Jens Lehmann calls Man City "very very boring"..

[Upton]

The former Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann says the Champions League is better off without Manchester City after they were eliminated from the competition despite beating Bayern Munich 2-0.

Lehmann, working as a pundit for Germany's Sky television, could not hide his pleasure at seeing City drop into the Europa League as Napoli joined Bayern in qualification from Group A of the competition.

"Man City play very, very boring football," he said. "They just make their opponents fall asleep with lots of possession. That is not tactically very demanding. The way they play here is the way any amateur team plays, only not on such good grass."
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"Napoli have heart and passion and I liked them. It is good that they have gone through. We don't want to see Manchester City in the Champions League."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/dec/08/manchester-city-very-boring-lehmann



I've always liked Jens. Not only was a great keeper and a member of Arsenal's Invincibles, but he's never been afraid to say what's on his mind..

[tfsoccer]

1. I've admired Lehmen too, but....

his post seems to lack an appreciation for what it takes to play a possession style, including courage, adept skill, and superb teamwork. I can understand a keeper being bored with it, though, as the number of chances resulting must be less, but much higher quality, and therefore threatening.

[musiclawyer]

2. Yes, his vision of good soccer is outdated

Fast, breakneck speed soccer has it's time and place but it is a style that is not necessarily BEST. He must think Barca is boring too--the best club football team on planet earth ( and basically the best national team) the last few years, playing almost nothing but possession ball. Geez!

[tfsoccer]

3. possession too much?

I find too much winning and too much possession a little boring too--but the winning, possession and break play of Barca against RM was anything but!

[Lizzie Poppet]

5. Precisely.

The game has changed, Jens. As you say, probably the best club team in the world (Barca...) plays possession football. And there's nothing remotely boring about well executed tiki-taka! Even in the EPL, things are changing - and not just at the top with the Sky Blue, but with mid-table teams like Swansea.

[MrCoffee]

4. Any side with Mario Balotelli on it can not, by definition, be boring.

Even though I can't stand City, Balotelli is pure awesome.

[redqueen]

7. He's a badass. It's just a fact.

[Rambis]

6. The Mighty Reds go through!

Bellars! What a night