AS Monaco (A) | CL | Post Match Thread

Ajm1985 said:
It's laws, not rules and you've used the wrong terms. Playing in a dangerous manner is threatening to injure someone through their actions, while attempting to play the ball, which is awarded with an indirect FK. As he wasn't issued a yellow card, the ref would determine it to be careless.
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Apologies for my colloquial language. Still ends up in the same place.

Careless kick to the face in the box in the box is a penalty
 
Norman kneejerk said:
Agreed, but to have a chance in the CL got to have your worldies firing. Not quite there yet but got a chance if stepping up
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It's still very early season and things will get better, It's a lesson for all the new players and some of the old ones too
I just think Pep tonight was trying to protect some players, he wanted to keep it tight and spread the ball around like the old days but forget about the score, Yes 2 shots hit the bar, but we didn't kill the game off like we should have done,

Look, we all expect far too much from this team because of past glories ? We judge results as poor when really this squad and team tonight is a work in progress that is going to need more time
 
We were fucking awful ! Sat in the main stand behind Alfie. It was very weird to see stunning birds all around dripping in millions of pounds worth of diamonds .
Not like the good old Kippax days
 
Is it a thing in Europe where there is enough doubt for VAR not to recommend overturning the onfield decision? Seems like there was plenty of doubt with the penalty.
 
Mr. Shush said:
The glaring issue is that we are not quick. We do not attempt to press an advantage. Bernardo with his negative passing stops any thought of a counter. And its the same monotony - pass, pass, pass. Recycle the ball across the penalty box endlessly. Teams that deploy a low block - they will take that ALL day.

My only comment on the players is that Savinho has no business being on the left. We wasted points tonight.
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I disagree. We do have quick players, but we do not have the desire to press the ball one on one, two on two, three on three, because we fear the turnover.

We played some fast stuff, and some of the interplay is outstanding, but it would be nice to see some of rondo work end in a shot every now and then, rather than turning around, passing it to one of the defenders and allowing the 5-4-1 defence to settle in.
 
Sleeping_Easy said:
No to be fair with the injuries it’s not good enough. First choice, which if everyone’s fit, I’d say is Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol and Ait Nouri is good enough. Problem is getting our best 11 out on the pitch regularly is easier said than done these days. Not sure if it’s the training or the players but the level of injuries has definitely gone up the last 2/3 years
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Maybe age.

I think Khusanov does improve us in a purely physical sense.

The problem is, at the very top top level, if you don’t dominate games in there entirety, your defenders are going to have to be able to handle one on one situations, usually with speed boat quick forwards.

Khusanov aside, I dont think any of our current defence would see that as their strength. Stones, Dias, Gvardiol, Ake are or have been top defenders, but more in terms of positioning and making good decisions rather than being able to deal with raw pace, especially now a few of them are older. Even that strongest 4 you put fwd would worry me from that perspective.

Agree that is our strongest 4 when all fit though, and it would improve the team overall.
 
1000108108.jpg

Fuckin gutted!!!​

I had this horrible feeling that the brick headed twat Dier would have bearing on the match. I didn't know he'd signed for Monaco until I saw the familiar former Spuds block head lining up for them.

We made a steady start to the match & were comfortably in control, when Gvardiol chipped a ball over Monaco's midfield & defence from just over the halfway line, for Haaland to latch on to. Erling completed the brilliant pass by clipping the ball over the onrushing keeper to give City a deserved lead. 0-1 City on 15 minutes.

HOWEVER, we failed to control the ball & possession after the restart, & Monaco quickly equalised 3 minutes later with a long-range beauty into the top bin past a flailing Donnarumma. 1-1.

We continued to control the game at a steady pace, but Monaco always seemed to present a menace when around our penalty area which meant they remained a counter-attacking threat.

Before half-time, Nico O'Reilly was out to the left after exchanging positions with Doku, when he looped a ball into the box for the Striking Viking to head the ball low & past their keeper to give us a deserved 1-2 lead going into the break.

1000108110.jpg

On the resumption of hostilities, Monaco visibly pushed up the pitch into our half, instead of sitting back as they had during the first half & relying on counters. This gave them a stronger foothold in the game, but we still had it under control & were presenting a major danger to their goal every time we ventured forward.

Rodders was beginning to fade. He was replaced by Nico Gonzalez on 60 minutes after a yellow card & injury scare. This changed the match even more in our favour as we stepped up the pressure, increased our pace & seemed in even more control of an effervescent Monaco.

1000108114.jpg

Reijnders was beginning to show some form again & hit the bar twice.

Foden also hit the bar, but in general Monaco's 5-4-1 formation was limiting our space out wide & effectively rendered Doku null.

We were pretty solid & comfortable in defence. I don't know what the French variant of a whippet is, but that young Monaco side had plenty of them all round, & we had to be wary of their pace on the break.

