Most football fans know that finals are fraught with risk. Pep made a huge tactical blunder. I don't think there was anything lacking in commitment on City's behalf and in the 1st half we had some good situations. 2nd half the game was destroyed by spoiling tactics, and losing de Bruyne was a huge blow. Trying to break CFC down is very difficult. The first goal was crucial and you got it. I don't have a clue whether it was a pen as I never watched the highlights, and they never showed a replay in game. If it hit the defenders chest and then ricocheted onto his arm then that's not a pen. I thought that was a red card challenge and Rudiger was very lucky to get away with that.
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Champions League Final | Post-Match Thread
- Thread starter mccity
- Start date
Bill Walker
Well-Known Member
BadI'll watch it again just to see things I didn't see first time round. I don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing lol.
Watching that game again will refresh the feeling of nausea
I'm liking this games result to my recent Astra Zeneka vaccine, took me a few days to get over the effects.
Im worried it could turn into something more serious, even similar to long covid.
My missus has noticed it's effect on me. And assured me that Pep will not do it again.
Ive thought about future though and if we get to the next huge game in the cl we will all be suffering from anxiety waiting for the team selection and will Sterling feature.
wolviedinho
Well-Known Member
Very well said mate.Hello chaps. I've been reading quite a lot of this thread, voyeuristic weirdo that I am.
I decided to register so I could maybe offer a few thoughts from a Chelsea fan that, hopefully, will at least show some empathy towards an online fanbase that seem to be mostly proper football people. Respect.
Item 1: Pep's strategy. This is rightly the headline topic. When my two sons and I saw the starting line-ups just before 7pm we celebrated Ferna not being in the City 11. In boxing terms it seemed that Pep was going to show us zero respect and come out swinging, Rocky Balboa style, from the bell, looking to knock us out. Two early goals and then stick the doormen on would seem to have maybe been his strategy. I won't deny that I felt it was a little disrespectful, but if it had worked he'd have rightly been hailed as a genius. However, and not to sit on the fence, I felt he got it badly wrong. To go with a boxing analogy once again, if I were a City fan I'd have preferred, in a title fight, to cover up and feel my opponent out early on, find my distance, and then step on the gas once I'd got myself settled. Coming out swinging is a high risk strategy because if the knockout blow doesn't land you've basically punched yourself out and will likely get done with some swift counters. It was a big error imho, and gave us a significant advantage.
Item 2: Nerves. If you watch the CL music sequence where the camera pans across both teams, it seemed to me that many of the City lads looked like they were extremely nervous. I think this is totally understandable. City were being talked up as strong favourites, almost expected to win. Pretty much the whole world felt this was the time for City to take it to the next level, having pretty much owned the toughest league on the planet in recent years. That's a huge pressure on a human being. Contrast that with our lot, who only really needed to make top 4 (if we hadn't and needed the CL win we'd have likely been bricking it too). For us it was all gravy, so no shock that we played without nerves compared to your lot. For me this is actually the headline reason why a game between two top sides that was always going to be tight tipped in our favour.
Item 3: The cosmos(!). No team reaching their first CL final in recent years has won. It's actually a part, imho, of what makes the CL worth winning, and is going to taste so f*cking sweet when City win it (and they will, within the next 3 years imho). Noel Gallagher said this week that he didn't want City to coast to a CL title straight after winning their first Prem as it would've seemed too easy, like it was bought. He then said that after ten years City had paid their CL dues. I disagree Noel! Imho you have to get to a final and suffer the abject, unrelenting pain of losing, as we did against Utd in 2008 (at least you didn't have to lose on pens due to a slip from your capo). Only then have you paid your CL dues, and only then will you be ready to come back and win it. Like I said, it will feel 1 million times sweeter for this loss. You're now fully paid up boys :)
Item 4: Luck. There is always luck for the winning team. I felt that the ref slightly favoured us (maybe the bad blood with Pep?). Don't get me wrong, I thought the ref had a decent game and there weren't any super obvious mistakes. But if Anthony Taylor, the f*cking Chelsea hating muppet, had been in charge, you'd have had a pen for Reece's 'chest to arm' thing, and Toni would've likely been sent off for his challenge on Kev. It's all very subjective and I don't offer a definitive view on those two incidents. Just saying that the ref has the subtle power to elevate or squash such moments.
