Manchester City Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

[mpickard2087]

Why exactly has this game changed so many peoples minds about our team and AVB? What was so different about that match other than the fact that our defence leaked like a sive? The same defence which has been rock solid all season. The same defence with the leagues most clean sheets. Give them a bit of a break. City were awesomely fantastic. It was our midfield which couldn't cope and we lost posession which placed our defence under some serious pressure from some seriously quality players. Sure they could have done better. But this game only told us what we already know. We can't score. Don't let our one off bad day in defence cloud your judgements.

Thing is, I have said all season that the number of clean sheets has been slightly flattering and not telling the whole picture of our defensive 'prowess'. Plus the fact that we have played a large amount of dogshit for our fixtures so far. Start of the season there was at least three games where Lloris was in contention for Motm which indicates he saved us, and in most games teams had a couple of pretty good chances to score (take a game like Sheriff (A) where we somehow didn't concede as an extreme example of this). Difference is that the luck has run out and teams now are starting to take these chances.

 

[Damian99]

We can't create decent chances and we can't score from open play, we don't look as solid at the other end anymore now.

Oh dear.

 

[TH1239]

Eriksen has to start behind the striker for me. Holtby has shown in numerous league starts this season he simply doesn't have the ability to break down defenses with his dribbling and passing, and he simply isn't a goal threat, either.

 

[XSuicideBunnyX]

More from Andre Villas-Boas: "There is an immediate shock after 15 seconds.

"The concentration was not there, but the reaction of the players was positive. Everything went wrong for us, every opportunity was a goal and we paid a heavy price, too much for what we deserved.

"City were excellent, and we were extremely poor.

"My responsibility is to lift the players, there is always another game coming. We have to give a response in the Europa League.

"We have to be ashamed of ourselves, and react to a defeat like this."

DON'T YOU DARE, ANDRE, I DON'T WANT A SINGLE FIRST TEAM PLAYER ANYWHERE NEAR NORWAY

At least we'll be the ones spanking instead of the other way round. Might as well send the youth team to face Man Utd, couldn't do much worse than the first team did today.

 

[kitchen]

I think the majority, me included, thought this was a great team choice.

There were mistakes in his choice of personnel. Playing Dawson, the CB with the slowest turn in the PL against forwards like Aguero and Negredo, both clever and nippy, being the most obvious one. There was no surprise he was turned inside out twice, both costing us goals. Why not play Chiriches? it's not like they're much of a threat in the air.

One might not have been able to predict the poor performances of Lloris and Kaboul however, the latter of whom looked like he lacked sharpness due to deficient game time.

However, the tactics, not the players were our biggest downfall. We've repeatedly been beaten by teams with pace that get in behind our high line. Newcastle did it, Arsenal did it, West Ham did it.

City have the fastest frontline in the PL. Navas, Aguero, Toure are all rapid. Why continue to push up the field against that sort of pace? It's naive, risky and unintelligent. The worst thing is that AVB doesn't seem to be learning from this same mistake over and over again...

 

[PhilosoSPUR]

We've invested in this manager and this system, but everyone knows something is wrong.

We have unhappy attackers, unhappy defenders, a once-flawless goalie making mistakes, the midfield losing its identity.

Players aren't getting played, others are getting overplayed, some are out of position.

It's a mess, and the worst part is, even if AVB had a good idea at this point, he has to win their trust back.

Putting on Ade at half time, while a good decision, was a sign of how low AVB has sunk.

 

[Ribble]

Why exactly has this game changed so many peoples minds about our team and AVB?

I think it's probably because the team showed barely any sign of real impetus or fight to try and get back into it, especially when put next to the effort put in against Newcastle in the second half of that game. Also it's starkly different to last season where we fought hard for every match.

 

[Damian99]

Except we had the possesion and people aren't just pissed off over this game

As well as the one thing we did appear decent at, has now gone out of the window.

 

[tobi]

More from Andre Villas-Boas: "There is an immediate shock after 15 seconds.

"The concentration was not there, but the reaction of the players was positive. Everything went wrong for us, every opportunity was a goal and we paid a heavy price, too much for what we deserved.

"City were excellent, and we were extremely poor.

"My responsibility is to lift the players, there is always another game coming. We have to give a response in the Europa League.

"We have to be ashamed of ourselves, and react to a defeat like this."

