Was the lack of Kante a factor in the line up I wonder? I'm referring to the lack of a proper striker.

Regardless of the team's performance, and Conte's tactical approach, we still only lost by 1 goal to a stupid mistake at the back.  The all-conquering City managed a record number of passes in the middle third of the pitch, but didn't really threaten our goal that much, and couldn't score without some help.

When you consider just how many of those record-breaking passes were simple one-touch 2-3 yard passes in groups of 6 or 8 between the same two players, either taking the piss or not being pressed is up to your opinion.

I agree about our piss-poor performance and Conte's refusal to change it up until it was too late, but, without the defensive mistake we would have come away with a dire, but useful 0-0 draw.  Nearly everyone in here would have taken that on Sunday morning.

0-0 wouldn't have made a massive difference to us. Still would have been 4 points behind Tottenham Hotspur, with their goal difference better than ours. Needed the W. If we lose to Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge, that's all she wrote. The crazy part is, Conte knew what was coming up and what we needed/had to do to make it into that top four. When you park two double decker buses you are going there for a point. Only problem is, Manchester City have been dealing with them all year, and no only one breach is required for the points, and that's all it required that day, because Chelsea, as usual, had no plan b, c, d, e. 

 

 

Edited March 7, 20188 yr by Famous CFC

1 hour ago, yorkleyblue said:

Regardless of the team's performance, and Conte's tactical approach, we still only lost by 1 goal to a stupid mistake at the back.  The all-conquering City managed a record number of passes in the middle third of the pitch, but didn't really threaten our goal that much, and couldn't score without some help.

When you consider just how many of those record-breaking passes were simple one-touch 2-3 yard passes in groups of 6 or 8 between the same two players, either taking the piss or not being pressed is up to your opinion.

I agree about our piss-poor performance and Conte's refusal to change it up until it was too late, but, without the defensive mistake we would have come away with a dire, but useful 0-0 draw.  Nearly everyone in here would have taken that on Sunday morning.

The goal was scored in the 46min, City would have pushed on and looked for the goal, City wouldnt have played like that all second half at 0-0. We all know Conte would have done nothing. 

13 hours ago, EmeraldBlue said:

Was the lack of Kante a factor in the line up I wonder? I'm referring to the lack of a proper striker.

I would think you will be more likely to play with Giroud to hold the ball up because everyone was so deep, I honestly think he only plays Hazard there because he can't defend like Pedro and Willian and he has nowwhere else to put him, if he drops him he will get even more stick. I said this after the Utd game and read someone else say this, you are better off dropping Hazard and starting a natural forward as deluded as that sounds.

1 hour ago, Ernie_blue said:

The goal was scored in the 46min, City would have pushed on and looked for the goal, City wouldnt have played like that all second half at 0-0. We all know Conte would have done nothing. 

I do like the fact that you have a crystal ball, or some sort of psychic knowledge of what would have happened in an alternative universe, and I did say I wasn't defending the performance of either the team or the manager, just pointing out that apart from a defensive mistake, City didn't look like scoring. 

You can say all you like that "City would have....." , "City wouldn't have....." and  "We all know......." something, fact is they couldn't score in the first half, and they only scored due to a gift.  Apart from the mistake, we'd have got a 0-0 draw and most of us would have ripped your arm off if you'd offered that before the game.

But, why miss out on a chance to slag off the manager or the club, eh?

5 minutes ago, yorkleyblue said:

I do like the fact that you have a crystal ball, or some sort of psychic knowledge of what would have happened in an alternative universe, and I did say I wasn't defending the performance of either the team or the manager, just pointing out that apart from a defensive mistake, City didn't look like scoring. 

You can say all you like that "City would have....." , "City wouldn't have....." and  "We all know......." something, fact is they couldn't score in the first half, and they only scored due to a gift.  Apart from the mistake, we'd have got a 0-0 draw and most of us would have ripped your arm off if you'd offered that before the game.

But, why miss out on a chance to slag off the manager or the club, eh?

It's a fact Conte wasn't looking to win the game, he never made a change till the 80th min even at 1-0 down so there's no real debate or crystal ball needed there. Just had to watch the game.

To say it would have ended 0-0 if City hadn't scored is such a simplistic view especially with 45mins left of the game, how do we know what was said at half time in the City changing room? The goal actually changed the game more for City han Chelsea, City took it easy while Chelsea f**k all, after all City had played  3 big games within a week. They probably wasn't expecting a gift so early on but it doesn't take much to work out City would have upped the tempo when needed and gone for it more. Once the goal was scored they was just playing around and never went up the gears, they just did what they needed to do like in both Arsenal games. There was a lot more to come from City but they never had to play at a high level. Chelsea might aswell gave up before the game before it started.

And in the first half they upped their tempo, and tried real hard, but didn't score - could well have played out the same if we hadn't given them a goal.  Wouldn't be the first time that a team such as ours held out against technically superior players for a full 94 minutes.

1 hour ago, Ernie_blue said:

It's a fact Conte wasn't looking to win the game, he never made a change till the 80th min even at 1-0 down so there's no real debate or crystal ball needed there. Just had to watch the game.

It's a classic Italian tactic, if you're losing 1-0 stay in the game and conserve energy then in the final 10 minutes go for it with the knowledge that you're not going to lose 3 or 4-0. Personally thought the tactics were spot on, it isn't Conte's fault that Christensen made another mistake, Pedro/Fabregas lost the basic ability to pass the ball accurately into space, or Moses/Alonso missed chances.

Fwiw I think every team that plays City away should do exactly the same so I can't complain that we did.

