Paris Saint-Germain (A) - CL SF | Post-Match Thread

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Do you miss the final if you get booked in both legs of the semi?

 

[Deleted member 87819]

Do you miss the final if you get booked in both legs of the semi?

No. Only for a red card in the second leg

 

[supercity88]

I've no idea if it was by instruction, or if it was the players, but after the first ten minutes PSG had the momentum & took the lead.

As a sign of how far we've come, normally I'd be looking to end it all, but last night I knew they had as much to worry about as we did, & all I was hoping for was to get in at 1-0, or for us to sneak an equaliser. We just needed to press the reset button, remember what we were capable of & give PSG something to think about.

As I said earlier, as soon as the second half kicked off, Silva closed in on Mahrez to offer a passing option, & Walker went racing past on the overlap leaving Bakker looking left & right & not really knowing who to pick up.

At this point it's like we remembered how we play, & PSG had very few answers, or questions of their own to ask. It's not over yet by any stretch of the imagination, & PSG are a fearsome prospect, but so are we. Like I said, they've as much to worry about as we have, so as long as we continue where we left off, with a dash of luck hopefully we'll prevail.

Regardless, it was a match worthy of a Champions League Semi Final. I'm just relieved it went our way with the home leg still to come.

From what Pep said, he needed to remind the players to play their usual football. But it did feel at times we were under instruction to hold position. There was one point in the first half when De Bruyne was striding forwards but had to slow to a stop because no one else was.

It comes down to fitness levels too. When we keep the ball and stretch teams from side to side, even if we're not shooting that much, we are forcing them to move and to concentrate and it is incredibly difficult to do that for 90 minutes. Dortmund managed it for about 50 minutes before they were blowing and collapsed in the second leg. PSG similarly just looked done for when we got to about 65 minutes and they'd not actually had to suffer for that long.

What gives me confidence is that PSG have relied upon the away legs but they've played them first in previous rounds. This time we know the situation, we know what they need to do and we can know by keeping the ball and stretching them that even if they're 2-0 up in the 2nd leg and going through, we'll have chances in that final 20 minutes to go and get the goals we need. They barely had a sniff once we played our usual game and we should be confident enough now to play our usual game and know that as long as we don't do anything silly we can control the match and get the result we need. What I don't want to see, is us sitting deep and looking to counter them. I don't think that is the right thing to do. We need to be wary of their pace on the counter, but looking to play exactly how we did in the second half and limit their chances.

Positively we can rest key players on Saturday, whereas they have to win in the league. They simply cannot finish anywhere but top of Ligue 1. And right now they're in a battle and they play against Lens who are 5th in the league on Saturday.

 

[Mancity1980]

I don't underestimate them, but, I suspect you are overestimating them.
We put them very firmly in their place yesterday. We didn't play brilliantly, but, in the second half, we assumed total control of the game. That is so demoralising for a team of fancy dans like PSG that there is absolutely no way they are coming back in this tie, barring some very unexpected event. I expect another City win at the Etihad,so, shall we make a date for Istanbul?
Have confidence - we are the best team in Europe when at full strength, as we were yesterday.
:-)

If they get the opening goal I am going to be very nervous. I accept what you are saying about the way we put them in their place but they are the best counterattacking side in Europe and Mbappe will be sharper on Tuesday after his recent injury. This tie is not over but it will be a lot easier if we get the opening goal.

 

[drthingy]

If they get the opening goal I am going to be very nervous. I accept what you are saying about the way we put them in their place but they are the best counterattacking side in Europe and Mbappe will be sharper on Tuesday after his recent injury. This tie is not over but it will be a lot easier if we get the opening goal.

Same here.

At times the ball control from PSG was staggering. It must be what opposing fans think when watching us!
Soon as we scored they lost it whether it was mentality or fatigue I do not know.

if both teams perform to their best we go through.

Just hope we score three quick goals then i can relax!

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

Flame away - I know full well that the following is going to upset many City fans - my team 100% - but this is how I feel.
===
1st half - in the opening 15 minutes or so we were dominant. PSG did not have the ball much. And yet we created nothing.

