City v Villa Thread (1st of Nine!)

[KunDB]

Hart, Sagna, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Clichy, Toure, Fernandinho, Navas, Silva, Bony, Aguero

Caballero, Zabaleta, Mangala, Kolarov, M.Garcia, Sterling, Iheanacho

I'm half expecting Aguero to be at CB with VK, a MP special.

C'mon City

[Ludo]

If Bony can't score against Villa today then there's no point picking him again

[Rowley Birkin QC]

We look a touch light in midfield again (if Yaya decides to have one of his take it easy days)

Agree with Ludo about Bony

[KunDB]

Navas just does not offer enough in midfield. Good pace on the wing but no real product and no real tackle and bite. So always going to be light in midfield with a lazy Yaya, and Navas and Silva both playing. Sterling dropped?

[Swiss]

Think Pellers must have heard me on the other thread about Manu being in the squad!!!

Surprising no Fernando, well not really but yes...

----------Bony----Kun-----------
Silva--------------------Navas
-------Yaya---Dinho----------
Clichy-Ota-Vinny---Sagna
------------Hart---------------



What I would have liked to have seen from available players was...



-----------Kun--------------
Sterling----Silva---Navas
-------Yaya----Dinho------
Kolarov-------------Zabba
---------Ota---Vinny-------
-------------Hart-----------

still a bit flimsy, however enough pace to worry villa a lot

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Navas does track back and get the odd tackle in.

[Swiss]

Navas does track back and get the odd tackle in.

I've got no problem with his work rate.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

We're at home and playing the basement dwellers, so we really should be playing with two strikers - but a lot depends on Yaya today, with Silva and Navas coming back to look for the ball and help out. Either way someone out of Dinho, Yaya and Silva had better have their running boots on. We simply must break out of midfield quicker, otherwise I can't see Aguero and Bony getting enough good opportunities. I want to see some high-tempo football here and put them to the sword!

Having said that - no doubt we'll get the usual slow, patient build-up stuff - with few clear cut chances - everyone just hoping one moment's brilliance from Aguero or Silva or Yaya gets us over the line 

God help us if we let Villa get in our faces.

[Swiss]

I think we play better with 1 striker. but 3 fwds if that makes sense

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Yes, it does.

[Swiss]

Naughty micah

[Swiss]

Chance 1 for bony. Good movement though

[KunDB]

Bony = Bucket of Shite

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Feckin Hell Bony!

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Guzan playing a blinder so far...

[Swiss]

Bony = Bucket of Shite

Bucket Of Nobby Yankpiss

[KunDB]

Usual team tactics by Pelle and usual slow start, no real tempo.

[Lekos]

Shit this

[Swiss]

We're boring and slow

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Too slow this (most of it)

[KunDB]

Dare I say it we look tired, except Bony who is just out of his depth.

[KunDB]

We need a lucky break to get us up and running.

Is Yaya 40 soon?

[KunDB]

Win or lose or draw today it is hard to see us winning the Pl. We are just plain ordinary, at best, and unconvincing most of the time.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Having said that - no doubt we'll get the usual slow, patient build-up stuff - with few clear cut chances - everyone just hoping one moment's brilliance from Aguero or Silva or Yaya gets us over the line 

Like I said...

[lee]

we have seen some shit players at city over the years.. but bony...jesus wept....

[clevblue]

Its like watching the rags boring as ferk

[KunDB]

we have seen some shit players at city over the years.. but bony...jesus wept....

Pelle still loves playing him, despite the obvious problem that he always plays shite. What has Kelechi done so wrong Pelle will not start him?

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Simple maths really. To score goals you have to create opportunities - and lots of them. You can have the best players in the world but if you're going to spend more than 50% of the game just knocking the ball around across the middle of the park the opportunities are going to be hard to come by.

More pace - more forward passes - more crosses into the box (give him enough deliveries and even Bony might actually get one of these headers right!)

Silva is well off the pace 

[Swiss]

There was one nice interchange between Kun and Bony, but that's it really from Bony apart from falling over and giving the ball away.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Well at least we started the 2nd half brightly!

[KunDB]

Thank God for that. Yaya

[KunDB]

Yaya scored but Sergio is just superb.

[Swiss]

Made by Kun that was, really nice pull back, navas take note.

And there's our bit of luck too, massive deflection from Micah

[KunDB]

and just to prove how brillant

2 0

Aguuueeeeerrrrrrooooo

[Swiss]

Oh Micah, I feel for him but that should put the tie to bed!

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Nice pass from Bony and a helpful assist from Micah (poor lad)

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Brilliant! Silva to Aguero

That's more like it!

[KunDB]

Now that was just Brillant Agguuueeeerrrrroooooooooooooo

[Swiss]

I'm going to contradict myself here, but what was the point in that substitution?

We've won the game, might as well give Bony a full game to try and get some confidence

[Rowley Birkin QC]

It seems we'd rather be giving Sterling more confidence instead!

[KunDB]

Bony will be shipped out express post by Pep.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Job done. Very good. Much better in the 2nd half.

Nice little cameo from Garcia at the end. Looks as accomplished on the ball as he he was when I saw him play in Melbourne. Good prospect.

[clevblue]

Good second half confidence building for coming games, shame for Micah and wotsisname

[Rowley Birkin QC]

We need to crack on from here - win our game in hand and get in the points amongst Spurs and Arsenal. Put some pressure on them!

Then hope Leicester City fold. 

[Swiss]

We just need to concentrate on 3rd at this point.

[Neil Mcnab]

3 points, job done. In my opinion the league has gone and we are in a battle to stay in the top four. Given our recent from, we are more likely to finish fifth than first.

[Swiss]

We've looking good for 3rd atm

[gavin]

Good win in the end but we made hard work of it in the first half. We still play some great stuff at times - one of Sergio's goals was awesome. However a lot of the time we are still too ponderous. I can't understand why so many times when the break is on we wait for the defence to get back. Teams set out to defend and then when they rarely break forward and leave gaps we don't take advantage. Anyway, second half was good fun and what should have been a straightforward win was in the end. Have to be pleased with that.