Post Match: City vs Barca

[chaddblue]

We are ridiculously easy to play against. Busquets even said as much pre-match, "they let you play, which will be good for us". Our pressing is abysmal at this level. It's fine in the premier league, but we'll never get far in the Champions League unless we display more knowledge on how to actually press properly. We don't make it difficult for the opposition. Barca find it too easy against us.

With the much vaunted Milner in midfield how can this happen?

Seriously I don't remember Milner putting in many tackles despite his legendary work rate way out of his depth at this level and this is why he will leave in the summer

and Fernando has just been one huge disappointment.

Seriously did ANYBODY, aside from Hart, play well last night?
Pass and move only works if you move. Our boys resembled statues most of the night.

Not many, but Sergio was superb and Fernandinho played well when he came on

 

[Stato]

It really does shock me the amount of negativity on this thread from last, ok we not at our best in the first half and were lucky to go in 2-0, but we did.

This has nothing to do with the tactics employed by Manuel, and we proved that at the start of the second half where, with the exact same side, created 4 or 5 clear cut chances and should have scored.

The application in the first half was not there, yet in the second half it was ! we needed that for the whole 90 minutes.

We really have got to cut these mistakes out of our game aswell. Granted not much can be done about the first goal, lucky ricochets and all. the second goal however, we have got to do better, Kompany has to cover that near post and anything that comes near it. Zabaleta cannot be making those challenges in the box on 90 mins, he just need to stand up and jockey, very simple.

I thought Dzeko had a really good game again last night, put himself about, won every header, only thing is, he should have scored ! Milner was solid again and did everything he could, wasn't helped by a half rate Fernando. I think Milner could do a job in there with Yaya, or with yaya and Dinho for the second leg.

We really are still in this tie and the second half should give people a lot of hope. Lets not make Harts save count for nothing ! CTID

on the whole I agree but both goals were absolutely avoidable, both times we gave them far to long to pick the cross, Messi on the first and Alba on the second. No one closed them down, simple stuff.

 

[mekonmcfc]

For me starting a 4-4-2 against the most comfortable and complete midfield is totally wrong, If you cant match someone technically then you have to outwork them and not give them time on the ball. Barca have a pretty poor record in England because they are normally pressured and not allowed to pick off their passes. First half we gave them far too much repsect and allowed them time and space, you watch them with the ball and players are moving around them to allow an easy pass and to retain possession, i didnt see that with us last night. We had the ball apart from Silva and Nasri and it was like a hot potato and had to get rid or go long !

sometimes you have to hold your hands up and to be honest they are an absolute joy to watch with and without the ball and Messi is just incredible

Still we are better away from home at present so you never know

 

[Rorz88]

It really does shock me the amount of negativity on this thread from last, ok we not at our best in the first half and were lucky to go in 2-0, but we did.

This has nothing to do with the tactics employed by Manuel, and we proved that at the start of the second half where, with the exact same side, created 4 or 5 clear cut chances and should have scored.

The application in the first half was not there, yet in the second half it was ! we needed that for the whole 90 minutes.

We really have got to cut these mistakes out of our game aswell. Granted not much can be done about the first goal, lucky ricochets and all. the second goal however, we have got to do better, Kompany has to cover that near post and anything that comes near it. Zabaleta cannot be making those challenges in the box on 90 mins, he just need to stand up and jockey, very simple.

I thought Dzeko had a really good game again last night, put himself about, won every header, only thing is, he should have scored ! Milner was solid again and did everything he could, wasn't helped by a half rate Fernando. I think Milner could do a job in there with Yaya, or with yaya and Dinho for the second leg.

We really are still in this tie and the second half should give people a lot of hope. Lets not make Harts save count for nothing ! CTID

on the whole I agree but both goals were absolutely avoidable, both times we gave them far to long to pick the cross, Messi on the first and Alba on the second. No one closed them down, simple stuff.

Totally agree mate, goals were definitely avoidable and if we had taken our clear cut chances this thread would be a whole lot different

 

[Phil1]

It really does shock me the amount of negativity on this thread from last, ok we not at our best in the first half and were lucky to go in 2-0, but we did.

This has nothing to do with the tactics employed by Manuel, and we proved that at the start of the second half where, with the exact same side, created 4 or 5 clear cut chances and should have scored.

The application in the first half was not there, yet in the second half it was ! we needed that for the whole 90 minutes.

We really have got to cut these mistakes out of our game aswell. Granted not much can be done about the first goal, lucky ricochets and all. the second goal however, we have got to do better, Kompany has to cover that near post and anything that comes near it. Zabaleta cannot be making those challenges in the box on 90 mins, he just need to stand up and jockey, very simple.

