5 CONSECUTIVE LOSSES, AND… MORE!
Before the match against Tottenham last weekend, coach Pep Guardiola had set a "sad record" for himself: for the first time in his coaching career, he had lost 4 consecutive matches, including all competitions. The home advantage not only failed to help coach Guardiola end his losing streak, but also led him to other disastrous milestones. The heaviest defeat of his career (0-4, equal to a loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League before). The heaviest home defeat in 20 years for Man.City. The first time Guardiola and his team lost 3 consecutive matches in the Premier League.
Man.City's Erling Haaland (right) was completely neutralized by Tottenham's defense.
Right now, 87% of people participating in a BBC poll think that Man.City cannot defend their Premier League title. The problem is not just the 5 consecutive losses. In all 5 losses, Man.City's performance also shows that they deserved to lose. In terms of the game, Man.City's 5 consecutive losses are not surprising.
Having 23 shots on goal (in the 0-4 loss to Tottenham) without scoring, it is a confirmation of a long-standing situation: Man.City's Erling Haaland is the striker who has missed the most chances in the Premier League this season. Missed, or is he not at the level as amazing as his performance in the first few matches of the season? The level of the "monster" Haaland - regardless of whether it is being dragged down or inherently so - is only at a normal level. Man.City currently scores less than Tottenham, Chelsea, only equal to... Brentford.
In terms of defense, only seven teams in the league have conceded more goals than Man City. Aston Villa are the only team in the top half of the table to have conceded more than Guardiola's side. Guardiola said after the loss to Tottenham that Man City were "a bit fragile" these days. That's just a way of saying it. Former Man City player Micah Richards said it bluntly: "Man City are really bad". Gary Neville: "Playing Man City is too easy". Alan Shearer: "There are a series of problems, from defense to attack".
MEET MAN .CITY , TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTACK QUICKLY
When Bournemouth boldly attacked and beat Man.City, Brighton immediately had confidence: they could do it too. And Brighton won. Whenever they play against Man.City during this time, everyone has a chance to win. Tottenham is at a higher level so they win more spectacularly. In 2/3 of Man.City's home matches this season, the away team scored first. This is a dangerous detail, making it very difficult for Man.City to escape the crisis. Their weakness has been very obvious. Coach Guardiola cannot overcome it, even when the club arena has been temporarily suspended for 2 weeks because of "FIFA Days". This is a systematic weakness that opponents can easily exploit, and really want to exploit.
The void left by Rodri (out for the rest of the season due to injury) has not been filled. Man.City cannot cope with the opposition's counter-attacks or quick attacks, because the current squad is the oldest in the league, slow, and has no leader in the middle of the field. The frequency of Man.City's shots on goal after such moves this season has doubled compared to the previous high (2022-2023 season), five times higher than the average under Guardiola. Four of Tottenham's five second-half scoring chances came from moves in this statistic, including two goals by Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson.
On the one hand, Man.City often "takes the hit" when the opponent counterattacks or attacks quickly. On the other hand, in front of normal finishing situations, Man.City's defense is now not solid in responding. The "expected goal" index from each finishing move that Man.City faces this season has increased by one and a half times compared to last season.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/mancity-khong-con-dang-so-185241124204028286.htm
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