Manchester City v Leeds United Match Thread

[1964white]

"and Struijk who's outplayed Rodon this season".... Gnonto is mentioned as premier class

Massive error and NO GOOD REASON to drop Struijk who's been top draw all season.... If you think Bijol has been better or Farke was right then I don't know what to say

I think it was the correct decision for Pascal to return to our first XI, Rodon & Struijk have struck up a good partnership over the last three seasons.

[Carrick Dave]

If you’re only playing 2 at the back it’s Pascal and Joe every time for me.

[The Subhuman]

I think it was the correct decision for Pascal to return to our first XI, Rodon & Struijk have struck up a good partnership over the last three seasons.

And it was a massive error to drop him...

[1964white]

I would still go three at the back.

No doubt, Farke will unusually change his mind.

[PhoenixUnited]

If you’re only playing 2 at the back it’s Pascal and Joe every time for me.

3 is a minimum

[PhoenixUnited]

I would still go three at the back.

No doubt, Farke will unusually change his mind.

Trouble seems to be that he is not as knowledgeable, tactics wise, as he imagines that he is or is in actual fact.

The other main issue with him which most of us can plainly see that he has huge trouble in shifting gears. It's like he sets out on his journey, any journey, puts his car in third gear and then stubbornly refuses to shift up or down no matter what noises his engine is making or what he sees in his windscreen!

The team, and Farke, limited as all of that is, need to learn to take every available advantage at every available opportunity. You get nothing by having a moan at the Ref or the 4th Official or beefing about it all post match. The team is too nice and or naive I think. Whatever happened to the Alying flop? Why couldn't our keeper find an injury as we approached added time so that we could stop Citeh developing a head of steam and regroup as they did. etc.

If Farke & Co keep trying and put in performances like the second half against Citeh I will not mind but the reality is that the team cannot keep that level of input all match and match after match. I have already accepted the limitations of our playing sqaud who ever is at fault for it

[weasel]

I do not disagree. Farke adopted a second half tactical rejig that many fans have been calling for weeks. 532 has been constantly articulated by Ger on his channel and a system that Citeh struggle against, given the players available is it not the obvious tactical set up from the start ?

As others have mentioned Farke has finally bitten the bullet whilst staring down the barrel. DCL made all the difference yesterday, he pushed us up the field and pushed them back - my MoTM by a long stretch.

I do not view the 2nd half performance as a reprieve for Farke, it will take a change of results and points on the board to do that. Neither of which he has provided.

The trouble though is that a huge reason for our good results over the last 2 seasons has been the threat from our wingers. Summerville, James and Gnonto and then last season Solomon, James and Gnonto. Taking those goals away and replacing them with however many a second striker could get is likely going to see us scoring less. Whilst it worked to a degree yesterday I think it was more down to City being too comfortable in the first half and them probably going to sleep a bit in the second half. It wasn't like we were raining chances down on them and both goals had an element of good fortune about them rather than us cutting City open.

It is though something that I feel we can keep in the locker and use occasionally.

[weasel]

The margins are razor thin at this level - the points dropped from good positions against Bournemouth, Fulham etc make all the difference. Even yesterday, an unexpected point keeps the momentum and the points total ticking over.
As has been pointed out by multiple posters, losing to the 5 or so teams in the relegation mix is super costly.

The risk of course is that we wake up in two weeks time and find we are 4 points from 17th. Relying on other teams losing is depressing, but sadly we are reliant on that scenario and that is our grim reality.
Starting today. Big shout out to Liverpool and Brighton.

We have lost to 3 teams in the relegation mix (bottom 7) and beaten 3 teams in the relegation mix. We have lost 4 to teams in the top 5 (the other loss was to Tottenham in 12th). The trouble is someone spouts nonsense and the flock of sheep follow blindly .

Like you say though it is small margins and we could easily have had a few more points.

[weasel]

As I posted earlier, our second-half display painted over the cracks in our team. Once the Citeh players had the huddle/discussed tactics with Pep, whilst Donnarumma was pretending to be injured, they sussed us out as class teams do & went on to score the inevitable winner, which was always coming.

For all his critics, DCL was brilliant, inspiring & driving us on with all his power/strength offensively.

