I was on a long zoom call when that happened and it took every ounce of self control to not scream when I saw it. That kind of hesitation is just . . . so out of character for Xhaka. There's something about Man City that nerfs Xhaka: he never plays well against them. From what I saw (to be fair, I was distracted), Jorginho was excellent and offered a level of control that Partey doesn't. He's not the athletic monster that Partey is, but he probably doesn't need to be. I think it's that coaching in England has gotten to the point that players that can only do a couple of things well get found out fairly quickly. Eddie was good for a month and then not good at all. Huge drop in shot volume in the last four games.
Again, to be clear, Jorginho was not the reason we lost yesterday. He was fine-to-good. But Partey just adds that extra bit of press resistance and getting forward quickly into attack. And in contrast to your point about Xhaka, Partey usually ups his game against City.
This is what impressed me about Eddie's form earlier in the run, and what is irking me now. He doesn't get as many chances anymore. Its him.
I don't suppose this is fate setting up a miraculous final day of the season where Jesus has an Aguero-esque match winner to nip Citeh for the title? A guy can dream.
jesus improved the whole team specially martinelli as they interchanged the whole team is so much worse in quality since he left. God knows how we beat spurs and Utd. Any team that sits deep and is organised will trouble us. Eddie is a fine back up but nowhere near good enough to start
One thing that stands out to me is that with Jesus our team G > xG, whereas with Eddie the opposite is true. Can't claim to know if that's causal or coincidental. (I feel like team trends/results based on just one player in the XI or not, are perhaps not the strongest kind of stats)
It's that last part that I notice we miss when Partey's not in... his ability to quickly move the ball from back to front, and in a largely secure way. Not sure if our team performance is missing that as much as my eyes miss it.
Honestly, I'd argue that he isn't really a "fine backup". This season he has 8 starts with 4g 0a. He also has 12 sub app with 0g 0a. I know he is still young but he is currently offering nothing off the bench and in the past he has shown that the only times when he gets hot is when he gets a run of consecutive games. I would argue that our backup needs to be a sparkplug that can provide a positive contribution as a sub or spot starter.
We need to up our midfield, and forward line with two players who can anticipate/participate in the buildup and score as well. It sucks to lose but I think, at least the distinguished folks in here, did a good job of analyzing the shortcomings of the squad. We need one more window to be able to have the depth to compete and win consistently.
Tell me if anyone disagrees, but one thing I think I notice about the delta in quality between Eddie and Jesus is game-state related. To me Eddie is a major front-runner: his best work and output always seems to come when we’re already ahead. I just feel like I notice him on the pitch much more in those moments compared to when we’re tied or losing. A lot of that has to do with his rather perfunctory off-ball movement choices, which are always going to be more valuable when the other team is chasing. Jesus does not seem to have a major change in quality/output between game-states to my eye. I very much doubt we will ever get another shot at the title like this one. There will be a massive shopping spree this summer and we won’t be able to keep up.
Jorginho was mostly fine but I do think we missed Partey’s physicality on the second goal. I think if we had Partey there, they likely would not have had an extra runner on us. Jorginho has no recovery pace, which we’ve relied on in situations like that from the 6 spot this season.
Oh I agree, IMO we gotta win this year but Im really thinking we will be able to compete at this level for the next few years if we get it right in the summer.
Jesus is a world class player, Eddie is a talent in progress. So you're not wrong. Jesus ability on the ball with the pass, dribble and shot is light years ahead of Eddie, and that is not a shot it is just a fact. Also Jesus has been instrumental in all of the City title run ins so the experience is there as well.
If we don't win it this year, I don't think we will be in the picture for a title again for at least another few years. With our resources, we are just not going to be able to keep up. United look like they will be getting new Qatari owners soon, the Saudis are going to unleash if Newcastle have CL football to attract talent, Boehly has at least 1 more crazy window of spending left in him, City are going to refresh their squad so they can ride out whatever punishment the league sends their way in a year or two. All of those teams will take giant leaps forward in the summer, and even if we get everything right, relative to what the others manage, we will be losing ground. I expect Kroenke probably puts us up for sale in the next 24 months, even if we win the league this season. There is going to be no room at the top of the league for teams who don't have access to an infinite transfer budget.
Kroenke is addicted to team ownership. He owns Arsenal, the Los Angeles Rams, the Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, the MLS’ Colorado Rapids, as well as an Arena Football team and a professional Lacrosse team. Kroenke is someone who accumulates professional sports franchises, he doesn’t sell them. With respect to other teams splashing money. Chelsea have splashed more than half a billion BPS already. If they do that again they may have some of the same problems with the Premier League City are facing. One possible and appropriate punishment for City would be a transfer ban.
None of his teams play in loosely regulated leagues where the competitors are all state funded sports washing projects. I don't think there will be room for a team in the "Big 7" who is not getting pumped full of cash and resources by their owners.
This feels to me like it’s Stan’s hobby. He gets some kind of kick out of owning professional teams. Who else owns teams in four major sports. I don’t see him selling anytime soon. As far as profligate spending is concerned, I think Todd B has stepped on the trip wire, both the premier league and UEFA are almost forced into doing something. The premier league is already doing something about City and I won’t be surprised is they come after Chelsea too.
Missing Jesus though .. so unfortunate really as was the fluke injury to main-man Partey in the very last training session
So many are saying that Arsenal have a game in hand yet in theory you can say that the game is away to ManCity soooooo