What was the most contributing factor to our win on Sunday?

[lgfualol]

Making Jeff get forward more. Villa didnt know what go do.

[urban.spaceman]

It was our momentum what done it. Claudio's inspired substitutions and Sherwood's bizzare ones certainly had a lot to do with it but we were just pummelling them for the last 20 minutes. When De Laet's goal was given I can't be the only one who thought that there was absolutely no way we weren't going to win that game? Even before that we were so relentless I couldn't see us losing under any circumstances.

[ARM1968]

Ranieri showing tactical genius and Sherwood descending into lunacy.

[MPH]

mixture of things, really..... attitude, change of formation but more importantly for me, Kante

[ScouseFox]

us being good in the second half instead of shit like the first half 

[LCCFox96]

Ranieri's changes gave us the platform to go out and attack Villa with more purpose. His changes were key.

[Wymsey]

A mixture of things really.

 

Sherwood shouldn't have replaced Agbonlahor and Gil, both made the defence to work hard.

 

The speed and presence of Kante significantly improved things in central midfield; don't know if Inler wasn't entirely match fit.

 

Villa also turned the gas off a bit, thinking they'd be no way back - it shows that in this league, even if you're winning, slowing the game down on purpose can create problems for themselves.

[Guest Manini]

Sherwood's barmy substitutions played just as big a part in the comeback as Ranieri's changes. Dim Sherwood proved yesterday that he hasn't got a clue what he's doing.

[lestajigs]

Kante

[MC Prussian]

Two things:

 

- Ranieri substituting the right players and opting for a more attacking style of play

- Sherwood making the wrong substitutions

[Claridge]

We seemed a lot fitter in the final 20 mins

[Great Boos Up]

We scored more goals than they did.

[Guest Col city fan]

This ones easy.

Ranieri making the subs he did and Sherwood making the subs he did.

Told a story of a very experienced manager doing the right thing at the right time, and an inexperienced manager doing the opposite.

[katieakita]

Mixture of all 4 for me, the idea that Raneiri isn't a good manager is a myth same as those in the media who see Capt Bellend as a future England manager based on a few weird facial expressions and a few post match interviews. Went to see the cricket on Sunday so thanks to England's woeful batting listened to the first 80 mins on National radio and watched the last 14 on tele. Raneiri made changes that worked and also he is getting more out of the players especially Mahrez, i really rate Pearson but I cannot imagine under him Mahrez would have still been on the park after 65 mins of the match after the Bournemouth game and international break so definitely a master stroke by him, the pace we have and the tempo we can play at is frightening.

 

Tim Sherwood where do you start, the media darling in his after match interviews really started to show cracks in his ability. His after match comments highlight how clueless he is, it is all me me me blaming all and sundry instead of admitting his choice of substitutions did not work and actually admitting we played well. To claim after 60/70 minutes Villa were in total control was nonsense, they shaded a quiet 1st half and very much scored against the run of play after around 65 mins to go 2 up, anyone who thinks an away game is won by being 2 up after 65 mins and on the back foot is an idiot. Villa 6 or 7 games ago had the guy at Southampton score 3 past them in about 2 minutes and the new manager bounce has gone. Villa did not stay up because of the genius that is Tim Sherwood they stayed up thanks to 3 teams being worse than them and Hull losing at home to Burnley. The plaudits for reaching the FA cup final should be taken into context in what was one of the worst FA cup performances in living memory, Arsenal only scoring 4 flattered Villa it should have been 6 or 8.

 

The fans and foxes never quit go together, confidence breeds success and a buzzing crowd helps the players and also must have a impact on the away team, turning on the team serves no purpose, yes we can all be miffed but being negative does not help confidence and belief is always better than doubt and as long as the fans support the players the never quit attitude will remain.

 

We have no God given right to be in this league nor do we need to forget that every point has to be fought for, there are no easy games in this division so keep the faith and don't take things for granted you youngsters ask us old ones to tell you horror stories of Pleat,McClintock or Taylor so we don't forget where we have come from. Teams may be stupid and take us for granted, certainly some other fans are and lets try and fuel the media claims of the atmosphere at the ground. Turn the KP into a cauldron of noise and let other teams know we are up for it. Don,t care who we play no team will fancy the pace we can throw at them and if teams take us for granted and don't think we can play a bit they do so at their peril.

