Sparta Praha (H) | CL | Post Match Thread

[Blue Maverick]

Have a look at the league sone big teams struggling to get top 8, I like it, no doubt will be changed when Munich and Nadrid struggle

 

[cleavers]

Worth the admission for the silly Haaland goal.

I didn't go tonight, but that goal is just ridiculous, my son was there, he didn't realise how good it was.

A genuine backeel, 5 feet off the ground, facing the wrong way.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

I didn't go tonight, but that goal is just ridiculous, my son was there, he didn't realise how good it was.

A genuine backeel, 5 feet off the ground, facing the wrong way.

Yeah but he should have headed it.

It's ridiculous that he scores these goals. The ball was head hight, just head it.

 

[Gumzy97]

Nunes is like shit off a shovel, no idea he was that quick.

Kyle did an interview where he was asked about the fastest players in the team not counting him and he said Nunes was one of the three. Doku and Haaland being the others

 

[Eccles Blue]

The Boys in Blue didn't give in, they fought to the end. Thank you City, thank you lads, thank you fans. You showed 'em, you showed 'em all.
Especially the 'Iron Prague' they will have to iron our shirts now. Good try but not good enough.
Especially the know nowt, stupid media we certainly let you know tonight. You might learn now how to write about us properly.
Especially the Specsavers needing, whistle blowing numpties and most especially the one who dared to give John Stones a yellow card. You take that back by St Boogar and all the saints at the back door or purgatory, how dare you. You shiitake mushrooms.

Brilliant goal John Boy another header wow. Unfortunately overshadowed (rightly) by Erling's wowser of a kick that he never even looked at!! :-)

 

[Bigga]

The "Akanji" as I'll call it, of just standing perfectly still until they push out, will work really well away from home.

No way a player can just stand still with the ball and the opposition not start to press, without the ground going mad.

It will only work if we're a goal or two ahead.

Otherwise they'll just wait.

 

[stan bowles]

Pep saying Sparta surprised him by playing so deep compared to the attacking style they used against Stuttgart and Salzburg. Pep certainly sorted it out at HT.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

Yeah but he should have headed it.

It's ridiculous that he scores these goals. The ball was head hight, just head it.

Eh? If he’d have headed that he wouldn’t have a head left. That was the only thing he could do - and the only player to be able to do it.

 

[tommybooth]

Back to our favourite 5.

 

[Dribble]

Decent win, no injuries...​

We started at a blistering pace & looked really up for it. Foden was fizzing in the early exchanges & put Sparta to the sword in the 3rd minute with a swivel & shot into the bottom right corner for the opener.

We ran Sparta ragged for the next 25 minutes, but strangely went off the boil & allowed Sparta into the game. They had a couple of unlikely attempts at goal & Pep seemed rightly pissed at half time because we'd lost our early rhythm & focus.



We went in 1-0 at half time, & came out for the second with a renewed sense of purpose, when from a corner, the returning Aké had an attempt at goal which was blocked & came back at him, which he stabbed home. However, the goal was correctly chalked off as it clearly came off his forearm, albeit there was little he could've done about it.

We continued to press forward, when Savinho twisted the blood of the Sparta left back. He got to the by-line & crossed a high ball toward the Viking Meat Shield, who acrobatically back-heeled the ball in mid air past the outstretched keeper, to give us a deserved two goal cushion!



City continued to press forward, & the signs were becoming ominous for Sparta, when Stones rose to meet a Nunes cross to score his second header in successive games. City 3-0!

Sparta tried to press forward, & their attack broke down, from which the ball broke to City. Several quick passes through midfield saw the ball fall to Nunes who threaded a pass to Erling who entered the box, checked back onto his right foot & curled the fourth into the bottom right corner.



Sparta were dead & buried & City were now toying with their dispirited opponents. Akanji spent seconds stood still in City's half waiting for Sparta to approach & sprung an attacking pass forward to McAtee, who played the ball to the feet of Nunes on the left of Sparta's box. Matheus jinked past the defender, ran into the box, & was brought down with a rugged challenge.

Nunes stepped up to blast the penalty into the top right corner to round off a pleasing performance from him & City. There was a gulf in class, & City rarely had to get out of second gear for a big win which puts us third on 7 points in the Champions League.



We've also broken the record for the longest unbeaten run in the competition's history including the European Cup & now stand alone at 26. We also got to use several players from the bench & rotated & rested many others. All in all, we did what we needed to do, so roll on Southampton.