Post Match Thread: City v Juventus

[Marvin]

I don't know if anybody watched the ITV highlights of the Champions League yesterday. I just watched it on ITV player.

Dixon and Keane were critical of our defending. At the time and when I watched them back initially I thought just great goals, but I think they have a point.

Mangala did not know where Mandzukic was and got his positioning wrong whilst all of City's defenders went to the ball leaving space for Morata when it bounced off Kolarov. It was unlucky bounce off kolarov, but if they had stayed in position it would have been OK.

I think Juve got out of jail, and we got punished for the slightest of errors, whilst we had chances of our own which we didn't take. However I don't think our goal should have stood.

 

[Rolee]

I don't know if anybody watched the ITV highlights of the Champions League yesterday. I just watched it on ITV player.

Dixon and Keane were critical of our defending. At the time and when I watched them back initially I thought just great goals, but I think they have a point.

Mangala did not know where Mandzukic was and got his positioning wrong whilst all of City's defenders went to the ball leaving space for Morata when it bounced off Kolarov. It was unlucky bounce off kolarov, but if they had stayed in position it would have been OK.

I think Juve got out of jail, and we got punished for the slightest of errors, whilst we had chances of our own which we didn't take. However I don't think our goal should have stood.

Mangala knew exactly where he was, watch the replay you'll see for yourself, it was just a fantastic ball from Pogba.

If the ball hadn't bounced off Kolarov where would it have ended up? Can't know for sure but it looked like it would've dropped straight into Cuadrado's path, if it had our defenders were in good positions to deal with it.

 

[jollylescott]

I think the is definitely some truth in this Tolm. That was a very tough, physical game against Palace and of course we lost our main striker in the process. Apart from Kun being crudely taken out, there were many, many crunching tackles that they got away with. From the start of the Juventus game we seemed a bit flat, as if we had been sapped by that hard game a few days beforehand. I suppose as fans we can be somewhat unforgiving of every one of our performances, in that if its not perfection then we can be very critical. And this has been magnified because we have had such a great start to the season.

We need to keep this performance in context. It was the first game on our journey. We had Kun, Merlin and Sterling under injury clouds, and we are still working KDB and Sterling into the fabric of the team.

All is not lost and as we well know when our backs are against the wall, when everything is on the line, this team has proven they can produce the goods.

 

[halfgoathalfotter]

To the deluded clowns who insisted the intensity of our league does not impact on European performance...

I give you Pochetino's comments today...

‘This week was a good example — Manchester City and Manchester United lost because the Premier League is a very tough competition.

'When you see Sevilla play against I-don’t-know-who in Spain, maybe they can rest the week before they play in the Champions League. But for Manchester City it was a very tough game against Crystal Palace. It is not an easy competition, the Premier League, so you suffer a lot in Europe.’

would agree more if we were 25 games in,but after playing 1 game a week ,it is a piss poor excuse,we were done by a typical italian set up,shit finishing and playing a shit tempo to further suit juventus and playing a half fit silva

 

[sh249]

To the deluded clowns who insisted the intensity of our league does not impact on European performance...

I give you Pochetino's comments today...

‘This week was a good example — Manchester City and Manchester United lost because the Premier League is a very tough competition.

'When you see Sevilla play against I-don’t-know-who in Spain, maybe they can rest the week before they play in the Champions League. But for Manchester City it was a very tough game against Crystal Palace. It is not an easy competition, the Premier League, so you suffer a lot in Europe.’

I agree that the intensity of our league does, fairly clearly, take its toll, and despite being so early in the season, the Palace game may, quite justifiably, have had an impact on the performance on Tuesday. I still reckon the main problem is a lack of confidence when playing in the Champions League, though - all the players look unsure of themselves, and its those extra touches and small moments of hesitancy before moving the ball that account for the drop in tempo that makes us so much easier to play against.

 

[lasereyes]

I don't know if anybody watched the ITV highlights of the Champions League yesterday. I just watched it on ITV player.

Dixon and Keane were critical of our defending. At the time and when I watched them back initially I thought just great goals, but I think they have a point.

Mangala did not know where Mandzukic was and got his positioning wrong whilst all of City's defenders went to the ball leaving space for Morata when it bounced off Kolarov. It was unlucky bounce off kolarov, but if they had stayed in position it would have been OK.

I think Juve got out of jail, and we got punished for the slightest of errors, whilst we had chances of our own which we didn't take. However I don't think our goal should have stood.

Agree with you on the defending, but the goal was valid in my book. Yes Kompany did somewhat manhandle Chiellini, but it is little different to the hocus pocus that goes on in the box all the time. When does Skrtel ever get called for virtually molesing Kompany every time we play the scousers? Also, watch that particular play again and you'll see Mangala attempting to leap for a header and being completely held on the ground. If Kompany fouled Chiellini, then Mangala was fouled a few seconds earlier.

