[TwoSheds]

Although I wasn't upset about the way we set up I do think it's a shame we didn't get Van de Beek on for McT and have a go in the last 10 mins. End of the day they had 2 fairly average DMs on, it wasn't likely to result in a terrible mismatch in the midfield considering we'd still have had 4 CMs on the pitch anyway.

 

[gregor]

I think this formation should be way forward. I liked how McTominay dropped back as 3rd CB and helped Bissaka. Also Pogba did a good job on left side. Maybe we were a bit short in attack but I'd think this could be improved.

 

[Water Melon]

I don't care what people say. Cautious approach was wise after a tough away cl match considering city had easy fixture and was able to rest players. Our team had heavy legs towards the end and Ole was wary of the effect that losing has on our fanbase....it's all Ol out after every loss

He could not care less about what fans think of him. He was managing us when we had one of the worst spells in our history, and even that did nothing to his career here.

 

[spontaneus1]

Although I wasn't upset about the way we set up I do think it's a shame we didn't get Van de Beek on for McT and have a go in the last 10 mins. End of the day they had 2 fairly average DMs on, it wasn't likely to result in a terrible mismatch in the midfield considering we'd still have had 4 CMs on the pitch anyway.

I tend to agree, I don't think any of us expected city to start two defensive minded midfielders either, yet I don't hear the caf pronouncing Pep as a coward who should be lynched immediately. I did think McT did a decent job on kdb though.

Reality is this was a game where both teams first objective was not to lose. Which makes sense when you realise it's important to stay in touching distance of the leaders at this stage of the season when we have a game in hand.

 

[Berbasbullet]

Although I wasn't upset about the way we set up I do think it's a shame we didn't get Van de Beek on for McT and have a go in the last 10 mins. End of the day they had 2 fairly average DMs on, it wasn't likely to result in a terrible mismatch in the midfield considering we'd still have had 4 CMs on the pitch anyway.

Completely agree especially when the lads looked exhausted.

 

[Himannv]

I honestly don't think this was a bad performance on the whole, apart from our lack of chance creation. I think we could have chased the game a bit more at the end but I can see why Ole might have wanted to avoid defeat here. On the whole it's not a good game to lose after getting kicked out of the CL.

It reminds me a little bit of the draw that Chelsea got against us before they went on that good run. If we take this result and build on it, I think we can have a good December and be close enough to the top in January with a game in hand. Fingers crossed..

 

[Denis' cuff]

Both sides didn't want to lose. I felt asleep by last 15'. Probably the most boring derby ever.

veteran of 4 derbies?

 

[Strelok]

veteran of 4 derbies?

I have a short memory, in fact, I can't even remember what happened in the derby last year than Martial's and McT goals. That's why I said 'probably'.

But, which derby can be more boring than the last one? My memory is short but our derbies were pretty excited lately I think?

 

[Sea-Cow]

Some positives --

We actually started well, and looked like we were up for it right from the whistle. Too often this season we start games like the lads are all on drugs. So at least the lads were ready for it and we didn't have any horrendous mistakes or give-aways in the first few minutes.

We also actually, finally, I can't f'ing believe it, were dangerous on corners! It was amazing. I gave Luke the MOTM for his delivery alone. He actually took a good corner, and then repeated it! It actually even looked like we had a plan, with a flick-on from Vic to Scott at the back post. It almost even worked! City must have been blown away as this has literally not happened once all year.

Those are two things that have made me insane this season so I am happy, and must give some credit, that they didn't happen this time.

 

[Sea-Cow]

Under different circumstances it's an OK result. You can't call it better than that because drawing at home with anyone isn't great if your aim is to bechallenging for the league.

Then you factor in that City are below us, haven't been very good all season, and played pretty poorly even by their standards this season yesterday, and it becomes a disappointing result.

Then you factor in our performance, where the players didn't do too badly but where, due largely to our set up and reluctance to change anything, we spent most of the second half just sitting there hoping not to lose and not even trying to attack, and it becomes a pathetic result.

Playing for a draw against an off form team struggling to find their way towards the top of the league is what relegation fodder teams do. Its not what any team mid table or above should be doing, never mind a tem trying to "improve" on finishing 3rd.

I also don't get why the fact we went out of the CL shoul give Ole any more slack. I've been happy to back him the whole time, but if you feck up or fall below the standards expected, it SHOULD mean you are under more pressure, and it should mean less room to drop below stnadards in other competitions. It doesn't suddenly mean the standards expeced should drop.

