Champions League Final | Pre-Match Thread

[Cobwebcat]

With a supposed worse team, we were on top for most of yesterday. Sergio was stupid to attempt that, but that’s over now.
When we play Chelsea in the final we will be at full strength, thanks to yesterday in part, with a 5th title in the bag. We WILL beat Chelsea comfortably in 90 minutes.
Book mark it if you want. Too many flappers. Too much flapping.

I like it

 

[Cobwebcat]

Imagine peak Yaya in this team.

Every penalty a goal.

 

[Oldtraffordblue1]

Imagine peak Yaya in this team.

Every penalty a goal.

That's the one American Football rule introduction into our game I would struggle to say no to - imagine Balotelli and Yaya taking turns to come on and take a penalty

 

[simon23]

That's the one American Football rule introduction into our game I would struggle to say no to - imagine Balotelli and Yaya taking turns to come on and take a penalty

Elano never missed one either I think

 

[simon23]

Tuchel knows what 11 we will play so to say Pep didn't want to give him a sniff of our tactics is wrong. Today every minute of every match is available to everyone to analyse

spot on...it wasnt about keeping tactics hidden, it was about rotation the loss yesterday.....it showed Pep who and who is not ready to step up....and most arent (Mendy, Sterling (at present) Torres, potentially Jesus, Ake, Cancello (who has reverted to being a smacked arse) and maybe even laporte) - Kun wouldnt get a game even if he was firing and fit...

Pep knows how he wants to play, we know it and tuchel knows it.....however big difference between knowing it and stopping it.....

The big difference between the sides that have lost the last two games vs Chelsea and the 11 that will start the the champs final is that the A-side keep possession, especially under pressure, a lot better, we have the pace of Walker at the back that stops an out ball to their forwrds. Zinchenko keeps possession better than Mendy, is a better passer, better tackler and overall better footballer than that waste of space we had there yesterday. We also have drive and creativity in midfield with Foden and KDB (Sterling and torres provided none).
The only thing that is missing from the A-side is a real goal scorer....a peak/young Aguero would bag 30+ a season in it

 

[Deleted member 87819]

I know people think our starting XI is obvious, and want Pep to “just play our best”, but I don’t think it will be that simple. This will be one of, if not the most tactical UCL finals of all time. Both sides will try to out-surprise and out-cancel each other.
I recommend that people read the chapter in Marti Perarnau’s book Pep Guardiola: The Evolution about Pep’s preparation, in his last season in Germany, for a final of the German domestic cup against Tuchel’s Borussia Dortmund. A great book written by a guy who followed Pep around with close access for a year. Bayern, too, had a very clear and obvious starting XI, but in the book you see how Pep still picked an 11 to match Dortmund’s different formations inside the same game, and a formation that allowed his own team to switch up from time to time. That game ended 0-0 and Bayern won in the penalty shootouts.
It’s not as simple as thinking that we have the best team and that will be enough. There are micro decisions to be made. I expect at least one surprise in the 11 and more surprises in the way that 11 is set up. He has three weeks to think, train and test. I won’t accuse him of “overthinking”; if anything, people have accused him of that so many times that I’d fear far more that he might UNDER-think this one

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

Imagine peak Yaya in this team.

Every penalty a goal.

Imagine Ballotelli in this team. Pep and Mario would have been one of the all-time great double acts.

 

[B\connellblue]

I know people think our starting XI is obvious, and want Pep to “just play our best”, but I don’t think it will be that simple. This will be one of, if not the most tactical UCL finals of all time. Both sides will try to out-surprise and out-cancel each other.
I recommend that people read the chapter in Marti Perarnau’s book Pep Guardiola: The Evolution about Pep’s preparation, in his last season in Germany, for a final of the German domestic cup against Tuchel’s Borussia Dortmund. A great book written by a guy who followed Pep around with close access for a year. Bayern, too, had a very clear and obvious starting XI, but in the book you see how Pep still picked an 11 to match Dortmund’s different formations inside the same game, and a formation that allowed his own team to switch up from time to time. That game ended 0-0 and Bayern won in the penalty shootouts.
It’s not as simple as thinking that we have the best team and that will be enough. There are micro decisions to be made. I expect at least one surprise in the 11 and more surprises in the way that 11 is set up. He has three weeks to think, train and test. I won’t accuse him of “overthinking”; if anything, people have accused him of that so many times that I’d fear far more that he might UNDER-think this one

Well he can forget about us winning a penalty shootout. Why complicate it? Score more goals than them, it's a rather simple game really.

 

[Deleted member 87819]

Well he can forget about us winning a penalty shootout. Why complicate it? Score more goals than them, it's a rather simple game really.

It will be the opposite of simple. Will be one for the books

 

[Oldtraffordblue1]

Elano never missed one either I think

Just need another two then for any penalty shoot outs