Nah; City won’t make it that far.
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midfield balance was far better last night I think, and that had a greater impact on all playing both there and elsewhere on the pitch.
That said, I think it’s worth pointing out that Leipzig did look as though they hadn’t really done their homework on how to play against us. Beyond the first half where they were getting some joy down our left side but never really stretched, preferring to come back inside and then back.
A small shout out for Kabak as well last night. While not as dominating / in your face as Phillips was he quietly went about his business and basically did a huge amount of mopping up, getting in the way. basically lots of central defender type stuff and also didn’t put a foot wrong.
The one that did concern me most was Robertson. He seemed to forget his duties in maintaining the defensive line a couple of times and there were times where his passing was awful.
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I think City will face Bayern or PSG in the semifinals and get knocked out.
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Leipzig sticks always to their style of play. They are a ballplaying side. That suits our style of play, Other than these doubledecker parking teams.
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Do they always just go down the left even if they repeatedly get stopped?
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So did Chelsea and Leicester and we didn’t create much against them.
In fact that Chelsea game is just baffling for all so many reasons. I think it might have been the worst of the lot for chances created against a team that wasn’t particularly parking the bus.
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Kind of disagree, we were creating chances and missing them, I expected if we put one to the side of their keeper we would score.
Very unlike the league games in which we could easily play 20 hours and not score.
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MOTM…Good choice…
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Delighted with the performance and result. Yes we missed chances, but we looked a whole lot better offensively, and our forwards looked like they were tuning themselves up.
Phillips is a war horse, Kabak quietly efficient alongside him, the keeper solid behind them and Fab majestic in front of them. A great basis for the rest of the side.
I’ve been advocating Fab’s return to midfield the past few weeks, not just because he’s our best midfielder IMO, but to protect the defence and make the midfield better. He certainly gave Gini and Thiago the platform to perform better themselves.
One thing is absolutely clear, this summer we need to ensure that next season we do not have to take Fabinho back into defence. Look back at all our major trophy wins, and the side winning them was always based around a top class defensive midfielder. You’ve only got to look at Istanbul to see us getting wiped out in the first half without Hamann, to then turn it round with him.
With VVD, Gomez and Matip coming back from long term injuries, we need to add a quality centre back to be first choice alongside VVD, then decide who to keep from Gomez, Matip, Phillips, Kabak, Davies and Williams to form the central defensive squad.
The forward line of Jota, Salah and Mane, so destructive in Atalanta, is our current best, and something I feel should be the go to forward line now. Going back to the stale and pedestrian Bobby as a starter would be a terrible mistake.
It’s such a shame that Jota was out so long, and that it took until now to be able to get Fab back into midfield. It might be too late for top four, and of course injuries might yet hamper us again, not forgetting that a key difference for us in Europe is that we have impartial referees. Let’s not forget, that in Europe our forward line doesn’t have to suffer the wrestling match without punishment that it does in the PL.
But let’s hope for a good run in the PL, and that we go a bit further in the CL.
I have to say, despite the buzz of winning last night, I do have a burning sense of injustice that the difference between us getting into top four this season and not, will be the points dropped due to officials.
I really do detest English football, from the Manc and London biased media, to the corrupt authorities and referees, to the utter wankers that follow other clubs, and particularly the national side.
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Isn’t it nice to enjoy watching a football game. And still be smiling the day after. 
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Absolutely correct.
I’m hoping JK and the players feel the same way and they come back next season angry about what’s happened and with a desire to settle scores.
The biggest challenge this football club faces isn’t who we lose or sign in the summer, it’s standing up to the fucking cheats who did everything they could to derail our title challenge, especially in the first half of the season.
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The point about not fancying Philipps and Kabak too much against a marauding Man City side is well made, but I would still go with that pairing, and Fabinho in the midfield, holding.
If we put Fabinho in the defense it will just hand the initiative to Man City that bit more, and they hardly need the help, especially since they enjoy so much possession against most teams anyway.
So… yes, Philipps and Kabak might struggle a bit more against runners, and movement, and balls played on the deck and down the channels… but so what?! Everyone struggles against that sort of opposition, even the very best defenders.
It’s a football game, and we have to think about how we can give them problems. And Fabinho adding some authority to our midfield, and hopefully enabling Thiago to play better (saw that last night) and then also the front three feeling a bit more supported and less isolated… yeah, bring it on.
If it is Philipps and Kabak for the duration, I’m fine with that.
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A Bayern fan and I were chatting earlier and he hadn’t quite worked out yet that they defend way better than last season. They’re gettatable but it won’t be humiliation for Pep at the quarterfinals again, I fear.
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Did think something was slightly different, maybe it’s being 2-0 but the aimlessly chasing down by the front line was cut out, it was done more in midfield and with Fabinho it was far more effective.
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What’s the beat the cunts get Porto in the next round
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Doesn’t matter really. They will have to face PSG, Bayern, Atletico/Chelsea at some point and will duly fold. UEFA will not dare the likes of Twatkinso officiate City games.
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Agreed. I said in a post last week that we should make sure our keeper, full backs, midfield and forwards are the best they can be, and can do what they do best, and not compromise them just to protect the fact that we currently have centre backs not as good as out best ones.
We might concede more with Phillips and Kabak, but probably not disastrously, and we can still compete everywhere else.
The overall team performance IMO is likely to be better, and more likely to win, with last night’s line up than using Fab in defence.
The only decision is what sort of rotation we need with Fab, to protect him from injury.
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Where’s the Wolves game thread, @GermanRed
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No way I’m going to start a PL match thread again this season.
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…and I have been banned 
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