Champions League Final | Post-Match Thread

Marvin said:
i find it annoying that so many City fans have turned against Sterling. His form has slipped because he's no longer an automatic starter. He was no better or worse than any other City player today.
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I always had the feeling that Sterling is a confidence player, when he is full of it he can be unplayable but once he loses it it takes time for it to turn back around.
 
Apologies for the essay, needed to occupy myself after the game.

Last nights performance personified the issues that have been creeping in for a season or so. We are a team of gifted players, bur bar KDB most of our major match winners have been replaced by supporting cast. We lack match winners in key positions against top teams, we lack physical speed and mobility in central area's and we have no focal point which, when we don't have the ball for 70 of the 90 minutes, means we do not convert possession to goals at the rate we sometimes need.

Our recruitment has not acknowledged key weaknesses and a focus on technical ability has overbalanced the squad with potentially the best group of water carriers ever ensembled. It's may be an old fashioned concept but speed vital in the game, it is an asset we lack in 9 of 10 positions. Pep's best City team IMO had a fresher KDB, Ferna a few years lighter in the legs, plus Sane and Sterling in form. All mobile and technical. Central forward height is also massively useful to turn possession into chances when facing a team of organised quality defenders. I think the speed which our best players came has caused a massive issue as we try to replace them slower to create a better flow of top players out the door, but its tough to watch as it feel like we are not proactive V's (hopefully) securing years at the top if they can realise we must have better balance.

I mention this because I believe the team performed better this year than they should. Pep made changes to the pace the team moved forward, as well as to the amount of creative freedom. We saw the ball being recycled even more and players berated for poor turnovers or bad decision in the final third. All to limit turnovers and reduce the amount of counters we faced. Dias helped and pulled the defence together and suddenly we believed. Others had issue's and we went on an incredible run that will define this season more than one loss ever could. Pep should be praised for this alteration of style it is unlike him to restrict the players in the last phase of play but this year he altered for the good of City.

Still Pep has made some shocking calls in the past against teams we could of steam rolled, just like our players he seems to have mental block in the latter stages of the Champions League. Last night was different. Last night City came up against their Kryptonite a team we had lost to recently, who felt they had the beating of us. Managed by a top manager, organising them and playing a system that nullifies the false 9. A team wounded from a defeat in a cup Vs a team that has played 5 truly competitive games in weeks and IMO hasn't looked at its best for a couple of months. Most importantly they didn't seem burdened by the need to win the Champions League they wanted it but it didn't own them and our team seem over awed in several games in the Champs league. Dortmund was tougher than it should of been, a 17 year old ran parts of the game. PSG 1st leg 1st half was a nervy affair. This game amplified those nerves a 100 times.

Last night I think Pep knew Chelsea would bypass the CDM with pace and passing as they have against both Rodri and Fernandinho already this year. So he removed them in hope of having one more creative player to overload the back 5. Something we have massively struggled with on several occasions. It didn't work. However putting a CDM in last night would not of seen us give the ball away less freely due to the nerves. It wouldn't of stopped Werner's pace scaring us and allowing him to run Dias 5 yards too deep instead of stepping up at the key moment, and it likely wouldn't of prevented Mount sending in a great ball to a run that should been tracked better.
As for the inclusion of Sterling his pace made sense to allow an out ball compensating for the lack of a central striker. Unfortunately without the ball on a plate in front of goal weekly he has been found wanting as a top, top player. He needs constant management to keep his confidence high and seems to over think almost everything. It's a shame his instincts are as sharp as his brain as I believe he's a very intelligent guy trying to implement the managers plan who just doesn't have the cutting edge needed to carry this team as is needed.

All said, Chelsea beat us because their system works against ours, we may be the better team over a season and the varying levels of opposition, but head to head they have the beating of us right now.

Still despite the negativity a loss breeds, we have had an amazing year. Seen some great football, dominated possession in a way others haven't done in the PL before, and all without a CF. Foden looks like everything we dreamed and he is one of our own, his goal against Dortmund in the 1st leg after a few missed chances gives me all the hope in the world for him, that was a winners reaction.

Next time....it will be ours.

