UEFA Champions League 2021/22 SF - Man City v Real Madrid

Valverde had to cover for Kroos AND modric... two players who can’t run, and drive the ball forward. yes Kroos has his qualities. But he shouldn’t be starting against a team like city. He turned over the ball with bad passes quite a few times too.

Mahrez = ballon d’or level talent, Gervinho like decision making

Good and very lucky scoreline, too easy to place all the blame on kroos shoulders, the team misses casemiro he is the security blanket regardless of what anyone says, anyone who realistically thinks an inexperienced Cama was going to boss this game is losing it, give him a season or two to grow anyway, best line up Carlo could field, but the team as whole needs to take the initiative in these kind of games, try to defend especially without casemiro your asking for it the team isn't disciplined enough to park the bus, the thing is I suspect Carlo to do the same sit back go down a goal and have to pray benzema and vinicius pulls out a win, the team defends better and plays better when they go for it, if madrid lose the performance won't be horrendous atleast.

Lord Spencer wrote:Frankly, having this limited Madrid team play much higher than their level is a miracle that the coach is not remotely getting credit for.

This is something a lot of my fellow Madrid seem to have difficulties in doing. Some even went as far as calling Carlo the guy that flopped at Everton (same Everton both Rafa and now Lampard can't seem to get going at all mind you).

Carlo isn't like Tuchel, Pep, Klopp, et al and he definitely isn't a Haag either but how he has managed this team has been genuinely great and I for one have been liking it a lot as I've seen the opposite happen more often than not at this club.

This game was very similar to the QSG game imo. We were outfought in every part of the pitch and could've lost by 5 goals yet we bring a one goal deficit back to the SB

If I am Pep, i play exactly the same way as the first leg. Press high, get tight on Vini let the RW have the ball. They do that well and they are halfway there

This is how I would play if I were City. Have Walker watching Vinícius. He has the speed to catch up with the Brazilian so he can still roam forward a bit. Cancelo on the left hand side joining the attack since Madrid's RW isn't as dangerous. Gündoğan replacing Jesus, giving City even more control in midfield. KDB playing false 9.

danyjr wrote:

Myesyats wrote:???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????

Totally agree.

I hate this sport.

I hate Pep waiting until 80th minute to make subs every time. I hate Madrid playing proper dogshit yet still taking away a decent result. I hate Pep designating 74 year old Fernandinho to cover the Favela boy as right ducking back with Ake on the bench. I hate Mahrez for choking again after he choked in the Liverpool game. This sport, I hate.

I dont think Madrid can beat this City team anyway which they have to do to advance, yet still — this sport, I hate.

Myesyats wrote:

danyjr wrote:

Myesyats wrote:???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????

Totally agree.

I hate this sport.

I hate Pep waiting until 80th minute to make subs every time. I hate Madrid playing proper dogshit yet still taking away a decent result. I hate Pep designating 74 year old Fernandinho to cover the Favela boy as right ducking back with Ake on the bench. I hate Mahrez for choking again after he choked in the Liverpool game. This sport, I hate.

I dont think Madrid can beat this City team anyway which they have to do to advance, yet still — this sport, I hate.

The more I watch City against good teams the more I see Guardiola's obvious flaws. His City team do look godlike against minnows but against better teams I feel:
1) The team is often not mentally prepared for the whole length of the game. This is not just an age/lack of experience thing IMHO. The personality of the coach is transmitted into the players. Perhaps they are so not used to being uncomfortable that when a team shakes them up a bit they look rather rattled. Or Pep's worrying attitude is reflected
2) Reactive tactical changes really lack from the coach and when it happens it is often late. I don't know whether he puts too much thinking into his starting 11 that doesn't enable him to think otherwise and make changes.

danyjr wrote:This is how I would play if I were City. Have Walker watching Vinícius. He has the speed to catch up with the Brazilian so he can still roam forward a bit. Cancelo on the left hand side joining the attack since Madrid's RW isn't as dangerous. Gündoğan replacing Jesus, giving City even more control in midfield. KDB playing false 9.

Sterling better not see the light of day in the second leg. It's no surprise City have made their first-ever back-to-back CL semis without him starting since they don't have him missing tap-ins and 1v1s.

I think they'll field that lineup though. I think the away leg will be very chaotic. De Bruyne needs to fuck off from midfield if that's the case. There was a moment during the second half when the game was 3-2 where it was really end to end. It wasn't until they had a counter where Jesus stalled and they regained some control and that was the play that got them the 4th goal.

Laporte should be benched if possible, KDB should play false 9, and do not start both Jesus and Sterling. I'd bench Cancelo since he's defensively awful, but I have never seen a good game from Rodrygo so I'm not worried if he plays LB.

City is much better than Madrid, but you just know Madrid has a good chance of fluking their way to the final. At least there's no away goals so City can afford to go more gung ho if they're on the backfoot at the Bernabeu.

