City vs Chelsea team

First topic message reminder :

Bravo
Sane, Sane, Sane, Sane
Sane, Sane, Sane
Sterling, Sane, Sane

Oh...and is that a 4 game ban for Aguero after his retrospective ban last time?

Just watched the post match coverage now and the goals...

Does Pep do ANY observations on our games, or just watch the opposition from his bunker?

You have to ask what the fuck he see's in Kolorov and Otamendi.

I mentioned this in previous games....but once again, it's several defences mistakes made, in one counter-attack that's cost us a goal.

The second goal in particular.....Otamendi (FFS - how fucking garbage is he?) tries to dive in and win a ball off Costa that was NEVER there to win and then exposed the defence...but still, Kolorov was 10 yards ahead of Willian when that challenge happened, he saw Willian, but still jogged back in a straight line, instead of moving inside to make Costa play the ball wide...lazy as fuck! Then Bravo - was that a fucking Mannequin Challenge??? What a twat of a keeper he is.

Pep needs to sort this shambles out at the back.

Stick to 4 at the back, make MASSIVE bids in Jan for two more FB's and another CB -pay whatever it will take to get the players....as Sagna, Clichy and especially, Otamendi and Kolorov are GARBAGE...oh, and give the gloves to Gunn!

can't argue with any of that blue all points are as clear as day.

I read somewhere that Chelsea had made one change in their last 7 games before the game with us. We had made 23.

I don't care that they haven't got CL to distract them. Pep needs to pick and stick.

Otamendi had actually been having a great game until he let Costa turn him and slot home. Then it went downhill. Why was he marking him on his own when we were winning the bastard game???

As well as a shit defence, the forwards were clueless Auguero had he botherd to look up rather than blasting high/wide or straight at the keeper we could have ad 4 or 5 today. And someone tell me how KDB one of the best footballers on the planet we are told managed to hit the bar from 3 yards out and all that before they scored their 1st.

No one came out of that debacle with any credi at all,

Pep's plan B are about as rare as Pellegrini's

Topdawg wrote:I read somewhere that Chelsea had made one change in their last 7 games before the game with us. We had made 23.

I don't care that they haven't got CL to distract them. Pep needs to pick and stick.

Otamendi had actually been having a great game until he let Costa turn him and slot home. Then it went downhill. Why was he marking him on his own when we were winning the bastard game???

I think the whole "we've had 2 games a week" argument can't be used ever again. Pep's had 7 days with the squad to work on this. I've still not seen the whole game, but the stats alone - 63% possession, more shots at goal and on target says it all, when we concede 3 goals from 4 shots.

He needs to seriously look at Otamendi and Kolorov to start with - and fuck them off.

Yes, Otamendi may have been having a good game "up to that point", but it's the same old story with him....he cannot go one single game without a massive rick, or contributes to a poor defensive display when the opposition attacks us in the break - and 9 times out of 10, it's always, always, always - due to him trying to win balls he should never win...he's a thick fucker clearly....but then Pep keeps picking him....and as for the Serbian cock-womble, what a bag of shite he is.

No excuses now Pep....I really hope you fine Aguero 4 weeks wages for this - one week for every game he misses....because he should know better.

As for Fernandinho, I hope they appeal it, because after Fabregas slapped him, he never pushed him over the advertising boards, Fabregas knew what he wanted to do as soon as he got near him - and Gary Neville saying Chalob-who, was right to push Aguero over??? WTF??? And he only receives a yellow card???

Taylor's a wank-stain of a referee anyway....but it doesn't take away the fact that we dominated possession, shots, corners, pass accuracy etc - if we don't finish chances (which is becoming a common theme)....and we have such terrible players in defence, we'll struggle all season.

common theme - creating clear cut chances and players being greedy or poor finishing. Aguero could have easily slid a pass square for a tap in but chose to shoot and the keeper saved. Look at Sanchez in the evening game. just the goalie to beat and he passes it to Ozil for a tap in.

And our defence is abominable.

It shouldn't be possible to have those stats, at home, and get beaten by that much. It just shouldn't. But when we look at the chances we had... Serge missed a bagful of chances and should've laid off for Kev rather than trying to twist himself to shoot. Kev himself missed an absolute sitter, which would've made it 2-0 and changed the game. They are the two players you expect to be hitting the target, but aside from Dino's brilliant (but offside) header, Courtois didn't have much to do.

Otamendi only had a good game to a point and, for me, that point was when he came onto the pitch. He was given so much protection by Stones and Navas, which is a complete joke. His yellow card was the only part of his game more farcical than his defensive capability. Kolarov is similarly useless, and he was bailed out time and again by Sane and Dino. As for Bravo, the less said the better, but I discussed this with my lad after the game and we both think our defenders are made to feel more pressure because they can't rely on him to pull out a save. They had three shots and scored every one, partly down to a defence that was dire, but Bravo's positioning is crap and he never looked like saving any of them. I know a brilliant keeper who is on our books and would've stopped two of those in his sleep.

But aside from a shit keeper, a rubbish defence, and very lacklustre performances from Gundogan, Kev and Spanish Dave, I have to look at Pep for this one. A whole week to prepare, only one key player injured and he did only one thing right, but far too late. A back three was very risky and all Chelsea did was punt the ball over our six man midfield, begging the question, why not pull Dino back into defence? As much as he's disliked on here, we needed Yaya to take the game by the scruff of the neck, so bringing him on for Gundo was the right call. But he needed to make that call at the hour mark, not fifteen minutes from the end. By the time he came on, it was too late, Chelsea were rampant and he was a passenger. Bringing Clichy on for Sane was stupid, as they'd just brought on Willian and the only player we had who could keep up was... Sane! Funny how, once he'd gone off, Willian found all kinds of room. And if you're taking off a defender for a striker, why make it the only one who can actually defend? I heard someone say something about Pep only liking Ota alongside Kolarov and, if that's the case, he'd better learn to love Stones quickly or we're going to concede a lot more late goals.

Lacklustre players, slow build up play, no penetration, too much tapping the ball around, crazy substitutions done way too late to change the game... it really does feel like last season.

I think we had plenty of penetration, hence so many decent, and some golden, chances. Aguero should have had a couple or three. Kev should have scored, but we can't have Navas with two assists in the one game, let alone one month.

Chelsea and Spurs rely on not conceding and then taking their few chances. Since we can't defend for toffee, we've got to take a higher percentage of our chances or we'll be on the end of similar results a few more times this season.

I'm just watching the Sunday Supplement and the consensus with the 3 journo's, including Oliver Holt (who's a City fan), said they'd still watch City over Chelsea. One of the young journo's from the Telegraph hit the nail on the head (like you and your lad did Leo)...he said that Pep won't change his philosophy, he'll still want the keeper to play out from the back, he'll still want his defenders starting attacks and keeping the ball. The problem Pep has, is that Bravo can't do what Neuer can and protect his defenders, Kolorov can't do what Alaba can and Otamendi can't do what Boateng can...and that's the issue, he doesn't have a good enough keeper, LB and CB to reach the level of football he wants and expects - but they still think he should continue to play this way, because when he does get those players he clearly needs, they'll bring football utopia to the PL.

They all agreed, Bravo isn't good enough and that he's probably instilling this uncertainty in our defenders, who are already not good enough to play the system..they also agreed, that for 60 mins, City were excellent and if KDB would have finished his chance, we'd be talking about a Pep masterclass this morning as opposed to the furore over the sending off's, which they all said started with Taylor - he was the one who created all of the frustration on the pitch and in the stands, with his awful display and decision making.

For once, I'll wholeheartedly agree with the journos, but it's Pep's fault for nit addressing this in the summer.