robsblubot

Agree to disagree then - good defensively and terrible in possession does not a good game make for me. 😁

Doku is going to be a handful in these final minutes. He’s much more difficult to contain than Grealish

Caicedo having a poor game.

Arkanji? Does not really look good on the ball. madurke is playing well — his game is just a bit simple/limited to me. Let’s hope.

It’s really not a good football game if you are not invested in it heh.

They do look tired and are playing sloppy. and yet they make mistakes and we are unable to punish them.

Think we played well and were well organized on the pitch in the first half. Can see challobah was picked for his pace as was madueke. we are just missing a bit o quality up front and in midfield.

Good news is that debuyne is playing like shit today.

Should’ve been a yellow for caicedo there.

Quality only really comes from Palmer in attack. Almost scored there.

Yeah it's a super long shot. Still, it's one game, and they've fucked up against lesser teams before; it does not happen often, but it does happen. Early yellow or red for an important player and everything changes. A blunder, and it's a different game. Yes, we are more likely to make blunders than they are 😅 still one can hope. It's an exciting moment, and I'm sure Poch is telling the players exactly that. After all the pressure is on them, and not our young side.

Once again, you are only talking about the Starting XI. Please, count how many times during a season the same players who start a game play for the 90 min these days. I can tell you right now if you don't want to check: zero. I agree that Kovacic does not offer anything up front, and yet he's still better passer than Caicedo who offers even less in the final third. That was the case before City signed him, wasn't it? So, I suggest that regarding Kova, the fault is in your analysis, not the player. My reading of his game is that he's an excellent short range passer, and master at keeping possession: he can withstand pressure by quick changes of direction and short dribbling having full control of the the football at all times. You are talking about quality, or perceived quality as each to his own, but I'm referring to characteristics; what can a player do on the pitch versus what a different player can do even in the same position. Is one better than the other in every aspect of the game? I don't see that very often at this level exception to a few WC players. I usually see tradeoffs with most players. Is Enzo better than RLC? yes, far higher value too. Can RLC do things Enzo can't do? absolutely! He has an aerial presence, size and power to play in tight spaces. Fact is we have very few options in midfield at this time, especially in terms of characteristics. Lavia is a funny one though: I've been hearing he will help us in the final third, and now you are saying he will help as a DM; dunno where he will be able to help us, but so far he's just a fad. And? He's still fairly young. Will you think the same if in a year or two from now he recovers his fitness and form, and delivers good performances for club and country? I tend to give credit to players who once played very well vs others who never did, but that's me. Has Mudryk done any better than Mount's last 2 seasons?

Disagree, we miss them all very much so. You are thinking Starting XI - would still disagree there as Pulisic and Mount both shit on Mudryk - but considering our bench options, I have a hard time understanding how we'd not be missing good players (regardless of how one rates them). We even miss RLC because he'd be able to come in an offer something different from what we have. 🤷‍♂️ Rudi is a World Class, agreed. That's besides the point though, we have a total of one WC playing in the squad right now (and another one by name only).

Agree, they will both play. Would Alvarez be such a downgrade from Haaland at this time? maybe at pure finishing inside the box, but an actual improvement in other areas too.

Indeed, but it's all about the balance. Defense is not the defense line alone. If Mudryk does not jump for the ball on the edge of box and we end up conceding, it counts against D. If Caidedo passes the ball straight to the opposition, it counts against D as well. That's why while I'm never opposed to upgrading on the manager, that alone will only buy us so much.

Maybe I had a teenager moment there... "literally." 😆

You are right -- you are taking the statement literally, which is fair of course. I was definitely considering context tho, of the quality of our team vs the immediate opposition (past and present). As to make a point on how to read results and tone expectations. It was in response to I was specifically referring to Everton, and esp City, which are teams at the opposite end of the spectrum. That when the opposition is significantly *better* there is only so much you can do to improve your odds at winning; you can do everything right and still lose if they match your impetus for ex. From Everton point of view, they did everything right in the first minutes: they won 50/50s, gained set pieces, and created chances against us (good ones too). Then Cole started nut megging players, which I suspect was really disheartening to them. IMO, there is danger in underestimating what Cole did against Everton too; it was more than goals. He broke Everton midfielders with skill and skill alone. He will be more contained against better opposition, as well as because he's known now and will be tightly marked often.

Agreed, and he's such a non-City player too; like the play often dies when the ball reaches him. Everyone else is so much better on the ball. You know you just jinxed us big time tho, don't you? 🙂

Played like a proper CB 😆

and yet, fresh legged Mudryk and Madueke did about the same as their kids in OT. 🤷‍♂️

I know had been saying that for a while -- the quoted bit did not come from me tho.

This. City's "kids" include Alvarez, Stones, Ake, and Kovacic. Besides, they are a master at moving the ball and not running a whole lot for it. Still, I'd take any advantage given.

lol had to google that and got it right away

True, but wasn't City the same until they weren't? I mean they were consistently in the whereabouts before finally making it despite the horror show that that game (against Inter) was for them. I hope I jinx him and he scores to at least take it to overtime, but I have to say I've been disappointed with Haaland. He's obviously a great player, but I was expecting more from him.

Agreed. Despite their strength in depth.