The Manchester City defense has been subject of plenty debate online with fans, pundits and the media. Looking different to last season. Something feels off. Players are making too many individual mistakes.

What really is the issue and how does it actually compare to last season? Let’s dive into it all.

Just not this fella, he’s not the problem.

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Here is the thread we did on the Manchester City Defense.

Comparing to Other Premier League Teams 23/24

Important to consider how this current premier league season has been panning out, a lot of high scoring games and teams struggling to keep clean sheets. Each weekend has a wild result that takes you by surprise.

Key Points

• Only Liverpool (23) and Arsenal (22) have conceded less goals than Manchester City (25).

• Five teams have kept more clean sheets than City (6) this season, Arsenal have the most (9).

• Only Arsenal (17.7) have a lower xG than City (21.9).

Takeaways

• If you zoom out and look at the overall stats, it tells you City have been one of the best teams in the league defensively. Not that it feels like it.

• It is in the details that tells you more, City drawing against Chelsea 4-4 and Spurs 3-3 shows how many less goals they could have conceded than the top teams if just those two results were approached differently.

• Relative to the league, City have done very well, relative to our expectations is where the problem lies. We know these players can do better and the errors in certain moments show that.

Comparing to Last Season

If we go back to the 22/23 season, here is where City were in the table after 23 games played.

Key Points

• Conceded 2 more goals this season.

• Scored 3 less goals this season.

• Kept 3 less clean sheets this season.

• 1 point more this season.

Takeaways

• Very marginal differences again looking at that table. Specific issues standout in the performances of our defense rather than the table reflecting that overall.

• Good to have some perspective compared to last season. Our best, the treble run in came in the later stages of the season, we were not exceptional all the way through the season but still very good.

What About Minutes Conceded?

Now if we breakdown the goals conceded this season into intervals during the game, we can see a few patterns begin to emerge.

Takeaways

• Manchester City do not have any significant issue with conceding early in a game or in the added time for the first half.

• 22/23 had a few goals conceded at the start of the second half, this season we concede those later on.

• This season has seen an increase in late goals conceded, whether that is a conciliation goal for the opposition or resulting is us dropping points. 32% of goals conceded in 23/24 by City in the Premier League were after the 76th minute.

• Heading into the second half either level or down a goal has happened more this season than last. City conceding 5 goals in the interval 31 - 45 minutes.

• Total of 6pts were lost this season by conceding a goal after the 90th minute. Chelsea away, Spurs and Palace at home.

Home vs Away a Factor?

What if we look at the Premier League and sort it based on home and away results. Here is how the table looks for each.

Takeaways

• 0.91 goals conceded per game at home, that goes up to 1.25 for away games.

• City have kept 4 clean sheets at home, only 2 during away games.

• City have managed to score in every single home game this season, failing to score in two away games.

• Sorting for away results only, City are top of the table despite their struggles with clean sheets and scoring on occasions.

Type of Goals Conceded

Gvardiol Learning His Role

• Having played majority of his time at center back for all previous clubs, Gvardiol is taking on a new role which will take time to learn.

• Chelsea away was one of those examples, he gets caught out by the movement of James when played in behind him. Poor touch by him let’s James cut inside to cross over to Sterling.

• Aston Villa goal by Leon Bailey comes from Gvardiol trying to push up tight to Bailey before he turns on him and drives towards the goal for shot.

• Luton Town goal comes from Gvardiol being ran at out wide, not closing down the winger before a cross into the box, headed goal by Adebayo.

• Burnley goal came from Gvardiol being beaten out wide by his man, getting a low cross into the box for a tap in.

• Of those four examples, only two resulted in points dropped. For Gvardiol to learn this new role he will have to make mistakes. To only make a couple like that is impressive. He will only get better each season.

Unfortunate at the Back

• 1 own goal by Ruben Dias, diving in to try block the shot by Neves as it goes into the net. Trying to cover for the mistakes made by Ake & Foden. Resulted in 3pts dropped.

