CL performance in context

[teddykgb]

It was a hard group no doubt. But results and performances weren't really good enough despite that.

I think most of us would have excused missing out on the knockouts if we'd been more competitive, or played closer to what we were capable of. But we were a long way from that unfortunately.

This sums it up perfectly for me. It was impossible to not see defeat as a possibility when the group came out, but the manner in which it came about was just nowhere near acceptable. Undoubtedly a tough group, but we were barely competitive. That's the problem.

 

[Palerider]

We certainly have had a baptism of fire in Europe over the last 4 years. I think it will be good for us long term. As a club we have perhaps been a bit giddy about it rather than businesslike. I detect a change in our mindset. Anyway my main point is that we have played virtually all the top sides already bar Barcelona.

England - United, Chelsea and Arsenal
Spain - Real Madrid
Italy - Juventus and Napoli
France - PSG
Holland - Ajax
Germany - Bayern Munich and Dortmund
Portugal - Porto

There's no reason at all why we cannot be competitive. None

 

[lightning Rodri]

There is no reason we cannot do really well in Europe, compare Dortmund last year to this year. With very much the same team and same manager.

 

[ManCitizens.]

There is no reason we cannot do really well in Europe, compare Dortmund last year to this year. With very much the same team and same manager.

Difference is instead of winning the Bundesliga they are 20 points behind Bayern. They sacrificed domestic football for the CL.

 

[peoffrey]

English Clubs have sometimes had to sacrifice their domestic campaigns for European success. Just look at Chelsea and Liverpool when they've won it. It takes a long time for a Club to have the kind of squad capable of winning both.

There's not much excuse for our poor Champions League campaign this season. It was the worst ever display from any English Club in that competition ever and I think Europe is Mancini's major weakness. Even the previous season was heavily flattering considering the weakened team Bayern Munich put out when they came to us. We NEED to improve.

 

[momo88]

Well just check mancini records in Cl and see why ( i hate to hear it) he is seen a joke manager or not highly rated.

But in my opinion im not sure but i think the fact how Napoli played against city last year made mancini to become paranoid and switched formations

but the only problem is about pressing !!

 

[Marvin]

True the opponents, Ajax excepted, were very good. But instead of raising our game we made schoolboy defensive errors

 

[Southern Citizen]

I think the fact that both Madrid and Dortmund getting through to the semis has shown that our group was immensely difficult even for the 'group of death' standards. Dortmund outplayed all three teams and they really showed a competence in Europe that they didn't have before. Also with both City and Madrid needing injury time goals to prevent Dortmund from winning on foreign soil you can see how good they can be when they get it right. The other team was a Mourinho team who beat, arguable, the best club side ever to have been assembled in the history of the game to the La Liga title last season. Mourinho of course is renowned for his success on the continent. A very difficult group in other words.

Still I think we've made the same mistakes as last season. Our left flank was left exposed again with the incompetent Nasri exposing Clichy, and unfortunately this gets punished in ruthless fashion in the Champions League. Our build play was painfully slow too and we're not going to break down Champions League defences like that when we still struggle to do so when lesser sides park the bus at their own stadium in the league. I think we do need to change our pressing game, or lack of it in Europe also. If you give good players time and space they will control the game. We were tentative to say the least. What's worrying is that Bobby said he knew what was wrong yet he didn't change a thing.

For us to show signs of progression in the continent I think either Mancini needs to swallow his pride and accept he was wrong and amend his mistakes or we get a new manager in who knows how to win in Europe. I think success in Europe is crucial for us, in context, for our growth and our brand building around the world. I'm sure Txiki and Ferran will be well aware of this and I'm sure they'll hire someone who has good European pedigree if Mancini is to be replaced in the summer

 

[moomba]

Well just check mancini records in Cl and see why ( i hate to hear it) he is seen a joke manager or not highly rated.

His records are not anywhere near joke territory. 27 wins from 59 matches (45%). Comparable with the likes of Wenger (48%), Pellegrini (38%), Klopp (40%) and Mourinho pre Madrid (47%).

He'll need to improve to be seen as a top European manager and he'll need to get beyond the QF's regularly over the next 5 years.

But no way joke territory.

 

[ROCKET80]

For me a major part is the deterioration of the Premier League. We are set up and used to playing a certain way against teams week in and week out. We are even comfortable playing against Chelsea and United.

When we come up against a team that plays a more continental style however, we struggle to adapt. Arsenal being the main example although with them losing their best players we've faired better. The best example of this season is v Southampton at St Mary's. We were not ready for them at all, they played exactly like Ajax did, high intense pressure with quality in possession and we failed to adapt causing mistakes.

I agree with an poster above that the Napoli game has caused Mancini to overthink how we set up in Europe and he'll get this right. I think we'll have a slightly kinder (but still tough) group next season which we will get out of, after that it's the luck of the draw. Also when put in 'context' (that word again) his record in the CL is not as bad as people make out.

All English teams are struggling to adapt to the new form of football that is required for the CL. The last 2 seasons we've produced a winner and a finalist purely out of luck. This season we've been shown up, a tougher group for Arsenal and United and none of us would have made the last 16.