Barca V Us free on BT sport

[Neil Mcnab]

f you did not know, apparently the match is being streamed free on the BT sport website. Thats for those of us not at the match or who dont subscribe to BT sport.

[gavin]

Bravo, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Stones, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Silva, Sterling, Nolito, De Bruyne

[gavin]

Bit of an odd team again. Bench is Caballero, Fernando, Aguero, Maffeo, Clichy, Sane, Navas

[Gareth]

f you did not know, apparently the match is being streamed free on the BT sport website. Thats for those of us not at the match or who dont subscribe to BT sport.

Also available free-to-air on Freeview Ch59.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Really unlucky to concede by Dinho. Mcpointy finger saying all the city players were facing the wrong way waiting to break for an attack. Urm ye cos Dinho was about to start an attack before he slipped. Nob

[Ludo]

Bright enough start but we've gone to pieces now.

[Neil Mcnab]

Silva, Sterling and De bruyne not involved as much as is goof for us. Nolito and Gundogan well involved, impressive Nolito. Barca dont look like they are at the races.

[gavin]

Decent half but we just can't finish at the moment

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Fekin hell bravo!!!

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

I hope zaps just wasting time for Peps willy to get warmed up!!

[Neil Mcnab]

Sorry Nolito has had to come off, put a shift in. I thought Bravo was supposed to be good outside the box?

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Considering how ropey barcas defence is I'm shocked that kun hasn't been brought on yet

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Fuck me they really have brought this defeat on themselves

[Hesperus]

We won't get out of this group. I said this a couple of seasons ago. We're still no where near Barca.

[Ludo]

Stupid schoolboy mistakes from de Bruyne and Gundogan have been embarrassing. Messi with a hat trick and he's had a stinker!

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Kun on 15 minutes to late

[gavin]

I actually think we've shown we can match them. It is stupid errors that have cost us not our general play. Could and should have had a couple of goals. And we've gifted them theirs.

[Hesperus]

Pains me to say it but Silva has been poor all season. I think it's time for him to be rested.

[Ludo]

In spells we played ok but Silva, Fernandinho and Gundogan have had poor games.

I'm yet to be convinced by Gundogan.

[KunDB]

New manager same old stupid defending and errors. Jury out on stones.

[Ludo]

Can't blame Stones tonight, apart maybe for the missed chance in the first half, it's the numpties in front of him that cost us.

[Hesperus]

Embarrassing score line.

Gutted. What a shit day I've had.

[lee]

welcome to city pep

only us could fook that up in style

[zacc]

Apparently Pep is going to learn about his team from this game.
Wonder if he'll be able to explain his purchase of Bravo I've no comprehension what  he's about,it's not goal keeping that's for sure.
Same ol' same 'ol onwards and upwards!

[KunDB]

Can't blame Stones tonight, apart maybe for the missed chance in the first half, it's the numpties in front of him that cost us.

Not blame, ability is the issue. He is good but is he going to be good enough to be top class? IMO Not a great performance by him tonight.

[Neil Mcnab]

Have to agree with Hesperus in this game, I thought Silva should have gone instead of Nolito. Silva has looked excellent in some games this season though, he has not been comsistently poor..
It was sloppy defending and simple mistakes that cost us. The luck is not with us at the moment. Barca were there for the taking tonight and if we can learn and improve, the return match could see our chumps campaign taking off. Here is hoping anyway.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

What a frustrating game! I don't agree that we are way behind Barca. When we decided to move the ball quickly we looked as good as they were (at least in the first half) but at times we were just a little too hesitant, hung on to the ball a fraction too long, the odd misdirected pass - and then individual skill errors at critical moments absolutely buried us. As Gavin said, there wasn't a lot wrong with our general play but individual mistakes really cost us, and then we didn't make the most of our chances (which we had!) whereas Barca were almost clinical with their's. Overall I actually think the score line flattered them - such was our generosity around our box. And the first goal was just bad luck!

