How champions have lost their way

How champions have lost their way

1. MIDFIELD THREE MISSING


Manchester City coasted to the title last season because they had the best midfield. Between them, Kevin de Bruyne, Fernandinho and David Silva either scored or assisted in 52 of City's 106 league goals. Silva missed 10 games because of his son's premature birth, so that total would have been higher.
This season, they have not started one league game together because of injury problems for de Bruyne and Silva, and most recently Fernandinho (above) as well.
What City have missed is a perfectly balanced midfield. They have one attacking left-footer (Silva), one attacking right-footer (de Bruyne) and, in Fernandinho, they have a destroyer who sits deep and protects.
City also miss David Silva because of his understanding with Leroy Sane down the left.
Bernardo Silva, with five goals, has performed well in de Bruyne's position but he is starting to feel the strain. He said: "It's the toughest time since I came here."

2. CANNOT DEFEND HIGH BALLS


City's inability to defend high balls in their box is a problem that manager Pep Guardiola has known about since his maiden season in England.
"It's difficult to defend against long balls. In Spain and Germany, it doesn't happen. I have to learn," said the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss.
Two years on, City's aerial struggles remain.
City have one of the shortest squads in the league. They have only five outfield players who are 1.85m or taller (Aymeric Laporte, Danilo, Sane, John Stones and Vincent Kompany). Given that Danilo and Kompany barely play, that leaves just three tall players in the team at any one time.
Some of City's costliest goals have come from high crosses into the box, such as Leicester's opener on Wednesday, David Luiz's header (above) in the defeat by Chelsea and Willy Boly's diving header in the 1-1 draw away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

3. FULL-BACKS' POOR FORM


The return of Benjamin Mendy (above) from a serious knee injury was supposed to make City's defence complete again but the left-back position remains an area of weakness.
At the start of the season, the 24-year-old recorded five assists in his opening seven games but his form then dipped.
Guardiola has no like-for-like replacement for Mendy. Fabian Delph filled in adequately last season but this term he has not been as good, particularly when it comes to his positional discipline.
City have also struggled because they do not have adequate competition for Kyle Walker, the right-back.
Danilo has not played consistently well since joining from Real Madrid 18 months ago, so when Walker plays poorly - as he did against Crystal Palace - Guardiola can only bring in a far less mobile and effective replacement.
THE TIMES, LONDON



DUBAI (Reuters) - A political dispute in the Gulf will play out for the second time at the Asian Cup when Qatar meet hosts the United Arab Emirates in the semi-final on Tuesday. The UAE, Saudi
Hostile crowd awaits Qatar in Asian Cup semi-final against



Growing calls for Solskjaer to be boss. Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with assistant coaches Mike Phelan (left) and Michael Carrick, watching Anthony Martial in action
Growing calls for Solskjaer to be boss | Sportstons
sportstons.com/soccer/growing-calls-for-solskjaer-to-be-boss/
Growing calls for Solskjaer to be boss LONDON • Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has backed his former teammate and caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to take over the hot seat on a full-time basis in the summer.
Solskjaer: Don't call me boss, call me Ole, Latest Football



Signs of Manchester United revival in loss to City: Wes Brown City were denied a second by a superb goal-line clearance from Ben Mee, who stretched to clear off the line after substitute Gabriel
Wes Brown recognises Ferguson fingerprints at Manchester



Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku rediscovered his finishing touch in fine fashion, scoring a superb goal in each half to help them to a 3-1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
Lukaku Double Inspires Manchester United to 3-1 Win at Palace



The Netherlands head into this week's Nations League semi-finals with one of the best young squads the country has produced in recent years and Dutch football can once again look forward to a bright future, manager Ronald Koeman has said.
Coach Koeman sees 'great future' for Dutch national team



The legal purge in Norway after World War II took place between May 1945 and August 1948 against anyone who was deemed to have collaborated with the German occupation of the country. Several thousand Norwegians and foreign citizens were tried and convicted for crimes committed in Scandinavia during the Second World War. However, the scope



Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been hit with an Football Association charge for improper conduct following his side's loss at Burnley last weekend. Pochettino confronted referee Mike Dean after the game which developed into lengthy and heated exchange.
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino hit with improper conduct



Incumbent Infantino sole candidate for FIFA presidency in June vote. ZURICH: FIFA President Gianni Infantino is set to serve four more years as the leader of football's governing body as the only candidate for election.
Football: Incumbent Infantino the sole candidate for Fifa



FAS technical director hopeful Sigurdur Ragnar Eyjolfsson says Iceland can be model for Singapore With a population of less than 350,000, Iceland's meteoric rise in football has drawn questions here as to why Singapore cannot follow suit, with both nations hemmed in by limited human resources.
Football: New FAS technical director Joseph Palatsides


Hamilton foiled again in opener, Football News & Top Stories



MADRID: Real Madrid have signed Serbia striker Luka Jovic from Eintracht Frankfurt for 60 million euros ($67 million), television channel Sky Germany said on Thursday. Jovic, 21, scored 10 goals
Real Madrid sign Luka Jovic for 60 million euros - reports


watch live soccer streaming free android
watch champions league live streaming ptv sports
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch soccer live streaming qatar
watch champions league draw live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming zee5
watch soccer live streaming reddit
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch soccer live streaming qatar vs philippines
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch premier league net live stream channel
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online
watch coppa america live streaming tv
watch soccer games online free streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch sky sports premier league live stream
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch coppa america live streaming bt sport
watch champions league live streaming match
watch soccer live - live football streaming
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
watch coppa america live streaming bola
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch live soccer stream android
watch coppa america live streaming match
watch champions league live streaming vf
watch live premier league football streaming online for free
watch soccer live streaming mobile
watch coppa america live streaming totalsportek
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
watch coppa america live streaming spain
watch coppa america live streaming live
watch premier league live streaming youtube
watch live streaming soccer online espn3
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch premier league live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming bein sport
watch premier league live streaming live
watch soccer online free streaming live first row
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
watch coppa america live streaming direct
watch premier league live streaming zee tv
watch soccer aid live stream
watch champions league soccer live streaming
khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming india
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7
where to watch champions league live streaming
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch premier league live streaming zimbabwe
watch soccer online free streaming live arabic
watch coppa america live streaming app
how to watch champions league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming pc
watch soccer online free streaming live p2p
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch coppa america live streaming game
super soccer tv live streaming garuda select
watch sky sports premier league online free streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming ufc
watch coppa america live streaming hotstar
watch soccer games live stream free
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo 7
soccer tv live football streaming reddit
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
watch english premier league live streaming
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
watch uefa champions league final live streaming free online
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch champions league live streaming xbox one
watch champions league live streaming kenya
watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming nz
where to watch premier league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch soccer am online live streaming
watch soccer live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online youtube
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch premier league net live manchester united stream channel
watch live stream soccer games online free
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
#hotcoffee #ronaldo #football #leicestercity #oasisofficial #frasirap #streamingbolaid #petercrouch #linkstreaming #conference #ballondor #nationsleague #girlsniteout #freekickerz #lionelmessi #serieatim #goal #pagani #league2 #adidasslipon #manchesterunited #gunners #bayern #BMW #ucl #cr7 #oudmehta #commento #Fcb #footballfans #liverpool #liverpoolfans #chocolate #seriea #mane #manchestercity #klopp #gooners #tokyo #MyDubai #rugby #mancity #433skills #gym #football #goodday #england #liverpoolcity #winner #comico #Suarez #nikesoccer #rockstar #livestreams #watchlive #arsenalnews #Bar #cappucino #chocolatecoffee #sixtimes

No comments:

Post a Comment