Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United

[andycap]

14 minutes ago, TK-421 said:

 

Aye, saw that at the time, and its what led to Burn kicking off and ending in him and Haaland being booked. Grealish took exception to the tackle and kicked out at Burn, but it was missed by the commentators, and not even mentioned.

They would have had multiple angles if it were one of our players that kicked out. 

[Ronaldo]

29 minutes ago, Kanji said:

This place is a bit of a joke at times. Been on here for an eternity and you’re not allowed to criticize anything. Sure we’re not anywhere near these quality wise but we created 3-4 chances and not a single of those was on goal. We need to make changes. 

Has always been like that. It’s usually just a couple of posters lurking in the shadows that see something that challenges an overriding forum opinion and try to score a few points.

 

Everyone likes Howe, everyone appreciates the terrific job he’s done, but he’s in a new phase of the challenge now and he will have to change, improve  and be pretty ruthless to succeed. Nowt wrong with saying that. 

[Thomson Mouse]

8 minutes ago, reefatoon said:

 That’s the spirit. I will do too, as long as you keep carrying on being completely detached from all feelings on the other side of the world. 

 

Detached? I bothered watching the game ‘on the other side of the world’   

[Thomson Mouse]

1 minute ago, Ronaldo said:

Has always been like that. It’s usually just a couple of posters lurking in the shadows that see something that challenges an overriding forum opinion and try to score a few points.

 

Everyone likes Howe, everyone appreciates the terrific job he’s done, but he’s in a new phase of the challenge now and he will have to change, improve  and be pretty ruthless to succeed. Nowt wrong with saying that. 

 

No, there’s nothing wrong with saying that but it’s nothing like Kanji says. It’s always been knee-jer tastic with criticism that is over the top. 

 

[Guest reefatoon]

4 minutes ago, Thomson Mouse said:

 

Detached? I bothered watching the game ‘on the other side of the world’   

If you put as much passion into following the club as you do towards your relative on the coaching staff you would understand what it’s like.   

[robbo_11]

A game where we were lacking at both ends and consistent with our recent run of form. I think we need a slight change, but hopefully not to the detriment that our overall play would be reduced. While I don't think Wilson had a great game this was in part due to Akanje who marshalled him well. Man City were decent today, but at the start of the second half that was symoblic of the entire match where it was just sloppy with poor possession and passing. The first goal of the game was poor defensively, the studio guests kept referencing 'pockets' and it became apparent that us allowing them space enabled Foden to drift inside and then cut into the box. I thought it was slightly harsh to blame just Botman for failing to get across, but the gap between our defenders was too big with no cover from a defensive midfielder. 

 

The chances that we had should have brought at least one goal and while we did well to create them it is that final clinical moment which we've lacked recently. The Wilson chance was poor as he snatched at it, Longstaff took too long with his opportunity and Joelinton arriving late failing to make any contact with the ball summed up the day. If we can make some changes to freshen up the first XI against Wolves I'd like to hope we should be able to win that game with a week break. I don't think Howe will make wholesale changes, but could see Willock coming in for Joelinton due to suspension and potentially Isak who impressed in his brief cameo turning Akanje instantly so would fancy him against Kilman or Dawson.

[Gawalls]

41 minutes ago, Thomson Mouse said:

 

Which is entirely my point  

In every game before now we had Gordon off the bench (since we signed him) and he cost the same as Silva. 
 

obviously Man City are light years ahead of us but cherry picking these stats out is stupid.  All people are saying is we’ve only scored 3 goals in 2023 and that’s not good enough.

[TRon]

11 minutes ago, Gawalls said:

In every game before now we had Gordon off the bench (since we signed him) and he cost the same as Silva. 
 

obviously Man City are light years ahead of us but cherry picking these stats out is stupid.  All people are saying is we’ve only scored 3 goals in 2023 and that’s not good enough.

 

Saying Gordon cost the same as Silva is more stupid than the stats IMO. Totally lacks any context of time and inflation. Not to mention it was probably a lot easier for a club like Man City to buy a top player for £60m than it is for us today.

[The Prophet]

A routine defeat and an expected performance.

 

City were the better side, but we matched them for spells of the game, we just didn't take our chances when they came. Our confidence is shot in front of goal and it showed again today.

 

I'd be intrigued to learn why Isak isn't starting. Wilson battled well but he's become a totally blunt instrument. Today also seemed like further evidence that Howe doesn't fancy ASM to execute his style of play.

 

All in all positive signs in a disappointing if not expected result. There's still a lot to admire about our approach, but it's down to Howe to restore belief that we can execute the chances that we create,

whether that's on the training ground or via a change of personnel.

 

[HawK]

3 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

A routine defeat and an expected performance.

 

City were the better side, but we matched them for spells of the game, we just didn't take our chances when they came. Our confidence is shot in front of goal and it showed again today.

 

I'd be intrigued to learn why Isak isn't starting. Wilson battled well but he's become a totally blunt instrument. Today also seemed like further evidence that Howe doesn't fancy ASM to execute his style of play.

 

All in all positive signs in a disappointing if not expected result. There's still a lot to admire about our approach, but it's down to Howe to restore belief that we can execute the chances that we create,

whether that's on the training ground or via a change of personnel.

