Manchester City v Leeds United Match Thread

[Victor_OTT_17]

I'd sack him more than ever

For making the team look worse than it is for months with his stubborn ploddy crap tactics.

And a plucky 45 minutes finally doing what many fans asked for ages ago doesn't change thay for me.

45 minutes vs 6 defeats in 7 including vs teams currently 16th,19th and 15th

As I said imo it's literally Jesse Marsch vs Liverpool again

This ^^^^

[Jaydog]

The clubs have different attitudes, look at the top 10 spend every penny stuff the owners and manager of Sunderland have been saying.

All we got was Farke and his 1ppg and mentioning newly promoted club every 5 minutes and the owners document thing literally saying they are aiming just to survive for a few seasons.

Different attitudes and ambition

According to the Sunderland fan I spoke to yesterday the biggest difference is Xhaka. Completely inspired signing. Without him he very much doubts they would be where they are.
Its the type of signing we needed.
Obvious but true all the same.

[Victor_OTT_17]

Sunderland imo have gone about it the right way not just in recruitment but in the their belief that they are as good as the opposition. Even Arsenal.
We dont seem to have that attitude.

We're only just better than Wolves (in more ways than one). With Farke at the helm, we are 100% going down. Fk him off after Christmas and get someone else in. I'd take Rodgers over Farke...

[CUSSIE01]

Hang on a minute. So you dont like Farke.
I only just noticed

Sunderland imo have gone about it the right way not just in recruitment but in the their belief that they are as good as the opposition. Even Arsenal.
We dont seem to have that attitude.

And the quality replacements definitely wont be lining up to replace Farke. We might end up with Marsch mark 2

We had that for 40 minutes today and then …………….

[SG90]

Hang on a minute. So you dont like Farke.
I only just noticed

Sunderland imo have gone about it the right way not just in recruitment but in the their belief that they are as good as the opposition. Even Arsenal.
We dont seem to have that attitude.

And the quality replacements definitely wont be lining up to replace Farke. We might end up with Marsch mark 2

Because of Farke's negative attitude all the time. Sunderland have shown zero respect for the opposition and have just gone for it.

[SG90]

I credit the changes many had called for but I don't agree a plucky 45 minutes changes anything

That's short term small picture thinking imo.

I realise many may disagree.

Today shows we can stay up with a better manager

[Jaydog]

We're only just better than Wolves (in more ways than one). With Farke at the helm, we are 100% going down. Fk him off after Christmas and get someone else in. I'd take Rodgers over Farke...

Sliding doors moments.
New manager - get it right or dont bother.
Jan window - inspired signing/loan.

[BlackHillsPaul]

We're only just better than Wolves (in more ways than one). With Farke at the helm, we are 100% going down. Fk him off after Christmas and get someone else in. I'd take Rodgers over Farke...

I would take Rodgers over Farke too Victor. And I've called for Farke to be fired. But if Rodgers declines then we could get stuck with another Javi Gracia type debacle. I'm very concerned that we will end up with a worse Manager than Farke! At the very least they need to have someone under contract before the current Manager gets the sack.

[whiteswan]

Hang on a minute. So you dont like Farke.
I only just noticed

Sunderland imo have gone about it the right way not just in recruitment but in the their belief that they are as good as the opposition. Even Arsenal.
We dont seem to have that attitude.

We don't have that attitude because Farke keeps banging on about one point per game and finishing 17th. The players probably believe that they are only that good because he keeps telling them.

[PhoenixUnited]

If we play like we did in the second half with the limited quality that we have then that would be acceptable to me. We are where we are with the players that we have and, wish it as much as you like, it ain't going to change much in the January window. There is a fight in the players that we have. It will make for an interesting rest of the season.

However, play like we did in the first half, and like we have in the last few matches previouisly and we might as well throw in the towel and start planning for next season in the Championship

I believe the ball is firmly in Daniel Farke's court

[The Subhuman]

Think today showed we have quality in the squad, it just hasn't been used or used properly, so that excuse not really holding water.

I'm still against a 5 man defence, Bijol poor again today and is way too slow for the divison. But no issue with going 2 up top.

Getting the final question right on an exam when you've got most of the rest wrong isn't a case for passing the exam. You have to look at the whole body of work..

[1964white]

I'm with Cjay (not romantically you understand). It's like Farke discovered 5/3/2 today by accident....

We sign big players to give us physicality & power defensively & offensively, which has been crying out for the 3-5-2 formation.

Four months into the season, the cat decided to change his habits after months of poor results.

Also, very unusual for Farke to make two changes at half-time, that's refreshing at the very least.

Perhaps it was discovered by accident

[CUSSIE01]

We sign big players to give us physicality & power defensively & offensively, which has been crying out for the 3-5-2 formation.

Four months into the season, the cat decided to change his habits after months of poor results.

Also, very unusual for Farke to make two changes at half-time, that's refreshing at the very least.

