Club Brugge (H) - CL - Post-Match Thread

[East Level 2]

Excellent turnout at the Etihad tonight. Selling over 50k tickets when not playing glamorous opposition is a good effort IMHO. Especially coming through the Covid crisis.

I’ve not read the last few pages but I’m guessing there’s Blues saying the real fans weren’t at the game tonight and the ground was full of tourists. That’s bollox but who cares.

Come on Tim; there were loads of tourists last night. Or perhaps it just looked like loads.
Anyway, if "real fans" don't turn up with such low prices then they can hardly be called "real fans" can they? - Whatever a "real fan" is.
Obviously this doesn't apply to those who tested positive, those badly impacted financially by Covid, those who can't do midweek due to other circumstances (including travel) and those for whom even £20 is too high.
As for the game: We looked lost for much of the first half taking far too long on the ball. We were far better after the break but I felt the goal celebrations were a bit muted. I'm putting this down to VAR rather than tourists as the use of technology adds an element of doubt to so many goals. The delay over Foden's goal meant fans weren't going bugshit for the second and third, and the game was dead when we scored the fourth.
Onwards and upwards. We only need a point to qualify and we'll top the group if we beat PSG.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

Left sided option currently better than ineffective Jack Grealish IMO


Foden Jesus and yes even a struggling Sterling.


I`m not saying Grealish will never be good for us, I`m just saying he isn`t good enough at the moment. Maybe after 12 months when he`s modified his game.


IMO

 

[skyblue92]

On another day Cancelo scores rather than hitting the crossbar and their keeper doesn't save from Mahrez, early in the second half

Given that scenario Grealish would have two assists and everything would appear slightly rosier.

Agreed mate them 2 through balls that grealish played to mahrez and cancelo especially was absolute top class

 

[Saddleworth2]

Raheem was good when he came on yesterday I thought. Not sure what to make of Pep's demeanour in the post match interview - he seemed pissed off when talking about Sterling or maybe it was just Pep being Pep.

 

[BringBackSwales]

Doesn't look good for Sterling. From this interview, it looks like he is off in December.

Not sure how you gleaned that mate? I thought Pep was just answering daft questions in his normal manner?

 

[Pingu the Penguin]

A patchy performance. First 10-15 mins were very good and second half was better. Same 2 players Bernardo and Rodri our best players by some distance.

Really disappointed with Grealish again but to think we need to give him time. Equally disappointed with Mahrez. Thought Sterling and Jesus gave us much more energy and directness.

I did enjoy the brief moments when we had Foden on the left, Jesus up front and Sterling on the right. Don’t think id be too disappointed to see that on Saturday.

The pressure on grealish is intense. He could/should have had 2 assists. We have seen others need time to settle to style of play and he’s doing well I think

 

[dad1971]

Doesn't look good for Sterling. From this interview, it looks like he is off in December.

To Tenerife on his holidays ???
Pep answered each question with the contempt they deserved. Same old rubbish trying to push his buttons but he served it back to them. Only one genuine question at the very end.

 

[Marvin]

Come on Tim; there were loads of tourists last night. Or perhaps it just looked like loads.
Anyway, if "real fans" don't turn up with such low prices then they can hardly be called "real fans" can they? - Whatever a "real fan" is.
Obviously this doesn't apply to those who tested positive, those badly impacted financially by Covid, those who can't do midweek due to other circumstances (including travel) and those for whom even £20 is too high.
As for the game: We looked lost for much of the first half taking far too long on the ball. We were far better after the break but I felt the goal celebrations were a bit muted. I'm putting this down to VAR rather than tourists as the use of technology adds an element of doubt to so many goals. The delay over Foden's goal meant fans weren't going bugshit for the second and third, and the game was dead when we scored the fourth.
Onwards and upwards. We only need a point to qualify and we'll top the group if we beat PSG.

What do you mean by look like tourists?

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Come on Tim; there were loads of tourists last night. Or perhaps it just looked like loads.
Anyway, if "real fans" don't turn up with such low prices then they can hardly be called "real fans" can they? - Whatever a "real fan" is.
Obviously this doesn't apply to those who tested positive, those badly impacted financially by Covid, those who can't do midweek due to other circumstances (including travel) and those for whom even £20 is too high.
As for the game: We looked lost for much of the first half taking far too long on the ball. We were far better after the break but I felt the goal celebrations were a bit muted. I'm putting this down to VAR rather than tourists as the use of technology adds an element of doubt to so many goals. The delay over Foden's goal meant fans weren't going bugshit for the second and third, and the game was dead when we scored the fourth.
Onwards and upwards. We only need a point to qualify and we'll top the group if we beat PSG.

I agree that they are not then”real” or superior fans they or their mate believe.

Re tourists, anyone who goes to the game and want City to win is Blue enough for me. Some of the people I bought tickets for last night weren’t really City fans and just wanted to see great football. I agree that we weren’t playing well for 20-25 minutes in the first half but we turned on the magic in the 2nd half.

The Etihad is normally fairly quiet (I know we are loudmouths) so I’m not sure why a couple of other posters have commented on tourists impacting on the atmosphere. I read on here sometimes of Blues who have a home season card just to help them get away tickets and they hardly ever go to the Etihad. That’s pretty poor support IMHO but each to their own.

I know of a couple of Blues whose seats would have gone empty due to illness and work. One guy has lost his savings during the lockdown and is self employed so can’t afford to leave until the job is done. That’s life and also why it’s important for people to utilise the forward ticket function that’s one of the few (or possibly only) benefit of mobile ticketing.

 

[Marvin]

My seat was empty. I have got Covid but hopefully that will be the only home game I miss this season.