1st half - 15+ on - PSG scored a goal off a wonderful corner kick - not much we could do about that. Following this goal - PSG were far better than we were - creating many more chances. Our defense held solid - due to quality of course - but due to a bit of luck indeed. It's very lucky that we weren't down a 2nd goal in the 1st half.
===
2nd half - PSG lost their way. Same sides as in the 1st half - yet somehow far less incisive by PSG. This happens though.

In the 2nd half our pressing was a bit better. And PSG never seemed to compensate.

PSG has lost numerous games in League A - so I guess that's not surprising - failing to play their best for the full 90.
===
Our goals:

1) A KDB ball hung up for a header into the box - no one touches it - and it goes in. I fault Navas (very excellent keeper) for this. Although we perhaps deserved a goal based on the run-of-play - this goal was somewhat lucky.

2) Mahrez free kick goal; it looks as if Mahrez (or KDB) is going to attempt to kick over the wall we've set up. Instead, Mahrez - well, basically hits the ball straight into the PSG wall, a bit left side.

Due to sheer luck, somehow, a gap appears in the PSG wall as they jump - and somehow Mahrez's shot hits that gap and goes into goal.
===
11 v 10:
Later on, Gueye makes a horrible, obvious red-card against our Ice cream man - Gueye is sent off.

But do we score another goal to put the tie to rest? - we do not.
===
My take - we were at least matched or perhaps outplayed by PSG - and scored 2 fortunate goals. PSG went down to 10-men shortly following our 2nd goal and thus were on the defensive at that point - successfully so, as we failed to scored a 3rd.

Fortunate goals to happen - in the 2nd half we were far better than PSG - IMO a 1-1 tie would have been fair.
===
This tie is extremely close. In the 2nd leg we have a clear advantage - but PSG has more than enough talent to win into the final.
===
If we play our best - and unfortunate circumstances do not occur - we will advance. It's very, very, very close though.

 

[Dribble]

From what Pep said, he needed to remind the players to play their usual football. But it did feel at times we were under instruction to hold position. There was one point in the first half when De Bruyne was striding forwards but had to slow to a stop because no one else was.

It comes down to fitness levels too. When we keep the ball and stretch teams from side to side, even if we're not shooting that much, we are forcing them to move and to concentrate and it is incredibly difficult to do that for 90 minutes. Dortmund managed it for about 50 minutes before they were blowing and collapsed in the second leg. PSG similarly just looked done for when we got to about 65 minutes and they'd not actually had to suffer for that long.

What gives me confidence is that PSG have relied upon the away legs but they've played them first in previous rounds. This time we know the situation, we know what they need to do and we can know by keeping the ball and stretching them that even if they're 2-0 up in the 2nd leg and going through, we'll have chances in that final 20 minutes to go and get the goals we need. They barely had a sniff once we played our usual game and we should be confident enough now to play our usual game and know that as long as we don't do anything silly we can control the match and get the result we need. What I don't want to see, is us sitting deep and looking to counter them. I don't think that is the right thing to do. We need to be wary of their pace on the counter, but looking to play exactly how we did in the second half and limit their chances.

Positively we can rest key players on Saturday, whereas they have to win in the league. They simply cannot finish anywhere but top of Ligue 1. And right now they're in a battle and they play against Lens who are 5th in the league on Saturday.

We seemed OK in the first 10 minutes, after that we seemed to regress as PSG grew more dominant. We use controlled possession as our best form of defence, we just seemed to forget this & lose our way during the first half.

Once we started supporting each other in the second half, instead of leaving players isolated & surrounded it turned the tie. Let's hope we continue where we left off. We just have to stick to our principles. Let's hope we can rest the majority of the team who played against PSG when we play Palace, & that those selected tomorrow step up & play their part.

 

[flook]

Flame away - I know full well that the following is going to upset many City fans - my team 100% - but this is how I feel.
===
1st half - in the opening 15 minutes or so we were dominant. PSG did not have the ball much. And yet we created nothing.

