Anti climax as Manchester City win as they please at awe struck Cardiff.

[the other bob wilson]

http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/

[MacAdder]

http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/

Pretty much spot on there Bob.

I would disagree though that the gap between Newport and Spurs is greater than City and Citeh.
Newport had the pitch and conditions which favoured them and Spurs are nowhere near the efficiency of MC in terms of "dealing" with their opposition.

The game went pretty much as I'd expected except they didnt score as many.
That was down to us basically setting up camp, after having a go early on, in front of our penalty area after the break and, although it was embarrassing watching their keeper play sweeper 2 yards outside his penalty area when they kept the ball for what seemed like 5 minutes in the second half, you could understand why.
We were damned if we pressed them.and damned if we didn't.

I am more concerned how we react to that going forward.
It is clear we won't meet sides anywhere near that class again so I'm hopeful, but we need a player through the door in the next 3 days that offers something different.

[Badly Ironed Shirt]

There were parts of that game where it seemed Man City were quite content just to pass it round in their own half, and we were quite happy to stay in our own half and let them do it.

It was almost as if they didnt want to attack or engage - for the risk of being tackled perhaps, and we seemed happy to keep it to 0 -2, felt like a pre arranged result wrestling match.

Nothing told that more than when Kompany was allowed to stand with the ball for ages.

I think both clubs were keen to avoid injury.

[life on mars]

Pretty much spot on there Bob.

I would disagree though that the gap between Newport and Spurs is greater than City and Citeh.
Newport had the pitch and conditions which favoured them and Spurs are nowhere near the efficiency of MC in terms of "dealing" with their opposition.

The game went pretty much as I'd expected except they didnt score as many.
That was down to us basically setting up camp, after having a go early on, in front of our penalty area after the break and, although it was embarrassing watching their keeper play sweeper 2 yards outside his penalty area when they kept the ball for what seemed like 5 minutes in the second half, you could understand why.
We were damned if we pressed them.and damned if we didn't.

I am more concerned how we react to that going forward.
It is clear we won't meet sides anywhere near that class again so I'm hopeful, but we need a player through the door in the next 3 days that offers something different.

the difference was spurs were very poor by their standards , Man City were not .

Tha'ts why Spurs may struggle to get into the top 4

[thehumblegringo]

Bob, they're attention to detail was incredible. I sat in the red seats yesterday and the deliberate hole Citeh were leaving in middle of the pitch was an absolute chasm. Everyone would vacate then different players would come in and out.

I watched Guardiola's post match interview amd he said the reason they did that was because they knew Cardiff would mark man for man.

That is why they played with a false 9 too. Brilliant.

Did you see the size of their entourage? They must have had about 30 people with their coaching staff!

[Former Labour leader]

Yes Bob, I expected a defeat but I came away disappointed in the manner we lost to an outstanding side who would have beaten any team in the UK yesterday.
The last time we were beaten in that comprehensive manner by a team clearly on another planet to us was 1972 when Don Revie's Leeds came down to NP and thrashed us, also 2-0. Like yesterday it could just as well have been 10-0.
In 1972 I came away thinking at least City had given 100%. I am still deflated after yesterday. City did not turn up and never remotely looked as if they would make a game of it. I am not sure who to blame, management or players. What I do know is that the game will be a watershed for our season.

[Badly Ironed Shirt]

Bob, they're attention to detail was incredible. I sat in the red seats yesterday and the deliberate hole Citeh were leaving in middle of the pitch was an absolute chasm. Everyone would vacate then different players would come in and out.

I watched Guardiola's post match interview amd he said the reason they did that was because they knew Cardiff would mark man for man.

That is why they played with a false 9 too. Brilliant.

Did you see the size of their entourage? They must have had about 30 people with their coaching staff!

Do you think Guardiola did more research on Cardiff than, say, Mourinho would have done? Is it attention to detail that is making Man City practically unplayable these days, or is it down to sheer spending power?

[thehumblegringo]

Do you think Guardiola did more research on Cardiff than, say, Mourinho would have done? Is it attention to detail that is making Man City practically unplayable these days, or is it down to sheer spending power?

I don't buy that theory at all. In their time at their respective clubs, Mourinho has spent about £300 million and Pep has spent £370 million. (Before this window)

However if you look at Sunday's team only Sane, Bernardo Silva, Danilo and Kyle Walker were outfield players signed by Pep.

City's strongest (or most consistent) team this season has been Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Stones (been injured majority of the season)/Mangala/Company, Delphi, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, David Silva, Sterling, Sane, Aguero.

I know the remaining players still cost a lot of money but if you compare Pep's City vs Pellegrini's City when Leicester won the league it's chalk and cheese.

There are only 3 players signed by Pep who are consistent starters (due to injury)

I don't see how football fans can't appreciate how good a coach he is. It's rare that original thought is encountered but I think Pep is Up there with Cruyff, Saachi and co. Brilliant coach who is evolving football.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Do you think Guardiola did more research on Cardiff than, say, Mourinho would have done? Is it attention to detail that is making Man City practically unplayable these days, or is it down to sheer spending power?

Pep wins the league with Man Utd's side this season. To suggest it is all down to spending power when Man Utd have spent hundreds of millions themselves is odd. Man United have spent nearly a billion since Ferguson left.

[the other bob wilson]

Pep wins the league with Man Utd's side this season. To suggest it is all down to spending power when Man Utd have spent hundreds of millions themselves is odd. Man United have spent nearly a billion since Ferguson left.

Gringo's post offers evidence that Guardiola improves some of the players he inherits (I would put Otamendi, Fernandinho and Sterling to name but three in that category and DeBruyne is much less likely to drift out of matches these days), I see little evidence of Mourinho doing that at Man United.