QF 1st Leg Post Match Thread

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Well OK that may have been on his mind but the solution was to play rested players like Sane and KDB who had the capacity to take that game away from SPurs and kill the 2nd leg. We've made it more difficult now.

I very much doubt that Barcelona Pep would have played a game like that, and yes City are not that Barcelona side, but we are a much better side than Spurs. I think Pep overthought the game and dwelt on last season's quarter final defeat. I think uppermost in his mind was avoiding a heavy defeat and keeping us in the tie. It back-fired whatever it was he was trying to do.

Play your best players in the CL. If you don't then there's something wrong especially when you are playing Spurs.

I think we looked lethargic. Too many older players in the starting line up and the impact of the recent fixture list. The only positive is that we have rotated so many players that we can rotate again. Kev and Sane need to come back in. Hope B Silva is fit soon as we need his running. That midfield 3 must had had an average age of 32ish last night. Not enough spark.

 

[Marvin]

The only person who should be embarrassed is you when you read this back.

Bottled it?
Cower?
Losing his nerve?

He's trying to keep the squad as fresh as possible and try to win an unprecedented quadruple!!

If Delph hadn't had a brain fart and Sergio scored the penalty it'd have been perfect, as it was we go into a home tie one goal behind. We're head and shoulders above them as you'll see this time next week.

Even if we beat them, I still think he got it wrong

He has bottled it. I haven't read a single logical explanation for his tactics. I know what we was trying to do, but it doesn't make sense. If your opponent is weaker, you open the game up with De Bruyne and Sane. No he has created a situation now where SPurs need one goal to KO us from the quadruple and you're being selfish by letting someone else ask the questions you should all be asking.

 

[Thomas Hearns]

Maybe but fact remains we still played very conservatively and it stemmed from Pep.

I'd accept pragmatism against Barcelona not an inferior side who are exactly the type of side we should be opening up against.

You are all defending him out of loyalty to his position rather than behaving as City fans and thinking what is best for the team. He quite obviously got it wrong.

I have no loyalty to his position, when he was foisting the hopeless Bravo on us I was hurling abuse at him but here he's bang right. Firstyly we can't expect to steamroller teams away from home in the CLQF man, we edged a narrow league game at their place so why should we think we can just roll up to their new ground and batter them. What's best for the team is to use the squad we have to try to maximize our chances in all three remaining comps and that's what he did last night.

 

[Marvin]

And what if playing his best players last night would have impacted on his choices for Sunday? and Palace then turn us over?

The biggest game is the one immediately in front of you and now we are in a situation where one domino has fallen.

I know what you are saying but Spurs was the tougher game, and it was on a Tuesday. Sane was well rested. SO was KDB. There's no justification at all for not playing them.

 

[Mancity1980]

We have been playing in 3rd gear for a month or more now , we know we have got two or three more gears but its up to Pep and the players to select those gears or we are not going any further in the Champs league or retaining our title , its now or never , mediocrity wont cut it at this stage of the season

Totally agree, Pep knows it too. The after match manager interviews are the true indicator for me, Pep looked happier and more confident than Pochettino (never mind what they say).

 

[Whitty1001]

Even if we beat them, I still think he got it wrong

He has bottled it. I haven't read a single logical explanation for his tactics. I know what we was trying to do, but it doesn't make sense. If your opponent is weaker, you open the game up with De Bruyne and Sane. No he has created a situation now where SPurs need one goal to KO us from the quadruple and you're being selfish by letting someone else ask the questions you should all be asking.

I think palace may have been on his mind too though, could you imagine if we went full strength and got the 1-1 and then lost to palace this weekend due to fatigue and KDB being rushed back too early. That would have been more of a kick in the balls ahead of Wednesday. I see no reason now why we can't bag 2 and dominate possession preventing them from scoring, heading for the quadruple was never going to mean an easy game every week, especially with 3 games in a week.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Pep has come here to win the Champions League. It’s our main aim. All the other trophies are great, but the Champions League is mainly why SM is in charge of our club.

So what you saying?

 

[Malekith]

Pep playing the long game. The rotation was needed and this was the only game in the coming weeks we could afford to lose by a small margin.

 

[Whitty1001]

Touch wood, I can't see spurs scoring more than 1 at the Etihad against a full strength side, we need to come bursting out the blocks, head into half time 2-0 up on Wednesday, then, even if they were to score I can see us grabbing a 3rd in the second half.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Pretty gutted as I thought we played quite well under the circumstances (spurs cup final, no bernardo or kdb etc), thought Mahrez had his best game in a while and Gundogan seems to be getting sharper. Utterly baffling why Sane and De Bruyne didnt come after Spurs were looking on the ropes after the Kane injury.

Think the tie's still in the balance, Kane will be a huge a loss as he gets them up the pitch, no idea how many fouls otamendi gave away last with cheap free kicks. However, got a feeling a cheap away goal will kill off us again.