v Moyes Hammers

[KunDB]

XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias, Garcia, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling (C), Aguero.

SUBS | Steffen, Stones, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Torres, Foden, Palmer

No change, not needed KDB on bemch 

[gavin]

Amazing that Pep doesn't make a change. Thought Torres might start and disappointed to see Garcia.

[Stephen Paul]

Strange line up

[KunDB]

Midweek line up v Porto.

I note the ball is running slow, grass clearly left longer as is so many opponents master plan these days.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Defenders on the wing asleep not closing down the cross. Great goal though.

[KunDB]

Hand ball. Peter Walton explanation of why var did not give it did not make any sense at all. Clear hand ball.

[Stephen Paul]

Shite

[lee]

Mahrez has to come off.He keeps giving the ball away

[KunDB]

All too pedestrian and careless passing.

[Hesperus]

Great goal by them TBF but we’ve been awful again. Our attacking play is non existent and that’s really worrying when the defence is still having problems.

[Paddy]

Still no improvement, same old. Pep has run out of ideas. Kun a passenger once again. Mahrez a waste of space, beats himself.....

[lee]

I dont think the defence is the problem.
The problem the past 2 games is Gundo and Rodri doing the same thing.
Phil,Torres and Kev will make the difference.

[gavin]

Absolute dross from City first half. Really lacking flair, passion and creativity. A really toothless performance. We can't go long into the second half without changes.

[gavin]

Much better second half but still not nearly good enough. Sterling really really poor.

[Paddy]

Why didn't we play with the subs from the kick off obviously the strongest. Don't understand Peps strategy. Rubbish game to watch

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Yep, Mahrez and Raheem shite. West Ham played well but everyone plays well against us but it's because of the lack of fire as well as the simple stuff.

I think Raheem has peeked as a player.

[Hesperus]

Good goal from Foden but it’s just not good enough. Toothless up front again and it’s not like as a club we weren’t aware of our deficiencies in that area.

The corner at the end says it all. We didn’t even get it in the box with seconds left on the clock.

Too many points dropped already this season. Top 4 looking unlikely.

[Kilkenny Blue]

Dreadful reffing for both sides.

Cancelo looked a different player today, but still gives the ball away too much.  Foden was a revelation, though I can't see why Zinchenko was preferred ahead of Torres. 

Sterling had a shocker but he'll get better.  All in all, disappointing, but the 2nd half they showed a lot more of the old City

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

The corner at the end says it all. We didn’t even get it in the box with seconds left on the clock.

That massively does me tits in. These professionals know where the box in and our attacking players should be rushing in, yet everyone takes so many touches which gives the defenders time to block the cross and defend the cross. With a corner aswell with a good cross it can end up anywhere. Wasters.

Gunda was none existant aswell. Why did he take berni off and why didn't he put Torres on?

[Hesperus]

Zinchenko sub. Why??? 

Mahrez Not subbed why??

Rodri and Gundogan in midfield why?

Playing Garcia, why?

Peps making life hard for the team so far this season and you can tell from the players body language, they aren’t happy and confidence is dwindling.

[KunDB]

Why do players need half time Pep talk before they show urgency and sufficient aggression in attack. Infuriates me. Truth is we are fairly toothless in attack atm.

Sergio a long way off match fit.

[Neil Mcnab]

Completely agree with Hesperus and everyone else. Everything Sterling touched turned to gold, not at the moment, has he lost some pace?. Mahrez scores a spectacular goal now and again, much else? We werent playing Bayern Munich, Rodri should have been on the bench. Kun is coming back from injury and zero to work with.
Where was Torres, he looks in superb form and scares opposition with lightening pace.
Bad, bad day at the office, but could have been even worse.

[Swiss]

Zinchenko sub. Why??? 

Mahrez Not subbed why??

Rodri and Gundogan in midfield why?

Playing Garcia, why?

Peps making life hard for the team so far this season and you can tell from the players body language, they aren’t happy and confidence is dwindling.

To answer...
Zinchenko on to give walker a rest. Pep prioritising the Marshall match.

I was disapointed to see he wasn't taken off, but the same could be said for Sterling.

I have never liked our play when Rodri and Gundog play together. Too flat, too slow. I think Pep does it because he doesn't trust the defence... but that stifles the creativity.

Garcia. Either him or stones. Laporte and Ake not fit.

Most of Peps hands are forced due to injuries. No way that line up would have happened if we had a full squad to pick from.

[Kilkenny Blue]

What's the story with Ake's injury?

