Lyon CL QF Post-Match Thread

[BlueRockape]

How to make sense of the formation last night?

My best shot at explaining it is as follows. Pep watched Bayern destroying Barca the previous night and was convinced that we have to use a much more defensive formation should we play Bayern to stand a chance or avoid a humiliation. But we haven't played such a formation for ages. So, let's practice it a bit against Lyon.

Pep knew that a combo of a 35 y.o. midfielder at CB and a CB who is just back from a very bad injury is not likely to fare well against Bayern or Mbappe and Neymar. So, he thought we could win the CL if we played defensively and relied on our forwards to bail us out. Thus, the implicit mesage to the team was: we are not good enough to compete right now and have to be clever. The players' confidence took a big hit already before the start of the game and they looked hesitant and confused.

Pep was realistic about our defensive weaknesses but instead of inspiring the team to give 120% he made them fearful. He was thinking more about our weaknesses and not about our strengths. He is failing in the CL not because his philosophy doesn't suit it but because he betrays it. Go for it, we have a brilliant attack and can beat any team on our day.

So Pep planing for the Munich game and not taking care of a team we should have shit on

 

[chaddblue]

Just woke up

Did that really happen or did I have a bad dream?

 

[roypaulknewmyfather]

This thread could reach 1000 pages of bemoaning Peps tactics, highlighting individuals and looking for replacements after last nights performance. The bottom line to me, is that there were guilt edged chances that were missed to put the game out of reach. Don't score, don't win.

 

[Petetheblu]

No need to tinker last night, but Dax that's a pretty strong statement.

 

[Roachy]

Why oh why start an important game with a reserve line up - especially in midfield - and leave the majority of your creativity and energy (our strengths! ) on the bench?
Previously, I'd been thinking that, this season's City is the worst vintage for 10 years. That selection last night was definitely the worst imho, and was a culmination of a season long decline, triggered by Vinnie's departure, and none-replacement; poor acquisitions by Pep and co over the last 4 years, and all compounded by the great man's brainstorm, resulting in a team selection that aborted our strengths and mistakenly gambled on overcoming a mediocre opposition with our team filled with players which, I believe, most fans regard as liabilities. Prior to the game, on seeing that selection, didn't we all kind of expect the end result we got? Everyone I spoke to knew what was coming.
The chickens really came home to roost.
Major surgery now needed. I wonder if the genius, or, mad professor - take your pick -will be with us next season?

I'm sorry to say I have to agree with you mate. The decline, as you put it, is tangible now and I think a few fans are in for a shock if they think next season will definitely be different. Another poster mentioned our midfield, and the word they used was boring. Spot on for me. This team needs completely invigorating in some way, because a few tweaks won't do it.

 

[SidJames]

i agree in fact i am worried that some of the players heads and confidence might be gone for some time after last night. I dont think its the players fault, will this have an impact on the dressing now some players must be thinking what the hell was that about Pep ? Why so scared of a team 7th in the french league ?. I fear this might have some last effect on the players next season. I am so puzzled by last night team selection, the look on the players faces showed you they wanted it at the end. If so many of us fans are puzzled by Pep team selection i guess some players will be to.

I personally thought not giving Bernado,and Foden any game time was c^^^ish,i really did.

This at a time where Bernado is allegedly on Barcelona Radar.

Garcia should have been nowhere near that line up.Had said he wanted out,fair enough.Dont let the Door smack you in the arse.

Foden a Lad that bleeds blue through,and through,,and has left everything he has on the Pitch when asked denied minutes.I mean seriously wtf ?

I feel like the manager lost that game.

I am not being a mard arse either,every blue likely feels that way today.We had the best team by a mile.Hence why were heavy favourites.So Pep decides to go for a weird formation and leave all the Big Guns on the Bench.

He is killing KDB with that midfield.Another season of having to carry the Slug and Tortoise and KDB Knees will be as fucked as Gundogan.

 

[eastmanc]

Even after sleeping (not all that well) on it, I still can't fathom out how Pep got it so wrong last night. 3 DMs (with very little pace) against the 7th placed team in Ligue 1. With Bernie and Phil kicking their heels on the bench. Completely baffling. What's wrong with going out there and imposing our game on them? Mendy (if fit) for Cancelo in defence, and a midfield of Kev, Phil, Rodri, Bernie and Riyad, with Gabby up front. Go out and have a go at them, respect them but don't fear them. But Pep seems to have a blind spot with the CL. 9 years now, since he's won it. For arguably the best coach in the world, that's a piss poor record.

With City his team selection in the latter stages has been weird to say the least, last night was the strangest of the lot, the lack of creativity and dynamism in the team was there for everyone to see. I agree with Pep that you have show Lyon respect but we should have not worried so much about them.

 

[alexmcity]

So Pep planing for the Munich game and not taking care of a team we should have shit on

Imo, thoughts about how to play against Bayern IF we beat Lyon played a role in his tactics last night. Maybe he thought that we could beat Lyon AND prepare the team better for Bayern.

I very much doubt that Bayern's performance played no role whatsoever in his thinking last night. He took wrong decisions ultimately but those wrong decisions make more sense if we explain them with his conviction that we can't win the CL while playing just with Ferna and Laporte at CB.

 

[Petetheblu]

I just feel if we'd used some of our 4 top class attacking midfielders sat on the bench from the off, and played our normal game we'd have won.
WTF was Pep playing at ?
Inexplicable.

I can't argue with that, but we've played our best 11 and still lost to pace after a whole match of domination.

We can't defend our high line as we have NO pace.

 

[wattle]

Wake up more resigned than livid this morning. That was so frustrating to watch. Formation just did not work. Team looked like strangers in first half, nothing in the box and the idea of playing walker and Cancelo as wing backs left them not far enough forward to have any impact and then stranded in some sort of no mans land. Never seen Kyle so impactless. And never seen us kick so many aimless punts and hoofs to no one for years and years. And we had, as tv commentary kept saying, such a strong bench. But so what when Pep stubbornly stuck to something everyone could see wasn’t working. Only two subs. Genius!

I was fuming at Var for giving their second goal but actually the foul was rather 50/50. And I thought walker did give a penalty away that wasn’t picked up, albeit Lyon fell at the slightest thing.

But after all that, there it was 2-1 to us with a simple tap in for Raheem. How he missed I’ll never know but can’t lay this defeat on him. One of few who tried. We were dreadful and that is on Pep as he overthought it. Why tinker So hugely at this point! If we started again with our 442 or 433 we’d win I’m sure. 4-3 or some such but at least we’d have played our game.

Disappointing season, go again in a few weeks.

Totally agree with all of that. It’s as if pep didn’t want to win it to have something still left to aim for. Bizarre chumps league tactics AGAIN. Oh well thanks god that season is over. We can look forward to three weeks of experts on here saying it was all that nasty sterling’s fault