Basel (H) Post Match Thread

[inchy14]

It's time to move on from the ZInchenko experiment at LB. He's done well as can be expected as a fill-in but last night he was awful and against Chelsea he could have easily have seen red for that stupid challenge in the first half which could have cost us dearly. Nothing personal against him but he isn't a LB and is weak physically and defensively.

So who did you want there last night? If he'd played Danillo there Walker would have had to start, better to continue the experiment and give Walker a rest imo.

 

[The Riot Club]

On reflection I'm not bothered by last night, in many ways it was good - more game time and learning curve for young players, and a wake-up call about complacency and too much sideways passing. Already through, and no injuries. A game under Jesus's belt after injury too, he was never going to be 100% yet still scored before his lack of games showed and he tired. Similar with Stones and Laporte, they need games. Diaz looked good when he came on too, very direct.

Not sure why anyone would criticise Bravo, no keeper would have stopped those shots, he was horribly exposed. I thought he did well when he came off his line too, good confidence and decision making.

Of that XI, only Sané will start at Stoke I think, and maybe Bernardo or Gundogan.

 

[Fred_Quimby]

Was really angry last night. Yes we were crap and to our standards not a good game BUT we stand by them through thick and thin because we are CITY and WE DO NOT BOO THEM. Rant over.

 

[Blue Hefner]

No midfield, full backs both had stinkers, Zinc looks like the run of games has caught him up, centre halfs all over the place, Jesus nowhere near upto pace.

Sane & Bravo standouts & Diaz also from limited time.

If Gundogan out the early chance away to make it 2 we'd have battered them.

However, through so job done.

More or less agree. although I think Gundogen should be doing more when he is the more senior midfielder in the team(in terms of pecking order)

Too much passing for the sake of it. Not helped by Jesus being way off and not being able to contribute much after the goal

 

[stan bowles]

Gundogan continues to frustrate the fuck out of me.

He should be capable of taking a game like tonight by the scruff yet he barely ever broke the lines and moved with the ball.

Very irritating.

Yes he was anonymous the whole time he was playing. Very disappointing from him.

 

[John Oliver]

A disappointing second half but in the end no damage done and KDB, and others, given a much needed rest. In a season of unparalleled success there have been very few poor performances and sometimes we fans expect too much.

I’m not sure where Gundogan was playing last night. In retrospect I wouldn’t have played Yaya - though I didn’t think he played too badly- and given Gundo central defensive duties, as in the Chelsea game, to see how well he coped.

 

[inbetween]

Still don't think Stones and Laporte are a good pairing, they are far too similar players and both haven't quite adapted yet to this way of playing. Stones has shown it earlier in the season but his lack of game time is showing.

Having Otamendi or Kompany in there is the balancing effect, particularly Otamendi who is far more mobile than any of the others. For me he is the best defender in Europe right now, no-one else does what he does.

Gundogan had an okay game and he is getting a lot better. The young lads also actually had fairly decent games and again they just need time. Jesus is the same, he is slowly coming to fitness and he did all that we ask of him and that is score.

Sane was fantastic in points and Bernardo had a decent game too... For me everything that went wrong could be explained by unfamiliarity with what is being asked. It was basically a new team, Yaya hasn't played that amount of minutes since last season.

We are through with no injuries and we have given the young lads some vital experience in probably the hardest competition there is, that is all that matters at this point.

 

[inbetween]

The only thing that worries me from watching last night is what happens when 21 and 17 don't play, it scares me.

You could say the same for every single team.

Imagine if Barcelona didn't play with Messi or Suarez, Real Madrid didn't play with Bale or Ronaldo and look at PSG the other night without Neymar.

The biggest miss last night was not those two it was Fern and Otamendi. Put those two in and we would of won.

 

[GX Blue]

Jesus and Danilo were very poor.
Young Phil needs to bulk up asap.
I dont think Yaya was as bad as some are saying but he certainly is not good enough anymore for our squad.

Sane looks like he's back on top form.
Also, lets not forget KDB, Walker, Otamendi, Ederson, Aguero, D.Silva all have had a good rest and Fernandinho and Sterling will come back with their batteries fully charged up.

Looking good for going into the final couple of months of what has been a great season.

 

[dickie davies]

Was really angry last night. Yes we were crap and to our standards not a good game BUT we stand by them through thick and thin because we are CITY and WE DO NOT BOOK THEM. Rant over.

 

[bluetonium]

Questions will inevitably be asked now on our attitude going into the final stages of the season, and whether our 'second string' are good enough. Luckily, i don't think Pep will let it become an issue and there are a good 5 or 6 who will step into the team for Stoke anyway. Pep will certainly use this as an example of how things can go wrong if you take your foot off the gas, especially in a knockout competition.

Diaz is special though, has always had that ability to glide past players at speed with incredibly close control and actually head towards goal, if he can do it against a physical team like Basel then the signs are good for him and us.