Item 5: Chelsea performance. Chelsea played an almost faultless game. Our defence all made JT level blocks to a man worthy of the huge occasion, without which you'd have scored three at least. Our attack moved intelligently, and if we were as deadly as Phil, Kun, Ilkay etc. in front of goal then we'd have put the game to bed sooner. I'd probably ask to see the post-match Chelsea drug testing if I were you lot :)
Anyway, in the final analysis, the combination of all of the above provided a mountain just a bit too tall to climb this time. It is not, however, because City aren't good enough. They are, and for all the preparations, money, resources etc., sometimes it's the more human things that decide the outcome. This most bitter of pills will not go down easy, but that's how it's meant to be. The benefit will, I guarantee, be felt by the club when you get your next crack, which will be sooner than you think imho.
Peace and all good vibes to you all boys. Football is worthless without significant competitors and obstacles to overcome.
As many others have said, really excellent post. Stick around on the forum - especially as next season I think you will be right up there challenging for the title. If we dont win it, quite happy for you to take the limelight ahead of the evil red empire. And congrats on your 2nd CL win - very well deserved.Hello chaps. I've been reading quite a lot of this thread, voyeuristic weirdo that I am.
I decided to register so I could maybe offer a few thoughts from a Chelsea fan that, hopefully, will at least show some empathy towards an online fanbase that seem to be mostly proper football people. Respect.
Item 1: Pep's strategy. This is rightly the headline topic. When my two sons and I saw the starting line-ups just before 7pm we celebrated Ferna not being in the City 11. In boxing terms it seemed that Pep was going to show us zero respect and come out swinging, Rocky Balboa style, from the bell, looking to knock us out. Two early goals and then stick the doormen on would seem to have maybe been his strategy. I won't deny that I felt it was a little disrespectful, but if it had worked he'd have rightly been hailed as a genius. However, and not to sit on the fence, I felt he got it badly wrong. To go with a boxing analogy once again, if I were a City fan I'd have preferred, in a title fight, to cover up and feel my opponent out early on, find my distance, and then step on the gas once I'd got myself settled. Coming out swinging is a high risk strategy because if the knockout blow doesn't land you've basically punched yourself out and will likely get done with some swift counters. It was a big error imho, and gave us a significant advantage.
Item 2: Nerves. If you watch the CL music sequence where the camera pans across both teams, it seemed to me that many of the City lads looked like they were extremely nervous. I think this is totally understandable. City were being talked up as strong favourites, almost expected to win. Pretty much the whole world felt this was the time for City to take it to the next level, having pretty much owned the toughest league on the planet in recent years. That's a huge pressure on a human being. Contrast that with our lot, who only really needed to make top 4 (if we hadn't and needed the CL win we'd have likely been bricking it too). For us it was all gravy, so no shock that we played without nerves compared to your lot. For me this is actually the headline reason why a game between two top sides that was always going to be tight tipped in our favour.
Item 3: The cosmos(!). No team reaching their first CL final in recent years has won. It's actually a part, imho, of what makes the CL worth winning, and is going to taste so f*cking sweet when City win it (and they will, within the next 3 years imho). Noel Gallagher said this week that he didn't want City to coast to a CL title straight after winning their first Prem as it would've seemed too easy, like it was bought. He then said that after ten years City had paid their CL dues. I disagree Noel! Imho you have to get to a final and suffer the abject, unrelenting pain of losing, as we did against Utd in 2008 (at least you didn't have to lose on pens due to a slip from your capo). Only then have you paid your CL dues, and only then will you be ready to come back and win it. Like I said, it will feel 1 million times sweeter for this loss. You're now fully paid up boys :)
Item 4: Luck. There is always luck for the winning team. I felt that the ref slightly favoured us (maybe the bad blood with Pep?). Don't get me wrong, I thought the ref had a decent game and there weren't any super obvious mistakes. But if Anthony Taylor, the f*cking Chelsea hating muppet, had been in charge, you'd have had a pen for Reece's 'chest to arm' thing, and Toni would've likely been sent off for his challenge on Kev. It's all very subjective and I don't offer a definitive view on those two incidents. Just saying that the ref has the subtle power to elevate or squash such moments.
