Real Madrid post match thread

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

B

It just comes down to most of the team no longer being good enough, either because of age or just not the standard required.

Kev, Bernie, Gundog, Kovacic, Eddie all need to go in summer as they’re done here now.

Real Madrid/Bayern level signings needed in summer, fuck net spend.

But there are different ways to win a football match and we just seem to have one plan.
All three of their goals last night had no city player near to the player putting the ball into the net and that is very poor, especially as it seems to happen most weeks.

 

[smevchenko]

Tbh, I agree that Rico struggled and is not the world's best right back, but those blaming him for the last goal should be looking more towards the pass from Kova. So many of our problems this season haven't just come from poor positional play or lack of proper tackling, it's come from senior experienced professionals playing sloppy and/or suicidal passes.

Mistakes happen, but unfortunately that 3rd goal had multiple mistakes. Bad ball from Kovacic gives Vini a chance to get in, but then Lewis doesnt appear to grasp the situation and stands still and just raises a boot. He's got to throw himself towards the ball, maybe get a head on it or take Vini out, and then Ederson makes it easy for Vini to lift the ball over him.

And obviously a terrible pass from Ederson and then a careless parry back into the area sets up the 2nd goal.

Two late goals, but in all honesty, they probably deserved to win, certainly deserved a draw. They looked capable of scoring most of the game, and we always looked like we had a mistake in us.

Would require an incredible turnaround next week to score a goal more then them and at least take it to ET.

 

[iwasthere1968]

Aww. You don’t like being challenged then?

I don't normally respond , at my age I don't find I have the capacity to put down in writing my thoughts as well as before. So that leaves me open to smart arse responses .
It seems my observation provoked you into personal comment about me , fair enough you have far more posts than me and are more suited to this environment.
I'm happy to leave it there, a benefit of my age.

 

[Ric]

Looking back, I'm not even that disappointed about last night. We were beaten by a younger, fitter, better team. Wouldn't be a surprise to anyone if they went on to win the competition. Even if we'd have held on and gone to the Bernabeu with a one goal lead, they would probably have comfortably overturned it next week.

We played pretty well, but this team is at the end of their cycle. The minds are willing, but the legs less so. The midfield needs a huge overhaul in the summer, and some difficult decisions need to be made. No one would begrudge De Bruyne or Bernardo moves abroad, whilst Gundogan's contract obviously shouldn't be renewed. Kovacic could possibly leave too. Don't know whether such a turnover of senior players, all in the same position, is realistic but drastic surgery is required to get us competitive again in that area.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

B

But there are different ways to win a football match and we just seem to have one plan.
All three of their goals last night had no city player near to the player putting the ball into the net and that is very poor, especially as it seems to happen most weeks.

Indeed. One plan that isn’t working anymore and no signs of it changing.

Not like we hadn’t had the warnings in the first 15 mins either when they really should have been at least 2-0 up.

 

[shemnel]

what i would say though mate albeit i agree the better team won in the end, we earnt and rode our luck for 85 minutes to get us in a position of having a chance next week, then two brain farts from ederson cost us the game
also why did he not bring on nico instead of the washed up gundo, if the lad can't do 10 minutes he shouldn't of been on the bench, poor poor decision from pep

i thought their 2nd goal was coming a bit, even despite us having the penalty. But the 3rd....my god, watching the video back is torture

 

[inbetween]

I think that game sums up our season, a lot are calling our game management but at no point did we really deserve to win. We played really well in parts but for the rest of the game we were hanging on. Mbappe could have scored at least 3.

In my mind we're lucky to be going in at 2-3 so we've at least done well to stay in the tie. The frustration obviously is that we were winning twice and lost but something had to give eventually.

Pep must think though how on earth does he start a game with 11 players and then need to sub 2 of them by half time? I don't know what's going on with our defenders, none of them can play more than 1 game in a row.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Indeed. One plan that isn’t working anymore and no signs of it changing.

Not like we hadn’t had the warnings in the first 15 mins either when they really should have been at least 2-0 up.

I’m more disappointed that the players don’t take it upon themselves to do something different, in the last few minutes at least. Keep them out at all costs but no, centre halves sauntering into midfield, one fullback higher than his wide player, the other one jogging into midfield whilst everyone leaves 45 yards of empty space behind them. Madness.

 

[Chak19]

Looking back, I'm not even that disappointed about last night. We were beaten by a younger, fitter, better team. Wouldn't be a surprise to anyone if they went on to win the competition. Even if we'd have held on and gone to the Bernabeu with a one goal lead, they would probably have comfortably overturned it next week.

We played pretty well, but this team is at the end of their cycle. The minds are willing, but the legs less so. The midfield needs a huge overhaul in the summer, and some difficult decisions need to be made. No one would begrudge De Bruyne or Bernardo moves abroad, whilst Gundogan's contract obviously shouldn't be renewed. Kovacic could possibly leave too. Don't know whether such a turnover of senior players, all in the same position, is realistic but drastic surgery is required to get us competitive again in that area.

We were also beaten by a team that had two midielders, a guy no one has heard of and a washed Mendy as their back 4, they also had Ceballos in midfield who's barely played for them in the last year, and we only managed 4 shots on target, we really can't do better against that defence ?

