Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has blamed Manchester City's 4-0 thrashing by Barcelona on one of the club's summer signings.
Analysing City's capitulation last night for ESPN, Nicol insisted that the bulk of the blame lies with Claudio Bravo:
"Guardiola brought him [Bravo] in because he wants him to play with his feet, but he’s overdoing it. He’s got away with it in the Premier League, but tonight, he cost City the game".
Bravo received a straight red card in the 53rd minute for handling outside the box, and at the time, Barca were only 1-0 up. Fifteen minutes later, City were 3-0 down, and the game ended 4-0 in Barcelona's favour.
After the game, Bravo conceded:
"I was the person that changed the course of the game. We were playing very well, creating opportunities and it is what it is, football is like that".
Karius and Mignolet have come in for criticism this season, but it's comforting to know see that at least one of Liverpool's top four rivals are also suffering goalkeeping concerns.
With the allegedly 'brilliant' Bravo in the team, City have conceded 11 goals in their last 5 games, and the issue is exacerbated by the shaky form of the massively overhyped (and overvalued) John Stones.
Just imagine if Mignolet or Karius had the same recent record, *and* got sent off for handling outside the box? There'd be blood on the streets (!)
Just like with Mourinho, though, Liverpool fans are already writing off Guardiola, and claiming that he's on a downward spiral etc, but that's utter nonsense.
There's a reason Mourinho and Guardiola are two of the world's most successful managers, and small periods of underperformance won't make a blind bit of difference to their ability to make achieve success with their respective clubs.
^ €24m-rated (CIES Football Observatory)
Analysing City's capitulation last night for ESPN, Nicol insisted that the bulk of the blame lies with Claudio Bravo:
"Guardiola brought him [Bravo] in because he wants him to play with his feet, but he’s overdoing it. He’s got away with it in the Premier League, but tonight, he cost City the game".
Bravo received a straight red card in the 53rd minute for handling outside the box, and at the time, Barca were only 1-0 up. Fifteen minutes later, City were 3-0 down, and the game ended 4-0 in Barcelona's favour.
After the game, Bravo conceded:
"I was the person that changed the course of the game. We were playing very well, creating opportunities and it is what it is, football is like that".
Karius and Mignolet have come in for criticism this season, but it's comforting to know see that at least one of Liverpool's top four rivals are also suffering goalkeeping concerns.
With the allegedly 'brilliant' Bravo in the team, City have conceded 11 goals in their last 5 games, and the issue is exacerbated by the shaky form of the massively overhyped (and overvalued) John Stones.
Just imagine if Mignolet or Karius had the same recent record, *and* got sent off for handling outside the box? There'd be blood on the streets (!)
Just like with Mourinho, though, Liverpool fans are already writing off Guardiola, and claiming that he's on a downward spiral etc, but that's utter nonsense.
There's a reason Mourinho and Guardiola are two of the world's most successful managers, and small periods of underperformance won't make a blind bit of difference to their ability to make achieve success with their respective clubs.
^ €24m-rated (CIES Football Observatory)
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