Real Madrid (A) | CL | Post Match Thread

[Gone for a Burton]

Franco FC deserved to win both games but they are a deeply unpleasant club and players.

It's in their DNA to sign cheating, violent cunts.

They dive, drop to the ground, leave boots and elbows flying and skrike like little girls when things don't go their way.

We may have lost but we have qualities and standards that keep us respectable and classy.

 

[HelloCity]

 

[stan bowles]

Unfortunately that was men against boys

Or more accurately, men against a lot of much older men.

 

[CityDean]

Was like watching a cat toying with a dying mouse. We are well off Real Madrid and well off becoming European Champions again. The project to get back to the top has started to take shape with Nico and Marmoush coming in but we need alot more in the summer.

 

[Eccles Blue]

Wow, they’ve got a funny idea of ‘storming out’!! They were maybe leaving early but in an orderly manner and even the song was half-hearted and only a few.

 

[Eccles Blue]

You know I’ve had a good ponder about that game over the past 24 hours and have come to the reluctant conclusion that Pep, much as I love and trust him normally, should take a lot of the blame there.
His remark that we have only 1% chance doesn’t instill confidence, it would have been better to go in all guns blazing saying something along the lines of, well nobody thinks we’re going to do it lads so let’s go and show the world that we are Manchester City and we fight to the end.
The players must take their share, they should have thought ok Pep we’ll show you and that lot, we’re going in to fight because we are Manchester City and we fight to the end.
Instead they went in heads down, demoralised and never got out of the slough of despond!
Up and at ‘em on Sunday! :-) :-)





On a side note, my great-grandson went on the stadium tour today, it was a Christmas present, and (*superproud Great-gran alert*) sat in John Stones place in the dressing room!!!
Now that’s indoctrination and instilling confidence!! *lol*

 

[Gone for a Burton]

I’d agree with that, except for swapping over Ake and Stones. The former is a bit injury prone, the latter has become a full time sick note sadly.

I like Nat, good defender and consumate professional.

However at elite level CBs have to also be capable of travelling through the lines and making decisive passes.

Nat can't do that but John can.

 

[69FACUPfinal]

Franco FC deserved to win both games but they are a deeply unpleasant club and players.

It's in their DNA to sign cheating, violent cunts.

They dive, drop to the ground, leave boots and elbows flying and skrike like little girls when things don't go their way.

We may have lost but we have qualities and standards that keep us respectable and classy.

I agree we are respectable and classy. Not that you would know it by the number of yellow cards we get. I do think though we need to develop a nasty streak and need a couple of smart dark art players like Dinho. We are too soft.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

I agree we are respectable and classy. Not that you would know it by the number of yellow cards we get. I do think though we need to develop a nasty streak and need a couple of smart dark art players like Dinho. We are too soft.

Agreed, but not skriking cheats & wailing wankers.

 

[69FACUPfinal]

Agreed, but not skriking cheats & wailing wankers.

No agree but maybe try it a few times, most other teams try it at some stage. Exhibit B - Arsenal.

 

[Gesario]

Was like watching a cat toying with a dying mouse. We are well off Real Madrid and well off becoming European Champions again. The project to get back to the top has started to take shape with Nico and Marmoush coming in but we need alot more in the summer.

And Khusanov This lads a player

 

[Big Jonjo]

I would sell Dias because his decision making has been abysmal for a long time. More interested in banging birds off love island! Joking apart. I just feel he is way to rash. Look at VVD how composed he is. Calmness. Komapny was the same, calmed everything down. Dias going to head a ball that he was never going to head, fucking bizarre

I take it you're not a fan of Dias then?

 

[Big Jonjo]

I think the team last night gave everything but

One of the main problems is that we have a different back four ( Dias partner) in nearly every match.

Although the Stones /Dias partnership is the one that usually works best.

Pep has got to play Khusanov most of the time now ahead of the injury prone Ake and Stones....he looks very promising and the only one with blistering pace and also hopefully he will stay fit.....it's the only way he will learn.

I think Dias has until the end of the season to prove he can stay fit and get back to the player he was a couple of years ago and cut out the costly mistakes......I'm sure there would be plenty of takers should we decide to sell.

I think our midfield makes the defence look worse than they really are.... last night on numerous occasions the Madrid attackers outnumbered our defenders who got very little help in the way of backtracking from the middle three.

Correct! A defence is only as good as how they are being protected in front, which is very little this season. Couple that with the injuries we've had this season, makes it very difficult for any defender to play at their peak.

The worrying thing is that Dias, Stones, Ake and now Akanji, who have been solid defenders over the last few years, are now spending most of their time on the treatment table. I think of those 4, 2 will have to leave in the summer as we cannot keep depending on them to stay fit.

As much as I hate saying it I would probably get rid of Stones and Ake. I actually probably prefer these 2, but due to age and being injury prone, I think they probably have to go.

I think we should look for another cb, unless Pep brings Doyle back from on loan. Definitely need a rb. Would also like to see a bit of legs in midfield, someone that isn't bullied of the ball.

