Lyon CL QF Post-Match Thread

[Astrozombie]

I think Pep was thinking about the big picture including possible games against Bayern and PSG, and not just about Lyon. And that wasn't a mistake either. Why?

Because we can't play with high pressing and intensity every 4 days. Against Real we covered 112km and made a lot of sprints. We can't play 3 games like the one vs Madrid over just 10 days.

To beat Lyon and stand a chance against Bayern and then PSG, we had to be as fresh as possible, especially given that both Bayern and PSG/Leipzig have more rest than us.

That's one of the reasons why Pep tried a more economical way to play and beat Lyon, in order to have legs and stand a chance against Bayern. It was obvious to the eye that we played with less intensity than against Real.

That was a calculated risk but it backfired because of individual mistakes on our part and VAR. Truth is VAR was decisive for the outcome, not just our performance.

So, I tend to be less critical of Pep now than after the game. The objective wasn't just to beat Lyon but to beat them in a manner that gives us the best chance to win the tournament. Management of resources was necessary. Still, Pep should have made changes earlier and sub not just Ferna but also one frim Rodri/Gundy and bring on Foden and Bernardo.

Hindsight is easy though. Pep's just human. I'm grateful for what he has done for City. Centurions and domestic treble winners: feats that have never been achieved before and might not get emulated soon as well.

Great post, thanks mate!

 

[FCBarca]

No you don't but Pep selected Gundogan, Rodri, Fernandinho is 35. And I think that you can play 1 or 2 max with the right team mates. They are good players but you can't play 3 of this type together and not pay dearly for it. We have seen this again and again throughout this season.

Do you believe this was the crux of the problem on the night or the poor finishing? First half, I would concur that the setup wasn't working. He adjusted and things changed dramatically, save for the errors - errors I contend Pep can have little to do with

I think to what KDB said post match, I don't believe it's so much a question of the tactics or setup but the failure to execute. These cycles in football tend to need revitalizing every 3-4 years else stagnation creeps in, I see a reliance on Kun to score goals and I suspect changes are coming to your squad even if Foden will get his chance to be a regular fixture in the XI

 

[Craig]

I think Pep was thinking about the big picture including possible games against Bayern and PSG, and not just about Lyon. And that wasn't a mistake either. Why?

Because we can't play with high pressing and intensity every 4 days. Against Real we covered 112km and made a lot of sprints. We can't play 3 games like the one vs Madrid over just 10 days.

To beat Lyon and stand a chance against Bayern and then PSG, we had to be as fresh as possible, especially given that both Bayern and PSG/Leipzig have more rest than us.

That's one of the reasons why Pep tried a more economical way to play and beat Lyon, in order to have legs and stand a chance against Bayern. It was obvious to the eye that we played with less intensity than against Real.

That was a calculated risk but it backfired because of individual mistakes on our part and VAR. Truth is VAR was decisive for the outcome, not just our performance.

So, I tend to be less critical of Pep now than after the game. The objective wasn't just to beat Lyon but to beat them in a manner that gives us the best chance to win the tournament. Management of resources was necessary. Still, Pep should have made changes earlier and sub not just Ferna but also one from Rodri/Gundy and bring on Foden and Bernardo.

Hindsight is easy though. Pep's just human. I'm grateful for what he has done for City. Centurions and domestic treble winners: feats that have never been achieved before and might not get emulated soon as well.

We were tired from a game 7 days ago were we? Is that why he didn’t make a 2nd sub with 5 available until the 84th minute and kept 2 of our fittest and most energetic players on the bench? He wasn’t thinking about Bayern he respected Lyon far too much. Said himself he played 3 at the back because his centre backs are slow and they had 2 quick forwards. Why the fuck he didn’t stick his fastest and best one on one defender in the right side of the 3 instead playing him as a wing back where he offered nothing going forwards is just another mind blowing decision.

Only way to beat Bayern is with high energy players and by attacking them. Not sitting back with a poor defence and a midfield of 2 plodders. Unfortunately in the champions league Pep losses his bollocks and plenty of games in the knockouts because of it.

 

[skyblues]

I think Pep was thinking about the big picture including possible games against Bayern and PSG, and not just about Lyon. And that wasn't a mistake either. Why?

Because we can't play with high pressing and intensity every 4 days. Against Real we covered 112km and made a lot of sprints. We can't play 3 games like the one vs Madrid over just 10 days.

To beat Lyon and stand a chance against Bayern and then PSG, we had to be as fresh as possible, especially given that both Bayern and PSG/Leipzig have more rest than us.

That's one of the reasons why Pep tried a more economical way to play and beat Lyon

Very good point and I think it made a lot of sense to save the energy for Bayern and the final. He probably played that midfield hoping it would be enough to pass the ball around and create chances, but also defend when getting countered.

Out of those three games, this was the only opponent where we could save energy by playing a less energetic team.
On the other hand, if we had younger and more energetic players (Aouar instead of Gundogan, Bennacer instead of Fernandinho) we probably would have felt less of that energy drop. But I think Pep should have known better than playing Gundo, Rodri and Ferna, all three of them missing that pace and energy in midfield.

Peps intentions are good but it’s not enough.

