QF 1st Leg Post Match Thread

[mrbelfry]

We have half a squad not match fit & may have to win every single game from now on.

We could easily have still lost at Spurs, trying to attack them on their 'big' night & getting stuffed on the break, exactly as we did twice at Anflield last season, & we could also have lost all 3 competitions on the same night by playing players who are not quite right.

We have to beat Spurs TWICE next. Throwing everything at them in the first game, gives them the opportunity to work out how to prevent it. They have learned NOTHING from this wheras we have learned everything about them.

It was a shite goal, given away by shit play by Delph, Gundogan & Ederson, any of whom could have easily stopped it. Any of Brighton's defenders would have thrown themselves in front of the shot & stopped it, easily.

Aguero missed a penalty.

The plan worked, the players fucked it up with elementary shit play.

This is where I've settled after the result but part of me worries I'm being blindly optimistic. This is the game we could afford to not win and you don't show your hand too soon. At this stage of the competition we've conceded so many goals in previous years. The irony is Peps been criticised in the past for not playing the standard European away method of keeping it tight and hope to knick one and when he does he is criticised for not changing but also for changing his standard approach. This is a game that can't be taken in isolation - we wouldn't win all 3 against Tottenham as Pochetino is too good a coach and tactician. We had to vary our approach. I'm disappointed we didn't throw the subs on earlier but if we had and conceded again Pep would just be criticised for not keeping it to a single goal deficit

 

[paulchapo]

Wow, suddenly Pep is a shit manager. What a load of bollocks.

Nobody, but nobody is saying Pep is a shit manager. People need to realise we can criticize a team formation or a players performance if we think it is wrong, or a mistake was made. It doesn't mean Pep is shit, or we know better, it is just our opinion.

 

[Neville Kneville]

No one can know what would have happened but I feel De Bruyne and Sane should have started in a "routine" City side. The changes weakened and neutered City. I can see the thinking behind it. In a two-legged tie, reduce the first to a narrow game and blow them away at home but the elementary shit play was in my mind a consequence of Guardiola's tactical and selection changes. These are opinions. We can't prove them, but I would point to City's domestic success and also to Guardiola's record in Europe. This is not a bolt from the blue but a recurring theme of tinkering when it's not needed.

You can't honestly suggest that Delph standing with his hand up, Gundogan casually waving a foot & Ederson becoming 'The Vision' so the ball went straight through him, plus Aguero missing a pen, are down to Pep ?

It's the absolute opposite. We get away with this amatuer shit, regularly, because of Pep. Because he has us dominating games so the fuckups don't count against.

We went to Anfield & kept it tight. It worked. We missed a fucking penalty.

We went to Spurs & kept it tight, it worked. We handed them a goal against the play & missed a penalty.

We 'might' have done better with KDB Sané, but then we would likely need another plan for some of the games Pep has them down for.

It was a top notch away from home performance in the Champions League, fucked up by individual mistakes.

But, Bayern, Barca, Real Madrid, Juve, Inter, Liverpool, Utd, would all have been perfectly happy with that, as a first leg, in any of the years they won it.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

They were ridiculous for two reasons. They came too late to influence the game and they also risked key players getting injured chasing a lost cause, as with minutes to go it was.

Both of the players could as easily get injured in minute one or minute 96.

It seems plenty of people want it both ways.

There were eight minutes between De Bruyne and Sane coming on and the final whistle.

Even then, De Bruyne fired in a very dangerous centre and the only surprise was Lloris actually held it.

Bernardo is struggling, that's the long and short of it.

We've won a league title in less minutes than the introduction of Kev and Leroy.

 

[mosssideblue]

mikemcfc said: ↑
pep at Barca and Bayern seemingly always played his best side in anything remotely important and they did very well, here we never see our best eleven, it's always a mash-up with at least one or two of our top six on the bench. we looked like a early rd. league cup side.

Mahrez is a disaster, our club's record signing, but he's pep's signing, need i say more?
i mean WTF Gaurdiola? not only was the starting line-up wrong, naive, whatever. but your game management reeked of instant dismissal at any other vocation. your subs made no sense, a double sub at 88 minutes? what did you really think that would accomplish? brutal





so you think pep did a good job?

Yes, let down only by Kun and Delph

 

[mosssideblue]

Recall the tactical changes he made in the Anfield Quarter Final where we lost 3-0? He brought in Gundogan and dropped Sterling.



You play your big players in your big games and you stick to your teams style of play if you are the better side. Barcelona weren't great at Utd but they played Messi and they tried to play their usual game and impose their passing game on Man Utd in their half of the pitch.

He might be an outstanding coach, but he does have a weakness in the Champions League where instead of playing his normal game he tries to find tactical solutions to outwit his opponent.

Why haven't you mentioned this before now?

