Dortmund (H) - CL QF | Post-Match Thread

Dirty Harry said:
We definitely need to sure up that central midfield area and build from that mate, we were way too open and Rodri really struggled with their pressing, I'd be very surprised if Fern isn't a starter next week.
Click to expand...

Think next week will suit us better, play disciplined strangle the game. Going to be walking a tight rope with them looking to score the first goal but I think we could have potential on the transitions if we have Sterling and Jesus making the running. Looking forward to it, was a very good game of football last night Dortmund proved they are no mugs.
 
Rodri, Gundogen and Bernardo work best together as a midfield three. As a unit we may have to shoe horn KDB as the false nine again to get the best out of this team. Those performances against Munchengladbach were sublime.
 
What really surprised me about last night was the players reverting back to their rampaging type, that we have worked so hard on this season to get out of. Pep always says control, pass, pass, pass. But we were trying to move the ball forwards too quick against a team that is built for that, Pep was right when he mentioned Cancelo and Rodri because they are the linchpin's in that build up from the back and they didn't do a great job. Something else i think didn't work was Cancelo at left back with a right footed CB next to him, i think the return leg has to be with Cancelo on other side and Zinchenko at LB. I was a bit surprised that Zinny didn't start anyway because he gives us more control than the others, it was def needed last night.
Because we were trying to force it, there were a lot of silly errors and we weren't recognising how easy they were getting through out high press to have free-run's at our defence. I'm pretty sure in the return leg Pep will adjust the press (i think he said afterwards as well) so that the forwards press high but the 8's and the 6 cover the lines better because they play out *REALLY* well.

On Dortmund, i was very impressed with them. I heard a lot of people say we made them look good, but it's pretty fucking clear that we are tailor made for them and they are brilliant with working the ball. I'd expect us to setup a lot more like we did against Liverpool in the league and try and catch them out on quick breaks, because in turnovers they were all over the place.
 
rowarta said:
I think the number of games is catching up with Diaz. No time to rest him at the moment, but rest of the back 4 needs to support him like he's done for the past 6 months.
Click to expand...
I've seen similar takes to this, why do people think he had such a bad game? He made the one mistake, but also made one great block and martialed the defence to his usual standard. I guess that's the level we expect from him now, zero mistakes.
 
shevtheblue said:
I've seen similar takes to this, why do people think he had such a bad game? He made the one mistake, but also made one great block and martialed the defence to his usual standard. I guess that's the level we expect from him now, zero mistakes.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Considering he was up against one of the two most dangerous strikers in the world, he had a decent match I reckon.
 
Didn't enjoy that game last night from a City point of view. Felt like all of our vulnerabilities were back.

Glad we managed to get that late goal though as we didn't want to go there behind the 8 ball definitely needing a goal.

Thought Rodri, Walker and Cancelo were poor. Rodri had his worst game in months. Dias, to an extent, wasn't great but Haaland looks a physical monster to play against. Walker showed again why he isn't quite world class. At the very very top level, you can't get away with the ball watching you can get away with in some Premier League games.
 
Well done to the team for beating a good dangerous Dortmund and I believe we will go on to win in Germany as well. Of the two controversial moments. I think the referee got both of them wrong but marginal calls. Rodri did get contact in the box but chose for whatever reason to pretend it was his head rather than his thigh. It would have been soft if given.
The referee obviously thought Bellingham made the challenge with studs showing and blew. In fact there was no contact with Ederson. Given some of the shit we have had in the last few seasons with dodgy decisions against us, I can live with one being in our favour for once.
Other than that I thought the ref had a reasonable game.

Too many brainfarts and giving the ball away in dangerous areas. Yes Rodri, Im looking at you. His best offensive move last night was running 10 yards back to our penalty box and then finding a Dortmund player on the edge of the box with an inch perfect pass. He has been great this season and will be disappointed with last night.
 
wolfie1988 said:
Didn't enjoy that game last night from a City point of view. Felt like all of our vulnerabilities were back.

Glad we managed to get that late goal though as we didn't want to go there behind the 8 ball definitely needing a goal.

Thought Rodri, Walker and Cancelo were poor. Rodri had his worst game in months. Dias, to an extent, wasn't great but Haaland looks a physical monster to play against. Walker showed again why he isn't quite world class. At the very very top level, you can't get away with the ball watching you can get away with in some Premier League games.
Click to expand...
Yep - and all our vulnerabilities as supporters were back too ;-)
 
shevtheblue said:
I've seen similar takes to this, why do people think he had such a bad game? He made the one mistake, but also made one great block and martialed the defence to his usual standard. I guess that's the level we expect from him now, zero mistakes.
Click to expand...
I would agree with that. OK possibly not his best game for us by his usual standards and he got outmuscled by Haaland too easily when he burst through, but no doubt he'll look at that and learn from it, because he seems that type of player. His organisation and leadership were still immense last night. No concerns for me.
 
I thought Mahrez had a decent run last night, I am glad we didn’t see Sterling as I don’t think he has the control that Mahrez has.
They know how to attack, but the amount of times we LET them into the box was shocking.
As for the lad nicking the ball off Eddy, we have seen in most games now, you can’t do that, yet Penus Jenas was screaming for it to be allowed, and when they did it on the edge of their box to Kev, it was a very muted comment.
 
Fatigue played a big part last night. For example, Cancelo looked tired. He had a poor game against Serbia last week. So many players not mentally or physically ready for the running needed to close Dortmund. We will see a different team next Wednesday. Big win considering the points above and the pitch condition.
 
come-on-barney said:
Haaland is an excellent player, but Pep would not put up with him strolling around the pitch when they did not have the ball. Like Pep said we go out to win the second leg snd think we will.
Click to expand...
He may have been following his coaches instructions
It seemed like they nullified Cancelo through the middle, by not chasing us around
 
dickie davies said:
He may have been following his coaches instructions
It seemed like they nullified Cancelo through the middle, by not chasing us around
Click to expand...

Agree, it has to have been intentional from them. Haaland was basically man marking Rodri whenever Dias or Stones had the ball, it worked well tbf.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top