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Manchester City Champions League: Thoughts from matchday five

By Jason Bardwell

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 21: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the UEFA Champions League group F match between Manchester City and Feyenoord at Etihad Stadium on November 21, 2017 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 21: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the UEFA Champions League group F match between Manchester City and Feyenoord at Etihad Stadium on November 21, 2017 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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Missing Key Players:

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Leroy Sane (R) of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides first goal with his team mate David Silva (C) during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace at Etihad Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Leroy Sane (R) of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides first goal with his team mate David Silva (C) during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace at Etihad Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) /

Other than resting David Silva and Leroy Sane (both pictured) we missed John Stones. At the back, especially in the Champions League, he has been a rock.

Not only that but his passing out from the back, along with Fernandinho, has been essential in getting quick attacks started. That was sorely missed against Feyenoord. Yaya Toure held the ball too long and Mangala, while had a little better time of it, still wasn’t as sharp with the distribution.

Further up the field we lacked the width Sane provides and the quick precise defense splitting passes of Silva. Too many times we were cutting back inside, and into traffic.

Ederson was also a little more shaky than we are used to. The long ball over the top from their keeper was mis controlled by the Brazilian. Usually reliable, his loose touch could have resulted in a goal.

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