CL performance in context

[The Man With The Stick]

If we play five in midfield next season we'll be fine. We look a lot better starting with only one striker, seems to suit our possession game.

 

[Santiago Street]

OP still has little City syndrome.
It wasn't old Manchester City amongst Real Madrid, Dortmund and Ajax, it was Manchester City with a squad most of the european clubs would die to have, amongst Real Madrid, Dortmund and Ajax. We have the players to have at least qualified from the group but couldn't hack it for whatever reason, but not only that we pretty much embarrassed ourselves so whatever the media wrote and continue to write, they're correct - when it comes to that particular period in our season.

And you sir have "our owners are billionaires so we should automatically win everything right now" syndrome

You couldn't be further from the truth my friend. What I have is 'look at the squad we have and we shouldn't have done as fucking terrible as we did' syndrome. Didn't think for a minute we would win it, but getting to the knockout was something we have the players to do. We didn't even nearly do that though.

In that case you need to rediagnose yourself as a sufferer of "we didn't do as well as I thought we would but in fairness nobody expected Dortmund to be so good and thereby make qualifying for the knockout stages harder than we thought" syndrome :)

 

[Pigeonho]

And you sir have "our owners are billionaires so we should automatically win everything right now" syndrome

You couldn't be further from the truth my friend. What I have is 'look at the squad we have and we shouldn't have done as fucking terrible as we did' syndrome. Didn't think for a minute we would win it, but getting to the knockout was something we have the players to do. We didn't even nearly do that though.

In that case you need to rediagnose yourself as a sufferer of "we didn't do as well as I thought we would but in fairness nobody expected Dortmund to be so good and thereby make qualifying for the knockout stages harder than we thought" syndrome :)

I hear that's the same as cat aids, so fuck that!

 

[Deleted member 52846]

OP still has little City syndrome.
It wasn't old Manchester City amongst Real Madrid, Dortmund and Ajax, it was Manchester City with a squad most of the european clubs would die to have, amongst Real Madrid, Dortmund and Ajax. We have the players to have at least qualified from the group but couldn't hack it for whatever reason, but not only that we pretty much embarrassed ourselves so whatever the media wrote and continue to write, they're correct - when it comes to that particular period in our season.

When you say most European clubs would love our squad, you're talking about all European squads bar the best ones aren't you? Because players who are on our bench regularly like Rakak Kolo Sincair Kolarov García and even players like Barry and Lescott wouldn't get in the squads of any of the very top European sides. Two of which were in our group. Our squad is just okay, nothing special and compared to the top clubs is quite poor, our core is very good.

Ok then, a strongest first 11 of ours should be doing better in that group - much better. We didn't even make a fist of it though, we were pathetic and with those players available it isn't good enough.

We weren't pathetic. We played well in spells in Madrid and for the last hour at home to them. We did enough tk beat Ajax at home but it didn't quite happen. We were outplayed by a better team at home to Dortmund. The lack of pace in our midfield at Ajax couldn't cope with their pace and quick passing/movement. We were pathetic at Dortmund. But overall I'd say we were more naive and lacking in pace in midfield, more than pathetic.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

If we play five in midfield next season we'll be fine. We look a lot better starting with only one striker, seems to suit our possession game.

A deep lying playmaker in the summer is crucial if we want european succes, bar Yaya our midfield options looks ordinary compared with the likes of Madrid, Dortmund, PSG etc.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Europa league has also been a big disappointment to me especially the exit to a shite Lisbon side. Whether you want Mancini here or not next season it is very worrying our European performances in the past three seasons.

 

[Deleted member 52846]

If we play five in midfield next season we'll be fine. We look a lot better starting with only one striker, seems to suit our possession game.

A deep lying playmaker in the summer is crucial if we want european succes, bar Yaya our midfield options looks ordinary compared with the likes of Madrid, Dortmund, PSG etc.

Our attacking, central and wide, midfield options are severely lacking too, not only compared to the top European sides, but also to the likes of Chelsea Arsenal and Spurs who seem to have a far greater number of options than we do in this area.

 

[The Man With The Stick]

If we play five in midfield next season we'll be fine. We look a lot better starting with only one striker, seems to suit our possession game.

A deep lying playmaker in the summer is crucial if we want european succes, bar Yaya our midfield options looks ordinary compared with the likes of Madrid, Dortmund, PSG etc.

Benat?

 

[Deleted member 52846]

If we play five in midfield next season we'll be fine. We look a lot better starting with only one striker, seems to suit our possession game.

A deep lying playmaker in the summer is crucial if we want european succes, bar Yaya our midfield options looks ordinary compared with the likes of Madrid, Dortmund, PSG etc.

Benat?

Beñat
Modrić
Gündoğan
Dembélé

all of the level we should be looking at.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

If we play five in midfield next season we'll be fine. We look a lot better starting with only one striker, seems to suit our possession game.

A deep lying playmaker in the summer is crucial if we want european succes, bar Yaya our midfield options looks ordinary compared with the likes of Madrid, Dortmund, PSG etc.

Benat?

Personally I'm not a massive fan, really good player but I prefer Gundogan and Fernandinho.