Barcelona away review.
I'll make this short and sweet. I'll start with the lineup. Pep makes a big call not to start Aguero, with Alba and pique going off injured in the first half, I felt City had a slight chance. Fernandinho slips, Gundogan doesn't follow Messi and the defence stay still as Messi rounds Bravo for 1-0 in the 17th minute. Really disappointing to concede like that. Barcelona were not at their best until the hour mark. From minutes 30 to 60, City created chances and for me, the better side. We played well yet were 1-0 down. Gundogan did a lovely turn in the box and Ter Stegen made a wonderful save to his left. De Bruyne got in some lovely positions, had a couple of shots too. Nolito had a shot easily saved in the first half after some lovely play. Sterling looked threatening down the right wing too. It was all positives until the hour mark. Bravo sweeps up and passes straight to Suarez. Why did he do that?? Clear the ball from danger or pass the ball away from danger, anywhere but to the man. Suarez looked threatening all game, A wonderful save in the last kick of the first half from Bravo low down with his legs stopped it going 2-0. Suarez caused so many problems and drew out so many mistakes from City. With Bravo passing straight to Suarez, Suarez chipped the ball and Bravo handles the ball. Would it have gone in? I don't know, it was 25-30 yards out but Suarez is world class, it would probably have gone 2-0. Bravo is sent off, Caballero comes on for Nolito and Zaba goes off injured. Game done from there.
City have had 4 sending offs against Barcelona in 5 meetings. You can't beat or do well against Barcelona when they have a man advantage. City shot themselves in the foot each time they face Barcelona, or any big Spanish side in the Champions League, for that matter. They show too much respect but the bigger factor is that the team just isn't good enough. We need more from the team, and more hunger. I wasn't impressed with Fernandinho last night. When City win, he is so important but lately, since the decline, he hasn't been good. He needs a rest but we have no one else who can play like him and he can't play all the games and all the minutes. It's time for Fernando to step up in DM, or try new players there. Zaba, if his injury isn't serious, could play there. Try Garcia if needed, just rotate him every now and then.
Everyone will look at Aguero not playing as excuse for City being poor, but City were not poor until the red card. They went toe for toe with the best and did really well until mistakes cost them again. The formation of 4-1-4-1 with De Bruyne moving back meant a five or even six in midfield. The tactic would have worked if City didn't make mistakes. Barcelona don't make mistakes, and if they do, it's when they're 4-0 up and get players sent off. Matthieu was sent off late on in this match. Messi, with Kolorov at CB (great) backing off, fires passed Caballero's near post to kill the match at 2-0. Suarez runs through City's defence soon after, Stones being really poor in the second half allowing Neymar and Suarez to run rings around him with their turnings. Stones didn't know if he was coming or going. I cried out for Kompany in this match and sadly wasn't fit to play. Costly. Suarez runs through Stones, squares to Messi, unmarked (where was Kolorov and Clichy to tightly mark the centre of the box, you know, the danger zone?) and chip slots passed Caballero for 3-0. More mistakes. Messi runs right through City's defence again, Kolorov brings him down instead of keeping Messi on his weaker right foot and Neymar misses the penalty. They've caught the City penalty fever. That, or you just don't beat Caballero from the spot... Ask Liverpool. Neymar makes up for, cuts through Stones and slots passed Cabllero, even though he gets a big right hand to it. Unlucky but disappointing.
All of Barcelona's goals could have been prevented, the heads of City dropped after going to 10 men and 2-0 down. Costly, really costly. It means Caballero will start the next game in Manchester against Barcelona. I'm not too disappointed, did you see him in the same situation as Bravo that saw him pass to Suarez and sent off, he cleared the ball 10 yards to his right, finds a City player and there is no crisis. Bravo needs to learn. In summary, we did well until 60 minutes, we need to switch on from the start and cut out mistakes, if our defence senses danger, just clear the ball and regroup. We need to take our chances and if things go wrong, carry on as if it's 0-0. That's hard but they're paid a lot of money to do so. To lose yesterday 1-0 after the sending off and playing well would have been unlucky. The 4-0 and mentality of yesterday stunk from the players and is a big concern. They seem like losers. City need hungry players, players that want to play, do their duties and jobs and most of all, want to win and show no fear. A lot for Guardiola to address, he might need more than 3 seasons at City to sort them out though, we're just poor in the Champions League (last season being an exception for getting to the semi-finals but don't get me started on our performance against Real Madrid in that semi-final). One thing is for sure, Zaba probably won't be fit to play on Sunday, with Sagna injured, we will probably play 3 at the back against Southampton. Is that a good thing? Knowing City, probably not. If they can match their efforts against Everton, cut out mistakes and become a little more clinical, we should be able to pick ourselves up and get a run going again. I hope so as losing, getting hammered and drawing matches that City should be winning is starting to get on my last nerve. Football for you.
