PSG (A) | CL | Post Match Thread

[Norbert D]

The marking for what turned out to be the third crucial PSG goal was bizarre. Virtually the full City team within the width of the 18 yard line, I was thinking that doesn’t look very secure. Very similar to what turned out to be the crucial goal when we got beat on away goals at Monaco in Pep’s first season.

 

[Norbert D]

The players are living in a fantasy world were everything will be ok. We won so much I can hear them say, we used to pass to each other no problem and keep the ball. We have no Rodri…..

On and on and on it goes. All you hear after a defeat is that we need to do better and they don’t.

Reality check, stop living on past glories and admit you are now bang average players who were elevated for a few seasons due to pep. Now he is left with an aging squad who can’t pass the ball nor keep it under pressure. Never mind having the stamina to press anyone.

Let’s all pretend everything is going great until the next collapse.

I wrote something similar about a year ago and endured a pile on. The writing has been on the wall since our treble winning season. The reality is we needed a massive rebuild over the next few seasons but this couldn’t start whilst Pep was undecided on staying or going. Oddly enough our form has tanked since he revealed he was staying. My only beef is until we can get players in to play the Pep way, we need to be more pragmatic, get our noses in front and hunker down, last night at 2-0 all we needed to do was frustrate, time waste, everyone behind the ball. They were on the brink of giving up, like Brentford a week ago. But I don’t think Pep can change.

 

[mancity111]

Midfield poor , aged . mistake ridden and leaving an already shaky defense for a carve up.

its happened a number of times this season and things will only get worse until we revamp our whole midfield with pace , high quality passing and ability to keep the ball for long periods of time.

Let the rebuild cometh.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Staggeringly bad collapse from a winning position.
Amazingly though, if we beat Club Bruge we still qualify.

 

[kaz7]

I didnt watch it , thank god , it sounds horrific , can someone give me a short idea what went wrong

 

[Citizen Mike]

does anyone know why Dias was substituted?

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

does anyone know why Dias was

injured Pep said afterwards, we can’t catch a break at the moment.

 

[GeorgeR]

And does anyone know why Savinho came off at half time? Was he injured or just tactical?

 

[Norbert D]

Midfield poor , aged . mistake ridden and leaving an already shaky defense for a carve up.

its happened a number of times this season and things will only get worse until we revamp our whole midfield with pace , high quality passing and ability to keep the ball for long periods of time.

Let the rebuild cometh.

All true. Why are there no defenders or midfielders coming through the academy? We are reported to have one of the best academies in the world but seldom see them becoming first team regulars.

 

[Dave El Magico]

We are moaning because most perceive the problem to be in midfield but we're buying defenders.

Agree that we have problems in midfield, but our defence last night was shocking and showed a need for drastic improvement in that area too. I just hope that the two new defensive signings can help with that. Need a temporary replacement for Rodri asap.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Look, a big chunk of our side is at the end of the cycle. The Prem table does not lie after 22 games - we're 5th after a poor half campaign. We're 25th in the CL and PSG's young, dynamic megabucks side are 22nd. PSG have no excuse whatsoever, for their miserable CL campaign so far apart from last night

I think PSG had some tough matches.
Arsenal and Bayern away plus Athletico, PSV and ourselves . No easy games there.

Stuttgart is their final match who are level on points with PSG. Could be a winner takes all there.

 

[eyalluvitt]

The players are living in a fantasy world were everything will be ok. We won so much I can hear them say, we used to pass to each other no problem and keep the ball. We have no Rodri…..

On and on and on it goes. All you hear after a defeat is that we need to do better and they don’t.

Reality check, stop living on past glories and admit you are now bang average players who were elevated for a few seasons due to pep. Now he is left with an aging squad who can’t pass the ball nor keep it under pressure. Never mind having the stamina to press anyone.

Let’s all pretend everything is going great until the next collapse.

3 years ago we were a level above PSG, now we look levels below. And Pep being out-coached for about the 19th time this season didn’t help

 

[Bluemanc100]

I wrote something similar about a year ago and endured a pile on. The writing has been on the wall since our treble winning season. The reality is we needed a massive rebuild over the next few seasons but this couldn’t start whilst Pep was undecided on staying or going. Oddly enough our form has tanked since he revealed he was staying. My only beef is until we can get players in to play the Pep way, we need to be more pragmatic, get our noses in front and hunker down, last night at 2-0 all we needed to do was frustrate, time waste, everyone behind the ball. They were on the brink of giving up, like Brentford a week ago. But I don’t think Pep can change.

Is the correct answer.. Unless he has his "perfect" team he won't adapt and prefers to play square pegs in round holes... The major flaw in his "genius"

 

[citymad]

I would love to know what Rodri thinks of all this. Hopefully he'll return with a new look team.

 

[AndyP68]

We are moaning because most perceive the problem to be in midfield but we're buying defenders.

I expect we haven’t finished any signing in Jan can’t play this phase of CL.

It’s a constant reiterating of the same gripes, which are being addressed.

It’s not as simple as buying a new pair of trainers.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

I think PSG had some tough matches.
Arsenal and Bayern away plus Athletico, PSV and ourselves . No easy games there.

Stuttgart is their final match who are level on points with PSG. Could be a winner takes all there.

You're making excuses for megabucks PSG. You say 'I think they had some tough matches'. That's the whole idea of the competition - tough matches. They have no excuses given their colossal resources.

 

[StockportJB76]

The midfield legs have gone and Pep knows it. We can still be relatively competitive however, if the mistakes are cut out.
That's why I am so fustrated with Nunes.I do not accept this stuff about him not being familiar with the position. The modern player needs to be flexible and be able to adapt. He is on last chance saloon and lucky to get the minutes he has received this season. He has never got a Prem goal for City, not shown enough in 8 or 10 positions. Pep does not trust him as a 6 also. He is also never going to be a long term solution as a wide left or right. Therefore he may as well embrace the right back position and show some positional adaptability when required. But that position needs defensive discipline and concentration. I really think he was trying to make a forward run similar to the second goal, when trying to intercept. He wanted to show off and it was not the time to do it and it cost us.

 

[bondsman]

You're making excuses for megabucks PSG. You say 'I think they had some tough matches'. That's the whole idea of the competition - tough matches. They have no excuses given their colossal resources.

What are our excuses as we have similar megabucks

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I dont know why people are suprised. What are you expecting with this squad?

I would be expecting seasoned internationals to be able do the simple defending aspects of a game that the EDS and U18s seem to have little difficulty with. Apart from 'picking' known defenders in the starting eleven there appears to be no attempt to form a block when we don't have the ball, and when teams get into our area simple defensive capabilites, which have been apparent for the last four seasons seem to vanish into thin air.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

Some fair points. However, play like we did last night and an awful lot of teams will dispatch us with ease.

PSG - putting in possibly the best performance I've ever seen from them beat us 4 - 2. They were stellar - but one such performance - at home - from their megabucks players in seven matches tells you a lot about that team. They are 22nd - every side is where they deserve to be.