Leverkusen (H) | CL | Post Match Thread

Unfathomable starting lineup and tactics and a very poor display. The subs improved things marginally but by then the damage was done. There was an outburst of laughter, enhanced no doubt by sheer frustration when Savinho fell on his backside at the end, how on earth he managed to remain on the pitch is beyond me.

We take an absolute age to actually get a shot away, the only reason Reijnders appeared to shoot in the first half was because the crowd were screaming at him to do so for half a minute as he kept passing up the chance. We have a constant desire to play rondo passes through a packed defence then lose the ball, or revert to passing back or to the side.

I have just got home, my hands and feet are cold and I have to be up for work at 05.30. It will take me ages (but not as long as it takes us to get a shot off) to unwind and fall asleep too. What a disappointing evening and what a waste.
 
Plenty of gripes before the game with the build up in stadium.

Three lads in front of me spent the entire game screaming and watching the Chelsea game on their phones.

Lad next to me also watched the Chelsea game on his phone too. Had to take a picture I was that shocked.

Lack of atmosphere due to the clubs stance on ticketing, a few times the players gestured to the crowd to up the noise and it just couldn't happen.

Poor selection all round from Pep, no idea what his thinking was there, but it cost us dearly.

Have to worry about the future of the squad in some instances, long term contracts for Rico Lewis and Savinho who just look way off it at current.

Actually thought Khush and Ait Nouri did look alright, but Marmoush was very disappointing too.

Take the loss on the chin but we lack leaders at the moment.
 
HelloCity said:
It’s pretty obvious that Pep has had a hissy fit with the team and dropped pretty much everyone to send a message because he was pissed about Newcastle.

Cut his nose to spite his face here and it could cost us top 8.
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That is not what he did. He gave those players to make a case as to why they deserve playing time, and they did nothing. Marmoush might as well have not been on the field.

I’m generally positive about things, and I’m not too worried about the loss because we’ve generally played well in the CL.

But it is concerning that these guys who don’t play get an opportunity and completely disappear. Lewis, Marmoush, Khusanov who is not right back. Air Nouri who I also don’t know what position he’s best in, but whether he’s struggling for fitness or lacking confidence he’s not starting 11 material and doesn’t look close to challenging Nico O, who’s not even a natural LB.

Savinho did as much good as bad, I think he honestly has all of the physical tools, but I don’t think he’s the smartest player, and also he’s a bit of a head case. His mental is too up and down and you can see how it affects his play. He tried hard but as of now he’s not good enough for this team, definitely not as a starter.

Were we stupid to let Jack go? I genuinely think he left because he wanted first team ball, and I get it. I also think he left because of the off field stuff which was caused by the pressure of the spotlight of being the 100 million dollar man at city. But he would honestly be better than most of our wing options at the moment.
 
Semper aggressus said:
How fucking long are we going to be patient with Savinho and Bobb? Both absolutely fucking shit.

Sell both and get some proper quality, productive attackers in.
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Bobb is still trading off 1 goal at Newcastle 2 years ago - thats it. Dribbles round in circles, passes sideways or loses the ball. Lightweight and easily thrown off the ball, doesnt score goals and useless defensively.

The drop off from the likes of Mahrez, Sane and Sterling to Bobb and Savinho is alarming. At least Doku has started throwing a few decent performances in but generally the drop off in our wide players from the threat and goals they used to give us is alarming.
 
Marvin. said:
You were saying that about Doku last season. Bobb is very young. You have to give players time. We lost that game not because of Bobb and Savinho but because Pep made so many changes and because the players let the occasion pass them by. That's partly Pep's fault as well as he should get in their heads.
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Bobb is 22. He’s a few years away from his prime yet but he’s not very young.
 
CTID1090 said:
That is not what he did. He gave those players to make a case as to why they deserve playing time, and they did nothing.
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Not that I disagree, but then do that against Bodo fucking Glimt on the fucking road in fucking January in fucking tits-freezing-off Norway after we know what we need to qualify for the fucking next fucking round.
 
He’s the perfect age to be playing second fiddle and supporting act to a more experienced winger who can show him how to elevate his game to score and assist more. Sadly we don’t have one
.db. said:
Bobb is 22. He’s a few years away from his prime yet but he’s not very young.
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burning blue soul said:
We have not one player who can grab a game by the scruff and turn it around. Not one.
In our prime we had at least 5 in every match day 11.
There is no ingenuity or inspiration.
It's football by numbers and when the wrong type of player is bought the whole team becomes ordinary.
We are just mediocre right now.
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Think that's it, they all hide.

It's why we can't turn a game around and collapse under pressure.
 
blue whippet said:
Unfathomable starting lineup and tactics and a very poor display. The subs improved things marginally but by then the damage was done. There was an outburst of laughter, enhanced no doubt by sheer frustration when Savinho fell on his backside at the end, how on earth he managed to remain on the pitch is beyond me.

We take an absolute age to actually get a shot away, the only reason Reijnders appeared to shoot in the first half was because the crowd were screaming at him to do so for half a minute as he kept passing up the chance. We have a constant desire to play rondo passes through a packed defence then lose the ball, or revert to passing back or to the side.

I have just got home, my hands and feet are cold and I have to be up for work at 05.30. It will take me ages (but not as long as it takes us to get a shot off) to unwind and fall asleep too. What a disappointing evening and what a waste.
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Genuinely upsetting to read posts like this. Really sorry to had to go through that tonight - match-going fans deserve better, all things considered.
 
I don't normally come on after a defeat because it's not the time but fuck me that was awful. One of the worst performances by a Guardiola side. And I'm still defrosting my bollocks off the side of my leg
The team selection was arrogance or delusion. This team were Bundesliga champions less than a year ago. But Pep puts out a second string.
Backward sideways turgid passing. Never looked like scoring in a million years. Ake and Stones looked like pensioners. Lewis wouldn't get in Oldham's team.
Savinho. Whoever chose to turn down whatever money Spurs offered, if it was more than five pounds should get sacked immediately
 
The problem also lies in the midfield, I like Tijanni and think he brings the technical and physical presence we’re use to, along with Nico, but there is some creative element missing. Something is off with the system at the moment, because I don’t remember this team ever being so heavily reliant on bits and pieces of magic to win consistently. Certainly Kevin is an almost irreplaceable players and he came up with so many moments of magic, and we did start to lean on him a bit for the creativity and assists but still when we would sit players out the system was so good, players could just slot in and the system would make the chances. Whether Haaland was out or whether Aguero was out.
 
117 M34 said:
We will finish outside the top 8 now and have 2 play 2 extra games. Then pep will moan about fixture congestion.
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He could have won that game easily had we played our strongest side, or one close to it and then managed the 2nd half.

I suppose this is part of Pep. He is an arrogant manager. It shows that he doesn't understand his team or has temporary aberrations.
 
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