That is the trouble though - when teams with far better quality can match what you do then they should win. We saw it with Bielsa that we were able to take the element of surprise into matches and get results against better players but if the better players can match your intensity, your pressing, your formation etc then they should win due to their better ability. If Foden for example works as hard as Tanaka then Foden what has Tanaka got to do to out do Foden because Foden will score more and create more. It's like how Pep spent £50m+ on each of 3 full backs whereas we rinsed every last drop out of Ayling who we bought for around £200k.

So we switch formation and surprised them for a bit. Whether it was the formation or City just expecting to stroll the second half I wouldn't be sure. Pep though got to his players, tweaked a few things, calmed them down and got them to get their intensity back up. Once that happens then City are the billion dollar team and we are what we are.

[weasel]

Trouble seems to be that he is not as knowledgeable, tactics wise, as he imagines that he is or is in actual fact.

The other main issue with him which most of us can plainly see that he has huge trouble in shifting gears. It's like he sets out on his journey, any journey, puts his car in third gear and then stubbornly refuses to shift up or down no matter what noises his engine is making or what he sees in his windscreen!

The team, and Farke, limited as all of that is, need to learn to take every available advantage at every available opportunity. You get nothing by having a moan at the Ref or the 4th Official or beefing about it all post match. The team is too nice and or naive I think. Whatever happened to the Alying flop? Why couldn't our keeper find an injury as we approached added time so that we could stop Citeh developing a head of steam and regroup as they did. etc.

If Farke & Co keep trying and put in performances like the second half against Citeh I will not mind but the reality is that the team cannot keep that level of input all match and match after match. I have already accepted the limitations of our playing sqaud who ever is at fault for it

Trouble is that Farke is not as knowledgeable, tactics wise as all the posters on here who have never managed an actual sports team but have seen their tactics and formations work on computer games and as such are experts.

[PhoenixUnited]

Trouble is that Farke is not as knowledgeable, tactics wise as all the posters on here who have never managed an actual sports team but have seen their tactics and formations work on computer games and as such are experts.

Fair point - but it is an opinion whether you like it or not. There is always an option to simply ignore anything you don't like

[Jaydog]

I’ve flown in a flight simulator and see no reason why I cant fly a multi million pound jet.

[CUSSIE01]

I’ve flown in a flight simulator and see no reason why I cant fly a multi million pound jet.

I’d happily pay for a few on here to join you on your maiden flight

[weasel]

Fair point - but it is an opinion whether you like it or not. There is always an option to simply ignore anything you don't like

It is (an opinion) but it frustrates me in that some people state things as if they are facts. I doub't I would like having a radish shoved up my ar$e but I'd struggle to ignore it.

The change worked to some degree yesterday but there is no guarantee it would work in the next match or would have worked in previous matches. Could just as easily backfired and made it worse.

[weasel]

I’ve flown in a flight simulator and see no reason why I cant fly a multi million pound jet.

Did you actually fly in that flight simulator or did you just get the impression you were flying?

[Jaydog]

Would be a great experiment.
Give Farke the weekend off and the competition winner from MOT takes over.

[Jaydog]

Did you actually fly in that flight simulator or did you just get the impression you were flying?

No its bolted to the ground.
The flight simulator man said he’d never seen anyone fly it like me.

[Jaydog]

It is (an opinion) but it frustrates me in that some people state things as if they are facts. I doub't I would like having a radish shoved up my ar$e but I'd struggle to ignore it.

The change worked to some degree yesterday but there is no guarantee it would work in the next match or would have worked in previous matches. Could just as easily backfired and made it worse.

My sympathy to anyone having radishes for tea tonight. I think its a Northern tradition on a Sunday.
Radish hotpot.

[GreennWhite]

No its bolted to the ground.
The flight simulator man said he’d never seen anyone fly it like me.

When you finished talking to him i hope you give him his white stick and guide dog back

[PhoenixUnited]

It is (an opinion) but it frustrates me in that some people state things as if they are facts. I doub't I would like having a radish shoved up my ar$e but I'd struggle to ignore it.

The change worked to some degree yesterday but there is no guarantee it would work in the next match or would have worked in previous matches. Could just as easily backfired and made it worse.

Need to take a chill pill Weasel. Give yourself a coronary if you're not careful