Roma v City

[gavin]

TEAM NEWS @MCFC: Hart, Zabaleta, Demichelis, Mangala, Clichy, Fernandinho, Fernando, Navas, Nasri, Milner, Dzeko.

SUBS NEWS @MCFC: Cabellero, Sagna, Kolarov, Boyata, Lampard, Silva, Jovetic.

Here we go. No Vinny, no Silva, no Aguero but still City can do it with that team. But we have to be right at em from the first whistle. Don;t let them settle on the ball. Lets have it.

[Lekos]

I wish I shared your optimism, Gav. Looking at that team I can't help but think we're going to get ripped a new one.

Hopefully not, eh.

[Ludo]

Come onnnnnn!!!

[Ludo]

Hard to know what to make of that first half. We've had had a few half chances and they've looked dangerous on the break, especially down our right.

Still can't see what Navas brings to the side.

[gavin]

Decent first half and Navas was pretty dangerous I thought but maybe should have done better with delivery on a few occasions. I think we will win this second half. We've been the better side for 30 mins after a dodgy start. Ref giving them to 50/50s as usual though as that free kick for high feet near the end showed - both players had their feet at exactly the same height FFS!

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Finely balanced this - as Ludo said. We look OK, but we're going to have to take a few risks going forward and Roma look very quick on the break.

I'd stick with our set up as long as we dare before we change anything. We look well balanced, with some good width. However, the longer it goes 0-0 I suppose Pellers will be tempted to sacrifice some one for another attacking mid. If we go too narrow I think we'll play into Roma's hands. 

[Lekos]

It's just not working for Dzeko is it, looks well off the pace. Get Jovetic on.

[Lekos]

NASRI!!! THUNDERBASTARD!!!

[Rowley Birkin QC]

What do you think then? Squeaky bum time while we hang on for a 0-1?

[Lekos]

I hope we don't sit back

[Lekos]

I'd still get Dzeko off

[goat]

I'd still get Dzeko off

not sure hes earned it greeko

to be fair roma are bollocks

[Neil Mcnab]

Dzeko isnt adding anything, I agree. You must be psychic, Jovetic is coming on.

[Lekos]

I'd still get Dzeko off

not sure hes earned it greeko

to be fair roma are bollocks

Haha. Trust you eh. He's been tugged off by Jovetic now anyway.

[andy1966]

Beyern 2-0 up in't other game

means CSK need 2 now , make that 3

[Lekos]

ZABBA! Done and done. Very impressed tonight. Cracked on and not sat back after the first.

Job well done

[goat]

that will do

[gavin]

Very good performance and particularly pleased for Nasri.  I think we've turned the corner in Europe and for this season in all comps. Some immense performances.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Great win that! A memorable night in Europe for City!

Excellent all round team performance. Nasri had an especially good game and the two F's in the middle did really well - especially Fernandinho. Hart got his finger tips to the one that hit the post.

You were all a bit harsh on Dzeko - he doesn't look anywhere near fully fit to me.

[Neil Mcnab]

Great performance. What a difference having a midfield with commitment and workrate.

[dexter]

fantastic performance. great defending, hart included, outstanding. great team performance.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

NASRI!!! THUNDERBASTARD!!!

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Joe Hart - "First of all I've got to say it was a great effort from the fans, Rome is a difficult place to come but Samir made their night for them."

Good lad!

[citoeast]

Absolutely awful, same old City. Never had a moments worry as I watched chilled out throughout the match. We were simply much better than Roma even with our central spine torn out of the team. A goal was always coming for us and it came at a great time. I think we have finally chilled in the CL.

Every player played their part tonight but special mention for Fernandinho who had his best game for us.

Through to the knockout stages against all the odds and pundits wise words of us being out a few months back.

Well done Pelle we are playing like a team now and one that wants to win.

[jingoe]

As an added bonus we are not in the Europa Thursday night debacle!!

[City63]

Makes Saturday's team selection interesting..

[bry the guy]

get in there 

[bluebrendan]

Good solid win, hopefully Yaya was taking notes about how to play as a def. midfielder from the performances of Fernandinho and Fernando. Nasri had a very good game but on past form he can't be relied on to produce that level consistently. Some good saves from Hart but one howler with the corner that seemed to go straight through him.

Draw is 11am Monday, hoping for Porto or Monaco but we'll probably get Real or Barca.

[gavin]

You could hear Joe shout keeper's for that corner too but he had a great game. As for Nasri, he is having a run of excellent games now.