• 2 Deflected goals conceded, the Ake one against Arsenal coming off his face. Dias deflecting Leon Bailey shot into the goal (coming from Gvardiol intial error). 6pts dropped from those two results.

Penalties Given Away

• Ruben Dias vs Chelsea in the last minutes of the game. Finishing 4-4 and dropping 2pts.

• Phil Foden vs Crystal Palace in the final minutes of the game. Finishing 2-2 and dropping 2pts.

Mistakes at Corners

• Tim Ream (Fulham) left unmarked and behind Ake to tap in a rebound - Thiago Silva (Chelsea) left unmarked in the box to run for a header.

• Foden losing possession at the edge of the box after a corner, Spurs break for Son (Spurs) to score.

Balls Over The Top

• Wolves second goal, ball in behind Ake with the space to get a cross into the box. Scramble in the box with a series of mistakes before it is tapped in.

• Bournemouth ball in behind Ake, beaten out wide before a low cross across the box for a tap in. Walker unable to stop.

• Newcastle ball over the top by Bruno G to Isak, stands out Walker and bends it into the far corner.

• Brentford from a goal kick, Ake and Gvardiol caught out and unable to stop the ball bouncing through for Maupay to score.

Dealing With Crosses into The Box

• Luton Town, Gvardiol leaves them space to cross into the box.

• Walker was beaten out wide, giving space for a back post cross. Kulusevski beating Ake for the header.

• Mitoma beating Walker to cross into the box, Ansu Fati taps home after Akanji deflects the cross into the middle.

Left Side New Dynamic

• Doku & Gvardiol vs West Ham caught pushing up high together, led to space down the left side for the full back to run into and cross to JWP.

• Ake & Gvardiol vs Brentford flat footed and lost for the goal kick, left the space for the ball to bounce into which Maupay took onto score.

• Ake & Doku vs Bournemouth pushing up before a ball in behind, both then running back unable to stop a low cross across the box for the goal.

Dias Mistakes

• Dives into Broja to give away a penalty against Chelsea away.

• On the floor to block Connor G shot, leaving Jackson free to tap in the rebound at Chelsea away.

• He has been involved in 3 goals conceded by trying to cover another players mistake but unable to stop a cross into the box.

Which of these do you think is a major issue?

Concluding Thoughts

This season has seen a very solid and consistent back line face many changes. Injuries have shaken it up whilst Gvardiol has come in to learn a new role as LB. A role that he has largely excelled in and allowed Foden to thrive centrally. He will make mistakes whilst learning that role. The main standout defensively has been how aggressive we are not in the duels, poor at winning crosses into the box and dealing with the ball in our penalty area. Either missing the cross or tapping it to an attacker. We have struggled.

Ederson would not be a concern at all for our defensive, going through all the goals I failed to find one where I think Ederson is the main fault. He is left trying to save chances that he should never face, due to individual mistakes in duels you have to win. Crosses coming in from players having too much time to pick their passes out.

That being said, the team has become much better after the Club World Cup and we’ve see a gradual improvement in our performances. Tightening up at the back with the number of goals conceded and keeping 3 clean sheets in our last 6 games. Ruben Dias has looked sharper in our box with his decision making, Kyle Walker much tighter to his wingers and not getting caught out too high.

Our best was yet to come in the 22/23 season and it seems that trend will follow again this season. We will have to become dominant in winning duels if we want that to happen.

We have published a thread on Alan Varela, an Argentine midfielder that City have been linked with. He will play against Arsenal in the RO16 of the Champions League this month. Here is our thoughts on him potentially signing for City. 👇

Would you sign Alan Varela for City this summer?

That’s all for this newsletter issue, the review of the Champions League tie against FC Copenhagen will follow on Wednesday. Let us know your thoughts on our defense this season in the comments.

Would appreciate any feedback, looking to add as much value to our subscribers that we can!

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