Real Madrid post match thread

[eyalluvitt]

City v Madrid brief highlights

 

[Whether or not]

Pep knows his squad better than anyone, but after Rodri's warnings about being over-played & Txiki's offer to start the rebuild last summer being turned down, it still makes me wonder if Pep was seriously considering leaving this summer, so wanted the new manager & DoF to choose their own players for the rebuild.

None of this makes sense, because we just about got over the line winning the treble, & when Rodri was suspended for three games the following October, our squad's weaknesses were cruelly exposed as we lost all three matches.

BUT we failed to act that January or last summer in respect to finding competition & cover for Rodders, so here we are... We're the architects of our own difficulties.

However there's another issue. With the revamped CL, the Nation's League & now the 4 yearly CWC, how can FIFA/UEFA/PL limit clubs to 24/25 players? Something's gotta give & unfortunately for City, it was Rodri's knee.

You make a lot of good points. The warning signs were there in full view, but we just sat back, with an air of complacency over a job well done. If I have one gripe with Pep in this situation, it is that it is not his role to be loyal or emotional in relationships with players. That is for us as fans. Pep is paid to be focused and ruthless where necessary, and possibly because of uncertainty about whether he was staying or not, that didn’t happen. The Liverpool team that will win the league this year, which sickens me, is nowhere near the level of the one we constantly beat into second, and City have allowed that shift in power to happen.

 

[Dribble]

You make a lot of good points. The warning signs were there in full view, but we just sat back, with an air of complacency over a job well done. If I have one gripe with Pep in this situation, it is that it is not his role to be loyal or emotional in relationships with players. That is for us as fans. Pep is paid to be focused and ruthless where necessary, and possibly because of uncertainty about whether he was staying or not, that didn’t happen. The Liverpool team that will win the league this year, which sickens me, is nowhere near the level of the one we constantly beat into second, and City have allowed that shift in power to happen.

Agree 100%. I feel sorry for Pep, because it seems like City has cost him his marriage. His wife effectively moved back to Barçelona in 2020, but it seems a final ultimation was issued by her in doors over his contract... Return home or it's divorce!

Pep lives, eats & breathes football & is still a relatively young manager plying his trade in the toughest & richest league in the world. With all the will he/won't he contract extension smoke & mirrors last summer, he kept letting the cat out of the bag by making references to the CWC.

Imagine the GBH of the earhole he must've been getting from the ball & chain? There's no way his dire domestic situation didn't affect his professional life & decision making. I suppose the only thing making the situation easier to swallow for Pep is his youngest is 16, so his kids will be pretty much living their own lives by now.

Perhaps I'm just trying to make myself feel better about our season, but I can't help but feel that it's for all the reasons above & Txiki retiring, that's stunted our forward planning over the last two years, hence the situation we find ourselves in.

There's also pride at stake. I doubt Pep wanted to tarnish his Ethad legacy with City ending up in the Europa Conference League after his final season. This is his squad, & once his domestic strife was resolved one way or the other, I think he now has a burning desire to put right our squad succession planning malaise of the last 2-3 seasons.

Too little, too late, but someone's gotta start the rebuild at some point. With that in mind, I still can't think of any other manager I'd rather have overseeing that process & see sat in our dug-out. If I had a wish, it'd be for our whole club to have a solid two month break from everything football related, so we could all collectively clear our heads & recharge our batteries.

 

[Taylor]

They are good enough to get into the team though, what a stupid statement.

Point proven

 

[Inca Roads Bert]

What is your opinion of Pep's tactics and substitutions? just interested mate .

He sees things we'll never see.
But the short squad plagued with injuries limits what could've been done.
Will he ever park the bus when winning to see off games? I wish once in a while.