Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Daily Manchester City: Mbattered by Los Blancos in dismal UCL exit
0 Plays2 seconds ago
Episode 76 - Jack and Lewis vent their frustrations after The Blues bow out of the Champions League in poor fashion at the Bernabeu.
Sponsors and Advertising Zencastr Built for quality - designed for growth
a new era for creation is here.
The only complete audio+video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, AI-powered growth features, and top-tier distribution tools - all in one place. Get started for free, we highly recommend it!
https://zencastr.com/?via=ken
Global Sports Podcast Network - creating the world's first network of 30-minute daily podcasts for the world's biggest sporting export, the English Premier League.
For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience - email Ken Davies, VP Business & Development at:
Ken.davies@globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
www.globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
Copyright | 2024 | Global Sports Podcast Network | All Rights Reserved
The world's most personalised supplements https://www.bioniq.com/
Recommended
Transcript
Champions League Exit Analysis
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, welcome to Manchester City Daily, brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only place you can get your daily news and updates from every Premier League team every single day. You're joining myself and Lewis Royal in cold, wet, rainy Manchester for an immediate post-match reaction and breakdown of Manchester City's somewhat inevitable exit in the Champions League to record winners of the competition, Real Madrid
00:00:26
Lewis
Thank you.
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Blues were at the behest of an informed Kylian Mbappe who ran as absolutely ragged, scoring his second hat-trick of the season. City clawed back a scruffy consolation goal from Nico Gonzalez in added time to make the scoreline somewhat respectable, meaning all three of City's January transfers that have played for the Blues so far have at least a goal to their name in their catalogue.
00:01:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
for Manchester City. So, Lewis, some minor positives. I mean, you can see how desperate we are as City fans to take anything away from that game. But what what's your feeling, your immediate post-match reaction to to that game? Because it wasn't much to smile about.
00:01:16
Lewis
No, it definitely wasn't your spot. And I think the weather sort of matches my mood and I'm sure the whole of City's fan base right now. Like you said, it was inevitable. um The game would go that way, but there's always that little bit of hope that you've got to have.
00:01:30
Lewis
Obviously, going to the Bernabéu, a goal down is never going to be great, yeah especially with the with the season we're having.
Squad Challenges and Lineup Choices
00:01:37
Lewis
But you never know. I thought it could have been a bit of irony um to the season that we've been having and and we could have nicked some of Realistically, whoever scored first for me was gonna was going to take that game and Madrid did that early on. It only took four minutes for Mbappe to score.
00:01:53
Lewis
um I thought Diaz could have done a bit better with reading the cross. He's sort of lunged for He's gone to edit and he's sort missed it. And that just started to set things rolling, really. It went from bad to worse.
00:02:05
Lewis
And in the first half, we we didn't even muster a shot on target. And up to about 60 minutes, we only had a 0.05 XG.
00:02:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:02:13
Lewis
And I just think that there was no urgency from the players. Obviously, when you go on down at the Bernabeu, it's going to be a massive uphill battle. But for me, there the desire was there. But with desire, you've got to have quality to make the desire last and make it work. And I just think that...
00:02:30
Lewis
Obviously no Haaland, no De Bruyne, obviously we know Rodgers out. The quality for me wasn't there and yeah it was always going to be a long evening after that.
00:02:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think you've hit the nail on the head there, really. you've You can't have desire without a equality. And the sad reality that we've got to face as City Fantoms is that a big portion, big majority of this squad just aren't there anymore. They aren't cutting it physically. And we will be having to look at a massive rejig in the summer because some of the players just look way past it physically.
00:03:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Other players look way past it mentally physically. And other players didn't really look like they deserved to wear their shirt. ah But listen, tonight Manchester City failed to reach the UCL round of 16 for the first time since the 2012-2013 campaign.
