Chairman's Interview

[Saddleworth2]

Here's a team with 11 of our best players...do you think it would win?

Foden
Ederson Mahrez Bernardo De Bruyne
Zinchenko Stones Walker
Gundogan DIas Fernandinho

Facile in the extreme. Are you really trying to say that is what Pep did? You know what, don’t bother to answer.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Ha. I’ll leave this discussion there.

Fair enough. He did though. You might argue not well enough but it is a position he has played numerous times succefully.

 

[wolviedinho]

Quarters vs Dortmund and semi vs PSG!

Chelsea in the FA semi? Spurs in the league cup was also dodgy. The PSG and Dortmund games were fantastic and an obvious counter argument. We could go back and forth. In the final we looked mentally weak. Certain games the players go missing.

 

[decmancity]

 

[razman]

 

[SWP's back]

Facile in the extreme. Are you really trying to say that is what Pep did? You know what, don’t bother to answer.

It’s not facile. He’s breaking the argument down so that you understand it. It wasn’t a case of “our best 11 players plus Sterling”. It was players not playing in their best position and a non-DM DM playing in place of a better suited player to that role which messed with the shape and had knock on effects for 3-4 of our best players.

If Pep had the chance to replay that game tomorrow I don’t think he start with that 11 and shape. Or maybe he would, but he’d be wrong to. And that’s why Chelsea are CL Champions with a lesser team.

 

[SWP's back]

Fair enough. He did though. You might argue not well enough but it is a position he has played numerous times succefully.

1 in 60 games it’s been him as DM and not Rodri or Dinho. And it was the CL final.

 

[give it to gordon]

He looks so handsome with his grey , swoon

What did he say , lol

Funny enough my missus thinks the same !

 

[Manc in London]

Good because I’m not selling it. In general I can’t argue with the trophies won but in certain games like the final if pep has not set us up perfect, the players can at times look fragile. The coming back from 1 goal down stat will to some extent back this up.

We looked inferior as if we don’t belong in a champions league final. The narrative that we don’t have any experience and should be privileged to have finally reached said final Is nonsense.

The club has positioned itself as a juggernaut over the last 10 years but mentally fragile in term if historical European achievements. Pep needs to stop giving the players an excuse not to perform. I said it before- pep is our strongest and weakest link. We needed leaders and fighters on that pitch. I did not see us lay a glove on Chelsea.

The occasion got to them and they could not handle the pressure.

Not what I seen but then I am not a specialist in psychology and body language like yourself.

Sometimes, you just have to accept you were beaten by a better team on the day. Whether it be tactical, personnel based, missing chances or making mistakes at the back, it happens. We are playing in a competition against high quality teams where a game can turn on one mistake. There are so many variables involved, some we are not aware of. Putting it down to some faux psychological analysis and body language is hardly the basis of a strong and cogent argument.

The coming from one goal down thing.....what are the context of those games? You use that as a sign of weakness but it does not explain the fact that we have been on lung busting winning runs. It's simply a selective use of stats without context. The kind of stuff that pundits like Merson et al come up with.

 

[wolviedinho]

Not what I seen but then I am not a specialist in psychology and body language like yourself.

Sometimes, you just have to accept you were beaten by a better team on the day. Whether it be tactical, personnel based, missing chances or making mistakes at the back, it happens. We are playing in a competition against high quality teams where a game can turn on one mistake. There are so many variables involved, some we are not aware of. Putting it down to some faux psychological analysis and body language is hardly the basis of a strong and cogent argument.

The coming from one goal down thing.....what are the context of those games? You use that as a sign of weakness but not the fact that we have been on lung busting winning runs. It's simply a selective use of stats without context. The kind of stuff that pundits like Merson et al come up with.

The mental aspect is a valid question that should be discussed on an equal footing to the tactics/formation. Dismissing it out of hand because it does not suit with your own point of view is ignorant. City have the best squad in England which has been proven over the last decade but exposed season after season in Europe. Beaten by ourselves before a ball was kicked.

The formation is the same
The players are the same
The tactics are the same
The manager is the same

I haven’t tried crack cocaine yet or went bankrupt so I’m not quite on the same level as Merson.