Naby Keita

[Sus]

Don’t forget ****e refereeing!

Oh yes good point!

[rudedog]

Yes, this.

We are nit picking for sure - a bit flat in a few games where we were knocked about by COVID, a few goals conceded in some games after we took the lead (which I think were more about the bounce of the ball in set pieces, a couple of concentration drops, plus just some good play from excellent opposition players)

But overall during the season, what a set of performances - this is one of the all time great English club teams, built fairly and squarely on our own efforts and finances, but it's at risk of being seen by the wider football community as one of the 'nearly' teams due to the unprecedented level of City's financial doping.

Regardless, I'm just trying to enjoy the journey of how good this team is rather than focusing on how many trophies we get at the end. But that's definitely challenging at times

Don’t forget ****e refereeing!

[Sus]

And yet we scored 94 goals, conceded 26 goals and won 28 out of 38 games. Losing only 2 games along the way.

Just shows how stupidly high the bar has been set by the financial doping that we are even having a discussion saying we need to improve upon what we did.

Given how well we did do, we really did not get sucker punched a lot. It just feels that way. We were brilliant last season.

Yes, this.

We are nit picking for sure - a bit flat in a few games where we were knocked about by COVID, a few goals conceded in some games after we took the lead (which I think were more about the bounce of the ball in set pieces, a couple of concentration drops, plus just some good play from excellent opposition players)

But overall during the season, what a set of performances - this is one of the all time great English club teams, built fairly and squarely on our own efforts and finances, but it's at risk of being seen by the wider football community as one of the 'nearly' teams due to the unprecedented level of City's financial doping.

Regardless, I'm just trying to enjoy the journey of how good this team is rather than focusing on how many trophies we get at the end. But that's definitely challenging at times

[SB]

Let's instead hope he goes on to be as good or close to as good as prime Gini.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Yeah let’s hope Jones doesn't follow Gini that way

Let's instead hope he goes on to be as good or close to as good as prime Gini.

[SB]

Aye something along those lines though Jones is, imo of course, being trained to become that sort of player from the off whereas Gini was a fully established and well experienced player who already had a great understanding of the game, albeit from playing in other positions, when he worked on changing his game.

If Jones goes on to be as good as player as Wijnaldum was at his best for us, then he will have a very good career.

Gini might have lost a yard physically and mentally imo towards the end of his time with us, but before that he was excellent in a role that whilst not eye catching was essential to our play.

On the subject of Gini. He won some "Flop Of The Year" title in France after being voted the worst transfer there last season. His form fell off of a cliff after leaving us.

Yeah let’s hope Jones doesn't follow Gini that way

[Doc_Piptorious]

AKA Gini ?

Aye something along those lines though Jones is, imo of course, being trained to become that sort of player from the off whereas Gini was a fully established and well experienced player who already had a great understanding of the game, albeit from playing in other positions, when he worked on changing his game.

If Jones goes on to be as good as player as Wijnaldum was at his best for us, then he will have a very good career.

Gini might have lost a yard physically and mentally imo towards the end of his time with us, but before that he was excellent in a role that whilst not eye catching was essential to our play.

On the subject of Gini. He won some "Flop Of The Year" title in France after being voted the worst transfer there last season. His form fell off of a cliff after leaving us.

[Mr Pink]

Yes games where we throw away a lead like that are frustrating, but that's part of the game.

The one that I am still struggling to get over is the lack of the award of a penalty to Everton against City, it was admitted by the footballing authorities that they got that decision wrong and Everton received an apology. That incident was late in the game and had Everton scored they wouldn't have had long to hold on for a point. That decision gifted City 2 points and they won the league by 1.

that was one of the most frustrating var calls. There’s always gonna be a few decisions that go for/against any team, but I think that was the most clear cut one that var has gotten wrong. No one could look at that, and say it’s not a handball. In cases like this, the var ref shouldn’t be getting another game so fast. What a joke.

[SB]

I think he is being groomed to be a cog in a pressing midfield along with being trained to be good at being pressed. Might be a less eye catching role but an important one for us.

AKA Gini ?

[Exiled_red]

Yes games where we throw away a lead like that are frustrating, but that's part of the game.

The one that I am still struggling to get over is the lack of the award of a penalty to Everton against City, it was admitted by the footballing authorities that they got that decision wrong and Everton received an apology. That incident was late in the game and had Everton scored they wouldn't have had long to hold on for a point. That decision gifted City 2 points and they won the league by 1.

[Angryred]

The game against Chelsea is another we were two up in and could easily have lost.

Then again the flip side of that is that there were games that we drew or won in which we really rode out luck.

We tend to only recall the ones in which we think we were robbed.

Yes, the more obvious ones are those that stick in the caw!

[Doc_Piptorious]

That home game vs Brighton comes to mind!...that's the one that haunts me!@#!!! 2-0 up then we took our foot off the pedal...those 2 points & we were were lucky in the end to come away with a draw.

The game against Chelsea is another we were two up in and could easily have lost.

Then again the flip side of that is that there were games that we drew or won in which we really rode out luck.

We tend to only recall the ones in which we think we were robbed.

[Angryred]

Both us and City scored over 90 goals in the league last season. I agree draws cost us, but I am sure City could point to a few of their draws or losses and say something similar. Both their draws with us in the league for example they could point to as games that they cost themselves points in.

We are moving into the realms of needing close to perfection to improve either team tbh.

But back to your point about the draws, I would argue that for many of our draws last season our attack and scoring goals was not the problem, but rather our inability at the other end during that small number of games to shut the other team out.

Look at our draws from last season and look at how many of them in which we took a 1 or 2 nil lead. The problem lay in the defending a lead and not in the goal scoring in those games which is kind of mad to say about a team that lead in 26 goals in the league last season.

That home game vs Brighton comes to mind!...that's the one that haunts me!@#!!! 2-0 up then we took our foot off the pedal...those 2 points & we were were lucky in the end to come away with a draw.

[Doc_Piptorious]

We were often suckered punched with a counter attack.
Our high line and lack of full backs in our own half, etc, but that's how we play.
Our midfield are far too easy to play through.

And yet we scored 94 goals, conceded 26 goals and won 28 out of 38 games. Losing only 2 games along the way.

Just shows how stupidly high the bar has been set by the financial doping that we are even having a discussion saying we need to improve upon what we did.

Given how well we did do, we really did not get sucker punched a lot. It just feels that way. We were brilliant last season.

[baitman]

Both us and City scored over 90 goals in the league last season. I agree draws cost us, but I am sure City could point to a few of their draws or losses and say something similar. Both their draws with us in the league for example they could point to as games that they cost themselves points in.

We are moving into the realms of needing close to perfection to improve either team tbh.

But back to your point about the draws, I would argue that for many of our draws last season our attack and scoring goals was not the problem, but rather our inability at the other end during that small number of games to shut the other team out.

Look at our draws from last season and look at how many of them in which we took a 1 or 2 nil lead. The problem lay in the defending a lead and not in the goal scoring in those games which is kind of mad to say about a team that lead in 26 goals in the league last season.

We were often suckered punched with a counter attack.
Our high line and lack of full backs in our own half, etc, but that's how we play.
Our midfield are far too easy to play through.