 

[Neville Kneville]

This is where I've settled after the result but part of me worries I'm being blindly optimistic. This is the game we could afford to not win and you don't show your hand too soon. At this stage of the competition we've conceded so many goals in previous years. The irony is Peps been criticised in the past for not playing the standard European away method of keeping it tight and hope to knick one and when he does he is criticised for not changing but also for changing his standard approach. This is a game that can't be taken in isolation - we wouldn't win all 3 against Tottenham as Pochetino is too good a coach and tactician. We had to vary our approach. I'm disappointed we didn't throw the subs on earlier but if we had and conceded again Pep would just be criticised for not keeping it to a single goal deficit

Exactly.

The game was going perfectly when Delph & his crew stepped in. We were dominating & looking like scoring.

The exact same game when Real or Barca were at their best, Ronaldo etc scores the pen, they don't concede the goal.

Teams who win every competition, don't usually make the number of dickish mistakes City do.

The fact we make at least one in almost every game but are still in for 4 competitions, iin spite of injuries, is because our manager is a fucking genius.

 

[mosssideblue]

We have half a squad not match fit & may have to win every single game from now on.

We could easily have still lost at Spurs, trying to attack them on their 'big' night & getting stuffed on the break, exactly as we did twice at Anflield last season, & we could also have lost all 3 competitions on the same night by playing players who are not quite right.

We have to beat Spurs TWICE next. Throwing everything at them in the first game, gives them the opportunity to work out how to prevent it. They have learned NOTHING from this wheras we have learned everything about them.

It was a shite goal, given away by shit play by Delph, Gundogan & Ederson, any of whom could have easily stopped it. Any of Brighton's defenders would have thrown themselves in front of the shot & stopped it, easily.

Aguero missed a penalty.

The plan worked, the players fucked it up with elementary shit play.

Wasting your time mate. Marvin is clearly on a crusade again today

 

[bigf42]

You can't honestly suggest that Delph standing with his hand up, Gundogan casually waving a foot & Ederson becoming 'The Vision' so the ball went straight through him, plus Aguero missing a pen, are down to Pep ?

It's the absolute opposite. We get away with this amatuer shit, regularly, because of Pep. Because he has us dominating games so the fuckups don't count against.

We went to Anfield & kept it tight. It worked. We missed a fucking penalty.

We went to Spurs & kept it tight, it worked. We handed them a goal against the play & missed a penalty.

We 'might' have done better with KDB Sané, but then we would likely need another plan for some of the games Pep has them down for.

It was a top notch away from home performance in the Champions League, fucked up by individual mistakes.

But, Bayern, Barca, Real Madrid, Juve, Inter, Liverpool, Utd, would all have been perfectly happy with that, as a first leg, in any of the years they won it.

Agreed, I'm dreading our season defining moments being two missed penalties

 

[Neville Kneville]

Nobody, but nobody is saying Pep is a shit manager. People need to realise we can criticize a team formation or a players performance if we think it is wrong, or a mistake was made. It doesn't mean Pep is shit, or we know better, it is just our opinion.

There is a difference between having an opinion on whether Pep did the right thing & some of the abuse during & after this game.

There is no proof on whether Pep did the right thing. We will never know. There is proof however, he's doing a great job, irrespective, even if we don't win another trophy this season.

Nobody, but NOBODY, would have put us in this posistion pre season, if they knew KDB would miss most of it.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Agreed, I'm dreading our season defining moments being two missed penalties

Tbh, those are the moments that usually do prove crucial.

The great players/teams rarely fuck those up. When they do, it's sometimes the year they miss out.

We are not a 'solid' 'efficient' team but we are a brilliant attacking team who are sometimes solid & efficient.

If we can play flat out, for the remaining games, we will probably win at least 2 out of 3.

Imo the 'big' game this week is Palace away. Win that & I think we are almost there with the title.

This first Spurs game was always damage limitation imo.

 

[northstandgiveusasong]

Tbh, those are the moments that usually do prove crucial.

The great players/teams rarely fuck those up. When they do, it's sometimes the year they miss out.

We are not a 'solid' 'efficient' team but we are a brilliant attacking team who are sometimes solid & efficient.

If we can play flat out, for the remaining games, we will probably win at least 2 out of 3.

Imo the 'big' game this week is Palace away. Win that & I think we are almost there with the title.

This first Spurs game was always damage limitation imo.

Not sure I entirely agree with "we are almost there with the title".

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
My biggest disappointment in that game was that the game looked like it could be won and was expecting the substitutions at least 15 minutes earlier.
Your judged on your last game and we made one fuck up that cost us, but the overall play was sloppy, I thought.

