Why are Man City struggling so much defensively and will it cost them? | ESPN FC Extra Time
ESPN FC Extra Time: Man City's defence, El Clasico predictions, and Liverpool's Wirtz problem
The panel discusses whether Barcelona should rotate against PSG, whether Man City's defensive problems will hurt them later, an El Clasico prediction, and whether Liverpool would undo Florian Wirtz's big-money deal. The consensus is that Barcelona should prioritize El Clasico, City's defensive issues are not yet panic-worthy, and Wirtz has fallen well short of expectations.
- Barcelona should not go all out against PSG and should prioritize the Clasico against Real Madrid — They still need a competitive team against PSG, but must manage who needs rest; the most important game is Real Madrid, and they cannot sacrifice the key match.
- Barcelona should make El Clasico the priority now, avoid risks against PSG, and save minutes for Real Madrid — The Champions League only becomes the absolute priority in March, April, or May; the league phase allows flexibility; if Real Madrid beat Sevilla, a Barcelona win in El Clasico could put them nine points ahead and at least remove Madrid from the title conversation.
- Man City's defensive issues are not a major concern yet, but if they continue for a month or two without adjustments, they will cost City in the second half of the season — PSG tore City apart for 30 minutes, but PSG do that to almost everyone; City were more committed and better defensively in the second half; today's issues were more individual errors; the bigger worry was letting Sunderland's forward score an easy hat-trick when Sunderland are not a high-scoring side.
- Barcelona will beat Real Madrid in El Clasico, but not 7-2; at best it might be 2-1 — Barcelona look far the better side, but the size of the game and the opponent's ability to grind out a dogged result mean it should be closer.
- Man City's midfield should be matchup-dependent; if they expect to suffer, a double pivot is essential — The more balanced midfield in the second half against PSG worked better and left fewer gaps; few games are like PSG, so a No. 10 plus two midfielders is usually enough.
- If Liverpool could undo one 100m-plus deal, it should be the Florian Wirtz deal — Wirtz has been there nearly 18 months and has produced far less than expected.
- I thought Wirtz could adapt to the Premier League and Liverpool, but I was wrong; he has not been terrible, but he lacks the special match-changing moments — He produces too many 5-out-of-10 performances and not enough 8, 9, or 10-out-of-10 displays; he flashes against Lask or for Germany but cannot sustain it; at Liverpool he settles for one or two touches and lacks magic.
- For a player over 100 million pounds, people expect more; Wirtz sometimes looks like an accessory in this Liverpool side — He has speed and technique and occasionally looks like a difference-maker, but he often disappears in games; even a low-touch goalscorer can be acceptable, but Wirtz should have a bigger impact.
Stevie Nicol, Alejandro Moreno and Nedum Onuoha join Kay Murray on ESPN FC Extra Time to answer your questions: 0:00 Stevie, how would you line up against PSG knowing El Clasico is coming up next? 3:00 Nedum, why do you think City are struggling so much defensively and can this cost them later in the season? 4:29 Are we doing predictions for El Clasico yet? 6:25 Nedum, after today's match and the PSG matchup, what you think should be City's midfield going forward? 7:28 Stevie, which £100M plus contract would Liverpool undo if they could, Barcola, Isak or Wirtz? ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN ESPNFC
Transcript
Welcome in to the latest edition of Extra Time. We've got Stevie and LA here in the studio. Na Manua is joining us as well. There was this really funny moment earlier in the show that none of you will have seen. Stevie was trying to be a great colleague and help me with some of my short sheets, but he actually ended up stealing about two of them in the process. >> But we got through it anyway, didn't we, Stevie? >> All right. I've got the questions emailed apparently. So, let's take a look. [music] >> Okay. All right. >> Technology come on now. >> Technology coming on. At least it's not a red card or a yellow card on you. You can just read it up there. >> I could do that, too. [music] All right, first question. Stevie, how would you line up against PSG knowing Eláico [music] is coming up next? Would you go all out or rest some or few players coming out of a [music] difficult Betty's game today? >> I wouldn't go all out. I would I would put a team on the field that has a chance to win the game [music] with the classical in mind of who needs a [music] rest, who who should sit out. So yeah, you got to you got to put a team out that isn't going to get battered because you end of the day, you know, you need to you need