Perhaps it was discovered by accident

It wasn’t, he finally decided to listen to what the fans have known for 3 seasons, subs are an asset if used properly and not to throw all our attacking players on in the 70th minute when games are lost. Let’s see what he’s learned in our next 2 games.

[Cjay]

We sign big players to give us physicality & power defensively & offensively, which has been crying out for the 3-5-2 formation.

Four months into the season, the cat decided to change his habits after months of poor results.

Also, very unusual for Farke to make two changes at half-time, that's refreshing at the very least.

Perhaps it was discovered by accident

Just remember it wasn't his first instinct though to change anything

He set us up at kick off in the same sit back 4-3-3 non pressing narrow style he has in every other away game.

In his style.

Only after a pathetic performance during which Man City had the easiest half all season (most shots and highest xG) did farke decide to be drastic and do what fans have called for for ages.

You can credit him for the changes imo but remember his first instinct was his usual stubborn self.

1st half
14% long passes
32% possession
79% pass accuracy
2nd half
16% long passes
74% pass accuracy
45% possession
A higher percentage of passes in the opposition half.

It was only after his setup failed awfully once again Did he change to the braver more direct style fans have called for for months.

At a point he had nothing to lose.

He still should be sacked for the previous wasted months only saved from himself by a yolo at half time.

[1964white]

At least our players are still playing for Farke.

Losing by a single goal didn't wreck our goal difference too much.

[ElKapitan]

According to the Sunderland fan I spoke to yesterday the biggest difference is Xhaka. Completely inspired signing. Without him he very much doubts they would be where they are.
Its the type of signing we needed.
Obvious but true all the same.

This happens when you replace steinnsson with a guy who has never been in the role before at any level. It was obvious that they gambled that the red bull connection would help him secure signings, I don't feel he has the black book of contacts or the manipulative/charisma that even orta did to sell a move to leeds.... In reality there were a couple of good signings and we way overpaid on others with panic buys like signing cl on a big contract for three years.

Perri while I'm not complaining was not value for money..... Neither was okafor..... Or Justin..... Or Calvert lewin.....

We secured no loans either which was mental.

Stach was a good signing, as was gudmundsson and Long staff but I think what we overlooked was that last year our squad was threadbare as it was.

Too many players who have no ability to play at prem level and IMO no potential to improve to be but are on big money..... Piroe, Aarronsson, Gruev, Meslier, Harrison even Gnonto..... The best sides sell while the price is high on players like these while we're at the level we are.

Bijol I think will come good but again is there better in the championship for less? Considering how Sunderland's championship players have stepped up.... Quite possibly....

Xhaka..... Grealish..... They're the type of signings that instantly improve a side and provide results. Instead we're being linked with another injury prone, sub par signing in Phillips who while nostalgic offers nothing to improve us.

I think we were hampered by a lack of long term strategic planning and Farkes football/team building which works in the championship but doesn't translate to the prem like other sides do.

[Jaydog]

This happens when you replace steinnsson with a guy who has never been in the role before at any level. It was obvious that they gambled that the red bull connection would help him secure signings, I don't feel he has the black book of contacts or the manipulative/charisma that even orta did to sell a move to leeds.... In reality there were a couple of good signings and we way overpaid on others with panic buys like signing cl on a big contract for three years.

Perri while I'm not complaining was not value for money..... Neither was okafor..... Or Justin..... Or Calvert lewin.....

We secured no loans either which was mental.

Stach was a good signing, as was gudmundsson and Long staff but I think what we overlooked was that last year our squad was threadbare as it was.

Too many players who have no ability to play at prem level and IMO no potential to improve to be but are on big money..... Piroe, Aarronsson, Gruev, Meslier, Harrison even Gnonto..... The best sides sell while the price is high on players like these while we're at the level we are.

Bijol I think will come good but again is there better in the championship for less? Considering how Sunderland's championship players have stepped up.... Quite possibly....

Xhaka..... Grealish..... They're the type of signings that instantly improve a side and provide results. Instead we're being linked with another injury prone, sub par signing in Phillips who while nostalgic offers nothing to improve us.

I think we were hampered by a lack of long term strategic planning and Farkes football/team building which works in the championship but doesn't translate to the prem like other sides do.

1 signing can be all it takes.
I wonder what the initial reaction would’ve been to Xhaka signing at ER.

[Pullhard]

Santa. For Christmas I would like

Spurs to beat Fulham
Villa to beat Wolves
Brighton to win at Forest
Liverpool to win at W Ham

Keep the teams around us, around us

[1964white]

Santa. For Christmas I would like

Spurs to beat Fulham
Villa to beat Wolves
Brighton to win at Forest
Liverpool to win at W Ham

Keep the teams around us, around us

We seem to be looking at teams around us, every weekend.

Makes me irritable!

[Jaydog]

We seem to be looking at teams around us, every weekend.

Makes me irritable!

100%
Once you’re doing that you’re normally doomed.