Lyon CL QF Post-Match Thread

[M18CTID]

Shouldn’t have come to that though should it? We shouldn’t be relying on 50/50 refereeing decisions to save us. The touch on Laporte was so slight that it wasn’t clear and obvious so I can’t blame VAR for that.
The only person to blame for this result is Pep.
Even if it was disallowed we still lost 2-1.

That last bit is bollocks and is something that winds me up with so many football fans. If their 2nd had been disallowed it would’ve led to a completely different set of circumstances in subsequent passages of play and that last goal of theirs may never have been scored, and certainly not in the exact way it was. After all, if Sterling had put that chance away then they wouldn’t have gone upfield and promptly scored the way they did. Sure, they might still have gone on to win the game 2-1 without the disallowed goal but we might have gone on to win it 4-1. No fucker will ever know what the knock-on impact would’ve been.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

The ref put the whistle in his mouth but didn't blow it,word in the ear

i think he maybe waited knowing it would go to the VAR What he should have then done is gone to the monitor to look for himself. If he’d then let it stand, fair enough.

 

[RiversideBlue]

2 positives after tonight. 1. We get to play in the CL next season. 2. We dont have to play BM.

And a third positive...at least none of us are scousers!

 

[chaddblue]

I would love to hear Peps' answer to this. Hope one of the journos asks him this.

He won’t say it .. but bet he was saving him
For Munich

 

[PragueBlue]

If somehow we had gone on to win this it would be forever tainted with a little sadness and regret that not a single one of us was there to see it

Fuck it... we will have our day one day .. and 40,000 blues will be there having the party of their lives

THat's probably the only sensible positive to take.

 

[bluesince76]

Ok let's say we go out there with our most attacking creative players and formation and then get dicked 3 times on the break.

He was trying to avoid that. It's a one off game with no second leg to bail us out.

There has to be a balance. Yes we were boring as fuck and not the team we are used to seeing but the option above could've backfired drastically.

The players not doing their jobs is what's eliminated us.

We got dicked 3 times on the break despite rarely committing anyone into their box. That takes some doing. Maybe playing midfielders who can run would help.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Said he went 3 at the back because our defenders are slow

£50million John Stones sat twiddling his thumbs while 35 year old Fernandino and Glacial Garcia start

The reason Stones is sat twiddling his thumbs is he cannot be trusted and is a liability. Needs to be sold this window I think.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Did we really expect anything else ? Pep's tactics for 60 minutes were diabolical , the referee got the chance to stitch us up and took it , ultimately Pep's fault , i dont blame any of the players , they played to his plan
If we had played our normal offensive game and team selection it would have been over by half time , because Lyon are absolute dog shite , the Sterling miss , refs decision and Ederson's clanger wouldnt have mattered if Pep had shown some balls.

 

[Bianco1979]

Pep killed us before we even kicked off. If I were one of our big name players I'd be completely bemused by what he's done tonight.

Absolutely agree.

 

[bluemc1]

How can only Aguero be injured out of all our squad and those 11 start that match, huge fuck up by pep tonight
Love him and want him to stay as long as he wants but he 100% overthinks things and we will have a problem in this competition until he stops changing it so drastically for one off big games
Gutted and really pissed off for Silva

chin up Raheem

 

[colinbellsballboy]

Denayer was comical at Sunderland. it was the correct decision to let him go

D'ya think? The evidence says not.....I always liked him when he played for us(when he was a kid).....Sunderland, he was a fish out of water......fuck me, if I was at Sunderland.....I would be comical too. Getting battered, and swamped with his shit team mates.....glad someone saw the diamond in the rough

 

[Danamy]

for those saying pep out who would you get?

For those saying Pep out they need to give their heads a wobble, have a good go on some smelling salts and get a good night's sleep......be careful what you wish for

 

[kinky's boots]

What is wrong with your typing tonight?

Pissed

 

[Trojan63]

Didn’t think I would say this but I don’t think we should be giving Pep another contract. He knew Fernandinho Vinny David Silva and Aguero were coming to the end and had the cash to replace them. The first few months of the season teams like Norwich and Wolves exposed our weaknesses and here we are months later still struggling against teams that won’t roll over and let us play. I don’t think we have won a single game this season when we have conceded first ? Don’t think we lack fight or spirit but Peps whole philosophy seems to be based on the opposition just collapsing and when they don’t we are fucked. Fernandinho absolute legend for the club but at 35 he should be just coming on in last 20 minutes to keep control of a game - not starting at CH or in a back 3 like tonight against pace - this isn’t tactical genius - just common sense - and if Pep can’t even apply common sense then thanks for the memories and move aside for someone who can take us forward.

 

[peter.evans]

Those glaring chances go in, we win and I guarantee we're all sat here smugly saying "Pep masterclass".

We had enough chances to win the game. The players didn't take them. That cannot be the manager's fault.

I agree. Too much slagging the manager when the reality is we have a player who yet again can't put the ball into a fucking empty net when it matters. That miss will be talked about for decades. Utter crap.

 

[Mike Cledford]

To make matters worse l turned BBC on and was glad to see the commemoration of VJ Day from the Albert Hall. The great Willard White was singing with the Massed Bands of the Brigade of Guards. Turned up the sound to see they were doing YNWA. Turned off in a flash

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

Who'd have imagined 20 years ago that we'd all be absolutely fucking fuming at losing a champions league quarter final.

Not having a go at those who are venting their frustrations, but I think there's also a need for some perspective. After a sore defeat this place can become a bit of a torture chamber, leaving you feeling worse and worse until you forget where we actually are as a club.

We are underperforming in Europe, I don't think anyone would disagree. It's been a disappointing season.

But it isn't the end of the world. We've come off two incredible seasons. A little over a month ago we didn't know if we'd play in the champions league for the next two years! We all gleefully told UEFA and the bastards undermining us where to go, even Pep.

Let's not let one failure take away from all that. We can win the champions league next year, or the year after. We can win it under Pep. We can (and surely will) win it once he's gone, whenever that is. We know that regardless of European failures, we can win the league over a season once we patch up our squad. Give me the league any day.

We all know we have big weaknesses. Tonight some were exploited. Top players made errors. Shit happens. We'll strengthen and go again.

It's ok to be disappointed. We all are, bitterly. But remember, when the dust settles, we're still fucking good. Just not the best... yet.

 

[john blue]

Same shit different year,

Pep overthinks these games, instead of us just playing our football,

There is no real leader in this team, the way Kompany was.

We need to bring in a player who would drag them by the scruff of there neck at halftime and chew them out.

what s happened to the " when we lose the ball, we get it back, in ten seconds, when bernado was snapping at the heels , and now we have this come fucking dancing football at the back, on the halfway line,, 10 fucking passes , giving the opposition time to get things sorted. Shite performance, with pep biggest culprit,what the fuck are we playing someone who has told us he does not want to play for us , shit team selection, absolute dire sub selections , foden, silva , and I am sick of hearing from so called experts about how good is laporte is , he is as quick as my fucking mother. peps record on buying players , and his record of buying is fucking rhubarb. I shall now finish my chenin blanc, got to bed , and watch a murder., BASTARDS.

 

[WEMBLEY76]

Can’t help feeling Pep overthinks things and it comes over as bottling it in the big games,too conservative for these opponents,our strength is in attack and he showed Lyon too much respect.

 

[sboroMCFC]

Watch and manage a lot unfortunately. If you can’t see then your clinging onto the great player pre injury

So you write players off based on a few performances after a long term injury? I bet you’re a brilliant manager