We missed chances, while they were clinical sure enough but the defence let us down more in the goals we conceded for me.
City lost their shape when Real's first goal went in and I don't think that happens if Walker was able to play 90mins(even if they did still grab a goal). All Real did was up the intensity and lob balls into the box. Dias shouldn't have fell for Benzema's attempt to win a penalty, just be close enough to block the shot and pull your leg away as soon as he looks for the contact. That was the nail in the coffin.
On the other side of it, people can take it all out on the team and dismiss the officials all they like but they played a big part in how extra time fizzled out(where Real really won the game... because the tie was level going into it). The ref went from letting challenges go when that's what Real needed. To never having his whistle out of his mouth, which conveniently enough, was exactly what Real needed at the time. The time keepers, went from giving 6 minutes stoppage time(just what Real ordered) to 3 minutes stoppage time, where less than 1 minute of football was played and he whistled early to add insult to injury. If the roles were reversed, City grab a goal at the end of normal time and the board would say 3mins, which would be Real's signal to waste was much time as possible(where as he was telling Foden, Sterling, Gundogan and Grealish to get up for the same type of fouls in normal time).Why keep up the facade and not just end the game when Benzema buys his penalty from Dias? Just end it there like you clearly wanted it to.
That said, we already know we have to play games while thinking about not giving the refs chances to shine for UEFA, as well as the oppositions attackers.
Yes the defence had to be rejigged and I think it might have even finished 0-0 if Walker was able to play 90mins. Had he came off and then we concede etc it would have been easier to take but we kept them to no chances after Walker came off while scoring what should have been the deciding goal ourselves. So there's a sense that these same players could and should have been able to match any intensity Real showed in stoppage time and extra time. Ake would have been a safer choice to hold the lead I thought but maybe he just wasn't as ready as Zinchenko. As much as the second goal had a bit luck with the deflection on the way through, I think him and Grealish could have done a little better stopping those crosses coming in from the left for the Real players to attack with everything they had.
Same old story unfortunately and I think that's handed Liverpool yet another CL trophy. There's no way I see Real winning that game, we were better than them, we had them and they escaped by the skin of their teeth(done that one to many times to win the whole thing, very rare you see a team do that). However bitching and moaning and calling the players or manager shit wont do anyone any good. We go again next year.
I'm going to log off for the night before the energy vampires sap what little enthusiasm I have left for the season completely. Nothing to do but focus on the league now. CTID!
