Leverkusen (H) | CL | Post Match Thread

[axlgod]

So, who was that bass player then?

 

[waspish]

I think we all appreciate nothing lasts forever , in modern football only 3 teams have had a period of domination. Liverpool, united and us. Its rare, and none of those dynasties has lasted forever.
So im relaxed to know we had a period as top dogs and now its over.

Yeah I kinda agree with this! We got spoiled with that high high standards that quite honestly won’t happen again that’s once in a lifetime record breaking accomplishments!

Now what I want is a team who competes for trophies win a trophy win the league every 3/5 years win champs league maybe every 6/8 years! Yep seems a mad gap after what we have done! Look at the rags Chelsea Arsenal and Liverpools gap between leagues titles! Rags coming up to 13/14 years Chelsea 8/9 years Arsenal 21 years and it took Liverpool 30 years! These clubs have spent a fortune also to try to win the league trophies!

 

[fanatic1]

10 changes, replacements by definition mainly second string, is never a good move and this will have cost us our top 8 spot after tonight's games. In this stage of the competition home games should be won, possibly a draw against an elite team (Madrid, Bayern, PSG) would be acceptable. Leverkusen were never that.

 

[AndyP68]

I have given up expecting an end product with savinho, it never happens, Lewis is the experiment no one wants or asked for. Mamoush offers nothing, cannot do the basics, Reijnders is looking a complete waste of money, take out Silva, Foden and Harland and the wheels fall off

Marmoush banged a quick fire hatrick against Newcastle and scored goal of the season. Savinho doesn’t look like he’s learning anything. Reijnders is a puzzle. Maybe the step up from Serie A is great than we thought.

As you say, take out the elite players and it’s pretty average

 

[half & half derby scarf]

Yeah, can’t argue with that. Also aside from last night i’ve been enjoying watching us again over the last few weeks. As you say nothing lasts forever but i suppose the one gripe is we’ve still spent a lot of money and most of those playing last night look nowhere near the level we should be hoping for.

And yet teams like Brighton can seemingly pick up quality players from nowhere.

 

[waspish]

10 changes, replacements by definition mainly second string, is never a good move and this will have cost us our top 8 spot after tonight's games. In this stage of the competition home games should be won, possibly a draw against an elite team would be acceptable. Leverkusen were never that.

If you listen to everything pep said after the game he gives you an explanation why he made the changes and he even said he was probably wrong picking that team..

I understand why he picked it it’s the players who let Pep down..

 

[flook]

And yet teams like Brighton can seemingly pick up quality players from nowhere.

It’s a poor argument tbh. They are below us and don’t win anything ergo their players may be decent but they’re for the most part not what we need to be elite

 

[Trickyblues]

Fuming.

- Why the fuck does Donnarumma need rest?
- Infact, if we have to change 10 players this early into the season because they’re tired then alarm bells are ringing.
- Nico G holding the midfield on his own, shades of how we ran Rodri into the ground.
- The result has potentially sabotaged our season and especially the remaining CL games.
- So disappointed in our wingers. I’d rather watch Sterling miss chance after chance than this.

 

[Gazza]

I'd have preferred us to go strong last night and weak against Real Madrid - Better to get the points in the bag.

Maybe Pep was making the point that we don't have a lot of strength in depth.

 

[chaddblue]

It's not been Peps greatest 4 days of his career

 

[supercity88]

A really bad move to make so many changes, which Pep has admitted.

What's really damaging is that it erodes a lot of fan faith in those players because as a collective they were absolutely miles off it. It felt like a really alarming illustration of how poorly the club has invested in new players in recent times.

Very few of those on the pitch seem to play in the manner Pep would want them to. Which either means he's going and the club's buying for the next man or he's not been involved as much as he should have been. We don't seem to have any clear structure or system without Haaland in the side. It's just like they're told to run and see what happens - much like watching my lad in his U7s side!

 

[bert's broken neck]

That starting 11 would have been better starting in Madrid (after taking the 3 points last night.) Pep seriously messed up and disrespected both the opposition and the competition. And why can’t our wide men (whoever play there!) deliver quality end products? Does my head in that does!

 

[fathellensbellend]

I think Savinho running 40 yards with the ball before falling over, unchallenged :-), sums up the whole evening.

At least he waves his arms around

 

[Blue Maverick]

Yeah I kinda agree with this! We got spoiled with that high high standards that quite honestly won’t happen again that’s once in a lifetime record breaking accomplishments!

Now what I want is a team who competes for trophies win a trophy win the league every 3/5 years win champs league maybe every 6/8 years! Yep seems a mad gap after what we have done! Look at the rags Chelsea Arsenal and Liverpools gap between leagues titles! Rags coming up to 13/14 years Chelsea 8/9 years Arsenal 21 years and it took Liverpool 30 years! These clubs have spent a fortune also to try to win the league trophies!

Said the same last night, the last 10 years have been a blast but all good things come to an end, no one is afraid of us anymore, we will never reach the heights we had before, where we saw the best team ever to grace this league. We have no God given right to win everything I just want us to play and compete. After all those years of shite I’m glad I got to see us dominate for so long but it won’t happen again as other teams have found out. If we get rid of Pep or he leaves eventually we will end up on the merry go round of managers like everyone else.

 

[Sibierskii]

Ive had a good read of this thread and ive hardly seen anyone mention pep should go?

Whos over reacting now?

We
Are
Allowed
To
Criticise

Go to the Pep thread

 

[half & half derby scarf]

It’s a poor argument tbh. They are below us and don’t win anything ergo their players may be decent but they’re for the most part not what we need to be elite

Only because they're forced to sell them on for a profit. Caicedo is by far the best player in the league and the type of player we desperately need.

 

[john blue]

Another game ticks by without a goal direct from a corner

score from a corner / do the city players and the coaching staff know about it.

 

[mcfc315]

mind boggling team selection, the sort of team you'd pick in a dead rubber champions league game or a home tie to fucking Plymouth. our squad is not good enough.

 

[Roachy]

Exactly a day off work train from Plymouth nearly 6 hours travel each way and hotel for me too to say I am miffed is an understatement

Once again, and no offence to your modesty, superb effort pal.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

A lot on here seem to fall into two categories according to some posters, the happy clappers or the miserable pessimists. The truth is probably somewhere in-between for the majority. For a lot though it's black and white. Any criticism of Pep or the players, apprehension about an upcoming fixture and you're not a true fan, need to man up, stop being a bed wetter, or any other perceived insult they can throw out there that makes them feel a bigger fan in their own heads.
We're all just fans who follow our team in different ways, some with unrelenting optimism and others with a lot more caution fearing disaster is around the corner waiting to strike. Lets be honest if you've followed this football club for forty years or more you must be suffering from some form of ptsd at some level lol.

Very true and I'm definitely one of those who thinks that we should only make 1-2.changes for every game,.regardless of opponent or competition. That way, Marmoush or Ait Nouri might find it easier to slot in


I suspect that Pep has looked at the new CL format and how PSG won it last season despite a poor start
He probably prioritised Leeds and then next Tuesday's game at Fulham which is fair enough, but did it really require so many changes?