Post Match Reactions - CL Group Stage Game 2

[JB@Norwich]

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Post Match Reactions - CL Group Stage Game 2

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[Steve@ManUtd]

MANCHESTER UNITED 0-2 Bayern Munich

Zero goals in two games but this game shows that we clearly have no luck in Europe and is enough to raise serious questions.

We set up in a similar way to our opponents and conceded the first action, they started to drop players back but we conceded a second 17 minutes later and Bayern shut up shop. Despite thereafter dominating we couldn't find a way through. We have one of the top rated goalkeepers yet his performances this season have been way bellow par. We have 4 games to salvage the tournament but I hold no confidence after the first two games.

Not much more to say, well done to Bayern on the day. It is what it is.

[Freddie]

Real 1-0 Arsenal

Entertaining game that we probably got away with on squad strength. Arsenal had tactical advantage for large parts on a C to our A and it was only after we went ahead through a Dest strike did it become C against C.
Arsenal are a classy side so pleased to have got the three points and move top of the group.
Our CL form has been excellent and we could really do with bringing it back to EFL 1.

[Marshy@Atletico]

Leeds United 1 Atletico Madrid 1

Leeds have countered all season and so despite the european style unpredictable away from home Marsh went with it. The first goal would be crucial and when it came from Atletico they were able to change to counter to control tactical advantage and hopefully win the game. Marsh didnt foresee that TA would mean little and when Leeds levelled Atletico were in alsorts of problems going back to european and Leeds took control and probably should have gone on to win the game.

Marsh commented "Overall its a decent point. I am disappointed that at 0-1 we could not score again against a pub goalkeeper that Leeds seem to like, possibly to mirror the real-life Meslier. At 1-1 we were all over the place and I was glad to get to the final whistle. 4 points from 2 away games puts us in a strong position and if we can get something from Juve next we will head into the second half of of the league in good nick".

[Steve@Chelsea]

Chelsea 1 - 1 Inter Milan

We countered the best side in Milan for most of the game and together with HA, all things on the balance of most probabilities, should point towards a win for the sugar, sweet and all thing's nice Spice Boys. Not the case though. Once again we took the lead through Leao, who laughed off a transfer speculation about a move to the bot league of EFL1 and La Viola, by scoring and then doing the touch of death, kissing the Chelsea badge. I guess we will see on that one. Inter though are a good team, we edged them last season in the Champions League semi finals so we know they are no mugs and they came back to level things up. The game finished a draw and looking over the stats, it appears that the key metric was the amount of tackles made in the game. Chelsea made only 2 tackles, while Inter made a whopping 11 tackles which seriously reduced the amount of shots the best team in London could get off. A draw wasn't the worst result against Inter, but at home and after losing the first game away to Spurs we really needed a win here. It's going to be tough to get out of this group but we will give it a good shot.

[Ant]

Manchester United 0 - 2 Bayern Munich

As Steve said, we did get quite lucky in this one. Fortunate to strike early, and somehow bagged a second before a few restructures to hold the lead after a disappointing round one defeat. This win gives us hope of qualifying but we need to get something against the mighty Real Madrid next, which will be another incredibly tough ask. Young gun Paz scored his first goal for the club and what a way to do it away at Old Trafford! Gnonto scored which was great as he is having far too many shots for goals scored but now has 3 goals for the campaign.

Good game Steve!

[Livi@Liverpool]

Liverpool 4 Paris Saint Germain 4

An incredible 90 mins this one as the visitors stormed into a 3-0 lead within the first 18 mins and I have to say at that stage I feared the mother of all hammerings especially with our sub standard back up keeper between the sticks. We steadied the ship - if you can call it that - by keeping the score line at 0-3 until half time. With PSG now employing an attacking approach we pulled one back at the beginning of the 2nd half through Kudus but only a minute later the visitors scored again to take a 4-1 advantage. Mudryk quickly scored to reduce the arrears to 4-2 and after we made 3 substitutions from the hour mark onwards we scored in the 72nd (Niang) and 73rd (Mudryk) minutes to level things up at 4-4 and that's how the game finished.

Looking at the stats we were fortunate to come away with anything but PSG maybe paid the price for attacking throughout the 2nd half. We had the tactical advantage for the whole of the 2nd half and thankfully for us were able to make it count. I'm sure Ed will single out his GK's performance and generally feel hard done by but I feel we deserve a bit of credit for mounting such a stirring comeback from what looked like a lost cause.

In the circumstances we're delighted with the point and I'm sure I read Ed saying earlier this season that he'd rather draw 4-4 than win so hopefully he's just as pleased at the outcome as I am.

Milan got another extremely impressive win this time away to Man City and they lead the group with maximum points albeit there is still a long way to go.

[Darren]

Real Madrid 1 - 0 Arsenal

After the win in round one, Arsenal were dealt their first defeat of this seasons Champions League in round two away at Real Madrid. Just the one goal of the game and it came from former Arsenal Defender Dest on seventy five minutes, no doubt just when both sides thought it would end in a draw which going by the stats would have been a fair result but The Gunners just couldn't hold on nor get one back from one of their eight shots on target.

The Arsenal boss spoke after the result ;

" A bit frustrating in all honesty to keep the score at nil nil for so long to only go and let a goal in so late to eventually lose the game especially when we created so many chances of our own and held them at bay for such a large part of the game but we can take a great deal of credit for the way we played here despite the result not going the way we hoped it would. They are a quality side and Freddy is making his mark with them so fair fair play to them and we will hope we can get the win in the reverse leg "