Leverkusen (H) | CL | Post Match Thread

[mattyads]

I understand people's frustrations with the line up but to me it's totally on the players.

Bobb, Lewis, Reijnders, Savinho, Marmoush, Ake, Nouri etc. These guys are so fucking far off the pace its painful.

We've just got no competition for places. Everyone knows the best starting XI bar Rodri and that's damning for those on the bench.

Savinho, Lewis, Bobb, marmoush absolute gash

It’s easier to point out who’s any good

 

[dadnlad]

Bobb, Savinho, and Reijnders are certainly not impressing.

Spurs would have paid at least 60m for Savinho. Let that sink in….

have you any proof of this myth

 

[MillisleBlue]

Had hoped for a positive response to the Geordie defeat. Oh well, tonight's team selection shows exactly why I'll never understand the mind of a genius. Well played, lads. Superb management Pep.

 

[Goodlove]

I don’t want to see Savinho in a city shirt again. No fight, no bollocks. Mard arse.

 

[ysmsa]

Recently hes been playing well. Perhaps you need to go back to the match day thread

He has improved granted but still needs moving on.

What is worse is the fact we went back and bought Ait fuckin Nought!

 

[Blu1]

We are at a big cross roads & the club need to get a grip. We are just drifting & showing far too much loyalty

 

[Dodge]

I would like to see RAN given a go at right back.

So he can jog back in that position as well? Gave nothing tonight. Going forward or defending. Thought he was a great signing but he was one lazy fucker tonight.

 

[Superted Lichfield]

Rubbish in, rubbish out. We have seriously lost our way over the past 2-years. That was a shitshow of the first order, totally unacceptable from the manager; people pay a lot of money following City and deserve a team selection that respects both them and the opposition - tonight did neither. Added to this, it is fairly obvious that our recent signings are not good enough, no spirit, no 'balls'. We could laugh at our 'bad-old-days' performances and results, but we have moved into a wholly different league in terms of justifiable expectations so when this is served up, along with the bottling at Newcastle (and Villa, and Brighton and v the Spuds), along with the clearly obvious fact that without Haaland we are effectively toothless, questions need to be asked, and Pep & Khaldoon needs to answer them.

Nailed it. Win tonight and we got of the CL and we can afford to mix it up in Madrid. Shameful team selection from the manager. The senior management team have lost their way.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

Haha, go on Pep. He knows exactly what he’s saying and doing.

 

[super_city_si]

That adage rings true

Hard work beats talent if talent fails to work hard

 

[Trickyblues]

How do I get a refund?

 

[argyle]

Ake, Ait Nouri, Bobb, Marmoush and Savinho all rated only 4/10 by the Manchester Evening News .... the lowest mark.

The better side definitely won there, we just didn't look to have any idea, never mind penetration!

All of those players need shipping in the summer. Or loans in the winter.

Transfers and squad managment has been complacent and awful for a few years now and it shows.

 

[Mr HJ]

Stones played well.

Can't think of anything else positive to say.

He did ok but slowed the play down to a walk which was exactly what they wanted.

 

[SWPISHOME]

Agree, we have gone from being probably the best run club, best team and squad, decent to good transfer windows to this in 2 years.

Pep has lost his magic, had no answers last season, not impressed this with 5 defeats already despite spending a fortune in 2025 with most poor signings that hardly any of them improves last seasons starting 11 and has seemingly lost his magic in coaching as not improved a single player and we look a disjointed mess all over the pitch.

We are bullied, out muscled and out paced by most teams and the squad planning has been dismal with the least threatening set of wingers, our new left back who cannot defend and is out of position so often, and 1 goalscorer only in the squad and a very weak midfield and no creativity.

The fact we still employ the worst set piece coach in Europe sums up the running of the club and settling for mediocrity these days.

A new coach with fresh ideas could be a good thing next season as think after 10 years, players have heard it all from Pep and just arnt motivated anymore

Very good post.

 

[Winchester]

Glad I froze my bollocks off for that.

Glad I couldn't make it

 

[borassic]

I would add fans losing interest to that list as well.

I know it’s a shit night to go to the game and we always get a weird crowd in CL games, but there was a real sense of apathy in the ground tonight.

it's a lot of money to spend right before the last pay cheque before xmas to watch that fucking garbage

 

[johnny crossan]

"Something was missing" too right Pep, respect for your opponent and the fans.

 

[blueandy1mac]

Thanks pep, ruined my 70th.
The arrogance of that team selection was astonishing, and his biggest ever f up after rodri in champs league final.
Disrespected the fans, who paid for that.
Disrespected the team, who want to play.
Disrespected the club, in every way.
Disrespected BL and the bundesliga.
Disrespected the competition, ok, f them.
By half time he knew what he'd done, but it was already gone, 2nd goal felt inevitable.
If you play the league cup, midweek ream, make sure you're playing Bristol city or Rotherham.
That was unforgivable.
Love pep and will always be thankful, grateful, insert adjective, for everything he's done, but I'm sorry something is sadly wrong when we do fhings like this.
Just to compound thungs, northern cancelled our train home.

 

[eyalluvitt]

I think when we start getting nostalgic for Alvarez it shows how bad things are

I just feel he was quality in games like this when you want to rest the main man

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

No, just how quick some turn after such amazing, amazing success. It’s almost rag-like. Infact, no. It’s rag-like.

I’ve travelled 150 miles to watch that, going home tomorrow, another 150 miles.
I’ll be doing the same on Saturday and the following week but that team selection is unforgivable.
He’s picked a team he wouldn’t have picked in a third round FA Cup tie at ANY lower league side.
I’ve never known him take a CL so unseriously, unless we’ve already qualified and I can be pissed off about it, in spite of the last few years.