They aren't as good as we made them look. That is the problem. We practically gifted them the wings from the start. Made little to no effort to pressurize the guy on the ball nor following runs. We were far too narrow and defensive and we never had anyone in midfield to challenge for any loose balls.
Match Threads Man City vs Spurs - Match Thread
- Thread starter Bulletspur
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They aren't as good as we made them look. That is the problem. We practically gifted them the wings from the start. Made little to no effort to pressurize the guy on the ball nor following runs. We were far too narrow and defensive and we never had anyone in midfield to challenge for any loose balls.
We’re not where we need to be yet. But we will get there. And we managed to pick up a point away from home out of that yesterday even though they busted us like a piñata. Luckily we wont play them again for a while. We’ll be fine.
ohtottenham!
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- Aug 15, 2013
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I agree with the rest, David, but see any dictionary definition of “luck”, and you'll see “chance” is intrinsic to “luck”; and football's no exception, so it’s not wrong to say some/plenty of that result was down to luck. Definitely felt that way when the final whistle blew.
Armstrong_11
Spurs makes me happy, you... not so much :)
- Aug 3, 2011
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i don't know about you guys...
but i am still VAR-y happy.
but i am still VAR-y happy.
OMG, almost fell out with my long time City friend over this little kerfuffle.
I pointed out that the last time City got a penalty awarded by VAR against us (CL just a few months ago) they didn't even convert it.
I mean Spurs have been screwed over by some of the shittiest penalty decisions in recent times, all clubs get bad decisions, but Man City think there's a conspiracy against them. Score your fucking chances maybe, Lloris had a shit game and you couldn't convert all those missed chances, it's not all down to officials and VAR that Spurs scored 5 goals against you at your place last 3 games.
I pointed out that the last time City got a penalty awarded by VAR against us (CL just a few months ago) they didn't even convert it.
I mean Spurs have been screwed over by some of the shittiest penalty decisions in recent times, all clubs get bad decisions, but Man City think there's a conspiracy against them. Score your fucking chances maybe, Lloris had a shit game and you couldn't convert all those missed chances, it's not all down to officials and VAR that Spurs scored 5 goals against you at your place last 3 games.
jolsnogross
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- May 17, 2005
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They really are that good. Over the last two years, they only get knocked out of a competition by an almost freak result...meaning they win lots of matches and lots of trophies. And this match was another case of it - freakish that we managed a delightful point. I'll agree we weren't at our best. But it is only on our best day we can compete with them. They weren't at their best either or we'd have been thumped.
We didn't make them look good, they made themselves look great because they are such a hard-working team off the ball. Honestly, there may be no other team that can do this to us with regularity. And I say that as someone who reckons we give City as good a run for their money as anyone.
We couldn't get a foothold because they wouldn't let us settle into any sort of rhythm. They are unrelenting. I think that goes unnoticed far too often with City. They are as coordinated and effective, possibly more so, out-of-possession as with it.
If we weren't "narrow and defensive" we may have gotten tonked. I wouldn't blame our set up too much, although I was concerned that Moura wasn't coming on sooner. We could have really used Son as the lone attacker that may have made them think more about the ball over the top. You have to have a way to make them second guess how small they want to squeeze the play.
Gassin's finest
C'est diabolique
- May 12, 2010
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No actually they are. Brutally so. It's like when you were picking teams, and all the best kids wound up on the same side, and they just kept scoring and scoring without let up until you threw a strop and went off to play topp trumps instead.
Man City are like that.
Gassin's finest
C'est diabolique
- May 12, 2010
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That kid has never been anywhere near an exam, let alone an A level. City and Guilds in General Studies more like.
Gb160
Well done boys. Good process
- Jun 20, 2012
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Yeah, its kinda depressing in a way because while they have Pep coaching them, and virtually unlimited spending power, we aren't getting anywhere near them in the league.
Even with loads of injuries they still won the league, and thats with Liverpool playing out of their skin every week and only losing one game.
It's almost like they're playing a different sport sometimes, they're that good.
WhiteHeartLowe
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- Jul 7, 2004
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What is realy scary about them is the talent they have on the bench, they have enough world class players in the squad as a whole for two top premier league teams.
Gb160
Well done boys. Good process
- Jun 20, 2012
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Agreed, even with their injuries last year they're replacing them with world class players off the bench....and they strengthened this summer on top of that.
I think Liverpool went all out for the league last season with their summer spending, and even with being very fortunate with injuries they still came up short.
Even with the injuries you'd expect for any team this season, I don't think they'll be anywhere near City this year, much closer to us than they are to City imo.
