Closed Man City 2-0 Chelsea

[coolhead23 1,146]

Bad bad performance. Pellegrini got his tactics spot on last night just like Jose did 2 weeks back.

Few things I believe needs to be highlighted and get some thoughts/answers:

• Why do we keep playing Ivanovic game after game on the right, And Azpi playing left. Why is Cole getting the cold shoulder?
• Mark Hazard out and Chelsea are completely lost
• No creativity at all with the 4-3-3
• No rotation ... we got a good bench strength ...
• Mata's so called replacement ... Salah? (i m not saying it Jose had mentioned it) Seriously!
• Really want to understand what is E'to feeding Jose which Ba is not .... Ba is completely sidelined, I believe he can give offer something different when compared to E'to and Torres.
• Jose should stop talking too much

Wanted to include youth players but then that is an age old issue for us ....

[bushman 2,043]

Yesterday´s Chelsea team were outplayed, outscored, easily.

Even though, Chelsea are out of FA cup, just maybe it´s better now ?

The team has got plenty of other games to play. Now, Jose can concentrate on the PL primarily & perhaps getting some respectable results in the PL.

[Benches not the shed 77]

Who thinks without a trophy this year Jose will be still be here? I hope so

Are you for real?

[boshman 1,073]

Is there anyone else who would love to punch Samir Nasri square in the face?? I f***ing hate him with a passion! His goal yesterday got right under my skin and he is starting to make a habit of scoring against us :-(

[Nik Hasri 10]

I was responding to the gentleman who blamed everything on Luiz.

Wasn't all his fault the team as a whole were were pretty bad. BUT luiz was piss poor along with rami & willain. Having luiz at cb never gives me confidence and I personally hope he never plays the position agin.

[Muzchap 8,966]

I think some are underestimating how incredibly difficult it is when you're playing against top opposition that has the advantage over you in physical & mental freshness. City were just more energized than we were. I think it's really as simple as that. Every time hazard or Willian received a pass with their back to goal, Kompany would surge forward immediately and would make a strong tackle. It's very hard for the attacking players to win those kind of battles after playing a tough away game three days ago and another three days before then. And of course, if the players are not winning their individual battles then the opposition grows even more in confidence and just like that, you're on the back foot. It was a disappointing performance, but I wouldn't dwell on it too long.

The worry though for me is that our general build up play is substandard for a team challenging for the title and that's not just a conclusion that I've drawn from this game but something that's evident over the course of the season. I get that we're a counter attacking team but in games like this where the opposition is clearly more rested, stronger and tactically setup to prevent us from counter attacking, what then is the plan? Jose needs to figure out something because we're almost entirely reliant on scoring goals from counter attacks. There were periods in the game where city allowed us time on the ball knowing full well that we're quite poor in working out openings. The difference in quality between City's combination plays, quick passes, movement etc and the way we build our attack is just staggering. Hopefully with time, the team can improve in this.

Agree with this 100% - ever since Didier left, we've struggled in the final 3rd...

The problem we had over the past few seasons (and still now to a degree) is that we leak easy goals. I think JM is trying to get a solid platform on which to build on - and that's proving tougher than his last time here - so we cannot focus on attack enough.

Whichever way we paint it - without JT our defence is awful. I still think rather than Luiz it would be best to play Ivanovic in central role. Move Azpi to RB and Cole as LB (not sure what Cole has done to remain on the bench)...

As always with our system we lack true width - we need to define and work on those roles - Hazard/Willian should start wide and then come in, or stay wide, depending on the situation in front of them - too often we are converging in a 10 yard space and that's easy to defend against.

Missing a striker (a decent one) is really hurting us - I'm prepared to wait until next season to see the REAL playing style JM wants to adopt - as this season seems a lot of square pegs in round holes....

So disappointment, tinged with reality and underpinned by hope of a good summer and excitement at next season..

May the little horse grow big...

[Fulham Broadway 16,862]

Calmed down now, and concluded we had an off day coupled with their tactic of incessant pressing and physicality. I know the result would have been different with steely JTs presence, but the team will have to adapt to his absence more and more.