1st half - 15+ on - PSG scored a goal off a wonderful corner kick - not much we could do about that. Following this goal - PSG were far better than we were - creating many more chances. Our defense held solid - due to quality of course - but due to a bit of luck indeed. It's very lucky that we weren't down a 2nd goal in the 1st half.
===
2nd half - PSG lost their way. Same sides as in the 1st half - yet somehow far less incisive by PSG. This happens though.

In the 2nd half our pressing was a bit better. And PSG never seemed to compensate.

PSG has lost numerous games in League A - so I guess that's not surprising - failing to play their best for the full 90.
===
Our goals:

1) A KDB ball hung up for a header into the box - no one touches it - and it goes in. I fault Navas (very excellent keeper) for this. Although we perhaps deserved a goal based on the run-of-play - this goal was somewhat lucky.

2) Mahrez free kick goal; it looks as if Mahrez (or KDB) is going to attempt to kick over the wall we've set up. Instead, Mahrez - well, basically hits the ball straight into the PSG wall, a bit left side.

Due to sheer luck, somehow, a gap appears in the PSG wall as they jump - and somehow Mahrez's shot hits that gap and goes into goal.
===
11 v 10:
Later on, Gueye makes a horrible, obvious red-card against our Ice cream man - Gueye is sent off.

But do we score another goal to put the tie to rest? - we do not.
===
My take - we were at least matched or perhaps outplayed by PSG - and scored 2 fortunate goals.

Fortunate goals to happen - in the 2nd half we were far better than PSG - IMO a 1-1 tie would have been fair.
===
This tie is extremely close. In the 2nd leg we have a clear advantage - but PSG has more than enough talent to win into the final.
===
It's extremely close - if we play our best - we will advance.

Ah you see you nearly made it to the end before talking bollocks, most of what you say is pretty accurate, but "My take - we were at least matched or perhaps outplayed by PSG" suggests you were asleep for the whole of the second half. We were in complete control, PSG's front 3 barely got a touch, and Neymar reverted to mard arse mode, as he always does when things aren't going his way

How on earth can you justify that statement?

 

[BlueBlood84]

Flame away - I know full well that the following is going to upset many City fans - my team 100% - but this is how I feel.
===
1st half - in the opening 15 minutes or so we were dominant. PSG did not have the ball much. And yet we created nothing.

1st half - 15+ on - PSG scored a goal off a wonderful corner kick - not much we could do about that. Following this goal - PSG were far better than we were - creating many more chances. Our defense held solid - due to quality of course - but due to a bit of luck indeed. It's very lucky that we weren't down a 2nd goal in the 1st half.
===
2nd half - PSG lost their way. Same sides as in the 1st half - yet somehow far less incisive by PSG. This happens though.

In the 2nd half our pressing was a bit better. And PSG never seemed to compensate.

PSG has lost numerous games in League A - so I guess that's not surprising - failing to play their best for the full 90.
===
Our goals:

1) A KDB ball hung up for a header into the box - no one touches it - and it goes in. I fault Navas (very excellent keeper) for this. Although we perhaps deserved a goal based on the run-of-play - this goal was somewhat lucky.

2) Mahrez free kick goal; it looks as if Mahrez (or KDB) is going to attempt to kick over the wall we've set up. Instead, Mahrez - well, basically hits the ball straight into the PSG wall, a bit left side.

Due to sheer luck, somehow, a gap appears in the PSG wall as they jump - and somehow Mahrez's shot hits that gap and goes into goal.
===
11 v 10:
Later on, Gueye makes a horrible, obvious red-card against our Ice cream man - Gueye is sent off.

But do we score another goal to put the tie to rest? - we do not.
===
My take - we were at least matched or perhaps outplayed by PSG - and scored 2 fortunate goals.

Fortunate goals to happen - in the 2nd half we were far better than PSG - IMO a 1-1 tie would have been fair.
===
This tie is extremely close. In the 2nd leg we have a clear advantage - but PSG has more than enough talent to win into the final.
===
It's extremely close - if we play our best - we will advance.

I said before the first leg all I wanted was 2 away goals.

I can't see PSG scoring 2 or more away goals without a significant reply from us, of course an early goal will really settle the nerves but I'm confident we can get to the final

 

[Blue_Rossy]

I just cant get rid of that "we are going to shoot ourselves in the foot" feeling!!