On reflection and having re watched a very weird game. The most noticeable for me was difference in energy levels. I’ve no idea how city can keep that press going for 90 minutes it was ridiculous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen us dominated like that in a game and offer so little threat. But on the other hand it never really felt like we were under siege or it was total panic stations. In fact Lloris only had 1 serious save to make and that was a deflected shot from 25 yards. I’m just hoping Pochettino still has them doing double sessions and that could explain the lethargy. But ultimately that’s the toughest test we are gonna face all season including CL no question and we got a point.
smallsnc
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- Mar 30, 2017
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Think Son would have made a big difference. One thing that he provides by consistently moving is a high option down the line or an option to play over the top of Kane with a long diagonal ball. By providing that option it would have forced the back line of City to play a little deeper and either forced them to start their a little further from our goal or provide a few more gaps in the midfield to play through. Dele also offers some of the same threat. Eriksen and Lamela always want the ball at their feet which allowed City to compress the field.
Wheeler Dealer
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- Jul 29, 2011
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We're miles off City and Liverpool, both mentally and tactically. We will need to install greater belief, arrogance and have a balanced playing system. Until we do this, we'll always be in their shadows, irrespective of who the manager is.
smallsnc
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Just to be clear, the trajectory of the ball has nothing to do with whether a player is offside or not. It has everything to do with where the receiving player was when the ball was played relative to where the ball and next to last defender were.
Disagree.
Well played spurs and all you nay sayers can do one and as has been said before they have spent more on full backs in the last four years than we had spent on the whole team . If all the other teams would have spent as much as city in the last four years all the best players in the world would be in the premiership and the football horizon would be completely different to the extent that no one teams domination would be able to exist . For city I read money and I have no respect .
I know that football has always been about money and the rich bullying the poor but the difference is that the clubs like Man Unt / Arsenal / Liverpool. etc have earned the money they spend by years of success on the playing field and therefore they have earned there position of power a club like ours has muscled in on this group by astute management i.E Levy .
City /. PSG / Chelsea / Juventus have all gained their current position of power thru oil money from sheiks who have a disgraceful human rights record that in itself leans to nothing but contempt.
Even Real/ Barca / have help that should not be allowed and it is bordering on state help.
We are doing brilliantly and if you think we can challenge these clubs money wise you perhaps are following the wrong club.
I know that football has always been about money and the rich bullying the poor but the difference is that the clubs like Man Unt / Arsenal / Liverpool. etc have earned the money they spend by years of success on the playing field and therefore they have earned there position of power a club like ours has muscled in on this group by astute management i.E Levy .
City /. PSG / Chelsea / Juventus have all gained their current position of power thru oil money from sheiks who have a disgraceful human rights record that in itself leans to nothing but contempt.
Even Real/ Barca / have help that should not be allowed and it is bordering on state help.
We are doing brilliantly and if you think we can challenge these clubs money wise you perhaps are following the wrong club.
Gareth88
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- Sep 19, 2017
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I also rewatched it and knowing the result it allows for a more level head when watching as nerves are gone. I think obviously City were by far the better team at times we couldn't even get the ball and struggled to string more than 3 passes together in the first half. You are right though we didn't look at any real stage to be a the panic stations, we just couldn't get out of our own half. It was really noticeable the difference when Moura came on it gave us that extra option up front and we started all though briefly to get a foot hold back into the game. I said it a couple of times already but a draw away to Man City is huge at this moment in the season other teams will struggle especially as City get more match time under their belt. I do think Arsenal in two weeks will be another tough away game and as always Liverpool at Anfield will be another tight game. Feeling optimistic about this season though. COYS
Imo, we are not far behind City in terms of individual quality of our XI. The main difference comes from how well drilled they are offensively as a team in my humble opinion...
We really lacked proper runners this game. Some said Son, Dele, Lo Celso wouldn't have made much difference but I disagree a bit. We looked so static. There were a couple of times when Ndomble seemed to want to make a through ball for instance but he didn't have any options in front of him.
The likes of Dele, Son have the ability to find space (KDB is the master at this) and always make themselves available with their great workrate off the ball which would have less isolated Kane, too. We needed someone to run off him and carry the ball up or finish themselves or lay it off to Kane. Plus Lo Celso also along with Son was one of the best ball carriers in Europe last season according to the stats I saw today. So if Lo Celso had been more bedded in and given a run out this game he would have been a great help I imagine.
We really lacked proper runners this game. Some said Son, Dele, Lo Celso wouldn't have made much difference but I disagree a bit. We looked so static. There were a couple of times when Ndomble seemed to want to make a through ball for instance but he didn't have any options in front of him.
The likes of Dele, Son have the ability to find space (KDB is the master at this) and always make themselves available with their great workrate off the ball which would have less isolated Kane, too. We needed someone to run off him and carry the ball up or finish themselves or lay it off to Kane. Plus Lo Celso also along with Son was one of the best ball carriers in Europe last season according to the stats I saw today. So if Lo Celso had been more bedded in and given a run out this game he would have been a great help I imagine.
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