The speed of their play/decisions is looking alarmingly high. That's usually how top teams play, and a major part of what we're lacking.
Our Rivals' squads next year - Manchester City (2016/2017)
- Thread starter Wumminator
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What do you expect will happen to that midfield trio once Gündoğan gets going and starts playing consistently well? Seems like dropping Fernandinho will expose the midfield too much while you simply can't drop Silva and De Bruyne unless you have a Leo Messi waiting to replace them.
The sad thing is Man City have a proper plan, in terms of their managers and transfers. With players they identify, and now getting Pep, when I`m sure many clubs wanted him, but they did whatever they needed to entice him
Unlike us, our whole managerial appointments and player transfers seem to be an absolute mess, apart from Mourinho, who we should have had 3 years ago. While our player transfers have been absolutely dreadful especially with the amount if money weve been throwing around, and what we get on the pitch
Unlike us, our whole managerial appointments and player transfers seem to be an absolute mess, apart from Mourinho, who we should have had 3 years ago. While our player transfers have been absolutely dreadful especially with the amount if money weve been throwing around, and what we get on the pitch
Genuinely I just expect rotation. I think the obvious answer points to pushing one of Silva and KDB out wide but I really don't see Pep sacrificing the width. It's a long season and everybody keeps saying how we could burn out later in the season so I see 3 players for 2 spots as ideal, it's just annoying they're all so good you'd want to force them into the side. Hopefully Pep can find a way that works, but great problem to have and all that.
Nolito is a nothing player btw. Just above average.
That team is playing well, because of Pep, period.
Can't agree with that. Navas is a nothing player. Nolito has hit double figure league goals in every season he had at Celta. These players who can chip in with goals are very important in any side.
They're depressingly good. Deserved title favourites, and unless they start to struggle after fixtures pile up then I can't see anyone stopping them.
They are depressingly good.
Pep has transformed them form he laziest team in the league the hardest working team in no time.
In my calculations I assumed it would take 10-15 matches for his team to adjust to his tactics as well as for him to adjust to EPL football. In doing so, I hoped City would drop plenty of points.
Not only did neither scenario occur, I suspect his team will become much better over the next few months before it hits a temporary blip in form.
If anything, Guardiola is replicating one of Mourinho's typical strong and fast starts to a season. Its as intimatdating as it is impressive.
Thank God he's only there for 3 years.
Also, another difference is that Jose/United were never the most talented side in a long time, while City has probably had the best team on paper for over half a decade. The just needed a proper manager with the proper vision to guide them.
The game vs United/Bourmouth were great, however, I never rated United highly and the latter just sucks... (didn't watch the CL game because it wasn't on tele in the states)
However, Pep vs a fit Tott squad is the test I want to see or Liverpool/Chelsea...
Losing Nolito is huge vs the Spurs imo since his workrate out of all the attacking options is probably the best on the team.
The game vs United/Bourmouth were great, however, I never rated United highly and the latter just sucks... (didn't watch the CL game because it wasn't on tele in the states)
However, Pep vs a fit Tott squad is the test I want to see or Liverpool/Chelsea...
Losing Nolito is huge vs the Spurs imo since his workrate out of all the attacking options is probably the best on the team.
It's far too early to judge them as a team that will run away with it. A pretty standard season for City is (unfortunately) beating United and smashing relegation fodder at home. The main impressive result has been a victory away at Stoke... But then you look at how poor they've been and the result becomes unsurprising.
My only worry is they're playing teams at the right time. Stoke and West Ham particularly might have been tricky fixtures later on in the season but both still seem to be on holiday. Mourinho clearly still doesn't know his best team and formation either (whereas City's pretty much picks itself).
We'll know a lot more after they play Spurs, Everton and West Brom away.
My only worry is they're playing teams at the right time. Stoke and West Ham particularly might have been tricky fixtures later on in the season but both still seem to be on holiday. Mourinho clearly still doesn't know his best team and formation either (whereas City's pretty much picks itself).
We'll know a lot more after they play Spurs, Everton and West Brom away.
Get a grip people, it's only the start of the season. City were dominating their first matches last season and everyone was calling them title favorites until the end where they collapsed spectacularly and only beat us on a goal difference.
There is no need to panic.
There is no need to panic.
Wouldn't surprise me if they fell to crap after Christmas. The lack of a winter break is something Guardiola has never faced before and his teams are all out in terms of pressing.
Still, has to be said, they do look good as of now.
Still, has to be said, they do look good as of now.
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My only hope is that their form goes off next year like it happened for Pep in Bayern every year out of 3 he has been there.
If not sooner.
If not sooner.
I want to see them some more against decent sides who will put their dodgy keeper under some pressure. Bournemouth at the Etihad weren't the team to do that.
The winter break was always bad for Bayern under Pep. Lost their stride. Maybe he will actually do better without it.
Not a single team has even tried to ruffle their feathers in midfield.
I've watched all their games so far, and every team (bizarrely, including Utd) has treated them like it's a joy to watch them play - standing off them across whole pitch and treating them like they're Barcelona - which they aren't.
They're a good team, but every game they've played so far has been more akin to an exhibition match regarding the approach of the other team.
I've watched all their games so far, and every team (bizarrely, including Utd) has treated them like it's a joy to watch them play - standing off them across whole pitch and treating them like they're Barcelona - which they aren't.
They're a good team, but every game they've played so far has been more akin to an exhibition match regarding the approach of the other team.
But I thought in the PL every game was hard for topclubs?
Nonsense, Nolito is a very good player. Above average.
