Leverkusen (H) | CL | Post Match Thread

Petetheblu said:
The truth is we look like we have a bigger squad, but a lot of those players can only play if 85% of the first team are playing.

Maybe next season they'll understand Pep ball, but for now its like watching an OCD's sock draw when we swap out more than 3-5 players.

Its very slow progress, but its progress.
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Maybe the problem is Pep ball.
 
Passive players do my tits in stones is a great passer but passive back off player Ake the same Khosovnov O'Reily and Gonzales go to the players to actually try and block tackle a player! Riejnders safe passive! We need to start buying players who engage who can’t be easily be bullied
 
argyle said:
There were many people calling for Pep to go the year before we then won 4 titles in a row.

Hes the best manager.

But the club hasn't replaced the world class players that he had, allowed top prospects to leave and kept poor ones and bought him rubbish players to work with.
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Mourinho was once the best manager. look at him now. The game moved on and passed him by. The same has happened with Pep. The sooner everyone realises this, the better.
 
Scaring Europe to Death said:
Very true and I'm definitely one of those who thinks that we should only make 1-2.changes for every game,.regardless of opponent or competition. That way, Marmoush or Ait Nouri might find it easier to slot in


I suspect that Pep has looked at the new CL format and how PSG won it last season despite a poor start
He probably prioritised Leeds and then next Tuesday's game at Fulham which is fair enough, but did it really require so many changes?
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More fool Pep then, if we have got the squad to deal with Leeds it’s a poor show, get the job done last night and play the kids against Madrid show them the disrespect they deserve
 
Gazza said:
I'd have preferred us to go strong last night and weak against Real Madrid - Better to get the points in the bag.

Maybe Pep was making the point that we don't have a lot of strength in depth.
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He wasnt making any point to the board.

That team he picked was full of international players. The problem is they're just not very good.

Recruitment hasn't been good for a few years or so now.
 
argyle said:
There were many people calling for Pep to go the year before we then won 4 titles in a row.

Hes the best manager.

But the club hasn't replaced the world class players that he had, allowed top prospects to leave and kept poor ones and bought him rubbish players to work with.
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This is the first season it is all his signings, and even that second string cost 400m Euros even with the the likes of O'Reilly, Bobb and Lewis.

Managed decline. The fact no one can get more than one goal in the PL bar Haaland show it is structural problem and he has had 9 years to build a team.
 
half & half derby scarf said:
Mourinho was once the best manager. look at him now. The game moved on and passed him by. The same has happened with Pep. The sooner everyone realises this, the better.
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So after everything pep has done how long will you give him!?

Do you really think a new manager will improve or will improve our chance of winning the league win trophies!?

This talk seems mad from entitled fans or supposed Man City fans wanting the best manager ever gone!
 
I believe Pep when he says the main reason was that he wanted to give a game to players that hadn’t played for a while but he picked too many of them.

I think he is telling the truth and thought it would, on the basis of what he had seen in training, be OK.

I’m surprised as the CL is not the tournament to try that. He apologised and said he has learned his lesson.

I think it’s one of the daftest things Pep has ever done at City but it could have worked I suppose.

Bottom line: Pep is still the best Manager in the World and I wouldn’t swap him for anyone.
 
waspish said:
Yeah agree! Now this is my take! Pep would have watched Leverkuson he isn’t daft he would have known how good they are in the press in the passing out from the back and keeping the ball! Pep probably thought with just 2 days rest against that team we still could have struggled to win! So he gambled with that team! What’s worse playing the same team we played against Newcastle and get beat(yep we would of a greater chance to win) which could effect confidence now those same players will feel if we would started we would of won so there mentality be different now than it would of been them all started and get beat!

It was a gamble by pep!

Beat Leeds we move on we have to beat them
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I'd agree - I think Pep was hoping the players that have been unhappy with not having many mins would bust a gut to prove why they should play more.

Sadly though not one did and his plan backfired. We were disjointed, lazy and reverted to such a slow build up that any well coached side would find it easy to set up to defend. Look at when Doku came on - our build up through John and Nathan was still so slow that when he got the ball he had 3 players closing him down - hard to change a games pattern from the bench.

The worry for me is that when you play a team that is only just above average in the competition and find yourself thinking hey I wouldn't mind half their players you know there is a problem. For me the most concerning thing is that the entire team last night looked poorly coached. These are all good players but not one player thought I need to grab a hold of this match. I can't think of any of that starting 11 that has visibly improved since they've come into the system and that is a big concern. Marmoush as example looked as though he couldn't control the ball - first touch is something that coaching can help yet he looked like he should be starting for Leighton Orient rather than us.

