I wasn't 100% convinced by the back 4 who started.I thought with a 2-0 lead, 5 mins remaining and subs being made, Ake should have been one of them to shore up the back and help
With crosses etc. I’m surprised We didn’t make that change.
We won there last year with an excellent professional performance, last night was freakishly bad luck topped off with a Benzema dive the ref couldn’t wait to give. If we went to a CL final on the back of a pen like that it would be on a SSN loop for a week decrying our cheating and paying off refsThat's bound to happen though. We were comfortable, we had a 2 goal cushion and our best players like Kev had gone off because the game was won. For them to then score 2 goals right at the end meaning we'd have to score another was a big ask.
I still really think the crowd won them the game because once they eventually got their first they never stopped after that. Had this been the first leg and we'd been beaten by Madrid 3-1 then I'd bet my house that we'd go through because playing at home in the 2nd leg really does make a big difference.
I know a lot won't see it this way but having to both score and win playing away in Madrid is a massive ask. We saw that against Athletico where we rode our luck towards the end of that game as well. It is a mental thing but every team suffers from it when playing in these big matches against huge teams.
I know how those matches unfolded, the point is that 10 men naturally get worn down more readily than 11.We were 2-0 up both of those games though and both red cards happened at 0-0, so I think I can.
Yeah, I'm going to keep saying it, while it would be nice to go into the final 10 minutes of every game with four goals to spare, 2 should always be enough, and the only thing you can blame is our defending and mentality for not seeing it through. We did not lose last night because we don't have a top striker.It's revisionism at best mate.
How many goals are enough?
One more than an opponent, every time, that's all it ever takes.
Scored six against Monaco, four against Spurs, five against Madrid...
Two games with Sergio.
A striker makes the difference when the games are tight, not when you are conceding five against Monaco, five against Liverpool, four against Spurs, six against Madrid.
It's a collective mental issue in the biggest moments.
Platt used to say Dzeko scored 'heavy goals' which is what I think people are trying to argue we don't have, but five goals across the two ties with Madrid hides the fact our defending was pathetic.
Because the RM gang instructed the ref to do so? (Imo).Where did the (at least) six minutes of extra time go to from after extra time? And why blow up early?