nvrLondon clubs were not too convincing either.
Is the balance of power shifting away from English football? Or is this a freak incident? Is it Platini's doing?
07.12.2011
gazlfcforeverIt's no coincidence that the two Manchester clubs are out. They have a higher line, push fullbacks forward and attack between the lines. The form of Man utd's wingers in their traditional wing play hasn't helped them either. Man utd obviously lack a play maker who can pick a pass from deep midfield, they tried Rooney but he isn't the sort of player they need there.
City's problems are the fact that Silva under performs in the champions league. When the games are much tighter and less space and almost always consist on two centre defensive midfielders then they don't have the freedom between the lines. Using the fullbacks to provide their width opens them to counter attacks, the deeper lines of the opposition make this difficult too.
The big contrast to the champions league and the premiership this season is the higher lines and attacking football in the premier. In that sense the champions league hasn't changed much from counter attacking football with good possession . City and Utd have tailored their teams to the premiership but it remains to be seen if they can continue this over the course of the season when games get tighter and teams fight for more draws than wins.
08.12.2011
mojojojo101Man City got knocked out of the Champions League by two better teams. Bayern are incredibly experienced in this competion, are in great form domestically and have some top players even with Schwiensteiger instead and Napoli have been a menace to all who have faced them in Europe, in Italy they have worked out their system but it seems the rest of Europe has forgotten how to counter 3-4-3 based systems.
Why have Manchester United gone out? Basically because they have consistently been poor in Europe this season. Not one performance has stood out as acceptable for a Man Utd team. They have really missed Anderson and Cleverley and relied too much on an ageing Giggs to create chances. This coupled with the fact that they have struggled for goals without Hernandez (even more so since the city game).
Neither club will be happy with no qualifying however I don't believe that it represents the kind of damning enditment that it has been afforded. City are a club with no experience at this level of competition and ManUtd are very obviously a team in transition.
I don't believe your point about full backs is valid, nearly every team in the Champions League is using attacking full backs or wing backs. Full backs are the most important players on the pitch when playing against teams who sit deep and narrow, they generally have lots of room and the players opposite them are normally poor defensively. Width from full back also allows wingers to either create 2 on 1 situations or come inside to offer a more direct goal threat. Defensively it would be the role of the defensive midfielders to cover the gaps left by attacking full backs.
@nvr how can you blame English teams under performing on Platini??? I don't get it
09.12.2011
nvr@mojojojo101
Some suggest that changes Platini made to draw system has played/will play against English clubs. Just wanted to see if there are others who think this way.
09.12.2011
NorfLondenTo me it is returning to the norm, maybe with a bit of undershooting. French now have big money flowing in, Italians are making up for the lost ground after Calciopoli and Germans were making steady progress. So its quite normal that when others catch up, it is going to be tougher for English clubs.
14.12.2011
gazlfcforever@mojojojo101
The fullbacks for other teams do go forward but they generally have a deeper defensive line and can keep hold of the ball better. City and Utd have tried to emulate Barcas style with the higher line but can't keep hold of the ball as good obviously and both are missing a centre midfielder like Xavi.
City also play very narrow in Europe and are exposed on either flank because Nasri and Silva tuck in and don't provide defensive cover. Non-English teams like you to play narrow against them because they're used to it, both simply applied their premier league tactics to the champions league and failed badly.
14.12.2011
soccerfootballDon't think you can judge a power shift from one season's results.
Manchester City got a decent amount of points in their group, and remember that their group was tough because they weren't seeded as highly as the other three English teams.
Manchester United should have walked their group. I think there are a lot of teams in England who would have done better in that group. Manchester United were just too complacent - and got what they deserved.
Serie A is seeing something of a resurgence, but it's just because the league has been so bad in recent times that we expect it to always be rubbish now.
28.12.2011
GeorgieWasTheBestI am not sure it was complacency for United. We didn't have the necessary experience in the squad to deal with the dangers of group stages. Had we had Van der Saar in the goal, we would have possibly gone through. Same goes for Scholes, Vidic and Ferdinand.
Accidents happen during generation changes.
30.12.2011
