Napoli post-match thread

[SWP's back]

Guardiola is always ridiculously over-effusive about the opposition. I wish he would not do that.

I wish you wouldn’t post full stop but we don’t always get what we want.

 

[cyberblue]

I think a few of the lads need a rest against Burnley, in the second half we had players who looked spent at times

They have today Thursday Friday and Sat morning to rest

 

[Jazzman]

Have I misunderstood something, or is the group F table a lot less comfortable than it looks like?

City could still end up third in case of the following:
1. Feyenoord loose all their games; Their remaining games are Napoli home, City away and Shakthar away, so this is very likely.
AND
2. Napoli beats Shakthar at home. Quite likely in my opinion.
AND
3. City loose both away games to Napoli and Shakthar

If all 3 conditions are fulfilled Napoli, Shakthar and City will all end up with 12 points.
In that case the following rules determine the ranking of the teams:

1. higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question;
2. superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question;
3. higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;
4. higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question;

What this means is essentially that in case all 3 teams have 12 points, we can throw away the results against Feyenoord, and only the direct comparison between the 3 teams will count. In other words City will have to beat at least one of Napoli and Shakthar in the direct home/away comparison to qualify for the next stage. We have started okayish by beating them both at home, 2-0 and 2-1. But actually yesterdays result is not very comfortable. Napoli only have to beat us 1-0 at home, and they are better than us in the direct comparison.

So City needs to get a result in at least one of the 2 away games in Napoli and Donetzk to be sure to qualify. If we want to win our group we need a result in both games. Given that Napoli and Shakthar probably are the best 2 teams we have played this season, that is not gonna be easy. We need a couple of performances equal to what we did in the Chelsea game to go through.

 

[SWP's back]

Anyone shed any light on this?

He was pissed off that Sane was adjudged to have fouled the Napoli player and it came just after several fouls not given to City.

 

[i kne albert davy]

What a game the Milan one was.

What a first half, still think that first half is the best I've ever seen us play against European opposition.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

The first thirty minutes were scintillating, I don't think I have ever seen better football from a Premier team ever, especially when you consider the opposition.

After that it was back to our performances of last year, the opposition pressed even higher but we didn't change our 'keep possession at all costs' game, the players got nervous and started giving it away, which created chances for the opposition, which made us more nervous, and then more chances. I do think there comes a time when we need to switch to a more direct pass out of defence to the fast paced players we have. Alleviates pressure and gives the opposition something to worry about.

We held on well though. But some of last year's demons were still there.

If anything, we didn't play out from the back enough. Too many direct balls, losing possession and them coming right back at us, already in good positions from the previous attack. Mostly from Walker. Stones and Otamendi were unbelievable. The full backs struggled much more than those two with the pressure, but a full back does have fewer passing lanes, so it's understandable I guess.

 

[aguerrrroooooooooooo]

They have today Thursday Friday and Sat morning to rest

And they had Saturday evening, Sunday, Monday and almost all of Tuesday to rest

We can't keep playing the same players and not expect injury or fatigue to take it's toll

 

[Palace glad all over]

Because Napoli are absolutely class - masters of positional play, Pep's own philosophy. Best team in Italy, playing football of a quality that barely anyone can match.

I actually backed the 2-1 and stated that a draw was good value 4/1. However watching the game - you bossed them but wasted chances. Yes Napoli had a good period but did not create the amount of chances(not by a long shot), Its tough to work out If Napoli played bad for periods or City played really well for the other periods yet was lacking in the finishing (and playing the wrong option, maybe were a bit selfish at certain times)

Either way you deserved to win and I have seen better teams than that Napoli which I am sure Pep has played against.

 

[KS55]

Have I misunderstood something, or is the group F table a lot less comfortable than it looks like?

City could still end up third in case of the following:
1. Feyenoord loose all their games; Their remaining games are City away and Shakthar away, so this is very likely.
AND
2. Napoli beats Shakthar at home. Quite likely in my opinion.
AND
3. City loose both away games to Napoli and Shakthar

If all 3 conditions are fulfilled Napoli, Shakthar and City will all end up with 12 points.
In that case the following rules determine the ranking of the teams:

1. higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question;
2. superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question;
3. higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;
4. higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question;

What this means is essentially that in case all 3 teams have 12 points, we can throw away the results against Feyenoord, and only the direct comparison between the 3 teams will count. In other words City will have to beat at least one of Napoli and Shakthar in the direct home/away comparison to qualify for the next stage. We have started okayish by beating them both at home, 2-0 and 2-1. But actually yesterdays result is not very comfortable. Napoli only have to beat us 1-0 at home, and they are better than us in the direct comparison.

So City needs to get a result in at least one of the 2 away games in Napoli and Donetzk to be sure to qualify. If we want to win our group we need a result in both games. Given that Napoli and Shakthar probably are the best 2 teams we have played this season, that is not gonna be easy. We need a couple of performances equal to what we did in the Chelsea game to go through.

Well, we had better get a point at one of those two, then. You are right, this group is tough.

 

[Palace glad all over]

I love how pessimistic some of you are. But you can not be as pessimistic as me - well before Zaha came back ;)

You are a team I love to watch . That is why I am here - you are one of the best teams in the world. You are favs to top the group. The test on your defense away to Napoli will be huge - but you have to play these games in the CL. And you need the test.