UEFA Champions League 6/7 December *** Spoilers ***

Soldato
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Never want to think there is anything fishy going on, and I would love to believe that Lyon honestly did that all on their own because it was bloody incredible, but they made up a 9 goal swing after Ajax had two perfectly good goals disallowed and they scored 7..

Wouldn't be surprised if it gets looked into seems quite astonishing!
The two goals, honestly no idea why disallowed.
 
Soldato
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Name me a manager that has sustained top 4 finish and last 16 of CL at a bare mimum for 14 seasons in a row on a shoe string budget.

ahh right theres none.

he had a bigger budget than he has used, just because he chose to go for the cheap option most of the time doesnt mean he HAD to

Arsenal arent /shouldnt be interested in last 16 , they should be aiming a lot higher, but their manager in certain respects has kept them back while playing the hero for not spending much
 
Caporegime
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Well upon a nights reflection I've concluded that the greatest manager in the world would have gotten that point at basel. but then the greatest manager wouldnt have needed a point from this game - and would have already secured a spot in the next round.
 
Soldato
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I'm not sure whether we just have no energy in our midfield or that is the tactic Fergie has decided upon but our lack of pressing is really concerning. We started doing it at the start of the season but seem to have given up recently. I think we definitely need a new DM with some energy and AM with some technically ability to improve our midfield.

The other thing that I don't understand is us switching to 4-3-3 but not adjusting our tactics at all. If we're going to play like that we need runners from midfield to support Rooney and put much less emphasis on crossing and wing play. I lost count of the number of unsuccessful crosses and corners we put in with only Nani looking like finding someone in the box. Countless times as well the ball fell around the penalty spot but everyone was ahead of the ball and no-one was anticipating the second chance like Scholes or Lampard would.

The most concerning thing of all is we spent £50m in summer and the squad seems to have fallen dramatically backwards by addressing two areas in which we had no issues, defence and wing. It then seems ridiculous these two players have ended up filling in at DM and AM when it became clear we have no options available there.

Fergie's substitutions last night were just bizarre as well but certainly not helped by the lack of depth he has left in the squad. Park and Giggs both should have come off and Welbeck and Rooney needed to play upfront together, instead we end up bringing Macheda on to miss an open goal, switch our best striker to left wing and put Welbeck upfront on his own.
 
Soldato
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he had a bigger budget than he has used, just because he chose to go for the cheap option most of the time doesnt mean he HAD to

Arsenal arent /shouldnt be interested in last 16 , they should be aiming a lot higher, but their manager in certain respects has kept them back while playing the hero for not spending much

You got any actual proof that we had a big budget? ahh right you dont. You do know that we just moved to a new stadium and that it aint bankrolled on its own using an owner that makes billions every day aka city's owners.

Wenger has done an incredible job at arsenal on a shoe string budget thats lower then even spurs.

Spurs have outspent arsenal for a good few years now and Spurs are no where NEAR as bad as chelsea and city.

So far NO ONE has answered my question. Not even a single manager has been mentioned that has equaled or better Wengers record of competing at the highest level from a shoe string budget.
 
Soldato
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Well upon a nights reflection I've concluded that the greatest manager in the world would have gotten that point at basel. but then the greatest manager wouldnt have needed a point from this game - and would have already secured a spot in the next round.

Who Wenger? most likely so given the fact that on paper, United have a slightly better squad then Arsenal who as you may know, rely on RVP whilst united have rooney, berbatov and hernandez to spread the goals.
 
Soldato
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Man Utd fan checking in. I'm still alive and well but it's only early...


****!!

FML!!!!

:p

It'll at least give us a chance to win a competition that Ferguson hasn't with us. Central midfielders in January please Ferguson, our defence is way too exposed and our current central midfield is non existent and basically contributing nothing to attacks.

Oh yeah, FML!!
 
