This Weekend's Fixtures & Midweek Fixture (21/22/23/25/26/27 Feb)

[HCZ_Reborn]

No, before we get to my selective memory, let's go back to your assertion we don't have players that can do anything beyond the bullshit we saw yesterday. Tip-tap, backwards, slow, plod. Martinelli, Nwaneri, Saka, Trossard, these are all plodders? That's why they play with their backs to goal (apart from Nwaneri but he's new so he'll learn)? That's why they lay off the short backwards pass rather than try to advance the ball up the pitch? They aren't high intensity and they aren't technical enough? So who is? Give me an example of one of these high intensity, technical squads.

Yes Martinelli and Saka who are unavailable to us right now. Trossard has zero pace.

Nwaneri? He’s 17 and like with Saka defenders will just double up on him. Generally speaking unless the 17 year old is Pele, the expectation is that a 17 year old won’t carry the team

But yeah you’re right, we were just not dynamic enough. We chose to slow the ball down, had nothing to do with having no space to operate in once we got to the final third

[HCZ_Reborn]

Now I understand why you defend Arteta so much, you’re him. He (and by he I mean you) refused to accept the defeat was down to the lack of quality up front either.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Manchester City: Ederson, Lewis, Khusanov, Ake, Gvardiol, Gonzalez, Foden, Savinho, Doku, De Bruyne, Marmoush.
Subs: Ortega, Dias, Kovacic, Grealish, Gundogan, Silva, Reis, Nunes, McAtee.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Jones, Salah.
Subs: Kelleher, Quansah, Tsimikas, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Gakpo, Elliott, Jota.

[Niall_Quinn]

Yes Martinelli and Saka who are unavailable to us right now. Trossard has zero pace.

Nwaneri? He’s 17 and like with Saka defenders will just double up on him. Generally speaking unless the 17 year old is Pele, the expectation is that a 17 year old won’t carry the team

But yeah you’re right, we were just not dynamic enough. We chose to slow the ball down, had nothing to do with having no space to operate in once we got to the final third

Oh okay, now we're confining it to specifics so we can start eliminating the players that disprove your point. And then the context will change again, and then again. Until eventually we'll all have to accept there's no alternative to plodding around the pitch, unlike Forest and Newcastle who just didn't. They must have better players, I suppose? More dynamic and technical players?

[Niall_Quinn]

Marmoush kicks the ball away. Yellow coming any minute...

Just waiting...

Any moment now...

[HCZ_Reborn]

Hmm what to expect here

Liverpool have never won in the league at a City managed by Guardiola (of course first time for everything)

Though City have put out a side that’s very obliging to Liverpool but equally they aren’t really at the races of late and have needed Salah to get them through games undefeated

[Niall_Quinn]

Who's better, Palmer, Foden or some bloke down the pub?

[HCZ_Reborn]

Oh okay, now we're confining it to specifics so we can start eliminating the players that disprove your point. And then the context will change again, and then again. Until eventually we'll all have to accept there's no alternative to plodding around the pitch, unlike Forest and Newcastle who just didn't. They must have better players, I suppose? More dynamic and technical players?

The game finished 4-3, it’s fair to say neither side was that committed to defending or closing down space

Every team that faces a team with 11 players playing behind the ball, ends up playing slow, sideways passing looking for a gap to exploit. And such a tactic works even better when you have your first choice attack out

I’m not singling out Arsenal, I think Liverpool would be just as toothless if they were without Salah.

[Niall_Quinn]

Well that eliminates Foden from the running. WTF was that?

[HCZ_Reborn]

Well that eliminates Foden from the running. WTF was that?

Does the bloke down the pub have a vowel at the end of his name ?