The whole team is creaking a bit and for large spells of games can look like a very in-cohesive unit. Other teams in the league can see this as plainly as we can and are playing against our weakness.
Why this is happening is a difficult one that could have a lot to do with the mind-set of the team. I don’t know any better than anyone else on here what goes on behind the scenes and what the atmosphere is like so there is no point in speculating. One thing for sure though, the lack of urgency and pace at which we play is causing us problems throughout the team. I think the lack of movement and speed of attack are related to the simplicity with which we misplace passes. It’s all too slow and stale. We need an infusion of youth. I don’t mean Iheanacho is the panacea to all our ills, but we really need to freshen up things. Others teams throughout the league do it. Ourselves and probably Chelsea haven’t done it and both are suffering.
I really think the likes of Silva and Aguero would be refreshed with youthful exhuberance buzzing around them and pulling defences out of position. KDB and Sterling are young but I fear both are getting into bad habits in this team that should be nipped in the bud now.
I don’t think it is any co-incident that in recent games our upturn in performances has happened after the introduction of Navas. We all know his faults, but the fact is things speed up when he comes on. Delighted that he scored last night and hope it does him the world of good. The thing is he ran from the edge of our box after a long ball up to Aguero to get into the Everton box to receive a pass from Kun. Even Silva looked more up for it for the last 15 minutes when things started opening up a little. Navas quite often doesn’t find a way to get the ball through a crowded box, but he more often than not has defenders doubling up on him to cover his pace. This gives a bit more space to the likes of Silva.
I’m not angry about last night but was extremely disappointed how yet again we field what looks like a team of wimps. (Fernandihno gets an honourable exemption). The majority of our midfield are not honest in the effort to close down the opposition. De Bruyne annoys me greatly in this part of his game. It is far too easy to waltz by him and quite often can be seen doing an impression of Yaya after he’s lost it. Sterling hits the ground far too easily and would do well to learn from Navas who isn’t nearly as easy to barge off the ball.
Our defence is much maligned on here, so I won’t go over the obvious, but how we are in the situation we are in regarding adequate cover really needs to be questioned. Simple things bug me though, like how when we are not even being challenged for a high ball that we cannot seem to head a ball to a teammate. The same goes for our midfield. We seem incapable of clearing and finding a City player in the simplest of situations. We just invite more pressure.
I’ve no problem with Willy in goals but he should have pushed that first goal clear of the six-yard box. That is something Hart was doing as well a couple of seasons ago.
As for Fernando coming on at the end, well that spoke volumes, in my book. Pellers was happy to take a 2-1 defeat. Where has the attack minded football gone? Out the window with our lack of pace.
All’s not lost but it is a big concern that City are not picking up the pace. As I’ve said and I think Dub City agreed, God help us facing an up for it Liverpool in a final, if we are not prepared to match their work rate in the opening half-hour. It would be unbearable to be embarrassed by that lot in a final.
A tweak here and there will do it though. If it requires more youth to put a bit of zip into proceedings then I’m all for it. Pick players on form. Use Yaya sparingly if at all.
