This City team can be got at - and that has been the case since Pip arrived. They do struggle when teams actually have a go at them - Chelsea at the weekend did and at times City looked like they could have conceded even more. This is especially so against pace - and that is something we have in abundance. Nunez could have a field day if he is fit and ready.
I really do think that we will get a result there.
Teams mostly try to have a go though Qston- almost every matchday.. it's only the really defensive teams - of which there are fewer these days that pack teams behind the ball.
It's just that having a go plays exactly into City's hands and they end up demolishing them. It's the same for us- we want you to have a go- a real go, cause then there is space galore. We'll take a goal or two against us, cause we know we can score more than you.
The other thing is- it isn't easy to have-a-go at these if you're a smaller team. Pretty soon, they force you into a low-block against your will- either by the way they play or the score is now 4-0 after you decided to take the game to them(which they were salivating for).. and now it's damage limitation, which is exactly what we see every matchday.
We then mistakenly sum it up as "...another team being scared of City."
It's not having-a-go that exposes City. You don't have any strengths against City, which affords you the right to attack them with abandon. You can only play on their weaknesses and that is a tactical game. Since they approach most games like a cookie-cutter- they won't really play any different against you than most everyone else.
What will undo them is tactics, WHILE having a go. Like we sometimes do and like Chelsea did over the weekend.
As much as it pains me to say, but Chelsea did terrific. Pochettino's tactics were spot on and prevented City from playing their usual game.
If we have a good tactic or two and we play to our best under the circumstances, we can do these. Yes, even away.
City play very narrow. They force you to commit players in the middle so that their wingers can have more space. Somewhere in there... there is a weakness... we need to exploit it. Chelsea forced the wingers to have to draw nearer to midfield by swarming Rodri, which meant there was loads of space from time to time, on the wings for them(Chelsea).
