We can't control games like we used to and we can't press like we used to. We need to accept that, and do what every team does, that is work hard off the ball to close teams down. We need to improve our off the ball game, even if it means MSN need to stay less advanced and need to actually get involved in helping in defence.
Midfield is good in our team, it's just that it's playing against teams that bring more men in that zone, so it's impossible to control it when you are purely outnumbered. Teams crowd the midfield against us, and that gives them numerical advantage. So everytime we misplace a pass we're left in 3 vs 5 scenarios, because our tactic in possession is not about forming superiority in tight spaces, but exactly the opposite, stretching the play positionally, by having players at long distances between them. Look at this image:
It's actually a 2 vs 5!!! here. Unacceptable. If we plan to play a long team in possession, stretched all over the field, then the pass has to be perfect. What's Busi supposed to do here, he's surrounded by City players FFS!
This style can work. We can move the ball well in a formation that consists of players being farther apart from each other in terms of distance. But if the pass is not good, then that extra distance between our players will kill us, especially when we play against teams that have a different approach and bring more men where the ball is. We have a positional play based on the individual quality of the players now. It's fine, but on an individual level we have to be strong.
The way we play right now, it's a 50-50 game. We can get to teams and score on the counter like we did and could've done more vs City in the first half, or we can make mistakes and concede goals.