[Dennis118555]

As mentioned above I assumed it was the linesman who had the goal line technology thingamajig as he seemed to award the goal, I said to my daughter at 2-0 if we get one goal we will win this. I thought Ulloa had a good game when he came on and Kante must start at Stoke! The man is everywhere. CR changes are a total contrast to a lot of Pearson's substitutions that went largely unnoticed. In the words of the mighty Huth what a time to be alive.

[My Nads]

We scored more goals than they did.

We seemed a lot fitter in the final 20 mins

It was partly all of those reasons, but it looked like fitness was the biggest reason we won this game. Our system wouldn't work very well if it wasn't for the incredible fitness of the players. They're machines!! They seem a lot fitter at this stage of the season then any of the teams we've played so far. Taking Inler off was the other big reason we improved so much. I'm sure he just had a bad game and he'll catch up with the pace of English football soon, although I was a bit surprised Andy King lost the position. DD had a pretty solid game though, but I though King has been playing the better of the two this season.

[Foxhateram]

Love the way CR puts in an out of form midfielder which completely changed our tempo from previous matches, then changes him for kante to see the pace and closing down pick up and us eventually win the game and becomes a hero.

When other managers in the past have done similar it would have been. "Bloody ..... got it wrong, we wouldn't have been 2-0 down in the first place if it hadnt been for that starting player."

In short Inler had an awful game and influenced the pace at which we were closing them down and countering. When he went off and Kante came on the tempo changed dramatically. Inler should not start the next game.

[Guest Col city fan]

Love the way CR puts in an out of form midfielder which completely changed our tempo from previous matches, then changes him for kante to see the pace and closing down pick up and us eventually win the game and becomes a hero.

When other managers in the past have done similar it would have been. "Bloody ..... got it wrong, we wouldn't have been 2-0 down in the first place if it hadnt been for that starting player."

In short Inler had an awful game and influenced the pace at which we were closing them down and countering. When he went off and Kante came on the tempo changed dramatically. Inler should not start the next game.

A football manager puts out a team to win a football match. How many people on this forum, for example, questioned the formation we started with against Villa and the inclusion of Inler? I can't be bothered to go back through the relevant threads but I'm assuming people were generally happy with the team?

Things go wrong. Players have off days. You're right. .Inler was very poor. I made that call during the in - match thread, as did many, that he looked miles off the pace.

So....Ranieri changed it up. That was all he could do and he did so, to great effect. That's the sign of a manager who can see how things are failing and more importantly how to rectify the failing.

Top management on his part for doing so. Yes he could have got things right from the start. He didn't. But he changed it. Hats off to him because many a manager would have left things and the game would have fizzled out into a loss.

[katieakita]

Love the way CR puts in an out of form midfielder which completely changed our tempo from previous matches, then changes him for kante to see the pace and closing down pick up and us eventually win the game and becomes a hero.

When other managers in the past have done similar it would have been. "Bloody ..... got it wrong, we wouldn't have been 2-0 down in the first place if it hadnt been for that starting player."

In short Inler had an awful game and influenced the pace at which we were closing them down and countering. When he went off and Kante came on the tempo changed dramatically. Inler should not start the next game.

 

Not sure where you get that out of form player bit from, Inler had a good game for the Swiss against us and personally thought he would start with Kante the early injury to Shinji could have had an affect on his game and he was already coming off when they broke away and got their 2nd against the run of play. All the subs clearly made a difference and all have a case for the finishing 11 to start at Stoke. We can argue if we started with the right 11 and the tactics but think we can all agree he finished with the right 11 and the tactics.

 

IMVHO from what i see teams can cope with us for a period but seem unable to cope for the 90 mins + of a game and we seem to be able to finish games strongly and that is done to the hard work of the players manager and backroom staff. Our pace and fitness seems to tell.

[ALC Fox]

Not sure where you get that out of form player bit from, Inler had a good game for the Swiss against us and personally thought he would start with Kante the early injury to Shinji could have had an affect on his game and he was already coming off when they broke away and got their 2nd against the run of play. All the subs clearly made a difference and all have a case for the finishing 11 to start at Stoke. We can argue if we started with the right 11 and the tactics but think we can all agree he finished with the right 11 and the tactics.

IMVHO from what i see teams can cope with us for a period but seem unable to cope for the 90 mins + of a game and we seem to be able to finish games strongly and that is done to the hard work of the players manager and backroom staff. Our pace and fitness seems to tell.

It's so good to see City scoring late goals and winning games at the death.

Conceding late and losing games used to be a hallmark of our team at one point. I think it's testament to the professionalism, ability and attitude of the staff and players during both Pearson's reign and Ranieri's fledgling one that the side can keep going right to the 97th minute.