Cracking win I was worried PSG would have the edge given their starting to build some real experience in the latter stages of this competition, and in the first half we looked more like plucky semi finalists punching above their weight. But second, even though the passing was still slack at times, was far superior and teams can’t live with us when we turn the ball back over as we did far better in the second 45.
Just a couple of individual performances I think worthy of some recognition - Mahrez, I find it difficult to warm to him for some reason, his form fluctuates and his legion of online followers are pizz annoying, but he was absolutely brilliant yesterday and clearly well up for this run in. The constant tracking back and last minute tackle on Neymar in the first half was arguably as important as his goal in the second. Keep it up Riyad!
And De Bruyne continues to impress me as captain. I think we all knew he was an influencer on the pitch, but the jury was out for me when he was given the captaincy in Fernandinhos now regular absences. In the big games though he’s impressing more and more, definitely has that killer instinct to drive the team on when a weakness is sensed in the opposition, just like the truly great captains do. Absolute jokes they thought his tackle was the same red too, hope we get them just as riled in a few days time!
A couple of standouts...
posted on 29/4/21
Suited your team, we all know how the likes of Foden like playing away.
posted on 29/4/21
i thought PSG were superb in the first half.
their one touch football and the ability to play in tight areas was some of the best ive seen in years, absolutely fantastic.
however the second half was the complete opposite.. as good as psg were in the first they were equally as bad in the second and thats credit to city.
the press was higher, the tempo was quicker and much more desire shown to get forward.
think pep may have shown PSG a bit too much respect in that first half but adjusted superbly for the second
posted on 29/4/21
Think it was nerves more than anything in the first half, I saw Guardiola trying to get the fullbacks and the midfield up the pitch a few times.
One thing about Mahrez, his first touch when he’s played a long diagonal is just obscenely good, could watch it all day.
posted on 29/4/21
Cancelo was in no mans land for the majority of the first half. Not getting forward, but getting caught out going backwards. Surely that wasn’t under instruction!
posted on 29/4/21
We’ve had a few games like it. I get it, the natural instinct will be to stay in position but it makes the whole system fall over a bit.
posted on 29/4/21
I wasn’t at all surprised that Pep was a little more hesitant first half. PSG were always going to play on the counter, and with Neymar linking the attack and Mbappe’s pace and wide positioning, he’ll have been wary about Mbappe getting one-on-one with City’s CBs.
I was a little surprised that Mbappe spent so much time out left. I’d have expected him to sit more on/in behind Cancelo, given Walker’s superior pace, waiting for the straight ball in the inside channel.
The result, I guess, was holding Walker back a little and Poch hoping that that would force City to work a little bit more narrow (particularly with Cancelo at ‘LB’ - not that he really plays as a LB) or make access to the City eights a little more difficult with a more congested middle third. The PSG double pivot is in good form, so that would make some sense. It’s a reactive and somewhat defensive approach, but if the plan was to play on the counter anyway, again, understandable.
posted on 29/4/21
Cancelo has been a real asset to Pep at times in that sort of hybrid half back position, but it’s almost like Poch just decided to completely ignore the area of the pitch he’s been stationed in in possession in these kind of games.
That’s maybe why he looked a bit lost first half. I think he ended up playing quite a different role to the one Pep might have planned. He certainly would have expected to have to keep more of a watching brief on Mbappe and probably thought he’d be engaging Di Maria more often in the inside channel.
posted on 29/4/21
Loved the way our defence completely pacified Mbappe and Neymar without resorting to bully- boy tactics
posted on 29/4/21
Mbappe looked bemused at times, once he knew he couldn't outpace Walker he seemed a bit lost. Di Maria was clearly a danger, having been well schooled in the OT skill of 'there is an opponent within 10 yards, I will dive and get a free kick'. What the ref was doing for most of the second half I have no idea.
posted on 29/4/21
One thing that stood out for me is how many of the PSG team are easily wound up. Paredes in particular.
Keep the ball at the Etihad and watch them self destruct.