Champions League 2021/22 | Group A

Just realized I posted this in wrong thread!

futbol_bill wrote:Oh what a shame, the team that bought all those superstars and were going to dominate everyone have lost again! And how many of those superstars played today? And how many goals did they produce?

And the team that was supposed to be their only opposition was led by someone called Zinchenko!!

But these are BIG teams because they have unlimited money!!!

 

At least PSG field a lineup designed to supplement Messi’s laziness as the CM on his side usually shifts to a RM off the ball in a 4-4-2 to compensate.

That is already a problem but there’s a reason City kept switching the ball to the RW and not the LW. Neymar did his Messi impression off the ball today. He was tucking in narrow next to Mbappe rather than supporting Mendes. Neymar usually did the dirty work in MSN with the flank. Hell I saw him defending deeper against Ligue 1 scrubs than I saw him today.

I don’t even think it’s a Poch problem. Which manager is going to convince them to defend? Neymar has injuries after injuries. Messi was lazy when he was 25 and now he’s 34. Mbappe has the legs but it makes sense to have him higher up the pitch as an outlet.

It’s true they’ve only played 7 games together, but unless they fix up their movement off the ball they’re getting knocked out against the first top team they face.

They were better last season. and even Neymar runs 3 times more without the ball. Messi is half sleep during PSG matches lol.

or maybe this is the end of him. he is 34. good career though.

FennecFox7 wrote:A huge idiot. I cannot believe he didn’t choose city. I really like the way he plays the 9 contrary to what other people say. Especially in a pep team where he will be forced to play selflessly, it honestly was a match made in heaven.. and he chooses United lol..

It doesn’t make sense because City would guarantee that Ronaldo would win another Ballon d’or too.

Did Ramos just warm up and not come on

Poch

Mamad wrote:They were better last season. and even Neymar runs 3 times more without the ball. Messi is half sleep during PSG matches lol.

or maybe this is the end of him. he is 34. good career though.

I don’t think his workrate is any different to him at Barca in the last few years. Main difference is he’s playing as a RW in a 4-3-3 rather than a 4-4-2, so his flank being open is more obvious compared to him strolling through the middle. The play also doesn’t run through him the way it does at Barca so he gets less touches.

If we are honest with ourselves Messi isn’t going to be the balancer between him and Neymar defensively. If they’re defending on the flanks one of them has to move to the midfield 4 off ball. The problem is neither do.

Casciavit wrote:

FennecFox7 wrote:A huge idiot. I cannot believe he didn’t choose city. I really like the way he plays the 9 contrary to what other people say. Especially in a pep team where he will be forced to play selflessly, it honestly was a match made in heaven.. and he chooses United lol..

It doesn’t make sense because City would guarantee that Ronaldo would win another Ballon d’or too.

I think he acted out of emotion. Ronaldo has tons of money and he manages it well. The difference was not significant. But I think sir alex calling him and him thinking he can raise a struggling a team.. he def acted out of emotion

serious. Did zinchenko really play as a number 9

He was LCM. It looked more like a rotation between Gundogan and Bernardo as F9.

FennecFox7 wrote:

Casciavit wrote:

FennecFox7 wrote:A huge idiot. I cannot believe he didn’t choose city. I really like the way he plays the 9 contrary to what other people say. Especially in a pep team where he will be forced to play selflessly, it honestly was a match made in heaven.. and he chooses United lol..

It doesn’t make sense because City would guarantee that Ronaldo would win another Ballon d’or too.

I think he acted out of emotion. Ronaldo has tons of money and he manages it well. The difference was not significant. But I think sir alex calling him and him thinking he can raise a struggling a team.. he def acted out of emotion

serious. Did zinchenko really play as a number 9

All the former United players were spamming him on WhatsApp too lmao.

Hapless_Hans wrote:and I'm shocked to see that Pep, the absolute incorrigible idiot, indeed played Zinchenko as striker in the biggest game of the CL group

what Bernardo played as a false 9, Zinchenko was a LCM as Cas mentioned


This city team is insane. I love pepball

Foden, De Bruyne, Grealish and Torres were injured though.

Myesyats wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:and I'm shocked to see that Pep, the absolute incorrigible idiot, indeed played Zinchenko as striker in the biggest game of the CL group

what Bernardo played as a false 9, Zinchenko was a LCM as Cas mentioned


This city team is insane. I love pepball

He moved in and out. City played 4-3-3 on defence and 3-5-2 or 3-6-1 in attack. it was weird lol.

City plays better with a false 9 because it gives them more control so their general play is better.

It comes at the cost of scoring. They lack the presence of a striker in the box and miss a lot more chances then they should. I guess that’s why Pep wanted Kane so bad. Kane has the technical ability to play as a false 9 and is a proven goalscorer too.

It goes both ways. if they sign a classic number 9 they will create less chances. Pep is not an idiot. he knows the only way his team improves is to sign a striker who can create, press, come deep or move into the wings and score altogether. like Benzema or Kane.

FennecFox7 wrote:If city had a 9 they would be smacking teams this year. Even a “unnatural” 9 like CR7 would just be straight poaching goals at the very least

Basically

Mamad, the 9 at city really doesn’t have a lot of responsibility to create lol. That burden is on the wingers. Their 9 is just basically linking up and being a mobile CF. Honestly that role is very sacrificial the way pep plays it. It’s not the messi style false 9

And @ cas I’m not surprised, oh well he’s in a mid table team barely dragging them forward lol

highlight of the game

Gil Manzano lmao. No way to escape the most biased refdrid ever.

1-0 Mbappe great finnish.

2-0 Mbappe another great finnish

Target practice for Mbappe. Just too good

3-0 Messi with the most obvious goal from 20m.

Old + New GOAT Joy to watch. Basically a practice match for them two, Brugge level is too easy for them...

How does Mbappe miss a clear chance every game from a Messi pass. He should have 2x the goals he does already.

Yeah it's baffling.

HT 3-0 Probably the best half from PSG yet this season.

Casciavit wrote:How does Mbappe miss a clear chance every game from a Messi pass. He should have 2x the goals he does already.

Because no attacker has a 100% conversion rate? You guys are just fixated on Messi and are constantly in throw-under-the-bus mode in case things go wrong