If ever there was a game when City needed to fly into the opposition from the off then this was that game. City just let Newcastle pass for fun, without pressing and as a result City never had the ball.
That is until they went 2 down, and had to step it up. I suggest that if it had been 0-0 at half time, we would not have seen the more offensive display we saw in the 2nd half.
Marshall may have kept City in the game with 2-3 great saves but culpable for both goals conceded. He should never get beaten at his near post by a daisy cutter, and for the 2nd he parried it back into play. Mind you to be fair to him, the shots should never have come in the first place due to poor defending and not closing down.
Some lessons then we learnt:
1. City are too cautious and have too many slow players.
2. Too many players are championship standard. Taylor is too slow. Turner cannot distribute. Gunnarsson is out of his depth. Bellamy is too slow, cannot shoot or pass well enough. Whittingham is only good for free kicks and corners. Kim is too lightweight.
3. The summer signings were not enough. City need a pacy winger, a better left back who can play up the field as well, a stronger and more skilful midfield, and a goal scorer up front. (Cornelius????)
4. City do not shoot enough at goal. They have had the lowest number of shots on target in the PL. 17 in 7 games. Most of those were in one game, at Fulham. That has to change.
5. Mackay's bench is not good enough. Who was on the bench who could turn a game? Mutch did at Fulham and very nearly did v Newcastle.
City need at least 20 points by end of year, 22-23 would be ideal but where are they coming from? The next 3 matches at home could conceivably result in 5 successive home defeats just by reference to the teams they have to play.
Maybe their best chance of results will be on the road, as it is plain that they are too negative at home.
Not a pessimist by the way, just a realist.
That is until they went 2 down, and had to step it up. I suggest that if it had been 0-0 at half time, we would not have seen the more offensive display we saw in the 2nd half.
Marshall may have kept City in the game with 2-3 great saves but culpable for both goals conceded. He should never get beaten at his near post by a daisy cutter, and for the 2nd he parried it back into play. Mind you to be fair to him, the shots should never have come in the first place due to poor defending and not closing down.
Some lessons then we learnt:
1. City are too cautious and have too many slow players.
2. Too many players are championship standard. Taylor is too slow. Turner cannot distribute. Gunnarsson is out of his depth. Bellamy is too slow, cannot shoot or pass well enough. Whittingham is only good for free kicks and corners. Kim is too lightweight.
3. The summer signings were not enough. City need a pacy winger, a better left back who can play up the field as well, a stronger and more skilful midfield, and a goal scorer up front. (Cornelius????)
4. City do not shoot enough at goal. They have had the lowest number of shots on target in the PL. 17 in 7 games. Most of those were in one game, at Fulham. That has to change.
5. Mackay's bench is not good enough. Who was on the bench who could turn a game? Mutch did at Fulham and very nearly did v Newcastle.
City need at least 20 points by end of year, 22-23 would be ideal but where are they coming from? The next 3 matches at home could conceivably result in 5 successive home defeats just by reference to the teams they have to play.
Maybe their best chance of results will be on the road, as it is plain that they are too negative at home.
Not a pessimist by the way, just a realist.
), this league should pan out much as expected. If we can target and beat those teams that are vulnerable and just pick up the odd point from the top clubs, we'll be OK.