*****Official Monaco v's City thread!******

[ShimmyShaker]

Yaya deserved to start ahead of KDB on form alone, more importantly Yaya should have started because the situation of the tie meant we needed his abilities. If a fat middle aged twat who hasn't kicked a ball for thirty years can see it how the fuck is Pep blind to the obvious? He got it wrong... again. Underwhelmed by his tactics and the constant changing of our CB's defies logic.

[zuricity]

Is there a general feeling that we have gone backwards since last year, or am I just focusing on the handful of people that are saying this? Utter shite tonight, but not indicative of a general decline in my mind.

For me, absolutely not. Sounds gash but I think this is a feeling out season, next year we'll get a proper look at a pep team. Results wise we are not progressing, but look at the majority of the football we're playing and you watch a quality of football you've never seen before.

Bollocks to it. Put everything into the fa cup and league and see where we get. I'd love to win the fa cup this season, but if we finish potless then I won't be too arsed. Next season I think we'll see something special.

Is the football any better than the first season under Pellegrini?

For me, yes. We had many of our older squad hitting their peak back then. Yaya in particular. But I've seen some stuff this season that has taken my breath away. I can see what he wants to do, and if he gets the right players in the summer it will be beautiful.

Take your breath away ?

Which opposition. ?

[Beefymcfc]

Yaya deserved to start ahead of KDB on form alone, more importantly Yaya should have started because the situation of the tie meant we needed his abilities. If a fat middle aged twat who hasn't kicked a ball for thirty years can see it how the fuck is Pep blind to the obvious? He got it wrong... again. Underwhelmed by his tactics and the constant changing of our CB's defies logic.

I like it, you fat middle aged twat

[BrianF]

Underwhelmed by his tactics and the constant changing of our CB's defies logic.

Can someone please tell me what Pep achieves by changing the CBs back and forth other than disrupting the momentum of the team.

[zabbadabbado]

Yaya deserved to start ahead of KDB on form alone, more importantly Yaya should have started because the situation of the tie meant we needed his abilities. If a fat middle aged twat who hasn't kicked a ball for thirty years can see it how the fuck is Pep blind to the obvious? He got it wrong... again. Underwhelmed by his tactics and the constant changing of our CB's defies logic.

I like it, you fat middle aged twat

Classic City fan humour.

[BookJunior]

In all honesty I'm not surprised to go out. PG needs to be more pragmatic in his approach and pick a formation plus team to beat any opposition.

It's obvious to us so why not him?

[zabbadabbado]

In all honesty I'm not surprised to go out. PG needs to be more pragmatic in his approach and pick a formation plus team to beat any opposition.

It's obvious to us so why not him?

I think Guardiola + pragmatism = an oxymoron.

(I am not even sure what I just wrote makes any fucking sense).

[PeterParker]

In all honesty I'm not surprised to go out. PG needs to be more pragmatic in his approach and pick a formation plus team to beat any opposition.

It's obvious to us so why not him?

I think Guardiola + pragmatism = an oxymoron.

(I am not even sure what I just wrote makes any fucking sense).

Pragmatism is not something he knows.

At this level you are not allowed to make a mistake like that and loose a spot in the quarter finals. I like Kolarov, he is a dirty fucker and we needed players like that and I agree that he played him cb this year. But I agree when he plays him versus Sunderland and Burnley, not in front of the best attack in the world at moment!

What happend last night is a big sign for me regarding Guardiola. He is either stubborn and he trust that much his tactics that he is blind by it, or he is plain stupid and sadly, a beat overrated and he reached his peak between 2008-2013 (the germans said that at Bayern he wasen't as good as expected).

Huge next season, but now I really have my doubts.

[Socrates]

In all honesty I'm not surprised to go out. PG needs to be more pragmatic in his approach and pick a formation plus team to beat any opposition.

It's obvious to us so why not him?

I think Guardiola + pragmatism = an oxymoron.

(I am not even sure what I just wrote makes any fucking sense).

Sad to say, on this occasion, there was no oxy about it

[City64]

Im still fucking fuming after that HUGE total fuck up last night !!!

Guardiola is a manager and a person I hate to say I cannot trust . Not only for the Joe Hart situation and the signing of a total useless cunt in the shape of Bravo to replace him plus the fact of Guardiola,s mind blowing selection of defenders who cant defend plus now he looks like he has ruined a world class player in Kevin De Bruyne ??? Guardiola was tactically inept last night his reputation is on the line now and the media will now put him and quite rightly so under huge pressure with three huge games coming up in the shape of the dippers at home , Arsenal and then Chelsea away ............ Guardiola is on the rack for sure here make no mistake !!! Our owners infatuation with this cunt could unravel everything we have achieved in recent years !

[Mase]

Like someone has already mentioned - why does he fuck about with the centre backs so much? Changes them constantly. Just stick to a set two and that's it. If they play well brilliant. If they don't change it then!