1000108112.jpg

The more I see of Gonzalez, the more I like him. He's looking more & more like a carbon copy of Rodri, which will hopefully lessen our dependence on the great man as he continues his comeback from his ACL injury.

Gonzalez was pulling the strings from deep midfield & kept the ball flowing by linking the defence & attack.

Bernardo kept control of things from the right, ably supported by Johnny Big Bollocks. Everything was steady & under our control, & then it happened!!

1000108128.jpg

Monaco won a free kick in the final 5 minutes of regulation time. They clipped the ball in, Gonzalez just got to the high ball & flicked it away with his right boot, but column head Dier stooped to head the ball, missed & collapsed on the floor as if he was the fuckin victim of a Charlie Kirk repeat!!

Nico had to go for the ball & his flick meant Dier couldn't get to it. If there was a touch, it was the faintest of touches of Dier's block head against Gonzalez's lower calf, but as we'd seen all game, the referee was awarding fouls for the slightest touch.

This is Europe, where football has become a performative, non-contact sport. I knew what was coming. After the melee between both benches, the ref took a look at the screen after VAR advice & gave the penalty.

To add insult to injury, the fuckin boulder headed cock Dier, strode forward to take the penalty & scored by sending Donnarumma the wrong way.

If the award was the other way around, I wouldn't be complaining, but UEFA seriously need to consider the entertainment ramifications of the watching public, because of referees blowing for a foul for the merest of touches.

City were guilty of acting up too, but we had to learn the hard way that this is how it is in Europe's premier football competition. If UEFA want to challenge the Premier League's viewing dominance, they seriously need to look at the non-contact sport that European football has become.

I don't blame Nico Gonzalez for the penalty award against us, because it would've been negligent of him not to go for the clearance. Gonzalez was just the unfortunate player on the end of the ever softening contact rules which are ruining football.

For his excellent 37 minute appearance & brilliant shadowing of Rodri, Nico Gonzalez is my MoTM.

Over all, City played a classic European away game against a Monaco side who may have had several players out with injury, but what they lacked in high level class, they more than made up for through relentless endeavour & pace, against a visibly superior side in Manchester City.

Tonight's performance was reminiscent of many a European away night that we've had. In this respect, I'm happy to say this game was another step in the right direction toward us returning to the City we've come to expect.

With the improved performance of Reijnders, the excellent cameo from Gonzalez & the control of the game shown by O'Reilly, we can slowly see a changing of the guard at Manchester City Football Club, which will probably take until 2027 to bear fruit imo.

We just need to remain patient & remember that because of our negligence in delaying our succession planning, we're two season behind where our squad should be.

All in all, a point away in the Champions League is nothing to be sniffed at. Roll on Brentford away!
 
People can criticise elements of the performance, Eriling did. But Monaco did not do anything to merit the point they got. I did not think the free kick that immediately preceded the penalty should have been awarded. And then VAR should not have got involved as there was not a clear and obvious error: the ref did not award the penalty in the first place and I think he was right not to as Nico played the ball and Dire headed his foot.
 
Dribble said:
View attachment 171117

Fuckin gutted!!!​

I had this horrible feeling that the brick headed twat Dier would have bearing on the match. I didn't know he'd signed for Monaco until I saw the familiar former Spuds block head lining up for them.

We made a steady start to the match & were comfortably in control, when Gvardiol chipped a ball over Monaco's midfield & defence from just over the halfway line, for Haaland to latch on to. Erling completed the brilliant pass by clipping the ball over the onrushing keeper to give City a deserved lead. 0-1 City on 15 minutes.

HOWEVER, we failed to control the ball & possession after the restart, & Monaco quickly equalised 3 minutes later with a long-range beauty into the top bin past a flailing Donnarumma. 1-1.

We continued to control the game at a steady pace, but Monaco always seemed to present a menace when around our penalty area which meant they remained a counter-attacking threat.

Before half-time, Nico O'Reilly was out to the left after exchanging positions with Doku, when he looped a ball into the box for the Striking Viking to head the ball low & past their keeper to give us a deserved 1-2 lead going into the break.

View attachment 171120

On the resumption of hostilities, Monaco visibly pushed up the pitch into our half, instead of sitting back as they had during the first half & relying on counters. This have them a stronger foothold in the game, but we still had it under control & were presenting a major danger to their goal every time we ventured forward.

Rodders was beginning to fade. He was replaced by Nico Gonzalez on 60 minutes after a yellow card & injury scare. This changed the match even more in our favour as we stepped up the pressure, increased our pace & seemed in even more control of an effervescent Monaco.

View attachment 171121

Reijnders was beginning to show some form again & hit the bar twice.

Foden also hit the bar, but in general Monaco's 5-4-1 formation was limiting our space out wide & effectively rendered Doku null.