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I'll be honest with you, Lewis, I think that that might have started when the line-up got released. Because... If you asked us on the podcast the other day when we did kind of an immediate post-match reaction to the Newcastle game, myself, Jules Keelan wanted it a pretty mo a pretty much unchanged squad.
00:03:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
from Newcastle, I said that the only change I would want to see come in is Diaz for Rico Lewis, push Kuchinov outright. That happened. I thought that worked quite well. I think the only thing about that change that didn't work well, you touched upon it then, Ruben Diaz had a pretty poor game.
00:03:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
But other than that, I think the commentators were really, really excited. It was honestly like watching Real Madrid TV. They were just absolutely so biased in the favour of Real Madrid because I thought Kuchinov dealt with Vinicius Junior incredibly well so that was a change that I was pretty glad to see I thought he did really well given the extremely difficult circumstances but the rest of the lineup I think the game was lost when the lineup got released because for me Bernardo Silva Ilkay Gundogan Two 30-plus-year-old players in the same line-up in that midfield next to, yes, fresh young legs in Nico Gonzalez, who had a good game.
00:04:26
Lewis
Thank you.
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
But those two players looked particularly sluggish from minute one. So God knows how sluggish they looked in minute 60, 70, 80 when we're trying to chase and claw back those those goals.
00:04:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
No Harlan tonight was, of course, tough. Lack of focal point there. And, of course, Mahmoud can
Player Performances and Pep's Decisions
00:04:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
play up top. But... This wasn't really the game from Taflex's ability at number nine.
00:04:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was really excited going into this game to see how Mahmouche played off Haaland as an extra outlet. When you saw the line-up, Lewis, what were you expecting? Were you disappointed?
00:05:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
what Were you excited? Was there anything you thought could have worked that didn't? Or was it game over when the line-up got released?
00:05:18
Lewis
he definitely didn't fill me with confidence. I think obviously Harlan not being in the squad, well he was in the squad, but obviously not likely to come on and find out he was injured. There's always that hope that he would start and or at least come on and play.
00:05:33
Lewis
But like you said, I think that it was the correct decision to move Kusenov out all right. um And I do think that he kept Vinny quiet for most of the game. I don't think he had... a massive impact. He certainly didn't have a bigger impact as he normally does, especially against us.
00:05:49
Lewis
and But yeah, just think, like you like you touched on, Bernardo and Gundogan, Bernardo Silva today for me was was abysmal. ah I just don't see... I think he's lost his sharpness. Like you said, he's getting on a bit and it's just not not the Bernardo we're used to at all. And Gundogan, I've said it all season about Gundogan, we know he's not the same since his comeback. And against...
00:06:09
Lewis
A very, very strong Real Madrid side tonight. I think he but he was outran and, yeah, that Madrid midfield with Bellingham running the show, i mean, I don't really understand Pep's logic with that.
00:06:22
Lewis
I'd have even started McAtee. I thought when McAtee came on towards the end that he shown um he's shown sharpness.
00:06:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:06:29
Lewis
I mean, he did it he turned, i don't know, it was in the middle at one point, he he looked lively on the ball, created a few chances, won a few corners and he was only on for, what, eight, nine minutes. So I do think that That could have been something we could leant towards and obviously De Bruyne not coming on, obviously the game was already gone by then, but ah I maybe would have just started him and just gone with that strength and the experience. Obviously, we know how good De Bruyne is. He's leagues above Gundogan and Bernardo in that aspect, maybe he could have brought something to our squad today. But yeah, when the line-up got released, like you said, with Mahmouche leading the line, we've not seen him in that number nine role by himself before and I do think it it was going to be an uphill battle.
00:07:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was pretty tough. I mean, you mentioned Bernardo had a pretty abysmal game. I'd argue he's been pretty abysmal all season. I mean, I couldn't touch on one single performance from him this season where he's really stepped up to the plate, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.
00:07:15
Lewis
Yeah.
