Monaco - Post Match thread.

[rapidCT]

Stones was great last night and will be a stalwart for us.
On the subject of Stones, anyone else think their first goal last night was a foul on Stones? He blocked the first shot, but as that player ran past him he made contact with Stones to keep him on the ground and stop him getting up to go and block the second effort

Let's hope so, he seems like a nice guy and I want him to become better than Kompany (high standard), but he is to soft. He is a CB, he should be a little bit dirty, like Ramos, Pepe,etc

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Was it Pep or the players. My take on it is, we win as a collective, we lose as a collective.
The team is more than just the 11 players. I'm sure they will all be doing a lot of soul searching, this morning.
Then i hope they get the fuck up for the Liverpool game.

 

[Blue Hefner]

We are very, very limited in terms of attack and it becomes very predictable. Silva, Sterling and Sane all have their qualities but when we have 2 fullbacks that offer nothing then we are always going to struggle against good teams - all other top sides have their fullbacks as attacking options, we do not

As for the game. The first half was a disaster and reminded of so many other games over the years that have gotten away from us early on. As for the 3rd goal, I called it before they free-kick was taken - line too high and keeper was too deep, well too deep

Although our missed chances are annoying, we are not the only team in the world that misses chances and tactics cannot be based on every chance going in. Especially at this level

Not sure why Yaya didn't get on, he must have been injured. But, if our options are to bring on Zabeleta and Yaya Toure then that tells you all you need to know about the state of our squad and the job Guardiola has on his hands

I didn't expect us to win the tournament, but I expected us to beat Monaco. That said, they look a lot better than PSG did when we played them last season

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I genuinely wonder how much of an impact having a baby has had.

I was one of those parents who had a child who did not sleep, and I know the look on Kev's face lately. I don't think it's a fitness thing, it's exhaustion.

Horses for courses.

Novak Djokovic fell off a cliff when he had his first child.

Andy Murray duly become world No.1 after having his.

Definite factor.

Mentally weak player, all the same.

 

[hgblue]

Imagine how good he will be when he has Bonucci playing next to him next season!

Yes please, oh and a left back, right back and goalkeeper while you're at it. Stones has been hung out to dry this season and deserves some decent defensive signings so he can show what he can do with some quality around him

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

I think it's more down to what is being asked of him due to injuries, he'll have help next season and suddenly will look brilliant again and the conclusion will be that he simply got better rather than benefitted from depth

Oh aye, there are definately mitigating circumstances. Think having to close and defend more is one reason.

 

[stonerblue]

I think the defence could have done better with that 3rd goal. Poor organisation that.

However you are right about the rest. De Bruyne was fucking useless, lacked effort at times with his half hearted tracking back, poor passing and pitiful attempts at tackling which ultimately cost us the game with his foul leading to the goal.

Pep should have subbed him. I don't know why he wasn't taken off after 25
Mins he was that bad.

He has been disappointing this season. Goes missing way too often. I would drop him now.

Sane did well second half and they were all better but the first half showing was pathetic from everyone bar the odd one. Not acceptable from the players or Manager.

I can't imagine the owners are happy with being knocked out at this stage again and pressure is on to do much better that this next season.

The next 3 games will tell us just how far we are away and what we need to do.

We should not be in a position where we possibly need 5/6 new players to have the side we need.

Facing the right way may have helped

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Your criticism of Kev is misplaced. He is on a poor run of form but he's still absolutely central to our future plans. Took Muller/Lewandowski a year to adapt to Pep. Kev will Ben fine long term.

Says a lot he didn't get subbed last night. Instead adjusting his position changed the game.

But it still has to be about the "here and now" also mate.

Regardless of him being a central plank to what we are trying to achieve, his form has been very poor since the turn of the year.

Just because we know Aguero scores 20 goals a season, shouldn't and doesn't make him a guaranteed starter.

I'm all for the vision, but we can't be blinded to the fact that he is falling way short of what we need and expect right now.

 

[JMason1996]

Didn't Pep say so himself before the game? At the press conference he said City would have to score to go through, so basically implying City wouldn't be able to defend a 2 goal lead.

Exactly why he chose to attack, unfortunately got the team wrong.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

I genuinely wonder how much of an impact having a baby has had.

I was one of those parents who had a child who did not sleep, and I know the look on Kev's face lately. I don't think it's a fitness thing, it's exhaustion.

Wow I didnt know he had had a baby! That explains it as far as I am concerned. Life stops when you have a kid, everything else stops for short while. It explains this run of poor games he has had, not sure he has been this poor since he joined, even under the previous man.