Amazing innit. For me that's a story in itself.
Always felt we needed to be brave but can't blame the setup as we have a fair few players out of form. Mahrez is great but not when you need a scrap. Play Bernardo in his best position on the right.
We need Bernardo and Foden to lead the press and I would personally start Jesus.
Also start Fernandinho and Rodri. Might look like a negative move but it will free up the fullbacks and Fernadinho is such an excellent playmaker.
I Think we will go through but it will be hard. Funny how Mahrez and KDB actually now find each other on the pitch. At some point, I thought KDB couldn't stand his selfishness.
Cancelo worries me, Walker worries me. We conceded so won't smash the goonz record
He has actually dropped Sterling
posted on 7/4/21
Do you not like sterling?
posted on 7/4/21
Mahrez for some reason cannot or will not turn when he gets a pass. 95 times out of 100 if he gets a pass with his back to goal it goes straight back to the player who gave it to him, so predictable. Foden showed tonight the havoc a well timed turn can bring to a defence and yet Mahrez almost never does it, he waits for the ball to be played in front of him before he takes the defence on.
posted on 7/4/21
comment by meltonblue (U10617)
posted 5 hours, 50 minutes ago
I’d rather have seen all three swap - Kdb in bernardos position tonight, Gundogan in kdbs and Bernardo in Gundos. We missed his legs more next to Rodri for me.
Second leg I’d like to see both Fern and Jesus start though.
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Bernardo suffers from being able to play so many positions but I also wouldn't have started him in the false 9. Only player to play well in the false 9 position is KDB.
I do feel Mahrez also has the ability to play that position well.
A few positives, KDB is playing well, the press has been great recently. Just need to get Bernardo playing in his most effective areas. Find a way to get Fernandinho to start.
Play Cancelo on the right.
posted on 7/4/21
Actually worried about how good city could be if they dropped sterling.
posted on 7/4/21
strange idea and looked a bit like Pep overthinking a CL quarter final again,whatever Bernardo was suppossed to achieve he hardly got a kick
posted on 7/4/21
I feel like city all round game suffers when he doesn't play. Shame his goal return isnt up to what it has been for the past few years.
But even without the extra goals we still look better with sterling in the side.
He has very clever movement to break down teams who put men behind the ball and we clearly miss his pace.
Yesterday our only way past was phil pulling off great bits of skill to skin his man or a great ball by kdb. The rest of them struggled and was surprised he didnt give sterling the last 20.
posted on 7/4/21
comment by Blue_mooning (U12093)
posted 43 seconds ago
I feel like city all round game suffers when he doesn't play. Shame his goal return isnt up to what it has been for the past few years.
But even without the extra goals we still look better with sterling in the side.
He has very clever movement to break down teams who put men behind the ball and we clearly miss his pace.
Yesterday our only way past was phil pulling off great bits of skill to skin his man or a great ball by kdb. The rest of them struggled and was surprised he didnt give sterling the last 20.
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This is true. We dont have a lot of outlets and hence why we need to persist with Foden and I suppose Mahrez to an extent. Maybe Torres can be an option or play Jesus on the left and Foden on the right.
Sterling does deserve to be dropped though and I am glad it's in the Champions Legaue. Pep doesn't scapegoat but if we look at the last few key games particularly in the Champions League Sterlings form particularly his finishing was borderline unprofessional.
posted on 7/4/21
Sterling hasn’t been great for about 18 months. Is he suffering from the fact we’re playing a more fluid formation than the Sterling/Aguero/Sane front three when he was arguably at his best?
posted on 7/4/21
Seems to o run into dead ends all the time when he has the ball at the moment
posted on 7/4/21
Sterling has a bit of Mahrez disease in that unless the ball is 100% to his liking he just passes it straight back rather than have already weighed up the options of moving the ball forward either himself or through a pass to a teammate.