I sit here and it is half time in the away leg of the Monaco game and we have been completely outplayed, barely even able to string a pass or two together as we are hustled off the ball! However I will get to that in a bit, let's start at the start!
Let's go back to the first leg of the Monaco game and I go into town to grab a meal in the Northern quarter before the game and I am one of the two thirds who are there for kick off! Obviously you begin to worry that for some reason we haven't turned up, but my mind said no not for something as important as this! Then I looked to the entrances and people were still streaming in and we were about to kick off! They need to sort out the efficiency of security and subsequent cues on week nights with everyone rushing from work as it meant both the crowd and the team started flat.
Anyway the game commenced and you soon realised that all the media hype of it being two attacking heavyweights that are suspect at the back going head to head was actually a correct analogy for a change. With Monaco starting the fresher as we start playing flat in the somewhat flat atmosphere! Nonetheless we got the lead as Sterling once again missed chances and finished the easy one covering up his shortcomings once more, but Monaco were devastating on the attack with immense pace from the wing. With one of these youthful dashes soon finished by the experience of Falcao. A man looking reborn, and nothing like the guy reluctantly brought to the dark side! Who'd blame him though I wouldn't want to play for them either!
What then follows is slug after slug of goals as first they take the lead. Then Willy stands up between the sticks to prevent another from the spot and you can feel the flow of the game change and we soon peg one bag with Sergio, yet not without them going ahead again as Falcao made up for the penalty miss with a delightful chip. At this point one would have been forgiven for thinking it was over, but it was anything but as we scored three more crowning a great, crazy, exciting, entertaining, unusual night of champions league football.
Other things of note being:
1) I continue to bang the drum of start Zaba, especially with no kompany, as you need your talisman, I repeat you need your talisman, plus people underestimate his attacking overlaps.
2) If I was a central defender and I had lost a true defensive centre mid protection in front of me then I think it would make it a lot harder to defend and I would just hope we scored more than them!
Next was the FA Cup replay that I'm going to dance over as they put out a weak side and got a lead but inevitably our class told and we steadily strolled away with it. In fact sod it I am going to dance over the next 3 games, partly because I couldn't watch them, and partly because I just want to get back to this Monaco game and see if we can get back into this game, so I will pause now to watch it and return, hopefully upbeat with a sneaky away goal!....
I'm back and oh dear what a shame! Nearly hey! We actually played really well second half as I struggle to think a more seesaw of a game?! Monaco amazing first half and crap 2nd and us Woeful first half and very good 2nd half. The reason why I hold back from saying we were amazing apart from the obvious fact that we lost, and the fact that we weren't, is that we again are not converting our pressure and taking our chances. Now how many times have I said that this season. I repeat Sterling still wastes too many chances, Sane also messed up a few opportunities and for this we were punished.
Other things of note:
1) No fucking Zaba again?????????????!!!!! I am getting sick of saying this one!
2) Moving Kev deeper and more defensive made a real difference as it seemed like first half there was only 1 player playing centre mid in the first half and we were getting over run with the other two stranded further up the pitch.
3) I would have again dropped Sterling, played Silva on the wing and played Yaya, Kev and Fernadhinihio in the middle, keeping Sane.
Anyway I am going to bed now gutted, as we should have gone through if we had bothered to turn up and shown a bit more backbone with a few more players for the big occasion i.e. Play Zaba and not Sterling!
Till the next time, the couch!