100% spot on.I've rewatched the game.
We didn't have enough cutting edge. Yes we have Haaland but we don't get the ball to him anywhere near enough.
We just seem to keep passing it side to side around the edge of their 18 yard box which with their players was easy to defend. They even made it hard for us to shoot long range.
We must overcome this problem, it's going to keep stopping us winning big games against quality opposition.
I don't profess to be an expert but I see the answer as being fast direct wing play like we had with Sane.
Doku tried to break through several times when he came on but he's young and not at that level yet. And at that stage there was no Haaland to keep the defenders busy.
I agree and the loss of a 'Gundogan' type making runs into the box means opposition midfields can sit as a bank of 4/5 on the edge of the 18 yard area making it almost impossible to shoot.100% spot on.
We are so predictable and for me, very easy to defend against.
Pep's obsession with possession is an issue for me, sometimes you need to draw out the opposition then hit them hard on the counter like in the days of Sane, Sterling and Aguero.
People calling them Luton Madrid, well they completely nullified our attack which is absolutely what they came to do. Then hit us on the break. Chelsea may well do the same if they are good enough.100% spot on.
We are so predictable and for me, very easy to defend against.
Pep's obsession with possession is an issue for me, sometimes you need to draw out the opposition then hit them hard on the counter like in the days of Sane, Sterling and Aguero.
My conclusion from this is that Real Madrid worked their arses off defending and did it really, really well. We see lesser teams do this at the Etihad and usually get broken down. When one of the best teams in the world do this, that's going to be harder. Every other team in the world would struggle to break down a ten man Real Madrid defense.I've rewatched the game.
We didn't have enough cutting edge. Yes we have Haaland but we don't get the ball to him anywhere near enough.
We just seem to keep passing it side to side around the edge of their 18 yard box which with their players was easy to defend. They even made it hard for us to shoot long range.
We must overcome this problem, it's going to keep stopping us winning big games against quality opposition.
I don't profess to be an expert but I see the answer as being fast direct wing play like we had with Sane.
Doku tried to break through several times when he came on but he's young and not at that level yet. And at that stage there was no Haaland to keep the defenders busy.
100% spot on.
We are so predictable and for me, very easy to defend against.
Pep's obsession with possession is an issue for me, sometimes you need to draw out the opposition then hit them hard on the counter like in the days of Sane, Sterling and Aguero.
People criticizing there style of the night are idiots, they did what they had to and sadly are in the semi's.People calling them Luton Madrid, well they completely nullified our attack which is absolutely what they came to do. Then hit us on the break. Chelsea may well do the same if they are good enough.
We are always unlucky in that competition.My conclusion from this is that Real Madrid worked their arses off defending and did it really, really well. We see lesser teams do this at the Etihad and usually get broken down. When one of the best teams in the world do this, that's going to be harder. Every other team in the world would struggle to break down a ten man Real Madrid defense.
And so I take two things rom that:
1) Ancelotti's tactics were a massive compliment to City and to Pep.
2) We win over two legs 4 times out of 5. Two of their goals were deflections. We really don't need to agonise over finding some missing magic ingredient. We battered them but were unlucky. End of story