Ok I was referring to the general repetition of style rather than specifically for this match, no-one will deny we always play the same way generally. Lets take the high line at free kicks yesterday, this we always do even when it looks more and more dangerous as our defenders are all running back towards goal instead of facing the ball from deeper...and Romero got caught up in the confusion.The problem imo is we had no control of the midfield. Bentancur was a passenger, Maddison was on the periphery and Hojbjerg’s passing was all over the place. We couldn’t keep hold of the ball so the ball kept on being launched right back at us. I don’t think it was a problem with the defence or even the tactics per se, it’s just we had no control of the ball.
I also wonder what you mean by game management? It’s not like we were committing huge numbers forward? There was no sense of throwing caution to the wind or taking unnecessary risks. Quite the opposite in fact. We were being pinned back and couldn’t wrestle control of the match. We even brought on an extra centre back - the opposite of rigidity given it’s a change of formation and system.
I wish we can just fast forward for 3 games time when we have another 9 points on the board and I can feel positive again.
Ok I was referring to the general repetition of style rather than specifically for this match, no-one will deny we always play the same way generally. Lets take the high line at free kicks yesterday, this we always do even when it looks more and more dangerous as our defenders are all running back towards goal instead of facing the ball from deeper...and Romero got caught up in the confusion.
Also the obvious need for help for Vicario at dead ball situations.
Every successful team has a winding down a match mode . We may have brought on a newbie extra defender, but this was no way a professional seeing out of the game. We don't have that gear drilled into the players because Ange has his style.
You're right off about the bizarre Bents form disappearance, yes I know he's only had 3 games , but I still don't recognise him... Bent's brother is it ?
OK fair enough. We're 6 months in with minimum matches to interrupt training new methods tho, have no 1 defence in place....and look worse defending than our earliest matches.I agree we need to do something to fix the Vicario situation and I’m surprised Ange didn’t after the Man C game.
I disagree though that we should be looking to make major changes to the way Ange wants us to play. This is the first season in hopefully a long project. Yeah once the new style of play is fully established maybe we can start looking to mix things up a bit. But not at this stage of the process imo. Especially when we are trying to establish such a radical change of style from Mourinho/Nuno/Conte.
OK fair enough. We're 6 months in with minimum matches to interrupt training new methods tho, have no 1 defence in place....and look worse defending than our earliest matches.
Poss Prem teams have sussed a way to counteract Ange footy better now which could be why we never look good these days. I dunno, but I'm less confident now than at any point in the season so far.
Fingers crossed for top 4.
OK I hope you're right.As I mentioned earlier, I think yesterday was more to do with the midfield than the defence, and our midfield is far from being back to its best.
I disagree the league has sussed Ange out. It’s not like if they wanted to suss him out they couldn’t have checked out some videos of the way Celtic played? Unless all the coaches in the league limit themselves to watching Premier League matches?
We were at our best earlier in the season when we had most of our best players available and fully fit including e.g Romero, Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison and Son. Then we lost form following several injuries to key players.
Those key players are now returning but several still look at best half fit (e.g Maddison) whilst others are just returning (e.g Sarr) whilst others are not available (e.g Son).
I don’t think it’s a major mystery that we play better when players like Son, Sarr, Bissouma and Maddison play and are fully fit, whilst we struggle a bit when they’re not.
For me we have gone from controlling a decent majority of games to playing the odd good 5 minute spell here or there . I know there’s more to come and players will be back but it’s honestly not that enjoyable to watch at the moment if I’m completely honest . Arsenal , city and Liverpool properly dominate games , that’s the next step for us , yes it’s nice to win games when u don’t play well but that doesn’t last long and results soon change .
As I mentioned earlier, I think yesterday was more to do with the midfield than the defence, and our midfield is far from being back to its best.
I disagree the league has sussed Ange out. It’s not like if they wanted to suss him out they couldn’t have checked out some videos of the way Celtic played? Unless all the coaches in the league limit themselves to watching Premier League matches?
We were at our best earlier in the season when we had most of our best players available and fully fit including e.g Romero, Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison and Son. Then we lost form following several injuries to key players.
Those key players are now returning but several still look at best half fit (e.g Maddison) whilst others are just returning (e.g Sarr) whilst others are not available (e.g Son).
I don’t think it’s a major mystery that we play better when players like Son, Sarr, Bissouma and Maddison play and are fully fit, whilst we struggle a bit when they’re not.
44/57 - 77% completion. He wasn't bad yesterday though, no worse than anyone else, but we looked better when sarr came on as bentancur is still not up to speed and we will be better when we have a 6 like fit bissouma running the midfieldAny stats you look at Hojberg has a pass completion percentage of nearly 90%
Good post and I make you right, I think the general questioning and frustration probably has it's roots in "another transition season", another season without a trophy etc, the reality that had we not lost so many key players things could have been different, or even having slightly better squad depth, we always seem to be playing catch up squad wise due to previous poor recruitment or just the mish mash of players from previous coaches/styles, even moving Kalvin Phillips on could improve City in training by 1%, everything has knock on effects with the system heavy football we have now, 5 or 6 ill fitting cogs, or 70% fit cogs and it just doesn't click.
Frustration and impatience for the promised land is a thing with most fanbases and I think the way we started the season there were a few dreams of this being something magical, alas, we don't seem to be in favour with the football gods.
Any stats you look at Hojberg has a pass completion percentage of nearly 90%
It's the things he can't do that affect our play, that's not his fault, just where we are at the moment squad wise, missing players etc.
Forget the result, can we stop wearing that absolute monstrosity of a shit stained kit please.