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Match Threads Man City vs Spurs - Match Thread

Match Prediction

  • Spurs Win

    Votes: 45 19.7%
  • City Win

    Votes: 105 46.1%
  • Score Draw

    Votes: 76 33.3%
  • Goal less Draw

    Votes: 2 0.9%

  • Total voters
    228
  • Poll closed .

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,776
99,340
They really are that good. Over the last two years, they only get knocked out of a competition by an almost freak result...meaning they win lots of matches and lots of trophies. And this match was another case of it - freakish that we managed a delightful point. I'll agree we weren't at our best. But it is only on our best day we can compete with them. They weren't at their best either or we'd have been thumped.

We didn't make them look good, they made themselves look great because they are such a hard-working team off the ball. Honestly, there may be no other team that can do this to us with regularity. And I say that as someone who reckons we give City as good a run for their money as anyone.

We couldn't get a foothold because they wouldn't let us settle into any sort of rhythm. They are unrelenting. I think that goes unnoticed far too often with City. They are as coordinated and effective, possibly more so, out-of-possession as with it.

If we weren't "narrow and defensive" we may have gotten tonked. I wouldn't blame our set up too much, although I was concerned that Moura wasn't coming on sooner. We could have really used Son as the lone attacker that may have made them think more about the ball over the top. You have to have a way to make them second guess how small they want to squeeze the play.

Last season in the league, they beat us 1-0 home and away. 2-2 this season.

Champions league was 1-0 to us and they won 4-3 at their gaff.

So over five games, quite a sample, on aggregate it's 8 - 6 to them.

Not light years ahead like some would have you believe.

But ahead.
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
Imo, we are not far behind City in terms of individual quality of our XI. The main difference comes from how well drilled they are offensively as a team in my humble opinion...

We really lacked proper runners this game. Some said Son, Dele, Lo Celso wouldn't have made much difference but I disagree a bit. We looked so static. There were a couple of times when Ndomble seemed to want to make a through ball for instance but he didn't have any options in front of him.

The likes of Dele, Son have the ability to find space (KDB is the master at this) and always make themselves available with their great workrate off the ball which would have less isolated Kane, too. We needed someone to run off him and carry the ball up or finish themselves or lay it off to Kane. Plus Lo Celso also along with Son was one of the best ball carriers in Europe last season according to the stats I saw today. So if Lo Celso had been more bedded in and given a run out this game he would have been a great help I imagine.
Agree I said something similar the weekend that ability there is not so much difference but what mainly separates the side's is the quickness of passing and work rate, compared to our slow possession based game and as evidenced Saturday there was no pressure on the ball and that is a coaching thing otherwise we would carry it out.
 

Ronwol196061

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2018
3,925
3,646
As much as I think Dier has gone downhill massively, you cannot dent the importance of this “role” in the 1st XI. Look at Fernandinho for City, we’re a bit too open and cavalier in MF with Winks, Sissoko and Ndombele. Maybe Dier has a place in there just to sit and keep it simple (if only he could regain his form and fitness from 2 years ago!)

Winks is a good player,the problem is he is not the toughest DM though he can tackle, I agree Dier is the guy to put there behind NDombele so where can Winks play? He isn't as industrious as some and I think Skipp would be a better CM than Winks,but its NDombeles gig. Winks is a good allrounder,perfect also as a captain,but not sure where he fits in now
 

Ronwol196061

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2018
3,925
3,646
Last season in the league, they beat us 1-0 home and away. 2-2 this season.

Champions league was 1-0 to us and they won 4-3 at their gaff.

So over five games, quite a sample, on aggregate it's 8 - 6 to them.

Not light years ahead like some would have you believe.

But ahead.


I think we could have taken a good shellacking in this one. We were lucky to come out with our balls intact.
It reminded me in part of that game against Madrid after Bales heroics in Inter where we were pinned down. We were a bit better in this one but City was poking around our goal for large stretches.
 

longtimespur

Well-Known Member
Sep 10, 2014
5,830
9,949
You can disagree as much as you want but I’m highly chuffed to come away from there with a point. Yes we were under the cosh most of the game but got a precious point, more than we got last season ???
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
You can disagree as much as you want but I’m highly chuffed to come away from there with a point. Yes we were under the cosh most of the game but got a precious point, more than we got last season ???
I don't think anyone is saying they aren't delighted with a point.
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
Dele actually makes a big difference in games like that. He is able to get us up the pitch and he also draws loads of fouls and offers a threat running in behind. Son and dele would have made a big difference.
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
Have you read through this thread.:) Some real weird ways of saying they're pleased with a point.:whistle:
You can be happy with a point but still think we played shit. Most people are disappointed with the performance, not the result. If you can find someone saying they're not happy with a point the I'll gladly take back what I said!
 

worcestersauce

"I'm no optimist I'm just a prisoner of hope
Jan 23, 2006
26,894
45,042
Dele actually makes a big difference in games like that. He is able to get us up the pitch and he also draws loads of fouls and offers a threat running in behind. Son and dele would have made a big difference.
People say we were under the cosh and couldn't break out and had nothing to trouble them and people will also say what does Dele do and it still won't click.
 

buckley

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2012
2,595
6,073
Well I think it was a brave battling performance and well played lads .
Last week there were similar match statistics and villa got every kind of praise for their efforts but we won.
Similar stats in favour of city and they are the greatest and we are crap .
See a trend and agenda here and its definitely not pro spurs also well done var for correct decision . All I can say to those that think that city were robbed is where were you last week when the similar thing happened in the wolves game .
These same moaners now were saying "well that's the rules " Hypocites the lot of them .
 

longtimespur

Well-Known Member
Sep 10, 2014
5,830
9,949
You can be happy with a point but still think we played shit. Most people are disappointed with the performance, not the result. If you can find someone saying they're not happy with a point the I'll gladly take back what I said!
Nah, nothing for you to take back. Ain't gonna go all through to find something relevant mate.
 

Ronwol196061

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2018
3,925
3,646
You can be happy with a point but still think we played shit. Most people are disappointed with the performance, not the result. If you can find someone saying they're not happy with a point the I'll gladly take back what I said!

I wouldnt say we were shit but I think we were outplayed. New system,new key player needs a bit of time...mind you the fact that we couldn't get out of our own half at times was disconcerting...
 

dirtyh

One Skin, two skin.....
Jun 24, 2011
8,629
25,082
it's one of those where you have to look at the result and nothing else. we've undoubtedly played much better and lost (against worse sides too) and all today would have been wistful posts of 'oh well, at least we played well', 'we were unlucky', 'deserved more', etc. how many times do we see the top sides play shit and end up winning/drawing???

not many teams (if any) will get much of anything from that fixture this season. I'm delighted and couldn't care less if we played worse than a local pub team.
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
I wouldnt say we were shit but I think we were outplayed. New system,new key player needs a bit of time...mind you the fact that we couldn't get out of our own half at times was disconcerting...
We've had the same problems against them when we had our regular formation(s) and regular, long time starters. That's the frustrating thing for me. We don't seemed to have learned anything from the previous games.
 

topper

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2008
3,806
16,254
We've had the same problems against them when we had our regular formation(s) and regular, long time starters. That's the frustrating thing for me. We don't seemed to have learned anything from the previous games.
We have - they’re better than us!
 
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