2022-23 UEFA Champions League Group Stage Matchday 2: Man¢h€$t€₹ ¢ity vs Borussia Dortmund

No positive, because we are not making progress. Playing players that won't be here next year doesn't help. It's much better to give experience and games to players that we have hope in for next season

 

Pretty great game by us until we scored and City increased the pressure. It was almost like our old CL underdog mode: Concentrated in every action and no mental fkups while the CBs rose to the occasion. But as soon as we cannot do anything else but defending, it all goes to shit.
Besides the goalie situation (why did he try to swat it away with only one hand instead of the double fist?), I think the 1:1 more than anything else was a result of tired legs. We still had two opportunities to score the 2:2, it was good to see that we can create something against City.

 

Terzic had a very good game plan that the team stuck to for most of the game and really had City under control through 75 minutes. Big mistake was bringing in a 3rd CB and changing the formation and flow of the team and the game which ultimately was our downfall. Our players were visibly tired so we should have just made "like-for-like" changes to bring in fresh legs and continue playing for counters.

 

Well, for the first 78 minutes I thought Terzic was the star of the game. That 5-man midfield closed down all the spaces. There were some movements of Bellingham and Ozcan that I couldn't understand to cover up space, I guess. It was nice! Maybe it was helped by some City players being a bit uninterested, but still.

Then, at the minute 78, Terzic decides to change the plan that worked so well. Actually, just a couple of minutes before that, the commentator says something like: When the plan is working you keep your players on, even if they're tired, etc. Terzic does the exact opposite. And within minutes we take a goal, and then another to lose the game.

This is not the first time it has happened. Terzic tries to protect a lead too early, and does it the wrong way. (Yes, 78' is too early against a team like City.) Our defense was good up to that point because of the 5-man midfield, not because the back line did anything super special. I would have just replaced the tired players and kept the same plan. Bellingham was tired AND injured (cramp?) Reus also was showing signs of tiredness.

 

I promise I didn't read this before writing my comment haha

 

You had Wolf, Adeyemi, and Hazard on the bench that could have spelled Reus and Bellingham while still keeping the midfield in shape. Sule and Hummels looked good and there was no need for the extra CB.
But what's done is done so just need to learn from this moving forward.

 

Agreed. But not Hazard please!! I thought most players who played gave their best and played well, given their level. I'm beginning to appreciate Jude more, he's really improving.