to keep your pride, but at the same time, >> you have to you have [music] to take care of what's the most important game and there's no question the most important game right now is is Real Madrid. >> And I know you agree with that, Alex. >> Yes, I do. >> Yeah. Uh I'm so much of of Champions League becomes uh for most clubs such a priority and for the fans become such a priority. And I understand that if we're talking about in March, April, May, yeah, make that a priority. But right now, it really isn't given [music] what the competition is like. How is this structured? This league phase allows you the flexibility to you know what I don't need to risk anything that [music] I don't want to risk in this match against PSG because I rather save those minutes those [music] useful minutes for the match against Real Madrid. the potential of being, assuming that Real Madrid beat Sevilla [music] tomorrow, the potential of being nine points ahead of Real Madrid, if you're Barcelona, if you're able to win Eláico in Barcelona next week, it's it's it gets to the point of [music] being title deciding or at the very least you're eliminating Real Madrid from that conversation. And I'm saying that this early on in the competition given the fact that everybody else that Barcelona have played against, they seem to have no chance. they [music] haven't looked competitive. Today, Bettis was supposed to be the big test and it was a test for some of it, but from other periods of time in the match, it felt like it was just two different levels. And in the end, the final score gives you that idea as well. [music] So, if I'm Hansy Flick and I have to prioritize, my priorities are classical. Whatever I need to do to get ready [music] for PSC, I do just enough. I worry about it classical >> for Naden. Why do you think City [music] are struggling so much defensively and can this cost them later in the season? >> I don't know. I think that the season itself is so long that the way that say some teams start and how they look now can be very different come the end of the year. I think from a defensive standpoint, you can look at the PSG game where you know PSG for 30 minutes tore them apart. But that's something that we've seen PSG do to basically every side at some point in the last say year or so. And in F City they they addressed it. They were more committed, the press was better and defensively they were better in that second half of the game. Obviously, they still lost and it was a deserving loss. But yes, and then the game today, [music] you know, the penalty at the end, it's a bit of rash decision-m from Gahhee. And then for the first goal, you know, he's found himself in the wrong position. Mid has done very well. Just pushed him out the way cuz he knew he had all the leverage. Those are two very individual moments. And outside of those two moments there, you know, is didn't create a ton of chances. The bigger concern for me was the Sunderland game two Premier League games ago where Brian Brabby's had the easiest hattrick you could ever imagine. Basically two tap into a 1 v one. Those are the times where I think there's a little bit more concern because you know if you look at Sunland this season who were in the bottom three at this moment in time, goal scoring isn't their thing. So yeah, I'm not really as concerned about it right now, but if it continues for another month, two months and they don't start making some else adjustments and getting rid of some of those mistakes, then yes, I think the back half of the season will probably feel very long for them. for the panel. Are we doing predictions for Eláico yet? Barcelona 7, Real Madrid 2. >> Who's got Who's the two? >> Who's the two? >> What you mean? >> Yeah. What do you mean? It says Barca 7, Real Madrid 2. >> So, the two would be for Real Madrid. >> Okay. Barca 72 against Real Madrid. >> The score line. >> Yeah. >> Oh, I thought you meant there was nine people and seven said Barcelona would win and there was two people that extra time. >> All right. That's why I said, "Who's the two?" >> Who's the two? >> What's your prediction, Stevie? >> It's It's an amazing thing. >> How can anybody go for real? >> It's an amazing thing to to get an inside look to what what goes on in your brain >> that from that question, you went who are the seven that are going for Barca and who are the two that are going for Real Madrid. >> So, >> I know you eight for Barcel. It's a ridiculous stupid score line. >> All right. So, how could 72? How could anybody possibly think it was going to be 72? >> It's not going to be 72. >> You like a bet? I bet I bet it's not 72. >> It's not going to be 72. >> No, I'll take a bet with anybody. >> What's it going to be? Exactly. The score line. >> I'll go 3-1. >> LA, >> are you I don't have I don't have to give this prediction on Saturday. >> No, we're going to be >> eight days ahead of