What Is lacking?

[Fiftyyearsandcounting]

Wasn't Pep quoted recently as saying "In my ideal team I would have 10 midfielders".

 

[Luke The Blue]

Did it work ,no, but it made sense he knew Chelsea would play a back 5 and 2 holding, even the front 3 dropping deep,he knew they would play on the break , so playing Sterling and Mahrez high and wide to try and stretch their block and create space in the middle for Foden, Bernardo, KDB to operate in with Gundogan feeding made complete sense. Playing no conventional dm when he knew they would play long balls in the channels by passsing c.m also made sense. Did the changes work obviously they didn’t but let not pretend there wasn’t a plan to it that made some sense.

It's a final you don't take out one of your best players and put in fucking Sterling someone who's out of form?? Its fucking crazy.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

What we need is in depth analysis redcafe style

I don't see any problems having just won the PL and lost our only match in the CL, final.

We will refresh the squad as is natural, next seasons challenge will be greater but we've got a head start on the others.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Wasn't Pep quoted recently as saying "In my ideal team I would have 10 midfielders".

I can see his logic in that, its why I not convinced we're going for a big striker

 

[WesthoughtonJohn]

To be fair, he changed 1 player... just the 1!
Bizarre is not the correct word.

Someone else mentioned this.
It wasn't just the change in personnel. In order to squeeze Sterling in he disrupted the whole balance of, what was, a well oiled machine.
From my view it looked like Kev was playing way to far forward giving him zero chance to affect the game. Foden also wasn't getting involved as he was too central

 

[blueparrot]

It's a final you don't take out one of your best players and put in fucking Sterling someone who's out of form?? Its fucking crazy.

No it isn’t crazy, it’s an opinion. As all team selections are. Sometimes team selections don’t work out, sometimes the other coach has a better plan. Sometimes, more often we win. Sometimes occasionally we don’t that’s how top level sport works in real life. If it was played on paper or the internet we’d all be geniuses.

 

[blueparrot]

Wasn't Pep quoted recently as saying "In my ideal team I would have 10 midfielders".

Yes he said it , he was talking about how much he loved midfielders not that he’d really want a team full of them . Which is why we’ll buy a striker.

 

[Luke The Blue]

Just please try and tell me how making that change in a final isn't crazy when it's worked most of the season for us? Why change something that isn't broken? Especially for Sterling.

 

[Blu1]

We are only missing 2 top strikers & a new fern

 

[burning blue soul]

Someone else mentioned this.
It wasn't just the change in personnel. In order to squeeze Sterling in he disrupted the whole balance of, what was, a well oiled machine.
From my view it looked like Kev was playing way to far forward giving him zero chance to affect the game. Foden also wasn't getting involved as he was too central

Seems to be an over thinking of Peps over thinking on here.
To be fair to pep, sterling was in his right position, not squeezed in. Phil was false 9, done that well in the past.
And gundog has played as a dm, but has that added attacking threat.
It's all speculation if Fernandinho would have been the difference.
What is clear is that we have played Chelsea 3 times recently with 3 completely different formations, and lost.
So let that sink in!
It was just 1 player.

 

[B\connellblue]

Pace,pace and pace. Too many slow players. This is the premier League with its helter skelter football not Italy or Spain.
The fucking about without a striker and left back is beyond stupid.

 

[Dobsy]

Did it work ,no, but it made sense he knew Chelsea would play a back 5 and 2 holding, even the front 3 dropping deep,he knew they would play on the break , so playing Sterling and Mahrez high and wide to try and stretch their block and create space in the middle for Foden, Bernardo, KDB to operate in with Gundogan feeding made complete sense. Playing no conventional dm when he knew they would play long balls in the channels by passsing c.m also made sense. Did the changes work obviously they didn’t but let not pretend there wasn’t a plan to it that made some sense.

Best post I've read on here all day

 

[BLOOMUEN]

Over a long season we are the best team in the league but maybe the false 9 thing is insufficient against the best and in the big one-off games and was only ever used out of necessity. ‘Different of course if that false 9 was Messi, especially as an emerging talent in his early Barca days. We don’t have a player, including Phil, on that level.

We need a top class striker. A player that contributes more than goals but provides a focal point, scares defenders and provides unexpected solutions when the team runs out of ideas. I still think that Gabby has a rotational role to play but he hasn’t kicked in to become the world-beater that we perhaps hoped for when we signed him. I just wonder whether the club will value him more as a makeweight asset, particularly if we go all out for Kane or Haaland. I’d be delighted if we signed either one of them but feel that Kane would be the best fit for the here and now.

 

[burning blue soul]

That 1 change completely changed the way we play.

Don't know if you've noticed but Gundogan isn't an holding midfielder and Foden was out of position.

It didn't. Chelsea changed the way we played. They snuffed out our passing channels very well.
We were the team that made the mistake. Originating from stones and Dias being attracted to the ball way too high up the pitch. Then zinchenko not tracking his man.
Maybe would have won with Fernandinho, maybe not... but we didn't "do a Lyon"
No excuses. We fucked it.

 

[Luke The Blue]

It didn't. Chelsea changed the way we played. They snuffed out our passing channels very well.
We were the team that made the mistake. Originating from stones and Dias being attracted to the ball way too high up the pitch. Then zinchenko not tracking his man.
Maybe would have won with Fernandinho, maybe not... but we didn't "do a Lyon"
No excuses. We fucked it.

I'm not saying we would of won it with Fernandinho I'm just saying it was a crazy decision to drop one of your best players for a player who's been shite since December. Chelsea didn't make us start with Gundogan in holding midfield, just because he's a world class manager doesn't mean he can't be criticised.

 

[blueparrot]

Pace,pace and pace. Too many slow players. This is the premier League with its helter skelter football not Italy or Spain.
The fucking about without a striker and left back is beyond stupid.

What does pace do against a deep back 5 , 2 holding and a deep 3 forwards, think the bt graphic showed 17 m between the defenders and forwards, pace with no space for it isn’t how to break down an organised deep defence.

 

[burning blue soul]

I'm not saying we would of won it with Fernandinho I'm just saying it was a crazy decision to drop one of your best players for a player who's been shite since December. Chelsea didn't make us start with Gundogan in holding midfield, just because he's a world class manager doesn't mean he can't be criticised.

I agree, he is there to be shot at with strange changes. I could see the plan, but it didn't work when all the evidence contrary said it would.
This game was lost at Wembley and Etihad. That was where the belief and balance of power tipped.

 

[Atypical]

City - A DM in a big game, stones and Dias on their right sides in a big game and Chelsea need a number 9 and they would have put the game to bed in the first 20 mins.

 

[Blu1]

We need some muscle in the team we look so small against the likes of Utd & Chelsea. Their physical presence & strength really causes our midfield issues. Grealish would be a good start for me with Kane up front

 

[MeatHunterrr]

Better DoF. Tuchel has not spent a penny and won the European Cup.