Lyon (H) - Post Match Thread

[doobyedoobye]

We underestimated Lyon big time and that showed in the team selection.

 

[mancity1]

For me, we have had a few key players not playing anywhere near their best for a few games now. That said, the game revolves around two defensive mistakes that were punished...that’s what CL teams do against us! I remember Napoli at home years ago. 1-1. Think it was Cavani who broke and scored. No one doubted he would score. That’s just not the way it is for us, unfortunately. Even the stats for tonight make it look like we should have won 3-1.

We look stale, predictable and lacking a killer instinct. Last few games have been worst I’ve seen Fernandinho and Silva play in a long time, Mahrez looks lost, Jesus is battling for nothing, we look even shakier than usual on the counter against us. Too much space to slot the ball in to clinical finishers and only Ederson’s fingertips save that game from getting away from us completely.

Time to regroup and understand who we are and what we can do...and find a few different solutions with the squad we have. We have not lost it overnight, and I would pay to be at the training ground this week!

The hunger of last season is not there at present CB, its been a few years since a side went back to back and Ferny and Silva while still more than competent to hold their own in the league are not getting any younger and are more suspect in the tackle on the European stage than they have ever been.

For whatever reason and perhaps its mental as much as anything else its beyond us to repeat the efforts after a title winning season.

We can still do it but whether the squad is prepared to do it is another matter.

I am a big believer in bringing in at least 3 new players each season to freshen the squad and keep players looking over their shoulders.

Fear is a great motivator and most of the players don't have to look over their shoulders at present or at least don't believe they do.

That's where Pep will hopefully keep his mark as an elite manager of the game no matter the mindset of players and as you say the inability to get near their best week in week out.

 

[ken tali]

For me, we have had a few key players not playing anywhere near their best for a few games now. That said, the game revolves around two defensive mistakes that were punished...that’s what CL teams do against us! I remember Napoli at home years ago. 1-1. Think it was Cavani who broke and scored. No one doubted he would score. That’s just not the way it is for us, unfortunately. Even the stats for tonight make it look like we should have won 3-1.

We look stale, predictable and lacking a killer instinct. Last few games have been worst I’ve seen Fernandinho and Silva play in a long time, Mahrez looks lost, Jesus is battling for nothing, we look even shakier than usual on the counter against us. Too much space to slot the ball in to clinical finishers and only Ederson’s fingertips save that game from getting away from us completely.

Time to regroup and understand who we are and what we can do...and find a few different solutions with the squad we have. We have not lost it overnight, and I would pay to be at the training ground this week!

Our defence is looking bad the whole first month this season,we have conceded easy goals almost every game we have played

 

[vmsuhail]

Dmitri Seluk has posted the match score with the "Pep voodoo" picture in Twitter. Some obsession that.

 

[balotellishaircut]

I don't wanna hear a peep out of our players for the next 4 weeks, just let your football do the talking ffs, and keep your gobs shut especially to the press.

 

[oddfellows]

You seem to have a superfluous S at the end of your username.

And your point other than being both trivial and personal is?

 

[BLUEMATT23]

We looked knackered and tired last night.
Is the drop off season after winning the league issue happening again?

 

[rnblade]

Why the fcuk was Walker taking a free kick? Others shooting from 25 yards plus?
There was no movement for the player on the ball. We were static and always going sideways or looking for the backward pass.
Well done to Lyon, they stick to their game plan and it worked. We were very lucky it wasn’t 3 or 4.
Even I could see it wasn’t working after 20 mins. There was no slickness or desire, we seemed happy to be just going through the motions thinking we would win. Massive slap down.
Shockingly poor positional management. Gundogan needs to go, he offers nothing to our attacking speed, when he receives the ball, it all slows down to a walking pace. He wasn’t the only culprit, ALL OF THEM should take responsibility for this defeat. Poor across the board.
I feel for Berni, he’s been shoved out wide to get Gundog in the team and he was shocking. His place is midfield, his energy and vision should be utilised there!!!!
Rant over.

We better perform well at Cardiff or things will start to get difficult very quickly.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

We looked knackered and tired last night.
Is the drop off season after winning the league issue happening again?

Feels a bit like the 12/13 and 14/15 seasons again. We have the personnel to go climb the mountain again but I don’t think the hunger is there.

They aren’t doing what they were doing last season in midfield which is smashing into tackles within a few seconds of the ball being lost. Starving the other team of the ball and waring them down by having to chase it.

It’s been there to see from the Wolves game onwards, Fernandinho needs some time on the bench as he looks knackered, however who do you replace him with? Spending the money on Mahrez rather than spending the money on Jorginho looks like a massive fuck up.

 

[Citizen in Pakistan]

Early season dud performances are acceptable than faltering mid way through. Hopefully the result would kill the complacency in minds.