Motivation for next season or collective blow to the team's psyche? Time will tell.

[shemnel]

far too over the top. We lost. The bloody club wont fold because of it.

 

[Marvin]

I don't understand this post at all in terms of learning. What he did last night was change to a formation and system that hampered us completely.

Well we were hampered completely. I agree there. I think we started well, went a goal down and then collectively our game just went.

All season long we've been passing the ball round the opponents and most teams can'y get close to us. I wasn't sure about the team last night, but the shape didn't cost us, it was the way we responded to going a goal down. We repeatedly gave the ball away cheaply in the final third and just threw the ball into the box.

When the dust settles on this there will be a huge question mark against every City player. That can be a good thing

 

[Marvin]

far too over the top. We lost. The bloody club wont fold because of it.

I didn't say it would. On the contrary it's probably the motivation we need to get better

 

[City_Sean]

Well we were hampered completely. I agree there. I think we started well, went a goal down and then collectively our game just went.

All season long we've been passing the ball round the opponents and most teams can'y get close to us. I wasn't sure about the team last night, but the shape didn't cost us, it was the way we responded to going a goal down. We repeatedly gave the ball away cheaply in the final third and just threw the ball into the box.

When the dust settles on this there will be a huge question mark against every City player. That can be a good thing

These players aren't good enough to win the CL because they lack the bollocks to fight when things dont go their way. They collectively crumble and each one of them passes responsibility onto their teammates.

 

[Marvin]

Don't forget there's a second leg. That will show whether we have the mettle to be a great side.

There is, but it's set up perfectly. We needed a goal back, and came within a whisker of getting it. Jesus goal should have stood, but really that 1st half was a collective disaster that I hope lingers long in our players memory. Maybe then something good will come of it.

 

[Saddleworth2]

They destroyed us in 20 first half minutes. During that period you knew they would score multiple times because we were losing every challenge and seemed to have no midfield shape. It was all too reminiscent of the last game at Anfield and others in the past. They seemed to close our passing lanes down or we were just not giving the player in possession the usual multiple options for an out ball + they pressed hard and fast. The more this happened the worse we got and they just picked us off as we panicked. Pep has to find a way to stop this, not just for the return tie but for the next few seasons. We are a better technical team than Liverpool. Milner bossed the midfield last night ffs. However, in the white heat of this kind of game do we have the mentality to continue to perform under pressure - it would seem not. That can be coached and trained - I remember the British Lions putting massive emphasis on this type of mental training before one of their successful tours of South Africa. Maybe we are missing something. Only time will tell. Oh, and it doesn’t help that one of your midfielders chooses the biggest game of the season to do a bad Yaya impression. Shame on you Ilke.

 

[Plain Speaking]

I think the rub of the green had a greater impact on the scoreline than our players' performances - one Dipper offside goal given, one onside City goal disallowed, and a stoner on Sterling not given. Had we scored the latter then it finishes all square at 2-2 and we have two away goals! There are too many variables in football to fasten onto any one cause for an outcome but we are just a whisker or two between 3-0 and 2-2! We might even have benefitted from VAR!

I agree with this. There are fine margins in football. Success can hinge on an official's decision or a misplaced pass. Pep will have been disappointed with our lack of composure and self belief but with VAR it could quite easily have been 2-2 and all to play for.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

We might as well not turn up then next week.

Do me a fucking favour. It's a two-legged tie for a team that is just about to deliver the title in English record quick time.

It's not the players who have to change, it's the mentality of many of our fans.

Let's see how many of our fans have already chucked in the towel and don't come on Tuesday, rather than coming in the belief that Pep and our lads won't let us down again.

 

[burning blue soul]

the self doubt was there in the 4-3 and we bounced back straight away. we will do the same against Utd.

long term i think we will be just fine.

 

[Rammy Blue]

I think the rub of the green had a greater impact on the scoreline than our players' performances - one Dipper offside goal given, one onside City goal disallowed, and a stoner on Sterling not given. Had we scored the latter then it finishes all square at 2-2 and we have two away goals! There are too many variables in football to fasten onto any one cause for an outcome but we are just a whisker or two between 3-0 and 2-2! We might even have benefitted from VAR!

That’s the weird thing, we deserved the square root of fuck all last night, we were that atrocious. However, VAR in action and we’ve got a 2-2! Strange.