Of the top 5 teams, we have scored the fewest goals, and we were Champions last season. The only thing keeping us in the top 4 at the moment is our defense.

Just now, Sun zhi said:

That was my agreeing with your original comment. I'd have to say though, this one here by yourself is more indicative of a 12 year old's.... Which is what a lot of fans turn into after a game like this so... I can't say I really blame you.  :p

My mistake then... I got heated up really easily indeed.. sorry !

2 minutes ago, Londonisblue said:

That's why we should always play with a striker in our starting XI... Bats isn't on Morata's level, agreed. But he's miles ahead of playing Wilian as a false 9...

And I dont know why we cant play Batshuayi as often as Willian - sure Bats has a lot of flaws - but Willian is Willian and has been a bang average player for the past 2 years. 

1 minute ago, Londonisblue said:

My mistake then... I got heated up really easily indeed.. sorry !

(Np, bro)

Sky love in for Allardyce and Everton continues post match on sky...

I convinced myself back in August that we didn't have a bad transfer window, obviously that isn't the case and we need to do more in the windows. Conte can only work with the players he has, though he's looked lost at times this season, today was another example, with strange substitutions etc...it's worrying.

Just now, Floyd25 said:

I convinced myself back in August that we didn't have a bad transfer window, obviously that isn't the case and we need to do more in the windows. Conte can only work with the players he has, though he's looked lost at times this season, today was another example, with strange substitutions etc...it's worrying.

Needs to show more balls. Why not give Hudson-Odoi a chance to do something in the last 10, instead of Zappacosta. Everton will know nothing about him, he could just be the surprise that turns the game.

We look terrible against parked buses. I doubt Morata would have made a difference bcoz he was sh*t when Westham did it. January Transfer is crucial for us.. 

Just now, The Don Antonio said:

We look terrible against parked buses. I doubt Morata would have made a difference bcoz he was sh*t when Westham did it. January Transfer is crucial for us.. 

Imagine Barça parking the bus against us

4 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Of the top 5 teams, we have scored the fewest goals, and we were Champions last season. The only thing keeping us in the top 4 at the moment is our defense.

This is a huge problem for us and something for which neither the board nor the manager currently has any solution. We are one Hazard injury away from falling out of the top 4. 

Just now, brownindian said:

This is a huge problem for us and something for which neither the board nor the manager currently has any solution. We are one Hazard injury away from falling out of the top 4. 

sadly true.

1 minute ago, Londonisblue said:

Imagine Barça parking the bus against us

Mourinho will then apply for Barcas manager post :D

2 minutes ago, Zeta said:

Needs to show more balls. Why not give Hudson-Odoi a chance to do something in the last 10, instead of Zappacosta. Everton will know nothing about him, he could just be the surprise that turns the game.

conte has to have an excuse for not having sufficient depth. i get you don't have much depth, but neither do a lot of teams. and you know why? because they play young players. spurs, liverpool, arsenal, utd all play young players. conte has definitely improved on from jose in this aspect, but not nearly enough. you can't always have a bench full of top quality.

20 minutes ago, ducavis said:

I don’t think it is a case of new shiny players, we just lack a pattern of play. You watch Liverpool, City, Spurs & Arsenal and you can see what their players are trying to do. 

True.

Even without a pattern of play, in the last ten minutes, if you want to chuck the balls in from out wide... At least have the targets in there. 

There was... Batshuayi and....?

Surrounded by blue shirts. Complete shot in the dark type of stuff. Had very very little expectation of an equaliser unless Hazard was on the ball. That's pretty much the Chelsea gameplan. 

Hazard.

Aaanyway...Not going to waste any more energy on this. I said I might not watch it if there was this false nine nonsense today, but of course I did. I was pretty much expecting this garbage.

 

Why does everyone think alladyce is a genius . Baffled

Problem is this false 9 thing worked quite well that one time against Bournemouth (?), so now it's been overrated in Conte's mind as an option.

2 minutes ago, Londonisblue said:

Imagine Barça parking the bus against us

Lmao. That is why i am optimistic in that matchup, as long as we dont concede first we should be fine..

I want to see Conte take more risks against parked buses. Guordiola took of a defender and played with one centreback against Southampton, Def 2 points dropped

even though it's irritating to play another side that just wants to defend and frustrate, it's easy to forget that even city have struggled in a couple of games this past month or two against teams that just defend. i don't think we have bad attacking players, it's just they aren't attacking enough to replace a striker and put up the goals needed in these games. 

9 minutes ago, Londonisblue said:

Imagine Barça parking the bus against us

imagine them pressing us. if we are pressed, that's when we lose our composure. 

f**kING DREADFUL

WHAT THE f**k EVEN IS OUR PLAYING STYLE? Like someone else said, Arsenal Liverpool etc all have an identity in their style of play. Whereas we just either whip a terrible ball into the box which can be headed away comfortably or give the ball to Hazard hoping for him to do some matrix stuff. Conte is lost this this season. We are the worst attacking/footballing side out of the top 6. 

I'm sick and tired of the board appointing defensive managers. I don't think I can handle another match vs Brighton where they park the bus and we play with 7 f**king defenders. 

What a dull, dour outfit Everton are? They've got no pace in midfield and a toothless attack. We should have run them over but our final ball, that last incisive pass was piss poor. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Chewits01 said:

Why does everyone think alladyce is a genius . Baffled

Because he's an old school English manager..."they don't like it up 'em Captain Manering...' 

3 minutes ago, enigma said:

even though it's irritating to play another side that just wants to defend and frustrate, it's easy to forget that even city have struggled in a couple of games this past month or two against teams that just defend. i don't think we have bad attacking players, it's just they aren't attacking enough to replace a striker and put up the goals needed in these games. 

They haven't struggled like that though. In those games, they were creating tons of chances, just not finishing them off until the last minute. City score a lot, but they miss a lot of easy chances too. We struggle to create attacks consistently. None of our chances created look clean, we need a lot of bounces to go our way.

8 minutes ago, enigma said:

imagine them pressing us. if we are pressed, that's when we lose our composure. 

exactly what I meant... I'd be surprised if Barça would play like Sam's team today. But unfortunately, their pressure won't be like spurs'... Barça will mean it ! Then we'd all have to pray the Lord and hoping our defence does not crumble . But we still have Batman though !

Edited December 23, 20178 yr by Londonisblue

not enough quality going forward, and luck was also against us today. 

Really disappointed with pedro and willian. Hopefully we see a shake up in the summer, because both plauers look a bit stale this season.

Not a bad result in the end. midfield and defence were both dominant.