Atalanta (A) CL Post-Match Thread

[Fast Forward To The Past]

The only thing missing from that game was the Benny Hill music.

 

[Dr Jacoby]

If we play like we did in the second half on Sunday, we will be trounced. After an impressive first half display, we were remarkably poor thereafter.

It may actually be a blessing in disguise if Merlin isn’t available against Liverpool. We generally appear unconvincing when he plays alongside Gundogan.

 

[Burtonblue]

We were so bad in the Second Half, I actually thought that Bravo's reckless challenge saved us a point. It certainly diverted the attention from Gundogan's original mistake (albeit Mendy's hospital pass being equally guilty), and similar errors from De Bruyne and Bernardo.

My only quibble with the ref was whether the foul on Sterling (for the Free Kick that was originally given as a penalty), was equally worthy of a Red Card.

I thought the same at the time but looking at the replay Sterling was heading away from goal ie to the side of goal so strictly speaking not a direct goal scoring opportunity. I wouldn’t have complained if it had been a red but can understand why it wasn’t.

 

[Odd socks]

I thought it was interesting with all the twists and turns, we started well and I thought it would just play out as a "job done, move on" night.
Plenty of talking points and opinions, some good some ridiculous but everyone is allowed to have their say
The one thing I take from it was how we coped when Walker went in goals, we adapted and saw the game out.
Winning 5 or 6-0, is great but doesn't mean it was a good game to watch, having to adapt and fight for a point I thought was entertaining.
With all the injuries we are still in everything, nobody said it would be a walk in the park but we are and I'm confident we will have something to show for it come the end of the season.

 

[warringtonblue]

It’s probably been said but Bravo made it easy to send him off. He went to get the ball with his left arm outside the area, if he had got it sending off anyway. He should have been trying to tackle with his feet, just because he’s the keeper the rule doesn’t allow him to get the ball with his hand/arms outside the box or even attempt to do so.

So now you can get sent off for “attempted hand ball”

 

[Burtonblue]

I would blame Gundogan rather than Bravo for the sending off.
Bravo was left in the unenviable position of having to take one for the team.
He should have however made more of being kicked in n the head by Ilic to highlight where the contact was deliberately made by the Atalanta player. Being that South Americans are fairly adept at doing a bit of rolling about I don’t quite understand why he didn’t do that the on this occasion...it might have got him off the red as I don’t think tackling with your head is usually an offence (or advisable/deliberate!)

 

[Blue Hefner]

Shouldn't have played Fernandinho, Mendy, Otamendi, KDB, Silva, Sterling, Mahrez, Gundogan, either then? It's a squad game and Pep is always focused on the game ahead not the game after.

Please note ‘can’t really be replaced’. The drop off from Ederson to Bravo is huge. Silva, Marhez, Gundogen and Otemendi are all squad players so playing them is fine

Ederson, KDB, Aguero, Fernandino and Sterling should have been nowhere near the pitch

 

[hammocity]

So now you can get sent off for “attempted hand ball”

If he’d handled the ball it was probably a sending off, the fact he lead with his arm outside the box was a gamble, I’m glad he did it but trying to tackle with his feet would have been preferable. It really made the refs decision easy even though VAR should have ruled it out. It’s no disaster, we’ll top the group.

 

[eversince 76]

The game was what it was. As was the VAR. As I think it was not a penalty or a red card. Bravo slid to the ball. The player left his leg down and that was by no means a natural movement. It was with only one goal: to get Bravo a red card. Despite referee and VAR he got his way. The same player who last week played the ball sideways only to run at Fernandinho with only one goal: To get a penalty. Again he got his way.

Anyways I don’t t blame Bravo where many do for the obvious reason it is Bravo. Short memories. League Cup anyone?
I’d rather blame Mendy and moreso Gundogan for failing to do the simple thing.

 

[SebastianBlue]

it all ready feels better this morning, we are still sitting top of the group and 5 points clear after the other 2 clubs draw so what panic ???

To be honest, with some hours removed to hopefully allow a few on here to calm down...

I actually strangely enjoyed that match. It’s been sometime since I genuinely didn’t know what would happen next.

As I said in the OP, it brought back old memories. And whilst I by no means want to go back to Typical City (which I don’t think last night was, mind — we would have lost if it had been), it is fun to experience an approximation on exceedingly rare occasions when the consequences of it are relatively limited, with the full knowledge that it is the extreme exception, not the rule, as it was for so long.

It’s like visiting your favourite haunt from when you were a teen: you know it’s **** by any real standard (then or now), but it doesn’t stop you from having very fond memories.