I don’t think he progresses it that well - when under pressure - and I wouldn’t say he has that real eye for a pass. It generally bounce it back or wide. Not like a Luiz who would turn & play forwards. Something Tielemans can do too.

I haven’t seen all the games but I was surprised when looking at the stats..

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Yeah, feels like it’s too far gone but that could change quickly…Bobb a bigger miss than first anticipated too.

I think having one of them is fine but I’m not sure you win much if they are both regular starters.

Martinelli is a top first sub IMO

The game plan vs Man City seems fairly obvious at the moment. Go after them for the opening 15-20 mins. Take risks to press or run over them in midfield/wide areas

Get a goal then sit back & let them over commit to get back into it

They have conceded first far too often

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You look at the team from the weekend…Nunes & Lewis as the two wide men.

That’s not Guardiola.

At the moment it feels like their quicker players have no space to run into (like Haaland) & the players who look leggy/losing their pace (defence/midfield) have lots of space to cover.

Not an ideal combination.

Things can change quickly but it feels like the squad needs freshening up.

Possibly a new GK, RB, CB, 6/8 & goal scoring Winger within the next couple of windows.

Then they build again in a different way.

It’s a touch predictable at the moment.

Block long shots from Foden/Gvardiol & deal w/Bernardo Silva far post crosses to Haaland & that feels like a decent % of the game plan…

Obviously the key to a slower possession based approach is a top passer (KDB) and/or Dribbler (with end product..)

Then you add in City’s recruitment over the last few seasons. Other than Gvardiol, Haaland, Akanji & possibly Grealish the rest have been squad fillers (currently). Plus they have added three wide players (Grealish/Doku/Savinho) with no real goal scoring history.

Add in a key injury to Rodri (who can also fill in at CB when those injury prone defenders do get injured) and the squad does start to look thin (& slightly slow & old).

Under Pep, City have carried a thin, tight squad which is fine when everything goes well but it is a risk. Especially with an ageing squad that is asked to play lots of matches. Look at the minutes missed over the last few seasons by Walker, Dias, Ake, Akanji, KDB, Grealish, Haaland (plus others)..

I never really classified Maatsen as that athletic. Doesn’t seem that keen on running back anyway…plus his size etc.

Maybe. I think you probably need Tielemans next to Kamara. Missing that extra pass/patience that Luiz often brought.

This can speed up the game, making the team in possession stretched, leaving gaps

Look at the situation here. If Rogers makes the pass then Watkins is in. If he doesn’t (which happens) Palace have Mateta free (as Carlos deep) & two + runners at Villa’s back line

Lack of control

It sounds counter intuitive to move to a 3-1 build up but the single DM is likely to be around Mateta and this move would force Crystal Palace’s midfield deeper.

It would also cause the back line more of a problem as they would be outnumbered 6v5.