Borderline sackable

[WickedWolfie]

100% absolutely baffling some of the responses on here, you'd think Chiquinho had a bad game.

Chiq, while played out of position, was the one player who couldn't be criticised last night.

 

[Mighty Thor]

the reality is Bruno just isn’t very good

 

[Direwolf]

I do not think it really matters when De Bruyne is on that kind of form perhaps with different tactics we may have limited him to a hat trick but he really had a taste for it last night and was pretty much an unstoppable force.

 

[ombyman]

The ridiculous thing is that we will revert to our tried and trusted defensive formation as a reaction against Norwich. Be too defensive, and draw nil nil or lose 1 nil.
Pick your battles! But will probably be too scared kf losing to Norwich.
Last night was crying out for the 523 or rarer 532.

 

[North West Wanderer]

I wish you had been, mate, instead of that clown Atkinson!

Haha I didn’t realise yellows were banned!!

 

[KBWWFC]

Last night was crying out for the 523 or rarer 532.

We played 532, high wing backs.

Saiss injured, 3 in midfield so Donck can't fill in at CB, we're light on numbers so it's throwing Jonny, Marçal, or Mosquera at CB.

On the whole we didn't play too badly, we were let down massively by Coady on multiple occasions which all led to goals.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

I agree probably the wrong game to experiment,but we keep asking for Bruno to change things up and when he does sack him lol
I thought Jonny looked totally lost in that position and like others couldnt fathom why Totti wasnt played
Chico is not a RWB but tried and played well going forward

Lets face it we arent close to Man City in any department and it could have been worse

The main problem with last night was the midfield, they were invisible,Donk was probably the best one so that tells you something
If you give City space they will kill you and they did time after time

 

[TheConcourse]

Talk about numbers and formations all you want, when better players work harder you’re done. The level of effort from some of these players isn’t there.

I still can’t wrap my head around nobody on the pitch standing on top of KdB and restricting his influence. It blows my mind how you can’t recognise his impact on the game grow after 5 minutes.

Probably didn’t help not having a Head Coach.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

We played 532, high wing backs.

Saiss injured, 3 in midfield so Donck can't fill in at CB, we're light on numbers so it's throwing Jonny, Marçal, or Mosquera at CB.

On the whole we didn't play too badly, we were let down massively by Coady on multiple occasions which all led to goals.

Goals very little to do with Coady, was the midfield at fault for most

 

[Flump]

I still can’t wrap my head around nobody on the pitch standing on top of KdB and restricting his influence. It blows my mind how you can’t recognise his impact on the game grow after 5 minutes.

We did well to restrict KdB to 0.83 xG!

 

[TheConcourse]

Goals very little to do with Coady, was the midfield at fault for most

He can see the game. He should be dragging the midfield into position when De Bruyne is moving around the pitch.

All I saw last night was Donk, Neves and Moutinho trying to cut the passing angle off as KdB sat between the lines of midfield and defence. One step to his right or left and he was free to do what he wanted.

It’s not just on him, but he seems to get a bit of a pass. His leadership skills are pants.

Coady gets such little criticism here. He should have gone after Sevilla away and we should have recognised that he’s nowhere near good enough to build a whole team around.

Suppose he’s always in good spirits though - and no ****ing wonder.

 

[KBWWFC]

Goals very little to do with Coady, was the midfield at fault for most

Coady broke our offside trap 3 times for their goals, sat too deep, and fell for the Foden trap twice.

Midfield didn't cover themselves in glory, but Coady gave them acres of space and caught in no man's land. As captain he's meant to organise this, the buck stops with him.

 

[binners]

I commend Bruno for trying something different. What I really can’t stand is how entitled our fan base is becoming. Sackable offence, have a look at yourself!

Spot on

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Coady broke our offside trap 3 times for their goals, sat too deep, and fell for the Foden trap twice.

Midfield didn't cover themselves in glory, but Coady gave them acres of space and caught in no man's land. As captain he's meant to organise this, the buck stops with him.

First goal- KDB flicks the ball around Neves who stands still and watches him as he runs off and goes past Coady. Neves fault for not reacting not really Coady's, just not quick enough can't really blame him for that. Neves isn't quick enough either but he just stands still

Our goal - Coady interception starts it off

2nd goal - Coady follows Foden out and KDB drops into space behind as Neves doesn't follow him again. Absolutely clueless bit of midfield play there, literally no idea where the best player on the pitch is

3rd goal - Most shameful of the lot. Neves literally lets KDB walk past him with no foul and then run at back 3 - from there nothing anyone can do.

