City Palace post game

[Guest bennytwohats]

We were absolutely crap tonight all over the pitch and never at any point tried to do anything different to break palace down. All credit to them, was a job well done. We were shite.

Were we that bad?!

I think we just ran out of options, i'm not sure it is that we were so bad, they just didn't let us play our game no space whatsoever, sat back so deep and always 10 men behind the ball - we weren't great but i can't think of any players that i thought were particularly shocking, Wellens and King i thought were the biggest disappointments, but King has looked knackered for ages and Wellens still was pinging about some lovely balls in the first half.

We're a bit Arsenal-esque in our lack of a plan b, but i was talking to my mate through the game - what options do we have?! I suppose in hindsight it was a shame Gally went off at half time (though i don't think he was having his best game) because the delivery into the box was pretty dire today, and with Steve coming on that is the only thing i could really think of. Loved Mee's little scooped through ball though!

[Guest bennytwohats]

Sven should have been around long enough by now to work out a way of dealing with that. He clearly hasn't though...

You are a bit of a towel really aren't you! Arsenal still struggle with this at times too, i think it's a consequence of the way we're aspiring to play and not something that is too easily rectified - when teams come to do that and do it well they're hard to play against. Mind you i suppose you'd be campaigning for Wenger out if you were a gooner too, eh?

Out of interest, what would you have liked us to try tonight - formations/tactics etc? And who do you think would do a better job than Svennis?

[Donut]

Were we that bad?!

I think we just ran out of options, i'm not sure it is that we were so bad, they just didn't let us play our game no space whatsoever, sat back so deep and always 10 men behind the ball - we weren't great but i can't think of any players that i thought were particularly shocking, Wellens and King i thought were the biggest disappointments, but King has looked knackered for ages and Wellens still was pinging about some lovely balls in the first half.

We're a bit Arsenal-esque in our lack of a plan b, but i was talking to my mate through the game - what options do we have?! I suppose in hindsight it was a shame Gally went off at half time (though i don't think he was having his best game) because the delivery into the box was pretty dire today, and with Steve coming on that is the only thing i could really think of. Loved Mee's little scooped through ball though!

Yes we were that bad, we had absolutely no clue how to take the initiative in the game in the first half against a team with ZERO belief away from home. We didnt play with purpose, we didnt play with tempo, we made it EASY for palace to defend against us, they were COMFORTABLE.

Im considering given the occasion, the need for points, it was well, well below what was needed

[pooleyLCFC]

Oakley and Mee were impressive tonight went about their business nicely

I think Palace deserve some credit they closed down well, dealt with most of what we had to offer and kept their discipline apart from the sending off

We just couldnt break them down and our attacks werent put together quickly enough

[Guest bennytwohats]

Yes we were that bad, we had absolutely no clue how to take the initiative in the game in the first half against a team with ZERO belief away from home. We didnt play with purpose, we didnt play with tempo, we made it EASY for palace to defend against us, they were COMFORTABLE.

Im considering given the occasion, the need for points, it was well, well below what was needed

I disagree, we were well on top until their goal which came completely against the run of play. After that it was a game of ten men behind the ball and wait for the clock to run down. Like i say, we ran out of ideas and didn't really have a plan b - but i think it was more a case of them stifling us than us playing badly. We knocked it around well, movement was okay (not good, but not awful), seemed to have the ball in their half for pretty much the whole of the second chance.

The problem was that we conceded first when we shouldn't have.

[Donut]

I disagree, we were well on top until their goal which came completely against the run of play. After that it was a game of ten men behind the ball and wait for the clock to run down. Like i say, we ran out of ideas and didn't really have a plan b - but i think it was more a case of them stifling us than us playing badly. We knocked it around well, movement was okay (not good, but not awful), seemed to have the ball in their half for pretty much the whole of the second chance.

The problem was that we conceded first when we shouldn't have.

We had spells of sousa style slow, meaningless sideways and back possession that we were ALLOWED to have because it wasnt a threat whatsoever

And in the spell you are describing where we were 'well on top' all we had to show for it was one horrendously skewed effort from Kamara to show for it.

You must be very easily pleased.

But i respect your opinion

[Bugg]

Our problem is in conceding first. Once we concede, we seem to go into headless chicken mode and not know what do. Even when we equalise, we still seem clueless as to what to do to win the game. Sven needs to sort out us going into headless chicken mode by making sure that we close down players near the box so that they don't get to have a shot against Weale who we all know is suspect from distance.

[Alf Bentley]

Disagree that conceding was the issue, but you put your finger on the real problem ("ran out of ideas; no plan B").

Of course, we shouldn't have conceded that goal, but goals happen... a long shot, a breakaway, a set piece...or keeper error.

You then need to be able to adapt if Plan A (patient passing football by superior players) isn't working.

There were alternatives: bring Howard on earlier and mix in more long balls for King & Yak to feed off; play Kamara further forward; push Dyer or Kamara wide right and put Gallagher in the hole for the short passes and long shots he's capable of...bringing on Vassell to run at them worked well (Kamara could've done that, too, but spent too long too deep). Howard came on too late.

