Shakhtar Donetsk (H) CL Post-Match Thread

[colorado blue]

Couldn’t watch but sounds like I didn’t miss much. Not too concerned about tonight though, we always play crap when the result doesn’t matter. So as long as no injuries all good. Do agree we’ve been struggling lately in general but if we can get through Christmas with no new injuries, start to get players back don’t see why we can’t win this. Think the league will be too hard now though, can’t see Liverpool dropping 9 more points than us.

 

[Craig]

I wouldn’t mind us taking a leaf out of Liverpool’s book and shoring up the midfield and making the most out of our attacking full backs.

Our fullbacks are not in the same class as theirs though. Plus we rely on our midfield when we play well for some creativity. Also both their wide fullbacks carry a massive goal threat, we only have one currently.

 

[Blu1]

The guy banging it couldn’t even bang it twice in time to the claps for the Guardiola chant.

I never EVER want to hear that shit ever again. We are MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB not some bollocks no mark drum banger club from Lancashire from last decade like Bolton/Blackburn/Wigan etc.

That was fucking dreadful to hear at a City game!

that had to be a club stunt, I have never heard a drum at city. Anybody know if it was ?

what was the bell lady called ? Brought back some memories thinking about her behind the goal at main rd then

 

[ws01]

Fernandinho is indeed a marvel. A truly brilliant, perennially underrated player.

I wouldn't swap him for anyone else in the world. Keep him here until he's Kiddo's age, in whatever capacity we can.

 

[levets]

Alarmingly poor from back to front. Can’t think anybody shone tonight. Ponderous, sloppy when passing, poor decisions everywhere. Only positive from tonight is the job is done, group winners. For that, well done City, primary objective achieved. Play fringe players in Zagreb. Looking forward to the last 16 with Sané, Laporte, Zinchenko and Agüero available.

 

[George Hannah]

Fernandinho is indeed a marvel. A truly brilliant, perennially underrated player.

I wouldn't swap him for anyone else in the world. Keep him here until he's Kiddo's age, in whatever capacity we can.

our single shining light tonight - what a hero

 

[Afterthefact]

I think we’re starting to exhaust ourselves with all the possession - physically and mentally (a certain amount of monotony has factored into the attack.). Teams have adjusted - good for them. Can we now invite them on just a bit more? I think creativity and inspiration for attackers are stifled when there’s no space. It becomes a rote exercise on that end. And the aura of defensive play is implied failure from the go, because to employ it suggests we simply haven’t scored on the other end and now have to deal with a chore.

It’s a marginal shift to sit deeper, but the entire design of other teams is now to counter what we’ve created. So we need to put more of the onus on them now. Currently, we assume too much of the risk and let opponents ride on that. I think there’s a tipping point where we’re doing too much work for them.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Fernandinho is indeed a marvel. A truly brilliant, perennially underrated player.

I wouldn't swap him for anyone else in the world. Keep him here until he's Kiddo's age, in whatever capacity we can.

Too right man.

He’s an incredible footballer!

 

[argyle]

Rodri was brilliant before the injury.

Just needs time to get back up to speed.

 

[levets]

It's about time we got back to basics. We need to put Fernandinho back into midfield and if Otamendi/Stones aren't good enough then get rid in January. I'd even play Garcia just to make sure we've got round pegs in round holes. Rodri and Gundogan just won't work.

We look so slow, tired and pedestrian I genuinely don't know what's happened. We never have a game where one or two players have an off day, they all have an off day at the same time. I do sometimes think Pep is over thinking the game. Just play the right players in the right positions and tell them to press like they did last year.

We won't win the Champions League playing like this.

I can't complain too much after what we've seen over the last few years but this year just feels so disappointing. We seem to have completely fell off a cliff and I wonder if the speculation around Pep has caused this or are the players burnt out?

agree, Pep needs to stop this experiment with Fernandinho.