[lee]

Sergio out now as well with another injury.

ffs

[Hesperus]

To answer...
Zinchenko on to give walker a rest. Pep prioritising the Marshall match.

I was disapointed to see he wasn't taken off, but the same could be said for Sterling.

I have never liked our play when Rodri and Gundog play together. Too flat, too slow. I think Pep does it because he doesn't trust the defence... but that stifles the creativity.

Garcia. Either him or stones. Laporte and Ake not fit.

Most of Peps hands are forced due to injuries. No way that line up would have happened if we had a full squad to pick from.

Yes, we are impacted by injuries, but he could have rested Walker from the start if he is concerned especially as he play last Wed and will be playing again on Tuesday.

Garcia shouldn’t play again for us, he isn’t that good and isn’t interested in staying. The fact we didn’t accept 16 mil for him from Barca is just poor management or bloody mindedness. Is 16 mill worth losing for a player who’ll only play a handful of times and is then off for nowt in the summer? We have Sterling or Taylor Harwood Bellis, the later would give his eye teeth for a chance. Either of those should play ahead of Garcia.

[Swiss]

Ake has a groin strain. Not thought to be anything serious, but needs to rest it.

Aguero has a hamstring injury. TBC how serious it is

[Swiss]

Yes, we are impacted by injuries, but he could have rested Walker from the start if he is concerned especially as he play last Wed and will be playing again on Tuesday.

Garcia shouldn’t play again for us, he isn’t that good and isn’t interested in staying. The fact we didn’t accept 16 mil for him from Barca is just poor management or bloody mindedness. Is 16 mill worth losing for a player who’ll only play a handful of times and is then off for nowt in the summer? We have Sterling or Taylor Harwood Bellis, the later would give his eye teeth for a chance. Either of those should play ahead of Garcia.

I'm assuming you mean Stones not Sterling.

So, with Stones, we were also trying to get rid of him too. But he refused to move to a few clubs, including Spurs.

And I think the real reason we didn't sell Garcia was one of timing. Barca waited until the last day to start serious negotiations. No time for us to get a good replacement. And I also think Txiki thinks he can charm him to stay. I also think the Messi saga played a little bit about it too. So my blame lies with Barca not city.

So who do we play instead? Taylor? I've not seen enough of him to know his playing style.

Stones? Confidence shot. Not aggressive and good for a mistake.

Garcia. Short. Slowish. But still learning his trade.

[Kilkenny Blue]

I thought Garcia was better today.

[Hesperus]

I'm assuming you mean Stones not Sterling.

So, with Stones, we were also trying to get rid of him too. But he refused to move to a few clubs, including Spurs.

And I think the real reason we didn't sell Garcia was one of timing. Barca waited until the last day to start serious negotiations. No time for us to get a good replacement. And I also think Txiki thinks he can charm him to stay. I also think the Messi saga played a little bit about it too. So my blame lies with Barca not city.

So who do we play instead? Taylor? I've not seen enough of him to know his playing style.

Stones? Confidence shot. Not aggressive and good for a mistake.

Garcia. Short. Slowish. But still learning his trade.

I’d rather have stones or Taylor harwood bellis.  Both want to stay at the club. Garcia doesn’t, so why develop him when for Barca when he’s off in the Summer?

Anyway the real problem today was a slow midfield and attack. Pep could have played a more mobile midfield with a different team selection and we should 100% have signed a striker in the summer. I also think there is a final season downer over the team since Pep won’t commit to an extension.

[Swiss]

I think the big reason why we lost today was because no one closed down that cross to Antonio.

And

A lack of a clinical finishing.

[Hesperus]

Agree about closing down that cross, LB position again, but anyhow, had we closed down that cross or Sterling put away one of his two good chances, would it have been a good performance?

Not for me, it would have been a great result, but still no where near the performance level we’ve seen in recent years.

[KunDB]

The reason we didn’t close down that cross was our players stopped to appeal for a handball that on review appears not to have been s as handball at all.

A mistake we seem to keep repeating year after year.

The players are just not working as hard for Pep as in the past. Just not as sharp around the box as well too often too many passes and touches.

[Swiss]

First half no, was not a good performance.

Second half was better, but not great.

We're too reliant on KDB.

Also, doesn't matter about appealing for handball, you play to the whistle.  There were three city players around the ball.

[KunDB]

Also, doesn't matter about appealing for handball, you play to the whistle.  There were three city players around the ball.

Yes three players who stopped playing to appeal for handball (that probably wasn't), when will these players ever learn to just play to the whistle. I particularly remember Kyle Walker CL as one horrific example, but there have been others over the last few seasons.