DON'T YOU DARE, ANDRE, I DON'T WANT A SINGLE FIRST TEAM PLAYER ANYWHERE NEAR NORWAY

What's the problem, the Europa League is the next game.

 

[chookz]

Give Lamela a chance ffs.
Didnt play well but didnt play that bad either, should have scored, but still put paul and Ade for decent chances.
Sandro for spurs then dembele, as everyone knows i dont rate dembele, but credit were its due he played well when he came on.
Man City at home are the best team we will face bar none.
should have played capoue with sandro for this one, they would have sat back and protected us.
And Chiri for daws.
Forget this one, plenty of teams will go there and get hammered its that simple.

Lamela did zilch today. Fact is lots of fans were screaming for him over Townsend and Defoe over Soldado. Those were our worst games. I don't think we will make top six at this rate.

 

[TheGreenLily]

So after the Newcastle game you didn't say AVB should fuck off now because of this one game, you tell him to fuck off?

Because he didn't learn from the Newcastle game that was the way to go.

He retreated back to his safe zone rather than going for it.

He gave Ade and Sandro about 5 mins together, then reverted back to the same old shit. The chains should have come off to even just get one goal, he didn't.

 

[chookz]

The fact that we have been hammered in so many games this season is unacceptable. Whether the team is undergoing a transition, 6-0 is ridiculous. I don't like the idea of changing a manager during mid season but it's terrible to see the team losing in such a manner week after week. I don't even care if the assistant manager takes over now. I just can't see anything worse than the current crap we are dishing out now.

AVB can fix this... I think

 

[LSUY]

Haven't we already qualified for the next round of the Europa? Aside from getting a few first team players match fit (Ade) I don't see the point in playing a strong team.

 

[paulcumpstone]

has he been sacked yet :,-( at least he expects a response in the Europa league, can hardly wait, another nothing game in a nothing competition against shocking opposition

 

[sebcole]

ever get that feeling where your getting left behind?

 

[sim0n]

We've invested in this manager and this system, but everyone knows something is wrong.

We have unhappy attackers, unhappy defenders, a once-flawless goalie making mistakes, the midfield losing its identity.

Players aren't getting played, others are getting overplayed, some are out of position.

It's a mess, and the worst part is, even if AVB had a good idea at this point, he has to win their trust back.

Putting on Ade at half time, while a good decision, was a sign of how low AVB has sunk.

He is no longer effective in the manager's role -- lost dressing room, tactics all wrong, and lost the fans as well...
simple solution and DL to apply the final move ASAP...

 

[markieboy]

Seriously,anyone on this forum who thinks AVB can turn this team around is totally delusional.

 

[Mullers]

More from Andre Villas-Boas: "There is an immediate shock after 15 seconds.

"The concentration was not there, but the reaction of the players was positive. Everything went wrong for us, every opportunity was a goal and we paid a heavy price, too much for what we deserved.

"City were excellent, and we were extremely poor.

"My responsibility is to lift the players, there is always another game coming. We have to give a response in the Europa League.

"We have to be ashamed of ourselves, and react to a defeat like this."

DON'T YOU DARE, ANDRE, I DON'T WANT A SINGLE FIRST TEAM PLAYER ANYWHERE NEAR NORWAY

Why? You think they earned a rest?

 

[chookz]

I Agree, you can't blame Lamela, he was one of the better players I thought, at least he tried to do something.

We have a brilliant squad apart from the full backs, it is the way we are set out to play.

Negative, possession football born out of a fear of losing, rather than having the balls and going for throat. That is the problem.

What exactly did Lamela do? Few imitation step-overs and never going past anyone? We can't be experimenting with players who are not ready.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

Why? You think they earned a rest?

If we play something anywhere near a first XI, we will probably get destroyed by United as well

 

[Rocksuperstar]

AVB should pick two teams from his squad, chuck them the ball and tell them to f*ck off down to the park for the day.

No training regime, no set plays, no time limits, no refs, jumpers for goalposts, just PLAY together. Kick the ball around under no pressure, learn each others names, names aren't languages, get some camaraderie into the squad when they aren't in a photo session.

Whilst training sessions and drills, practice matches and fitness regimes are obviously massively important, there's no point in all of that unless the team know each other like buddies and from the last few games we look like a bunch of very talented guys who don't know enough about each others personal style of play, pace, what position they're likely to take up, virtually nish, especially in midfield.

We need a team, not a squad of talented individuals.