 

[SamTheGuru]

It does feel like we are in that cliché transition period. This Real Madrid curse is really starting to bug me though. Very similar to the Rags one we had for the few years preceding us winning the title with Mancini. Meanwhile, we cannot take our eyes off the ball, we are definitely out of the league but just need to focus on winning every last game until the end of the season. We need to reinvent the winning mentality that we seem to have lost. It must be a really bizarre mental state knowing that you have won the treble and then trying to maintain that hunger. It pains me so much how recklessly offensive we have been for 18 months now. We always completely dominated games until we started playing with this high back line that tries to sit on the edge of the opposition box. It is almost as if there has been a directive to play football in this risk adverse way (tin hat on). I also wonder what Pep's hunger and desire is at this point. These rolling 2 year extensions are not providing stability and it provides doubt when people want to play under Pep.

 

[Marvin.]

Correct! A defence is only as good as how they are being protected in front, which is very little this season. Couple that with the injuries we've had this season, makes it very difficult for any defender to play at their peak.

The worrying thing is that Dias, Stones, Ake and now Akanji, who have been solid defenders over the last few years, are now spending most of their time on the treatment table. I think of those 4, 2 will have to leave in the summer as we cannot keep depending on them to stay fit.

As much as I hate saying it I would probably get rid of Stones and Ake. I actually probably prefer these 2, but due to age and being injury prone, I think they probably have to go.

I think we should look for another cb, unless Pep brings Doyle back from on loan. Definitely need a rb. Would also like to see a bit of legs in midfield, someone that isn't bullied of the ball.

Where do you see Khusanov playing. Any player who keeps Vinicius Junior quiet in a dominant Real Madrid side is a very strong defensive player. But can he attack as a right back must? I think he's more of a central defender than a right back.

 

[Marvin.]

Franco FC deserved to win both games but they are a deeply unpleasant club and players.

It's in their DNA to sign cheating, violent cunts.

They dive, drop to the ground, leave boots and elbows flying and skrike like little girls when things don't go their way.

We may have lost but we have qualities and standards that keep us respectable and classy.

Rudiger. What a dirty footballer. I am not even sure it is correct to call him a footballer.

 

[Big Jonjo]

Where do you see Khusanov playing. Any player who keeps Vinicius Junior quiet in a dominant Real Madrid side is a very strong defensive player. But can he attack as a right back must? I think he's more of a central defender than a right back.

If Pep thinks he will make a good rb, who am I to argue. He certainly has the pace and power to play there. If we lose 2 of the 4 cbs, we definitely need to replace! I hate the thought of losing any of them, as they are all legends in my eyes for what they've achieved with the club, but as others have mentioned, there can be no room for sentimentality.

I think some big decisions need to be made over the summer. We could also lose most of our midfield, which will also need addressed.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

I would sell Dias because his decision making has been abysmal for a long time. More interested in banging birds off love island! Joking apart. I just feel he is way to rash. Look at VVD how composed he is. Calmness. Komapny was the same, calmed everything down. Dias going to head a ball that he was never going to head, fucking bizarre

Wow, I thought he was ok tbh. One bad decision. Did you see the one where it was easier to put it in his own goal but didnt? It reminded me of this a bit..



City hero to me.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Can't argue with any of that, I'd say Dias though is still a player, he's not been on it for big parts this season and may also be less than 100%.

For me, unless we buy another CB I'd go with a rotating Ake, Dias & Kusa, keeping Gvar on the left.

With all the expected departures we could use Johnny as a third choice DM until he's out of contract. We certainly need a RB to mirror Gvar.

Football has evolved again from Pep's last two styles and I think it's time to move towards 4-2-3-1 next season with Rodders/Nico and Stones as a rotation, maybe last 20 mins of most games for one or the other of them.

Even now we should have enough quality for the 3-1 part of the formation.

What is imperative is moving on Gundog/Bernie/Kev/Nunes and bringing in quality options to bolster the squad.

None of this Pep likes to work with a small 17 man squad, he needs to be told 23-25 players are needed, a few injuries/suspensions/loss of form and we're fucked & end up rushing unfit players back to get crocked again. For one of the best run & biggest clubs in the world sometimes it's amateur hour.

Am I missing something. We have 28 in our squad dont we? One of the largest.

Agreed on Gundog/ Kev (We need a very good replacement for him)/Nunes etc.

 

[Marvin.]

If Pep thinks he will make a good rb, who am I to argue. He certainly has the pace and power to play there. If we lose 2 of the 4 cbs, we definitely need to replace! I hate the thought of losing any of them, as they are all legends in my eyes for what they've achieved with the club, but as others have mentioned, there can be no room for sentimentality.

I think some big decisions need to be made over the summer. We could also lose most of our midfield, which will also need addressed.

Khusanov is quick and powerful, but I haven't see him beat a man and deliver a cross. You need to do that to play right back. Most I have seen him do is play sideways passes on the half-way line. I think he will eventually play at centre-back.

I understand what you say about sentimentality. I has been hard to watch Gundogan and KDB this season because we know what they could once do, and now they are limited.