4th goal - Just brilliant football tbf, hard to really pick an individual error with that speed of ball movement. KDB unmarked again but can't see who was with him.

5th goal - Counter attack well executed, Neves does great to track back and nearly block cross to be fair to him. Jonny was deepest defender though not Coady.

Would love to hear where you are seeing Coady "break offside trap" 3x for goals? Literally can't see it once.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

He can see the game. He should be dragging the midfield into position when De Bruyne is moving around the pitch.

All I saw last night was Donk, Neves and Moutinho trying to cut the passing angle off as KdB sat between the lines of midfield and defence. One step to his right or left and he was free to do what he wanted.

It’s not just on him, but he seems to get a bit of a pass. His leadership skills are pants.

Coady gets such little criticism here. He should have gone after Sevilla away and we should have recognised that he’s nowhere near good enough to build a whole team around.

Suppose he’s always in good spirits though - and no ****ing wonder.

He literally can't be telling midfielders where to stand all game, Neves/Moutinho/Donk were atrocious and it isn't Coady's fault that as I demonstrated in post above none of them even bothered to run back with KDB.

I have criticised him plenty on here, but he clearly is a good leader.

 

[TheConcourse]

He literally can't be telling midfielders where to stand all game, Neves/Moutinho/Donk were atrocious and it isn't Coady's fault that as I demonstrated in post above none of them even bothered to run back with KDB.

I have criticised him plenty on here, but he clearly is a good leader.

How?

 

[Stafford]

Most people mean playing 442 with Joao Neves in midfield 2 wingers and a front 2 when they say 'experiment'.

Which also probably wouldn't work.

Didn't we end Chelsea similar to last night?

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

I know Neves is everyones idol,but come on he was awful last night and culpable for at least 2/3 goals
He did absolutely zero all game and in turn let the back line come under so much heat
The other two werent much better granted,but to blame it all on Coady is garbage
He may not be the fastest or most talented but he is a decent CB and leader, he cant be held responsible for the midfield and back line being abject on this occasion

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

I know Neves is everyones idol,but come on he was awful last night and culpable for at least 2/3 goals
He did absolutely zero all game and in turn let the back line come under so much heat
The other two werent much better granted,but to blame it all on Coady is garbage
He may not be the fastest or most talented but he is a decent CB and leader, he cant be held responsible for the midfield and back line being abject on this occasion

Not allowed to post these facts, please delete post

 

[WKFWolf]

Coady broke our offside trap 3 times for their goals, sat too deep, and fell for the Foden trap twice.

Midfield didn't cover themselves in glory, but Coady gave them acres of space and caught in no man's land. As captain he's meant to organise this, the buck stops with him.

i honestly cant believe how many people have blinkers on when it comes to certain players.

 

[Stafford]

Yeh the midifield where given all the tools to succeed with that formation last night, and were critical to us succeeding. They let us down. A sad end to the Joao Neves era.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

How?

I mean as a personality around the group literally every player talks about it, on field none of the goals were down to him not organising last night our midfield just played like 11 year olds

 

[KBWWFC]

First goal- KDB flicks the ball around Neves who stands still and watches him as he runs off and goes past Coady. Neves fault for not reacting not really Coady's, just not quick enough can't really blame him for that. Neves isn't quick enough either but he just stands still

Our goal - Coady interception starts it off

2nd goal - Coady follows Foden out and KDB drops into space behind as Neves doesn't follow him again. Absolutely clueless bit of midfield play there, literally no idea where the best player on the pitch is

3rd goal - Most shameful of the lot. Neves literally lets KDB walk past him with no foul and then run at back 3 - from there nothing anyone can do.

4th goal - Just brilliant football tbf, hard to really pick an individual error with that speed of ball movement. KDB unmarked again but can't see who was with him.

5th goal - Counter attack well executed, Neves does great to track back and nearly block cross to be fair to him. Jonny was deepest defender though not Coady.

Would love to hear where you are seeing Coady "break offside trap" 3x for goals? Literally can't see it once.

