Napoli (H) | CL | Post Match Thread

[Stoned Rose]

Potentially tough night turned into a breeze and a bit of a nothing game really with the sending off. Cant really take much from the performancefor that reason, just had to keep probing and find an opening and we did. Glad for the easier night than it could have been and on to the next one.

Still pooing your pants re Donnarumma mate?

 

[kunaguero10]

Thought the red killed the game as a spectacle, made it quite dull as they just sat back (and Kev was subbed which was a huge shame).

But Haaland bagging, Foden assisting, Doku delivering end product, and another clean sheet and dominant Donnarumma performance, job done.

 

[Stoned Rose]

I hardly heard McTwatface's name mentioned all game.

Nor Rasmus Birtles.

Don’t think Birtles had a touch.

Never a professional footballer in a billion years.

 

[west didsblue]

Good performance against a team that understandably only wanted to defend once they were down to ten men. We did well to break them down and score two.

 

[RobinHood]

Rodri impressed.

 

[mike1923]

I'd like to compliment the ref too. There was plenty of occasions were Napoli were trying to buy fouls up the pitch to relieve pressure, but he didn't fall for it.

Agree for the most part, but he did stop the game a few times just for their players going down (without head injuries)

 

[mike1923]

Remember when Hojlund was the new Haaland … hahahaha

Throw Darwin Nunez in and Erling has seen off 2 of the ‘next him’

 

[SamTheGuru]

Rodri impressed.

Yeah. Motm for me. I felt he had Napoli pinned in.

 

[borassic]

Pretty much the perfect scenario we could have wished for with Arsenal coming up on Sunday. Hope Phil can go there and stamp his authority on the game.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

kush is gonna take us higher

Said this during the match — no one is talking about his throw-in that led to the first goal. It seems a small thing. But instead of a boring down the sideline thing where Napoli was pinching in, he spotted O’Reilly free in the center in acres of space which started the move.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Turned into a semi intense training session with good minutes for Rodders, along with an early rest for him & others.

Clean sheet.
No injuries.
No cards
No problem

 

[simmo]

Nice to see an unchanged starting lineup. Knocked the ball about well before they went down to 10 men.

Also good to see so many who have come through the academy in the side or on the bench for a champions league game. Think it was 7.

 

[chaddblue]

How did that ref not give a free kick and a red without needing VAR to fix it?

If that’s at Anfield or Old Trafford the ref can’t get his red card out quick enough

We are and always have been refereed differently from other clubs in this competition

 

[Dodge]

Nice to see an unchanged starting lineup. Knocked the ball about well before they went down to 10 men.

Also good to see so many who have come through the academy in the side or on the bench for a champions league game. Think it was 7.

Yeah, they mentioned that a few times during the TNT coverage. I mean, how could they possibly not give a shout out to City for that? It would be ridiculous if they hadn't mentioned it.

Ermm..

 

[BringBackSwales]

Needed to win that tonight. 14 wins in the CL and only 4 draws, top 8 is going to be incredibly competitive. 16 points needed for top 8 last season, may need to be 17 or 18 this

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

Went as well as could be expected really. Fairly easy night, two great goals and Erling breaking a record. Napoli don't lose many games or let many goals in, so happy with the result and performance.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

How did that ref not give a free kick and a red without needing VAR to fix it?

If that’s at Anfield or Old Trafford the ref can’t get his red card out quick enough

We are and always have been refereed differently from other clubs in this competition

FWIW the angle from the primary camera side (closer to the ref’s) it really looked like he got a touch. But the opposite side angle showed he missed the ball by a wide margin. I thought at first he’d made the correct call based on the first angle. VAR made it clear he did not. An obvious red. Had the ref seen it from the other side of the play I think he would have called it a foul right away.

 

[ancoats]

It's nice to see the City team working so hard for a victory against a solid Napoli team.
Yes, the sending off killed the game for them and once KDB was subbed it was always going to be the City team attacking and trying to find that killer pass.

One thing I noticed was that the short corner was not used with Foden taking the corners ? i think City are learning and training on set pieces a lot more, maybe it sort of stops the counter-attacking with fewer players out wide if we lose the ball,

Khusanov is a special player and a monster that doesn't mess about, a great signing and young and hungry with fire in the belly, I sort of feel for O'Reilly because playing left back is not really his game, i hope Pep can find some sort of cover for him in the Arsenal game or play Gvardiol at left full back again,

A few more signs of a very good team is forming here. Also Pep is changing things up with Doku coming into the centre and looking for a pass and then he runs at the defence, then their full back sort of follows him, but gets in the way and both defenders don't know who should be picking him up. We have seen it twice now and Doku looks a million dollars with them dancing feet

 

[Beanhead]

How did that ref not give a free kick and a red without needing VAR to fix it?

If that’s at Anfield or Old Trafford the ref can’t get his red card out quick enough

We are and always have been refereed differently from other clubs in this competition

Read my post pre derby on the general premier league fixtures thread when people said dippers make their own luck over the Burnley handball. I pointed out it was rightly given but that they get all these decisions instantly whilst we get around half and that’s after needing a review. If one team gets everything they deserve instantly whilst the other is open for interpretation it makes the laters job harder and they just “have” to be that bit better… echoed again tonight. Just the way football is at the pinnacle of the footballing triangle with “history” clubs. It won’t change for us unless we maintain dominance for 25 years+ if at all.

 

[Semper aggressus]

Great stuff.

Now go and beat the Arse.