Lyon CL QF Post-Match Thread

[robbieh]

Of the 3 CBs we started last night Ithought Garcia was the pick. Unlike Laporte he seemed very calm. And Dingo was sadly awful.

So he may be off to Barca but don't think that affected his performance.

The problem was the 352 formation

 

[AlgarveBlu]

I could of stomached that line up if it was the first leg and we were away; even with last years spurs game first leg being a reminder of what happens when we play defensive/reactionary formations for the opposition (and spurs were shit then as well).

such a shame as he basically told Lyon to play their game and we‘ll play a different game that we are not very good at.

 

[Phil1]

LOL Bernardo energy is never in doubt , just the wonderful footballer did not come back from his summer holiday.

It’s in doubt because it’s not happened anywhere near as much as last season. Surprised that’s a contentious comment tbh - it’s been right in front of anybody watching the games.

 

[CenturyClub]

Had to give this a day to gather my thoughts on our season and this performance...

I am going to be brutally honest, but i don't care, need to get it off my chest...

Firstly, Pep played the wrong team. He played a very cautious team. Playing a midfield of Gundogan, Fernandinho and Rodri is a recipe for disaster, such a passive midfield with no progression and no intent on getting forward and finding pockets of space to give the opposition more to think about defensively. You could see the apprehenion and tentativeness setting into the players during the first 5-10 mins. The first goal was coming after how we started, we didn't get on the ball, we didn't take the game to Lyon, we got what we deserved.

This is a team who finished 7th in a so called "farmers" league, what did Pep have to be scared about? Why does he turn into Mourinho when we play in the CL? Should have stuck to what we are good at and that is playing football, pressing high from the front and taking the game to the opposition.

There is something wrong with this club when we play in this competition, i just think our mentally is so weak, we just don't have the belief. Pep takes full blame for me, but even if we played an attacking team, would we have won the game? I am not so sure. We seem to crumble under pressure in this competition, especially when we are the big favourites. We are complete novices in this competition and as a team, we will only require complete respect from the rest of the world if we are to play like a big team in this competition and win it. If we never win this competition and carry on playing as we are, we won't be respected for our achievements, that is the sad reality.

Will we win the league next season? I don't think we will. I am sorry guys, but i am thinking with my head and not my heart this time.

1) We play a ridiculously high line, one ball through the middle or over the top beats the entire defence if we stand in a straight line. This needs really tweaking as we look so amateurish at the back, but Pep is unbelievably stubborn and he won't tweak his tactics. Why can't we have one or two defenders dropping off in a sweeper role so we aren't leaving ourselves so exposed at the back?

2) Pep tinkers the team too much and we can never find our rhythm.

3) Our biggest rivals Liverpool have a set way of playing. They play literally the same team every game and every single player knows their job. They are solid at the back, very mobile in midfield and have very good players on the wings who open teams up for fun. I just don't see us competing with them unless we change MASSIVELY.

4) We have lost 13 league games over two seasons, whilst Liverpool have lost 4 over 2 seasons. We are too easy to beat, too easy to play against. It is almost as if teams have figured out how to play against us and how to beat the press.

5) The midfield certainly needs tweaking. Fernandinho is getting on and Gundogan doesn't provide us with the energy required. It really frustrates me that Pep never wants to play Bernardo Silva in a CM role like he did when De Bruyne was out injured last season. It worked perfectly last season, why has Pep changed the system now and opted for Gundogan to play more games in this position? A midfield of Gundogan & Rodri/Fernandinho just doesn't work for me.

To sum it up, i am just incredibly frustrated. We need to stop pissing about and buy a quality left back, get Koulibaly in and bring in another midfield player like Aouar. The squad is going a bit stale at the moment and the obvious weaknesses are so glaring. As much as i love Pep, i don't understand how he is not seeing that.

And to top it off... If Thiago goes to Liverpool, i will be absolutely fuming. That is pretty much the league wrapped up for them.