I remember reading an interview from one of his staff members a while back about how they've changed their opinion on substitutions.

Apparently, they think it's better for the players' mentality to work the situation out on their own rather than rely on substitutions. They also believe that substitutes never enter the game at the right tempo immediately, and those first few minutes can make them lose control.

Yet they'll still argue about wanting 5 subs.

That being said, I'm really surprised he didn't put Gundogan in when it was 4-2. That was the most obvious sub ever.

Obviously playing Kroos in front of the defense aided Madrid's build-up, and allowed them to progress cleaner with more control. I'm sure if Casemiro was there Madrid would have lost a lot more balls due to City's pressing.

That still doesn't take away that Kroos is shit defensively. He's slow off the ball, he doesn't put his foot in, he isn't a physical presence who offers protection in front of the defense, you can't rely on him dropping in crossing situations, and when the ball is past him he's incredibly slow at getting back into position.

Casciavit wrote:

danyjr wrote:This is how I would play if I were City. Have Walker watching Vinícius. He has the speed to catch up with the Brazilian so he can still roam forward a bit. Cancelo on the left hand side joining the attack since Madrid's RW isn't as dangerous. Gündoğan replacing Jesus, giving City even more control in midfield. KDB playing false 9.

Sterling better not see the light of day in the second leg. It's no surprise City have made their first-ever back-to-back CL semis without him starting since they don't have him missing tap-ins and 1v1s.

I think they'll field that lineup though. I think the away leg will be very chaotic. De Bruyne needs to fuck off from midfield if that's the case. There was a moment during the second half when the game was 3-2 where it was really end to end. It wasn't until they had a counter where Jesus stalled and they regained some control and that was the play that got them the 4th goal.

Laporte should be benched if possible, KDB should play false 9, and do not start both Jesus and Sterling. I'd bench Cancelo since he's defensively awful, but I have never seen a good game from Rodrygo so I'm not worried if he plays LB.

City is much better than Madrid, but you just know Madrid has a good chance of fluking their way to the final. At least there's no away goals so City can afford to go more gung ho if they're on the backfoot at the Bernabeu.

Rodrygo is meh. He has good speed but that's about it. But Carlo should play him as he knows his speed is going to make City play conservatively, as opposed to playing Asensio who is shit and would give free reign to City down that flank.

I wouldn't be against playing Sterling on LW and Foden on RW. Sterling against Carvajal isn't a bad matchup for City IMHO, I think he's quicker and stronger than Carvajal, can hold up play, win fouls etc. When City play during defensive phases, Mahrez is quite lazy whereas Foden would do the donkey work to double team on Vinícius. I'm also surprised Pep doesn't run his wingers to the ground and then sub fresh wingers in later. Criminal to let these options rot on the bench. Imagine unleashing your fresh wingers onto a tired Madrid defence.

City have 2 away games and Liverpool is breathing down their neck in the league, so they can't afford to rest many players. But their squad is so stacked I wouldn't be worried. Especially against Leeds.

Sterling would best Carvajal 1v1 but he's just so unreliable and he lacks confidence in front of goal. Foden might miss chances here and there but he's clutched up a fair bit of match-winners for City since he's become a starter.

Mahrez should start IMO. Yes, his decision making is retarded at times and his missed finishing could be the difference between City winning the PL and making another CL final. However, his general play was really good last night.

I'm not a fan of Mahrez against teams who double-team him or play a defensive 5, since he can't really attack the byline so he needs to rely on in-swinging crosses. However, Vinicius isn't as diligent defensively, so Mahrez will get loads of 1v1s and you might as well take advantage of that by starting him.

Oh yea, whats with not playing Ake at all? I thought hes been in good form lately, never can understand Pep fully

City should get to the final for once, Reals luck is bound to run out... history repeats itself but surely not endless amounts of time over n over again? Still believing that cant shake the feeling Pep could fk this up again

Would better face Madrid if we make it to the final. Already played against City few times this season.

Firenze wrote:stay safe Bill

but then everyone knew it was gonna be either Pool or City that win the CL

PL run tings

Confucius says “don’t count your chickens until they have hatched”!

Routing for Pep and Madrid tonight, we can do it.

Plsss no Man C defender or GK fk up plsss... Laporte already looking mad?

Laporte should be sent off, the rat.

Slaps Modric in the face and then falls down pretending to be choked.

Classic City shithousery.

Lord Spencer wrote:Laporte should be sent off, the rat.

Slaps Modric in the face and then falls down pretending to be choked.

Classic City shithousery.

British commentators all quiet about it, whining instead about Casemiro not getting carded.

Casemiro providing what Real missed in that first leg - thug football

Some awful passes from Mahrez on the counter

A snooze of a game compared to the first leg and last night game. Madrid have City by the ropes similar to Atleti only a matter of time before they score.

Madrid should’ve been up 2-3 with the chances they had.

woooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooooooooooo