Essential The Official Football (Soccer) Thread - RIP Diogo Jota

[Black Magisterialness]

I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner but I guess with Rodri it couldn't really happen. If pressing comes but the ball already left lol

Age definitely caught up to Gundo, he was transparent today. I think Foden was ok and Kovacic so so. But Bernardo doing a better job in midfield than Gundo is a terrible look. I'm wondering how their midfield will look after winter.

At the very least, they need a strong box to box player and Rodgers is that kind of player and yall say he was in their academy smh

Bernardo is at his best when he can roam, and he can't do that as much when the middle of the park is as porous as it is for City right now. I think Kovacic is one of the most gassed players in the game right now, I do not rate him at all.

But Foden to me has no excuses. I remember the argument was between him and Saka...and you look at what Saka did with no Odegaard and no real striker this season and it's night and day. BTW that's Phil Foden's FIRST PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL. Meanwhile, Saka leads the league in assists.

 

[Big Blue]

Pep gonna be coaching in the MLS next season.

 

[Trajan]

This City is a perfect example of a bully that never learned how to fight. They got hit in the face one good time and now they can't recover.

Yh it's a mixture of their core being washed, injuries and mentality... they're so used to winning this shyt feels like an existential crisis to them lol...they probably don't know how to pick themselves up

Also, other teams smell blood in the water and won't be giving them as much respect

 

[Roid Jones]

Pep gonna be coaching in the MLS next season.

Sabbatical first

 

[Liu Kang]

True. But all things considered, he was right. Pep wasn't going to push him through unless he was forced to. If you have a healthy Rodri and KDB you're not seeing Rico. But more than that, he's too in love with his system. He could have been future proof with Foden as a wide 10 on the left and Palmer a wide 10 on the right, Rodri/Kovacic double pivot. But there wasn't even the possibility in a change of system or personnel to fit him.

This City is a perfect example of a bully that never learned how to fight. They got hit in the face one good time and now they can't recover.

Silva was on fire two years ago, no way Palmer was starting then. Silva proved it in CL and how good he was then, culminating with his brace against Real in the semis.

Palmer was also right to leave because as you said Pep is not flexible enough. Palmer is actually a player that would give them a more vertical style when their current one is not hitting and they need to switch it up.

Right now, it seems far too lateral with little to no creativity. A player like Palmer who sometimes break away from the strategy is what they need as well.

 

[TheFryingDutchman]

Every week I say I'm gonna bet against City, but get scared off because they got to turn it around this week, right

I'm enjoying this schadenfreude though

 

[Yayo Toure]

So Rodri injuring himself really exposed them

If they can't hold the ball in midfield then their whole gameplan crumbles as they do not have strength there to compensate. And without that control in midfield, they can't create chances and score either. So that flaw cutting both ways damn.

Seems like they are also riddled with injuries though so that doesn't help but Rodri really was the corner stone.

@Yayo Toure , who are yall looking to replace Rodri ?

Bruno G or Zubimendi, but since it's out in the media it's probably a diversion. Rodri is hard to replace but playing this version of Gundogan in the middle isn't going to stop anyone, fresh legs are needed not guys who have been playing 60+ games a season for 4 years straight.

 

[Black Magisterialness]

Yh it's a mixture of their core being washed, injuries and mentality... they're so used to winning this shyt feels like an existential crisis to them lol...they probably don't know how to pick themselves up

Also, other teams smell blood in the water and won't be giving them as much respect

That's on Pep.

But you're right about the core. When my club, Arsenal was in freefall Arteta came in and said "no fukking passengers." If a player was on a skid in the same vein as Walker or Foden....they got benched.

But also, Gvardiol is the new Zinchenko with these defensive errors.

 

[SmarkMero]

 

[Black Magisterialness]

Real spit, this Brentford/Forrest match might be a fukking shootout.

 

[Saysumthinfunnymike]

Phil foden exposal is beautiful to watch. Idiots in here thought he was better than Jude

I don't see the comparison... Jude is a physical two-way attacking mid

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

Palmer would of been Pepstrated if he stayed at Citeh. He's too off the cuff of a player for Pep. Best thing that happened to Palmer was winning all those trophies even tho he was a bit player for them. So when he went to Chelsea he was going there to play games while nearly everyone else joining in the hope of winning trophies.

 

[Yayo Toure]

True. But all things considered, he was right. Pep wasn't going to push him through unless he was forced to. If you have a healthy Rodri and KDB you're not seeing Rico. But more than that, he's too in love with his system. He could have been future proof with Foden as a wide 10 on the left and Palmer a wide 10 on the right, Rodri/Kovacic double pivot. But there wasn't even the possibility in a change of system or personnel to fit him.

This City is a perfect example of a bully that never learned how to fight. They got hit in the face one good time and now they can't recover.

Cole P is talented but he would never look as good in this city side, and he looks so good at Chelsea because he floats all over the pitch getting the final ball in most attacks, a modern well structured team doesn't allow that because when possession is lost the shape is very vulnerable. But highlight watchers and G/A merchants swear he'd save City.

City can only be saved by more intelligent midfield play, more legs in midfield and a right back that can anticipate danger instead of relying on his pace, which is gone.

 

[Yayo Toure]

Phil foden exposal is beautiful to watch. Idiots in here thought he was better than Jude

He is. But I don't argue, I wait. Mbappe has done to Jude what Jude did to Foden at the Euros and y'all don't even realize.

 

[Saysumthinfunnymike]

Right now, it seems far too lateral with little to no creativity. A player like Palmer who sometimes break away from the strategy is what they need as well.

Isn't that what Doku is for