Item 5: Chelsea performance. Chelsea played an almost faultless game. Our defence all made JT level blocks to a man worthy of the huge occasion, without which you'd have scored three at least. Our attack moved intelligently, and if we were as deadly as Phil, Kun, Ilkay etc. in front of goal then we'd have put the game to bed sooner. I'd probably ask to see the post-match Chelsea drug testing if I were you lot :)
Anyway, in the final analysis, the combination of all of the above provided a mountain just a bit too tall to climb this time. It is not, however, because City aren't good enough. They are, and for all the preparations, money, resources etc., sometimes it's the more human things that decide the outcome. This most bitter of pills will not go down easy, but that's how it's meant to be. The benefit will, I guarantee, be felt by the club when you get your next crack, which will be sooner than you think imho.
Peace and all good vibes to you all boys. Football is worthless without significant competitors and obstacles to overcome.
While we're on ifs and buts - imagine Sterling on the bench and Foden starts on the left. Ederson pings that majestic long ball but it's Phil's first touch rather than Raz. Totally useless thought, but I cant get it out of my head,
Pep is not the time of manager that will get pressured by a player to play him. Ask zlatan or yaya and other he has but heads withAll the apologising Pep did etc before the game about the squad selection makes me think he may have been given an ultimatum by one or two and preassured into playing them. That would explain some inclusions. That result and players now apparently being 'unhappy' are no coincidence. Beginning to think Pep was bullied a little into that squad selection. Maybe it's the whisky talking.
Shaelumstash
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 30 Apr 2009
- Messages
- 8,254
I think you might be forgetting the time you beat us 3-1 at the Etihad under Conté?Cheers mate. Once I wrote my post I thought, 'hang on, Taylor actually waved away a very decent pen shout when we played City in the league recently, and Kurt basically tripped Raheem up from behind'. I did comment to my lads that this was first time we'd got anything from that muppet. Conclusion: he does hate City more than us. I was at the 2017 FA Cup final where Taylor overruled his lino to allow an Arsenal Sanchez goal that was both offside AND handball. Turned out to be pivotal as we lost 2-1. Worst English ref bar none, which is quite an accolade considering how many jumped up attention-seeking muggy c*nts we have officiating here :)
Oh, and in the hope of further empathy in terms of Champions League heartache, check out our CL semi 2nd leg vs Barca in 2009 where pundits and the whole of the Spanish media (barring Barca publications of course) felt we should have had FOUR penalties (I personally felt two nailed and two very strong). We went out on the away goals rule due to a late Iniesta strike which made it 1-1 on the night. That was a bitter pill - believed to be the most unfair CL match of all time, and not least because Barca were UEFA's favourite team and it seemed UEFA didn't want an all English final two seasons running. To put this in a context of pain, it was the season after we lost to Utd on pens in our first final. And in case you are wondering, yes, I'm still salty about that one :)
We absolutely battered you, David Luis should have been sent off about 3 times, and Diego Costa scored a couple, completely against the run of play?
Anthony Taylor reffed that day and it’s widely considered the most biased refereeing performance among City fans in a domestic game in the modern era.
Afterthefact
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 7 Mar 2018
- Messages
- 1,131
I am paradoxically getting more upset about it as time passes.At what point will you be over this final?
a). I was over it on the night. Europe means nothing.
b). It took me a couple of days but im done with it now
c). First signing of the summer
d). First preseason game
e). Charity shield match
f). First win of the season
g). Never
I'm still in a state of bemusement over the final... I just occasionally find myself thinking about it and being bummed out and i dont know when that will go away.
Bluekiwi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 13 Apr 2009
- Messages
- 3,810
- Location
- New Zealand (since 1974)
- Team supported
- Manchester City (from 1955) & Adelaide Crows (AFL)
Great analysis.Hello chaps. I've been reading quite a lot of this thread, voyeuristic weirdo that I am.
