"I need to go home because my wife is expecting - I need something to focus on."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/53257870

Maybe thats why de bruyne was playing badly? Not focused on the game?

WillyWanker

France1915 Posts

August 15 2020 21:25 GMT

#4565

He wasn't bad. He tried more than others and Lyon put players on him to bother him. It was all on him to make the team play but he wasn't enough, that's it. He can't do miracles every game.

WombaT

Northern Ireland25484 Posts

August 15 2020 21:37 GMT

#4566

Fair play Lyon but what?

Years of being a really well run dominant team in Ligue Une and never really stepped on in Europe. This year they make that breakthrough to the final four!

Cool to see. Pep seems to be rather cursed in Europe, still a great coach though. Think City would be mad to get rid, another year and he maybe takes the league back or gets that elusive European victory and in all likelihood takes one of his sabbaticals for burnout anyway.

It is a consistent failing but it’s hard to put one’s finger one sometimes on why it is

WillyWanker

France1915 Posts

August 15 2020 22:06 GMT

#4567

He overthinks CL games a lot. He always tries to do unexpected things and when it works (Messi false 9 against Madrid for a 6-2), he's a genius, when it fails he's a terrible coach. In my opinion, he should still try new things but he should never abandon his attacking philosophy. He did tonight, the same way he did against Tottenham the first game last season, and both times he lost in similar fashions.

WombaT

Northern Ireland25484 Posts

August 15 2020 23:30 GMT

#4568

On August 16 2020 07:06 WillyWanker wrote:
He overthinks CL games a lot. He always tries to do unexpected things and when it works (Messi false 9 against Madrid for a 6-2), he's a genius, when it fails he's a terrible coach. In my opinion, he should still try new things but he should never abandon his attacking philosophy. He did tonight, the same way he did against Tottenham the first game last season, and both times he lost in similar fashions.

He can be a bit over-clever.

I mean I was rooting for Spurs that game so was no skin off my back. Felt really on balance City were pretty unlucky in that specific one and in the pre VAR world they’re getting through.

Slim margins at this level really

haitike

Spain2713 Posts

August 15 2020 23:50 GMT

#4569

How could Sterling miss that goal... That is one of the worst ones I've seen.

I think Bayern will win this, they seem more in shape than the others. Still, it is only one leg so anything could happen (Greece winning the Eurocup is an example of that).

Two French and two German clubs with no English or Spanish clubs is something unexpected.

On August 15 2020 05:43 Pandemona wrote:
haitike the spanish press gonna have a foooking field day lol

They have been talking non stop about Barcelona since it happened. They are so happy xD

DropBear

Australia4356 Posts

August 16 2020 03:40 GMT

#4570

Pep isn't actually that great. His style only works when he has a better squad than anyone else.

If Lyon win the Champions League, does that mean they snag a spot for next year despite failing to qualify via Ligue 1? I forget the rule on that

Sr18

Netherlands1141 Posts

August 16 2020 06:35 GMT

#4571

On August 16 2020 12:40 DropBear wrote:
Pep isn't actually that great. His style only works when he has a better squad than anyone else.

If Lyon win the Champions League, does that mean they snag a spot for next year despite failing to qualify via Ligue 1? I forget the rule on that

I think so. Appparently they take the spot from Ajax.

120720

95 Posts

August 16 2020 07:37 GMT

#4572

3 predictions wrong out of 4, proud of myself once more!

Acrofales

Spain18007 Posts

August 16 2020 07:37 GMT

#4573

On August 16 2020 15:35 Sr18 wrote:

Show nested quote +

I think so. Appparently they take the spot from Ajax.

Wow, that seems really weird. Why don't they take it from Lille?

sneirac

Germany3464 Posts

August 16 2020 07:56 GMT

#4574

On August 16 2020 16:37 Acrofales wrote:

Show nested quote +

Wow, that seems really weird. Why don't they take it from Lille?

Technically they aren't taking it from Ajax, CL gets a direct spot in group stage. However if CL winner also qualifies via league position the highest ranked league/team outside of the group stage gets bumped up from the final round of qualifying, in this case Ajax.

evilfatsh1t

Australia8665 Posts

August 16 2020 09:16 GMT

#4575

just watched the highlights and HAHAHAHAH STERLING.
if sterling put away even half the amount of free goals he chokes on his stats would be insane

maybenexttime

Poland5579 Posts

August 16 2020 09:47 GMT

#4576

On August 16 2020 18:16 evilfatsh1t wrote:
just watched the highlights and HAHAHAHAH STERLING.
if sterling put away even half the amount of free goals he chokes on his stats would be insane

Yeah, I was reading the comments here and was thinking to myself "surely this couldn't have been too bad". I grabbed my head with both my hands when I watched the highlights.

evilfatsh1t

Australia8665 Posts

August 16 2020 10:02 GMT

#4577

On August 16 2020 18:47 maybenexttime wrote:

Show nested quote +

Yeah, I was reading the comments here and was thinking to myself "surely this couldn't have been too bad". I grabbed my head with both my hands when I watched the highlights.

yeah that was my exact reaction too.
not a fan of city, not a live game, still had my hands up in the air shouting "WHAT"

nayumi

Australia6499 Posts

August 16 2020 10:26 GMT

#4578

On August 16 2020 18:16 evilfatsh1t wrote:
just watched the highlights and HAHAHAHAH STERLING.
if sterling put away even half the amount of free goals he chokes on his stats would be insane

Sterling is severely overrated as a player. He's on the same level of probably Walcott, maybe a tad better but his stats were significantly buffed being in a team of assisting gods like KDB or Silva.

Acrofales

Spain18007 Posts

August 16 2020 10:27 GMT

#4579

On August 16 2020 16:56 sneirac wrote:

Show nested quote +

Ok, so the moral of the story is that I have to cheer against the *only* team in the final 4 that I don't dislke. I guess I just won't watch any of it, as I can't think of watching it and cheering for Bayern, PSG or Leipzig.