 

[Blue Calx]

I noticed last night when Erling scored the first and ran to the supporters in that part of the ground that about 20 maybe celebrated .The rest just sat there. Depressing tourists.

 

[Sheik Battle and Goal]

Rubbish. Depends on what sort of fan you are. If Haaland missed a penalty I don’t write him off because he’s only “as good as his last game”
A great team needs luck in every way including the luxury of a fit squad. This has been our downfall. There has been no team cohesion because we keep having to change it

I’m not writing anyone off. Doesn’t matter how good you are but if you’re not on it either individually or as a team for 90 plus minutes then you’ll get punished. Agree injuries haven’t helped either but I’ve not known a season like it for so many individual mistakes.

 

[CC1]

It's the same pool of players, we ignored our 4 new signings and went with what we knew. The same players that have stunk the place out this season, we put our trust in against Real Madrid and expected a different outcome. Madness

Guess pep knows whether new players are ready yet to face a RM side?

 

[HarrytheBlue]

On the plus side, we have the planet's greatest striker bang in form - what is it 49 Champions League goals in 48 games? Gvardiol was superb and after his early season issues we saw Phil at his best in the pockets and going past defenders. Savinho has found his groove and Jack was having his best game for about a year before getting injured. For sure, we have some old legs out there that can't get around like they once did, but a one goal deficit is nothing. If we go there, give it everything, go youthful high risk, no unforced errors in critical situations, give Erling a bit of service then Madrid will be nervous. It was always quite likely that we'd need to win over there anyway. I'll take a one goal win, ET and pens.

 

[CC1]

You're right, the hypocrisy astounds me too.

Lewis has a tough game and gets "not good enough", "shite" and "should never play again". Ederson makes mistakes on all 3 goals and gets "well he did some saves too".

Balance would be good, wouldn't it.

It would

 

[paulchapo]

Looking back, I'm not even that disappointed about last night. We were beaten by a younger, fitter, better team. Wouldn't be a surprise to anyone if they went on to win the competition. Even if we'd have held on and gone to the Bernabeu with a one goal lead, they would probably have comfortably overturned it next week.

We played pretty well, but this team is at the end of their cycle. The minds are willing, but the legs less so. The midfield needs a huge overhaul in the summer, and some difficult decisions need to be made. No one would begrudge De Bruyne or Bernardo moves abroad, whilst Gundogan's contract obviously shouldn't be renewed. Kovacic could possibly leave too. Don't know whether such a turnover of senior players, all in the same position, is realistic but drastic surgery is required to get us competitive again in that area.

Summed up quite well. Time catches up with every great player and sadly for us half our great ones have hit a wall at the same time. Hardly surprising given the monumental efforts they've put in the last few years.

As tough as losing last night was the reality as you rightly say is they would have blitzed us at their place. There's also a possibility a couple of their key defenders will be back, though in all honesty I don't think they'll need them.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

I’m not writing anyone off. Doesn’t matter how good you are but if you’re not on it either individually or as a team for 90 plus minutes then you’ll get punished. Agree injuries haven’t helped either but I’ve not known a season like it for so many individual mistakes.

The unforced errors are unfathomable.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

I’m more disappointed that the players don’t take it upon themselves to do something different, in the last few minutes at least. Keep them out at all costs but no, centre halves sauntering into midfield, one fullback higher than his wide player, the other one jogging into midfield whilst everyone leaves 45 yards of empty space behind them. Madness.

Yep agree. One error and it’s in the back of the net 10 seconds later because we have no one there to defend it. Ederson should be launching that ball into the channels for us to chase and press up the pitch not hitting it to a defender in our half with no cover behind him if it doesn’t come off. Completely shambolic that goal and the third isn’t even worth discussion it’s that poor. Madrid are very good. Much better than us and deserved to win but it’s the manner of the win that is the hard bit to take.

 

[Blue_eyes]

Last nights game was a microcosm of our season (not gonna single players out for criticism).

Gift wrapped chances given to the opposition every single game coupled with general poor defending.

Long periods of nothing possession with slow aging players.

Having said that, we did look a bit better going forwards last night, but cant help thinking that we will concede more than we will score atm anyway.

We need a defensive rethink, how about buying players to play in their proper positions, radical I know.

We dont need midfielders playing full back, or central defenders playing midfield.

We should be buying quality, we have the resources, god knows we have fought legal battles to prove our right to spend.

We have had a lot of wake up calls this season, and the away leg might be another.

Resting on our laurels of the last eight years or so is a big mistake, we must look forwards.

 

[CC1]

I don't normally respond , at my age I don't find I have the capacity to put down in writing my thoughts as well as before. So that leaves me open to smart arse responses .
It seems my observation provoked you into personal comment about me , fair enough you have far more posts than me and are more suited to this environment.
I'm happy to leave it there, a benefit of my age.

You’re right mate. I apologise but I hate to see our team criticised so much after all they’ve achieved over the last 10 years - just because they’re having a tough transitional season with tons of injuries

 

[noseve]

We played pretty well, but this team is at the end of their cycle. The minds are willing, but the legs less so

If only Khusenov, Marmoush or Gonzalez had been on the bench ...