Lyon CL QF Post-Match Thread

[oldhamblue]

Just been through the Lyon pre match thread. A few things stood out, especially once the team was announced.

1. Considerable number of posters concerned about the team in relation to the expected formation.
2. A few posters called the ensuing outcome correctly based on formation/team.
3. A number of posters deriding those in 1 and 2 above. Funnily enough, haven't heard a peep out of them since full time.

I know there are no guarantees in any match but we have some knowledgeable posters on here who were spot on last night.

I backed Lyon at 14/1 as soon as I seen Gundo?Rodri combination. He over thought it and got it tactically wrong. Just as he did the year before, playing for 0-0 at Spurs in 1st leg

 

[Great Kompany]

Why didn't Mendy play last night. I mean he is not the greatest but then Cancelo ain't turning up the heat as well.
And to that effect we are not linked with any LB so far. So for next season are we counted on a crooked Mendy and a right back in Cancelo for our games
Is Pep going the Wenger way where his favorites play despite dropping shit performances consistently and others have to walk on eggshells where a slight drop in performance and you are a perennial bencher.

Also are late substitutions becoming a theme now.
Do we need to be concerned about Laporte ?

 

[kaz7]

Well what about the rest of the season then?

What about losing 9 games in the league? What about losing to a poor Arsenal team in the FA Cup?

Can't just excuse this down to just Pep and his tactics. We have to just own up to the fact that we just haven't been good enough all season.

Pep went too defensive v arses as well,the league games were a mixture of things ,including key injuries heavily influenced by pigmol and var,one off games are down to pep mucking about,he had a fully fit squad barr sergio but he chose to go with no creative energetic players ,the likes of kev must have thought wtf

 

[SamBlue]

Just been through the Lyon pre match thread. A few things stood out, especially once the team was announced.

1. Considerable number of posters concerned about the team in relation to the expected formation.
2. A few posters called the ensuing outcome correctly based on formation/team.
3. A number of posters deriding those in 1 and 2 above. Funnily enough, haven't heard a peep out of them since full time.

I know there are no guarantees in any match but we have some knowledgeable posters on here who were spot on last night.

I was one of those involved in chat and If I remember - I am still in a cloud of anger - I thought we would play 4-2-3-1 and was wrong. Most of the posters said it would be 3-5-2, which I thought was totally unnatural. And the first three times we were with the ball, it was Laporte - Garcia - Fern, booooom! Gundo stuck between Cancelo and Rodri on the left tidying some imaginary game of his own, and Kyle having a shouting match with Pep. I could swear Pep didn't change the game, it was Gundo coming on his own after they scored and trying to muscle in between Rodri and Fern who was all over the place.

I really think, knowing Pep is a very emotional person, that he got scared but previous losses in CL and almost all the games we lost this season and just panicked. And not having Arteta sitting next to him doesn't help, he really looks fucked up sitting on his own and talking to himself.

 

[Sparkys-Army]

Why didn't Mendy play last night. I mean he is not the greatest but then Cancelo ain't turning up the heat as well.
And to that effect we are not linked with any LB so far. So for next season are we counted on a crooked Mendy and a right back in Cancelo for our games
Is Pep going the Wenger way where his favorites play despite dropping shit performances consistently and others have to walk on eggshells where a slight drop in performance and you are a perennial bencher.

Also are late substitutions becoming a theme now.
Do we need to be concerned about Laporte ?

Cancelo was up there as our best player in the first half. All the good (despite little) attacks were down to his link up.

 

[kaz7]

I was one of those involved in chat and If I remember - I am still in a cloud of anger - I thought we would play 4-2-3-1 and was wrong. Most of the posters said it would be 3-5-2, which I thought was totally unnatural. And the first three times we were with the ball, it was Laporte - Garcia - Fern, booooom! Gundo stuck between Cancelo and Rodri on the left tidying some imaginary game of his own, and Kyle having a shouting match with Pep. I could swear Pep didn't change the game, it was Gundo coming on his own after they scored and trying to muscle in between Rodri and Fern who was all over the place.

I really think, knowing Pep is a very emotional person, that he got scared but previous losses in CL and almost all the games we lost this season and just panicked. And not having Arteta sitting next to him doesn't help, he really looks fucked up sitting on his own and talking to himself.

i don't know what this new assistant brings to the table,he is a fucking jinx so far on balance!

 

[Feed the Elk]

The only explanation I can think of is that he hoped to stifle Lyon in the first half and turn up the heat in the second half; sort of like a two legged game with the team going for it in the second half to grab one or two goals.

To be fair, it wasn’t a million miles away from working. First half was more or less a none event and second half we were the better team but undone by a couple of (the usual) individual errors.

We always seem to suffer from what is just pure bad luck. It’s not like we get outplayed ever, we just get really rotten luck when it counts

 

[sir baconface]

I have been very consistent this season in saying I think our biggest problem has been a lack of pace and natural width, caused by Sane's injury and subsequent departure.

Personally I think Pep knows the problem, hence why Torres was our first signing.

However Pep's hands have been tied this season. The lack of pace and natural width have meant we have had no option but to play centrally more frequently, which teams have realised and exploited by packing central areas and catching us in possession, which has lead to numerous goals conceded on the break. To try and minimise that vulnerability Pep has gone for technical superiority in midfield, which has resulted in some teams physically dismantling us and giving us a bit of a slap.

People blame the defence and CB's in particular but they're being left exposed by a drive for technical superiority rather than a technical/physical balance in midfield. Gundogan, Rodri and Silva (Fernandinho, Mahrez, Mendy and Aguero all exaggerate the problems too) are all limited physically and cause our defence untold problems when played together.

A few new signings to give us the pace and width back will fix the defensive problems as well, as teams won't be able to defend narrow and deep against us. They won't be winning the ball in central areas as frequently meaning they won't have as many counter attacks, so our defence will be less exposed as a result.

Not having a go, mate, but if Pep‘s hands are tied, spare a thought for managers with only a £100m pittance to spend each year.

And, when pace is a big issue, why pick your slowest players and leave the likes of Foden on the bench?

 

[roy.or.r]

I am so pissed and depressed today after the debacle yesterday. We blew our best chance at reaching the CL semis and maybe even more due to utter stupidity by Pep. With utmost respect to Lyon, I still can’t believe we are out against them.

 

[JimmyNJ]

beg to differ Keeper , we dont buy rough diamonds , we buy potential and Pep has improved for example Jesus , Bernardo , Sterling and more than doubled their value in the transfer market , none of these players were the very best when they arrived at the club , but they are now.

Pep has improved players for sure. He did at Bayern too. But just like at Bayern he may have been improving individuals, and developing the squad and his playing style, but in CL with both teams, he has shown to try and outthink himself. i think it's fair at this point to criticize him for real now.