00:07:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not like two seasons ago when we played Madrid and he scored a brace and had one of the games of his life. I mean, Jules was mentioning in our last pod that Bernardo Silva has the best record of any City player against Madrid.
00:07:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
that That is true. That was not the same Bernardo Silva that we've seen tonight or that we've seen all season. And it's a real shame because I don't want to hate Bernardo at all.
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's been a fantastic servant for this club. I'd i'd argue that he's already in ah club icon status, you know, cult hero status. I think he's done so much.
00:07:55
Lewis
Yeah.
00:07:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
for Manchester City and he's even pushed back moves season after season after season to stay with us at loyalty but I do think that this is now the time where I'm not just saying okay you can leave I'm saying please leave before it starts to get a little bit nasty
00:08:13
Lewis
yeah
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the same with Gundogan, really. I mean, I feel like that was such a romantic transfer in the summer. and It would have been a great story had he played 10, 15 games a season or played more than that and came on and the twentieth that with minutes to go at the end of every game.
00:08:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
i don't think he expected to be playing this much this season. I don't think we expected him to be playing this much this season. But that's how the season has panned out. That's how it's gone. And unfortunately, it's not worked out for any parties involved.
00:08:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
think Pep's not pretty... ah well, over the moon about having to play him as much as he had. But like you mentioned there, James McAtee came on with 15 minutes to go, had a really bright cameo, looked, like you said, with energy. And that's just what we need at the moment in this midfield.
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think that that line-up was pretty uninspiring. Let's start with the positives then, because there's not many. Right in the last dying minutes, Marmoush took a pretty nice free kick, hit the bar, and that was resulted in the goal, Nico Gonzalez tapping it in.
00:09:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
You mentioned a little bit in our chat before that you're not 100% sure about Nico Gonzalez. He didn't catch much of the Newcastle game, so you wanted to get caught up with him. I thought he had a pretty decent game, all things considered. What were your thoughts on his performance today?
00:09:35
Lewis
Yeah, i think just quickly, just before we get into that touching about Bernardo, I think that for me, he plays well when the team's playing well. And he's
Individual Player Highlights
00:09:42
Lewis
obviously he has stand he's had a few standout performances in past seasons, but he needs the team to be flowing for me for him to properly excel. He can't grab it by the scruff of it, especially now and and win it himself.
00:09:52
Lewis
But yeah, I think that definitely he definitely improved second half Gonzalez for me. Obviously, i i spoke about him first half. I just think he looked sluggish and he looked a bit slow on the ball.
00:10:04
Lewis
Like I said, I didn't see much of him at Newcastle. But the second half, he was definitely better. He looked lively. he started off with a cheap yellow card, which didn't help his case.
00:10:16
Lewis
But yeah, I think he definitely showed that he's going to be good in our midfield this season. And it's definitely something we needed ah to fill in that rogerie gap. And like Pep said, he's a mini-rogerie. So you can only trust Pep's word and hopefully...
00:10:32
Lewis
For me, I see him improving in the weeks to come as well.
00:10:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I completely agree. let's Let's move on quickly to the only other, in my opinion, positive about the game. And that was, of course, we've mentioned him a little bit already, Abdukadir Kushanov.
00:10:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
We thought it was kind of the only bright spot in City's defence or their kind of whole team, really, because he had a nervy first 20 minutes against Vinicius Junior, where he was kind of realising very quickly that he's up against...
00:11:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
probably the best winger in world football. Did get skinned a couple of times within the first 15 minutes. After that, I thought he settled into the game really, really nicely. There was moments where Vinicius Jr.
00:11:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
was one-on-one with him in a foot race, knocked it right far past him, thought, I've got the beat of this guy, and Kushanov just absolutely rinsed him for pace, got there first, cool, calm and composed.
00:11:18
Lewis
Yeah.
00:11:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I thought from that moment, he settled into the game so well. A couple of misplaced passes here and there, but you're at the Bernabeu, 60,000 fans all in white, screaming at you, whistling at you.
00:11:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Given the circumstances, I was pretty impressed with this young lad. and He was fantastic against new Newcastle. What can we expect from him for the rest of the season? Is that something that we can take on and shore up our defence? Or is this just a kind of young lad, had some bright moments, we'll take that and we'll kick on the next season?
00:11:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you reckon?
00:11:57
Lewis
yeah i I think it's very random. An Uzbekistan lad coming from from the French League, he's got to adapt very quickly. We've seen he was thrown into the deep end in his first game and making their mistakes.
00:12:10
Lewis
Ever since, I think he's already matured as a player. and Like you said, he was he almost dizzy in the first 10 minutes we're we're up against Vinny. That's obviously what he's got to get used to. and I ah think he did adapt to it very quickly tonight. and yeah I'm very surprised to see actually how quick he is Because sort of catches you off guard when when you see him that burst of pace.
00:12:32
Lewis
yeah Like you said, we saw him just just put an arm across Vinny on several occasions, keep up with him and then and then retain possession. and I think that, yeah, at the Bernabeu to do that in what is third or fourth game for for a massive club like City is is very impressive. and Hopefully, moving forward with all our defensive injuries, obviously Stone's going off again tonight.
00:12:54
Lewis
He can be someone that we can rely on.
Defensive Struggles and Future Considerations
00:12:56
Lewis
So, yeah, I look forward to see where his career can go and hopefully he stays with us for for a long time.
00:13:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was almost a worry for me in this January transfer window, although Kyle Walker has been so poor for us this season. For these big games, you lose that massive, massive key key acquisition of of recovery pace that he had.
00:13:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was such a brilliant tool to use in games like these where you're up against the best swingers in the world. Losing that was a worry for me. It doesn't look like we've lost that because this lad is so quick, so strong, wants to get physical with players, wants to go shoulder to shoulder with them.
00:13:30
Lewis
Yeah.
00:13:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Still definitely a little bit rough around the edges, but plenty of time to settle in, plenty of time to smooth over those cracks. um You touched upon that Stones injury there. We'll get into more about that and the rest of the negatives, which believe me, there are a lot of them, just after a quick word from our sponsors.
00:14:18
Lewis
Thank you.
00:14:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, welcome back to Manchester City Daily. It's Jack and Lewis here with you for the breakdown of Manchester City 1, Real Madrid 3, meaning that we've lost that tie 6-3 on aggregate.
00:14:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well and truly humiliated, humbled, all of that. We're going to have to firm this one, Lewis. It was a poor, poor draw, poor fixture against the Los Blancos. and I'm absolutely sick of playing these guys every single year.
00:14:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just never fun. Now let's get into the negatives about this game. Because believe me, there are quite a few of them. um And there are quite a few under the cracks that you might think. So let's start. Five minutes into the game. We're 1-0 down.
00:15:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
One long ball from this young lad, Asensio, from centre-half. Unbelievable ball. Credit where it's due. I thought that was fantastic from a a young central defender. Puts Mbappe one-on-one.
00:15:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like you said, Ruben Diaz reads it so poorly, jumps in for a header early, completely misses it, and then Stones is just too little too late there. Edison standing in no man's land, giving Mbappe one option, and that's to dink it over him.
00:15:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought that was maybe one of the times where he should have stayed back in his net, let one of the defenders recover, and then give him the option of shooting with a defender on his shoulder.
00:15:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe it's a little bit of a less expected goal chance. Gave him one option, didn't get over him, and he did that. It's killing Mbappe. Of course he's going to do that. That wasn't the end of our woes in the first five minutes because straight after that chance, and John Stones miss, hits the ball, lands funny on his knee or whatever.
00:16:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's He's just made a glass. Lewis, I've been talking so much in the previous episodes when John Stones has been putting in these 10 out of 10 performances the last couple of games, how frustrating he is as a player.
