Ratings & Reactions: Man City v Villa

[sparrow1988]

3 minutes ago, Kuwabatake Sanjuro said:

If fitness levels don't dramatically improve next season then it will be difficult to make any progress. I hope they can.

The majority of those players played on Thursday night too and at the end of a long season. City had a full week to prepare.

Edited May 22, 2022 by sparrow1988

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

Just now, Villa_Vids said:

Yeah. I think the Burnley game didn't help us in that respect.

Was disgraceful scheduling from the PL but throughout the season we have dropped points from running out of steam in games. A shambloc preseason last year did not help.

[TomC]

8 minutes ago, juanpablosaliceband said:

We waved the white flag taking off Coutinho for Nakamba. We needed someone like Coutinho to get small spells of possession to break the siege. We barely touched the ball after he went off. And Nakamba offered nothing defensively. McGinn pretty anonymous today. Digne excellent I thought. Our strikers’ finishing is a disaster. The reaction of Luiz versus De Bruyne to the loose ball for the third goal tells you everything about a winning mentality and luck thereof. 

Good observations...I hadn't really thought about it, but you're right...Coutinho probably did give the back line a break.

I think that you may be on to something about Dougie...he has the skill, but you have to wonder if he has the mentality.

I disagree about McGinn though...he didn't get many tackles in, but like most of the team, he did a good job sticking to his mark.

 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

One of the local Villa lads reckon if, it had been Martinez instead of Olsen today, he would waste enough time and wind them up enough for us to hold on. lol

[jim]

Has Phil stayed on and the result was the same. Most would have blamed him for not bringing Nakamba on. 

[VillaFaninLondon]

3 minutes ago, Icarium said:

Because it was embarrassing, first wolves then this, two pins poor collapses in the same season

It just shows this team is mentally weak as p*ss and has been for too long. The manager doesn't help by making wrong subs (Ashley Young wtf, taking off Coutinho and Buendia) and deciding to allow City to take over even though we were 2-0 up and should have been getting the ball high up the pitch and winning fouls. Getting pinned back in your own half clearly isn't going to work and it was only a matter of time, although that capitulation even for us was something else. 

 

In games where we score first but the opposition then gets back into the game, it's almost like we just give up, it's pathetic. Against Wolves, City, Liverpool, Brentford and could even say the collapse against Leeds at home (even though they scored the first goal) we completely messed up. We're the gift that keeps on giving. 

[Davkaus]

Losing by 1 to blue mancs isn't the end of the world, but I don't think I've been as angry about a loss arrive the similar collapse against wolves.

[OhioVilla]

1 minute ago, sparrow1988 said:

The majority of those players played on Thursday night too and at the end of a long season. City had a full week to prepare.

City can field 2 teams that could beat Villa's starting XI.

 

Not sure what changes/subs he could make. He has no rotation because, as we all saw with Marv, the depth in the squad is terrible.

[pacbuddies]

Spent a fortune to finish 3 places lower. I hope our owners are happy with the clown managers they have financed!

[ROTTERDAM1982]

Against THE best team in the Prem, we proved that we have 6 players good enough, and 5 not.

All the back 4, plus Emi, plus PC are good enough against this opposition. McGinn is OK, at this level Buendia , Luiz, Watkins, look limited and need replacing.

Not disappointed today tbh, this game and the Lplop game show me that with good recruitment in the summer, and some of the youngsters coming through, we are closer than ever.

Kamara is certainly an improvement

[The_Steve]

2 minutes ago, sparrow1988 said:

The majority of those players played on Thursday night too and at the end of a long season. City had a full week to prepare.

The fitness differences showed in the end. I'm glad Burnely are down as those word removeds exploited Covid to get it called off in the first place

[hippo]

6 minutes ago, Kuwabatake Sanjuro said:

If fitness levels don't dramatically improve next season then it will be difficult to make any progress. I hope they can.

Seriously ??? 

[ROTTERDAM1982]

I think Martinez saves the 2nd

[AVFCDAN]

11 minutes ago, Sulberto21 said:

Pitch invasion- at least we don’t have to do a guard of honour. Get on the coach get back home. Rest up and start preparing for next season.

So we can lose all 10 games to the top 5 teams again! Can’t wait…

[villanmac]

Said at the time it should of been Ings on for Coutinho. Man City had lost their heads and were a shambles at the back. Gave them the impetus bringing on Nakamba. 

 

[Daweii]

1 minute ago, OutByEaster? said:

Momentum.

Emotion.

Belief.

It was all about that first goal - with it I think went our belief and the best club side in the world were suddenly filled with belief, momentum, emotion and motivation.

This wasn't a confusing shocking collapse like the Wolves game, as soon as they scored it was very likely they'd win the game - that's the way football is - it would have been the same if it had been just about anyone - I'd have fancied City to beat just about any team in the world from 1-2 down in this game - I really don't think you can understate the importance of that first goal for them.

`tis what it is - meaningless end of the season game for us is over and we can look forward.

[shrugs and moves on]

Not to mention I think the score line flattered us a bit. We might have been 2 goals up, but we had still spent 75 minutes chasing the ball. You cannot chase the ball for 75 minutes, have 30% possession for most of the game and not tire massively heading into the final 15 minutes of the game. People might have been surprised by our "collapse", but it wasn't surprising at all. This is what Man City do. If they don't play you off the park by scoring 6 goals, they'll wear you out until you can't defend their attacks anymore. This is what they do, I don't know why people are surprised. 

[Bazmonkey]

Playing on a Thursday didn't cost us this game.

Roy keane just summed it up...villa have a soft underbelly and have done for years....well before Gerrard came in.

City were alway going to win....we a charity team...yes we went two up...but deep down we all knew what would happen.

I think the subs show what the real problem is...the players are not good enough...again....same players....same results for three years.

Big Sumner ahead 

[maqroll]

Sad capitulation on the world stage. Wasted performance. Sickening failure. Thank God it doesn't matter. But it would have been so sweet to deny them. Just shows how naive Villa are, and how good City are. 

Ollie Watkins squandered two 1v1's against their keeper which would have put the game to bed. Case in **** point why we need to find a top drawer finisher, or at least hope that Archer can somehow step into that role.

Really good, organized performance for most of the game. Wonderful goals by Cash and Coutinho. 

But Cash burned twice at the back post. Really poor defending at critical moments. 

But fair play to City for not giving up and having the quality to make their chances count.

Exciting final game for us, despite the collapse. 

Bring on the Kamara signing and preseason. 

UTV

 

Edited May 22, 2022 by maqroll

[Dale]

Just now, The_Steve said:

The fitness differences showed in the end. I'm glad Burnely are down as those word removeds exploited Covid to get it called off in the first place

I'm really not sure that's the case. Man City do not need to be as fit as their opponents. Retaining the ball reduces the amount of physical exertion you need to undertake. 

[ozvillafan]

Just to be clear: Nothing wrong with the first substitution. Take off an attacker (Coutinho) for a defensive midfielder (Nakamba).

Putting Ramsay as a 10 was not ideal - but ok as a stop gap before you make your second change as you seek to waste some time and kill the game.

It didn't come soon enough. You would think that 2 goals in 2 minutes might spur Gerrard to action, settle the squad, waste some time, make the next sub and get someone playing against the league leaders in their correct position.

But no. We concede a poor 3rd soon after and it's done.

Poor, poor management.