CTID
 
My ideal team for next year

Ederson
NewLeft back
Stones
Dias
Lapirte
New. rightback
Fernandinho
Kante
KDB
Grealish
Torres
Kane
Sterling
Foden
Bernardo

Bye-bye Gundogun Rodri Mahrez Cancelo jesus

Walker Ziv maybe one more year.

I'm truly sick of Gundogun and Rodri
 
Obviously very deflating but its now history. We will no doubt strengthen and be even better next season. It will take a great team to get near us again. Players have the summer to get this out of their system. They will be even more hungry to get to the CL final next year. Bad season by our standards only the PL and CC. Well done to the players 1 game every 3 days. RESPECT.
 
Well it was what it was , surprised at line up yep. However I wasn’t particularly worried as I thought perhaps. It was quite clever to get a quick couple and then bring Fernandinho on ( mainly to avoid cards/ being a man down etc) . Gamble err ok. But what I didn’t expect was was we got everyone seemed shit scared , overawed by the occasion or something. I even thought perhaps there’s been a bust up , a row something was “off”. Any way we still nearly got out of jail. Ah well I am much much calmer now than a couple of hours ago.
Our time will come , we are inevitable..
For those slagging Pep and individual players , especially those advocating sacking Pep.. why ? When ? & who would you replace him with and how many of our targets do you think would sign without him?
 
coolcity said:
Garbage. How many times have we playedf teams off the park, they've defended like hell and grabbed a goal on the break? It's partly the way we play, and tonight was a bit like that. I don't think we were as bad as most are making out but their defence was good and they hit us on the break. At the end of the day it was a one goal match with few chances. Anyone reading this forum that hadn't seen the result would think we'd lost 6-0.
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Chelsea could have easily scored six , and with a decent striker would have , the first thirty minutes was all Chelsea they then scored a goal and played to their defensive strengths , we needed a DM to stop them in the first half which we have played with for 99% of the season and would appreciate not replying to my posts with comments like garbage , i respect other peoples opinions perhaps you should do the same.
 
Marvin said:
i find it annoying that so many City fans have turned against Sterling. His form has slipped because he's no longer an automatic starter. He was no better or worse than any other City player today.
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I find it annoying and bizarre why Pep played him. He kept their LB quiet, but otherr than that...shite!
 
Plain Speaking said:
How can you be sure without seeing a proper replay? If it's not a penalty, then why not show us the footage?

It feels like a cover up. I just want to know the truth. At the moment I feel like we're been screwed by VAR can someone get proper footage? I want to know whether to boo at future CL games ;-)
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Never a pen but the block on Kev should have been a red.
 
Luke The Blue said:
This exactly, we don't think we have a right too win every game, however when the manager doesn't play your strongest team in a champions league final it's gonna make fans think what if? And also piss them off
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And such criticisms are perfectly fine. What I despise most of all are those of us who feel that criticisms of performances by the team = 'hatred' of the club. It's not hatred, it's mere exasperation and disappointment.

Guarenteed, no Blue would ever abandon the club after a CL Final defeat; just lament on what might have been.
 
Silvaguerro said:
My ideal team for next year

Ederson
NewLeft back
Stones
Dias
Lapirte
New. rightback
Fernandinho
Kante
KDB
Grealish
Torres
Kane
Sterling
Foden
Bernardo

Bye-bye Gundogun Rodri Mahrez Cancelo jesus

Walker Ziv maybe one more year.

I'm truly sick of Gundogun and Rodri
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Did Gundogan shag your missus because by god have you been on a rampage tonight about him! The man is our top goalscorer and won us nearly 20 points from a number 8 position - if you can name me a player in world football that has done similar then you've done well.

Give it a rest though, it's fucking boring.
 
jimmygrimblesboots said:
We wouldnt have won the title this season without Gundogan , his goals won games and 18 points into the bargain, i understand you dont like him , but put a well though out reason for your dislike and we you might be taken seriously.
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All right -here's a well thought out reason - or several. Gundogun doesn't support the defence, can't prevent counters, is a sitting duck on the counter, moves slower than a tank, is not creative - certainly no patch on David Silva, doesn't provide enough assists, can't shoot, loses his man constantly on corners, can't tackle.

He did get goals this year but they were tap ins mostly, helped by cancelo and Bernardo doing the donkey work in the middle he failed so miserably to do
 
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