13 Aug 2019 22:50:06
Saw a post about why pep has not won the CL with city but has the league, and for me there are a few possible answers.

Firstly, for a lot of years we have said liverpool are a cup team, can’t seem to get motivated week in week out, but can for the big occasion. Are city the opposite? They can mince teams in the league, and yes maybe squad depth is a factor there. But how often do you rotate for CL knockout stages?

It’s best XI available vs best XI available. When the pressure of the big Game kicks in, they don’t seem to be able to keep a clean sheet. Furthermore, we all know city can be got at, put under pressure - in the CL you have nothing to lose and teams go for it, whereas they rarely do in the league. spurs had to go at them in that second leg to get the goal, and they forced one.

Liverpool last year went at them and blew them away in the first leg. Most teams in the league, sadly, park the bus. I think pep has his way of playing, and doesn’t change it for the big occasion, whereas he should probably think about it. Spurs again, they needed to score, but it was only 1-0, a clean sheet was just as important. I think he tactics were let’s go out and get 5.

last season, Liverpool were, let’s out score the opponent, and it worked to a degree, but it was high scoring in the city game and Roma, and cost us in the final. This season, bar Barcelona away, we conceded one to Bayern, one to Porto and none in the Barcelona home leg. Klopp clearly changed his approach now he could rely on vvd and Allison and the back five more.

Ederson is good, Laporte is good, and they’ve the option to play Fernandinho and Rodri - I don’t think their attack will be stifled ‘only’ having say sterling, aguero, silva and de Bruyne!

14 Aug 2019 04:58:09
if city had their best 11 in the first leg against spurs. They probably would have gotten to the final and anything can happen in a final. They were missing bernardo silva who i actually feel is their most important player. that tie was soo tight. its always a laugh when city get knocked out but i honestly thought they were going to be in the final. This will probably be their year unless we stop them. There is not much between us and city except the power of anfield.

14 Aug 2019 07:57:21
Barca, juve and athletic will be strong this year. It should be said that pep loves to overthink in Europe he has a nack of making wierd player choices in the games that get them knocked out.

14 Aug 2019 08:21:50
Wiseryan, I remember that first leg vs Spurs and in all honesty, Pep got his tactics and selection totally wrong. I did not say that, the City fans and pundits did. Spurs were there for the taking, IMO and even Aguero missed a penalty in that game. Pep choked and outsmarted himself in that game. Then to cap it all, Ederson made a complete blunder on the Son goal and with Spurs getting a clean sheet, it was pretty much game, set and match. In the second leg, Spurs took advantage of City's jittery defence and with Laporte making two costly mistakes, they were sitting ducks.

Also if you concede 3 goals at home in a CL second leg Q final, you simply don't deserve to go through. Hence IMO, City historically, have been failing in the CL cos of what the OP said and cos well, Pep seems to no longer have it in him to compete there anymore, which shows how panicky and undecided he is in his selections and tactics. We'll see what happens this year.

14 Aug 2019 09:11:57
I'm not sure pep knows what his first 11 are tbh and that might hinder them in the champions league? You say Bernardo Silva is there most important player but he was on then bench in their season opener so maybe that in some ways hinders their mentality. Our team pretty much picks itself except maybe cm. And the players know they're responsible and if injuries occur the guys coming in have more of a point to prove? I'm just speculating.

14 Aug 2019 13:24:49
redwolf, man city should have been capable without bernardo silva against spurs so I'm sure pep did get it wrong. For example benching de bruyne was odd. I think pep tried to be too clever because he's used to be being knocked out. He's not going to hold back next time.

14 Aug 2019 16:38:06
Wiseryan, I fully agree with you. I don't know if Pep has learned his leason cos remember, this is not the first time Pep has fluffed his lines in the CL. Vs LFC at Anfield in 17/ 18, he benched Sterling and played Gundogan on the right side. What happened? They got smashed 3-0 and only after the game was won, did he bring on Raheem.

Second leg vs us and w/ them leading 2-0 at half time with us on the rack, he puts Fernandinho at CB (instead of bringing on Kompany) and changed a back 3 to a back 4 with Laporte at LB. WTH? Can you remind me what happened then? Oh yes with a useless Otamendi and Fernandinho at CB, they were vulnerable and we scored 2 goals and won the game.

The guy seems clueless and nervous in the CL games hence, he tends to outsmart himself a lot. Will he have learnt his lesson after the last three humiliating results in the CL (lost to Monaco 6-6 on away goals, another disaster)? We shall see.