Match Thread - Manchester City FC vs Tottenham Hotspur - PL

[Walthamstow wanderer]

Just seen a map of the players' positions on Saturday. Neither Kane nor Son touched the ball in City's penalty area.

That is unbelievable . I can’t get my head around that .

as an aside Gary . On the predictor thread , I’ve only shown that you you picked up one point (in the brackets ).from the Everton game . ... but I’ve given you the correct total . The one in the brackets is a fat finger mistake . The total is correct .

 

[Walthamstow wanderer]

Against the best team in the PL we went down to an unlucky pen. Lloris easily got to it, it hit his forearm and deflected up into the net.
Their second goal was pure goalkeeper error.
Kane hit the post with their keeper beaten. Bale carved through their defence and forced a good save.
Our players were tired and had less rest than City.
City have spent way more than us on their players and bought success. There is no doubt they have more quality.
We had 2 key players injured .
I'm not taking too much negativity from the game other than Lloris.

The voice of reason .
I still don’t understand their third goal . What exactly happened . Where was everybody . ?

 

[Critical_Spur]

The voice of reason .
I still don’t understand their third goal . What exactly happened . Where was everybody . ?

On their mobile phones!

 

[steveperryman]

The voice of reason .
I still don’t understand their third goal . What exactly happened . Where was everybody . ?

They became sheeple for a moment, other than Sanchez who tbf was the only person switched on.

 

[steveperryman]

On their mobile phones!

Sanchez must've placed his caller on hold then.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

It was an indication to me that at that point the team had pretty much given up. And with Jose's half time substitution sending out the same message, why wouldn't they?

 

[steveperryman]

It was an indication to me that at that point the team had pretty much given up. And with Jose's half time substitution sending out the same message, why wouldn't they?

They were playing a high line & were caught out by a clever piece of goalkeeping.

Sanchez cottons on but he really should be stronger in that situation. He's still our best CD though, so i'd continue to play him.

 

[Critical_Spur]

They were playing a high line & were caught out by a clever piece of goalkeeping.

Sanchez cottons on but he really should be stronger in that situation. He's still our best CD though, so i'd continue to play him.

There are two issues that still bug/embarrass me about their 3rd goal.

Firstly, we are the specialists of route one football. City, specialists of passing game probably only attempted ONE route one effort in the entire season and executed it to perfection against Jose's setup that's been working on that approach for over half a season!

Secondly, (and I note Sanchez being slaughtered in the media), how a simple nudge from a player slightly smaller and lighter could just bundle Sanchez to the ground. Assured defenders have firm footing and commanding presence, but our Davinson, whenever he needs to turn 90 degrees or more loses his balance, hence we see his headers and clearances in panic mode. IMO, the ball was in the air long enough for Sanchez (the last man) to position himself.

It is not the first time our defenders are guilty of misjudging the flight of the ball, hence why we concede regularly from set pieces. Dier is also guilty of this.

All comes down to coaching. Whilst I agree Sanchez and Tanga might be the future pairing in the defence, they need to be honed/coached. Surprised that having Ledley amongst the coaches isn't helping, unless the training focus is very skewed towards some alien practices, 'cos I'd be damned if I could see any sign of continuous improvement!

 

[Pompey Yid]

There are two issues that still bug/embarrass me about their 3rd goal.

Firstly, we are the specialists of route one football. City, specialists of passing game probably only attempted ONE route one effort in the entire season and executed it to perfection against Jose's setup that's been working on that approach for over half a season!

Secondly, (and I note Sanchez being slaughtered in the media), how a simple nudge from a player slightly smaller and lighter could just bundle Sanchez to the ground. Assured defenders have firm footing and commanding presence, but our Davinson, whenever he needs to turn 90 degrees or more loses his balance, hence we see his headers and clearances in panic mode. IMO, the ball was in the air long enough for Sanchez (the last man) to position himself.

It is not the first time our defenders are guilty of misjudging the flight of the ball, hence why we concede regularly from set pieces. Dier is also guilty of this.

All comes down to coaching. Whilst I agree Sanchez and Tanga might be the future pairing in the defence, they need to be honed/coached. Surprised that having Ledley amongst the coaches isn't helping, unless the training focus is very skewed towards some alien practices, 'cos I'd be damned if I could see any sign of continuous improvement!

Critical, you mentioned Ledley, I bet he is having nightmares because of our defending.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

They were playing a high line & were caught out by a clever piece of goalkeeping.

Sanchez cottons on but he really should be stronger in that situation. He's still our best CD though, so i'd continue to play him.

The opportunity was well spotted by Ederson but it doesn't explain why our players were so static and not switched on to the situation.

 

[Critical_Spur]

Critical, you mentioned Ledley, I bet he is having nightmares because of our defending.

The thing is PY, Ledders would've been honoured to have been asked to join the coaching set up. Does make you wonder if all the coaches are on the same wavelength. Bad enough players playing like strangers, just imagine the total mayhem amongst the coaching team.

 

[Spursex]

I'm not going to say that much, but bottom lines guy is we are now getting schooled on a regular basis and in ManC's case they are a class apart both in players and manager.

My fear of how our season was heading now looks real, without a change of direction, the rest of this season is likely to be pretty desperate.

 

[Critical_Spur]

I'm not going to say that much

The way the season is panning out, Vital forum should be very lively!