Edited March 7, 20188 yr by the special one

2 minutes ago, the special one said:

It's a classic Italian tactic, if you're losing 1-0 stay in the game and conserve energy then in the final 10 minutes go for it. Personally thought the tactics were spot on, it isn't Conte's fault that Christensen made another mistake, Pedro/Fabregas lost the basic ability to pass the ball accurately into space, or Moses/Alonso missed chances.

Fwiw I think every team that plays City away should do exactly the same so I can't complain that we did.

Alonso on the volley outside the box and Moses out wide which would take Alves to score from there, really living in hope if thats all we had to relly on all game. If your proud of that performance and tactics then go for it. Plus it was hard for players to pass because City hunt in packs, they might be great going forward but they are all disciplined and very good at breaking up the play and using tactical fouls, you can have both.

Conte said he waited late for the subs because he was hoping Hazard would do something, I'm not sure how a guy walking can do much, there's no defending Conte's tactics since the turn of the year. I hope all the fans got there money back for the game and travel.

2 hours ago, the special one said:

It's a classic Italian tactic, if you're losing 1-0 stay in the game and conserve energy then in the final 10 minutes go for it

But we didn't "go for it" in the last ten minutes, not with Hazard on the bench.

Basel who goes win at the Etihad with an "open game" Thanks Conte again 

Well well... the mighty city got beaten by basel, who atleast showed some balls.

2 hours ago, didierforever said:

Well well... the mighty city got beaten by basel, who atleast showed some balls.

Bit of a hollow victory though, no? I mean, City didn't need to do much to move on at that point.

7 hours ago, Cyborg7 said:

Basel who goes win at the Etihad with an "open game" Thanks Conte again 

What? Do you like moaning for the sake of it? After a 4-0 first leg win, Guardiola didn't bother to introduce De Bruyne, Walker, Aguero and Otamendi at any stage of this contest while David Silva was left out completely. In came Danilo, Stones, Yaya Toure and Foden. Hardly a like-for-like comparison. However, the possession stats' still worked out at 78% for City and 22% Basel (yeah, wide open attacking play that) with City creating a Champions League record of number of passes completed of 978, following on from the 902 they clocked up against us, another record for the Premier League this time. According to the BBC report on the game, the Man of the Match was Basel's Geoffrey Serey Die who is their"midfield enforcer". They had their midfield enforcer on the night while we didn't. That was the difference as far as I'm concerned.

It was very interesting to hear Guardiola complaining post match that "Just to pass the ball for itself is nothing", probably due to  the result not being on his side, unlike against us when he made no mention of this tactic and was quite happy to bask in the glory of a 1-0 win and gush about City's passing being "so good". 

Lets be real, no one actually watched this game. Everyone watched Spurs - Juve, saw the city score and came here to get their lumps in.

On 6.3.2018 at 20:00, denzelhyatt4 said:

On 5.3.2018 at 10:23, CFCholland said:

As soon as I saw Hazard was our false 9 again all hope was lost for me. 
It worked surprisingly well against Barca, but a lot of that was down to them not pressuring us much, as we knew City would.
The tactic comes down to us hoofing long balls op to Hazard who doesn't get a sniff all game. The tactic has been sh*t all season and it will remain sh*t all season.
If Conte wants to redeem himself he needs to find something different to help us finish the season strong. Top 4 is gone for me, but a few nice performances to finish the season off would be nice.

I think its mostly down to him not having much confidence in our 2 strikers, for me i think he needs to be given more control on players brought in

Considering how the players Conte wanted has performed I think he should have less say and not more

On 04/03/2018 at 18:58, Xfaxtor said:

What does Grankovskaia have to do with the players we have bought? Shes a negotiater for cryin out loud 

Her inability to close deals and let them fall through trying to over negotiate...that's what, we have no problem bringing in talent we just sell them before they blossom, whats that I read on BBC today, Salah 144 mil rated, Lukaku was 90 mil, wonder what KDB is? Again scouting tallent no problem,buying established players, problem, getting the best out of players once we have them, problem, scouting, no problem. 

22 hours ago, ScrubsLaneCFC said:

Her inability to close deals and let them fall through trying to over negotiate...that's what, we have no problem bringing in talent we just sell them before they blossom, whats that I read on BBC today, Salah 144 mil rated, Lukaku was 90 mil, wonder what KDB is? Again scouting tallent no problem,buying established players, problem, getting the best out of players once we have them, problem, scouting, no problem. 

So again, not something under her control. Do you think shes not workkng on a budget from Roman? If you think she has carte blanche on transfer fees and is being purposely stingey I have no idea what to tell you. Roman fires employees left and right as he pleases, the fact that she still has a job means she is doing exactly as instructed. Im interested in hearing how you think fact that Mourinho not wanting to play KdB, Salah or Lukaku is somehow the fault of the negotiator.

11 hours ago, Xfaxtor said:

So again, not something under her control. Do you think shes not workkng on a budget from Roman? If you think she has carte blanche on transfer fees and is being purposely stingey I have no idea what to tell you. Roman fires employees left and right as he pleases, the fact that she still has a job means she is doing exactly as instructed. Im interested in hearing how you think fact that Mourinho not wanting to play KdB, Salah or Lukaku is somehow the fault of the negotiator.

According to some geniuses of here, KDB was sh*t back then. So dont bring that up. 

1 hour ago, didierforever said:

According to some geniuses of here, KDB was sh*t back then. So dont bring that up. 

KDB was an exceptional talent back then and was one of the best young talents in Europe before and when he joined us. How the f**k we managed to f**k this one up we will never know, but I've said before that Mourinho has absolutely no idea how to spot or how to nurture talent. The guy was a menace in his second spell at our club, and I believe he managed to ruin what could have been a great period for us in regards to some of the youth talent and potential great players we had in our squad when he returned.

It really grates on me some of the players we've let go who now play at an exceptional level for our rivals. f**k Mourinho mk2!