Swans v City

[bry the guy]

Fourth/5th best defence i think we just need to pick a defence and stick to it instead of changing it every game and it will be much better.

[gavin]

We had the best defence. Fourth or fifth best clearly isn't good enough or we wouldn't have scored more than the Champions and be so far behind them. Pelle has been here two seasons now and the defence has only briefly looked anything like at the end of last season. That was more by accident by design too. Pelle may stumble on the answer again but I'd prefer to get someone in who knows how to sort it.

[zacc]

Still trying to work out how Mangala for all that money is working out better than Nastasic was doing?

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Defensively - something of a dog's breakfast. Mangala all at sea on at least three occasions, but Demi and VK (when he came on) didn't inspire a great deal of confidence.

Whatever the limitations of our back four, I still think our defensive problems start in the middle. Yaya's limited mobility piles the pressure on Fernandinho - who simply can't be everywhere. Too often Swansea players were allowed to take the ball deep into our half without a challenge, or so much as a block being put in front of them. Too much space and time to weigh things up and whip long balls in... that's unnecessary additional pressure on our defenders. Good defending starts in the middle - at least try to disrupt your opponent's build-ups. Close down space - make them rush the pass.

A good win though - with some fine attacking football. Milner's goal was excellent and some superb keeping from Hart when it mattered.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

On a plus note Silvas tracking back had been handy. He's more effective defensively than toure

[goat]

didnt miss much then by the look

[KunDB]

As our learned QC has stated, excellent defending starts in midfield. Some would argue it starts in attack, with the attackers playing a role on occasions breaking up momentum and flow.

For me defence is all about the team working as a unit, putting in 100% every minute of every game.

Unfortunately, Pelle seems to think style and moral points are awarded in the PL table. A best to do it right, play with panache and win nought philosophy.

Therein lies the problem with our defence, with Pelle it is all revolves around attack and attractive flowing football. Defence and winning are just afterthoughts, secondary to the main aim of looking good and being entertaining.

[Lekos]

Some people have obviously forgotten winning the League Cup and Premier League last season.  Yes, our defence needs sorting, but let's not pretend playing like this gets us nowhere.

[Tricky Trev]

One could also argue that the title was given to us very cheap. And yes sometimes that is good enough, but for the most part the league will be a lot more competitive than last year. Liverpool almost won it ffs. That says A LOT.

[clevblue]

Some people have obviously forgotten winning the League Cup and Premier League last season.  Yes, our defence needs sorting, but let's not pretend playing like this gets us nowhere.

Yes but my heart won't stand the strain much longer, I need a steady ship for a bit. Definitely not a disastrous season though, although it was looking that way for a while

[KunDB]

Some people have obviously forgotten winning the League Cup and Premier League last season.  Yes, our defence needs sorting, but let's not pretend playing like this gets us nowhere.

I doubt anyone has forgotten the double, but that does not change what has happened this season. The balance within the team needs to be right, we need to adapt style of play depending on opponents and we need far less rotation.

The winning double season was far from perfect and our defence even farther away.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

didnt miss much then by the look

You missed a cracking Milner goal that I am sure you would have appreciated 

And Yaya actually ran on a couple of occasions.

[goat]

so i turn my back for 5 minutes and milner turns into a footballer and yaya lays off the fags eh

makes you wonder where this run of form came from, typical city doing it when the league is gone

[Swiss]

We did our best to feck it up!

Mangala had a bit of a mare! I bet he'll be dropped for vinny in the last game

[Leewonpen]

Vinny didn't do much better, gifted Gomis a free header iirc

[goat]

ill just say pelle out then

are city second or are there still ifs and and shit with arsenal?

[bry the guy]

I think we need 1 point.

[goat]

cheers bry, southampton should be in holiday mode by now

[zacc]

City's GD better than Arse if on same points

[bluebrendan]

so i turn my back for 5 minutes and milner turns into a footballer and yaya lays off the fags eh

makes you wonder where this run of form came from, typical city doing it when the league is gone

Mainly from Pellegrini finally adopting 4-2-3-1 for a run of games. We still look like conceding if play gets within 10 yards of our CBs, that 2nd Swansea goal was a joke - good finish by Gomis but Mangala and Demichelis just allowed him to stroll between them when there wasn't another Swansea player in sight.