Let it rip!

 

[Spursex]

The way the season is panning out, Vital forum should be very lively!

Let it rip!

I can't, I'm utterly gutted at being proved right, I truely hate how it makes me feel about the club and and it's decision making - I only have one saving grace and that at the moment I'm not paying to watch it (well apart from media fees).

One of the guys I normally attended with swears he will not go the stadium (even if he could) again until Jose has gone. Today, right now, it's pretty much how I feel too.

 

[Critical_Spur]

I can't, I'm utterly gutted at being proved right, I truely hate how it makes me feel about the club and and it's decision making - I only have one saving grace and that at the moment I'm not paying to watch it (well apart from media fees).

One of the guys I normally attended with swears he will not go the stadium (even if he could) again until Jose has gone. Today, right now, it's pretty much how I feel too.

The flip side is Ex, that if fans were allowed in, Jose may have been history a lot sooner.

 

[Spursex]

The flip side is Ex, that if fans were allowed in, Jose may have been history a lot sooner.

Maybe, but his history has earned him the right to at least one full season and I'm told the Levy/board are giving him the time and space he needs.

Can't say I agree with it, but he may yet prove us all wrong, where it's really going to hurt the club I suspect is in the PL.

This will be a painful financial hit, exactly when we couldn't afford it.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

Maybe, but his history has earned him the right to at least one full season and I'm told the Levy/board are giving him the time and space he needs.

Can't say I agree with it, but he may yet prove us all wrong, where it's really going to hurt the club I suspect is in the PL.

This will be a painful financial hit, exactly when we couldn't afford it.

Do you think the board would countenance unsold season tickets and empty seats? When you think back to last season, in the period after Christmas up to lockdown, the football was awful then too and the empty seats in the stadium were increasing with every match.

 

[Spursex]

Do you think the board would countenance unsold season tickets and empty seats? When you think back to last season, in the period after Christmas up to lockdown, the football was awful then too and the empty seats in the stadium were increasing with every match.

Well towards the end of Poch's reign there was much talk of blaming Poch for not having full-sell-outs, and so the board acted.

During the current crisis, I'm not sure we can draw any conclusions as so many of the people I know who might have gone had already decided that they weren't prepared to take the risks, no matter what.

I do obviously think Jose has been lucky that our home and away support haven't been able to attend because the venom that would have come from the home/away support when we went through the period of playing negatively and dropping points wouldn't have been tolerated easily.

I still look at the 10 pints we dropped and the moment of momentum reversal and think that if Jose was at Chelsea and performed like he is now, he'd be gone.

Maybe the board thinks, 'we've backed him in getting the players he wanted, we have to see it out?'

As I said, by some miracle beat City in the final, and progress in the Europa would be more than enough for the board?

I'm afraid I'd remove Jose because his decision-making just makes such little sense to me (personally) now, but at the end of the day he's an astute, highly adored coach and maybe he has far greater insight than us mere mortals.

I bizarrely still want 80 to tell me he was right and I should have had more faith!

 

[muttley]

Well towards the end of Poch's reign there was much talk of balming Poch for not having full-sell-outs, and so the board acted.

During the current crisis, I'm not sure we can draw any conclusions as so many of the people I know who might have gone had already decided that they weren't prepared to take the risks, no matter what.

I do obviously think Jose has been lucky that our home and away support haven't been able to attend because the venom that would have come from the home/away support when we went through the period of playing negatively and dropping points wouldn't have been tolerated easily.

I still look at the 10 pints we dropped and the moment of momentum reversal and think that if Jose was at Chelsea and performed like he is now, he'd be gone.

Maybe the board thinks, 'we've backed him in getting the players he wanted, we have to see it out?'

As I said, by some miracle beat City in the final, and progress in the Europa would be more than enough for the board?

I'm afraid I'd remove Jose because his decision-making just makes such little sense to me (personally) now, but at the end of the day he's an astute, highly adored coach and maybe he has far greater insight than us mere mortals.

I bizarrely still want 80 to tell me he was right and I should have had more faith!

I'm the same. Hidden between the recent results has been a much better passing game. Sometimes, a tipping point is achieved, things suddenly click and it does get you wondering whether we're closer to that than we think.

In the first half against City we found ourselves in some great attacking positions ahead of the midfielders and exposing their defence. A few times the ref let us down by not producing the cards and a few other times our lack of quality in the final ball showed. If he can start bringing a couple of key players to the foreground, then it will start to come together.

What will keep Jose his job is having top 4 form at the end of the season, regardless of the cup final.

 

[Spursex]

I'm the same. Hidden between the recent results has been a much better passing game. Sometimes, a tipping point is achieved, things suddenly click and it does get you wondering whether we're closer to that than we think.

In the first half against City we found ourselves in some great attacking positions ahead of the midfielders and exposing their defence. A few times the ref let us down by not producing the cards and a few other times our lack of quality in the final ball showed. If he can start bringing a couple of key players to the foreground, then it will start to come together.

What will keep Jose his job is having top 4 form at the end of the season, regardless of the cup final.

Up to the point that he put Sissonono on, I agreed with his line up and felt we'd played reasonably well against an incredible team - but once he did that, I knew we were going to get negative and withdrawn and have our butt handed to us.

Honestly, you can ask 80, but at 2-0, I couldn't watch it anymore, told him and went and cooked my dinner lol!