There's no easy games when hyping up the PL, when it comes to a rival, their opponents are shit and handed them an easy win. PL fans logic...
My point is that he is not a game changer. He's just a normal player. In a team that's functioning well, he looks good.
Well, you clearly never watched him in Spain. Is it so hard not to make up shit?
The PL has become a joke when it comes to defending these last few years.
Since their takeover, City have genuinely spent more time operating like a proper big club than United. And it shows. They just seem to have more of clue about the world football in 2016, from top to bottom.
Well, except for the commercial side.
The relative appointments of Guardiola and Mourinho couldn't be more telling.
Well, except for the commercial side.
The relative appointments of Guardiola and Mourinho couldn't be more telling.
How about you chill out buddy?
This is a major problem for us. We have been garbage for 3 seasons yet are still the biggest game for all the other teams in the PL. All sides raise their game when we come to town. When we had a team of great players & SAF at the helm we could usually overcome this. We now have average players & an average manager. The other clubs though still go into their fixtures with us with the same mentality.
City are still pretty much a plastic club to most other teams. The likes of Bournemouth & West Ham don't give a shit if they win 1 - 0 or get beat 7 - 0, as it's only City. They get a free ride in this respect.
Pep's comments praising Bournemouth is a case in point. He want's teams to play expansive against City. This basically amounts to teams waving the white flag before they get onto the pitch. Dicks like Howe & Bilic fall for his fake praise. They seem to forget that this is the most expensively assembled squad in the history of the league. It's impossible for teams working on minute budgets (in comparison) to compete.
Nonsense, Nolito is a very good player. Above average.
Absolutely, it's a very stereotypical assessment to make of many Prinera players, but Nolito is an elite player. Pep and Lucho both chased him, his quality cannot be reasonably questioned - even featuring for La roja
They move the ball around so fast that it's hard to really get up in their face tbh. Standing off them at least allows you to close up space and theoretically be harder to break down. They're just making it look like the other teams aren't trying to disrupt them, but in reality they're playing superb football.
I think you're wasted on here - you should get a career as a comedian. While I think you're talking utter bollocks, your comments might have a tiny bit more credence if we'd not already faced off against United in your own backyard because while you've just given an excuse for every team rolling over for us, you've inadvertently just grouped your own club in with all those others that don't give a shit if they lose to City.
Indeed and it is going to take a while for Pep to adjust to life in England because we play a different sport altogether. Barcelona and Bayern would also struggle because they play in 2 team leagues.
What really has impressed me is how quick they can transition from defending in their own box to breaking out and threatening the opponents goal from a long ball and direct running, not something you associate with Pep but they did that a couple of times in their last game and scored from it too. Sounds almost ridiculous but Aguero arguably gives them a selection headache, he's not slow but right now they're too quick to deal with and aren't really missing him.
No, that's not true, that's just the line you're buying mate.
Watch the games again, this weekend Kolarov (!?) was given acres of space to dictate basically the entire game - Kolarov. as. a. playmaker.
In every game, even casual pundits like MOTD have pointed out the incredible space allowed to them in crucial areas of the pitch and highlighted it as a defensive error from the other team - and these are the same pundits that are singing City's praises.
No, they haven't been tested yet, at all. The closest they got to that was the second half against us, and that was 0-0, with their back 4 and keeper looking very shaky, and their keeper eventually pressured into conceding a penalty that was never given, and avoiding a certain red card.
You're not connecting the right dots in my view. It's fine pointing at all the space Kolarov had, but why was he afforded that space? If the striker presses him then he'll play it to the other defender and goalkeeper back and forth until he's got space again. If the striker AND midfielder press him then Fernandinho drops into the space left in the middle and picks it up to feed Gundogan and KDB with an extra man advantage.
It's completely false to say City are always finding space because the other team isn't trying, when in reality our entire game now revolves around moving the ball into that space. If Kolarov doesn't find himself in space then the ball is moved around until somebody is. You're looking at effect and not looking at the range of causes driving the end result.
You haven't been pressed, even unsuccessfully, in any game other than the second half of the United game.
Bournemouth, while still trying to play 'the right way' were just standing off you. Kolarov, being allowed 10 yards of space in the middle of the pitch continuously is anomalous, as you well know.
You're good, but to suggest that Guardiola has you playing football that literally can't even be challenged is ridiculous, as has been already shown in the 2nd half against a poor United team.
As the season unfurls, you'll realize I'm right.
I can assure you that you're not.
As a matter of interest, what's your biggest game of the season? Chelsea, presumably? Or Arsenal perhaps?
The derby is not our biggest game of the season. Liverpool, Arsenal & Chelsea are the biggest followed by City. As with other teams, City do raise their game against Utd. This wasn't much of a problem for us though. It's only since the Sheik sponsored financial doping program that you have started having some success in the derby.
You're dealing in absolute extremes. I'm not suggesting we are so good we can't even be challenged - ludicrous to suggest that to suit your argument. Purely suggesting that actually we might just be better at moving the ball than you're giving us credit for, and some aspect of our players being in space is down to the way we are moving the ball.
Teams will press us and have success for sure, but there's only a handful of teams in this league who play with the kind of intensity that the high press becomes effective as part of their game. Funnily enough, City now appear to be one of the few who can do that.
Yeah, because since we came back up in 2002 it's not like we didn't win 5 derbies prior to the 2008 takeover is it? If you're going to troll the grown-ups on here you have to be doing a lot better than that.
Heh, factual History appears to be getting shorter and shorter for some, is it now only 2008 that it starts?