First goal: Coady miles behind the play. Allows Foden to get three touches and play a pass between him and Jonny to a rushing De Bruyne.

If he's in line with Boly, that ball doesn't get played.
No communication from Coady with Neves and Jonny.

Second goal:




Neves and Coady both run to Foden. Coady breaks the defensive line and creates the gap. Zero communication.

Fourth goal:
It's our boy Coady again sat too deep because he's got no confidence in his pace. Then caught flat footed.



Fifth goal:
Where's the offside trap?



**** poor from our communicator, leader, marshaller of our defence.

As I said, the midfield didn't cover themselves in glory, but that defensive line is a shambles on all 5 goals last night.

 

[arctic rime]

No words

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

View attachment 27893

View attachment 27885
First goal: Coady miles behind the play. Allows Foden to get three touches and play a pass between him and Jonny to a rushing De Bruyne.

If he's in line with Boly, that ball doesn't get played.
No communication from Coady with Neves and Jonny.

Second goal:

View attachment 27886
View attachment 27887

Neves and Coady both run to Foden. Coady breaks the defensive line and creates the gap. Zero communication.

Fourth goal:
It's our boy Coady again sat too deep because he's got no confidence in his pace. Then caught flat footed.

View attachment 27890View attachment 27889

Fifth goal:
Where's the offside trap?
View attachment 27892


**** poor from our communicator, leader, marshaller of our defence.

As I said, the midfield didn't cover themselves in glory, but that defensive line is a shambles on all 5 goals last night.

The 1st goal the ball has just been booted downfield and the CBs were deep for options for pass, that is a dishonest screenshot as the video shows that goal was entirely on midfield.

2nd goal, your first screenshot literally shows Coady stepping to Foden and Neves just letting KDB run off him with his back turned to him despite him looking at him a few seconds earlier.

Notice you left out of the 3rd in your analysis

4th goal, yeah fair cop that is his fault for being deep.

5th goal, both CBs are playing Grealish on - you are never going to trap them offside with that little pressure on ball in midfield it is too simple of a pass.

 

[KBWWFC]

5th goal, both CBs are playing Grealish on

No they're not.

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

View attachment 27893

View attachment 27885
First goal: Coady miles behind the play. Allows Foden to get three touches and play a pass between him and Jonny to a rushing De Bruyne.

If he's in line with Boly, that ball doesn't get played.
No communication from Coady with Neves and Jonny.

Second goal:

View attachment 27886
View attachment 27887

Neves and Coady both run to Foden. Coady breaks the defensive line and creates the gap. Zero communication.

Fourth goal:
It's our boy Coady again sat too deep because he's got no confidence in his pace. Then caught flat footed.

View attachment 27890View attachment 27889

Fifth goal:
Where's the offside trap?
View attachment 27892


**** poor from our communicator, leader, marshaller of our defence.

As I said, the midfield didn't cover themselves in glory, but that defensive line is a shambles on all 5 goals last night.

Oh I see, the penny has just dropped. When we score goals it's because of the excellence and skills of our players but when we concede goals it's because of how poor our defending and positional play is.

What your analysis doesn't demonstrate is the speed and accuracy of City's play, nor the pressing and pressure on our defence by City that is designed to pull defence's about to provide those gaps and uncertainty that they can exploit.

I commend the effort you've gone to there but your pictures don't tell the full story.

 

[Mighty Thor]

View attachment 27893

View attachment 27885
First goal: Coady miles behind the play. Allows Foden to get three touches and play a pass between him and Jonny to a rushing De Bruyne.

If he's in line with Boly, that ball doesn't get played.
No communication from Coady with Neves and Jonny.

Second goal:

View attachment 27886
View attachment 27887

Neves and Coady both run to Foden. Coady breaks the defensive line and creates the gap. Zero communication.

Fourth goal:
It's our boy Coady again sat too deep because he's got no confidence in his pace. Then caught flat footed.

View attachment 27890View attachment 27889

Fifth goal:
Where's the offside trap?
View attachment 27892


**** poor from our communicator, leader, marshaller of our defence.

As I said, the midfield didn't cover themselves in glory, but that defensive line is a shambles on all 5 goals last night.

