I think we were massively fortunate in this game, and we should be aware of this. Against Spurs we dominated the ball but scored through a set-piece. Today, again we dominated the ball for long periods in the 2nd half and were able to create some very fluid passages of play on the outside of their box, but rarely did we threaten their goal. There was one must score moment from a PSG error in the 1st half when Bernardo passed to Foden and he struck it too centrally.
PSG are in a way the counter-opposite to City. Their threat are their forwards in Mbappe and Neymar, whereas our offensive talent is that we have 5 fantastic midfielders in Foden, GUndogan, Bernardo, Mahrez and KDB but we are forever massed against their defence outside their penalty box free-wheeling forever. It is beautiful to watch when we have a lead but frustrating if we need a goal. Nothing came of all our midfield play at Wembley, and nothing came from it last night either. You could say the same about PSG too (took a corner).
Our free-kick was incredibly fortunate. Mahrez can try that a 100 times and will never be able to do that again. What was he trying to do? GO round it, go over it? poor execution that came off simply because he hit it hard and on target.
We got lucky. Same as Spurs did when they came to City in that Q/F. But you need luck.
I think we have make a virtue from a fundamental weakness in our side...the lack of a centre-forward. Our ability to control the ball prevents Mbappe and Neymars from hurting us because it means we dominate the ball but we don't carry the same lethal threat in the penalty area that PSG have.
When PSG have Neymar and Mbappe on the edge of our penalty area, then they have the capacity to shift the ball really quick and get a runner in on the end of a cross e.g., Mbappe to Veratti that he missed by inches. I don't see this City side carrying this kind of threat.
The ability though to suffocate a side by preventing them from building up play, and to monopolise the ball though are huge pluses.
If Foden and/other players develop the Neymar/Ronaldo/Lampard ability to carry a real goal threat without being an out and out centre-forward then this absence of a central stiker does not matter.
In the Summer we have a crucial decision to make. Do we continue as we are, or do we sacrifice a forward to carry more threat in the box but at the same time lose control over possession? How many times do Bernardo and Mahrez cut back inside and float lovely balls in but rarely do these crosses have much threat. Against Villa that's how Rodri scored (from a Bernardo ball).
The plus side is though that most games end up 30:70 possession for City and what can an opponen do with so little possession? PSG are very dangeorous because they are more clinical, or efficient with their 30% possession.
