Overall I'm just pissed that this was City at probably their worst this season and we still couldn't get anything out of the game. Lamela did fluff a glorious chance while Kane's first touch when through on goal was that of a rapists but Ederson wasn't really tested otherwise. That's just poor. If we want to start solidifying ourselves as a truly top side we must do better in games that present few chances, because that's what separates great from very good, need to be more clinical. Dembele should've been sold - and replaced - in the summer, while Hugo... Hate saying it but we need a new number one, there's a new breed of keeper now (Ederson, Alisson, ter Stegen, Pickford etc) and I think we need to get with the times, that and the fact Hugo has been one of our poorest players for the past 15 or so months. Can't keep hanging on to the "he carried us for a number of seasons" for much longer, football can't be based on sentiment of the past, it's about the present and future.
You would have thought that tonight of all nights linesmen should have got the offside decisions correct with so many white lines across the pitch, but no, they were still crap
Watched it in a pub with a mate a some spurs fans who must be from www. Harry Hotspur.twat.uk... all they did was moan throughout. The Good 1.We looked like a team who could have a real go even though we are without Vertongen, Rose, Eriksen, Dele and Son available to start. Every team would look shaky if they had lost Their keeper, reserve keeper, 2 full backs, centre back, 2 attacking midfielders, plus a wide attacking midfielder in the first 10 weeks of the season...apart from city who have spent more money than God. 2.We could have got a draw and it would not have been undeserved unlike when we played Liverpool. 3.Winks continues to show his doubters that he could well prove them wrong. 4.Sissoko...our MOTM 5.Davies playing much better 6.Dele and Eriksen playing and being creative. The Bad 1.Defending for the first goal 2.Dembele in the second half 3.Mouras dive 4.Lloris trying to take a goal kick The Ugly 1.Our finishing. 2.City's gamesmanship. seriously, just **** right off with the constant whining. 3.The biased commentary. City waste time, roll around, cry and generally cheat and it is called clever game management...Palace do it and it'll be called time wasting. 4.The sucking up by pundits to pep...give me TWO THIRDS OF A BILLION plus let me inherit Aguero, Stones, Kompany, Silva, Stirling and pay whatever my transfer targets want in wages and I could make a good go at winning the title FFS. Well pleased with the performance and honestly believe that at some point our injury luck will change. coys
Poch should have given Eriksen and Alli more than 15 minutes to turn the game. You could already see Alli's influence growing on the game in his little cameo. Poch is absolute **** with utilising a substitute
Yeah, that's fair enough. That's what forums are for. Just want to say that I know I'm an Arsenal fan so I can't claim to be neutral, but I do try to be as objective as I can in assessing these games. Trust me, if I honestly thought you'd deserved to get something from the game, I would have had no problem in saying it! Just felt City offered a little bit more going forward (but were still average by their own very high standards).
I also try to be fair and I respect your post, it's very difficult to be totally objective when it's your own team. You can see from the thread that the Spurs fans are not all totally pissed off because we all saw some fight from our team and some important players returning at the end of the game. To lose to City atm is not a disgrace, the fact that we gave them such a battle is a positive for us.
How did we play, people ?? 1-0 and lucky to remain at that ?? See that Lamela had a really good chance (would not have thought he'd sky that on his current form) .
Would also like to point out that City have managed to keep clean sheets in away games against Arsenal, Liverpool & Spurs. That's pretty damn impressive. I know they've had a few dodgy moments at the back, but they're a more defensively resolute side compared to the last couple of seasons. And the statistics back this up. Would take a brave person to think they won't win back-to-back league titles, in my opinion.
He was brilliant when he came on, if he can play more like that I'd have no qualms with him being in the squad but in 75+ games he's only been at that level for less than 10 matches. Must improve his consistency if he wants to play regulalry in a side like ours but today was a great sign he can become a player we could really do with. All game I thought. Couldn't do anything. Tragic shame how bad he's become. From unplayable and dominating the centre of the pitch to being a complete hindrance in the space of about 18 months. This is why I think a new keeper is needed. Along with the fact he's made way too mistakes since the start of last season, there's a new breed of keeper now that is basically acting as a 'keeper playmaker', they're able to ping perfect passes all the way up the pitch on a regular basis, it's not just like a long boot like Robbo used to have for us, these new wave of keepers can pin-point perfect passes. I think Ederson has like 2-3 assists since he joined City. I feel we need to get with the times and find a keeper who can do similar. Hugo's been amazing, the best keeper I've ever seen at Spurs and quite possibly our best ever but ultimately everyone reaches that stage where they're no longer as good - or are simply just being upgraded on, which I think is the case now. Keepers can't just be good shot stoppers these days, they have to be good footballers as well.
what i dont understand is, you were at home, City are pretty poor defensively and you were 1 down within the first ten minutes yet Poch played with 3 defensive midfielders for the majority of the match. Its a shame lamela got a bobbly ball and skied his effort but apart from that and kanes missed chance in the first half, you guys didn't really threaten when you needed to chase the game.
They looked **** at the back, though. Really shaky whenever anyone got at them, despite dominating possession. Their main weapon seemed to be just fouling during any break, which prevented them getting overrun. It's hard to look past them for the title, but I suspect Liverpool will push them most of the way. Chelsea might give it a go too, if they sign a striker in January.
Did I see this wrong or was Dier flagged offside before the break, despite running from his own half? I got Vertonghen flashbacks. Also, whose miss was worse: Lamela, Mendy or the ****ing linesman looking straight at this?
Dembele isn’t, actually wait, wasn’t a defensive mid but his rapid decline in fitness and movement has meant he’s played a more rigid, deeper role nowadays. Used to be a fantastic box to box player. Sissoko too is a box to box player but he just lacks the finesse to be truly great, superb athlete though. Dier’s the only real defensively minded one of the three. But as you’ll notice, this is why we’re crying out for fresh blood in the middle. Ideally I’d like a creative type but if we get another that’s like prime Dembele then that’d also do. We’re just losing too many CM battles these days as we’re not effective enough on the front foot in that position.
I've always championed VAR...the amount of **** decisions we get are appalling. Would love to see a virtual table some geek has got going with an unofficial VAR system having been applied to this seasons games so far.
On today's showing, they looked shaky whenever your players ran at them, I'd agree. Mendy and Walker in particular were utterly dreadful. But they looked a lot more compact in the Liverpool and Arsenal games. Whichever way you look at it, keeping 3 clean sheets in 3 of the toughest away games you will face in the league is impressive. Only the 2004-05 Chelsea team conceded less goals at this stage of a season than City have in top flight history [according to the BBC]. You can't sit there and say they haven't improved defensively over the past 2 years. They quite clearly have.
The odd time I've seen it attempted, it tends to be dramatically wrong, unfortunately. They only go by the incidents highlighted on MOTD, for the most part, which is extremely selective.
They did last year, when Guardiola worked out that his fullbacks were completely unsuited to his style of football. That should've taken him about ten minutes, though! Having a keeper without concussion probably helps, too.
