Champions League Final | Post-Match Thread

[bluemoon32]

Exactly right. Not hindsight either, plenty were saying so at the time. They gained great confidence from their two wins against us and this was mentioned repeatedly in the run up to the final. The 3 points they won at the Etihad were crucial to their Champs League qualification which was another boost to their feel good factor leading up to the final. We were told that the team for the final would be radically different so those two games would be irrelevant, but this is a misunderstanding of the mentality of a footballer. As far as Chelsea’s players were concerned they had already beaten us twice and this was huge for their self belief. Added to the bizarre team selection, we contributed to our own downfall.

It was quite obvious that not one Chelsea player feared us last night, they gained that confidence by beating us twice recently, they weren't just throwaway games

 

[wolviedinho]

Poor de bruyne

Assault by that brute. What a way to end a final. I hope he gets back on the pitch soon. Kane is going to need him next season.

 

[chickaroon]

Chelsea are dippers 2.0 and its peps kryptonite. Solid defensively with a very effective press and just punt it forward to speed merchants.

This is right. How many times did Chelsea try to create from midfield. It was all over the top to speed merchants, as you say. Pep probably thought a regular DM was not necessary. When they scored the game was over.

 

[bluemc1]

Nothing wrong with that. However you're not a top manager therefore you aren't allowed to criticise according to some on here.

if you’d have asked every City fan yesterday 99% would have said that’s the team they want.

 

[mcfcphil]

Never a handball, comes off his chest first.

And in other home truths, Sterling was our best player in the first half and Walker in the second.

Stones had a shocking opening, Dias was caught for pace, while Mahrez was anonymous.

I also thought our own fans there were hardly inspiring, but they aren't daft, they also knew we could play all week and not score with that set up.

I was at the match and if you’re looking for reasons to explain that performance then the fans in the stadium isn’t one of them

 

[BlueAnorak]

Amazing the amount of bollox posted about Pep. He will be more gutted than anyone for this not to come off.

We’ve seen some of best football in the history of the English game since Pep arrived and were only too ready to call our genius manager.

We have become such an entitled bunch in recent years, it’d be good for SM et al to fuck off so some fans can get a reality check an experience another York away moment.

Exactly this. If we did the unthinkable and got rid of Pep, or hounded him out as fans I can think of a Salford club who would gratefully accept our gift.
Complete over reaction to yesterday’s defeat. The last seven clubs (now eight) to contest the Champions League for the first time lost, Chelsea being one of them. It’s all part of the process. Whatever you thought of yesterday’s final it was far better than our previous best effort which was turgid semi final v Real Madrid where we barely left our own half.

What Pep did last night is was and will be forever undefendable.
Yet some people still think the emporer is wearing the finest cloths when in the cold light of day he us in fact he is stark bollock naked.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Dear Pep

What was wrong with

Eddy
Walker, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko
Bernie, Fernandinho, Gundogan
Marhez, KDB, Foden

Picks itself doesn't it. We should have given Pep a fortnight off and told him to come back next weekend.

Oh, and Sergio on at half time to get our 3rd and 4th.

 

[Zinchilla]

Exactly right. Not hindsight either, plenty were saying so at the time. They gained great confidence from their two wins against us and this was mentioned repeatedly in the run up to the final. The 3 points they won at the Etihad were crucial to their Champs League qualification which was another boost to their feel good factor leading up to the final. We were told that the team for the final would be radically different so those two games would be irrelevant, but this is a misunderstanding of the mentality of a footballer. As far as Chelsea’s players were concerned they had already beaten us twice and this was huge for their self belief. Added to the bizarre team selection, we contributed to our own downfall.

Disagree, think they were at their limit in all three games against us which is why the drop off in their other matches. Not about confidence, more about them knowing they had to pay their system, the same used every match, and at 100%. They were scared, for them it was all about right defending. But crucially, we were then fearful of their breaks and it looked like a lot of muddled thinking out there. Not sure when I’ll be able to let this go.