[Justified logic]

Disappointed but not surprised at last night's performance.

Firstly, trying to win silverware solely by outscoring the opposition is a fool's strategy unless you are (UE)FA's favourite - a lesson he hasn't been exposed to whilst managing Barca and Bayern, so the tactic of ignoring the defensive side of the game and trying to outscore a team like Monaco was ambitious to say the least, even if we'd played fluidly.

Secondly, the City team seemed, yet again, to lack the self-belief, confidence and courage to play their natural game and be winners. A slight improvement on how we went out against Real last season, but just as frustrating to watch. Our final free kick of the game summed up our play last night for me - overworking the ball followed by a fuck up.

[Dub City]

Everyone is rightly fucked off going out after throwing away a two goal lead, getting back in front and fucking it up again. The defence is shite and has needed players replaced for years now and the Director of Football has bought no full backs and centre halves that defend worse than Lescott after wasting millions. The Goalkeeping coach who worked with Hart for 3 years was kept and recommended Bravo who he had previously worked with.

We missed 4 very good chances last night to kill the game off, it was the story of the season so far repeated, didn't take our chances and caught out by the weak defence. Willy for me didn't do anything wrong last night, one good save before first goal, don't think had much of a chance on any of the 3 goals but did he have a save to make outside of these chances?

Pep made mistakes last night no doubt, KDB was poor all evening, one good pass through to Sterling is all the positives can get for him from last night, he has been poor in recent games and I would have replaced him with Yaya after we scored to get control of the ball. He set up to attack and outscore them, we made the chances and didn't take them. The media is going to have their witch hunt and hang him out to dry as a failure. We need to get behind the team now for Sunday and ensure we get top 4, getting cup would be a great bonus now.

Next season is the time to judge the manager for me.

[Sparklehorse]

I'm not disagreeing with anyone about our defenders, but I think the two goals in the first half come down to the lack of defensive nous from our forwards.
Sane and Sergio weak for the first one, letting the player into the box. They then switch of waiting to break rather than picking up the guy who put the second ball across the box after Stones covered their mistake.
Second goal Sterling has the guy on the edge of the box but gets wrong side of him again, more interested in the break forward before the danger has been cleared.
The guy just drifts off him and he is facing forward ready to run.

I thought Sane's defensive qualities were poor but he is always a danger at the other end. Sterling offered little quality going forward tonight, except the shot that lead to the goal.

The third goal. Well that was just a ridiculous high line which they did again moments later. As has been said we need a defensive coach.

Thought we didn't get used to the small pitch in the first half and it's as bad as I've seen from us.

Really pissed off. We still had chances and missed them.

Take a bow.....exactly my sentiments, Sterling's first priority is to cover the scorer by being goal side, he failed in that simple task, being in position for a counter attack is secondary.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Next season is the time to judge the manager for me.

Why should he get a free fuckign pass for a whole season if it all ends in failure ?

He fucking should not imo !!..hes been here since before last summer and he knew he was coming months before it was even announced and had fuckign months to pick the players he wanted.

If this all ends in tears then he should be hauled over a furnace......as much as I've loved every minute of our attacking play I've also cringed and HATED our defense...its been embarrassing and the worse I've ever witnessed over the last 8 years !!!

[Justified logic]

I'm just wondering what role Kiddo has in the Guardiola set-up. And if not him, there must be someone from outside the Guardiola entourage who can offer a different view of reality.

[Hazy2]

it's been fun,,,, Anyway dippers Sunday,

[Crossie]

It's just not happening for Kev in recent weeks
Yaya in that game would have been passed and run around far worse than anyone else was, maybe bringing him on in the last15 to see the game out but can you imagine the mess?

[South Stand Balti]

it's been fun,,,, Anyway dippers Sunday,

That's the one thing we can say. Interesting reaction from the media this morning, slamming us as per. Truth is we drew 6-6! One of the great European ties this season. Monaco beat Spuds home and away in the qualifying groups, so they are no mugs. The dippers game is far more important for me. I saw the ref in the Barca game......Champs league was not something we would have been allowed to win anyway.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

So much disappointment last night with the inevitable reaction. Did Pep get it wrong? Well we are out so he must have but is that first half all down to Pep or is much of it down to the players completely bottling it and failing to play?

I would have had Yaya in for certain and played him in a deep role next to Fern. Yaya has been excellent this season and KDB is off form at the mo so it wasn't a difficult decision imo. What actually happened though is baffling as basically everyone in front of the back 5 had a total mare. Silva and KDB couldnt pass a ball!

I would have hoped Pep would have changed things before half time but it was 2 nil anyway quite quickly and I was just glad it wasn't more at half time. the change came and we were miles better and should have won with the chances we created but then the sucker punch with the free kick goal.

I hear all about the crazy high line being disastrous for the free kicks but have we conceded from one before last night? Maybe it works and that was the exception?