[clevblue]

I got a bit worked up at the start but soon settled down, best performance I've seen for a good while, knocked Roma sick on their home ground, great stuff. I want to keep watching that one!!

[lee]

Great win that! A memorable night in Europe for City!

Excellent all round team performance. Nasri had an especially good game and the two F's in the middle did really well - especially Fernandinho. Hart got his finger tips to the one that hit the post.

You were all a bit harsh on Dzeko - he doesn't look anywhere near fully fit to me.

why play him then ken?

[BongoBlue]

Not bad for a "one-man" team eh?

Everyone out there played their socks off tonight. special mention for Clichy, MDM, both Ferns and Nasri. Dzeko is not fit but he did all right; he was rusty and will get better.

Well chuffed.

[bry the guy]

I also though Clichy was very good and he has been since the CSKA game all in all a great team dispaly.on another plus great to see Silva and kolorov back.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

You were all a bit harsh on Dzeko - he doesn't look anywhere near fully fit to me.

why play him then ken?

I suppose because we hadn't much else to offer - other than Pozo - if we wanted to play an out-and-out striker. Pellers presumably gambled that he'd get a decent 60 minutes out of Dzeko before he ran out of steam, but got little return. Dzeko looked very rusty.

However, whatever his ineffectiveness with the ball, I would at least credit Dzeko's presence with giving the Roma full backs something to think about and keeping them pegged back. He offered little else though.

*As I type this they have just replayed Nasri's goal on the lunch time news on the TV in the kitchen - and I can hear my 77 year old mother cheering wildly!   

[zacc]

Well this feeling is a recent one, City through the group stages of CL.
Had just said can't see who'll score for City when up popped Sami & in the net!!
Looking forward to the knockout now well done City and the ones there singing loudly 

[Paul lakes knee]

What an excellent team performance.

Chuffed for Mangala and Fernando as I thought both were excellent

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Missed the match cos I working and going to have a grumpy tidy nurse who I was ignoring while trying to get it on me phone.

Just watched it back. Great game and loved it when zab was kissing the badge!

[Swiss]

I missed it too, was on my work xmas do and my phone cut off. Got so pissed, it wasn't until someone reminded me 10 mins ago that the game was on 

[Hesperus]

Great result, I was very pleased.

Question though! How many people think we'd have won the last two CL games had Ya Ya not been suspended?

[gavin]

Question though! How many people think we'd have won the last two CL games had Ya Ya not been suspended?

It certainly did us some favours in terms of successfully quickly closing down Roma after the first 15 minutes. But Yaya also offers qualities that neither of the Ferns do. Personally I think Yaya is worth his place in the team. There will come a period before the end of the season when pundits are calling us a one man team referring to Yaya again like they were many times last season. The great thing for us is we are a one man team with several one mans. Sometimes it is Vinny who is called it, then Silva, then Sergio or Yaya and last night Nasri stepped up to the plate and he was pretty decent last weekend too. But I digress, it is all too easy to fall into the current trap of saying Yaya is a liability, maybe he is on occasion but even this season he has won us and saved us games.

[Hesperus]

I think in the premier league the standard is lower than the CL so in most PL games you can trade off Ya Ya's lack of mobility by his undoubted attacking quality, but in the CL the team needs to work hard especially away from home. It will be interesting to see if Pelle thinks this too in the next CL game Ya Ya is available.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

An interesting assessment Hesperus. I'd go so far as to say even in some Prem matches, against opposition that perhaps lacks finesse but make up for it with hard running and a quick passing game, Yaya is too often left stranded in his defensive duties.

Gavin's right of course - Yaya can have an otherwise poor game, but still unlock an opponent's defence with just one moment of vision and a brilliant pass. The problem is, as I see it - Are those moments of brilliance enough to offset the goals we have conceded after opponents have neatly passed the ball or run through our midfield with barely a challenge being offered?

It's a dilemma I think we're all (Pellegrini included) going to be regularly weighing up in our minds as we watch the big man play over the next few months, but perhaps in this game we caught our first real glimpse of what 'life after Yaya' might look like?

[Zabba]

My problem with Yaya was the same problem I had with the rest of the team up to the Swansea game their work rate and commitment. No doubting their talent as individuals and performance as a team when they worked hard and for each other, but that simply was not happening.

Since Swansea that immense individual talent has been combined with a team ethic of hard work, even Yaya has worked hard and boy our performances have soared. If that continues Yaya is a gem and a must keep and play, but that may be a big if.

Losing is not a problem for me when we work hard as a team, it is when we just stroll our way through a game.

When Yaya works hard the benefits far outweigh the deficits.