Real Madrid post match thread

remember when we signed stuart pierce, legs had gone but the brain was there, sad to see a player go downhill so quickly
It's not so quick. It's been coming for a long time. Pep should have seen it. The same with Walker and Gundogan. We've seen this before with Yaya and even Aguero. Dzeko became less effective. This time we've left it late with our rebuilding.

I did like the look of Khusanov at Orient. I guess it was too much of a gamble to play him tonight but I hated the team that Pep put out. It was safety first. Perhaps inevitable. We want to compete with Real Madrid but we can't.

There must be a genuine fear amongst all City fans as to whether City are done. I don't think so because we have some wonderful forwards e.g., Doku and Bobb but we are an imbalanced squad now.
 
I don't see it changing until Rodri comes back.

Realistically, new players take months to settle in. Marmoush for example was the best player in the Bundesliga and he has not done anything for us, so I can't see Khusanov or Gonzalez making a huge difference.

But I would like Pep to stop playing KDB, Gundogan and the old players, and try the new players. I would especially like him to maximise Marmoush. I do not want to see KDB trotting around always late. He was a fantastic player once but not any more. The longer we persist in playing him, the longer it will take for City to recover.
Unfair to single Kev out but I get the point.

The older players play ok in parts but as the game goes on it’s clear that we don’t have the legs to get out of trouble nor the composure to keep the ball.

Players like Gundo and Kev and even stones should be impact players. Stones for example had a very good game but towards the end he gave the ball away in dangerous areas and luckily we did not get punished.

Kova came on and ran into trouble then gave the ball away. I mean, wtf is that?

The subs this season are absolutely crazy. A few young players and new players need to be given a proper chance. Time awaits no one. I would rather we got done with giving it ago as opposed to falling apart around the 60-90 min and slowly but surly giving up the game.

The boss needs a good shake and it’s about time he had some honest conversations with the squad. Try a new approach.
 
I think we will win the next game but then lose in penalties


Just thinking what could happen worst more than what we already suffered

Maybe our winning goal will be canceled by var
 
I'm old fart and I've experienced the bad times, but I've dined at the top table these last 15 years, I've grown accustomed to it, not entitled, but I've enjoyed it immensely.

But right now I want this season to end, I really do.
This season is now a free hit…

Breath and recuperate, enjoy the unpredictability of our performances and the lack of pressure to continue winning, if anything this season shows how amazing we have been for the last 4 years

Personally I’d sack off everything, in favour of getting top 4/5… sack off the club World Cup to get players fit and ready for next year and prune the squad of the players that need to move (despite being legends in many cases)
 
A real possibility - some of the younger players are entitled to think 'here we go again' when they see such ageing legs brought on, with the same result each time?

I am massively grateful to KDB and Gundo, for instance, but they seem like charity cases now. KDB has been my favourite player for years, but he's had his day - certainly at the level City consider themselves to be.

They don't need to make actual mistakes to affect the dynamic of the match. The extra yard or so that they give opponents to thread a ball through can be just as damaging as Kova/Rico's aberrations for the third.
KDB has become a liability. Think back to the FA Cup Final. He was awful that day. I haven't seen him have a good game in any big game since that day. I thought he needed replacing then but of course you cannot do that in football with contracts. We just have to see this season out, and because he's such a big part of the squad, he automatically starts. I would like to see Marmoush play now in his role, or Grealish, but Grealish has lots of injury problems like many City players.
 
KDB has become a liability. Think back to the FA Cup Final. He was awful that day. I haven't seen him have a good game in any big game since that day. I thought he needed replacing then but of course you cannot do that in football with contracts. We just have to see this season out, and because he's such a big part of the squad, he automatically starts. I would like to see Marmoush play now in his role, or Grealish, but Grealish has lots of injury problems like many City players.
If de Bruyne continues to start games after today, then Pep's lineup selections seriously need to be questioned.

Marmoush and Grealish seem the best options, but Pep doesn't seem to think Grealish can hack it there (nonsense) and he'll probably be mismanaged coming back from this injury again anyway.
 
Unfair to single Kev out but I get the point.

The older players play ok in parts but as the game goes on it’s clear that we don’t have the legs to get out of trouble nor the composure to keep the ball.

Players like Gundo and Kev and even stones should be impact players. Stones for example had a very good game but towards the end he gave the ball away in dangerous areas and luckily we did not get punished.

Kova came on and ran into trouble then gave the ball away. I mean, wtf is that?

The subs this season are absolutely crazy. A few young players and new players need to be given a proper chance. Time awaits no one. I would rather we got done with giving it ago as opposed to falling apart around the 60-90 min and slowly but surly giving up the game.

