Champions League Final | Post-Match Thread

[The1nvisibleMan]

Well nothing changed with one in the 2nd half. It was exactly the same pattern of play. Chelsea left no space for us to play.

Yeah cos we’d given them a goal so they didn’t have to try

 

[remember arthur mann]

Playing a DM wouldn't have made a difference. Chelsea had our number from minute one.

 

[Chippy_boy]

I know what you mean. I only said the last month because you can normally tell the form players are in
Cancelo had a brilliant 3/4 of a season but has tailed off. The same with rodri.
So for sterling to start was criminal in my opinion. Does he have a clause in his contract that he must start these types of games ?
That can be the only reason why he has started

I just think Pep figured he cannot be shit forever and hoped he might step up. Tbf, Sterling does tend to make things happen sometimes with great runs and running at defenders.

Of course the outcome is always that he kicks his own leg, trips and falls over. But occasionally another of our players can benefit from the melee. Providing they are not laughing too much.

 

[Palerider]

Even with all our attacking talent we hardly had any chances. I think we just struggle against high class counter attacking teams (United?). Still, the Premier League is always my number one target and we have had an utterly brilliant season. Thanks everyone.

 

[inbetween]

Even if Pep had setup differently I still think we'd of found it very tough. Chelsea are a good side, they setup really well for this competition and we were always going to struggle dealing with their breaks. Most teams don't know how to deal with us and the warning signs were there when we played them in the cup, they hadn't changed at all.

This sums up the Champions League though, it's more about game management and hitting when it counts than being the best team. It's one of them where they'll never win the Premier League playing like that but it's perfect for a cup final as the underdog.

I don't know if Pep overthought it but he certainly has met his match in a manager that knows how to deal with how he sets teams up. We could of played for another 90 minutes last night after making the subs and nothing would of changed.

We'll be back, we have played in a champions league final so this will surely spur us on to better things.

 

[Cornish_Blue]

Sterling first name on Southgates team sheet?

He will be, and England will be home before the QF.

 

[DMA's]

yeah especially against a team who play like Chelsea if it was a PSG or a Madrid peps way is fine. Funny though last ten minutes pep through his philosophy in the bin with hoof ball unless it was the players who thought fcuk it get it in the box..

I think panic had just set in Tbh mate

 

[Chris B]

Sick of reading this crap about Sterling shouldn't have been playing. He's scored 10 goals from 31 Prem starts this season. On that basis Chelsea should have lost because they picked Werner - he's only scored 6 from 35 starts so Tuchel could have dropped Werner for the same reasons based on that theory.

I cannot believe that so many people are so naive that they think all you need to do is pick your current best 11 players and you'll win. I can't believe I'm having to say this, but it doesn't quite work like that.

Worked for Chelsea…

 

[Stex]

We were out thought, Chelsea were the best team from start to finish. Tuchel has city’s number with the false 9 situation. Should of changed it at half time, brought a striker on, left it too late.

 

[raybo]

I just wonder if, despite his " I don't care about the referee" verbals, Pep was genuinely afraid that Fernandinho would be targetted by the referee and get an early red card, hence the weird team selection. No other possible theory springs to mind.

Well, just play Rodri instead?

 

[red 2 hats]

Listen I apologise for last night, not on.
Beer and defeat not a good mix.

Apologies to you as well mate, I should steer clear of a keyboard when bladdered and wound up.
Just gutted with how bad we performed.

 

[Chippy_boy]

He should have changed things much earlier, way before half time.

I am wondering if Pep, whilst managing us, has EVER made a change before half time? I don't recall it.

It's pretty unusual generally these days tbf but boy did we need it yesterday. Should have changed it after 10 minutes.

 

[manimanc]

Apologies to you as well mate, I should steer clear of a keyboard when bladdered and wound up.
Just gutted we've how bad we performed.

My thoughts exactly mate.

 

[Cheesy]

Playing a DM wouldn't have made a difference. Chelsea had our number from minute one.

Well I agree that we don't know if it would have.

However, put yourself in the players position when the line-up was announced. Every single one of them would have been thinking "This isn't what has worked so well all season. This is the exact opposite in fact.'

This has to have had an effect on their mentality out there

 

[malg]

Meh......

 

[ws01]

Still can't believe that in the biggest game of the season, Pep decided to go against what had worked best right up until that point. As if he learnt nothing from Dortmund, or PSG.

Playing a guy alone in a position that he hasn't played all season, where he's been largely awful ever since joining us, and moving him from the position that he's finally had a breakout season in. Where he was settled and clearly playing his best football, to having all his weaknesses exposed.

The brain fart to end all brain farts.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

All those whining that Pep fucked up would be the same ones lauding him as a genius if his team selection had paid off last night.

Simple fact is Chelsea were well drilled and nullified our threat, and we made mistakes. Personally I thought the early antics of the referee unsettled our players, but we have to be stronger in that kind if situation.

Still had a great season, and we will learn from this.

 

[bondsman]

Lost to Chelsea 3 times in 2months without laying a glove on them. I think Peo helped them by insulting them in the FA Cup semi where he picked a second team. Azpilecuta comments after game were telling he said ‘the CL trophy had already been handed out’. I’m absolutely devastated let’s not forget Chelsea have struggled this last few weeks and last night we managed 1 shot on target. Just as he gave David Silva 5 mins against Lyon he gave Dinho and Aguero fuck all opportunity to make a difference. Not a single one of our front 5 got going and that was mainly due to most of them starting out of position. Gundogan as DM was a disaster. We didn’t control any aspect of that game.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Sick of reading this crap about Sterling shouldn't have been playing. He's scored 10 goals from 31 Prem starts this season. On that basis Chelsea should have lost because they picked Werner - he's only scored 6 from 35 starts so Tuchel could have dropped Werner for the same reasons based on that theory.

I cannot believe that so many people are so naive that they think all you need to do is pick your current best 11 players and you'll win. I can't believe I'm having to say this, but it doesn't quite work like that.

Picking an unbalanced and experimental line up and formation isnt exactly a recipe for nailed on success either.

 

[the blue panther]

Just thinking about this time next season, when we're in the final, and another 25/30,000 of us will probably make the trip. I'm thinking about that pre match moment when we get the team selection. At that point, we'll probably know - again - whether it will be our year, at last, or whether we've wasted a our money.
I want to go, but, I'm not sure I could deal with it if I was there and this were to happen again.