PL Matchweek 2

[Blender]

Unfortunate for Wolves, I thought they deserved better than a 3-1 loss here with their great chances in the 2nd half.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

They had their moments in the 2nd half just didn’t take them. City did enough.

 

[Chimaera]

Wolves a shade unlucky, but KdB is still ridiculously good.

 

[Chimaera]

Pep also has a weird thing about rating shaky defenders. Not sure how he picks them, but other than Laporte....

I think he feels he can teach them to settle and handle the ball. Ake and Stones have lots of the physical gifts, but some of the mental side is what’s missing.

 

[Stray Wasp]

If he picks them, and I'm sure he has influence but we don't really know how much, he and/or City are clearly prioritizing ball playing ability above all else. They haven't had a defender capable of dominating their box since Kompany left.

I recall a few years ago, when false nines really began to take route, some journalist in an English paper - very possibly Jonathan Wilson from the Grauniad, wrote an article pondering whether specialist defenders would go the way of number 10s and specialist centre forwards - increasingly marginalised as possession and midfield dominance overrode all other considerations.

In terms of his defence, Guardiola has been pushing the notion of possession above all to its limit - if not beyond. An interesting question is whether he was always going to head in that direction, or whether the rise of the gegenpressing mentality has provoked him to take a more extreme position.

Mind, it could just be the basic trouble that defenders as good as Kompany once was don't grow on trees.

 

[Stray Wasp]

I think he feels he can teach them to settle and handle the ball. Ake and Stones have lots of the physical gifts, but some of the mental side is what’s missing.

You may be right. Alas, for whatever reason that type of player rarely seems to iron out the concentration lapses and bad decisions.

 

[Blender]

I recall a few years ago, when false nines really began to take route, some journalist in an English paper - very possibly Jonathan Wilson from the Grauniad, wrote an article pondering whether specialist defenders would go the way of number 10s and specialist centre forwards - increasingly marginalised as possession and midfield dominance overrode all other considerations.

In terms of his defence, Guardiola has been pushing the notion of possession above all to its limit - if not beyond. An interesting question is whether he was always going to head in that direction, or whether the rise of the gegenpressing mentality has provoked him to take a more extreme position.

Mind, it could just be the basic trouble that defenders as good as Kompany once was don't grow on trees.

I mean, there is nothing that says you have to play out from your defenders. Gegenpressing will slaughter you if you try and your defenders aren't capable of playing with the ball well enough, but that's still a tactical choice to do that. Pep wants to play that way, so he's responsible for the results of it. I think the main player type gegenpressing has completely killed is the old school regista in your defensive midfielder spot, as the current trend is to play a press-resistant midfielder deep who can quickly dribble or pass into open space in order to trap the pressing players up the field.

 

[Chimaera]

You may be right. Alas, for whatever reason that type of player rarely seems to iron out the concentration lapses and bad decisions.

In baseball or golf, it’s called the yips. They have the ability, but for some reason the mental concentration just seems to go. It’s a lot of Stones issue. One dumb mistake becomes four or five in a series of matches, and the next thing you know he’s shot. I think you’re right in the idea that Pep is looking for players who can handle the ball more so than defend, and that is a weird feeling for some of them. I would bet there’s a boat load of pressure to do things they’re not quite used to doing. He’s probably better off trying to move a guy like Rodri back, like Fabinho is able to do for Liverpool. But I think he (or whomever is actually buying the central defenders) gets sold on, “oh this guy can defend and move the ball”, and it just hasn’t worked. I think central defender is one of the hardest positions to play in the EPL. One mistake and you’re a scrub. 29 mistakes at forward, but one or two decent finishes, and you’re a good player. The pressures Pep puts on them is probably a lot more, and I can’t think he worries more about the defending part of tactics, than he does the let’s cycle it out and get into possession and attack.

 

[YNWA14]

Ake is a disaster waiting to happen IMO.

He's a very hot and cold player. He has the physical and technical tools to be a very good defender but it's his concentration and a little bit his understanding of the game that needs improvement and consistency. I can see why a top manager would be interested in him and if they could iron out that side of his game he could be a very, very good player. With that said there are worse defenders in the PL and he'll be a fine fit at City. I don't think people appreciate enough how difficult it is to play CB for teams like City and Liverpool.

 

[Stray Wasp]

I think central defender is one of the hardest positions to play in the EPL. One mistake and you’re a scrub. 29 mistakes at forward, but one or two decent finishes, and you’re a good player.

The other point about central defender is that for more than 25 years now, almost every change to the rules has been made with the intention of making their job more difficult.

 

[YNWA14]

The other point about central defender is that for more than 25 years now, almost every change to the rules has been made with the intention of making their job more difficult.

A job made more difficult still when playing for managers that either force the issue offensively or are expected to play a high octane, offensive style of play. Heavy possession is great and while that means, typically, the defenders have less to do it usually means that when they do have to be called on it's generally in a more difficult position than on a team where the defence is insulated by a more pragmatic approach. You almost have to be perfect or look like/be called a fool.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Ake is basically City's equivalent to Lindelöf.

If only Maguire was Laporte.

 

[HoseEmDown]

No draws still. What's the most games to start a season without one?

 

[Chimaera]

A job made more difficult still when playing for managers that either force the issue offensively or are expected to play a high octane, offensive style of play. Heavy possession is great and while that means, typically, the defenders have less to do it usually means that when they do have to be called on it's generally in a more difficult position than on a team where the defence is insulated by a more pragmatic approach. You almost have to be perfect or look like/be called a fool.

I don’t know that Pep is high octane. I think the Liverpool of Rodgers with Suarez and Sturbridge was high octane, win it 4-2, 5-3. Pep rather have control and go for a decisive cut attack. He wants to cycle, cycle, attack, and do it decisively. He just disdains defending and wants someone to get it out of their half quickly, decisively, but with control. Teams are setup to disrupt that, and Klopp has shown how it’s possible. It’s also possible when opposition sees you have some players who do not handle it as well.

 

[King Makar19]

Congrats on the best GK in the league atm getting a clean sheet today.

Miss u Emi.