Champions League Final | Post-Match Thread

[northstandgiveusasong]

Feel even worse today about it. I'd got over it temporarily but it's back again. Maybe too much overthinking like Pep. QPR at home might have to be watched later if this continues.

 

[chedlee]

So why untinker it now?

He did what he says he does every single game - he picks a team that he thinks is the right one to win the match. Every game that is what he does.

 

[ws01]

Two days on.

Still angry.

Still disappointed.

Still cannot believe Pep tinkered the way he did.

Medical scientists need to be sent in to study his brain and understand just how he came to make those unfathomable decisions.

 

[ShaunMCFC]

I'm still struggling too understand that selection and performance, nothing positive to take from it, we've had a great season winning two trophies, so why do I feel so deflated.
I was pissed off with Peps selection against Lyon, it cost us big time and didn't think he would repeat his mistake again, but he did, and that's what I can't get my head around, he tinkered and Chelsea played us from start to finish, we could still be playing now and not scored.

I suppose it is progression. He fucked about with the team in the quarters against Lyon, now in the final. Next year we might go all the way without any surprises.

I know what you mean though. If we had lost that game before we won the league I’d feel a lot better about it. Maybe we’re just being spoilt princesses ha

 

[tommy116]

Can't believe i am still totally and utterly pist of after Saturday' game, Its like being in shock and it did not actually happen. I hope I am wrong but I don't think Pep is the manager to win City the champions league, he for some reason bases his team selection for big games on the opposition rather than his own teams strengths and I think the lack of a strong number 2 is an issue here as he keeps on doing this. Bit like Manchini and Peleigrini each helped built this success, Manchini and Pelegrini with the first trophy and premiership win and making titles and Cups a constant, Pep making City the dominant team in England with success that has never been rivaled and now I think the final step for European dominance and Champions league success may need someone else.

 

[birch villa]

Suns out lovely day sat in garden still fuming , normally ov the trust in pep brigade but fuck me what went through his head on saturday it was so obvious

 

[GaudinoMotors]

What a weird defeat, it's still getting worse with the passage of time.

 

[red 2 hats]

I could see what Pep was trying to do and if it wasn't for Rudiger's last ditch challenge to block Foden he would be hailed as a genius today, instead in a typical show of over reaction he is being questioned.

Chelsea are a fantastic side who are brilliantly organised and defensively as good as it gets, they narrow down space so well it gives no room to play in. So I could see why Pep played Mahrez and Sterling high and wide, they needed to be stretched and we had to pull their CBs out wide to create space, plus playing Mahrez and Sterling high and wide it should have negated their wing backs which it did to some extent. They countered us by swarming all around Kev, he never got in the game, Kante was immense for them, which cut off our supply to the players we had high and wide.

I know people are questioning why there was no Ferna or Rodri, but that position in the game was almost redundant, it would have been a luxury having one of them there, a decisive one though and was our undoing for their goal. It was a fantastic ball by Mount though and perfectly weighted as it left Eddy in no mans land. Normally he would sweep up that no problem, but for some reason he was not sharp enough to cut out the danger.

They closed us down really well and disrupted our usual game. I don't believe playing an number 9 would have made any difference as he would have no service anyway they defended so well. Their full backs were exceptional. Mahrez had made Chilwell look silly earlier this season, this game Chilwell was so tight Mahrez hardly got a kick, James is quick and strong and had a very good game, he is just about the best RB in the country at the moment. And they had Rudiger, he was magnificent, what a player, fuck knows why Frank never played him, the lad is a superb defender and his presence made it easy for the rest of the defence as he won everything. They were also dangerous on the counter, Werner's pace gave them an out ball so we never built up a period of sustained pressure, nor could we over commit going forward because of his presence.

It was disappointing to lose of course, but we lost to a better team regardless of who we put out and now its three defeats in a row to them, all of them we deserved to lose because I do believe it is simply because they are better than us, no disgrace in that. Chelsea will get better as well and we have to improve to match them, we have to find a way to beat them. I do not know how that will be achieved, we have enough good players, but they have the Indian sign over us at the moment and what is worrying is other teams will copy there blueprint against us.

Now it is about how we react to defeat, the players will be hurting, the club is hurting, we have to make sure we come back stronger and I am certain we will. We are still Champions of England, first off we have to defend that and win the title again, the CL will come again and next time we will be better for the experience of losing.

A great post, and I agree with it all, except the bit about the emission of Fern or Rodri. Fern would be my choice.
That was the most important position on the pitch, we allowed Kante to dominate the midfield, totally un challenged, he chose the tempo, he controlled the game, he drove them forward and helped in defence, the exact job that Fern does for us, they played one of the best covering midfielders in the world and we didn't.

 

[B\connellblue]

Well that’s our manager and he has delivered 3 of the last 4 league titles. Do you think he tinkered with the team last December?

De Bruynes injury forced his hand. It led to Gundog playing the best football of his time here. Nothing to do with Peps managerial skills ,he got lucky. To play gundog where he did at the expense of Fern in a champions league final just to shoehorn a horribly out of form Sterling into the team was pathetic management. Then compound it by doing nothing when they were cutting through us at will only added to his folly.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

The great fallacy of your post is that there is a line up that won 23 on the bounce. If you look at the teams in that run just about the only nearly consistent choice is Dias and Stones together - both of whom played last night. That apart we hade to cope with covid epidemics, injuries and losses of form and Pep made on average 5 or 6 changes for each match. So we're back to the old choice - which starting line up are you talking: the 23 which had Pep declared a genius or the one which lost last night?

Perhaps I didn't word my post so well. The genius that is Pep is far and away the best coach on the planet - he is different, he is brave enough to do things differently and that's what makes him what he is. Obviously, we didn't have the same line up on the pitch game after game and Pep was dealing with unprecedented circumstances. Last night's line up was only slightly different to what we expected. During a substantial proportion of the 23 wins on the bounce, we had Phil occupying the position on the left where Raheem played and Rodri was on the bench. Phil carries out that role with precision. Raheem on the other hand follows Pep's instruction to the letter. Look at Pep's method of attacking teams all the way through his coaching career when up against a low block - keep the ball on one side of the pitch, loads of five and ten yard passes until the opposition come looking for the ball and lose their shape, 60 yard diagonal to the opposite flank - wide player running at the less congested side of the opposing defence. Raheem does the five and ten yard passes thing exceptionally well, but is out of form, lacking confidence which is maybe affecting his touch. One change to what we expected last night and it made a massive difference. Eddie's ball to Raheem - he controls it but only into James' stride. Two years ago, Raheem controls that ball and scores. Win the game and its genius. That's all I'm saying.