[BaggieSteve]

Don't mind losing to City, who are head and shoulders above anyone else.

But the manner of the defeat was terrible. Not even a shot until the 88th minute.

Honestly don't know what Pardew was trying to do.

Although Man City are a very good side, they do have a few weaknesses. The 2 centre backs aren't the biggest so we needed to win corners. With that in mind, Zinchenko is a good young footballer but never a left back. If you're going to win corners against City, you need someone who can travel with the ball going at him. Instead Pardew picks Field there, who is a defensive central midfield player and never once attacked him, we simply allow Zinchenko to play as an extra attacker.

McClean is terrible, but if the muppet does persist on playing him, surely he should've been on the right going at Zinchenko rather than playing against Kyle Walker, who is so fast and strong that McClean's punt and run is completely ineffective.

Or better yet, who not start Phillips and at least try to get something.

Or if he's scared of risking Phillips at least pick Burke there. He's raw but has the pace that can get at Zinchenko and have a go. Honestly so pi**ed off that we've served up that weak defensive dross and still been massacred.

Hopefully Pardew can see some of those muppets he picked tonight shouldn't be anywhere near the side...

I agree, Slick, in a game where it's clear Pardew thought we were beaten before we kicked off, why not play Burke, for example, who is clearly needing game time. As you say, he has raw pace and it would have been an ideal opportunity to give him free rein against the City defence. If you think you're going to lose, why not. I appreciate we did not want to lose by a cricket score but, by offering absolutely no attacking threat, you're inviting City to play attack v defence. There's only one outcome to that.
I assume he's more concerned with Saturday's game v Southampton, which makes perfect sense. However, by adopting such a passive approach tonight, it cranks the pressure up for Saturday. I recall Bryan Robson doing this v Chelsea in a midweek game when we had a six pointer at the weekend. Guess what, lost them both!

[BaggieMan]

I think it’s rather unfair calling AP a ‘muppet’ when he picks McClean although I agree he’s not up to required Premiership standard in spite of his 110% effort.  

AP has done well of late after inheriting a team of Pulis non-footballing zombies and, in all honesty, even the Barcelona’s, Real Madrid’s etc etc of this world would struggle to match this City side who are, as you say Slick, head and shoulders above everyone else.

[bomberbrown1968]

I think it’s rather unfair calling AP a ‘muppet’

Hear Hear BaggieMan

[Baggiebob(BBB)]

From feeling on a high after a great performance against Liverpool, I bet the team feel low at this moment at having to play Pulis style as I couldn't recognise them as the same team.

Hope they adopt the Liverpool style game against Southampton.

[GlassEyedBomber]

Different team when you take Brunt out, looked a bit more lively with Phillips and Studge on.

Would've been a great start for him to have tucked that chance away at the end, but he made the chance, Rondon wouldn't have even made that run!

[baggietrousers]

Yes, not a good result or performance, but as has been said earlier, citeh are way ahead of everyone else in this league and to be honest we were never going to get even a point, AP knew this, the players knew it, and the fans knew it. I really do believe that come Saturday we'll be right back on it and the revitalised Albion of late will be on show again.

[Slick_Footwork]

BaggieMan - I'm not calling Pardew a muppet because he picked McClean, I'm calling him a muppet because of the numerous selection mistakes that he made. It was almost like he picked the best team possible NOT to expose Manchester City's weaknesses.

I realise that we had injuries, but who in the right mind makes wholesale changes when you just beat what was essentially a full strength Liverpool team away?

Injuries aside, Brunt, Barry and Phillips should've started. Nyom and McClean shouldn't get anywhere near the side unless there is a major injury crisis. If Nyom does play, he has to be right back as he's proved time and time again that he can't adapt to play on the left.

Yacob has been a brilliant servant, but we have known for years that he doesn't have the legs to play in a 4 man midfield. Yet Pardew who has the job to watch football selects him in a 4 against the best midfield in the league.

McAuley, like Yacob, has arguably been my favourite player for the last 3 or 4 years but has finally shown signs of aging this year. So what does Pardew do? Throw him in against the best side in the league with one of the nippiest forwards in Aguero.

