About last night...

Ok first things first...Thank you UEFA refs

Overall City weren't good enough and I think even they can admit that we deserved to go through. They might not admit it now because emotions are still high but I think over time they'll see that we were just better than them over the 2 legs.

It's a shame that this season from City will probably be remembered for this past week were they failed by their own high standards instead of being remembered for the brilliant football they have played this season. They have destroyed every team they have faced this season at least once and literally walked the league in style. They should be applauded for that...but you really need to step up in the really big moments.

Now that that's out of the way, I just wanna talk about what happened last night in that first half. I honestly think something special happened which could be the turning point for football. Especially if Pep tries to perfect the shape he played last night.

City didn't have a specific shape per say but if we had to nail them down, the positions that were played yesterday I would say that City's 3133 (or diamond midfield) formation really could be the next exciting thing in football. It's not just the unbalanced attacking prowess that a formation like that brings. It's the way City's midfield created the dominance needed in order to get away with not playing any wingbacks in a back 3 system.

Before Utd fans jump to mention that LVG tried something similar with them. We're not talking about LVG's static, pedestrian, bore teams to death style of play here so please sit back down

Our midfield had no idea on how to press them in that first half. When our front three pressed high, Milner & Ox pushed up to press Fernandinho & Silva. This opened up space for De Bruyne and either one of Sterling or B. Silva (whichever was central) to receive the ball. When they tried to step off and not press high in midfield D. Silva & De Bruyne tucked in so to speak to create overloads in front of our midfield. It was mesmerising stuff to me. We were thoroughly overrun in that first half and Pep literally made light work of one of the best pressing teams & manager in the league.

The balancing in City's movements and positioning probably catered for every possible style of defensive structure one could throw at them yesterday. Press high and we will find space behind your first wave of press. Sit back and we'll create the numerical advantage to play through you. Drop deep and we'll keep our wide players out wide to stretch the play. Pep has tried this before but the tempo and execution last night was a joy to behold.

Our goal came at the perfect time and completely knocked the stuffing out of them. From there it wasn't so much a tactical battle. City's intensity just vanished and that wasn't solely down to fitness.

I can only imagine what will happen if we play that first 50 or so mins again.