As usual a well balanced viewpoint from Matt. https://bhappy.wordpress.com/2015/08/30/manchester-city-2-watford-0-29082015/
Sorry to disagree here Frenchie but both West Brom and Southampton were no better than some of our opponents last year. Sometimes I think that we are giving the Premiership too much respect - If we played the same way as we did towards the end of last season then we would have nothing to fear from most mid table premiership sides. Why should we be afraid of a league which can't get anyone to the later stages of European competitions anymore ?
It seems that this one was really set up not to get 'dicked' (as Matt so eloquently put it!) 4 or 5 nil, but the natives can't stand much more of it. A decent attacking performance against Swansea, preferably with a sound plan B, now seems vital if we're all going to stick together through this long PL season.
Only on the balance of four games played the system QSF has deployed will not work. I find it hard that we will suddenly get more clinical going forward from this formation, we may make a quality pass that opens things up and results in a goal but it is evident that it will not al "click" and we become an attacking force. We have struggled to break down defensive teams (WBA & Soton) and we surely whilst game was still competitve yesterday against attack minded City failed to do any better. I am beginning to struggle to understand this grass is greener approach to players, we have some very good players that are being played out of postion which nulifies them and will mean that the pozzo's will lose money on their resale value at the very least. Unless we can become more potent going forward and score goals we are going to find ourselves sinking and then staying at the foot of the table and staying there. I then am truely frightened at the prospect of what will happen to us if we are relegated with all theses players we have brought in on our books. The talk of Vydra going/staying is ridiculous if we are not going to play him then loan him out as he would be needed in the championship. QSF should mold the team into a unit that plays to its strengths. Give them enough opputunities and Deeney/Ighalo & Vydra will score goals between them. Can you believe any other team gaining promotion with those front three would change so dramatically their system and so nulify them? no of course they would not. Last week I called for a plan B yesterday we got it when we went behind but it was our original plan A which had resulted in one effort on goal in three games...........
I think I have mellowed a little overnight and having listened to comments on MOTD and elsewhere... The 'boos' were disappointment as many were chanting for MV to come on.....so not much more than that. I think we need to win playing to this style... and need to do so soon.... I hope we do ... just disappointed.... and saddened as there seems so little continuity from last season.... I wonder what would have happened if Joka had stayed..... We seemed to have some great goal scoring talent and now seem to be more concerned in not letting goals in... very different from the Watford i have always known...
How well Swansea are playing has nothing to do with the negativity that so many of our fans have engaged in after four games. It's us that complain when managers are sacked too early but it's very easy to see how a similar overreaction from owners causes it to happen. We may turn out to be hopeless and finish bottom by miles, we could easily get hammered by Swansea but regardless we are hitting the panic button way too early!
I agree re panic button etc.. Just a combination of very defensive tactics, lack of incisiveness going forward and a clearing out of some half decent players and importing of untested new players plus a new coach..... all a bit much....
Agree. No panic button...yet. Also, the Swansea comment intended to highlight a) how silly it is to pick and choose who we should (and shouldn't) judge ourselves against and b) how arrogant it is. By the way, welcome back Ghost. I enjoy your posts...whooooooooooo
Well that's a first. Just got round to watching MOTD and Watford didn't get discussed at all at the end of the highlights. They normally discuss both teams - good or bad. Basic marking error by Prodl and Nyom for the Sterling goal...
yes.... that could have been cut out.. i think not quite focussed after the break... and City move it around so quickly
It's reassuring to see so much objectivity despite the obvious concerns. Agree that it's not time to panic yet and would also add that regardless of the lack of ambition / invention or whatever up front it is great to see how solid we look at the back - this could make an enormous difference come May. I think the break has come at a good time as the players have cause for concern but also a certain element of self congratulation and then see what happens in the next set of games.
My 2 Manc mates, said that it was a very good performance from us in the first half and they go to all home games. They said they thought we´d stay up. I hope they are right, maybe they are used to this style of football from away teams coming to their ground. I wonder what they´d make of our games v WBA and Soton if made to watch them....
We love it when teams come out to attack us as they are the teams we tend to beat. They leave gaps at the back for people like Montero and Ayew to exploit with their pace, and plenty of space for Siggy, Shelvey and Ki to get some good shots off. Check out our game against Manu, they tried playing attacking football but were mostly unable to create any clear chances as we were very organised. But then both our goals were fast counter attacks. The teams who are most effective against us are the ones who hit us on the counter. They sit back in their own half and immediately close our players down once we cross the halfway line. Most of time they foul us to break up our play and when they win the ball back they hit us on the counter. Our game away to Sunderland is a classic example of this. http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33944693 Looking forward to the game, you guys have looked pretty solid at the back.
