Lyon (H) - Post Match Thread

[Damanino]

This thing about Pep doing immense job at scouting opponents and tailoring tactics with small details vs them is a myth. Especially in the CL. If we did homework about them we should have prepared well where they have weaknesses where they have strengths. Their pacy forward line and wing was certainly one. Fekir probably their best player there were lot of talk about him joining Liverpool in the summer.

Somehow in the CL its happening for us since a long time that any decent team is possibly punishing our weaknesses (and even teams like Lyon, Liverpool, Napoli, Monaco not just those like Barca, Real etc.) but we dont do the same to them and even set up sometimes that just isnt giving us the best chance to win.

We have to stop doing this otherwise getting very far in CL wont happen.

Not winning the group would mean high chance of getting one of Barca, Real, Juventus, Bayern in the next round already. Last year we would have had a quite lucky draw until final (Basel, Pool, Roma) that aint happening every year.

 

[ONTHERUNWITHTHAKSIN]

Glad when Peps back can't watch this shit served up by Arteta no motivation or belief given to the team last night should've started Aguero and Sane and ffs what does Foden need to do to get a game?

Delph looked like a Sunday league player with the attempted clearance for the goal...

Surely it was Pep who picked the team

Pep would have been more of an influence on the sidelines though

It looked as though the players thought the boss is away we can stroll this, its like a normal work day when the gaffers not about and people take liberties

Hopefully Pep saw that both Fernandhino and Gundogan doesn't work in the middle from his seat in the stands and that Bernado is wasted out wide.

Bernardo MOTM Saturday playing middle and it's changed I just don't get it.

 

[GSW Blue]

First half was awful. Delph must have some excuse for his efforts as I have never seen him make so many errors. I thought Lyon looked a poor side which makes losing even worse. On a positive note Sterling played well and didn’t let his standards drop as all around him had shockers.

 

[Kompany & co]

First half was awful. Delph must have some excuse for his efforts as I have never seen him make so many errors. I thought Lyon looked a poor side which makes losing even worse. On a positive note Sterling played well and didn’t let his standards drop as all around him had shockers.

 

[Damanino]

This loss also means 4 losses in the CL in a row right now. 3 of them at the Etihad.

Etihad should be a fortress in the CL when teams come here but with half empty stands, booing the anthem, mediocre atmosphere and some quite mediocre performances and questionable mentality from players on the pitch its something totally else not a fortress. We need to change that quickly.

 

[Kompany & co]

Don't know if it was just me but the ref did a great defensive job blocking our runs and passes.

 

[argyle]

Said it last night but still think the same, on recent games it looks like we've made the same mistake as the last 2 times we won the league and not strengthened and freshened the squad in the summer.

Not bringing in a DM was a major mistake.

 

[Dreadzone]

Fucking Sterling! ;0)

 

[GaudinoMotors]

People can bring out the fucking rag comments as per usual, but I comment on what I see and nothing more. No blue-tinted specs, just an assessment of the reality. This team is showing all the hallmarks of the last 2 title defences. It’s literally the same mental qualities on show, but a different way of playing. Ultimately however, the lack of the correct mental approach completely nullifies any tactical gains from having a better manager than the last two attempts to defend our title. People can refuse to acknowledge it, but without a dramatic shift in our players’ application, our outlook this season is the same. There’s no intensity, no tempo, our pressure is sporadic whereas it used to be relentless. Everyone sniggers at people that realise ‘do you know what, Liverpool look good for the title’. They refuse to accept it. But we’re not doing anything to show we want the title more than them. And we don’t look like we believe we can win the Champions League, so we won’t. I really don’t know what it is about these players following success. I feel like we’re in need of a rousing Vinnie speech at the training ground this week, he needs to crack some skulls and make everyone realise we have set ourselves standards that must be kept.

Absolutely bang on Sir.
After a successful season our club badge should be a bunch of laurel leaves with a fat ass sitting on them.
There's simply no impetus there. Our passing is laboured, too many touches and our ball recovery seems much less industrious.
We can argue the transfer window until the cows come home, but fresh faces and hunger added to an already successful team would have pushed us on.
However, hopefully some personal reflection and pride will emerge from this.

 

[shemnel]

what a very disappointing performance, the first half should be a 45 min example the squad of what is not acceptable for league champions or aspiring European Champions.

bit of a shame some of the players look so off the pace still, and i refuse to accept that we 'miss' KdB, it's just most of the squad seem to have gone a bit flat.

c'mon Blues, i'm sure you know that was absolutely far from acceptable. Feels weird watching us play shit!