 

[Pitchell]

I think the is definitely some truth in this Tolm. That was a very tough, physical game against Palace and of course we lost our main striker in the process. Apart from Kun being crudely taken out, there were many, many crunching tackles that they got away with.

And Juve played a tough, physical match against Chievo. So tough, in fact, that they needed a late penalty to muster a draw, and so physical that they lost one of their crucial players to injury at half time.

 

[lasereyes]

Sideways passing follows from intense pressure on our midfielders the moment they got the ball. the game was far more intense than premiership games, but that does not mean more exciting it means Juventus shut us down, and it takes more to create some space and opportunity.

As a general point, that can be the case, but the driving factor here was we played a lot of the game at walking pace. The key is movement off the ball. There was very little of it. Toure was hanging back in front of the back 4 much more than often, and Sterling was not making those scorching runs down the flanks. Fernandinho showed a lot of energy and didnt seem to be affected by Juventus's midfield. This game was no more intense than the Chelsea or Palace game. Juventus were certainly more organized than both, but that doesn't explain why we were so down-tempo.

 

[bigf42]

Now the principle of Friday fixtures has been established, teams playing on Tuesday should have their league games on the previous Friday, and play on the following Sunday, Wednesday teams should play on the following Monday.

Then wankers like Rodgers needed to play their strongest teams in the Europa league because if they don't guess what will happen no 4th place...... And then they are WATF .....

But. Most importantly we need to stop are soles like pardew sending out teams to kick the shit out of the jewels of the premier league.

If the Pl do not address these issues NOW...then the gravy train will be somewhat less unctuous

 

[Bluep*ss]

I think the pressure will be really on us to beat Borussia M (refuse to try and spell it for fear of embarrassment) in our next game. With the media all praying for us to fail I believe if we beat the Germans then we can still really do something in the CL. All this City bashing has really wound me up.....come on City!!.

Spot on about Sterling.

I will always remember Borussia Munchengladbach....because of that joke.- when Suarez bit Chelini on the shoulder - WC I think.
Suarez emailed 'Pool and begged them to make sure his forthcoming transfer was to the German side .........Borussia Munch- on a centre back.
OK I'll get me coat............

 

[BlueDeadHead]

would agree more if we were 25 games in,but after playing 1 game a week ,it is a piss poor excuse,we were done by a typical italian set up,shit finishing and playing a shit tempo to further suit juventus and playing a half fit silva

The team played on 2 days rest after a tiring International break. We lost against Juventus the second MP put out that team agains Palace.

 

[Pacchioni]

It's simple: we lack players with the ability to finish/shoot a ball.

It became evident yet again in the CL last tuesday. We had lots of chances, yet only converted one. Yet Juventus who did fuck all most of the game sealed the 3 points in two moments of brilliance.

Let's be honest, who do we have with a good (or even remotely good) finishing ability, apart from Kun? Absolutely nobody springs to mind. Perhaps Yaya, but he doesn't play in a position where finishing is most useful.

Navas, Sterling and Silva are absolutely horrendous when it comes to finishing. 1 on 1 I never expect them to score, ever. Bony's not banging them in either, albeit being far superior than our AM's. Nasri on his day is actually pretty good, admitted, and I have hope for KDB. But I'm really getting frustrated by our lack in quality in the finishing department. The reason we are so bad at grinding out results (e.g. when a team parks the bus) is because we need lots and lots of chances for us to convert one. Now we are blessed with some of the best football players in the world, and our creativity seems infinite at times, but I just can't help thinking how unstoppable we would become if some of our players could actually kick a ball.

Disclaimer: not hating on any mentioned players. Silva for example is the best player in the league for me, and perhaps the best 10 in the world, it's just that he's absolutely shite in finishing. Not holding that against him though, as his other attributes compensate that tenfold.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Now the principle of Friday fixtures has been established, teams playing on Tuesday should have their league games on the previous Friday, and play on the following Sunday, Wednesday teams should play on the following Monday.

Then wankers like Rodgers needed to play their strongest teams in the Europa league because if they don't guess what will happen no 4th place...... And then they are WATF .....

But. Most importantly we need to stop are soles like pardew sending out teams to kick the shit out of the jewels of the premier league.

If the Pl do not address these issues NOW...then the gravy train will be somewhat less unctuous

what a great post , 100% correct , Pardew and Palace only had one intention and that was to rough up the best players in the Premiership , which wasnt the best preperation for a game against the 2nd best team in europe , english clubs will never succeed in the champs league until the likes of Richard Scudamore/Sky/BT sport arrange fixtures to benefit the champs league teams and players