With just a bit more self confidence and a touch more finesse from City and that would have been much closer, but that's not how the media will write it up of course. The Messi hat-trick means it's world wide news and according to Australian TV this morning City were "whipped". 

[Paul lakes knee]

What a frustrating game! I don't agree that we are way behind Barca. When we decided to move the ball quickly we looked as good as they were (at least in the first half) but at times we were just a little too hesitant, hung on to the ball a fraction too long, the odd misdirected pass - and then individual skill errors at critical moments absolutely buried us. As Gavin said, there wasn't a lot wrong with our general play but individual mistakes really cost us, and then we didn't make the most of our chances (which we had!) whereas Barca were almost clinical with their's. Overall I actually think the score line flattered them - such was our generosity around our box. And the first goal was just bad luck!

With just a bit more self confidence and a touch more finesse from City and that would have been much closer, but that's not how the media will write it up of course. The Messi hat-trick means it's world wide news and according to Australian TV this morning City were "whipped". 

Excellent post

[gavin]

The question is can these players cut out the errors? It's no good being good enough to play Barca at their own game for 50 minutes if you're then likely to gift them a few goals. The errors have to be stamped out or we can't afford to play like this.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Yes - accumulatively there were too many errors. Too many to expect to win a game.

And with regard to solving them? Well to my eyes a lot of the errors came about because we were a little too sluggish making decisions and so put ourselves under unnecessary pressure. A bit too much telegraphing to Barca about where we intended to go with the ball or that extra second or two that allowed Barca players to react and close us down. As I said above, when we moved the ball quickly our players kept finding space - we kept possession and we looked good for most of the first half. But Barca's first goal seemed to rattle us a bit and after that too many of our players looked too scared of making a mistake (and as a result - started making them!) - and our tempo and self confidence seemed to drift. (Their pace on the break unsettled us as well)

I suspect Pep will spend the rest of this week giving them a rev-up and reminding them of what they can do (and have done earlier this season) when they stick to the game plan, keep moving for each other, and execute the pass quicker.

[jingoe]

Re: v Spuds

« Reply #21 on: October 02, 2016, 21:56:53 »



I know that he saved a penalty but I would be far more relaxed to see Joe Hart in goal than Bravo. This buggering about in the 6 yard box is going to end in tears. I wouldn't say his distribution is anything to write home about which is supposedly why we bought him

That's what I wrote a couple of weeks ago. IMO Bravo cost us the game last night. Why on earth he didn't just welly it down the park heaven alone knows. I'm with Zacc- he does not instil confidence. Bring back Joe Hart. he must have been sitting in his Italian villa laughing his cock off last night.

[zacc]

Re: v Spuds

« Reply #21 on: October 02, 2016, 21:56:53 »



I know that he saved a penalty but I would be far more relaxed to see Joe Hart in goal than Bravo. This buggering about in the 6 yard box is going to end in tears. I wouldn't say his distribution is anything to write home about which is supposedly why we bought him

That's what I wrote a couple of weeks ago. IMO Bravo cost us the game last night. Why on earth he didn't just welly it down the park heaven alone knows. I'm with Zacc- he does not instil confidence. Bring back Joe Hart. he must have been sitting in his Italian villa laughing his cock off last night.

and worse still there's talk about Hart going to another EPL team like Everton!!!
sourcehttp://www.italianfootballdaily.com/everton-chelsea-interested-torinos-joe-hart/?

[goat]

everton eh, he must be good

[lee]

Not blame, ability is the issue. He is good but is he going to be good enough to be top class? IMO Not a great performance by him tonight.

give the kid a break ffs

[Swiss]

Can't blame Stones tonight, apart maybe for the missed chance in the first half, it's the numpties in front of him that cost us.

Can blame him for one of the goals where he left the ball for Willy because he wasn't aware that Suarez was to close behind him. He did give the ball away too often last night too, but then others did that and it would be unfair to single him out.

