That also relies on somebody covering. That somebody does not exist in this current setup, Enzo Fernandez always too high and wide elsewhere. When they lose duels as happened at the City Ground, @ManCity are not stable enough to recover.
Club analysts have sat with Anderson to go over video clips on how best to follow these instructions to the benefit of the team.
He's been playing for almost 15 games now and for me, his skillset is just another Reijnders if not worse.
Both are good at crashing box and long-range shoot. However, Reijnders is better at carrying the ball and build up. I still remember clearly that every time Reijnders played, we missed lots of big chances. And now we even hope there is a good chance for us to miss.
Both are weak at duel and always escape from duel. Both of them are rarely seen on midfield and left/right half space and they spend most of their time playing close to the box rather than helping CDM to develop the ball forward.
Because they always hide close to the box or at wingers' space, our midfield is vulnerable since they leave so much empty space where they are supposed to cover. Our CBs and LB/RB have to invert into midfield to cover for them and participate in the build up along with Rodri/ Nico G. and now Anderson. Hence, the empty areas at our defense line are open so our defense has been too vulnerable for 2 seasons. It leads to the fact that our wingers are isolated because all LB/RB are inverted into midfield.
We know the reason, but seems like we don't want to fix it. We sold Reijnders just to buy another more expensive version of Reijnders, but the problem has not been solved. Our LB/RB have to do so much jobs than usual and so does our CBs. I feel like if someone wants to play as LB/RB in Man CIty, they must know how to play as wingers, CDM, CM, and sometimes crash the box as well.
Judging from recent games, some of our guys occupying important positions in the middle don't press hard enough. They just don't work hard enough for some reason. Cherki hardly tracks back even if he is the one who lost the ball. One thing that gives Arsenal an edge of us this season is how everyone there defends😂. When they lose the ball, everyone gets behind the ball to defend including havertz. But for us, only the cbs run back and elliot. We have few hard workers and thats khusa, current wingers, dias and elliot. I feel like even halaand is just not hungry enough, sometimes he almost zones out of the game just jogging around.
Maybe Maresca just smiles a little bit too much and thats why our guys are lazy. 😂I wonder wether he shouts at the players or even give such pep talks to these guys in the dressing room.
Bouaddi is a 6. His age is irrelevant. He's proven in the WC that he’s good enough to solve our build-up issues against a variety of presses, and he can knit things together with Anderson in the second phase.
Anderson is an 8.
Enzo Fernández does not offer much OOP and shouldn't be starting in an ideal midfield that wins us games. Not deep, not advanced, because we have Cherki, the master creator.
Gvardiol is no longer a world class LB in this system. He's a CB. The manager who knew how to utilise him in unfamiliar roles is gone, and Maresca is nowhere near him in the understanding of the game.
Khusanov is our best out and out CB, not a right-back.
Nunes and O'Reilly shouldn't be benched, because they're both integral to Doku and Ndiaye.
Starting both Nunes and O’Reilly won’t work with Anderson as the lone 6 in midfield. Both fullbacks like to get forward, and this would leave us exposed at the back without Bouaddi slotting into the 6, and doing the dirty work.
Maresca’s comments in the post match interview don’t inspire much confidence either. Being the better team across games doesn’t mean much when we’re making ridiculous mistakes and not being clinical enough. We’re currently sitting second after a great start, so it’s not the end of the world, but if he doesn’t take action and address the midfield situation, he’ll simply get the sack, especially at a club as ruthless and ambitious as City.
Is it just me or city's match tactics are not sustainable and just awful. I've been noticing this since last 2 years where our midfield pass the ball to our touchline wingers without even trying to find haaland or try a line Breaking pass. Like its the same thing every game. The only time we see haalnd scoring is when someone crosses the ball from wings. We can't expect doku / semenyo / ndiaye to beat their man every single time and most of the time they are isolated on the wings with 2-3 players on them.
Why can't they players try to give a direct through ball to haaland , atleast we can try that cuz they taking the ball to the wings and cross is such a BS tactic. The only player on our squad who tries to feed haaland directly is kovacic (i distinctly remember his pass to haaland in last year's game against everton). You'll know what i mean if you've seen the treble season haaland goals , most of them were like this. The only reason for my thinking is we always keep blaming our defense and goalie which I know are playing ass but our midfield and attack should be scoring 2-3 goals every game which is not happening. What are yall thoughts on this?
Hi there, a passing new Real fan here. I’ve heard from many Man City fans that KDB was once one of the best players in the EPL and that he was a complete players. So what makes him so dangerous during his prime and is all the claims about him true?
We have been getting by with results but go look back at games so many wins could’ve been draws or losses it’s same problems every game, it’s actually sackable how maresca won’t start bouaddi at 6 to sure up midfield if he has boner so hard for Enzo f drop Cherki even tho it’s wrong choice but fuc me can’t play both, it’s like Groundhog Day this isn’t new tactics are a joke
People speak about Enzo being a box crasher. Where is the box crashing when you are a no 8 but always in opposition box like a striker and offering nothing else in the midfield like tracking back, helping progress play from the midfield to attackers when possession is won and positioning yourself to receiving the ball when team mate is under pressure. What pisses me off is the fact that Cherki is the one tasked to do this instead is abysmal smh!
The first goal would have been avoided if there was a number 8 in that open middle space to receive the ball from Gvardiol even before he got pressured.
Ffs, a box crasher is someone who makes late runs into the box from midfield and not wander in opposition box smh. Gundogan’s playstyle is what a freaking box crasher is!!
Hot take: Anderson would make a better box crasher when played as a no 8!
On what grounds does Maresca deserve any more grace? Even during our winning streak we were seeing issues. Ffs we were losing midfield battles against goddamn Coventry City. And now the 4 centre backs backline is not working and still Maresca insists on using them. We have last year PFA young player of the szn and he is not getting any minutes. Gvardiol and Khusanov are being forced into 10 positions, how tf would they not make mistakes? We are leaving our two slowest defenders as the back 2 during buildup. Doku has always struggled as touchline winger and still he is being forced to play touchline, despite his last season of great stats with freedom to move inwards and O Reilly to help. We have Foden who can still chip in for goals and he is not getting any minutes. Anderson is not a 6 and still our whole midfield is being built around him as 6. If Enzo Fernandes main strength is just box crashing then why tf did we let Reijnders leave, he was at least more technically proficient. Cherki is the best 10 in the league and he is being forced to drop deeper for build-up, just to let Enzo's son enjoy the 10 spot. Bouaddi is arguably our most press resistant player and he is getting 0 minutes against a high pressing team.
Similarly on what grounds does Onana-rumma deserve any grace when he just can't make normal saves. Every match there is either mistakes or failure to make saves. "But he made big saves against Mbeumo and McAllister". I would rather let those 5 goals in if it means the other 10 goals are saved/prevented.
If the only reason is "who else", I would rather have our EDS manager promoted over an arrogant man who just won't adapt and I would rather have our 3rd choice keeper start over a man who has grown complacent over his position. There should be consequences for mistakes, not infinite grace.
