Bore Draw in Europe
City and Madrid played out a pretty boring 0-0 draw that there really isn't a lot to say about. But I'll try anyway. Tactically, I think Madrid got it spot on, and they out-thought, albeit not outplayed Manchester City. Without Cristiano Ronaldo in their team, I anticipated that City would if not better Madrid than at least prove their equals on the night and it seems that Madrid agreed, because shorn of easily their best player, and one of the world's top three or four, Madrid were happy to sit deep for large portions of the match, soak up the pressure and tried to nick a goal in the last twenty minutes when City were tiring.
But whilst Madrid's back four, and Casemiro in front of them did a sterling defence job, there was precious little happening ahead of them for much of the game. Modric ran the midfield in typical Modric style, but with Kroos unable to dictate play, Ronaldo's replacement Lucas Vasquez thoroughly anonymous and Gareth Bale's only major stamp on the game his trademark dives rather than trademark bombastic runs or shooting, there was nothing happening in the forward areas for Madrid, although replacing Benzema with Jese at half time did improve their overall play in the second half.
And for City it was largely the same story. They looked very good in the opening forty minutes without really creating too much. Kompany and the much improved Otamendi, who was phenomenal last night again, were running the show at the back, with Fernando and Fernandinho's energy City were controlling the midfield and Kevin De Bruyne looked lively. But then Pellegrini made a critical error. When David Silva came off with a thigh injury, Pellegrini sent on young Iheanacho to replace him, instead of natural replacement Raheem Sterling, De Bruyne moved to the left and as such, City were neutered. No disrespect to Iheanacho, who I think is a fine young player, but he was the wrong player for the situation. By shunting De Bruyne, City's only really creative player, out of the center of the park, he was also shunted out of the game, and Pellegrini made sure that City had no real threat in the second half. Aguero was feeding off scraps and when De Bruyne finally did drift inside occasionally on the counter, the final pass or the final touch was poor.
The only real chances of the match came in the last twenty minutes, and almost exclusively off set pieces. City were given a warning sign when Sergio Ramos was gifted a free header about ten yards out and headed straight at Hart, but they didn't listen and Hart was called into action twice more, both excellent stops to deny Casemiro and Pepe, as City's set piece defending went missing.
Overall, this was a very tactical game, more of a chess match than the fluid, attacking game that we were expecting. And at 0-0 the game is very finely poised. Both sides would have preferred to have nicked it 1-0, but at 0-0, there's all to play for. Madrid will fancy themselves on home soil, but City will be aware that not conceding an away goal could also prove vital, as a score draw would now be enough to knock out the Spanish giants. Game very much on, and the tie very much alive then, going into next Wednesday's second leg.
Athletico v Bayern and Leam v Redditch
Gonna preview two games at once here, as Leamington take on Redditch tonight, a game that I will be at, and elsewhere in Europe, two giants clash as Athletico take on Bayern.
Earlier on in the competition, I said that Athletico were the only team I fancied to beat Barca. The only team who had the style to pull it off. Whether or not Bayern could have downed the mighty Barca we'll never know, because Athletico drew them, and as I said, they did the job perfectly. And Athletico's style sets them up perfectly to do something similar against Bayern. Bayern and Barca play far from identical styles, but the way that Athletico will set up will suit them about as well as it suited them against Barca. High intensity, strong defence, nick a goal on the counter attack. And with Bayern's defence looking incredibly vulnerable in the Champions League, this game is one that Athletico will fancy themselves in.
That said, Bayern are an incredibly potent attacking force, with world class players all over the pitch and will remain the favourites on paper. And I think the first leg being in Spain suits Bayern, because they can turn the tables on Athletico slightly and play for a draw, or try to nick an away goal. Athletico are arguably the worst attacking side left in the competition (albeit definitely the best defensively) so if Bayern adapt to that, and don't play into Athletico's hands in the first leg, it could upset Athletico's game plan.
That said, you'd back Bayern to score tonight, regardless of how they go at the game and this is Pep Guardiola, he doesn't change for anybody. And I think that a prediction of 1-1 on the night won't be a million miles away, and that will suit both teams reasonably, although I think it will obviously suit Bayern more with the away goal.
And as for Leam, they go into this game tonight against Redditch with a lot of hope. They have a really solid defence, quality in the forward areas and if they play Ben Mackey, a powerhouse of a striker. Redditch's home form isn't better than any of the others in the play-offs, in fact they've won less games at home than Leamington, and when Leam came here a few weeks ago it ended in a goalless draw and I think that just about sums up the way I can see it going tonight. Redditch are very good at scoring a lot of goals against defensively shaky teams, but Leamington will offer a very stern defensive test, conceding only one more goal than Redditch themselves and only three more than Poole. If Mace and Hood turn in the kind of performances that they've turned in in recent weeks then I can see Leamington keeping a clean sheet.
Coming forwards, of course goals have been a problem for Leam all season, which is why their goal difference is comfortably the worst in the play-offs, but the inclusions of Sam Austin and Courtney Baker-Richardson mean that Leam's goals for tally is a lot nicer than it was a couple of months ago. Even so, against a defence as mean as Redditch's, Leamington may struggle tonight. I could definitely see this one finishing 0-0 and going to extra time, and or penalties.
Either way, Redditch offer an ominous threat, but Leamington's overall season stats don't quite tell the story of their season, and this Leamington side in the last two months, with Hood and Mace on form in the defence, a revamped attack force and a solid midfield, offer far more in attack than the stats would suggest, and defensively there is nothing to separate these sides.
On paper, you'd say that 1-0 Redditch is probably a fair assessment, but I could equally see Leam nicking it 1-0 themselves. I can see this being a very tight game either way, and hopefully one that Leamington can come out on top of.
The Hard and Fast Section
- Sakho isn't challenging his charge. Ominous.
- Sinfield to retire. Legend.
- Weather still wreaking havoc on the cricket.
- Alli facing a three game ban. Done.
- Sutton has quit! Controversial!
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