Palace did their job. We under-performed and lost 2 crucial points.

I disagree, we were well on top until their goal which came completely against the run of play. After that it was a game of ten men behind the ball and wait for the clock to run down. Like i say, we ran out of ideas and didn't really have a plan b - but i think it was more a case of them stifling us than us playing badly. We knocked it around well, movement was okay (not good, but not awful), seemed to have the ball in their half for pretty much the whole of the second chance.

The problem was that we conceded first when we shouldn't have.

[B52]

Two things are most important in the few games ahead...

1. In with Ricardo and gag the Wealechanters. Wonder if Weale has Myopia - Blurred vision, distance.

2. Bamba plays at RCB and Mee at LCB.

[Guest Col city fan]

Disagree that conceding was the issue, but you put your finger on the real problem ("ran out of ideas; no plan B").

Of course, we shouldn't have conceded that goal, but goals happen... a long shot, a breakaway, a set piece...or keeper error.

You then need to be able to adapt if Plan A (patient passing football by superior players) isn't working.

There were alternatives: bring Howard on earlier and mix in more long balls for King & Yak to feed off; play Kamara further forward; push Dyer or Kamara wide right and put Gallagher in the hole for the short passes and long shots he's capable of...bringing on Vassell to run at them worked well (Kamara could've done that, too, but spent too long too deep). Howard came on too late.

Palace did their job. We under-performed and lost 2 crucial points.

Been making this point right since the introduction of Svennis for anyone who cares to listen. When he gets it right, its DEAD right... eg. England 5- in Munich, us 4-0 last sat.... HOWEVER.... when teams suss us out (like Palace did very well last night to their credit), he is not sufficiently flexible, tactically, to turn it around sufficiently enough to secure a victory. I think that's been massively apparent this season. Just ask the Man City fans, many of whom loved him for the big wins he secured, but there were just not enough of them. This is worrying and I hope to see more consistency in terms of switching tactics mid-game when needed.

Its important to stay positive, get behind the team but not to adore Sven just because he's Sven. Instead, look at his team selections, tactics and record and then make your decisions about next season.

[B52]

Been making this point right since the introduction of Svennis for anyone who cares to listen. When he gets it right, its DEAD right... eg. England 5- in Munich, us 4-0 last sat.... HOWEVER.... when teams suss us out (like Palace did very well last night to their credit), he is not sufficiently flexible, tactically, to turn it around sufficiently enough to secure a victory. I think that's been massively apparent this season. Just ask the Man City fans, many of whom loved him for the big wins he secured, but there were just not enough of them. This is worrying and I hope to see more consistency in terms of switching tactics mid-game when needed.

Its important to stay positive, get behind the team but not to adore Sven just because he's Sven. Instead, look at his team selections, tactics and record and then make your decisions about next season.

The only problem Sven had at Man City were that he ran out of players. Injuries forced him to play the latter part of the season with a reserve team. That's the reason to their downfall.

I agree with the stay positive and get behind the team. The worst thing this season were the Wealechanting that made Ricardos presence impossible because it made the team feel unrest. They couldn't stay positive because of shitty fans..... I can also agree about a few team selections but on the other hand you have Sven's record against teams he already met. Maybe Sven has to see the other managers in action to know how to unfold their tactics.

[The Doctor]

Been making this point right since the introduction of Svennis for anyone who cares to listen. When he gets it right, its DEAD right... eg. England 5- in Munich, us 4-0 last sat.... HOWEVER.... when teams suss us out (like Palace did very well last night to their credit), he is not sufficiently flexible, tactically, to turn it around sufficiently enough to secure a victory. I think that's been massively apparent this season. Just ask the Man City fans, many of whom loved him for the big wins he secured, but there were just not enough of them. This is worrying and I hope to see more consistency in terms of switching tactics mid-game when needed.

Its important to stay positive, get behind the team but not to adore Sven just because he's Sven. Instead, look at his team selections, tactics and record and then make your decisions about next season.

or is it that our squad isn't strong enough to be able to adapt tactics?

We have only one senior proper winger - lloyd dyer. Our central midfield options are too lightweight to play any less than 3 of them in there.

The only real changes in terms of formation we can make is from 4-3-3 to 5-3-2 or 4-3-1-2.

[breadandcheese]

Palace were well organised with two big centrebacks, however, we lacked the width which would have troubled them and allowed us to get in behind them.

Primarily, I'm looking at the fullbacks in this regard who didn't get forward enough. Vitor is not a right back (so he has some leeway against the criticism) and I think Naughton should be put back into the starting lineup. However, Van Aanholt, was just not good enough. There were a few times when he got the ball and should have bombed forward to deliver a cross. Instead, he would dribble a few yards and then stop rather than pushing forward with the ball, or he would look for a pass rather than seek to drive forward where there was the space. it was a disappointment, as was his crossing.

Credit to Ben Mee on his performance last night who I thought ran Oakley close for man of the match. I especially like how he brings the ball out of defence and judging from the crossing on display last night, he is probably the best crosser in the team,

[Wymsey]

Slightly concerned with King's performance, as i keep thinking that the question of whether to sign a new contract or not is going around his head whilst playing.