We need to really pull our fingers out in the market and on the training pitch... NOW. Pep needs to stop being so stubborn and we need to bring in a top defensive coach who can organise the back 4, the high line we are playing just isn't working at all.

 

[ctid1894]

I think you are spot on with most of that.

For me with the Stones bit it may be worth giving him a bit of time - we know thre is a top class centre half in there but there is a big question over his mental state/focus which i do get.

We do need an injection of dynamism into midfield - for whatever reason Pep seems to like Gundogan in there - I think he is wrong and in the end its all about opinions. Bernardo Silva's form has dropped off this year but again we know there is a potentially word class midfielder there - i do think we need an Auoar type of player. With Rodri, i expressed concerns about his signing but there are postiives and negatives to him but his lack of intensity is one of those negatives.

The ONLY issue I have with Jesus is his finishing of anything other than simple goals from inside 6-8 yds of goal - his work rate, link up play, intensity in his press are all world class but his finishing is significantly below that..for me his best position is supporting a much more clinical striker.

There's so much to like about Stones and so little to dislike, it's a conundrum that I am slowly seeing as one that can't be solved. For Pep to pick Garcia in front of him last night sounds alarm bells, he must have very little trust in Garcia following his request to leave after agreeing a contract (according to Tolmie) and yet he still trusts him more than Stones. That tells me Stones time is up. I would have given him one final chance next season but it's looking highly unlikely now in my opinion.

Bernardo and Foden are the answer in midfield, I understand Pep's thought process to play Gundogan (technical superiority and calmness) but I don't agree with the decisions to consistently pick him above either Bernardo or Foden.

Jesus - I think people just have to accept he's a great player in his own right, he's not a goalscorer in the Aguero sense but his performances against Madrid prove he can do things to win big games. He's different in the traditional sense of a striker which I don't think people understand, or not necessarily don't understand but don't appreciate. For me he's first choice even when Aguero is fit because I think we're a better team, however Aguero has special qualities we simply can't ignore at times.

 

[Keeper!]

Had to give this a day to gather my thoughts on our season and this performance...

I am going to be brutally honest, but i don't care, need to get it off my chest...

Firstly, Pep played the wrong team. He played a very cautious team. Playing a midfield of Gundogan, Fernandinho and Rodri is a recipe for disaster, such a passive midfield with no progression and no intent on getting forward and finding pockets of space to give the opposition more to think about defensively. You could see the apprehenion and tentativeness setting into the players during the first 5-10 mins. The first goal was coming after how we started, we didn't get on the ball, we didn't take the game to Lyon, we got what we deserved.

This is a team who finished 7th in a so called "farmers" league, what did Pep have to be scared about? Why does he turn into Mourinho when we play in the CL? Should have stuck to what we are good at and that is playing football, pressing high from the front and taking the game to the opposition.

There is something wrong with this club when we play in this competition, i just think our mentally is so weak, we just don't have the belief. Pep takes full blame for me, but even if we played an attacking team, would we have won the game? I am not so sure. We seem to crumble under pressure in this competition, especially when we are the big favourites. We are complete novices in this competition and as a team, we will only require complete respect from the rest of the world if we are to play like a big team in this competition and win it. If we never win this competition and carry on playing as we are, we won't be respected for our achievements, that is the sad reality.

Will we win the league next season? I don't think we will. I am sorry guys, but i am thinking with my head and not my heart this time.

1) We play a ridiculously high line, one ball through the middle or over the top beats the entire defence if we stand in a straight line. This needs really tweaking as we look so amateurish at the back, but Pep is unbelievably stubborn and he won't tweak his tactics. Why can't we have one or two defenders dropping off in a sweeper role so we aren't leaving ourselves so exposed at the back?

3) Pep tinkers the team too much and we can never find our rhythm.

4) Our biggest rivals Liverpool have a set way of playing. They play literally the same team every game and every single player knows their job. They are solid at the back, very mobile in midfield and have very good players on the wings who open teams up for fun. I just don't see us competing with them unless we change MASSIVELY.