00:16:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because when we watch him, he is literally the Barnsley Beckenbauer. He's one of the best footballers I've ever laid my eyes on. Like genuinely, I've ever laid my eyes on. I've seen Lionel Messi come to the Etihad.
00:16:30
Lewis
Mm-hmm. but
00:16:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've seen these fantastic players. I'm not even exaggerating when I say John Stones is one of the finest footballers I've ever seen. He frustrates me to no end Because I get to see that version of him eight games a season.
00:16:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because the others, he's just sat on the injury bench with an ice pack and every single inch of his body. It's so frustrating because he's just made a glass. I mean, Lewis, help me answer this question.
00:16:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm in the camp of sell John Stones in the summer because this relationship that I've got with him is just too painful. Where what where are your thoughts on that?
00:17:08
Lewis
I think that in terms of keep or sell him, it is a real tricky one because when he first came from Everton all them seasons ago, he looked a bit nervous, he looked a bit rocky and he wasn't rated at all. He wasn't being spoken about by by any pundits, by many fans. And then ever since, he's he's been stepping up from defending to that midfield and he's been playing in the midfield. He did well the other week in midfield for the 60 minutes he was on.
00:17:37
Lewis
He's just made the game look so easy. He's made it look so elegant. His passing is second and on.
00:17:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:17:43
Lewis
He's exceptional. And he's almost like a Sergio Busquets in the style that he's unpressable a lot of the time. And I think that, yeah, with him being so injury prone, he's not been able to... Obviously, in our travel winning season, he was superb, but he's not been able to sustain that. It's the longevity of his career that he's not had. He's had a prime.
00:18:04
Lewis
And... It really disappoints me and it makes me gutted to even say that because his ceiling was so high three, four seasons ago. But yeah, I do think that the amount of injuries we've had this season, um might be joining you in in Camp Cell John Stones in the summer because it's just, we need players that we can rely on, especially with how thin our squad's been.
00:18:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:18:28
Lewis
I know we spoke about that before. But for next season, obviously, we're going to go through a rebuild. butre currently going through a rebuild. Hopefully that doesn't last too long. But yeah, we need players that ah we can depend on thoroughly, in my opinion.
00:18:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. It's just so frustrating because, honestly, he he's such a good footballer. I feel like this is how Liverpool fans felt with Thiago.
00:18:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know they they've They had such a fine player on their hands, but they saw him for five games a season.
00:18:52
Lewis
Yeah.
00:18:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was frustrating. I'm frustrated with John Stones because I want him to be able to play every game of season. That's not going to happen anymore. We've probably seen the best of John Stones and and we're probably not going to see him much again this ah for the rest of the remainder of the season, to be honest with you, because it just looks like he can't be relied on at the moment.
00:19:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mbappe scored his second goal and then a third goal. They were all pretty fantastic goals, but the third one particularly was just disappointing to concede because it looked like we had so many people back and none of them were doing anything to influence the ball in any
00:19:28
Lewis
yeah
00:19:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
meaningful way they were just bodies in the way and then in the end they weren't even in the way to block anything they were just yeah
00:19:41
Lewis
Yeah, the thing is with that, and the thing is with that it was we were all back, but it was all like a square line across almost in between the six-yard box and the penalty spot.
00:19:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:51
Lewis
And it was just Foden who came out.
00:19:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:54
Lewis
Mbappe's tugging past Foden. He's not even the defender in that situation. And no one stepped out to him He's got a free shot on his weak foot and, yeah, he should put it beyond Edison the far corner. There's nothing he could have done about it.
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, in the Premier League, you and even if any team that we're playing, we don't get that kind of space around the goal. We don't get that kind of time around the goal because you get closed down.
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
We weren't closing them down at all.
00:20:16
Lewis
Yeah.
00:20:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought Ruben Diaz looked timid tonight. He made a couple of great blocks, but you know going into it, that's about it.
00:20:23
Lewis
That was about it.
