Sporting CP (A) - Post-Match Thread

[tommybooth]

Bernie hit it on the head post match.

 

[Manchester33]

Their fans were sound, not disputing that for a second. Just pointing out that they only started making any noise after about 85mins which was odd considering they were 5-0 down.
Them staying to the end should be applauded.
Had they made the noise they did at the end at the start then it might have spurred their team on but they didn’t and it didn’t.

I thought this.

I didn't go so I can only judge it based on the tele - but they started off brilliantly with the scarves up singing their anthem, then they went nervous, then City just shut them up immediately.

Complete silence for 80 mins then they sang at the end.

I don't actually think our support would be any different than that if the roles were reversed (watching us as huge underdogs getting pumped by the best team in the world) - but that won't happen for years because there are no teams we'd expect to get beaten by. Expectation completely dictates atmosphere/attitudes IMO.

 

[Cotton Weave Blue]

Check in this morning piece of piss 5 minutes and airside

Same here can’t fault it, landed back in Manc now need a breaky

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Wow. We were so clinical, as Bernardo just said I dont think we were amazing but the finishing was top class for once.

Think this pretty much covers it.

It’s crazy to think that this was one of our poorer team performances of the season that was totally masked by our clinical finishing.

It‘s normally the other way around!

Thought Stones did well at right back again and was unlucky to be subbed. Cancelo had one of his poorest games of the season, but hey ho, we won 5-0.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

This is sadly so true! Could take a leaf out of their book… my wife (who doesn’t like football) who has been to a handful of game with me said, that’s awesome why don’t City fans sing and support the club like that at the end? Unfortunately this is true. Maybe Saturday we can all stay in our seat singing after the final whistle.

You’re joking right? Ant and Dec are on at 7:30pm.

 

[The perfect fumble]

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Pep “some players underperformed and some lost too much the ball, first half”

Again, the standards of this football club are outstanding!

He’s right. I said in the match thread after we’d gone 3 up that it was a bizarre game that we hadn’t played particularly well in.

Similar to the Newcastle game. Shite by our standards, but scored every chance.

 

[Dribble]

It means a lot to all of them, but the older players Fern especially wont be arsed by 20mins especially if it means a kid getting on. Gundo as well. We had a range of kids on the bench so its not like they were not the right choice tactically. Would have loved to see Delap for Foden and then McAtee for Bernado.

Agreed to a point, but I suppose Pep needed to balance giving experience to the kids, with protecting a lead against the current Portuguese champions. Sporting are no mugs.

However can you imagine if Pep brought on 4-5 kids & we conceded 4-5 goals in the last 30 minutes? There'd be a shit storm... )(

 

[Semper aggressus]

Outstanding performance.

And those goals by Bernie and Raheem, wow!

Everyone was brilliant, but I thought Laporte looked superb at the back on the occasions he was needed.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Sounded loud enough at the beginning then the 2 quick goals kind of got to them which is expected. Then they were great towards the end. Our away fans were excellent as well.

We seem to have this tendency to continually knock every set of fans we come up against. So and so we're a weird lot, they were singing shite, nasty fuckers etc.....

Like our ground is the ultimate in atmosphere and well behaved fans. Least they stayed to the end and made a racket whilst seeing their team get stuffed.

We’re the inverse at the Etihad. Quiet if everything’s going well, but crank it up when the team need it.

 

[Dribble]

I agree that it would have been nice to see some of the younger lads get some game time but even with 20-30 mins to go, conceding two goals would’ve given Sporting something to play for in the reverse fixture. I’m hoping the youngsters (Delap, Kayky and McAtee) get some minutes in the second half of the home leg though!

I've just posted the same elsewhere. It's about balancing giving experience, & protecting our lead, which is why I'd say yes to bringing on Fern, Zin & maybe Gundog, but I reckon 2-3 could have been safely introduced over the last 15-30 minutes.

We also need to take into account that Sporting were making wholesale 'Go get some experience, & soak up the atmosphere lads' style changes in the latter stages too.

I kinda felt sorry for them. I don't think I've ever seen a more crestfallen bench in my life. It is what it is though, & I'll never forget some of the legendary, unlikely comebacks in football history. Safety first, & compassion later.

 

[Dribble]

5-0 and people are still having a go at Pep because of his substitutions, you don't deserve him, did you notice it was Foden's 150 game, trust in Pep [emoji170]

I wasn't 'having a go', I merely pointed out that I personally would have loved to see more of the kids introduced to soak up the atmosphere, but alongside Fern, Zin & possibly Gundog to adopt a safety first approach to those changes.

Pep is human. He's not God. He massively fucked up in the CL Final & again by fielding a strong team in the dead rubber against Leipsig, but there isn't another manager I wanted more for City, or who I wanted to be here more. HOWEVER, no one is beyond analysis or criticism, Pep included. My comment wasn't a criticism, it was just a personal opinion & preference.

That OK for you? \0/

 

[HibbertStreetKid]

Great performance from the lads last night thoroughly enjoyed every minute. At airport now for flight to Stansted. Either Madrid next round for me another great city to visit again.

 

[Gray]

FFS man, do not poke the footballing gods.....

I am 76 in April and have watched our great team since the mid 1950's and I am steeped in "Typical City".

But come on even we can't screw this up.

 

[crazyg]

Ajax would be class.

Cif would be better.

 

[Blue Mist]

50000 feet? You talk as much bs as andyhinch…

Ha ha thats what it said on the screen.....
Honest

 

[blue b4 the moon]

I don’t care what anyone says, media, other fans our fans even, we are the best team in the land in all the world. Ignore them all.

I always smile at that line...we've been singing it since we were really shit as an act of defiance and now amazingly even after travelling on our personal rollercoaster for what seems/is a lifetime it's probably true now..

 

[HelloCity]

Correct mate, I didn't see Delap touch the ball either. I spent the last 20 minutes shitting it that someone was gonna do a Walker & get sent off, or get injured. I get Fern for Rodders & Zin getting a run out, but I'd have taken Cancelo off & left Stones on.

However, the kids should have been given the chance to experience a CL away game. There was few reasons not to, & just imagine what it would have meant to them...

This is why you’re not a football manager though. When you’re in Pep’s position it’s not about sentiment or fantasy. He has to manage people. If I was Gundo and a kid got on before me, when I’d not been playing as much as I wanted, I’d be pissed.

Pep is managing a squad of elite professionals who are on a lot of money. He needs to manage their game time as best he can to keep harmony within the squad and make sure they don’t get fed up and want to leave.

That is far far more important than your ‘preference’ and ‘what it would mean to them’.

 

[Blue Mist]

Loser ! Have it on good authority William Shatner has a recording of Kompany’s goal v Leicester and watched on his recent Blue Origin flight.

PS : Commercial flights don’t fly higher than 42,000 feet, and most stick around +/- 35,000.

Yeh well our pilot was dead brave and said we'd get home quicker if we went higher so meh.

 

[Gray]

We don't live a modern capital City. We live in a City with a decrepit transport system which is largely shut down by that time.

That transport system finally shat big time on our neighbours from Trafford last night, and is still non-functional today.