CSKA Moscow 2 – 2 MAN CITY – MY THOUGHTS
22 Oct
In four seasons in the Champions League, this was undoubtedly the most depressing – and telling – result. Over the past few years, we have suffered crushing last minute defeats to the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, been on the receiving end of a miserable loss away to Ajax and witnessed a footballing masterclass from Borussia Dortmund, but never has the feeling of anger and frustration been so raw as it was at the final whistle yesterday. This was a shocking result and one that revealed just how far away from the top of the European tree we currently reside.
For 45 minutes, however, it was as perfect and professional an away performance in the Champions League as could have been wished for. There was no talk of wishy-washy tactics, no mention of Manuel Pellegrini’s adherence to 4-4-2 and no discussion of the side’s inability to impose ourselves on a game. As Sergio Aguero and James Milner powered City into a two-goal lead, everything was going as planned. Yet that only serves to make what happened next even more cutting.
Is it the fault of the players? Is the manager to blame? It’s hard to know, but it’s likely a mix of the two. At half-time, with the scoreline 2-0 and with City so desperate for a win, Pellegrini’s team talk should have been simple. He should have drilled into the players the need to kill the game. Nobody needs reminding of our Champions League struggles, so the players should have known the job was not done, that they could not afford to relax and think the points were secured.
In my eyes, there were two possible options. You either push forward for a short spell, try to repeat the same intensity and tempo displayed in the first half and search for the third goal that would have clinched the victory. Or alternatively, you sit back, remain solid, back yourself to soak up any CSKA Moscow pressure and then hit on the counter-attack if possible. We should have been good enough to do either of those.
Alas not. The most damning aspect of yesterday was that there seemed to be no obvious plan. City didn’t attack with conviction, nor defend with resilience. It was all a little aimless. If we had the ball, we threw a few men forward but it was slow and laboured. If we needed to defend, people took up decent positions but then didn’t close down with purpose or show any appetite to protect our lead. This was such a vital game, yet so many of the players were cruising throughout the second half. It was simply unforgivable.
Let’s not forget, part of the reason that Pellegrini was brought in to replace Roberto Mancini was because of his exploits in the Champions League with Malaga. With lesser players and with comparatively limited talent at his disposal, he was pragmatic. He was tactically cute, often upsetting teams with more ability and better resources. He could set up a side to frustrate. He was the cunning brains behind Malaga’s push to the quarter-finals. Crucially, he adapted to the situation.
And yet in the Champions League at City, we have seen none of that. I’m not sure whether it is arrogance or stubbornness or naivety, but Pellegrini seems steadfast in his belief that we can play in the Champions League in the same style as the Premier League. It goes without saying that the Chilean knows far more about football than I ever will, but it seems blindingly obvious to me that you can’t just do that. You can’t just adopt the attitude of “We’re Manchester City and we’ve got good players so we’ll do what we want and not worry about you.”
Domestically, City are good enough to beat most sides while not at our best. Even if teams do threaten our defence, as Tottenham did at the weekend, we have so much talent and ability going forward that we can still be victorious. In the Premier League, it doesn’t matter if Hull score twice against us because we’ll score more. It doesn’t matter too much if we fall behind because we know that if we turn it up a level or two, we’ll be fine. In the Champions League, however, there needs to be a more refined approach.
On paper, CSKA are the weakest of our opponents in the group and to that extent, it was perhaps understandable why Pellegrini opted for two strikers, two attacking midfielders and just two central midfielders. That has been the formation which has cost us previously in Europe as it has led to us being outnumbered in midfield and therefore unable to control the game as we do in the Premier League, but last night in Russia it was just about fair enough. And it worked in the first half.
But then as CSKA started to gain a foothold just after the break, the obvious change, to me at least, was to introduce Fernandinho in place of a striker and strengthen the midfield. We know all about Pellegrini’s incessant desire for attacking football and we saw last season how entertaining it can be to watch City when there are waves of blue shirts pouring forward as the opposition tire, but yesterday called for a more stifling set-up. Bring on an extra midfielder, regain control of the game and see it through to a calm victory. It might appear dull and it might go against everything the manager believes in, but when you have repeatedly failed in Europe, as City have, you need to do anything to get over the line.
This result stings. The complacency in the second half stings. The way in which we threw away such a promising position stings. More than anything, however, it is the fact that we are not learning from previous mistakes that stings. There is only a finite period of time in which we can voice excuses about the difficulty of the groups, or the abject refereeing, or the unfortunate injury-time goals conceded. At some point, we need to face up to our own failings.