 

[Vic]

Exactly this. If we did the unthinkable and got rid of Pep, or hounded him out as fans I can think of a Salford club who would gratefully accept our gift.
Complete over reaction to yesterday’s defeat. The last seven clubs (now eight) to contest the Champions League for the first time lost, Chelsea being one of them. It’s all part of the process. Whatever you thought of yesterday’s final it was far better than our previous best effort which was turgid semi final v Real Madrid where we barely left our own half.

So a bit like hitting the post when you had an open goal.

 

[Bill]

how did we know he'd fuck about. he rotates in Derbies and semi finals , now a major final . unforgivable.
sooner he's gone the better . we'll still win stuff , these players are too good not to. assuming they are picked of course .

 

[Bill Walker]

With Fern in midfield and a forward line of Foden, Aguero, Mahrez, I'm convinced we'd have scored goals last night.

Gutted, fucking gutted.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Never a handball, comes off his chest first.

And in other home truths, Sterling was our best player in the first half and Walker in the second.

Stones had a shocking opening, Dias was caught for pace, while Mahrez was anonymous.

I also thought our own fans there were hardly inspiring, but they aren't daft, they also knew we could play all week and not score with that set up.

The second paragraph?

 

[Blu3m00n91]

We’ve seen it all at this club and we’ve lived through it. Let’s hope the pain tonight spurs them on for next year. Enjoy the summer. Let’s hope we’re all back at Wembley for the community shield and then Etihad to kick off another year. Up the fucking blues

 

[Citizen in Pakistan]

I'd be interested to know Zinchenko's missus thoughts on the tactics and lineup

 

[Tourist since 1971]

We just didn’t play very well.
Even if Ferna had started, there’s absolutely no guarantee that all the stray passes would have found their mark, all the blind allies run down would have opened up, all the 6 touches in possession would have reduced to 2. We should have lost that by a hatful but Werner was our best defender.
Just a pity that Sergio leaves with same feeling St David left last year. Hopefully it will put extra coal on the fire for next year.

 

[Marvin]

Exactly this. If we did the unthinkable and got rid of Pep, or hounded him out as fans I can think of a Salford club who would gratefully accept our gift.
Complete over reaction to yesterday’s defeat. The last seven clubs (now eight) to contest the Champions League for the first time lost, Chelsea being one of them. It’s all part of the process. Whatever you thought of yesterday’s final it was far better than our previous best effort which was turgid semi final v Real Madrid where we barely left our own half.

Not an over reaction. Pep 100% culpable. But he's also 100% part of a magnificent City side so carry on Pep! We love it.

 

[adelaideblue]

Like to be a fly on the wall with Pep and the owners, end of year review I assume all players and manager go through. Was it a year of a step forward?

 

[East Level 2]

if you’d have asked every City fan yesterday 99% would have said that’s the team they want.

What, they wanted a team without Dino or Rodri? Most in the ground were criticising the decision well before kick-off.

 

[Bluemanc100]

I was at the match and if you’re looking for reasons to explain that performance then the fans in the stadium isn’t one of them

I was in S21 which was a UEFA section with mostly chavs in it... a bunch of us tried to raise spirits but it felt like the writing was on the trophy right from the KO

 

[Shaelumstash]

In fairness to bluemoon while all team selections get some stick the one's that have had the biggest reactions have all resulted in our worse games and in fairness yesterday in the pre-match alarm bells were ringing, said to my lad we are playing with a back 4 and a front 6 when team was announced.

The problem is, when 99% of fans feel like that about the team selection, the likelihood is, most of the players feel the same.

If the players were inanimate chess pieces, Pep’s cunning plan may have had some merit.

But these are human beings with comfort zones and dealing with the pressure of such a big game anyway, throwing a curveball at them and asking players to play in unfamiliar positions in a team we have never put out before, in such a big game was a dreadful mistake.