Atletico (H) | CL QF 1st Leg | Post Match Thread

[ONTHERUNWITHTHAKSIN]

Big Big Goal by Kev

They can't just play with a ten man defence next week for the whole game

Phil scared the shit out of them so must start next week

 

[Mancity1980]

They’ll be trying their damnedest!

This is where I feel Pep falls down, because he should be talking about it in the media!

For example;

“We are looking forward to playing in such a formidable stadium against the Spanish Champions, and can only hope they don’t continue to target attempting to get our players yellow and red cards.

Atleti have always been a top team, but their reputation for being overly aggressive, seeking to gain advantage by intimidation, and trying to get opposition players sent off isn’t what I think they’d like to be known for.

As we saw in Manchester, they played a very negative game, often playing a 5-5 with zero attackers, and took every opportunity to hold their faces and roll around unnecessarily. Conversly, had Jack Grealish been on the field any longer than he was, he may have been the victim of even harsher treatment! As it was, he was the most fouled player on the field and was only on the field for about 20 minutes!

I look forward to playing a full 90 minutes of actual football, too, as Atleti are masters of wasting time and killing the game. However, now they’re behind, we may actually see them not time-waste from the first minute. Should they get ahead in the tie, though, I think we all know exactly what will happen once again.”

…..and then I woke up!

The fouling of Grealish was interesting. He is a player that cutely draws fouls and Athletico are a team that cutely commit them. Usually it is down to the ref to make good judgement on such challenges but last night they were just blatant! They were either overly concerned with him or they were losing their heads (a bit like PSG last year).

 

[Bazzmand Show]

They will need to score 3 goals to go through imo as I feel we will score.

They don't have enough attacking movement to scare me now.

 

[Sheik Battle and Goal]

To be fair there was no space anywhere in that first half. Very hard to attack two banks of five and defenders who spring out and then get pulled back into shape like they’re on a tightly wound coil!
I thought we played well, keeping the ball moving to get them tired, which they did, as gaps started to appear in the second half.

I was thinking that we needed someone to get in between their back line and as soon as Phil came on that’s exactly what he did brilliantly

 

[Blue Llama]

That was a right old game of chess. I thought our plan was great, but our passing and crossing let us down 1st half. Rodri in particular, gave the ball away too many times. The subs worked a treat and now atletico have got to come out of their shell if they want to stay in.

If Rodri is as generous on Sunday we will have problems.The dippers don't waste gifts.

 

[BlueAnorak]

I nearly had a heart attack on 69 mins when Pep made THREE substitutions. Let me say that again THREE.
It totally changed the game
More please Pep - You have the squad.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Incidently did Atletico bring a decompression chamber with them to Manchester?

They defended so deep for most of that game that when they got back in the dressing room at HT and FT they would have had the bends.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

Can someone clarify the booking situation for the semifinals? Are all cards cleared except red ones in the second leg, or the yellow ones will count too?

 

[Bonzo Nododo]

A huge amount of police and stewards last night and l had to ask a miserable little jobsworth who defined to assist an older disabled fan.
Every match this l have had the help of either a police officer or steward supervisor who have escorted me across the short gap of less than 50 yards where the away fans come out. I always appreciate it as hobbling out to the B of the Bang corner and then doubling back towards the buses near Mary Ds is difficult for me. Cutting across the empty gap takes literally a minute and the Athleti fans were still kept in.
Well Ms Jobsworth your insistence on not using common sense meant that going the long way put me right in the middle of the away fans pouring out, difficult to avoid on crutches but thankfully they were very considerate and polite in good English.
The best bit was when l was asking her to think again was when she jumped back a bit, dramatically crying out 'don't come near me for no reason. Still makes me smile.
Well Missus, you can be proud of yourself. No help to people and no use as a steward.

 

[Bluechipblue]

To be fair there was no space anywhere in that first half. Very hard to attack two banks of five and defenders who spring out and then get pulled back into shape like they’re on a tightly wound coil!
I thought we played well, keeping the ball moving to get them tired, which they did, as gaps started to appear in the second half.

This^^^
It reminded me of a game of human table football. No space, no attacking intentions and no ambition by Atletico. I feel sorry for their fans watching that shite every week. Felix must think 'what the fuck am I doing here'.