Man City vs Spurs: Match Thread

[arunspurs]

Janssen - he definitely looks leaner than last preseason & more sharper. The lad needs some luck. 2 games in a row, has had bad luck after good skills on the ball. He will be far far better than last season IMO.

Nkoudou - He is still well down the pecking order but his confidence looks to be better this time. He has produced some good moments, which he lacked last season

 

[guiltyparty]

As Arun mentioned, the most important thing is seeing our first choice players get real minutes this pre-season.

In recent years it seems like such tours were made up of a ragtag side, a few first team players with reserves and youth. This time everyone is getting good minutes on the pitch.

Who gives a fuck if City played with a point to prove? What point are they trying to make exactly? 'We take friendlies very seriously'?
'That'll teach Spurs for finishing above us last season, normal service resumed'? Whatever floats their boat! We'll worry when it actually means something.

I remember last time they rolled in to the right side North London with confidence high. They were top of the league and heavy favourites for the title, boasting a 100% record and the best manager football had ever seen...they got bitch slapped for 90 minutes and sent back oop north well beaten.

Urgh this place is so dull. Report on what you see fairly, with your eyes, and you get a load of this waffle about the greater good and the past. Do we really have to caveat every post with "I love Poch but..."? I think I caveated pretty heavily. I swear half the forum is just the same stuff repeated

We were awful yesterday. Yes it's a friendly. Yes we've had 3 games in a week. No it doesn't mean anything, but you can still learn from it. That is, after all, what they're actually for. I don't need a positive spin, I am positive, but can still spot a shit show when I see one. But thanks for adding so much to the conversation.

As for the last point, the teams have completely different players now. One of the best defence in the league last year will now be playing against us, for one.

But. Cheers. For. That

 

[arunspurs]

Urgh this place is so dull. Report on what you see fairly, with your eyes, and you get a load of this waffle about the greater good and the past. Do we really have to caveat every post with "I love Poch but..."? I think I caveated pretty heavily. I swear half the forum is just the same stuff repeated

We were awful yesterday. Yes it's a friendly. Yes we've had 3 games in a week. No it doesn't mean anything, but you can still learn from it. That is, after all, what they're actually for. I don't need a positive spin, I am positive, but can still spot a shit show when I see one. But thanks for adding so much to the conversation.

As for the last point, the teams have completely different players now. One of the best defence in the league last year will now be playing against us, for one.

But. Cheers. For. That

No one says yesterday was not a shit show. The difference is you seem to think this will continue in PL. I do not.
I have seen our team defenses to best in league for 2 years running. And it is not because of Kyle Walker.
Come PL season, we will continue to be one of the top defensive sides - there is no question about it.

 

[bigfrooj]

I watched this on my phone in a busy pub with no sound. We looked like a team playing a game in the afternoon after a full morning training which we essentially were after a full week of training and playing. The team will start the season fit and this game meant little in the long run except as part of that training regime. No meltdown required ladies.

 

[shelfboy68]

No one says yesterday was not a shit show. The difference is you seem to think this will continue in PL. I do not.
I have seen our team defenses to best in league for 2 years running. And it is not because of Kyle Walker.
Come PL season, we will continue to be one of the top defensive sides - there is no question about it.

Whilst it's nothing to panic about result wise what yesterday showed was one team revitalised by new signings, and another one in need of them.

 

[arunspurs]

Whilst it's nothing to panic about result wise what yesterday showed was one team revitalised by new signings, and another one in need of them.

We see what we want to see.

I agree City have improved. But just rewind back to game away at City. Even there, they deserved to win, ripped us apart but we came back to a 2-2. Not much changed from that game. We were bad , yes. But had our players taken the chances very early in game (before they got into their strides), it could have been a different game.

 

[shelfboy68]

We see what we want to see.

I agree City have improved. But just rewind back to game away at City. Even there, they deserved to win, ripped us apart but we came back to a 2-2. Not much changed from that game. We were bad , yes. But had our players taken the chances very early in game (before they got into their strides), it could have been a different game.

I don't think anyone can see different to what happened last night as one team looked a lot better than another one.
Yes it is only a friendly so a bit of slack can be given thankfully it wasn't a competitive match, otherwise a lot more would have been made of the result.
Like I said the signings have improved them and they look on the evidence so far a very good team who imo will win the title, I seriously cannot see us competing with the likes of them for it.

 

[daryl hannah]

We see what we want to see.

I agree City have improved. But just rewind back to game away at City. Even there, they deserved to win, ripped us apart but we came back to a 2-2. Not much changed from that game. We were bad , yes. But had our players taken the chances very early in game (before they got into their strides), it could have been a different game.

They could have had a hatful, but didn't and only scored from a set piece against our 'best available XI'.

Agree it was very similar to the 2-2 of last season. Pep out-tacticked Poch again. Our lads however weren't even pressing and resorted a to route 1 football. Not very characteristic of the Spurs team we know.

 

[shelfboy68]

They could have had a hatful, but didn't and only scored from a set piece against our 'best available XI'.

Agree it was very similar to the 2-2 of last season. Pep out-tacticked Poch again. Our lads however weren't even pressing and resorted a to route 1 football. Not very characteristic of the Spurs team we know.

Might be a similar scenario to when we play Liverpool we never seem to have an answer to their pressing game and usually ends in defeat.
Sometimes there are teams that you can struggle against for various reasons.

 

[Dundalk_Spur]

Pep has shown his hand, high line almost to the halfway line.

If Sonny is fit, him and Kane will have a field day after practicing runs from within their own half onto long balls.