I decided to register so I could maybe offer a few thoughts from a Chelsea fan that, hopefully, will at least show some empathy towards an online fanbase that seem to be mostly proper football people. Respect.
Item 1: Pep's strategy. This is rightly the headline topic. When my two sons and I saw the starting line-ups just before 7pm we celebrated Ferna not being in the City 11. In boxing terms it seemed that Pep was going to show us zero respect and come out swinging, Rocky Balboa style, from the bell, looking to knock us out. Two early goals and then stick the doormen on would seem to have maybe been his strategy. I won't deny that I felt it was a little disrespectful, but if it had worked he'd have rightly been hailed as a genius. However, and not to sit on the fence, I felt he got it badly wrong. To go with a boxing analogy once again, if I were a City fan I'd have preferred, in a title fight, to cover up and feel my opponent out early on, find my distance, and then step on the gas once I'd got myself settled. Coming out swinging is a high risk strategy because if the knockout blow doesn't land you've basically punched yourself out and will likely get done with some swift counters. It was a big error imho, and gave us a significant advantage.
Item 2: Nerves. If you watch the CL music sequence where the camera pans across both teams, it seemed to me that many of the City lads looked like they were extremely nervous. I think this is totally understandable. City were being talked up as strong favourites, almost expected to win. Pretty much the whole world felt this was the time for City to take it to the next level, having pretty much owned the toughest league on the planet in recent years. That's a huge pressure on a human being. Contrast that with our lot, who only really needed to make top 4 (if we hadn't and needed the CL win we'd have likely been bricking it too). For us it was all gravy, so no shock that we played without nerves compared to your lot. For me this is actually the headline reason why a game between two top sides that was always going to be tight tipped in our favour.
Item 3: The cosmos(!). No team reaching their first CL final in recent years has won. It's actually a part, imho, of what makes the CL worth winning, and is going to taste so f*cking sweet when City win it (and they will, within the next 3 years imho). Noel Gallagher said this week that he didn't want City to coast to a CL title straight after winning their first Prem as it would've seemed too easy, like it was bought. He then said that after ten years City had paid their CL dues. I disagree Noel! Imho you have to get to a final and suffer the abject, unrelenting pain of losing, as we did against Utd in 2008 (at least you didn't have to lose on pens due to a slip from your capo). Only then have you paid your CL dues, and only then will you be ready to come back and win it. Like I said, it will feel 1 million times sweeter for this loss. You're now fully paid up boys :)
Item 4: Luck. There is always luck for the winning team. I felt that the ref slightly favoured us (maybe the bad blood with Pep?). Don't get me wrong, I thought the ref had a decent game and there weren't any super obvious mistakes. But if Anthony Taylor, the f*cking Chelsea hating muppet, had been in charge, you'd have had a pen for Reece's 'chest to arm' thing, and Toni would've likely been sent off for his challenge on Kev. It's all very subjective and I don't offer a definitive view on those two incidents. Just saying that the ref has the subtle power to elevate or squash such moments.
Item 5: Chelsea performance. Chelsea played an almost faultless game. Our defence all made JT level blocks to a man worthy of the huge occasion, without which you'd have scored three at least. Our attack moved intelligently, and if we were as deadly as Phil, Kun, Ilkay etc. in front of goal then we'd have put the game to bed sooner. I'd probably ask to see the post-match Chelsea drug testing if I were you lot :)
Anyway, in the final analysis, the combination of all of the above provided a mountain just a bit too tall to climb this time. It is not, however, because City aren't good enough. They are, and for all the preparations, money, resources etc., sometimes it's the more human things that decide the outcome. This most bitter of pills will not go down easy, but that's how it's meant to be. The benefit will, I guarantee, be felt by the club when you get your next crack, which will be sooner than you think imho.
Peace and all good vibes to you all boys. Football is worthless without significant competitors and obstacles to overcome.
Coincidentally as I type this I am copying the 1988/89 Season VHS to USB and have just seen City beat Chelsea at the Bridge. So we can beat Chelsea, Pep jus has to work out the how. Tuchel has succeeded three times to beat us in a very short space of time but we'll have another go against you next season and hopefully we will get the favourable result.