 

[bluemoon32]

Loads of abuse from my work mates, can't even fire anything back to be honest.
Just one of those times when you have to shrug your shoulders and take the hit.
Cvnts

 

[qshot989]

I think this year has been our best opportunity for a while to finally win the CL or at least reach the final and it got me thinking, do you guys genuinely feel that Pep will ever achieve CL glory for us now? I'm not so sure he will anymore that isn't to say I think we should replace him or anything as that would be ridiculous but as we understand it when the owners brought him in that was at the top of the list and how long will they wait considering all of the investment they have made into the team.

 

[alexmcity]

We were tired from a game 7 days ago were we? Is that why he didn’t make a 2nd sub with 5 available until the 84th minute and kept 2 of our fittest and most energetic players on the bench? He wasn’t thinking about Bayern he respected Lyon far too much. Said himself he played 3 at the back because his centre backs are slow and they had 2 quick forwards. Why the fuck he didn’t stick his fastest and best one on one defender in the right side of the 3 instead playing him as a wing back where he offered nothing going forwards is just another mind blowing decision.

Only way to beat Bayern is with high energy players and by attacking them. Not sitting back with a poor defence and a midfield of 2 plodders. Unfortunately in the champions league Pep losses his bollocks and plenty of games in the knockouts because of it.

We weren't tired, just economical because the game with Bayern and then the final would have required enormous physical efforts on our part.

Since we have obvious problems at CB, we are at our best when we defend from the front like we did vs Madrid. But that's an energy very demanding way of defending and we can't do it every 4 days.

I wish Pep had experimented with Walker at CB. But the experiment might have been disastrous. The problem with Walker is that his awareness and positional discipline are not his strongest sides and they are crucial for CBs. It was Walker who played Lyon's forward on for the first goal and it was him who nearly gave a pen away in the 2nd half.

Subs could/should have been done earlier. Pep isn't faultless. Still one of the very best managers though, not just now but in history.

 

[Grassland Blue]

What a shitty send off for Merlin.

That is the player I feel most sorry for.
What was Pep thinking, picking that team?
Why did he do that?
I have a rag friend who thought that the match was fixed. UEFA, CAS etc.

 

[Craig]

We weren't tired, just economical because the game with Bayern and then the final would have required enormous physical efforts on our part.

Since we have obvious problems at CB, we are at our best when we defend from the front like we did vs Madrid. But that's an energy very demanding way of defending and we can't do it every 4 days.

I wish Pep had experimented with Walker at CB. But the experiment might have been disastrous. The problem with Walker is that his awareness and positional discipline are not his strongest sides and they are crucial for CBs. It was Walker who played Lyon's forward on for the first goal and it was him who nearly gave a pen away in the 2nd half.

Subs could/should have been done earlier. Pep isn't faultless. Still one of the very best managers though, not just now but in history.

What he did was utterly ridiculous mate and was unfortunately typical of what he’s been doing since 2014 in big champions league games. You can’t be planning for a game in 4 days when it’s a knockout game in the champions league over one leg. Especially against a side who’ve caused us problems before and after we’ve lost so many games this season against very average sides. He needs to grow a set or he’ll continue to fail in the champions league. It’s happened for too long now for there to be any excuse. The history of him doing this stands out like a sore thumb.

I mean if he was thinking of Bayern(don’t believe that myself) was he still thinking of that game on 60 minutes when we were seriously in the shit at 1-0 down? Or with at least 15 left at 2-1 down? Is that why he didn’t bring the brilliant youngster on who is capable of creating or scoring out of nothing? Mind blowing ineptitude from Pep and another great opportunity wasted.

 

[Marvin]

These are the playing states for Bernardo this season:

Season-----Minutes Played
2019/20-------2031
2018/19-------2853

A few people have suggested that Pep had to play two defensive midfielders because we couldn't go gung-ho with Bayern pending but I don't buy this. Bernardo has played a lot less football this season. The decision to go with Rodri and Gundogan is a general trend where sitting midfielders have been prioritised ahead of an offensive midfielder.

I think this maybe due to fear over the defence but in the semi-final we started with Laporte and Garcia so that was a decent partnership. Perhaps Pep does this because he is not convinced by Rodri defensively. I am not either.

It was clear overkill to go with 3 central defenders and play Gundogan and Rodri. I think Pep had considered how we lost to Lyon last time and focused on the defensive aspect of our game. Even if this was legitimate, the early goal should have led to a tactical change. It didn't happen until the 2nd half.

Pep made a mistake in his overly cautious approach.

Do you believe this was the crux of the problem on the night or the poor finishing? First half, I would concur that the setup wasn't working. He adjusted and things changed dramatically, save for the errors - errors I contend Pep can have little to do with

I think to what KDB said post match, I don't believe it's so much a question of the tactics or setup but the failure to execute. These cycles in football tend to need revitalizing every 3-4 years else stagnation creeps in, I see a reliance on Kun to score goals and I suspect changes are coming to your squad even if Foden will get his chance to be a regular fixture in the XI

I think Pep has been struggling for much of the season trying to protect the central defence. We didn't replace Kompany and then Laporte got injured. That was a real problem and not down to Pep.

One thing that has not worked has been Rodri as the deep midfielder. He's not mobile. We used to play with Barry there, and he was slow too but that worked well. Maybe pace was not an issue then because the game was slower? Whatever the reason, instead of playing one defensive sitting midfielder (Fernandinho) we frequently play Rodri and Gundogan and it regularly unbalances us.

I think we had a huge problem at the start of the season with Laporte's injury but he returned but thereafter City did not pick up as I expected. I think we should have utilised Bernardo and Foden a lot more than we did.