Well said, you encapsulated everything i have been ruminating on since last night. Any sofa coach could have said when your ball winning midfielder (who’s just come back from injury and is a little off colour on the evidence of his last two games) picks up a yellow and his only source of defensive back up is Yaya (who views with defending with such distain) and the game run of the game is turning in their favour you should shore up the middle of the park. The obvious answer from the 60th minute onwards was to sacrifice a striker and bring on Dinho to allow Yaya the freedom he craves. Lets not forget we were 2-0 up, not 2-1, not 1-0 we had a two goal lead we could protect and counter on. As Bobby Manc once said about a negative sub he once made, bringing on De Jong for an attacking player. Sometimes you have to regain control of the game before you can think about attacking and i have no doubt that if bobby had been in charge he’d have made that change even if it was only 0-1. What a lack of pragmatism Manny shows, its going to cost him his job…
Spot on with everything, the villa game a few weeks ago was the reminder Pellergrini needed, front man off another midfielder on and regain and retain possession. Someday the penny will drop.
Let’s not forget Jovetic. He can play in the half-and-half position Tevez so successfully occupied. A good alternative to shore up the midfield while aiding either Dzeko or Aguero in attack.
Problem is, you can’t be a rich club with oil money and plastic fans, no history, no experience of winning anything, and suddenly think you’re among the best in Europe. That’s the price you money clubs pay for ruining football!
Have a nice day!
Sorry about above comment, left open and a friend wrote it, please delete it as you’d like, thanks.
An excellent assessment of both the game and the problems we have in Europe. What bothers me the most is that Pelli seems to have learned nothing from the previous Champions League games. The way he approached the match was pure arrogance and he deserved not the win the match. He showed a total lack of respect for the opposition in the way he set up the team.
I think Pelli will be replaced next year with a manager who is more experienced and successful in the Champions League.
A good article. I agree, we played in a naive way. Europe has to be played unatractively when necessary 2 goals to nil and we should have shut up shop. Instead we threw it away.
The fact is, he just doesn’t learn. The amount of times he has played 2 up front in Europe and has failed completely. Ok the first half was fine. But it was so obvious he needed to bring Dino on earlier. Instead he brought on Navas.. I honestly think Mancini would have done a better job this year in the CL.
I wasnt surprised with what happened, our “form” in the c.l is a joke I was sick to my guts watching it’ v.k is the boss man on the pitch is he unable to “gee up” the lads to keep everyone focused? The midfield/defence were appalling. My god ‘ mangala & Fernando were shocking… As for the 42, the manager will lose his job with him “playing”. That chap Is a total wa****r who has no interest in the club/fans.I doubt very much if the big big boss wants Thursday night ball, hard looking game coming up the wkend. Manuel’s head is defenetly on the block. Good news with Roma getting smashed hopefully they’ll fall apart (2). Totally fed up.
I don’t think the issue is about tactics. I think the issue is more of collective mental block. Look at the collective body language when City play in the EPL and when the play in the UCL. It is literally night and day (under both Mancini and now MP). I don’t know why but the swagger and “over my dead body” attitude City often display domestically always goes missing the minute this team steps onto a UCL playing field. Against Bayern, City played like frightened rabbits. In the second half against CSKA Moscow, City fell into the classic trap of being caught in two minds about whether to kill the game off or to protect a 2-0 lead. That to me suggest players collectively feeling pressure and lacking self-belief. There isn’t a player in the squad who doesn’t know about the Typical City DNA in the social fabric of the club. Combine that with the obsession of the club Hierarchy with the UCL and that becomes a huge mental block to hurdle. Pellegrini has a proven track record in this competition with both Malaga and Real Madrid. He knows how to get less talented players to punch above their weight and he knows how massage big name egos. He has 3 games to get 9 points. A hard but achievable goal. If he pulls it off I’d wager it will have as much if not more to do with man-management skills than it does with tactical game plans.
It was more than killing off the game in my opinion .We looked tired in the end and yaya toure was beaten far to easily and not willing to track his man once beaten.Not saying its his fault but we need someone who has energy to burn in his roll.I looked at isco vs real liverpool today and he was all over the pitch even when he lost the ball or was beaten he never gave up .
The thing I don’t understand about the city players is the fact that they are all internationals and expierenced but that none of them takes the iniative,the lead to organize the team and if necessairy too summon or even reprimand the other players;Nobody scolds or fires up the others.
They just take things for granted!