We were pretty solid & comfortable in defence. I don't know what the French variant of a whippet is, but that young Monaco side had plenty of them all round, & we had to be wary of their pace on the break.

View attachment 171126

The more I see of Gonzalez, the more I like him. He's looking more & more like a carbon copy of Rodri, which will hopefully lessen our dependence on the great man as he continues his comeback from his ACL injury.

Gonzalez was pulling the strings from deep midfield & kept the ball flowing by linking the defence & attack.

Bernardo kept control of things from the right, ably supported by Johnny Big Bollocks. Everything was steady & under our control, & then it happened!!

View attachment 171127

Monaco won a free kick in the final 5 minutes of regulation time. They clipped the ball in, Gonzalez just got to the high ball & flicked it away with his right boot, but column head Dier stooped to head the ball, missed & collapsed on the floor as if he was the fuckin victim of a Charlie Kirk repeat!!

Nico had to go for the ball & his flick meant Dier couldn't get to it. If there was a touch, it was the faintest of touches of Dier's block head against Gonzalez's lower calf, but as we'd seen all game, the referee was awarding fouls for the slightest touch.

This is Europe, where football has become a performative, non-contact sport. I knew what was coming. After the melee between both benches, the ref took a look at the screen after VAR advice & gave the penalty.

To add insult to injury, the fuckin boulder headed cock Dier, strode forward to take the penalty & scored by sending Donnarumma the wrong way.

If the award was the other way around, I wouldn't be complaining, but UEFA seriously need to consider the entertainment ramifications of the watching public, because of referees blowing for a foul for the merest of touches.

City were guilty of acting up too, but we had to learn the hard way that this is how it is in Europe's premier football competition. If UEFA want to challenge the Premier League's viewing dominance, they seriously need to look at the non-contact sport that European football has become.

I don't blame Nico Gonzalez for the penalty award against us, because it would've been negligent of him not to go for the clearance. Gonzalez was just the unfortunate player on the end of the ever softening contact rules which are ruining football.

For his excellent 37 minute appearance & brilliant shadowing of Rodri, Nico Gonzalez is my MoTM.

Over all, City played a classic European away game against a Monaco side who may have had several players out with injury, but what they lacked in high level class, they more than made up for through relentless endeavour & pace, against a visibly superior side in Manchester City.

Tonight's performance was reminiscent of many a European away night that we've had. In this respect, I'm happy to say this game was another step in the right direction toward us returning to the City we've come to expect.

With the improved performance of Reijnders, the excellent cameo from Gonzalez & the control of the game shown by O'Reilly, we can slowly see a changing of the guard at Manchester City Football Club, which will probably take until 2027 to bear fruit imo.

We just need to remain patient & remember that because of our negligence in delaying our succession planning, we're two season behind where our squad should be.

All in all, a point away in the Champions League is nothing to be sniffed at. Roll on Brentford away!
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Hi Nico.




Only joking. Agree with a lot of what you say but wouldn’t make Gonzalez motm. He was good in a lot of what he did but not sure he should have had his foot so high in the box.
Foden was pretty good tonight as was Erling. Also liked the other Nico.
Personally don’t want to see Stones at RB especially up against a pacey winger. He didn’t look comfortable at all there.
 
Last edited:
Dax777 said:
Apologies for my colloquial language. Still ends up in the same place.

Careless kick to the face in the box in the box is a penalty
Click to expand...
Doesn't matter if your a Yank or a Manc
In European football that's a penalty all day. Not saying I agree with it but that's the standard. CTID
 
ancoats said:
It's still very early season and things will get better, It's a lesson for all the new players and some of the old ones too
I just think Pep tonight was trying to protect some players, he wanted to keep it tight and spread the ball around like the old days but forget about the score, Yes 2 shots hit the bar, but we didn't kill the game off like we should have done,

Look, we all expect far too much from this team because of past glories ? We judge results as poor when really this squad and team tonight is a work in progress that is going to need more time
Click to expand...
Spot on with your final paragraph. We need to lower our expectations, keep in there, develop and see where we end up.
 
A frustrating watch. Maybe we paid the price for not being more proactive in the second half and it always felt like one goal was never going to be enough. That said, it was a contentious penalty decision from a completely incorrect free kick decision which, given the referee’s performance to that point, seemed almost inevitable. It felt like a return to the games of our early participation in the CL which were littered with questionable refereeing decisions.
 
Very harsh penalty but not the end of the world just try and lose the slapdash moments in our play. We weren't outstanding but we were full value for the win
 
Cuban heels said:
We were fucking awful ! Sat in the main stand behind Alfie. It was very weird to see stunning birds all around dripping in millions of pounds worth of diamonds .
Not like the good old Kippax days
Click to expand...
I'd say you watched the stunning birds more than the match if you think we played awful.
Played some decent stuff in parts,hit the bar twice and was it not for a stupid var decision won the game.imo
 
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