 

[inchy14]

Is it just me but i cannot see all the hype about Cancelo. I personally thing he's rubbish. I mean he is a professional player playing for the best team in the world and is a Portuguese International...But dont you get sick and tired of all the balls he gives away...The City site has Foden and Pep singing his praises. I just dont see it !. Especially after todays game. Nearly every time he has the ball he gives it away or the opposition end up with it. To me he's another Sane …Pep got rid of him so I dont know why he perseveres with Cancelo. Look at his feeble attempts for the two Liverpool goals and that sums him up...That is just my opinion which Im allowed . Play him in midfield if you want but not full back. Rashford will rip him to shreds on Saturday if we do.

Yes it’s just you

 

[JGL07]

It sold out, but it wasn’t full and that the attendance won’t have been what it says it was. Back of CBL3 and SSL3 had chunks of empty seats, the corporate areas were sparse in some areas, the 2-3 seats dotted about in most other blocks around ESL1 and FSL1, plus the away end only being ⅔ full.



I reckon it was easily below 50,000 actually in the ground.

I am surprised that you don’t get a job with the MEN circling the empty seats in red!

That was the fullest I have seen Block 232 since the lockdown.

 

[Tuearts right boot]

What do you mean by look like tourists?

Grey shorts with turn ups, white socks, white trainers, Canon camera, Kiss me Kwik hat....those sort of tourists.

 

[CC1]

The

What do you mean by look like tourists?

forgot to take their green & gold scarves off perhaps?
Totally rediculous assumptions about so-called “tourists”.
If you can’t get a season ticket, you go to cup games.
He seems to think that just because the people round him aren’t the usual ST holders, they aren’t city fans.

 

[Citizen Green]

Attendance last night: 50,228 according to the UEFA match report, seems Pep's one liner against Leipzig did the trick.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Well done to 1894 on the return of the Ship in the South Stand. Good to see a display back and hopefully we will progress far enough to see a few more this season. Come on City

 

[cucumberman]

Bad idea. Gabriel is far superior in too many facets of the game.

Personally, I'd bench Gundogan, Grealish and Laporte for Kevin, Gabby and Dias... Then depending on Kyle's health, maybe start Zee at LB and Move Cancelo over to the right I'd Kyle can't go.

It certainly is a simple tap-in, but knowing Sterling he could have skied it and everyone that has already been on his back will be on him with far worse. And that would be the last straw for many.

Just my take on it with my tinfoil hat on. I believe he is leaving or wanting to leave for reasons that can be speculated over. The team makes it in every way possible obvious to Sterling that they want him to stay. In all of this, bridges are burning between Sterling and the management. Maybe.

Jesus is superior in finishing I'll give you that. Jesus before injury-phobia was superior. He hit the ground running and what a player he was then. He still scores goals now but dribbling wise he doesn't do as much anymore. Sterling is very good at leaving his marker(s) dead in the water.

I don't mind if it's either Jesus or Sterling that take that RW, even Mahrez is ok. but we really need to fix that LW where Grealish is.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I agree that they are not then”real” or superior fans they or their mate believe.

Re tourists, anyone who goes to the game and want City to win is Blue enough for me. Some of the people I bought tickets for last night weren’t really City fans and just wanted to see great football. I agree that we weren’t playing well for 20-25 minutes in the first half but we turned on the magic in the 2nd half.

The Etihad is normally fairly quiet (I know we are loudmouths) so I’m not sure why a couple of other posters have commented on tourists impacting on the atmosphere. I read on here sometimes of Blues who have a home season card just to help them get away tickets and they hardly ever go to the Etihad. That’s pretty poor support IMHO but each to their own.

I know of a couple of Blues whose seats would have gone empty due to illness and work. One guy has lost his savings during the lockdown and is self employed so can’t afford to leave until the job is done. That’s life and also why it’s important for people to utilise the forward ticket function that’s one of the few (or possibly only) benefit of mobile ticketing.

Without question the ground had thousands and thousands of kids including large number of what looked like school trips. Unlike in the past at some of these games there weren't high numbers of selfie-stick toting Asian tourist types (I've always wondered where they come from) but you can also spot casual fan/day tripper types with half and half scarves, bubble jackets etc. You just can.

It did affect the atmosphere because songs didn't travel around the stadium like they usually do. But we absulotely need all these new/casual fans to grow the club. It was great to see.

 

[Manchester33]

Is it just me but i cannot see all the hype about Cancelo. I personally thing he's rubbish. I mean he is a professional player playing for the best team in the world and is a Portuguese International...But dont you get sick and tired of all the balls he gives away...The City site has Foden and Pep singing his praises. I just dont see it !. Especially after todays game. Nearly every time he has the ball he gives it away or the opposition end up with it. To me he's another Sane …Pep got rid of him so I dont know why he perseveres with Cancelo. Look at his feeble attempts for the two Liverpool goals and that sums him up...That is just my opinion which Im allowed . Play him in midfield if you want but not full back. Rashford will rip him to shreds on Saturday if we do.

The reason Cancelo is so good is that he has the courage to lose the ball. It's the same as KDB. He is brave enough to try and cross the ball, or shoot when the opportunity comes up. Yes, that means he loses possession every now and again, but it's also the reason why he got three assists and hit the post. The number of goals and assists he's chipping in from left-back is unbelievable.

 

[LongsightM13]

Haven’t seen so many young teenage lads in the SS for years, great to see and these are the future. Was same at West Ham away carabao.

Yeah loads of large groups of young local lads having a great time singing on the concourse in ES1 pre match. You’ll always get the selfie obsessed tourists on CL nights, but when the individual matchday pricing is right like last night then many who are otherwise priced out can really help the atmosphere. Hamburg at home being a prime example