Man of Honour
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We could be on a historic double tonight with both the “Mans” going out. Wouldn’t that be something! There will be a lot of nail biting tonight.

I wish I'd placed a bet now. It was so exciting listening to live text last night on the train and so difficult to contain oneself. Just think there will be something to do on Thursday nights. It’s called Channel 5.

On a more serious note. A great disappointment for many but now in the cold light of day how do you see your future?
 
Soldato
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I wish I'd placed a bet now. It was so exciting listening to live text last night on the train and so difficult to contain oneself. Just think there will be something to do on Thursday nights. It’s called Channel 5.

On a more serious note. A great disappointment for many but now in the cold light of day how do you see your future?

As a City fan? I'm honestly about as worried as someone who's just won the lottery. It was never all going to be plain sailing, and we're still well in the mix for the title, still in the FA Cup, semi's of the CC, and Europa games where we all had some great nights out on last season. We should have gotten out of the group, but we didn't, que sera sera. I certainly shant be calling for anyones head :)
 
Man of Honour
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On a more serious note. A great disappointment for many but now in the cold light of day how do you see your future?

We need new players. Central midfielders mostly.

The team seems to be generally unhappy as well, I'm not sure what is going on. A decent defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder and the team would improve a lot.

I'm also not totally sold on De Gea, I'm somewhat in agreement with Cheets :)eek:), he looks absolutely terrified most of the time. Goalkeepers need to be arrogant and confident, like Hart and Szczesny.

I'm not really sure about our tactics either, Fergie just seems to play 442 and hope for the best, there is no game plan or rhythm at all. It's worrying.

If we win any games against any opposition, it's because Nani plays extremely well, or a defender does something unorthodox. It's bizarre.

Rooney has been largely crap as well, Shaqiri was twice as good in a similar role last night.

Man City fans really don't need to be worried at this moment in time. Disappointed, but not worried.
 
Caporegime
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Remember last season rooney asked for assurances, he too foresaw a dip coming and must feel that he has been lied to.

you can see his frustration on the pitch. No one likes to link up up front with park. or watch young kick it right into the defender each time. or random crosses coming into the box that percentage wise rooney has no chance of winning let alone scoring from

where is our target man?
 
Soldato
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I'm not really sure about our tactics either, Fergie just seems to play 442 and hope for the best, there is no game plan or rhythm at all. It's worrying.

Well in a recent interview with Andy Cole on SSN, he said that Fergie doesn't actually really coach or get involved at all with tactics or training sessions, just watches and picks the team + motivates.
All the tactical side of things is left to the Nr2.

So in that sense you cant really blame Fergie i guess.
 
Associate
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Huge wake up call for Ferguson, as if he needed one- squad too small and lacking depth and quality.

Despite their elimination, on a domestic level, City are going to open up a chasm over United before long.
 
Man of Honour
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Absolutely, he's strong and good in the air but like Rooney usually ends up 40 yards from goal trying to fill the gaps in midfield.

Berbatov was bought to play with Rooney up front. He can link up the play and Rooney can 'do his thing'. Then Hernandez can be swapped in for one of them depending on how the game is going.

Unfortunately, you need a midfielder who can pass the ball forward and we only really have Cleverley for that (who is still very much unproven).

It's just a bit of a poor situation at the moment, we need some new ideas and certainly some new players.
 
Associate
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I personally think that with both Manchester clubs going out at the group stage, and Chelsea almost joining them will be a good thing for English football, and hopefully in the sake of Chelsea and United a wake up call.

You can't really worry too much if your City, it was your first attempt at the competition, admittedly you blew millions to get knocked out so early, but I'd be very surprised if they don't learn from it, and massively improve next season.

Seeing SAF's face yesterday when they were eliminated made by night, and think it will result in a major overhaul of the United squad come the close season. It sort of happened at Arsenal this season, struggled, sold arguably 2 of their best players and rebuilt. It has taken time, but then again, they were the only English side through before match day 6.
 
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