The match had an air of turmoil from the release of the teamsheets, where Pep decided to opt for a tactical shift, opting for a 5 at the back, a system of which he said the team had been training in for the past 3 days. With that, i’m no UEFA coaching badge holder, but why, in a Champions league Quarter-Final, would you switch to a style that the squad is neither adapted to nor overly prepared for, and alter from a formation and structure that has been the most utilised this season, and the one that beat Real Madrid?
Selection
Cancelo at Left-Back – I honestly cannot comprehend why hasn’t been the starting right-back for City. The consistent barrage of attack that he brings as a full-back is top notch, with him rarely ever looking to make a solo run on goal, more likely to jet past the opposing players to the final third, then looking for the playmaker, initialising the attack. In my eyes, he is equal to Walker defensively, and contributes more to the typical Guardiola style of play in the attack, providing more fluidity and control on the ball.
At the back, an initial triplet of Laporte, Garcia, and Fernandinho began the game, which is a boggling decision having Fernandinho on the right hand side considering his lack of pace and agility, especially facing an emergent Toko Ekambi.
Kevin De Bruyne is our star player. There is no doubt in that. However for him to be at his best, he has to be constantly in the transition of the attack into the final third. Yet, at the start, he was played way to deep. Playing level with Gundogan and Rodri is a decision that leaves De Bruyne sweeping mistakes under the rug and not being able to blossom in his role. Speaking of the other two midfielders, why field both? If rodri is playing more advanced from the front of the centrebacks, He is then deployed to be the exact same style as Ilkay Gundogan, meaning that the advances from defence are lacking and are neither quick nor precise.
Lyon
Saying City played poorly was one thing, but Lyon were truly impressive. They soaked pressure like a sponge to water, and sent the ball forward with pace to fade through the makeshift city team. Raul Garcia set his team up perfectly for the Possession seeking Citizens, who did nothing substantial into the final third until the end of the game
Sterling
Well, you see the subheading. Do I even need to comment? Missing an open goal like that is an atrocity, that in his case has happened on too many occasions now. If we had scored that, the game would have been a different tale. No cheap third goal, a 2-2 situation with City coming out of the blocks to hopefully win. However, after the perfection of getting Sterling through to an open goal, just to miss it, and deflate the entire team and fans.
Scoreboard Blog 