The most ridiculous one was Sam Field, we haven't seen him since Pardew's first game - not even on the bench - and suddenly he's thrown into the first XI to play on the right side of a 4. He's a midfield stopper FFS. Zinchenko is obviously their weak link defensively and he picks Field against him. Have you ever seen Field go at any defender? I haven't...

Laporte who is renowned for being a good ball playing centre half but a bit weak defensively should've been tested with crosses. Instead, he has a dream debut with no defending to do because our midfield is comprised entirely of stoppers with the aim of obtaining a 0-0 draw (presumably).

Honestly, I think we all agreed unanimously that Pulis had lost the plot before he was sacked. However, I had been in hibernation for a few months I'd have been forgiven for thinking this was still a Pulis team.

I went to Bristol City vs Man City in the Carabao Cup last week, because a friend is a big Bristol City fan. Man City played a full strength side and they pressed high and Bristol City didn't have the quality to get out most times. It was very much like us yesterday. However, on the rare occasions that Bristol City did get out, they got men forward and got crosses into the box, they scored 3 goals.

Do you remember us getting a decent cross in? I don't. We had 1 corner all night and didn't even get a shot on goal until 85+ minutes.

Finally we get Dawson, McAuley and Hegazi in the same team (all monsters in the air) and then Pardew picks a central midfield stopper on the wing so we don't get a single cross in, win any free kicks in attacking areas or corners. Obviously I can only speculate, but I'm sure had Phillips started on the right we would've managed to force corners because he actually goes at the full back.

Even Newcastle (who I think are sh*te, btw) managed to show some attacking intent against Man City.

Does Pardew even watch games to identify the weaknesses of other teams? On this evidence, it's doubtful. I saw his interview about Oliver Burke a few weeks ago where he more or less admitted that before he came he had never heard of Burke. A couple of years ago Burke was tearing up trees in the Championship when Pardew was managing Palace, surely he should've watched Burke plenty of times... it's his job... he's a professional football manager.

So no, I do not apologise for calling him a muppet.

Now I'll admit that we have improved in recent games (wasn't hard, was it? Previously manager completely lost the plot) but this was a massive step backwards. I just hope this doesn't dent our confidence because we were starting to look like a reasonable side. Hopefully Pardew learns a few lessons from this - although I can't help thinking that he should've learnt these lessons months ago.

[drewks]

That's a very detailed analysis, Slick - if you're not a Head Coach somewhere you're in the wrong job!

I didn't see the game last night, but although I have no reason to doubt a word of your analysis, I personally  still wouldn't criticise AP regarding the team selection etc last night. It was a very hard game v Liverpool which threw up (was it) 3 injuries.....Brunty and Barry, because of their years, were being saved for Saturday as I would think Phillips was too.
Saturday IS the big one which must be targetted - lose that one and we ARE in the poo.

In my eyes AP can be totally forgiven for (almost) writing this one off before kick off considering Saturdays game and the time he must've put in during the last 10 or so days of the transfer window

[WBA-Josh]

I think it's harsh to call Alan Pardew a muppet but I can agree with the sentiments regarding the team selection. I didn't watch the game because I'm spending a few days with my brother but I kept following the score and stats and they didn't make for pleasant reading.

I think he chose the team to rest players and improvise where players were injured because Saturday is the big one. If we win then I think last night can be forgiven.

[TheFunkyJoker]

Like others, I think it's unfair to call AP a Muppet, but can see where you're coming from.  It's clear that AP knew what could have happened and set up for damage limitation - unfortunately what could have happened still happened.

I'd have probably preferred Brunt at Left Back and Dawson at Right Back, and I'd have started Phillips or Burke (I still don't get why he isn't being given a chance considering he's looked bright on his few sub appearances) on the right instead of Field.

But hey, that's just me - obviously injuries haven't helped;. Evans and Gibbs would have been very welcome but hey ho, let's just look forward to the next game now and hope we show Southampton what we're capable of.