Napoli post-match thread

[ojeme]

10/10. Even in that first period I could see that Pep was serious when he had told us how good Napoli were. They were trying to play what I assume is the football which has brushed Italian teams aside, but they couldn't do it. For at least half an hour they simply could not lay a glove on City. No team could keep City's level up for 90 mins, but the second half cannot be analysed realistically if we forget that City had a two goal lead. We defended well and with numbers, we created the better chances, we played the ball out from the back very well and we played out the last 15 mins with a worldly wisdom (pragmatism?) we haven't seen before. Napoli did come more into the game in the second half but that is because they are a very good side indeed - no one can play 90 minutes against that side and not make mistakes. What was impressive was how few we made and how we forced them to make many more.

I want people to read this post because there's a lot of sense in it. People saying that they absolutely destroyed us in the second half have got to put that statement in the right perspective. We were two goals up against a strong side such as they. Usually when teams aren't too far apart in terms of quality/ability, when one is one or two goals to the good, the other begins to fight back and from that point it would appear as though they are the better side. A similar scenario played out when we were a goal ahead against Liverpool and it seemed like hell had been let loose on us.

Looking at the Chelsea result today, you cannot help but give our boys a pat on the pack for holding their own against one of the most in form teams in Europe

And oh lest I forget, I want to give a big shout out to our old boys Kolarov and Edin who showed their class today.

Cheers all.

 

[OB1]

I didn't say it was.

I know what you said!

 

[cleavers]

I know what you said!

Good.

 

[TravisBickle]

Won't matter what happens in Naples, we still have to make that trip before the derby. We should put the group to bed against Feynoord at home anyway.

Yep we still have to make the trip, but leaving 3 key players at home whilst benching those who will start the derby will make all the difference.
Every little bit counts.

 

[hammocity]

I want people to read this post because there's a lot of sense in it. People saying that they absolutely destroyed us in the second half have got to put that statement in the right perspective. We were two goals up against a strong side such as they. Usually when teams aren't too far apart in terms of quality/ability, when one is one or two goals to the good, the other begins to fight back and from that point it would appear as though they are the better side. A similar scenario played out when we were a goal ahead against Liverpool and it seemed like hell had been let loose on us.

Looking at the Chelsea result today, you cannot help but give our boys a pat on the pack for holding their own against one of the most in form teams in Europe

And oh lest I forget, I want to give a big shout out to our old boys Kolarov and Edin who showed their class today.

Cheers all.

I didnt get that feeling against the bindippers, they had a couple of chances due to the back three being exposed with Mendy pushing so far forward Salah was given free reign to attack but to say hell was let loose, well even with 11 players we would still have won.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

On a side note what has happened with Robbie Savage? He was praising us to the hilt on Tuesday, yet the twat should have been banned from the stadium after all the negative's and biased comments he has said about us over the last few years.
Couldn't believe what I was hearing.

 

[goatersnipple]

On a side note what has happened with Robbie Savage? He was praising us to the hilt on Tuesday, yet the twat should have been banned from the stadium after all the negative's and biased comments he has said about us over the last few years.
Couldn't believe what I was hearing.

He wouldnt pay to watch kdb ??????

 

[BLUEMATT23]

He wouldnt pay to watch kdb ??????

Ha yeah I remember that, cant stand the T***

 

[KS55]

I hope this post isn't representative (although it's very representative of what I heard City fans saying about the Group standings as I was coming out of the ground last night!) - but not only is it totally wrong about what we need to do to qualify, so is Pep when he says 3 more points will do it. No it won't, if the following happens:-

- Napoli win our return match, easily beat Feyenoord again and also win their return match against Shakhtar ie. gain 12 points in total; plus

- Shakhtar also beat Feyenoord again, lose to Napoli (as above) but beat City in the Ukraine ie. gain 12 points in total; plus

- City slaughter Feyenoord at home but lose their other two remaining matches (as above) ie. gain 12 points in total.

What would kick in then is that Article 17 of the Champions League regulations would be applied, to determine which two of the three teams qualified. What matters under that Article is results amongst the three only. In this scenario, they have scored 3 points apiece in matches against each other and so cannot be separated on that criterion. The next level down is goal difference amongst the three. This means that if City lost badly enough to Napoli and Shakhtar in the away matches still to come, then they could beat Feyenoord 10-0 at home but might still go out by finishing third on goal difference.

I am not saying it's at all likely that City will end up eliminated at this stage but I maintain that it's highly likely that Feyenoord will end up with no points at all, and therefore we should aim for at least a point from one of the remaining away matches.

If we have one of those unlucky UCL nights in Italy (player sent off early maybe) and lose by three or four goals, whilst Shakhtar are busy crushing Feyenoord at home, we would be left praying for Shakhtar to get a result in Naples, or at least lose badly too, whilst we disposed of Feyenoord again in Match 5. Everything would then depend on the outcome of our final Group match in the Ukraine.

Check it out, I think I'm right.

I think Shaktar could lose heavily to Napoli in which case we could lose both away games 1 - 0 and still qualify.

 

[TBooksbluearmy]

That's why I said earlier that another 7 points would see us easily in first place. However should we get a draw in Napoli. That would rule out Napoli from finishing above us, as we would still be 6pts in front with 2 games. Beat Feyenoord and that should secure 1st place for us. That would leave Shaktar to win all their remaining games.