We went out of the CL largely due to feck ups from Ole. Now we've dropped two potentially vital points in a ame we'll never know if we coould have won because Ole refused to try and win it. If the plan is to actually win things rather than be mediocre, then that's piss poor management.

I agree with most everything you say here, and especially the conclusions you draw, but I think calling it a pathetic result is a bit harsh. We aren't very good so I was somewhat pleased that we didn't get dominated and we didn't lose.

 

[Alexit]

That was one of the most boring matches I've ever watched. Horrendous from both sides.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Under different circumstances it's an OK result. You can't call it better than that because drawing at home with anyone isn't great if your aim is to bechallenging for the league.

Then you factor in that City are below us, haven't been very good all season, and played pretty poorly even by their standards this season yesterday, and it becomes a disappointing result.

Then you factor in our performance, where the players didn't do too badly but where, due largely to our set up and reluctance to change anything, we spent most of the second half just sitting there hoping not to lose and not even trying to attack, and it becomes a pathetic result.

Playing for a draw against an off form team struggling to find their way towards the top of the league is what relegation fodder teams do. Its not what any team mid table or above should be doing, never mind a tem trying to "improve" on finishing 3rd.

I also don't get why the fact we went out of the CL shoul give Ole any more slack. I've been happy to back him the whole time, but if you feck up or fall below the standards expected, it SHOULD mean you are under more pressure, and it should mean less room to drop below stnadards in other competitions. It doesn't suddenly mean the standards expeced should drop.

We went out of the CL largely due to feck ups from Ole. Now we've dropped two potentially vital points in a ame we'll never know if we coould have won because Ole refused to try and win it. If the plan is to actually win things rather than be mediocre, then that's piss poor management.

You know things are bad when I can read a noodles rant after dropped points and think “hmmm... that’s pretty fair...”

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Under different circumstances it's an OK result. You can't call it better than that because drawing at home with anyone isn't great if your aim is to bechallenging for the league.

Then you factor in that City are below us, haven't been very good all season, and played pretty poorly even by their standards this season yesterday, and it becomes a disappointing result.

Then you factor in our performance, where the players didn't do too badly but where, due largely to our set up and reluctance to change anything, we spent most of the second half just sitting there hoping not to lose and not even trying to attack, and it becomes a pathetic result.

Playing for a draw against an off form team struggling to find their way towards the top of the league is what relegation fodder teams do. Its not what any team mid table or above should be doing, never mind a tem trying to "improve" on finishing 3rd.

I also don't get why the fact we went out of the CL shoul give Ole any more slack. I've been happy to back him the whole time, but if you feck up or fall below the standards expected, it SHOULD mean you are under more pressure, and it should mean less room to drop below stnadards in other competitions. It doesn't suddenly mean the standards expeced should drop.

We went out of the CL largely due to feck ups from Ole. Now we've dropped two potentially vital points in a ame we'll never know if we coould have won because Ole refused to try and win it. If the plan is to actually win things rather than be mediocre, then that's piss poor management.

You know things are bad when I can read a noodles rant after dropped points and think “hmmm... that’s pretty fair...”

 

[hn4united]

That was really not a bad point TBH.

 

[TMDaines]

Would have taken gaining ground on Chelsea, and not losing out to Spurs, Liverpool and City. Gotta get the other wins this week now to make Christmas more relaxing.

Chelsea lose to Wolves, City slip up at home against relegation fodder; none of the big six have won a match, all in odds-on match ups, since the bore draw point.

Gotta beat Sheff Utd and Leeds now. League is opening up.

 

[noodlehair]

I agree with most everything you say here, and especially the conclusions you draw, but I think calling it a pathetic result is a bit harsh. We aren't very good so I was somewhat pleased that we didn't get dominated and we didn't lose.

Maybe pathetic management is more apt. You're right it's not a pathetic result but the manner in which it came about was for me. It was cowardly and lacked any purpose.

Right from the off it was wrong. We named the exact same line up that we did for the Arsenal game, and although the performance from the players was better, then problems with the system and approach were exactly the same. Namely that we left ourselves with no means of getting our best players to influence the game...and in spite of this becoming a bigger and bigger issue as the game went on, Ole changed absolutely nothing. It went from being a game we should have been pushing to win, to one where the only two possible results were a draw or a defeat.

Winning on Thursday and then winning our game in hand would put us either level with Spurs and Liverpool or above one of them. Even if purely by luck Ole has a chance of making us genuine title contenders for the first time since Ferguson retired. I would rather we aimed high and went for it, and failed, than aim for mediocrity, and then no one can really tell if we're failing or not because no one really knows what it is we're actually trying to do. The vibe on Saturday was very much the later.

