What a difference a half makes....

Well, what a tale of two halfs?!

The first half was more of the Hull match: slow, pathetic, without a trace of effort or loveliness.  The defense was in complete disarray, and we were lucky to not be down 3 nil.  Our goal was a one man effort from Kun, who really made a go of it, being brought down at the half way line but got up and kept going.  I don't often criticize David Silva, but the worst defensive spot we were in was caused by him being stripped of the ball, and then STOPPING INSTEAD OF GOING AFTER THE ATTACKER.  Play the whistle, men.

I suspect that there was a bit of a 'team meeting' at the half, because the team that came out looked full of fire.  Not every effort was spot on, but they were working on it, and the rewards were there.  That was the most goals in a City match since Sunderland on December 3.

Someone posted a skills video featuring the match at Old Trafford that City won 6-1.  It was a thing of beauty.  Where are those guys?  Where is the fire?  If we are going to catch Chelsea, or look respectable against Barcelona, that team is going to have to show up.

Adjustments

It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.

Epictetus

I want to start with three good things about the last performance:

1) Wasn't that a cracker of a goal by Milner?  No keeper in the world was going to get that!
2) Nasri was back.
3) Joe Hart had a great save on the play before Hull scored.

Ok.  That's out of the way.

Another PATHETIC performance.

I'm just going to come out and say it. I'm going to tell the ENTIRE WORLD how to beat City.  Here it is:  Play at least six in the box.  Intercept our passes when we try to make pretty passes within the box, and beat us on the counter.

There.  It's out.  No longer a secret.  But it appears our squad is the only one who don't know the formula.  I like the 'flowing football' we are trying to play.  But like any other team, we should be making ADJUSTMENTS.  And we're not.

Our possession against Hull was 75%!  But to show for it we have one goal on a free kick?  Our tactics are exactly the same every match:  Wait for the defenders to set up.  Make sure they have all 10 behind the ball.  Try to pass it between them.

I have a couple of suggestions:  MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT.  Maybe we don't have to wait for ALL 10 to get behind the ball.  Maybe we attack, even if we are outnumbered and catch the defense in motion, instead of built up like a brick wall.

Here is another:  Let's have a cross (or, heaven forbid: a CORNER) that makes it more than half way past the goal.  And have someone waiting for it at the far post.

This one is a doozy: How about if our TALL striker plays in the box instead of 25 yards out trying to set up a play like a midfielder.

Since Aguero always draws 3 defenders, but him on one side and attack on the other, where we might outnumber the defenders.

I'm a TACTICAL GENIUS!!!  This is rocket science, I know.  No one on the planet could think of it beside the writer of this blog, right?

Please, please, please.  Let's have an adjustment.  :-)