Lyon CL QF Post-Match Thread

[cleavers]

are you mad? He went for them against RM rather than siting back against Lyon.

PF may not have had his best game against RM but he was certainly chasing the ball down a lot more putting pressure

No I'm not mad, one player change should not ever make that big a difference to any team. Yes Pep was to blame, but the players he picked were equally terrible, it was clear in the first 15 minutes where the game was headed, add in our usual errors in a game like that, missing chances (however few), and defensive cock ups, and it was inevitable what would happen. It was a cluster fuck all round for me.

 

[St.Pauli support]

Still can't for the life of me why after clawing our way back to 1-1 it didn't dawn on him that we'd got out of jail and presented him with a chance to rectify the original selection error by immediately dispatching Phil and Bernie onto the pitch with the instructions to run their knackers off for 20 mins which would have finished Lyon off. 4-1-4-1 Gundo and Gabby off ,Raz up top Rodri sitting and one of the CBs lying deeper for the hoof over the top
Still hope he signs for 2 more though

Hindsight is so wonderful.
But even in your plans Laporte does his clownery at crunch time and you look stupid same as Pep.

While I agree on Foden (should have started anyway),
I don't agree on Rodri. I thought "get that man off asap" and 3 minutes later he was off. He was a liability late in the game. Similar to Laporte.
Best thing in a defeat is learn from it. Hope we do.

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

The general view, the almost unanimous view is that Pep is "to blame" with "an almost criminal" selection and formation which left world class players on the bench in favour of a cautious and over defensive approach. This is arguably the case but we'll never know because we can't say what would have happened had the selection and formation been different. I fear it may not have been, though it is only another opinion impossible to prove or refute.

Pep's "defence" is that he had to take steps to deal with Lyon's counter attacks, which are fast and direct. In last year's matches we certainly could not deal with such counters and lost at home as a result, and only salvaged a late draw in Lyon. We were criticised for being unjustifiably gung-ho. This season we have had recurrent problems against sides who throw five across the back, keep their defensive shape and then counter at pace. Most recently it was the semi against Arsenal but it happened at Stamford Bridge, OT, WHL and elsewhere at intervals. Just as "playing our normal game" hadn't worked in any of these games it hadn't worked against Lyon last season either. City can beat teams "playing the Lyon way" and do far more often than not but this season especially it has proved problematic. And on Saturday Lyon played it very well. Again we saw City reduced to passing the ball sideways in the face of a back line which left few of the gaps our lads love to exploit. Would David or Phil have made the difference? They may have done but it hasn't always proved so this season.

On another Saturday night a lot would be different. Lyon would not play as well, they would not keep up such concentration levels for 90 odd minutes, City would play much better. More importantly VAR would not make such an illogical, indefensible decision, Raheem wouldn't miss a sitter and Eddie wouldn't spill a routine save. But on this Saturday night the problems which made Lyon a difficult opponent last season really made themselves felt in acute form and we paid a very high price.

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

No I'm not mad, one player change should not ever make that big a difference to any team. Yes Pep was to blame, but the players he picked were equally terrible, it was clear in the first 15 minutes where the game was headed, add in our usual errors in a game like that, missing chances (however few), and defensive cock ups, and it was inevitable what would happen. It was a cluster fuck all round for me.

So we are agreeing that the changes made to the shape and players from the RM game to Lyon were terrible.

 

[_OVO_]

Can't really fathom the Mahrez hate really, for me he has to be a nailed on starter on the right side if Pep is planning to stick with the Inverted wingers formation. He should've started the Lyon game as justified by the key pass he made to find Raheem out for the KDB goal.
Advanced stats back me up when I say he is our best creative outlet not named Kevin De Bruyne. I wouldn't mind Foden playing on that side over him though but I'd much rather he plays in the midfield three. I'm not very keen on Bernardo as well and we don't really know what Torres is going to bring to the side so can't say anything.

 

[Kun T. B. Horlocks]

Hindsight is so wonderful.
But even in your plans Laporte does his clownery at crunch time and you look stupid same as Pep.

While I agree on Foden (should have started anyway),
I don't agree on Rodri. I thought "get that man off asap" and 3 minutes later he was off. He was a liability late in the game. Similar to Laporte.
Best thing in a defeat is learn from it. Hope we do.

Firstly not hindsight mate I was imploring him to bring those 2 on the moment Kev scored
However you're right about Rodri , I got mixed up meant to say Gundo should have stayed on
Bit early in the morning to be compos mentis.
Still think Bernie and Phil would have closed down and prevented Lyon going route one
As you say what's done is done mate

 

[HarrytheBlue]

That's a very misleading stat. If you're only making 5 years passed, sideways or backwards, it can only harm the team. 2 years ago otamendi had the highest figure in the pl, but was and is a shambolic defender

I didn't notice much of the crab-like play from him you allude to. Otamendi is good with the ball at his feet - was good defensively when he had Vinnie directing him.

 

[King KdB of Belgium]

Yes you have to blame the manager. I could see after the first 15mins that the formation was not working. The question is why didn't Pep see that the system wasn't working, and make some alterations to the formation. With a bit of tinkering he could have made the team perform a lot better. Pep could have moved Cancelo to left back, then bring Walker back to right back. This would have given us a proper back 4. Then just leave either Rodri or Ferdy as the holding midfielder, with the other one playing just behind the front 3.

I would like to know if the players learn how to shoot, and if they do why are so many shots not on target. I have just looked at the stats for the game. Lyon had only 7 shots but 6 of them were on target. While we had 18 shots of which only 7 were on target. This has been our problem from the start of the season, to many shots have ben way off target. In the game against Lyon if we had more shots on target I am sure we would have scored enough goals to have least forced the game into extra time. then with the right subs gone on to win the game.

 

[Keeper!]

I didn't notice much of the crab-like play from him you allude to. Otamendi is good with the ball at his feet - was good defensively when he had Vinnie directing him.

2 seasons ago he was, he legs have gone.

 

[Millo]

Pep was at fault 100%. He started with three defensive midfielders, and played KDB as a right winger. It was obvious to anybody as soon as the team was announced that there would be no creativity. To make matters worse he is so arrogant that he never brings a sub on until nearly the 60 minute. It's was too late by then, and to make matters worse, three other subs weren't even used. We went out of the competion yet again with a wimper.
The way City play makes us vulnerable to counter attacks from teams with fast strikers, as our defenders are in the opponents half most of the time. I think defenders should stay back and defend, and not be auxillary attackers. Even Ederson spends most of his time on the 18 yard line, and this has lead to many cheap goals being conceded.