Sprinting round the track and finishing second because someone was faster than you, is a different kettle of fish to jogging round part of the track and then finishing second because you didn't try to run your fastest.

 

[DRJosh]

If Ole was a results-oriented, technically astute and functional type of manager in the mould of Mourinho, then yes, the City result was decent.

Problem is, Ole's tactical approach is a bit of everything but ultimately nothing.

The only gelling agent in his overall approach is counter-attacking which isn't always executed consistently or effectively. Ole ether over-adapts to an opponent's formation (disregarding any consistent style of play and team strengths) or is stubbornly resilient when he should be making changes (e.g. subs). On the rare occasion he gets it right but that is not enough at this level.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

If Ole was a results-oriented, technically astute and functional type of manager in the mould of Mourinho, then yes, the City result was decent.

Problem is, Ole's tactical approach is a bit of everything but ultimately nothing.

The only gelling agent in his overall approach is counter-attacking which isn't always executed consistently or effectively. Ole ether over-adapts to an opponent's formation (disregarding any consistent style of play and team strengths) or is stubbornly resilient when he should be making changes (e.g. subs). On the rare occasion he gets it right but that is not enough at this level.

Under Sir Alex, we used to do that though. Being flexible and over-adapts to an opponent’s formation. I think this reflects manager who has more than plan A.

His idea is to play like the great United in 2007/2008 and when against top opposition, relying on quick counter. You can see what he’s trying to do with these less quality players.

It seems lot of top opposition started to realised how dangerous we are on quick counter, it’s almost impossible to stop so manager like Pep & Lampard changed their approach and played more cautious not open against us this season (result in 0-0) unlike last season when we tore them apart. I wonder what Klopp’s approach when we play against them. Last season we had lot of injuries when we played against each other.

 

[flappyjay]

Pep

Pep rarely ever plays 2 defensive mids and he did it to stop us.

 

[Teja]

Pep rarely ever plays 2 defensive mids and he did it to stop us.

Got burned several times last season because of the pace of our front-3. Reasonable choice, as was Ole's to settle for a draw.

 

[Gasolin]

If Ole was a results-oriented, technically astute and functional type of manager in the mould of Mourinho, then yes, the City result was decent.

Problem is, Ole's tactical approach is a bit of everything but ultimately nothing.

The only gelling agent in his overall approach is counter-attacking which isn't always executed consistently or effectively. Ole ether over-adapts to an opponent's formation (disregarding any consistent style of play and team strengths) or is stubbornly resilient when he should be making changes (e.g. subs). On the rare occasion he gets it right but that is not enough at this level.

Just think of the 2007/2008 team for how we play and that's fine. And just like that team, we will change shape a lot because the focus will be on solving on opening up defenses rather than sticking to one single idea.

 

[sunama]

I agree with most everything you say here, and especially the conclusions you draw, but I think calling it a pathetic result is a bit harsh. We aren't very good so I was somewhat pleased that we didn't get dominated and we didn't lose.

Being dominated or losing wasn't ever going to happen.
Our performance against top sides is actually good.
I predicted that we'd win the MCFC match, but instead we got a draw.
Our problems occur when playing lesser sides. Sheffield Utd, for me, is the more difficult game, for us. This game can go any way - win or lose or draw. I genuinely don't know how this is going to pan out.
Sheffield Utd are wretchedly bad, but when playing lesser sides, so are we.

 

[sunama]

Pep rarely ever plays 2 defensive mids and he did it to stop us.

...because he knows that:
1, we raise our game against top sides
2, Ole has already beaten Pep many times
3, MCFC are enduring their worst season in over 10 years. How Pep is still in a job is beyond me. Pelligrini and Manchini would've been gone by now if they were mid-table in December.

 

[pocco]

Pep rarely ever plays 2 defensive mids and he did it to stop us.

Think he played two against WBA last night.

 

[Maticmaker]

...because he knows that:
1, we raise our game against top sides
2, Ole has already beaten Pep many times
3, MCFC are enduring their worst season in over 10 years. How Pep is still in a job is beyond me. Pelligrini and Manchini would've been gone by now if they were mid-table in December.

Remember when Pellegrini was still in four competitions with City when the club announced that Pep would take over at the end of the season, wonder what does the Sheikh have in store for Pep?

I think Pep is gambling everything on the CL, its the only top title that City haven't won, and whilst the fans don't seem to care, he wants to serve it up to the Sheikh before he bows out (despite the new contract). Pep has that look just now, frustrated as hell and as if he couldn't care less about anything only the CL.