00:20:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought he looked timid. I thought he he didn't impact the game. So Mbappe got his hat-trick, deservedly so. He was pretty fantastic. I won't lie, as much as it pains me to admit it, because so I don't really like anyone on this Real Madrid side.
00:20:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
But for me, the player of the match was, unfortunately, again, Valverde. Every time we play Real Madrid, I think he's the best player on the pitch. Tonight, for me, was no exception. He was absolutely locking every player off from right-back, despite playing out position.
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was just relentless, ruthless, had has such a tank. He's exactly the type of player Manchester City need. Oh my God, how good would Valverde be in this system?
00:21:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, he just kind of held this kind of makeshift Real Madrid back four together. Didn't give anyone a sniff. Of course, Mbappe is going to get all the plaudits and rightly so. He got a brilliant hat trick.
00:21:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
and But Valverde, for me, was the man of the match. Someone who wasn't man of the match was... someone I was really, really disappointed in tonight for me, Lewis, Phil Foden, just looked like he didn't care.
00:21:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Looked like he didn't care whatsoever. What were your thoughts on his performance?
00:21:40
Lewis
I think like what I touched on before, it's that it's the urgency and the will to almost pull your team out of the depths of despair, really.
00:21:50
Lewis
He's the Premier League player of the season from last year. we know he's had a rocky start to the season this campaign. And he's but he's been picking up a bit of form recently, but you know he's becoming quite experienced in this City team now. I know he's still only in his mid-20s, but it seemed to me he only really woke up after the 70th minute, after Madrid were chanting for every pass they made, I think on the 71st minute.
00:22:15
Lewis
And he's had a few pot shots, but I mean, one challenged Courtois, the other two, one was blocked and the other one went beyond Rosad, I think he might have left the stadium. So yeah, I just think that we're so used to seeing him excel on the half turn.
00:22:30
Lewis
We saw none of that, obviously Real Madrid's midfield was so compact tonight and he didn't really have that space. And i like I just think we had a lack of trust, not just for Foden, but amongst the whole team, trusting each other on the ball in them tight areas. And we just sort of, once we'd had an attack, took a step back and relaxed on the ball to try and regain possession, which is what Pep's style of play is.
00:22:52
Lewis
And it must be what we're still trying to do. But against the Madrid side, who who are so solid defensively and then so good and quick on the counter with that front three, there's not much that you can hope for. And we just didn't I know we got a goal at the end to tap in, but we just didn't ever look like scoring, I'll be honest.
00:23:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, we didn't have enough for them. We just didn't have enough for Real on Madrid. And and honestly, and don't there's there's a single sane City fan that thought we were going to prevent them from scoring tonight. It was inevitable. They were going to score.
00:23:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we had to score more than them. There was only one way we were getting through this tie, and that was with a win tonight. And you had to score more goals than them. So we had to be penetrative tonight. We had to get at them from minute one, start quick, finish quick.
00:23:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
and finish our chances. That
Strategic Overhaul and Future Outlook
00:23:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
wasn't the case. We were sluggish, slow, recycling the ball. There was a time during around the 75th minute, I think, where we were playing the gu the the ball around the edge of the box, and it was Gvardiol to Gundogan, and Gvardiol to Gondogan, and those two players were passing to each other for a about 70 seconds on the clock, and nothing was happening from it. ended up going out for a a throw-in or whatever.
00:24:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wasted chances. I don't know who we we think we are at the moment, but That was not the right approach to the game. And honestly, I'll give Pep all the credit in the world and he deserves all the credit in the bank, but i do think he's had a poor season with some of the decisions that he's made this season with game plans and particularly holding on loyalties to some of his experienced players like Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, we've touched upon this season.
00:24:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that brings me to my final point. And that is for me, Lewis, I've been relatively resilient this season in that all of these bad results haven't necessarily affected me and my opinions on Manchester City, on the players.