At 0-0 I thought it was an evenly matched game.
Dinho slip gave Barce that little bit of encouragement and meant we had to chase the game.

Bravo's wtf moment killed off the game.

Stone's dummy... was embarrassing.

Neymar's goal made him look good.

I thought Otamendi & Sterling had decent games

[Neil Mcnab]

I thought Sterling got in the game and was good. His pace unsettled them. Unfortunately the quality of the final ball was often lacking.

[KunDB]

give the kid a break ffs

I'm not picking on him, just my expectations of him are very high and last night I think he did not have his best game. Not on his own mind, but some of the others well we already know their weaknesses.

On Sterling, fantastic potential but as Neil McNab has pointed out the end product is so often shit.

We are deluding ourselves to think we were on a power with Barca last night, We weren't.

[zacc]

everton eh, he must be good

and Chelski muted too. Toffees managed a draw v City so guess means City even more crap than them?

[lee]

I'm not picking on him, just my expectations of him are very high and last night I think he did not have his best game. Not on his own mind, but some of the others well we already know their weaknesses.

On Sterling, fantastic potential but as Neil McNab has pointed out the end product is so often shit.

We are deluding ourselves to think we were on a power with Barca last night, We weren't.

i didnt see city get outplayed or outclassed..we'll beat them at our place

[Rowley Birkin QC]

No way were we outclassed. Scoreline flattered them - as I said before - but the media will only look at the score and the Messi hat trick.

[KunDB]

We were not outclassed, that is too strong, but we are not as good as them presently. Mainly as we do not yet have the confidence they do and we make too many errors at crucial times or when pressed by the opposition; but that is all down to self belief and confidence. We need more time under Pep to improve and to build understanding as a team, hardly unexpected.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

I understand and respect why people think Joe Hart has got a raw deal. As a shot stopper he's saved our bacon countless times and yes he's "one of ours". I'm a bit sentimental about him as well - but the fact remains his distribution is terrible!

Season after season has gone by and Joe still can't kick accurately, and he frequently doesn't release the ball quickly enough to get our breaks going. If I'm honest it has driven me mad for years, and he's shown little sign of improving or indeed wanting to improve. I'd go so far as to suggest Joe has been a bit too 'comfortable' under our last couple of managers. As it stands he's quite unsuited to the style of play Pep wants.

Sure Claudio Bravo is having a few problems at the moment - but give the bloke a chance.

[Swiss]

Bravo is surely only ever going to be a short term option given he turns 34 in April?

OK keepers do play on long into their late 30's & some 40's... but given that Willy will surely be off next year, we're likely to bring in someone more long term and likely to push Bravo aside!?

I don't think Ter Stegen is the answer, his distribution seemed worse than Harts.

Neuer will probs never leave Bayern

Courtois??? Swap for Hart???

Who the bloody hell knows

[Gareth]

I guess I'm the only one who thought that Barca actually looked a bit off the pace (for them), then. I wouldn't've minded so much if they'd been at their best and we'd taken a beating, but they weren't and towards the end they looked like scoring every time they came forward. Ok, individual mistakes contributed, but I can't kid myself. We were well beaten.

[bluebrendan]

No way were we outclassed. Scoreline flattered them - as I said before - but the media will only look at the score and the Messi hat trick.

While it was 11 v 11 I thought we comfortably matched them, we just dug our own grave with sloppy individual errors, nothing new in that unfortunately.

[zacc]

I guess I'm the only one who thought that Barca actually looked a bit off the pace (for them), then. I wouldn't've minded so much if they'd been at their best and we'd taken a beating, but they weren't and towards the end they looked like scoring every time they came forward. Ok, individual mistakes contributed, but I can't kid myself. We were well beaten.

no the commentators even said City played well and Barca looked lack lustre, all the more frustrating City gifted 4 goals.
Funny ol' game football.

[Swiss]

Def gifted 3. But neymars was a nice jinking run and if kinky had done it, we'd have been showing that for the next 20 years...