QF 1st Leg Post Match Thread

[Marvin]

Marv, I at least now know why you have a downer with Pep, it is because you have confirmed how clueless you are - sorry mate, but that highlighted is from a 5 year old.

With that one sentence, you have lost any credibility to argue in this thread imo

Either that or you have been on the WUM (you have a get out option with that :))

I don't have a downer on Pep. I have a downer on his decision to change the team, and play a game-plan that is unusual for us.

I wanted to discuss the game-plan which I found very surprising. There's no need to be so relentlessly personal about it.

 

[supercity88]

He did the same thing at Anfield and did it again at Spurs. I don't know what he did whilst manager of Bayern but I am aware of some heavy defeats to the Spanish clubs at the latter stages of the competition, so I think it's reasonable to look at his management of these games when everything else he seems to touch turns to gold.

I don't disagree that he has made some odd choices regarding team selection in the CL. But there is a different context to this game than others. Last season the title was sewn up really and it was a selection based on handling their pressing and it back fired. With Bayern he also had the league titles pretty much under his belt and worried about the opposition more than he should have in the away legs.

Perhaps he did the same on Tuesday but I believe he was simply holding players back for league games. People have mentioned it not making sense to rest De Bruyne but our league games are all vital and he will be needed in each and every one of them. Because of that Pep clearly felt Spurs away was a game he could do with a rest in. And at 1-0 down he would have thrown him on sooner if he felt it was worth really going for it.

Pep is clearly confident that a 1-0 deficit is fine and trusts the side to get the job done at home. He didn't want to risk pushing for an equaliser and then lose 2-0. It allows big players to come in fresh for Palace and play next week when Spurs will have had less time to prepare than they did for the first game.

It allows us to then use our squad for the league game and hope their smaller squad is burnt out. Before we then go full strength against United.

He will be looking ahead at each game.

I am confident we can win the tie next week. And beating Palace is a bigger priority. But maybe we will draw at Palace and geet knovked out by Spurs, in which case Pep comes in for huge criticism. He has handled squad management so well all season and we are still fighting on all fronts so I am still supportive of what he is doing. And I truly believe he made the decisions on Tuesday because he felt Sunday was crucial and we could win the tie at home next week.

 

[Blue Til Death]

Fine margins at this level and the missed pen was a big factor, it won't However be a big factor in the second leg as I fully expect City to come through 2-0 +
Im not qualified to question an under 7's coach so i certainly won't be questioning the best manager on the planet.. Pep has got this, show some belief in the man, he's earned that in bucketfulls....

 

[waspish]

Nice of sky to pick our game and put it on the sunday giving spurs an extra full day rest K@nts

 

[Rolee]

He did the same thing at Anfield and did it again at Spurs. I don't know what he did whilst manager of Bayern but I am aware of some heavy defeats to the Spanish clubs at the latter stages of the competition, so I think it's reasonable to look at his management of these games when everything else he seems to touch turns to gold.

He approached last year's quarter final at Anfield differently than he approached Spurs the other night, he tried to play on the front foot at Anfield and it blew up in his face.

If anything the approach to Spurs was similar to the approach at Anfield in the league this season, which worked.

 

[daztrueblue91]

He approached last year's quarter final at Anfield differently than he approached Spurs the other night, he tried to play on the front foot at Anfield and it blew up in his face.

If anything the approach to Spurs was similar to the approach at Anfield in the league this season, which worked.

Agreed and if we’d have taken both penalties we were presented with then we would be even stronger favourites for the League and CL QF.

No manager can account for players pissing easy chances up the wall.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

He approached last year's quarter final at Anfield differently than he approached Spurs the other night, he tried to play on the front foot at Anfield and it blew up in his face.

If anything the approach to Spurs was similar to the approach at Anfield in the league this season, which worked.

this guys talks sense.

Cant have it both ways.

Last year aftyer the liverpool game the fans mantra was be more defensive.

Imo Pep has and is learnign how to play the defensive side of the game, he really wants to win the CL and his constant attacking style has come in for some stick

Not really arsed tbh, what really arses me is all these people on here moaning and groaning..... I really hope they are not coming to the game on Wed, the team need us behind them not people who look for the first error and start maoning and groaning at the game, we need to spur the players on not make them scared of errors! Cant stand negative people at the game when we're playing soo good.

 

[DenisLawBackHeel74]

Average, Shit , I’ve read it all on this site over the last few days . A team in the top 6 is not Average , a team that beat the then Top team in Germany is not average .
People moaning about Rose , holding off one of your players , and Not one mention of how Fernandinho should have been sent off for the elbow into the back of Kane’s head . Then when Kane went to block Delphi’s clearance , he followed through and caught Kane on the ankle .
It 1-0 and all to play for .
When you spent more on 4 defenders than Spurs have in the last 3 years , when in EVERY game your bench has cost more than most teams First X1 , to be condescending enough to call any opponent Average is Arrogant

I genuinely like spurs and didn’t meet to come across as arrogant...although it does look that way.

I just think you have looked much better/dangerous in the past but of course you’ll have the chance to beat us in the next couple of games and secure a top 4 place in the remaining pl ties to prove your not bang average.

Also, youre not going to endear many on here talking about how much we’ve spent on players....others have also spent a lot over the last few seasons, spurs including....if we talk about bang for buck that’s a different matter, we’ve bought exceptionally well.

 

[Rolee]

Then when Kane went to block Delphi’s clearance , he followed through and caught Kane on the ankle

Kane was reckless, he steamed in to win a ball he was never getting to and got himself injured.

I agree with you and understand your gripe about the disparaging way Spurs are being referred to btw.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Possibly but on past tinkering I doubt it. What about Sane? He's not tired.

I'm not anti-Pep. How could any City fan be, I just feel that on this occasion he got his team selection wrong and when looking to understand why, I see a past trend. I think previous comment/losses have put him on edge in these games. I used to treat any criticism of City as sacrilege but realised over time it's all inconsequential.

This was the most 'loseable' game between now & the summer.

It's the only chance we have, to get players fit for the run in. We will still likely have to take some chances with team selection, even after this. But in a few weeks, Liverpool's fixtures advantage will be gone & they will have to play flat out v Barca, home & away. Then if both teams are close in the league, it will literally come down to fitness.

Sane may be the decider in whether we come out on top at the end. He will be fresh & soon Pep will unleash him. If he plays as he can, he will be key, if not, back on the bench. To beat Spurs twice, we will need to set them different problems, so they can't come up with one plan to stop us. They now have to play a completely different City team & they don't know which one. And it should be us, leading 1-0 in the next game.

The truth of the game v Spurs anyhow, is that at the time they scored, we weren't sat back, we were playing just like City, bossing the game & looking like scoring. Spurs scored due to mistakes, not due to Pep & not due to Sane & KDB sitting on the bench.

If we were sat back struggling & Spurs took advantage, then it indicates Pep was wrong. We weren't, we had done the trick, got on top & were going for the win. Then our players, fucked up a simple defensive job.