I thought Dzeko had a really good game again last night, put himself about, won every header, only thing is, he should have scored ! Milner was solid again and did everything he could, wasn't helped by a half rate Fernando. I think Milner could do a job in there with Yaya, or with yaya and Dinho for the second leg.

We really are still in this tie and the second half should give people a lot of hope. Lets not make Harts save count for nothing ! CTID

on the whole I agree but both goals were absolutely avoidable, both times we gave them far to long to pick the cross, Messi on the first and Alba on the second. No one closed them down, simple stuff.

Totally agree mate, goals were definitely avoidable and if we had taken our clear cut chances this thread would be a whole lot different

Had they taken their clear cut chances this forum would have broken the Internet..

 

[west didsblue]

I also don't understand why we started 4-4-2. Against top sides who are good at keeping the ball, we need to pack the midfield. Dinho should have started rather than Dzeko and Lampard should have been brought on for Fernando at some point.

Aguero was class though, he looked dangerous every time he had the ball and he seems to be back to his best.

 

[che_don_john]

Couple of thoughts after last night:

- A lot of people asking what's up with Vinny. For me, the problem is he is trying too hard to do it all himself and to make an impact - he is steaming into challenges he doesn't need to make, trying to win the ball in positions where there is little threat. Perhaps with each bad game he has, he tries even harder the next game to do something noticeable, when instead he should just trust his team-mates to do their job and stick to his own (ie. holding his position). I always think that the sign of a centre back having a good game is when you barely notice him. Vinny seems so erratic at the moment that he stands out like a sore thumb.

- This season we are the architects of our own downfall with some mindless stupidity from the players. Zabba diving in on Messi was pretty bad, but Clichy's bookings were just laughably naive. In fact, the whole team seems to be lacking discipline at the moment, making so many stupid fouls needlessly. They way everyone stood off Alba when he crossed for the second goal was also baffling; you could see that goal coming. Mind you, these are the same defenders who played under Mancini and they were top-notch then.

- Fernando is really quite poor. Looks lost in there sometimes.

- 4-4-2 against Barca? I despair.

 

[fathellensbellend]

outclassed, and out managed, a clueless line up and nothing learnt from previous lessons handed out.

at the top level you have to deny the best players space, and the only way is to pack the midfield and sit a little deeper, and when you win the ball have an out ball which buys the team some time and gets us up the pitch.

how many times did we expose demechellis by continually putting him in possession and then giving him no out ball, resulting in him giving the ball away and taking out most of our team in the process.

we were so devoid of ideas, we resorted to joe hart launching the ball in the hope dzeko would flick it on, literally playing for scraps.

Mangala had to play last night, especially with a lightweight midfield, we needed pace all across the back to match their lightning quick players, it was obvious we were going to face the same problems.

We needed five in midfield, jimmy should have been on the left and navas on the right, they have the work rate to help the full backs against world class players, and fernandinho had to start, and if Fernando has to play then never in a 2 like yesterday.

I blame the manager yesterday for hanging our players out to dry, and yes we made a fist of it in the 2nd half, but the truth is we are approaching world class teams with keeganesque bravado that only ever has one outcome.

 

[silvasilva]

For me starting a 4-4-2 against the most comfortable and complete midfield is totally wrong, If you cant match someone technically then you have to outwork them and not give them time on the ball. Barca have a pretty poor record in England because they are normally pressured and not allowed to pick off their passes. First half we gave them far too much repsect and allowed them time and space, you watch them with the ball and players are moving around them to allow an easy pass and to retain possession, i didnt see that with us last night. We had the ball apart from Silva and Nasri and it was like a hot potato and had to get rid or go long !

sometimes you have to hold your hands up and to be honest they are an absolute joy to watch with and without the ball and Messi is just incredible

Still we are better away from home at present so you never know

Actually they have a better record in England than in most places. When was the last time they won in Italy or Germany? I can't remember. They've already beaten us and Utd in England. And win or lose they always have an easy time with possession. Like the 2-2 draw with Arsenal or the 1-1 with Chelsea. They would have beaten Arsenal too if it hadn't been for Almunia's saves and Puyol getting sent off. Perhaps the best way to deal with them is to park the airplane shamelessly like Chelsea do.

 

[mekonmcfc]

if i was their 3 midfielders last night I'd be pissing myself to see lining up opposite Milner and Fernando, the last time they played in midfield together Middlesbrough beat us !! They would both do a job in a 3 man midfield but not just the 2 of them, outplayed and outthought