At least Basel had a go, so well done to them. Supposedly superior teams have come to the Etihad and show much less ambition this season, and got absolutely nothing for their trouble. Bloody good job we got 4 away though, or else it could have been an uncomfortable last ten minutes. If they'd given up then we'd have drawn and not be feeling so sore today despite the tame efforts we made in the second half to play.

All in all, we can afford to not be too critical of Danilo, Zinchenko etc, as it is their first full season and injuries have left us playing them more frequently that we may otherwise have done. But it certainly highlighted to me in a big way how Yaya just can't be the fulcrum in Pep's system, he prefers to slow it down and play the pass, essentially doing what the centre back behind him also want to do, when what we want in that midfield position is one touch and on, or first time to keep it moving and drag people out of position. He's a blue legend, but as long known his time has come unfortunately.

 

[mekonmcfc]

I don't like to complain after the season we have had so far, however that was a shocking performance, traffic was a nightmare getting there as usual for a night game, paid £50 for me, Mrs and son and it was a complete waste of money. I don't remember a forward pass in the 2nd half. I don't think i'll do the champions league cup scheme next season as majorly disappointing !!

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

good game for Pep to point to as something that cannot be allowed to happen for the rest of the season.

Nice little indicator of who could be used to raise funds in the transfer market this summer.

 

[BlueRain]

As an exercise in not expending too much energy and not getting injured the game was a total success - as a football match... not so much.

I'm not sure if the instructions came from Pep or if the players decided on their own (I presume it came from Pep) but it was obvious that 1st team players (Laporte, Stones, Gundo, GJ, Bernado etc) weren't giving 100% and Laporte & Stones were not going to get involved in anything too physical - they just tried to force Basel players wide and block crosses - the only exception to this was Sane who gave near 100% in the first half.

I thought Diaz looked promising - Foden not so much last night, maybe just an off game?

Yaya - I hate it when blues start attacking him, it's not his fault his legs have gone!!! Pep played him FFS - he tidied up at the back a bit and pinged the ball around... just what he was supposed to do - the blue shirt isn't a time machine, it won't suddenly make him 5 years younger! (sorry rant over!)

Supporters deserved more than that - but booing the team at full time? The team that is 3 games away from wining the league, a cup already won and into the last 8 of the champs league - playing the best football we (and the league) have ever seen... come on... get a f****king grip

 

[mekonmcfc]

A disappointing second half but in the end no damage done and KDB, and others, given a much needed rest. In a season of unparalleled success there have been very few poor performances and sometimes we fans expect too much.

I’m not sure where Gundogan was playing last night. In retrospect I wouldn’t have played Yaya - though I didn’t think he played too badly- and given Gundo central defensive duties, as in the Chelsea game, to see how well he coped.

Its hardly unparalleled success so far, we have won a cup. It would be unparalleled if won everything. Alas we cant do that anymore, so its a season similar to what the rags have done, and Barca/Madrid have done. If you're speaking of City alone then we did the double a coupe of years back. Winning 3 trophies this season would make it unparalleled for any city team.

 

[stan bowles]

So who did you want there last night? If he'd played Danillo there Walker would have had to start, better to continue the experiment and give Walker a rest imo.

I agree 100% but I'm saying Zinchenko is not good enough to play LB going into crucial games going forward. If his inclusion allowed for the rest of Walker then I agree that's a positive. In previous games he has showed an ability to take care of possession but last night he was both very sloppy in his passing and weak defensively (not the only one mind).

 

[Citizen in Pakistan]

For me Diaz should be ahead on the pecking order instead of foden, not saying this because of his yesterday's cameo but that boy has something about him, foden needs a bit more time, Diaz has a bit of ronaldo about him i feel

 

[waspish]

The worry of stones and Laporte who were always on there back foot instead they were mainly backing of when Basel came at us and the none block by laporte for there 2nd goal was piss poor!

 

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

I was talking to my mate on Sunday. About 13 years ago, he had to put down his much loved Rottweiler Miller. Now my mate nurtured old Miller from a puppy and now he was approaching 13, his back legs gone, incontinent, in pain and having nightmares. Now over the course of about 12 months, poor Miller was weeing all over house and it was getting worse. I couldn't help but think those last 6-12:months turned thoughts of a once fit n healthy dog into memories of a incontinent weak animal. So last night, I watched arguably the greatest player in our history turn into Miller. ( not Roger) So sad to see,because I love YaYa, but the memory of his goal against Villa in 2014 is fast being replaced with performances like last night. He was by no means alone last night,but this is YaYa Toure we're talking about. CTID.

 

[mosssideblue]

A really disappointing match to sit through - made worse with sitting in a traffic Jam and Motorway closures and getting diverted half way round the country, finally getting home at 2am.

Still, we are in the hat