00:24:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've been of the opinion, OK, it's a bad season, do what we can, get top four, maybe win an FA Cup, move on to the next. This is the first time this season where I genuinely feel that I would be fine with pretty much the entirety of the squad.
00:25:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
leaving in the summer, barring the new guys and some of the younger players, we need, need to have a hard reset in this from the treble era because so many of these players are living on from that hype at the moment and they think it's got them a free pass to to kind of have no effort on the pitch.
00:25:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
We need to refresh mentally and physically, and that's that that that's the key thing. We need to refresh mentally because a lot of these players have won it all. Make no mistake about it. Legends of the game, but they've won it all. There's nothing left for them to do now.
00:25:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not exaggerating when I say Edison, Ortega, Ake, Stones, Nunes, Kovacic, Bernardo, Gundogan, KDB, Grealish, Akanji, etc. I could go on.
00:25:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I'm not saying they should leave, but be it through to age or injuries or they're just not cutting it anymore, I would not feel emotional whatsoever with any of them leaving. Maybe KDB because he's probably my favourite football player of all time.
00:26:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the reality is, is he's not been up to it this season. What do you think we need to do moving forward? Is it as serious as we need to get rid of quite a few players and bring a pretty much whole new squad in?
00:26:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or is it just a bad season? Is there just some little changes here and there that we can do? Tell me I'm mad.
00:26:30
Lewis
I think ah about what you said, it is definitely mentally. I think that hard reset is needed. Not necessarily shipping all the players out, but I do agree with the players who are getting on a bit now, who we've mentioned. And I think they almost take playing for City for granted. It's not that they're not putting in effort or or working hard, but mentally they're not engrossed within the club and and what it still means to the fans. I mean, we've come from losing 8-1 to Middlesbrough.
00:26:59
Lewis
just 10-15 years ago. I know we've had a massive investment in the club, but them times weren't that long ago. And for me, I don't want to see, obviously I only witnessed a bit, of I don't want to see us going back to that and finishing between 5th and 10th.
00:27:13
Lewis
I want to sustain it and beat United's records to show up all the United fans. And I do think that we need players to come in and and prove their worth at the club because they're going to want to achieve the accolades for themselves and prove to a new set of fans a new set of players, a new manager to them, the best manager of all time, that they are worthy of playing for a treble winning side. So, yeah, i do agree.
00:27:40
Lewis
But, yeah, I just don't know where we go from here. Only time will tell and and we'll just have to see.
00:27:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, fortunately for us, Manchester City, and albeit awful at the moment, are still much, much better than Manchester United, who are just absolutely awful at the moment, sitting in 15th or 16th position in the league.
00:27:57
Lewis
Yeah.
00:28:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're not playing tonight, are they, Lewis, because they're not in the Champions League and they won't be in the Champions League again. next season.
00:28:11
Lewis
so
00:28:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, I think we don't have to worry at the moment about the accolades because there's still plenty of time for City to overtake them because they're not adding to that tally anytime soon, are they? and In fact, I did did just see something on Twitter a little bit earlier and obviously you got to take this report with a pinch of salt, but they're already eyeing up replacements for Ruben Amarim. So, that's some that's some joyous news that we can cling on to tonight.
00:28:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Although I would actually prefer him to stay because he's doing a fantastic job.
00:28:38
Lewis
yeah it goes
00:28:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's in a fantastic job. But anyway, that's mine and Lewis's immediate post-match reaction to Real Madrid versus Manchester City. Manchester City out the Champions League for the first time in the in the round of 16 since 2012-2013.
00:28:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And for one, it was inevitable that we would go out. So maybe it was best that we went out now. Save us from the pain and the extra games. Liverpool this weekend will be back for you we'll be back on Manchester City Daily with hopefully a preview for that.
00:29:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
and a post-match reaction. But for now, all that's left for me to do is wish you a wonderful rest of the afternoon. Try to enjoy it if you are a City fan. But we have been Manchester City Daily. I'll see you next time.