The boss needs a good shake and it’s about time he had some honest conversations with the squad. Try a new approach.
I wouldn't put it all on KDB but I don't know why he starts games like this. Foden is a much better player, so potentially is Marmoush.

No one had KDB in their starting line up for this game but deep down, I knew Pep would play him. He's his man on the pitch bit he just cannot do what he once did. Just how long is it going to take for Pep to realise this. He really is way to loyal to the team he loves. I hate watching KDB now. It is sad to see such a great player, playing at this level. I've seen this many times now. I thought Pep with his experience would manage this a lot better.

You are right though. There are other issues too. Injuries is another significant problem. It's every game.
 
If de Bruyne continues to start games after today, then Pep's lineup selections seriously need to be questioned.

Marmoush and Grealish seem the best options, but Pep doesn't seem to think Grealish can hack it there (nonsense) and he'll probably be mismanaged coming back from this injury again anyway.
For a long time I have felt that Grealish should get a run alongside Kovacic. But it's a moot point if he's injured.
 
Grealish looked injured from the get go today… he competed for a 50/50 ball in the first 10 mins right in front of us and you saw him whince and then holding his hamstring
 
I don't see it changing until Rodri comes back.

Realistically, new players take months to settle in. Marmoush for example was the best player in the Bundesliga and he has not done anything for us, so I can't see Khusanov or Gonzalez making a huge difference.

But I would like Pep to stop playing KDB, Gundogan and the old players, and try the new players. I would especially like him to maximise Marmoush. I do not want to see KDB trotting around always late. He was a fantastic player once but not any more. The longer we persist in playing him, the longer it will take for City to recover.
i think its going to take Rodri,Bobb and another 250m to get us back where we were,but its doable
 
I don't see it changing until Rodri comes back.

Realistically, new players take months to settle in. Marmoush for example was the best player in the Bundesliga and he has not done anything for us, so I can't see Khusanov or Gonzalez making a huge difference.

But I would like Pep to stop playing KDB, Gundogan and the old players, and try the new players. I would especially like him to maximise Marmoush. I do not want to see KDB trotting around always late. He was a fantastic player once but not any more. The longer we persist in playing him, the longer it will take for City to recover.

Saw a quote tonight and couldn't agree with it more - sentimentality could set this club back years.

Look no further than the rags as to why that is not a good thing. We need to be cutthroat going forward.
 
For a long time I have felt that Grealish should get a run alongside Kovacic. But it's a moot point if he's injured.
That could've solved some of the issues we had a couple months ago. Unfortunately, if Pep wasn't going to try it then, he's probably not going to do it at all.

It's funny how someone who tinkers with lineups and positions so much won't do it for a player who has the ability to play different roles on the pitch.
 
He put Rico on at half time because he wanted him inverting into midfield. That's fine, when he's in a strong team - otherwise Lewis can't do it - he's lost there. Then, when he has to defend, they've got him on toast, apart from 1 tackle.
He is not a midfielder or right back at the top level; and tonight he was facing the top level of attack. He's poor; period!
In the last month, Pep's left him out for Nunes, but against the best attackers, he brings him back after he looked reasonable against Leyton bloody Orient! (By no means am I saying that Nunes is the answer; Kusanov, or Reiss, probably is!)
He looked like the schoolboy that he still is. Sorry Pep; Lewis failed us tonight, and that was down to you. I can see he isn't good enough at the top level so why can't you? We needed Kusanov on when Akanje went off. Of all the youngsters champing at the bit to get minutes, Pep always favours fuckin' Lewis - the lightweight!
What a let down - we nearly rode our luck tonight. Why bring Marmoush on so late? In the end, we had no midfield at all - and then our weak defence and goalie gave them the game in the last 10 minutes. Once again! Fuckin' groundhog day!
I look forward to the team selection for Newcastle. The 1st hour tonight had promise! But, who the fuck is going to be fit, available, and in Pep's good books? Lewis, KDB, Gundo, Kova and Bernardo are all worryingly fit, with Akanje, Ake and Grealish probably injured again, so unless Pep can get some magic out of someone, we're fucked in the next 3 games. Newcastle, Real Madrid and then Liverpool; fuck me!
Very frustrating.
Rico has a lot of energy and desire, but he’s neither a right back or a midfielder. He thinks he’s a midfielder and that’s why he drifts forward, when he shouldn’t be forward and as a result is repeatedly caught out of position. This is the Valverde shot that nearly went in. Look how far he is out of position. He was supposed to be right back.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1585.jpeg
    IMG_1585.jpeg
    619.6 KB · Views: 39

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top