Lyon (H) - Post Match Thread

[Dazzle84]

We looked off the pace last night and lacked intensity. That said, I do think the match reports and the fans are going slightly overboard about just how bad we were (and also how well Lyon played). Lyon's two goals came from two ridiculously sloppy mistakes. We handed them that victory. We were sloppy throughout and looked short on ideas at times, but we battered them in that second half. It was an off day but i'm not sure we were as abject as some are suggesting.

Main things I would take away from this:
1) Fernandinho needs to be well rested and used sparingly. Thought it was stupid on Saturday leaving him on the pitch for so long and especially to play in a position he is not suited to.
2) Obviously we missed KDB too, he is potentially the difference between playing badly and still winning.
3) We have enough wide options without needing to shoehorn Bernardo into the team by playing him on the right. He's shown his future with us is in the middle so keep playing him there.
4) Jesus had zero service last night. People might have their own views about how well he's progressing but a game last night isn't one i'd use as a measure. Aguero has often been left isolated and ineffectual in games like that where the overall team performance lacked any cutting edge.

Re: Jesus - service may have been an issue, but when was the last time you saw him looking like he could create something for himself?

 

[mancity1]

We looked off the pace last night and lacked intensity. That said, I do think the match reports and the fans are going slightly overboard about just how bad we were (and also how well Lyon played). Lyon's two goals came from two ridiculously sloppy mistakes. We handed them that victory. We were sloppy throughout and looked short on ideas at times, but we battered them in that second half. It was an off day but i'm not sure we were as abject as some are suggesting.

Main things I would take away from this:
1) Fernandinho needs to be well rested and used sparingly. Thought it was stupid on Saturday leaving him on the pitch for so long and especially to play in a position he is not suited to.
2) Obviously we missed KDB too, he is potentially the difference between playing badly and still winning.
3) We have enough wide options without needing to shoehorn Bernardo into the team by playing him on the right. He's shown his future with us is in the middle so keep playing him there.
4) Jesus had zero service last night. People might have their own views about how well he's progressing but a game last night isn't one i'd use as a measure. Aguero has often been left isolated and ineffectual in games like that where the overall team performance lacked any cutting edge.

I tend to agree having watched it again that it was more of what we did or didn't do as the case may be and Lyon on three occasions were able to break into space , score one with Ederson saving us on the other two occasions.

They played a smart game but lets face it they are an average side and will struggle to finish top four in their league this year.

Their first goal was a result of poor defending , no other way to describe it and our intensity and pressing was off the boil from some way compared to the heights of last season even in this comp.

In the second half we dominated possession in their half without the killer pass and our build up play we more akin to what we saw in too much of Peps first year and MP's second season that is laboured and lacking the ability to create space for players to move into dangerous areas.

It was a very poor performance with a little improvement in the second half in terms of pressing and recovering from losing possession.

I suspect their will be more of this kind to come but when they do one hopes we won't make those errors of judgement that give our opposition a free reign on goal.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

One thing is for sure, in the games that Fernandinho and Silva both start, one of them needs to come off around 60-70 mins. We’re looking far too leggy in there. It’s our former full-back issue coming round to bite us again. Only this time it’s bang smack in the middle of the pitch.

 

[K.Reeves right foot]

Imo, we have already seen this problem in the past with Fern trying to babysit Yaya week in week out.

KDB at times moving deep, enabled us to do it last season & we look much better currently when Bernardo goes in there. But imo we are already not making best use of the resources we do have, by not getting Foden involved more & getting Silva & Fern off the pitch & by the way we have underused Sané.
KDB is a massive loss for us, his aggression and closing down not to mention his energy and offensive attributes would be a loss to any team. I doubt Foden would bring that but hed def be a wild card with youthful energy and an unknown element. Gundogen offers nothing for me, truly unspectacular and it inhibits Benardo on the right. Bernardo coukd play there but needs ober lapping runners like the Sane/Silva partnership down the left. Gundogen stays too central and offers little, Walker last night held back in a back 3 whilst Delph tucked in to midfield so Bernardo had no outlet. Surely Pep can see this as a big problem and will sort it but I fear where Gundogan is concerned he has a blind spot for him.
Agree, Sane is the dynamism we need and shoukd play week in week out, defences simply cant cope with his speed and trickery and the difference last night when he came on was there for all to see.

It's not that much of a problem imo provided we realise there is one, & start to do something to fix it. We don't need the perfect midfield in most games, in order to win. In some though,, we need everyone at 100%.

Last weekend's bizarre subs, 3-0 up v a wide open Fulham team, was a waste of time imo.

 

[Bluep*ss]

It is amazing how peoples opinions differ. Did not see any of the match(not even ITV highlights anymore) but some posters are bemoaning Mahrez
while others say he played ok.
Listened to Radio 5L - with Alan Green - can't stand him - gleefully told us Rags score -
Why has Radio Manc. switched the last 2 games to Digital on 95.10 -? Bolton home last Sat. and away last night - I cannot get Digital on my radio - only
FM or MW.
Do most people these days have Digital ?. Even on my Smart TV there seems to be no Radio Manc. in the 700 wavebands.
Sorry for the rant.

 

[asahartford1]

Some respect to the tactics of Lyon.

Whereas many teams give Fernandinho a free reign, they loaded the midfield and not the defence. Fern did not receive the ball in space as he often does against teams at home. The result meant we got the ball forward slower than usual.
I Was surprised we did not change our shape immediately, Bernardo, and another needed in the centre.

Sad to read the comments of some fans 're transfer policy. Potty to believe we can outbid everyone for every player and pay them what they want. Portsmouth tried it.
I hope Foden gets his chance soon, Cardiff would be perfect as we will have 80 % possession. He might not finish though.

We are getting a battering in the media today, they are loving it. Not the time for bluemooners to add to it.

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

Unnecessary passes deep in our own half led to the mistake for both goals, looks like we haven't learnt anything from the trashing we got from Klopp's boys.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Highlight of our night was near the end my Nephew needed a City corner and a City booking for his requestabet to come in, we cheered when Aguero was booked and they gave us the corner

That was typical of the state of the ref, Kun argues it was a corner, corner eventually given yet he gets a booking ....

 

[Sir Joe Aguero]

This proves we need/needed another CM. We're really missing De Bruyne, or at least someone with a bit of physicality to help Fernandinho out. Having 2 wingers, a striker and 2 AM's is unbalanced in the bigger games.

 

[mancity1]

Some respect to the tactics of Lyon.

Whereas many teams give Fernandinho a free reign, they loaded the midfield and not the defence. Fern did not receive the ball in space as he often does against teams at home. The result meant we got the ball forward slower than usual.
I Was surprised we did not change our shape immediately, Bernardo, and another needed in the centre.

Sad to read the comments of some fans 're transfer policy. Potty to believe we can outbid everyone for every player and pay them what they want. Portsmouth tried it.
I hope Foden gets his chance soon, Cardiff would be perfect as we will have 80 % possession. He might not finish though.

We are getting a battering in the media today, they are loving it. Not the time for bluemooners to add to it.

We had a target or two in CM/DM but they didn't eventuate.

I think some fresh faces along with Mahrez would have been good for the squad both on and off the pitch and no doubt we tried to replace Yaya and give more opportunity for Ferny to play less football but it didn't eventuate.

Its early days but I am not surprised that Chelsea and Liverpool heading the table at present have made a few personnel changes over the summer along with a change in manager for Chelsea and are playing a different style and formation.

We have lost our last 4 CL games and overall been second best in all of them and that clearly is of concern.