Hazard wilian and oscar have looked a bit knackered last few games, however now with just the league and CL to focus on each encounter should see them fresh and battle hungry.

The positive now concerning the FA cup is we can enjoy watching Arse v Liverpool and Man City with unemotional schadenfreude, as they wear themselves out with hopefully, replays, thigh strains, cards and suspensions, and lumps torn out of each other.

[Berke 58]

Willian is extremely overrated on here and the sooner people realise that the better. Very poor player, his work rate saves him, NOT Chelsea quality.

[Benches not the shed 77]

Willian is extremely overrated on here and the sooner people realise that the better. Very poor player, his work rate saves him, NOT Chelsea quality.

Utter bollocks

[The Skipper 20,593]

Willian is extremely overrated on here and the sooner people realise that the better. Very poor player, his work rate saves him, NOT Chelsea quality.

Unbelievable.

One bad game and someone instantly becomes a "very poor player".

Yeah, he had a bad game, as did others, in fact most of the team did, but there's too much doom and gloom in here.

This stupid "you're only as good as your last game" saying stands so true for too many on here. You've already forgotten that he was probably our best player vs. WBA.

[bluedrake55 1]

Is there anyone else who would love to punch Samir Nasri square in the face?? I f***ing hate him with a passion! His goal yesterday got right under my skin and he is starting to make a habit of scoring against us :-(

i wanted mikel to upend the **** like ivanovic did to clichy!

[Fernando 6,465]

Face it city have extremely good squad depth somthing we don't have. Their players where fresh and it shows by Today's result. Top 4 is our priority and then the summer transfer window anything else is a bonus.

Bullshit we had a big squad depth with Mata and kdb.

We sold them and got two.

Matic start but Salah ain't much. If Salah ain't ready then what's the point of having scurrle?

If you don't want David Luiz at cb then move Ivan to cb and use cole, azpi for lb and rb.

[Fernando 6,465]

We are a young, developing team, and for me we are doing quite excellent for what we have achieved this season.

We beat them in the league and surprised everyone, that was superb, today was a difficult day and City did better, end of.

It cannot all be great, and lets face it, we are a world class striker short of being a top notch side.

Don't throw yourself over board yet.

We are young? Apart from hazard and Oscar who else is young?

[Sovieticus 743]

We are young? Apart from hazard and Oscar who else is young?

Eto

[Fernando 6,465]

Eto

Lol

Yeah that whole line of "we are young" is just a crock of shit!

We yet to give any real chances to younger players that been on loan or the Academy.

[Special Juan 27,429]

We are young? Apart from hazard and Oscar who else is young?

Salah, Azpi, Willian Lukaku coming up, Matic, Zouma on his way.

They say 27 is when a player peaks, all these are under that and the future is bright.

But if you want to call it a crock of shit and continue in the name of 'YouNameIt' who was suspended last week crack on. Jose said we are building, do you want me to believe you over him? Nah mate sorry.

[Fernando 6,465]

Salah, Azpi, Willian Lukaku coming up, Matic, Zouma on his way.

They say 27 is when a player peaks, all these are under that and the future is bright.

But if you want to call it a crock of shit and continue in the name of 'YouNameIt' who was suspended last week crack on. Jose said we are building, do you want me to believe you over him? Nah mate sorry.

Lukaku coming up?

That's if he comes back right?

Zouma.... We bought him young like many younger players we bought and never make it?

Sorry but I don't believe it till I see it with my own eyes! Chelsea has not really shown me enough proof to work with any our players from the Academy or loanees.

I give you Salah and azpi but not matic or willian.

[Special Juan 27,429]

Lukaku coming up?

That's if he comes back right?

Zouma.... We bought him young like many younger players we bought and never make it?

Sorry but I don't believe it till I see it with my own eyes!

I give you Salah and azpi but not matic or willian.

Matic and Willian haven't even reached their peak. One was voted Portuguese player of the year last season and the other recently capped by Brazil and one who has flourished for us this season.

Barring Hazard Wilian has been superb for us, his work rate and determination has been immense.

Read Jose's comments on Zouma, and watch him, or is that too much?