City v Shakhtar Post Match

[Dribble]

Wish I saw what everyone else saw in Delphs performance. I thought he was fine, which is a testament to him as he was out of position but he offered little going forward and got caught pinched in a few times. More than pleased with the performance but I didn't see anything that leaves me much less worried versus Chelsea.

Not wanting to moan though it was a very good if wasteful performance. We have been very good at finding that first goal to open the floodgates this season but it took a bit longer this time. It's clearly much easier to play when one is in the net already.

Some of those 1st half passes from KDB amd Silva were gasp worthy. Gundogan clearly has a good sense of weight on a through ball, in the limited time we have seen him he always seems to find one of those that creates a great chance.

Admittedly there was a sense of relief that we didn't get exposed because of a lack of a LB alternative to Mendy, but Delph hardly put a foot wrong & more than proved his worth.

In terms of him hardly doing anything going forward, neither was Walker, which I found odd & can only put it down to the fact it must have been by design, Pep's design.

Delph was assured & linked well with our creative department whilst keeping it tight at the back. Pep said without hesitation that Delph was MoTM & so it seems have the majority of fans.

Where you're concerned, you're as entitled to your opinion as everyone else even if I don't agree with it.

 

[Ballymagash Blue]

Maybe it's time to stop booing the anthem, can't afford to start slow against Napoli.

Agreed. Definitely time to stop booing anthem, if only to stop annoying Pep, which it clearly does. Improving atmosphere is not easy. But we should try. First step is accepting that atmophere at many of these matches is crap.

 

[MarsLlama]

Delph MOTM, Stones, Fernandinho, De Bruyne and David were all great and all three subs made a big impact.

 

[mccity]

Walker did ok enough given he was on his own against some real pacy and skillful wingers. He won't have too many tougher days so I'm satisfied with him.


Gundogan once again showing his promise, looking forward to him getting up to speed.

Also Guardiola is a real master of the half time team talk.

 

[BlueRockape]

2-0 more of the same please

 

[colorado blue]

Maybe it's time to stop booing the anthem, can't afford to start slow against Napoli.

From tv it didn't sound like the booing was as enthusiastic as usual. Only seemed to be for start of anthem unless tv just didn't pick it up.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Sergio isn't an especially great penalty taker, he'll miss the odd one or two a season it's no big thing.

Brilliant goal from KDB but i thought he was quite poor tonight, particularly in the first half, made a lot of wrong choices trying to force it. Not bad though when yyou can have a poor game and still produce a goal like that.

Fernandinho was everywhere, still feel like we're too reliant on him defensively but when he puts in performances like that there's not much to worry about.

Ederson deserves a lot of credit tonight, only made 1 comfortable save of any note but his presence at the back is very commanding and reassuring. His shout to claim the cross before releasing it for Leeroy to win the penalty was heard from halfway up 115 mid song, was superb to hear. his quickness to react to something and close space down is probably the best i've seen, he's absolutely electric in that regards. A lot of money was paid for him but you can definitely see why it was.

He wasn't close to man of the match tonight though, that accolade goes to Delph. A superb performance in a somewhat alien position, looks far more assured there than Danilo does. Different level having Willian/Pedro running at him with Moses in support on Saturday but i'd have more faith in him than Danilo

Thing about forcing it is that because our pressing and recovery play is so much better, and because our FBs are better, I don't mind so much if we have a great potential through ball cut out sometimes early in a build up. Better that than endlessly doinking it round the box waiting until a defensive-minded team comes out of their shell.

 

[citytilllidie]

That team were to a man technically superb, all so comfortable on the ball. You could see why Napoli struggled

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

I thought tonight was one of those occasions when our lesser talented players all performed admirably, whilst Jesus was anonymous, Aguero was trying too hard, and Silva in particular looked sluggish and subdued.
De Bruyne and Sane mixed brilliance with mediocrity, and it was probably the arrival of Sterling that gave us a bit more drive and purpose.

 

[Bluep*ss]

Fernandinho immense. We might have lost it today without him. Motm no contest.

Didn't we sign him from Shaktar - he had a very good game tonight.