 

[daryl hannah]

Might be a similar scenario to when we play Liverpool we never seem to have an answer to their pressing game and usually ends in defeat.
Sometimes there are teams that you can struggle against for various reasons.

We def seem to struggle against teams that press us and press us high.

 

[StevePil]

we were shit - that is all! they deserved to beat us, more than 3 IMO too so we got a bit lucky in the end it wasn't a rout.

But... it means nothing. I would take a loss of 10 - 0 to City in a pre season game, if we got 6 points off them when it matters so lets not cause a meltdown yet.

my biggest fear remains the squad depth, no Wanyama last night and Winks is clearly not fit yet - look at the impact, we had no-one to step in, our bench is as weak as a bottom half team in the league. This needs sorting in this last month and I think Levy comments in week that manager is happy and will use youth etc is not quite true if you listen to Poch last night, so my main "meltdown" is if Levy doesn't start backing him soon, we may have a much bigger problem on our hands.

Lets see how the season goes though, if we make some signing I am still confident of top 4, if we go into the season with the same squad we will find it tough and then we can moan next summer.

 

[myhartlane]

As long as we don't see a similar performance against juve next week then we'll be fine.

Let's not forget that 3 points against Huddersfield away is a great deal more important to us all than a meaningless friendly against Juventus.

 

[shelfboy68]

we were shit - that is all! they deserved to beat us, more than 3 IMO too so we got a bit lucky in the end it wasn't a rout.

But... it means nothing. I would take a loss of 10 - 0 to City in a pre season game, if we got 6 points off them when it matters so lets not cause a meltdown yet.

my biggest fear remains the squad depth, no Wanyama last night and Winks is clearly not fit yet - look at the impact, we had no-one to step in, our bench is as weak as a bottom half team in the league. This needs sorting in this last month and I think Levy comments in week that manager is happy and will use youth etc is not quite true if you listen to Poch last night, so my main "meltdown" is if Levy doesn't start backing him soon, we may have a much bigger problem on our hands.

Lets see how the season goes though, if we make some signing I am still confident of top 4, if we go into the season with the same squad we will find it tough and then we can moan next summer.

Not sure when the season starts but would not be surprised if we still have no one in by then.
I admire poch for being so dignified on this as others such as mourhino etc would be screaming to the press by now and in a way they are right.
Personally I think it's ridiculous that we have not bought anyone in and it's August Tuesday, other clubs have done it so what is the problem.
I guess the answer is that levy feels he gets better value by saving a couple of grand here and there.

 

[Mark_147]

I don't think anyone can see different to what happened last night as one team looked a lot better than another one.
Yes it is only a friendly so a bit of slack can be given thankfully it wasn't a competitive match, otherwise a lot more would have been made of the result.
Like I said the signings have improved them and they look on the evidence so far a very good team who imo will win the title, I seriously cannot see us competing with the likes of them for it.

For god's sake it's a Pre season game. Last season I watched Liverpool spank Barcelona 4-0 in a Pre season friendly and they were all of a sudden title favourites. City also won their first 6 games last and were also then installed as title favourites. I think they both finished below us in end.

 

[StevePil]

Not sure when the season starts but would not be surprised if we still have no one in by then.
I admire poch for being so dignified on this as others such as mourhino etc would be screaming to the press by now and in a way they are right.
Personally I think it's ridiculous that we have not bought anyone in and it's August Tuesday, other clubs have done it so what is the problem.
I guess the answer is that levy feels he gets better value by saving a couple of grand here and there.

Levy will never change, he has done wonders for this club but if he doesn't change when the stadium is sorted, he will need to go IMO as we will just stay in the same sequence we have for the last few years, build a good squad - win nothing - lose players - start again.

I give him benefit due to what he has done - I remember Sugar days too well but the stadium needs to be make or break for me with Levy

 

[Krafty]

Last season City won something like six on the bounce at the start, then wilted after losing to us.

We started slower, then came good and ultimately finished higher.

It wouldn't surprise me if the same happened again.

 

[rabbikeane]

We will get better, but there were a lot to worry about last night. Especially signs that we've lost the part of our game that had fast speed. At our peak last season we had the wing backs as our strongest card with no team capable to cope with how fast Walker and Rose came at them. Saying Walker had little to do with our strong defence last season is also false in my opinion, his recovery pace was cruicial for us. We thought we'd struggle with Rose out injured, but Davies raised to the challenge and we looked ok with just one extreme wide back. It gave some sort of balance. With them both out however, like we'll start this season. I fear we'll both be dull in attack and exposed at the back - especially if we insist on same play style as before.

I suspect that we'll struggle more against the top teams this season, Liverpool will be all pain. Though we can still compete by beating all the other team .. if they rise to the Wembley occasion and all play above their level ....

It doesn't make it any better that City now have bought what used to be our superior strength. Partly from us, but also else where. Walker+Mendy will be an issue

 

[Lilbaz]

I am usually in your corner Lilbaz but not on this occasion. Its not looking for a player to hate, they are just being real with their assessment ie he was woeful! I personally am not surprised with his performance as I have observed his limitations for some time, but it was papered over because of our overall performance and good results last season.

I can understand criticism and i can understand people going a bit ott as they are a bit upset. But with everyone fit dier would not be our first choice cm anyway. Just don't want to see some of our fans start to turn on him.

 

[mpickard2087]

No matter how good our defensive record on the whole has been in the last couple of seasons, I wont be impressed if Poch doesn't sort out our defending at set pieces. Whether we concede or not its usually so weak - especially for a 'big' team that some weeks is virtually all 6ft+.

We talk about how we could improve, in what ways we could bridge the gap and get our noses over the finishing line first, eek out the marginal gains... Well this is definitely one area.