Stick around as it is refreshing to see sensible posts from opposing club's fans rather than the rubbish from those (mainly reds) who are jealous of our success.
LangleyBlue1970
Well-Known Member
What an absolutely brilliant post.Hello chaps. I've been reading quite a lot of this thread, voyeuristic weirdo that I am.
I decided to register so I could maybe offer a few thoughts from a Chelsea fan that, hopefully, will at least show some empathy towards an online fanbase that seem to be mostly proper football people. Respect.
Item 1: Pep's strategy. This is rightly the headline topic. When my two sons and I saw the starting line-ups just before 7pm we celebrated Ferna not being in the City 11. In boxing terms it seemed that Pep was going to show us zero respect and come out swinging, Rocky Balboa style, from the bell, looking to knock us out. Two early goals and then stick the doormen on would seem to have maybe been his strategy. I won't deny that I felt it was a little disrespectful, but if it had worked he'd have rightly been hailed as a genius. However, and not to sit on the fence, I felt he got it badly wrong. To go with a boxing analogy once again, if I were a City fan I'd have preferred, in a title fight, to cover up and feel my opponent out early on, find my distance, and then step on the gas once I'd got myself settled. Coming out swinging is a high risk strategy because if the knockout blow doesn't land you've basically punched yourself out and will likely get done with some swift counters. It was a big error imho, and gave us a significant advantage.
Item 2: Nerves. If you watch the CL music sequence where the camera pans across both teams, it seemed to me that many of the City lads looked like they were extremely nervous. I think this is totally understandable. City were being talked up as strong favourites, almost expected to win. Pretty much the whole world felt this was the time for City to take it to the next level, having pretty much owned the toughest league on the planet in recent years. That's a huge pressure on a human being. Contrast that with our lot, who only really needed to make top 4 (if we hadn't and needed the CL win we'd have likely been bricking it too). For us it was all gravy, so no shock that we played without nerves compared to your lot. For me this is actually the headline reason why a game between two top sides that was always going to be tight tipped in our favour.
Item 3: The cosmos(!). No team reaching their first CL final in recent years has won. It's actually a part, imho, of what makes the CL worth winning, and is going to taste so f*cking sweet when City win it (and they will, within the next 3 years imho). Noel Gallagher said this week that he didn't want City to coast to a CL title straight after winning their first Prem as it would've seemed too easy, like it was bought. He then said that after ten years City had paid their CL dues. I disagree Noel! Imho you have to get to a final and suffer the abject, unrelenting pain of losing, as we did against Utd in 2008 (at least you didn't have to lose on pens due to a slip from your capo). Only then have you paid your CL dues, and only then will you be ready to come back and win it. Like I said, it will feel 1 million times sweeter for this loss. You're now fully paid up boys :)
Item 4: Luck. There is always luck for the winning team. I felt that the ref slightly favoured us (maybe the bad blood with Pep?). Don't get me wrong, I thought the ref had a decent game and there weren't any super obvious mistakes. But if Anthony Taylor, the f*cking Chelsea hating muppet, had been in charge, you'd have had a pen for Reece's 'chest to arm' thing, and Toni would've likely been sent off for his challenge on Kev. It's all very subjective and I don't offer a definitive view on those two incidents. Just saying that the ref has the subtle power to elevate or squash such moments.
Item 5: Chelsea performance. Chelsea played an almost faultless game. Our defence all made JT level blocks to a man worthy of the huge occasion, without which you'd have scored three at least. Our attack moved intelligently, and if we were as deadly as Phil, Kun, Ilkay etc. in front of goal then we'd have put the game to bed sooner. I'd probably ask to see the post-match Chelsea drug testing if I were you lot :)
Anyway, in the final analysis, the combination of all of the above provided a mountain just a bit too tall to climb this time. It is not, however, because City aren't good enough. They are, and for all the preparations, money, resources etc., sometimes it's the more human things that decide the outcome. This most bitter of pills will not go down easy, but that's how it's meant to be. The benefit will, I guarantee, be felt by the club when you get your next crack, which will be sooner than you think imho.
Peace and all good vibes to you all boys. Football is worthless without significant competitors and obstacles to overcome.