Eláico. I I'm sure that we'll have multiple opportunities to have >> too. Chances are though, Naden, you might not be given a prediction. Frank >> will go for classical. So, what's your prediction now? >> Well, obviously Barcelona look far and away the better side, but considering the size of the game and the fact that Mourinho's on the other side and you know, peak Mourinho would be him somehow finding some sort of dogged performance and a result, I do still think Barca will win. What 7-2? That's not the number for me. I think if anything, maybe at best for Barcel it's like a 2-1. That's how I see it. >> NM after today's match in the PSG matchup, what do you think should be City's midfield going forward? >> Oh, wowers. Um, I think he's got options here. So, realistically, it depends who they're playing against. And I think the fact that they had Badi in there and they finished with Anderson in there against PSG was better. But the annoying thing is the context about the fact that the game was done because it was 3-0 anyway. But the balance was there. They looked less opening around that space. And sometimes you need do need bodies when the midfield three can be as dynamic and sort of what links up so well with the with the front line as say PSG did. But then how many games are going to be like playing against PSG and the answer is not many at all. So I think for the most part the balance has felt good playing with a 10 like shy or a folden and then having an Enzo Fernandez and Anderson and in there that's been fine. That's been great. But I think it just goes to show that, you know, should they come up against a team where the where [clears throat] City expecting to suffer, I think the two sixes is a great shot to have Buadi Antonerson in there. I think they'll be essential in those games where maybe City won't have all the ball. >> Stevie, which 100 million plus contract would Liverpool undo if they could, Barca, Isac or Vertz? I would think [music] that's purely because time goes by quickly, but he's been there what nearly 18 months and that's a long time [music] to not produce what you or even close to what was expected. [music] So yeah, if if it was me, um I would uh I would say it would be >> have as I told you when I first saw you today and we had all the games on. K my my opinion on Florian Vertz going to the Premier League and going to Liverpool. [music] I I thought that this was a guy that could make that transition given the attitude that I saw from him as a player by Leverkus and and I was wrong. Uh and and it's not and as I mentioned to you, it's not that he's been horrendous, horrible, and hopeless. It's not that. It's just that you don't see enough moments where you go that's special. You just you see a guy who connects a pass here and there, who dribbles a guy here and there, but doesn't quite have an impact on the game. He's doing things that are the the what you know, a guy who gets five out of 10 every every game, but he's not doing enough of eight out of 10, nine out of 10, 10 out of 10. He doesn't have those sort of performances [music] and you're expecting that it is about to come and he just kind of hints and glimpses and something and Lask you'll see something against Lask and you go oh ho ho oh oh and he just doesn't he just doesn't sustain it. You see it with Germany you're like oh maybe and he just [music] doesn't sustain it. uh whatever the reasons are as to why we're not seeing that that something special that we saw by Leakusen, we're just not seeing it at Liverpool and how now he settles for one and two touches. I want to see this man grab the ball, take on somebody, do a little magic, a little something. There's just not enough magic, enough sauce in his game. >> You got the final say, Nam. >> No, I think that's fair. And obviously it's early in this in this season so far for like a barker. But when he does something good and you see the speed that he has, you think to yourself, yes, absolutely he can be a difference maker. I think somebody like EAC, we had the discussion before like, you know, doesn't hasn't done a lot within games, but he scored goals. And you can compare that in some ways in some ways to like a version of early Harland out there, you know, where he scores goals but doesn't have a ton of touches within a match. But then with Viz, you sort of see him at times just disappear within a game. And I think somebody with that level of technique, that level of genius, I think you'd want them to have a bigger impact in the way that the team plays, but he just feels like he's an accessory at times within this Liverpool side. And I think for over 100 million pounds, I think many people would be expecting more. [music] >> All right, that's all we've got time for on the latest edition of Extra Time. Thank you so much for sending in questions. Make sure to join us tomorrow to do the same all over again.