However we're only 1-0 behind and still in three competitions.
Pep will be judged on the final outcome of the season. It's just the way it is. same for the players.
Domestic treble and I couldn't care a jot about the CL.
PL and Carabao and I still won't be upset.
FA cup and Carabao and I'll have regrets over what could have been.
CL and Carabao and after the euphoria I'll still have regrets about not seeing out the PL.

Pep has his priorities and they mightn't be the same order as ours, but it looks very much to me that he is holistically looking at the quadruple.
I'm still not convinced that's possible and think the risk of losing all is high.

 

[kevin horlocks wand]

You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
My biggest disappointment in that game was that the game looked like it could be won and was expecting the substitutions at least 15 minutes earlier.
Your judged on your last game and we made one fuck up that cost us, but the overall play was sloppy, I thought.

However we're only 1-0 behind and still in three competitions.
Pep will be judged on the final outcome of the season. It's just the way it is. same for the players.
Domestic treble and I couldn't care a jot about the CL.
PL and Carabao and I still won't be upset.
FA cup and Carabao and I'll have regrets over what could have been.
CL and Carabao and after the euphoria I'll still have regrets about not seeing out the PL.

Pep has his priorities and they mightn't be the same order as ours, but it looks very much to me that he is holistically looking at the quadruple.
I'm still not convinced that's possible and think the risk of losing all is high.

you think there is a high risk of us losing to watford in the fa cup final?

rubbish

 

[Neville Kneville]

Not sure I entirely agree with "we are almost there with the title".

I think there is a very decent chance of both teams dropping points, but if we drop them at Palace, it's us who are more likely to drop more than Liverpool. Win it & we reach a point where Liverpool have to play 2 games v Barcelona as well as keeping a 100% record in the league. They can't imo.

If we beat Palace, they may well drop points v Chelsea. Fuck up & it's almost a free hit for them.

 

[carlosthejackal]

Apparently we have won 3 out of 11 games against British sides in Europe , Network solutions twice and Linfield !! That needs putting right next Wednesday

 

[Neville Kneville]

You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
My biggest disappointment in that game was that the game looked like it could be won and was expecting the substitutions at least 15 minutes earlier.
Your judged on your last game and we made one fuck up that cost us, but the overall play was sloppy, I thought.

However we're only 1-0 behind and still in three competitions.
Pep will be judged on the final outcome of the season. It's just the way it is. same for the players.
Domestic treble and I couldn't care a jot about the CL.
PL and Carabao and I still won't be upset.
FA cup and Carabao and I'll have regrets over what could have been.
CL and Carabao and after the euphoria I'll still have regrets about not seeing out the PL.

Pep has his priorities and they mightn't be the same order as ours, but it looks very much to me that he is holistically looking at the quadruple.
I'm still not convinced that's possible and think the risk of losing all is high.

We were running the game when we chucked the goal away.

 

[s1ty m]

Surely Pep will unleash KDB, Sane and Mendy in the second leg, and hopefully Bernardo as well. Immediately gives us more threat, and having watched the game at some ridiculous hour on Wednesday morning when I saw the line up I thought that was Pep's plan.

Also when does Sterling start taking penalties? Aguero's record is a bit hit and miss for how great he is.

If Gundogan is on the pitch, he should take them. Kun has taken enough dreadful ones, tbf.

 

[northstandgiveusasong]

You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
My biggest disappointment in that game was that the game looked like it could be won and was expecting the substitutions at least 15 minutes earlier.
Your judged on your last game and we made one fuck up that cost us, but the overall play was sloppy, I thought.

However we're only 1-0 behind and still in three competitions.
Pep will be judged on the final outcome of the season. It's just the way it is. same for the players.
Domestic treble and I couldn't care a jot about the CL.
PL and Carabao and I still won't be upset.
FA cup and Carabao and I'll have regrets over what could have been.
CL and Carabao and after the euphoria I'll still have regrets about not seeing out the PL.

Pep has his priorities and they mightn't be the same order as ours, but it looks very much to me that he is holistically looking at the quadruple.
I'm still not convinced that's possible and think the risk of losing all is high.

Pep definitely has his priorities. Sane and De Bruyne were never going to come on any earlier. I don't get why people can't understand that they were only on the bench for an emergency and to make the opposition think a bit too. All this nonsense of "should have come on earlier" was never going to happen apart from a stretch of legs for 8 minutes to keep them ticking over.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Delph's charge sheet is vast and varied, yet Pep has been forced to use him because of Mendy's injuries and Zin also not available.

We can point to his red cards at Wigan and Leicester but he was also at fault for the first goal last season in the 4-3 defeat at Liverpool.

He was also at fault for United getting it back to 1-1 at half-time away.

He was also at fault for failing to clear the ball against Lyon at home?

He was also at fault for the penalty diving in at Swansea.

When you break it down like that, it's a miracle Pep and this team has achieved what it has with him anywhere near the starting line-up.