5) We have lost 13 league games over two seasons, whilst Liverpool have lost 3 over 2 seasons. We are too easy to beat, too easy to play against. It is almost as if teams have figured out how to play against us and how to beat the press.

6) The midfield certainly needs tweaking. Fernandinho is getting on and Gundogan doesn't provide us with the energy required. It really frustrates me that Pep never wants to play Bernardo Silva in a CM role like he did when De Bruyne was out injured last season. It worked perfectly last season, why has Pep changed the system now and opted for Gundogan to play more games in this position? A midfield of Gundogan & Rodri/Fernandinho just doesn't work for me.

To sum it up, i am just incredibly frustrated. We need to stop pissing about and buy a quality left back, get Koulibaly in and bring in another midfield player like Aouar. The squad is going a bit stale at the moment and the obvious weaknesses are so glaring. As much as i love Pep, i don't understand how he is not seeing that.

And to top it off... If Thiago goes to Liverpool, i will be absolutely fuming. That is pretty much the league wrapped up for them.

We need to really pull our fingers out in the market and on the training pitch... NOW. Pep needs to stop being so stubborn and we need to bring in a top defensive coach who can organise the back 4, the high line we are playing just isn't working at all.

Great post, but Pep will never change from his principles and that's the problem.

I don't think anything will change next season, no preseason , new players to integrate, and players who have seen it, done it all before for the last 4 years.

I think we are done with Pep and after last night I think he and his senior players know to.

 

[The Pandorica Opened]

Need Ronnie to win the snooker tonight to pick me back up!

Anyway, about last night, there were two matches. There was the first 55 minutes, where City weren't on the pitch. Instead, some weird mutation of City from another dimension where Mourinho is our manager was, and that was a strange anomaly that obviously didn't work. Not too much to analyse about it, just hope that wormhole never opens again.

The second game, where the real City played, is what we need to talk about. It's been the same story all season - messy in both boxes. We need an imposing CB and an imposing striker, people who have the mentality of knowing they're gonna score/tackle, rather than just hoping they will and being relieved if they manage it. KDB has that attitude, Fernandinho had it when he was younger and playing at CDM, but most of our team doesn't. A couple of key signings needed - I'd like Koulibaly and Kane.

Anyway, come on Ronnie!!

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Cancelo is a terrible signing 50m whatever you say, Walker agree, great signing and a player I have total respect for, BUT
he was 50 million.
Jesus was a steal , Tikix at his finest, but it has not happened enough.

I still think our scouting/recruitment is poor, not all Pep's fault for sure.

Totally agree regarding Cancelo , i beleive the most expensive right back in europe i and i expected the finished article and to hit the ground running but he has been a massive disappointment , but the last few games he has shown what a player he could be , but why we spent £60m on a right back as "cover" when we were desperate to replace Vinnie was a criminal decision
Our recruitment has been hit and miss , Nathan Ake is an example , relegated with Bournemouth and we spend over £40m on him , ive never rated him but Txiki & Pep obviously do .It will be interesting to see how Ake's signing works out season.

 

[Phil1]

LOL Bernardo energy is never in doubt , just the wonderful footballer did not come back from his summer holiday.

Next season clean slate? you mean next season in 3 weeks time?

If Pep stays I fear Bernardo won't, hope I am very wrong.

It doesn’t matter if it’s 3 weeks away. New season means everyone starts with a clean slate.
Pep was instrumental in us signing him so I don’t agree with your last paragraph either.
It doesn’t matter, at the end of the day we’ve got our opinions and going round in circles won’t change that.

 

[CenturyClub]

It’s in doubt because it’s not happened anywhere near as much as last season. Surprised that’s a contentious comment tbh - it’s been right in front of anybody watching the games.

Maybe if the manager stopped playing "Pep roulette" and started playing him more in the central midfield area instead of shoehorning him out wide or sticking him on the bench, we might get the Bernardo Silva back we had in 18/29 season.