Real Madrid (A) Post Match Thread

We lost a match and the tie because the opposition were more clinical in front of goal. They weren’t better over the two legs, they were just better where it mattered. It hurts because we didn’t deserve to lose on the balance of play.

On critical reflection we can’t and shouldn’t point to referees, schedule, injuries etc. We have fallen short in matches and in areas that we could control.

We can control the size of our squad up to the limit that all clubs need to comply with, but have chosen to run it thinner than most of our competitors coming into this season. This has clearly hurt us as we have not had the depth when needed at the pointy end of the season.

We chose not to purchase a LB over many years.

We chose not to purchase a striker prior to the season commencing and we really did not have one the season before either.

We chose not to have a Ferna replacement coming into this season, punted on an ageing legend being able to do it for one more year.

We chose to sell a striker (Torres) mid season and to “replace” him with a striker the club won’t see until next season at the earliest.

We chose to spend 100m on a midfielder we didn’t need who’s numbers and performances have, frankly, been abysmal. No matter how “world class” he may be in his 2nd season as many believe, he has not been an upgrade to the team this year.

We have chosen to recruit technically gifted players for many years that lack burst pace (Walker and Sane aside).

All these are football related and this CL defeat and FA Cup Semi defeat this season can be explained by one or more of these. So too many other results over the Pep journey.

These were conscious choices that the football department have made and it has meant we have fallen short in certain matches.

We have had a hugely successful spell under this football department and as fans we should be and are enormously thankful for that. But we have at times fallen short and whilst “luck” and uncontrollable’s do impact and challenge us it’s the choices we have consciously made and the decisions taken that have scuppered us being even more successful.

I hope they can recover from the huge disappointment and see out the PL. I was asked the other day if you could only have one (I know it doesn’t work that way) what would it be. My answer - PL. we’re still on for that.

C’mon City!!!
 
Cricket Blue said:
The biggest observation I am seeing is I know our match went into extra game and Madris is a much tougher game then Villarreal but Liverpool's fitness levels look vastly superior and they are not picking up any barely any injuries.
An obvious question which maybe we don't know but why is this?
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Their magic inhalers.

Plus throughout the season we've been instructed to play at a snails walking pace. Can't switch to full on running after that.
 
argyle said:
Getting Haaland won't stop others shitting the bed in front of goal.
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As some have already alluded to, certain players just aren’t up to it and need to move on. Squad needs freshening up and all last night did was confirm that.
 
Eoiyflem said:
Cancelo is a fucking liability at right back. What the fuck was he thinking for both of those goals?? That pass out of the back for the second was a joke tbh.

The Scouse rats will beat that Madrid team with ease with the amount of chances they cough up and I can't help but think that last nights shitshow could yet cost us the league as well.

Typical city alive and well
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I think Cancelo has been poor for weeks tbh. Near the end of the 90 mins last night I am sure he crossed a ball into the box where we only had 1 or 2 players instead of keeping possession.
 
Keepingthefaithsince1976 said:
l like reading common sense.
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Common sense can also remind us that different City line-ups have also conceded the best part of five or six goals in the exits to Spurs, Liverpool and Monaco. Three against Lyon in a one-off tie.

Truth is, we would have been out already against Madrid if away goals were still a thing this season.

Aside from Atletico and Dortmund away, we struggle to hang in games at the big moments.

We are a reflection of our manager, a team of good guys who perhaps care a little too much, which can bring its on pressure.

John Lennon once you don't win many friends by telling the truth, but you earn true friends as a result.

I'd rather have Pep and this team, winning and losing his way, than fluke some bollocks knockout that even Forest, Villa and Marseille have managed to win.

Make no mistake, this team needs us, just as much as we need them over this next couple of weeks.
 
shemnel said:
Just watched back the game from 86:00 to the end about 4 times. My god.

Courtois makes a great save with his studs and then there's a horrendous corner to put Madrid on the attack on about 89:30. The defending from then is non-existent, it's going to be horrendous viewing for the players. There are multiple times to bring it down and slow everything down. We dont. we panic to the extreme and this is pre Madrid scoring the first. The ball is at Eddie's feet on 90:01 after conceding and somehow making a mess of kick off, and Madrid are careering down our right flank on 90:30 again. There is zero control, zero shape. If you can take it I would watch it again.

gutted today.
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You mad bastard :)
 
Sheik Battle and Goal said:
I can’t understand why they couldn’t do that. We’ve done it before by taking the ball into the corner and running the clock down. The derby at home a couple of years ago springs to mind.

It was naive at best for a team with experience of big games for their club and country.
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We’re usually very good at running the clock down in the corner. But it’s nearly always de Bruyne who runs those tactics. Of the players on the pitch at the end, only Bernardo is skilled at that tactic and it needs two to do it effectively.
 
That fucking goal line clearance that was kicked straight into Foden and rebounded out, instead of into the net.... I mean ffs that says it all
 
History is written by the victors. That is why history often carries a level of falsehood. History will record that Real Madrid went through last night.
What my eyes told me — and sorry, I'm not going to deny the evidence of my eyes — is that, over 180 minutes of normal time, City were the better team. In flashes, Real were better than us, and they reacted brilliantly. What I particularly noticed last night is how, even when they went a goal down, and so 2-0 on aggregate, they didn't lose their football. They continued to believe, they continued to play. Maybe that's experience, maybe that's the weight of having won this competition thirteen times. O.k. I'll concede that.
By contrast, during extra time, our football fell to pieces. We resorted to hoofball, and I was astonished to see it. I've very rarely seen that under Pep. We were no longer a team, but eleven players running round like headless chickens. We did not threaten them.
So be it. We still have lessons to learn, for sure.There are no consolations to be had for the way we went out last night. None. Slept really badly. Kept waking up in the night and remembering.

By the way, I'll state my conviction clearly: anybody saying that Pep needs sacking is working for the opposition, and opposition fans. They may be stating a sincere opinion — who knows, when you're absolutely tanked up with ten pints inside you any opinion is possible — but that is what they are doing. Fans of the big European clubs, fans of United and Liverpool, would love it if Pep were sacked. It would be a birthday present and Christmas present rolled into one. Liverpool F.C. won no trophies last season. Were people on RAWK calling for Klopp to be sacked? I don't chose to go on RAWK, which is the cesspit of football forums as far as I'm concerned, but I'd be kind of astonished. Or if they were, they were probably City fans or United fans who'd infiltrated that forum.
 
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