Again I know I keep beating the drum about this but when you go and sign a playmaker - Cherki - you have to stick with him and make him the fulcrum of our attacking play. He wasn't overplayed as he hasn't had the mins of others and here was a chance to let him run the side but Pep put him on the bench and then brought Phil on first who did absolutely nothing in the number 10 role. I actually thought he looked the best of the subs last night and at least tried to have a big impact.

Pep needs to really get tough with this squad, have a set plan and stick with it - last night was just like last winter we reverted to playing slowly, then losing the ball and then worst of all not trying to get it back quickly - the hallmark of a Pep team is to work hard yet some didn't. Savinho, Bobb and Marmoush need taking out of the limelight for a spell as they are visibly crumbling in front of our eyes. That being said they will probably be in the team at the weekend!
 
CTID1090 said:
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.
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Didn't read past Tijanni bringing "a physical presence"
 
skillman said:
There’s no conviction in the majority of those out there last night. And it’s not a one off. None of them willing to take the same risks that Haaland, Foden, Cherki, Doku etc. are willing to take.

It’s really poor. Those players like night should’ve been chomping at the bit to make an impact. And the only way to do that is by standing out. And to stand out you need to take risks. All of them were happy to be another cog in the machine of slow, backwards passing and walking-pace attacks. All of them technically stood where they’re meant to be but absolutely no urgency to make something happen.

I remember when Sterling used to get chances like that game last night having been on the bench beforehand and he’d score 2/3 goals and make a point. Pissed off but channeled it into output. Same with Mahrez. And Sane. Those last night must be pissed off but sulked their way through the game and made Pep’s mind up for him.
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Some of them probably know they are no good enough at this stage and lack the confidence and belief they belong in the team. Our best 11 can compete it seems but the back up is not encouraging. However, making so many changes against a reasonably good team was disrespectful, foolish and in a manner unfair to the players brought in. One to quickly forget about and move on.
 
Watched that last night and just had to digest it.

Newcastle was actually not as bad from us, we probably should have won it if we put our chances away, even if Alan Shearer thinks Newcastle are 1970 Brazil/2008 Barcelona, we had chances and should have won and if we had a referee that was at least decent, we would have.

But last night, second string team or not - you have to be at least trying. The only one I seen with any fight was Nico Gonzalez, ran around like a mad man and I seen him on 3 separate occasions telling other players off for not tracking back - Savinho and Bobb obvs.

When the others came on, obviously the game changed but it was already over but I just can't, for the life of me think why Pep keeps trying Savinho. Everyone can see he's not cut out for it. If he was a 100 metre sprinter, he'd be great for 90 metre's because in this game he's great for the first run but I've never seen a player above League 2 with worst final quality and I've seen some dross in my life from this team. I put money on him being great in La Liga again and looking like a world beater but over here, he just can't cut it.

Anyway, on to the next one, I hope Pep learnt a lot from that game and realises that certain players can't be trusted anymore.
 
Mr HJ said:
I'd agree - I think Pep was hoping the players that have been unhappy with not having many mins would bust a gut to prove why they should play more.

Sadly though not one did and his plan backfired. We were disjointed, lazy and reverted to such a slow build up that any well coached side would find it easy to set up to defend. Look at when Doku came on - our build up through John and Nathan was still so slow that when he got the ball he had 3 players closing him down - hard to change a games pattern from the bench.

The worry for me is that when you play a team that is only just above average in the competition and find yourself thinking hey I wouldn't mind half their players you know there is a problem. For me the most concerning thing is that the entire team last night looked poorly coached. These are all good players but not one player thought I need to grab a hold of this match. I can't think of any of that starting 11 that has visibly improved since they've come into the system and that is a big concern. Marmoush as example looked as though he couldn't control the ball - first touch is something that coaching can help yet he looked like he should be starting for Leighton Orient rather than us.

Again I know I keep beating the drum about this but when you go and sign a playmaker - Cherki - you have to stick with him and make him the fulcrum of our attacking play. He wasn't overplayed as he hasn't had the mins of others and here was a chance to let him run the side but Pep put him on the bench and then brought Phil on first who did absolutely nothing in the number 10 role. I actually thought he looked the best of the subs last night and at least tried to have a big impact.

Pep needs to really get tough with this squad, have a set plan and stick with it - last night was just like last winter we reverted to playing slowly, then losing the ball and then worst of all not trying to get it back quickly - the hallmark of a Pep team is to work hard yet some didn't. Savinho, Bobb and Marmoush need taking out of the limelight for a spell as they are visibly crumbling in front of our eyes. That being said they will probably be in the team at the weekend!
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Very simple. You can put any of those players into the side but what you cannot do, and I repeat, cannot do, is put a huge group of players in that haven’t had chance to understand each others game.

It was a gamble by Pep, that hugely backfired. And he’ll know it.
 
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