City in the Champs League

[TueartsOHK]

3 clean sheets out of 23 is shocking. The primary aim of a European away tie, especially in the group, should be to not concede.

Not just a problem in the Champions League. Aside from the League cup 7-0 I think we've only kept one clean sheet this season in all competitions (Villa). Some might say that's expected with the way we play but it also means we never control games and we give the opposition hope.

 

[nellyonthewing]

Having watched some of the other European matches this week the thing that stands out for me is the pace that the better teams play at. Its controlled pace though not headless chicken stuff. They move fast in in numbers and that's where our midfield gets overrun then its straight onto the back 4.

When we go forward with any intent we are in disarray if we lose the ball upfield and yes we give it away cheaply.

We get away with it in the EPL because most sides cannot sustain a high intensity game for 90 mins and eventually we break through.

Compared to the chasing down of defenders by Real ,our front 2 are nowhere near as active.

We seriously need an injection of box to box pace...

 

[bluechampion7891]

3 clean sheets out of 23 is shocking. The primary aim of a European away tie, especially in the group, should be to not concede.

Not just a problem in the Champions League. Aside from the League cup 7-0 I think we've only kept one clean sheet this season in all competitions (Villa). Some might say that's expected with the way we play but it also means we never control games and we give the opposition hope.

we also cleanly shat versus newcastle

 

[bluechampion7891]

Having watched some of the other European matches this week the thing that stands out for me is the pace that the better teams play at. Its controlled pace though not headless chicken stuff. They move fast in in numbers and that's where our midfield gets overrun then its straight onto the back 4.

When we go forward with any intent we are in disarray if we lose the ball upfield and yes we give it away cheaply.

We get away with it in the EPL because most sides cannot sustain a high intensity game for 90 mins and eventually we break through.

Compared to the chasing down of defenders by Real ,our front 2 are nowhere near as active.

We seriously need an injection of box to box pace...

i woudnt call Kroos or Modric pacy or box to box players, and they were their only recognized CMs. What they did do was however control the game exceptionally well, and work hard by positionally being correct and press whenever the risk of being by passed was minimum. This is something that our midfield does not seem to do. Number of times Fernandinho goes in to press and the opposition player leaves him behind

 

[trevorriley]

What have all english clubs done in the CL over the last 3 years ? Not much and cant see anybody doing any better for the next 3 or 4 years. The only time an english club does well is with luck of the draw.

European teams are far stronger / better tactics. The problem is playing in the PL week in week out we get in a rut, come up against faster teams better tactics and we are fooked. Oh and shit refs !

Had the two refs decisions gone the correct way we would have had a point away to bayern and 3 points at moscow with that joke of a decision. You cant live off "hads" though...

Its an xfactor bullshit tournement anyhow run by a load of tarts so who gives a fffffffff !

 

[cheddar404]

We don't match a lot of these teams for intensity. I don't know what happened to the pressing game that we were expecting when Pellegrini arrived. We probably do it 4 or 5 times a season or sporadically within matches. We have the personnel to achieve at this level but a lot of these other sides are greater than the sum of their parts whereas we seem to be a lot less than the sum of our parts.

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

From a personal point of view couldn't care less if we are in it or not .watched a bit of spurs last night and it sort of made a change from the same old same old from memory wernt some of our better nights against the likes of Aris and hamburg anyway ?

 

[MeatHunterrr]

We don't match a lot of these teams for intensity. I don't know what happened to the pressing game that we were expecting when Pellegrini arrived. We probably do it 4 or 5 times a season or sporadically within matches. We have the personnel to achieve at this level but a lot of these other sides are greater than the sum of their parts whereas we seem to be a lot less than the sum of our parts.

Last season we pressed much more, this season so far not so much. I think some players are unwilling to press the ball for some reason. Aguero is more than capable of that but he presses sporadically I think.

Jovetic is suited to pressing as well, but he never gets to starting line up for some reason. He is one of the most talented in the squad, we need to play him and also is more direct than Silva or Nasri.

Against Spurs in second half we didn't press and invited them, got a penalty as a reward which thankfully was saved. Against CSKA same thing, losing the ball and when opponent in possession we just went more deep.

 

[cheddar404]

We don't match a lot of these teams for intensity. I don't know what happened to the pressing game that we were expecting when Pellegrini arrived. We probably do it 4 or 5 times a season or sporadically within matches. We have the personnel to achieve at this level but a lot of these other sides are greater than the sum of their parts whereas we seem to be a lot less than the sum of our parts.

Last season we pressed much more, this season so far not so much. I think some players are unwilling to press the ball for some reason. Aguero is more than capable of that but he presses sporadically I think.

Jovetic is suited to pressing as well, but he never gets to starting line up for some reason. He is one of the most talented in the squad, we need to play him and also is more direct than Silva or Nasri.

Against Spurs in second half we didn't press and invited them, got a penalty as a reward which thankfully was saved. Against CSKA same thing, losing the ball and when opponent in possession we just went more deep.

It's something you have to do as a team otherwise there's not much point. When we're really on it, we do it but we don't do it often enough for my liking. We get away with it in the Premier League quite often but I'd still like to see us do it more. With the talent we have in our squad, if we just added an extra couple of % graft, it'd make a big difference.

 

[MeatHunterrr]

We don't match a lot of these teams for intensity. I don't know what happened to the pressing game that we were expecting when Pellegrini arrived. We probably do it 4 or 5 times a season or sporadically within matches. We have the personnel to achieve at this level but a lot of these other sides are greater than the sum of their parts whereas we seem to be a lot less than the sum of our parts.

Last season we pressed much more, this season so far not so much. I think some players are unwilling to press the ball for some reason. Aguero is more than capable of that but he presses sporadically I think.

Jovetic is suited to pressing as well, but he never gets to starting line up for some reason. He is one of the most talented in the squad, we need to play him and also is more direct than Silva or Nasri.

Against Spurs in second half we didn't press and invited them, got a penalty as a reward which thankfully was saved. Against CSKA same thing, losing the ball and when opponent in possession we just went more deep.

It's something you have to do as a team otherwise there's not much point. When we're really on it, we do it but we don't do it often enough for my liking. We get away with it in the Premier League quite often but I'd still like to see us do it more. With the talent we have in our squad, if we just added an extra couple of % graft, it'd make a big difference.

I agree. But I as said, I think we have some players that are just willing to do just what is needed to win and nothing more in PL and in CL it gets punished heavily. (e.g in some cases first half dominance then second half, very complacent), in most cases. It can't be coincidence that City become complacent inside matches even. Under Mancini it was happening too. City are thinking too often, that match is won and as a result players stop working.