hktoffee
Birds of a feather flock together
These team keep kicking our players we should have start all our players with the greatest aggression.
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What's really depressing is that's our best squad minus allen, regarding players in their natural positions. Can't always play with four defenders pulis style
They’re just not very good, it’s honestly that simple. I mean they should be good enough to beat Newcastle, but they’re not so much better that it’s a formality. We’ve done well by being difficult to beat and nicking goals but that isn’t going to work every week.
hktoffee
Birds of a feather flock together
We can. We don’t lose when we play four cbs because they can defend with height and physical presence.
Lloydystark
Player Valuation: £35m
Carlo....we are boring
Egil Olsen
Player Valuation: £8m
In terms of points, we have done well. Top 8 is what is realistic this season. However, what is worrying is that we are not playing well. Anyone with eyes can see this, if not they live in denial. This is also confirmed by xPTS, which of course should be interpreted carefully, but it agrees quite well with what we can see.
So far, I think we have gotten away with ad hoc solutions, but there is a limit to how long you can get away with it. Carlo needs to sort this out and make a long-term plan for how he wants us to play.
The first thing he has to do is involve fewer players in our build up play. When we play through the opponent's pressure, we have almost no players in front of the player with the ball. Then it becomes difficult to create chances. Right now we are in the Stoke category, and very dependent on set pieces and crosses to score goals.
So far, I think we have gotten away with ad hoc solutions, but there is a limit to how long you can get away with it. Carlo needs to sort this out and make a long-term plan for how he wants us to play.
The first thing he has to do is involve fewer players in our build up play. When we play through the opponent's pressure, we have almost no players in front of the player with the ball. Then it becomes difficult to create chances. Right now we are in the Stoke category, and very dependent on set pieces and crosses to score goals.
It’s very irritating I won’t lie
It’s his first proper season, yet lots of these impatient sorts can’t handle anything bad. Some are actually loving being “proven right” about one of the absolute greats of football
We are at the half way point of his first full season with 33pts. With some good performances, couple of excellent ones. Plenty of bang average ones, and a couple of horrible watches like today. Decent points haul versus the usual top 6 but some crap points dropped against the lower teams.
We have some of the same players that we all were sick and tired of before. Some have come on leaps and bounds, some are still utterly unreliable and/or crap. The ones that are crap are being shifted out with more to go.
My honest appraisal at the half way point is....we are grand. We aren’t great, but I didn’t expect us to be. We aren’t consistent but with a squad still full of inconsistent players, I didn’t expect us to be. However I see plenty in the recruitment and the defensive setup to see we are already a world away from where we were. It’s a much better base to build on than before.
That’s without even saying, it’s Carlo Ancelotti ffs....let him get on with his job and let’s see where we end up. We’ve done the raging at managers stuff, let’s just calm down and wait and see.
As for the complaining about January recruitment. I honestly think he is in this for a few seasons. That he won’t be thinking like some fans are thinking.....get us in 3 players right now and try for champions league spots. He will be thinking of the overall plan and where we will be come close of the summer window.
I’m sure he is also thinking, I will get Europa with the squad as it is, and I’d agree with him.
bilyaletdinov_
Player Valuation: £35m
let down by Brands and more pressingly by the players, can talk about tactics all you want but if the heart is not there then you lose. Newcastle didn’t play a tactical masterclass today, they kicked us all over the park, ran further and wanted it more
GlosBlue
Player Valuation: £25m
How can they be unmotivated given a week ago they were about one win from top of the league? It's not motivation, it's a lack of quality where it's needed.
I think he will have a long term plan for how we want to play when we want to be more expansive, but he will be imagining it with a couple of new players in there.
dannyboy
Player Valuation: £60m
We were definitely favourites today but not by the absolute miles you're making out. It's obvious right now we are really struggling to attack and a stubborn Newcastle defence was always going to make it difficult.
I say it's more to do with the lack of ability than mentality. When you're Man City you expect to win every game like this because you have Sterling and De Bruyne, can we really claim the likes of Iwobi, Sigurdsson and Gomes are so much better than what Newcastle have?
They can be great though. That’s what is so frustrating.
stretford blue
Player Valuation: £35m
If they need motivating to get into the top 4/5 then they might as well give up playing
Toast
Player Valuation: £80m
We can set up however you like.
The truth is that today Newcastle only had to take James out the game as we had absolutely nothing else going forward.
hktoffee
Birds of a feather flock together
Europa is clearly our aim this season.
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