[carterfox90]

poor display & if we cant break down teams who come to defend like that we dont deserve to get in the play offs surely teams like palace go to places like QPR & norwich etc & play the same way but still get beaten by them !! thats the difference between us & the top teams in the league they can win ugly we cant!!!

[Babylon]

Slightly concerned with King's performance, as i keep thinking that the question of whether to sign a new contract or not is going around his head whilst playing.

He already signed a long deal until something like 2014, so I would imagine it's not really a pressing concern for him. If he was in the last year of his contract then you might be right, as it is adding another year to a long term deal isn't really a big thing. Especially now days when if a players says they want to go their teams mostly let them.

[hackneyfox]

Don't ever play Howard or Dyer again.

[breadandcheese]

Don't ever play Howard or Dyer again.

Erm.... when Howard came on, we actually won some headers up front and started to cause them problems.

I'm not saying start him over Yakubu, but if we need a plan B, he is a very good option.

[Wymsey]

I used to love Dyer play but now it seems that he's not at his potential anymore.

[hackneyfox]

Erm.... when Howard came on, we actually won some headers up front and started to cause them problems.

I'm not saying start him over Yakubu, but if we need a plan B, he is a very good option.

Really?

Did we score from them?

Did any of them go to a player in blue?

[Leicester Lass]

Don't ever play Howard or Dyer again.

On what basis? Because you didn't hear their names on the radio?

Really?

Did we score from them?

Did any of them go to a player in blue?

You'd be able to answer these for yourself if you were at the game.

[Corky]

Typical bloody Leicester. We have the joy and thrills of a superb display and result on Saturday, only to be brought back to Earth a few days later.

In fairness to us, we tried to pass the ball all game, which is what we want to see, but Palace, especially after scoring, were always going to get men behind the ball and be difficult to pass around. Their goal, at the time, looked to me like Weale should've done better with it, and it still shows he is suspect from long range.

Second half was better, Oakley scored a lovely volley and Yakubu should've put us ahead. We improved when Vassell came on, his direct running caused Palace problems. However, the let down was the crossing throughout the match, plenty of times the ball ended up behind the goal.

Four points from sixth place now with five to play. Not totally out of it but we are trying our best to make it as tough as possible for ourselves.

[Guy]

I echo the sentiments of many on this thread! Although I wasn't there, you just knew with the nature of City this season that it was going to be a coupon buster......drawing at home to a team with a terrible away record and being four from bottom - on the back of stuffing a team (who were just one place below us in the league) in every department on Saturday (albeit Burnley are on a bad run). At least the previously similar draw at Middlesbrough was somewhat more credible now on reflection because of their current form but even so, they were another of those struggling sides we should've been beating hands down if we're to still make the play offs. Likewise Palace, even though they're ok at home and have turned their season around a little to escape the bottom three now, from the outset they had very little hope of getting anything from our game yet gained a point!

It makes Saturday's game at Reading a must win (or at least get a draw) if we're to have any play off aspirations left at all now.....as you can't keep hoping that Forest, Leeds and Millwall are going to keep slipping up in a similar ways to us on a regular basis. Sadly though I can't see us making the play offs now after Tuesday's shocker. It's the same syndrome as crucially losing to a team who are already relegated with nothing but pride to play for, if you get my drift! Although Palace aren't "that side" and still aren't safe by any stretch, it was still a home banker before kick off.

[surrifox]

it would be worse (in my opinion ) if we had beaten all the top sides and then messed up against the middle or lower ranking teams and lost promotion that way. We are still in with a shout but however it pans out we cannot claim bragging rights over QPR or Norwich both of whom did us twice and it would be hard to argue we deserve more out of the season than say Swansea (unless we do finish above them which looks a slim possibility).

Its the same at this time every season when you look back at dropped points to last minute goals and underperformance against inferior and highly beatable sides but I cannot remember a time (perhaps save the last 3rd of the season in Div 1) when City were anything other than maddeningly inconsistent

[Guy]

Our problem is in conceding first. Once we concede, we seem to go into headless chicken mode and not know what do. Even when we equalise, we still seem clueless as to what to do to win the game. Sven needs to sort out us going into headless chicken mode by making sure that we close down players near the box so that they don't get to have a shot against Weale who we all know is suspect from distance.

That's an interesting point re conceding first! - and better than the point we got on Tuesday! Have we actually won a game this season whereby we've conceded the opening goal?? There might be one game that bucks that trend but surely no more than that! I think every game we played under Sousa's short spell, we conceded first! - and seem to have picked up that same baton under Sven too. Last season we conceded the first goal of last season after seven minutes or something against Swansea at home but such things didn't seem to phase us under Pearson, invariably we just fought our way back with more determination and rarely ended up losing many when we conceded first. Depending on the remaining five games to come, it'll be a bizarre statistic if it turns out to be the case that we haven't won a single game over an entire season when conceding the first goal.......and surely one for the record books!!