After see those stills it’s hard to argue. He is absolute no man’s land. Not marking the player and miles away from them sucthat he has no hope of getting close to them when played through. In a back 4 you get goalside and right up the ass of the forward so he can hear your breath. Not stand 10 yards away and so deep you are giving him 5-6 yards of room to be onside.

 

[Zico]

After see those stills it’s hard to argue. He is absolute no man’s land. Not marking the player and miles away from them sucthat he has no hope of getting close to them when played through. In a back 4 you get goalside and right up the ass of the forward so he can hear your breath. Not stand 10 yards away and so deep you are giving him 5-6 yards of room to be onside.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but also how can stills out of context tell the whole story?

 

[KBWWFC]

When we score goals it's because of the excellence and skills of our players

Didn't you give me pelters for pointing out our poor chance creation stats a few months ago?

Our goal last night, big error from fernandinho and cancelo, FYI.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

I'm not saying you're wrong, but also how can stills out of context tell the whole story?

First one case in point, the reason they are so deep is they have dropped to give keeper option of pass but midfield just hide so only option is to go long and then our static midfield just get played around. Neves jogs back in between two players but as the deepest midfielder he should have been nearly in line with Coady to give a bounce to Sa for angle. Moutinho and Donk not even in the shot

 

[Adrian_Monk]

The worrying thing is not that Bruno experimented, but that he felt compelled to, and the reason for that is, in my opinion, we've gone from having the nucleus of a very good side, to having a smattering of decent players but without a strong nucleus. Boly, Raul, Moutinho, Saïss, Marcal and Jonny are talented players but are, to varying degrees, showing wear and tear and/or father time has caught up with them. Neves will probably be off in the summer.

That leaves players like Coady and Dendoncker as the core group senior players in their prime - both are squad players at best, so that is a big concern. The other concern is there are no real vocal leaders in the squad, save for Sa and Coady. That lack of experience and lack of quality in your spine will without question hamper the development of the younger players as they thrive on in-game guidance to get the best out of them.

Big investment needed in this area and I'm not sure there is a realisation or desire to do so.

 

[Ercall Wolves]

I don’t think any team in the world would have lived with Man City last night

 

[Contrarian]

Adama started WB in the 2-0 win Vs City a couple of seasons ago...

Nuno tried many experiments with Adama. Seems the ones that didn't work (i.e. nearly all) have been forgotten. He was tried at wing back several times - and failed. On the left. On the right. Central. None of those experiments gave results that were significantly ahead of just luck. Sometimes worked, mostly didn't. Correlation is not causation and all that.

 

[Stafford]

What the hell is going on? Coady is where he should be on that first still surely?

and those offside lines... how are they parallel, we don't live in a 2D world?

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Seeing as we are playing the screenshot game, there is a still of our 2 DMs when the ball breaks to KDB, and there is one just before he scores.

Our midfield are literally not offering for the ball and then not tracking a runner. Useless.

 

[FJRWolf]

I don’t think any team in the world would have lived with Man City last night

Quite right but to set us up defensively as we were was insane, 2 players out of position, relatively inexperienced LWB, Boly is done I'm afraid and Coady always struggles with good movement......its Lages job to make those decisions, he doesn't get a free ride just cos its City.

 

[KBWWFC]

What the hell is going on? Coady is where he should be on that first still surely?

and those offside lines... how are they parallel, we don't live in a 2D world?

One of Coady or Boly are in the wrong position in the first still. Boly is playing the offside line, Coady isn't. Coadys job is to martial the line.

Offside still:
Rotated pitch, it's parallel to the pitch markings, pretty obvious that Coadys playing him onside, even if the lines are crude.

 

[Mighty Thor]

I'm not saying you're wrong, but also how can stills out of context tell the whole story?

True. It’s just his position in that still no matter what is that of a covering sweeper. It’s hard to adjust and maybe he literally cannot do it. His pace is such that if he gets tight to the forward and spun he is ****ed. So his natural instinct is to drop off. But he is ****ed anyway then as it creates space behind our supposed line.

 

[Stafford]

One of Coady or Boly are in the wrong position in the first still. Boly is playing the offside line, Coady isn't. Coadys job is to martial the line.

Offside still:
Rotated pitch, it's parallel to the pitch markings, pretty obvious that Coadys playing him onside, even if the lines are crude.

Boly 5 yards from his man.

Coady 5 yards from his man.

It's not an offside trap.