EFL Cup - Round 2

[Nick@ManCity]

Missing


Errors

[Guest]

Celtic 1-3 Dortmund

C v C but not to be.
“disappointing way to end my caretaking tenure at this great club. Dortmunds squad are just too strong. Should be mid table in the EFL come seasons end. All the best to them in the cup.”

[Derek]

PSG 0 1 Roma

When you get drawn away to the best side in the competition it's hard to be optimistic. So we decided to give some much needed minutes to our back up players. However with PSG playing 7 defensive players it was still goalless after 80 minutes, as we were still in the game we decided to throw on the big guns who were raring to go with their fresh legs as PSG's lack of depth started to show.

We knew we now had the edge but then in extra time Pellegrini went off injured and we were down to 10 men. We had better shooting abilities than PSG and so just hoped to push it to penalties. But then on 117 minutes, Firmino feeling sprightly against a fatigued defence, scored the winner for a famous victory.

We knocked PSG out of the Champions League last season and its nice to knock them out of another competition.

gg Simon

[Ed@PSG]

PSG 0 Roma 1
Roma capitalised on thier 2 shots on target, we didnt.
Disappointing to lose potentially 3 more games of abs, but historically we have always done poorly in cups.
Congrats Derek on your tactical masterclass

[JB@Norwich]

Bayern 4-2 PSV
"Annoyed to let 2 in but Allison made 10 saves which is much better than normal. TO allow 12 shots on our goal to a small club like PSV is worrying but we created plenty and got over the line.

We look forward to the next round draw and hope that we get another home time for the fans who are starting to see what we want to build going into the rest of the season

GG Sam"

[Sam@Bilbao]

Bayern 4-2 PSV

"Im actually over the moon for the lads tonight, to come to the Allianz and give a big side like Bayern a good go, on another day it could of been forced into extra time had things go our way, but we held our own, probably better than we have ever done when playing them in the league in the past, it was a relatively even game and the likes of Joao Pedro getting his first goal and our young mexican lad Gimenez getting his second in as many games, we are really starting to show what this team can do and will be capable of in a couple of seasons time, always a pleasure to lock horns with some of the best efl managers, im sure we will be back there soon and causing even bigger problems like we did tonight, GG JB"

[Steve@Chelsea]

Real Madrid 4 - 0 Monaco

"The scoreline flatters us a little. Relatively even game but we were the more clinical of the two sides. Any side managed by Johnboy is a tough nut to crack, and it took us until the 56th minute before Sterling got us the key opener. Three more late goals came from Varane, Elliot and Diaz who is now 21 rated and absolutely potent at the moment to wrap up the victory. Good game John, I'm left thinking the first goal was key here. Also was nice to grab a few words with Yoshida as he ran past me in the tunnel playing his final minutes for Monaco before he will return to Madrid to provide yet more backup. He's done well there and will provide us with more defensive options. "

[Livi@Liverpool]

Barcelona 3 Atletico 2 (AET)

A lively encounter in which we took a 2 goal lead but the visitors courageously battled back late on to take the game into extra time. Thankfully we were able to score again in the additional 30 mins to progress and the stats suggest we were worthy of it.

Plenty tactical changes throughout the 120 mins by both sides and Atletico will rue the fact that their 1st choice GK went off injured at 1-0 us although in fairness his back up came on and performed pretty well making several saves.

Another game without a goal for Jesus which is a bit of a concern but there are goals coming from other sources thankfully.

We play Atletico another 4 times this season between the league and the CL group stage and they are going to be very difficult matches as they have a strong side and an excellent manager.

We'll now look forward to the quarter final draw, plenty big fish still left in the competition.

[Johnboy]

Real Madrid 4 - 0 Monaco

"The scoreline flatters us a little. Relatively even game but we were the more clinical of the two sides. Any side managed by Johnboy is a tough nut to crack, and it took us until the 56th minute before Sterling got us the key opener. Three more late goals came from Varane, Elliot and Diaz who is now 21 rated and absolutely potent at the moment to wrap up the victory. Good game John, I'm left thinking the first goal was key here. Also was nice to grab a few words with Yoshida as he ran past me in the tunnel playing his final minutes for Monaco before he will return to Madrid to provide yet more backup. He's done well there and will provide us with more defensive options. "

I agree with Steve, certainly not sure it was a 4-0 game and the first goal was always going to have big impact.

Being honest I made a couple of tactical errors, we went to 5 at the back to try and contain Madrid but my 65th minute substitution made a big difference - it was meant to be a straight striker swap but I took off a defender in error switching us to a back 4 and allowing Madrid much better access to our keeper. To compound the error I'd left Aubameyang out of the squad entirely so brought Chris Wood on instead.

Oh well, the cup "run" was nice while it lasted, we'll have to hope for better performances in the DP Trophy and the league to make up for it!

