57 shots on goal 22 on target

[onceabluealways]

playing the spanish and german league winners

getting a bit sick of this as an excuse - we are the English champions. How often do you see the rags / Arse and chelsea get so overun that they look like conceding goals for fun. RM and BvD could easily have scored 5 which would have been embarassing

 

[IamJedi]

playing the spanish and german league winners

getting a bit sick of this as an excuse - we are the English champions. How often do you see the rags / Arse and chelsea get so overun that they look like conceding goals for fun. RM and BvD could easily have scored 5 which would have been embarassing

Last season CL playoffs: Ac Milan vs Arsenal 4-0! Arsenal was really poor, looked lot worse than we did last night. We need to get our shit together and start preparing for these games better. It should not be a surprise anymore how does Dortmund or Real play against us. Bobby needs to learn his lesson and pick the right squad to compete.

 

[kinkladz-ade]

If it wasn't for Joe Hart's heroics in both games it would have been very embarrassing.

3-5-2 clearly doesn't work. We have to be a bit more cautious against the big teams like RM and Dortmund and solid at the back. 4-4-2 or 4-5-1

 

[wayne71]

Martin Jol made comments about us not chasing or closing people down last week, we can get away with it against fulham.

Around 55 secs.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19684404" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19684404</a>

 

[TFC]

We are simply not as good as some of us want to believe when it comes to 'stepping up' to this level, a fact unfortunately highlighted by these two CL games.

I think half the current problem is we dont seem to know 'who we are' if that makes sense. Madrid and Dortmund have a real sense of who they are...formation, system, their first choice elevens, and while I know Mancini has to rotate to avoid tiredness, I wish he would settle down a little bit with the changes and just play his strongest team and formation.

That last half dozen games of last season we knew exactly what we were, what neded to be done, and for the most part we were majestic, taking games by the scruff and playing teams off the park. Its alarming to see us carved open the way Arsenal (granted only in the first half), Madrid and Dortmund have.

Fingers crossed we get our shit together on Saturday.

(of course I may just be waffling bollocks, its early here ;)

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Mancini mentioned the work rate, dont worry the players will know after tonight.

they should have known after Southampton.

 

[onceabluealways]

The work rate issue is worrying - Start of last season for 4 months our midfield and attack worked like Barca's when we lost the ball we fought to get it straight back.

Second half of last season the intensity dropped - I like many others just thought they maybe got tired or were saving something for the Euros or just thought they could play without the work and still win.

This season the work ethic is nothing like what it should be. Silva / Nasri Dzeko etc. The amount of times Dortmud players passed and moved and our player just watched as he ran through was frightening. The same poor ethic was there against a Villa team that are expected to be fighting relegation.

The top premiership teams will be taking note and if we don't improve we will not win anything.

 

[Pam]

Martin Jol made comments about us not chasing or closing people down last week, we can get away with it against fulham.

Around 55 secs.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19684404" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19684404</a>

Did you SEE the game?

 

[Happy Feet]

Simply not acceptable.

 

[Eds]

Fuck me we are learning what the Champions League is all about. We beat Ajax home and away whilst Dortmund lose home and away to Real would mean Real have already qualified before we play them. If we nick a point from Real and Dortmund beat Ajax we would be on 8 points and Dortmund on 7. They would have to beat us to qualify! I know it is all ifs and buts but there are four games to play still.