Back to back poor results and back to back poor performances have made me want to say a few things though.
First things first, I was actually very happy with the starting 11 last night. I've been waiting patiently for months for Keita to start alongside Fabinho without the interference of Henderson, gini or Milner. I thought it was a great opportunity for naby to play in his normal position and to play his own game. I was also happy seeing lallana coming in as the 10, something we've been missing having that attacking midfielder in there. If we had a fit squad to choose from my midfield three would be fab, Keita and ox so I was very excited to see fab Keita and lallana play.
Milner has finally lost his legs. A great professional who has done a superb job over the years tracking wingers both for Man City and when he played left back for us. But he's come up against zaha and Anderson in recent weeks and I know both are quick, but they've dragged Milner all over the place and he was unable to keep up. He's been poor going forward too. I've got a soft spot for Milner and I always do for players like him who always give it their best and wear their heart on their sleeve but he is a problem for us at right back right now.
I was wrong about the midfield three. The midfield that started last night was poor. I thought it would have great balance but they were just all over the place. We badly missed gini, and to some extent Henderson because even though I don't rate Henderson as a player, at least he keeps to his position.
Come on reds sort it out.
When we don't win, lots of posters want to say lots of things. If Origi scores though, the knee jerks go away and the amount of posts is cut in half. That's how fine the lines are.
I didn't miss Hendo. I rarely do tbh. We wanted to win the game, and he offers nothing when we have to win. He's a defensive midfielder that does a solid workmanlike job. He's not someone to open up the opposition with a 50 yard defense splitting ball, nor take the initiative and drive us on to three points single handedly, it's just not him. He was awful against Leicester, making terrible mistakes, because he's not and never will be a right back.
Milner isn't a right back either, so people should make allowances for that when wingers breeze past him. He fills in when he has to and does his best, but he's a centre midfielder, not a right back. Robbo had his worst game in the shirt. Lallana was useless. Firmino not much better. Keita at least tried to create openings, but he either miscontrolled the ball or ran into a brick wall.
I thought we would win it, and when we went in front I thought it was just a question of how many, but then they score and it's back to the Leicester game after that, with the same scoreline.
It's a blow, but it's not the disaster made out to be. We are joint top and can go 3 points clear after beating Bournemouth from the same amount of games played. What happens after that remains to be seen, but the media thought the title race would be over by now. Instead it will go to the wire and we are ready to slug it out with anyone who still won't change their mind from bestowing City as champions before a ball was kicked.
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