 

 

Hyperthetically, if Maddison had signed in January rather than Gordon (of course I'm not saying it was an either/or, or that Maddison was available), I think he'd be on nearly double figures for us alone by now.

 

I've noticed the patterns in Howe's planned attacks, and the chances invariably will fall to Joelinton or Longstaff as a result. If Maddison were there instead, I don't think there's an argument to be had at how many more goals we would have scored and how effective it would have looked.

 

I think the system is so good that Howe is employing, but it relies heavily on the finishing capabilities of the players in the middle of the park.

 

The missing piece to this team really is that quality, attacking central midfielder who can primarily finish but also create. Short term, I liked a lot about what Isak did when he came on in the advanced central midfield position against Liverpool, and would love to see this again.... if it weren't for the fact that Wilson has seemingly already retired himself since playing for England in the World Cup so Isak must start up top, no question.

[Mahoneys Tache]

We aren’t going to finish top four and the final panned out as I expected it to. Still the best season since SBR (Pardew doesn’t count) and I’m more than happy with things. Top four was always an outside chance. Two games in hand on spurs but it’s going to be Liverpool that piss on our chips. 

[STM]

I never really felt like we would score but on the other hand I wasn't really too worried about them scoring (I know they scored twice). 

 

It felt like we had a solid handle on the game and Haalands header apart, never felt overran besides the goals.

 

It's certainly some sort of milestone that we are no longer going to City, Old Trafford, Anfield or the Emirates without getting pummeled for 90 minutes. We are tough and combative and "in" games.

 

Our lack of killer instinct in front of goal puts a microscope on our defence. If you can't score a goal, you are asking your defence to keep a clean sheet every week, which is unsustainable.

 

In short, we weren't a million miles off. Once we find the correct formula in attacking areas, we will start scoring and it will take pressure off our defence. You have to think Isak/ASM will find something soon.

[Thumbheed]

I think I'll start worrying when we start to play badly, but until then I'll put results like this down to not yet having the quality of players that make the difference. 

 

Did well for the most part, created good chances but as has been the case for most the season we're just not clinical or decisive enough in the final 3rd. 

 

 

[duo]

Defo need to start Isak - Wilson is so far off the pace atm.

[CM1961]

The result was no worse than our top 4 rivals.  None of them have taken a point off Man City at the Etihad.

[LionOfGosforth]

As we found out in our October/November run (after a sticky few results), confidence and momentum is huge and it's not easy to get it back, regardless of who you're playing.

[Holmesy]

4 hours ago, Anderson said:

Eh? He’s had a stinker!

He didn’t give the world’s best striker a sniff at goal today. His primary job is defending and he did that really well today. 
The misplaced passes aren’t good but saying he had a stinker when he basically kept Haaland from having a shot seems a bit unreasonable.

[Kid Icarus]

1 minute ago, Holmesy said:

He didn’t give the world’s best striker a sniff at goal today. His primary job is defending and he did that really well today. 
The misplaced passes aren’t good but saying he had a stinker when he basically kept Haaland from having a shot seems a bit unreasonable.

I thought Lascelles kept Haaland at bay just as much, if not more. Botman was very poor in possession like.

[huss9]

we made the better chances today.

if howe continues with wilson against wolves, then the criticism will be justified.

[Infatuation Junkie]

I will pipe up properly when we start getting sub 30% possessions and not look like a decent side. Start getting beaten by lower than the top 6.

 

But before then. I will say that mentally the team know we are not scoring. Wait for someone to get a proper hammering when we find the mojo.

[Kid Icarus]

Our xG was only 0.42?  Wilson and Longstaff's chances tell me otherwise like.

[madras]

Didn't see the game due to work so don't know if it was mentioned at the time but I've seen a couple of occasions recently when a player has got a shot away and is then brought by the attempted tackle. Isak is felled by Ederson and I'm not sure if it's Ake that makes the block. Now I don't think it's a pen but similar things have been given and at least scrutinised and I bet had it been the other way.......well you know.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2023 by madras

[Geordie Ahmed]

43 minutes ago, madras said:

Didn't see the game due to work so don't know if it was mentioned at the time but I've seen a couple of occasions recently when a player has got a shot away and is then brought by the attempted tackle. Isak is felled by Alison and I'm not sure if it's Ake that makes the block. Now I don't think it's a pen bit similar things have been given and at least scrutinised and I bet had it been the other way.......well you know.

 

 

 

Not sure if I posted here or elsewhere but whilst those are usually never given as penalties as he got his shot away but it reminded me of the penalty Nketiah got against Ederson, he got his shot away but was caught after

 

The commentators were adamant it was a penalty, whilst technically it was the counter argument is that those are never given and we've seen that today and a few other games too 

[TheBrownBottle]

8 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

Our xG was only 0.42?  Wilson and Longstaff's chances tell me otherwise like.

Again, that tells me that the ‘xG’ stuff is a right load of shite.  Qualitative not quantitative yet it’s used as a statistical proof of chances created.  

[Optimistic Nut]

8 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

Our xG was only 0.42?  Wilson and Longstaff's chances tell me otherwise like.

 

Joelinton chance should have been 0.5 on its own.