Good game Steve, good luck in the next round

[Neil@Fiorentina]

Sociedad 3-2 Lisbon

Cracking cup tie, and great result for the Conference side, who now make it 6/6 under their new caretaker.
End to end stuff, with 57 shots between the sides including over extra time, made for exciting viewing.
Lisbon had the better of the game, but Sociedad certainly made a match of it, and like the last league game, pulled off a great comeback, this time after going two down against Lisbon.
A penalty got us back into it, followed by a quick fire second whilst Lisbon were still stunned, and a late winner in extra time sent the fans into delirium.
It was hard luck on Lisbon, but that's the cup/Esms randominator for you. Ul Gary.

[AB@Juventus]

Juventus 5 - 1 Sevilla

Another amazing result in the cup (Not quite 12-0 thought), which sees us through into the quarter finals for the first time .
Previous seasons have seen us crash out of this competition at an early stage so to progress quite easily shows our progression as a team. The last 8 should be much tougher than previous however.

Onto the game and much like in the league game, we threw everything at our visitors and they came to counter attack us, but 10 minutes in R_Leao (Now 19,17 rated) gave us the lead and we went on from there.

A_Isak added a second 12 minutes before the break which doubled our lead and we entered half time 2-0 up.

Into the second half, with 30 minutes left Sevilla came at us playing A also but it was us who scored the games next goal just a minute later when Y_Adli scored yet another goal from his defensive position to make the score 3-0.

Sevilla pulled a goal back on 68 minutes, but it was us who'd have the last laugh with goals from R_Leao on 78 minutes and M_Odegaard on 88 minutes as we sealed a comfortable 5-1 victory.

Statistically we were the better team and created plenty and earned plenty more abs, I'm sure Ed will be impressed.

Good game Stu

[Drum@Villa]

Valencia 1 - 2 Lazio

Stats dont lie and this was a very close game,

but think matt will be slightly upset in not going through, 57 minutes with a man advantage,

we conceded first again, concerning, but MOM Pulisic started to repay the transfer fee, (thanks raingod),

it was then hell for leather, which then saw semedo decide to stupidly get sent off,

however we took it to extra time, and man of the moment Osimhen popped in a winner before it got to pens,

unlucky Matt, GG bud

[Marshy@Atletico]

Barcelona 3 Atletico Madrid 2.

gg Livi

Never going to be an easy task to progress after the draw was unkind again. Last season we went out at Roma in Round 2. Ac Milan and Barcelona are draws you would expect to get in the quarter and semi-finals. Barcelona really progressed their squad in the close season and we feel they could have an outside chance of the league title this season.

Overall we gave a decent account of ourselves and 2-2 over 90 minutes is a good draw. Unfortunately we lost out in extra-time. Losing Henderson (gk) after 39 minutes did not help our cause.

League results have been good but cup results have been poor so far. Our 17-rated GK must now go enter the PSG frying pan as Marsh attempts to find a way of protecting him.

[Guest]

Juventus 5 - 1 Sevilla

Another amazing result in the cup (Not quite 12-0 thought), which sees us through into the quarter finals for the first time .
Previous seasons have seen us crash out of this competition at an early stage so to progress quite easily shows our progression as a team. The last 8 should be much tougher than previous however.

Onto the game and much like in the league game, we threw everything at our visitors and they came to counter attack us, but 10 minutes in R_Leao (Now 19,17 rated) gave us the lead and we went on from there.

A_Isak added a second 12 minutes before the break which doubled our lead and we entered half time 2-0 up.

Into the second half, with 30 minutes left Sevilla came at us playing A also but it was us who scored the games next goal just a minute later when Y_Adli scored yet another goal from his defensive position to make the score 3-0.

Sevilla pulled a goal back on 68 minutes, but it was us who'd have the last laugh with goals from R_Leao on 78 minutes and M_Odegaard on 88 minutes as we sealed a comfortable 5-1 victory.

Statistically we were the better team and created plenty and earned plenty more abs, I'm sure Ed will be impressed.

Good game Stu

We lose to Juve for the 2nd time this season .. and one of our only options of securing a trophy ..oh well!

C tactic was correctly selected against the anticipated A but no matter we were out of the tie by the break ...

Good luck to Juve in the QFs and we will look at how we freshen up our approach ...

Well played Andy!

[Niall]

Celtic 1 - 3 Borussia Dortmund

I wasn't taking Celtic lightly as they have proved they are a capable side and on another day could have gotten the win if they were a little more clinical in front of goal, as the stats show it was an even game.

Daniel Podence and Reinier seem to be finding some form following on from the win against Real Madrid, with both again finding the net for the second consecutive game. The only negative is that we conceded another goal, through a deflected shot off the unfortunate Issa Diop, still, though, it's good to be through to the Quarter Final of the cup.

Unlucky Celtic, it just wasn't your day..