Aye, but one away goal will make it twice as hard for City.They can still turn around and beat Liverpool soundly enough in the return leg. Liverpool can't hold a lead.
I looked up Fergie's career-wide figures in the Champions League knock outs for comparison.Liverpool did great, but nothing new for Pep away from home. Another atrocious CL performance.
24 Champions League knockout ties (Barcelona, Bayern, City); 24 away legs:
- Win 5, draw 10, lose 9.
Of course it ain't as simple but psychology plays a big part in pro sports when the margins are really fine. It's a big part of it, not the only part obviously.I think there's a little bit more to it than just beating a few teams early on in the season, and whilst i agree there is a psychological battle to be had, dont believe football is as simple as teams crumbling before every game.
Sums up Pep in the Champions League. Gets inside his own head.Pep was awful and stubborn tonight. Literally got everything wrong and refused to budge or be even slightly creative.
Dismal.
City couldn't build up anything in the first half. Don't remember them stringing 10 passes together. Liverpool had them on the ropes. They weren't letting them breathe. 2nd half they had more possession and they could build up but Liverpool had backed off by that point which is understandable.Man City had more possession in that game than Liverpool. Liverpool let City have the ball in safe areas and pressed them when they got into dangerous areas.
Liverpool spent most of the game in their own half; they were very solid in their shape and very quick to counter attack. For example, the Salah goal was with the whole Liverpool team in their own half, City then make a mistake with a pass, and Salah runs behind the defence to create an opening.
That and those late, late winners after 10 or so games, grinding out wins.It's true though, hammering a few teams early on the season send shivers to the rest. They all come to play against by attempting to poorly park the bus and not be nearly agressive. Wigan also played fairly similarly to Liverpool and they beat them.
I don't think this was naïveté from Pep but rather too much caution. City usually are technically proficient enough to keep the ball even under extreme pressing. Pep beefed up his midfield and defense to actually relieve that pressure a bit and I think that's where it went tits up. He should have gone with his regular game plan and let Silva and de Bruyne receive the ball under pressure and trust them to be technically sound to retain possession.Pep walked into Klopp's trap with eyes wide open due to pure stubbornness. You best Klopp by forcing him to have possession and come on to you. Instead he played entirely to Klopp's strengths till the tie was out of sight
Yeah, agree with this also felt second half if we got the pen which I thought was pretty clear cut or Sane wasn't given offside we may have knicked a second. Certainly don't think we were as bad as some are making out, fine margins, pool were excellent first half and got the breaksTwo bad mistakes by Guardiola: Gundogan and Laporte. Gundogan's work-rate and pace are inferior to Sterling's or Bernardo's. He didn't know where he was. Laporte isn't a proper LB. Pointless experiment in a hugely important game. Against the player of the season at that (Salah). Think Danilo is a better fit at LB and has more experienced at such level. Btw, City still can go through, Liverpool may be without Salah in the second leg.
That’s the Mourinho way, stop the opposition doing what the excel at. It’s also the antithesis of the exalted Guardiola way; I play the same regardless of the opposition.Man City are good if you let them have the ball. Liverpool didn't allow them to have the ball so they won. Liverpool are good if you allow them to press. We didn't allow them to press so we won. Sometimes it's important to not allow the opposition what they like to do and take control of the game in that way.
City had more possesion in both halves, Liverpool 'not letting City have the ball' is objectively false. City were messing up 5-yard passes with no help from Liverpool not letting them breathe. In fact, Sane had the freedom of the left side and was atrocious against a very suspect TAA. Gundogan was even worse than Sane, he had a shockingly bad first touch.City couldn't build up anything in the first half. Don't remember them stringing 10 passes together. Liverpool had them on the ropes. They weren't letting them breathe. 2nd half they had more possession and they could build up but Liverpool had backed off by that point which is understandable.
My thoughts as well. Gundogan for Sterling was a mistake.I don't think this was naïveté from Pep but rather too much caution. City usually are technically proficient enough to keep the ball even under extreme pressing. Pep beefed up his midfield and defense to actually relieve that pressure a bit and I think that's where it went tits up. He should have gone with his regular game plan and let Silva and de Bruyne receive the ball under pressure and trust them to be technically sound to retain possession.
Well if that's the Mourinho way then I expect him to attack Man City on Saturday because he's a pragmatic manager. Being pragmatic means you take the best possible route to victory. Use the tactics which give you the best chance of winning the game.That’s the Mourinho way, stop the opposition doing what the excel at. It’s also the antithesis of the exalted Guardiola way; I play the same regardless of the opposition.
I don’t mean just attack or defend. I mean specific, nuanced tactics to combat the opposition; Herrera on Hazard, beating the press to Fellaini etc. Pep would never sully himself by modifying his tactics to the opposition, it’s a **** lol.Well if that's the Mourinho way then I expect him to attack Man City on Saturday because he's a pragmatic manager. Being pragmatic means you take the best possible route to victory. Use the tactics which give you the best chance of winning the game.
Which players aren’t his now? POTY De Bruyne, World Cup winner Silva. The only ones who aren’t unquestionably world class are Komoany, Fernandinho and Otamendi?Needs more money.
I wasn’t been entirely serious.Which players aren’t his now? POTY De Bruyne, World Cup winner Silva. The only ones who aren’t unquestionably world class are Komoany, Fernandinho and Otamendi?
*Irony alert*.Which players aren’t his now? POTY De Bruyne, World Cup winner Silva. The only ones who aren’t unquestionably world class are Komoany, Fernandinho and Otamendi?
Nor I, I said he needs £200m more CB before we judge him. But seriously, where can he stack more quality? Would Mendy at LB have changed the game? Why wasn’t £50m Stones playing?I wasn’t been entirely serious.
Not that kind of modifying. Of course not. But the long kick from Ederson could've been used better. They kept playing short and when they did go long they missed the first and second balls. It's impossible to win in these circumstances.I don’t mean just attack or defend. I mean specific, nuanced tactics to combat the opposition; Herrera on Hazard, beating the press to Fellaini etc. Pep would never sully himself by modifying his tactics to the opposition, it’s a **** lol.
Incorrect. Several teams have tried to press them and got absolutely walloped. Spurs got their asses handed to them if I remember correctly.City struggle when teams don’t back off and let them play, so what do 99% of teams do? Yup, back off and let them play.
Fair play to Klopp, he doesn’t change his tactics to play City, he just trusts his usual tactics.
A little unfair. He was up against two individually better sides.Not winning the CL with the best Bayern Munich team since the 1970s summed him up.
No idea, mate.Nor I, I said he needs £200m more CB before we judge him. But seriously, where can he stack more quality? Would Mendy at LB have changed the game? Why wasn’t £50m Stones playing?
Not really. Real Madrid 13/14 were on the same level and he got smashed 0-4. Atletico weren't better than Bayern either. To not even reach a final in 3 years with probably the best team in the world is a failure.A little unfair. He was up against two individually better sides.
His only match where he showed to be willing to adapt during his time here.@Xeno
Thats not strictly true. He once played Martinez as CF v Klopps Dortmund so Bayern could go long and kill the press.
They even won too.
Having a go at him for not winning it is completely unfair but he did constantly got destroyed by both Barca and Madrid.A little unfair. He was up against two individually better sides.