CSKA Thread

[93:2012]

Same again, team that dismissed the Rags mega purchases.



TEAM NEWS

Hart,
Zabaleta, Clichy, Demichelis, Kompany (C),
Fernando, Yaya Toure, Navas, Milner,
Jovetic,
Aguero

[Ludo]

Jovetic is going to have to play a lot better than he did on Sunday and I still can't see what Navas brings to the team.

[93:2012]

Jovetic is trying too hard but is without doubt a class player.

Navas has to find better runs and better ebd product (crosses/delivery into box).

[Stephen Paul]

David Moyes on out here spouting that city can't fill their stadium . What a wanker

[andy1966]

David Moyes on out here spouting that city can't fill their stadium . What a wanker

Well we could always empty theirs when we stuffed them lol

[Ludo]

Embarrassing.

[Zabba]

Can someone explain why we are so disjointed and continually giving away the ball? Awful performance with all our flaws being exposed by an average team

[andy1966]

As for this champs league , we are nowhere near ready  , and as with the last few years 
i'll be glad when it's over and we can try and concentrate on the premiership

[Ludo]

Two up front doesn't work.

Especially when one of them's as wank as Jovetic.

[Kilkenny Blue]

Embarrassing, bad management and players that haven't a clue. Sack the fucking lot.

[Ludo]

EUFA should give the fans back their money for this.

[andy1966]

Pelli Out ! , Bring back Mankini 

[Zabba]

We get away with a one prong plan in the premiership but that's only because the PL teams are poor in general.

We are well found out in Europe.

[Hesperus]

Our tactics are all wrong again. Giving the ball away, not retaining possession and the less said about the defence the better.

Is it just me or has Zabba been poor this season?

[Ludo]

Simply poor team selection.

When we lose the ball we're outnumbered in midfield with only Fernando left to cover. Jovetic and Navas have to be replaced, most likely with Nasri and Fernandinho.

[Zabba]

Players have got away with a very lazy attitude all season thanks to Pelle bottling the tough management decisions. Appalling display from a lazy bunch of overpaid players (with only a few exceptions).

[Zabba]

Our tactics are all wrong again. Giving the ball away, not retaining possession and the less said about the defence the better.

Is it just me or has Zabba been poor this season?

Eventually even really good players like Zabba suffer when their teammates do not perform or try.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Pretty awful this. Too many players standing around watching instead of moving. No zip to our game and too many passes going astray.

Certainly need to get Fernandinho on.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

...and here he is.

[andy1966]

If we carry on like this the likes of Agureo will start asking for transfers

[Ludo]

Why do we look like we're passing the ball through treacle?

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Too many lateral passes from players with space in front of them. Too few prepared to take the game on.

[zacc]

ah all's well now Dzeko is on!

[Ludo]

We'll have to go for the 10 man moral victory.

[zacc]

sorry gotta say it "typical City"

[Zabba]

Made Smalling look like a genius, Fernandinho - what a dead brain.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Not really...

[Swiss]

Well this is going well isn't it

[goat]

could be worse, could have to play roma and bayern next

[andy1966]

When will this nightmare end ? Oh about 15 mins

Has Pelli taken city as far as he can ?

Whats the betting
The bloke who should have been sent off goes on to score their third

[zacc]

not helping playing v 12 terrible decisions by the ref

[Swiss]

Ha ha ha, woo! Wrong person for the yellow! Missed red!

[Ludo]

Can't blame the ref for this performance.

[clevblue]

unbelievable. No, quite believable actually

[Ludo]

Yaya you prick.

[zacc]

Can't blame the ref for this performance.

no true.
Now turned into Fatty Owls

[Kilkenny Blue]

Dzecko at least trying

[Zabba]

This dismal, totally inept performance has been building up all season. Second best all round tonight.

I know what Pelle should say but that will not happen, sadly.

[clevblue]

I'm watching something else, fook this

[Hesperus]

We're leaving it a bit late for a winner.

[Swiss]

Surely eremenko should have picked up a second  yellow too? If he books Fernandinho for obstruction...

[goat]

so pelle is the worst manager ever now?

fuck me, fickle doesnt come close with some here

[Kilkenny Blue]

Nasri should've gone

[zacc]

C'mon what's left of City

[Ludo]

so pelle is the worst manager ever now?

fuck me, fickle doesnt come close with some here

Don't think anyone said that.

But given the performance and the team selection tonight it's hard not to criticise.

[andy1966]

Were're saving it for the "Your ropey" league

[goat]

not sure any manager can be blamed for yaya being a lazy cnut, milner being the personification of average and clichy being just shit

and the way zabba is going on is why i said it

[Swiss]

Was it a dive?

[goat]

yes

[Kilkenny Blue]

Was it a dive?

No

[Hesperus]

Terrible performance all around. No discipline, something needs to change.

[93:2012]

Worse performance in 40 years and that is saying something. No excuses despite shit refereeing again.

Regressing rapidly.

[zacc]

very unusual for Sergio if it was a dive

[Ludo]

not sure any manager can be blamed for yaya being a lazy cnut, milner being the personification of average and clichy being just shit

and the way zabba is going on is why i said it

Maybe not but you can blame him for persisting with 4-4-2 when plainly doesn't work in European games and for buying and playing Jovetic and Navas who are epitome of shit,

[Kilkenny Blue]

That is by far the worst performance I've seen in the Mancini/Pellegrini era.  Serious questions have to be asked about Pelle as well, we have been dodgy for a while now and continually give the ball away.  We are going backwards.

[andy1966]

Was it a dive?

First one yes , second one no

Boy who cried wolf ?

[goat]

agree with the 4-4-2, jovetic isnt shit tho. assuming youve only seen the few games hes played for city

[Zabba]

not sure any manager can be blamed for yaya being a lazy cnut, milner being the personification of average and clichy being just shit

and the way zabba is going on is why i said it

Sorry Pelle plays that what you call a 'lazy cnut' EVERY game without fail. How is he not to blame, he is totally to blame. What message does that send to the team.

[Ludo]

agree with the 4-4-2, jovetic isnt shit tho. assuming youve only seen the few games hes played for city

I only care about the games he plays for City.

Scoring a few goals against the likes of Empoli or Chievo won't cut it here.

[Swiss]

We've been missing a killer instinct and drive for a while now. We only seem to want to try when it's too late!

[goat]

I only care about the games he plays for City.

Scoring a few goals against the likes of Empoli or Chievo won't cut it here.

why not, they would hammer the likes of villa and west brom

[Zabba]

so pelle is the worst manager ever now?

fuck me, fickle doesnt come close with some here

No one said that, not me certainly, but Pelle does need to grow balls and make sweeping changes and drop Yaya as a must (but he won't).

The bosses are not blind they will be shell shocked.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Every time CSK got the ball you could see the tempo lift - team mates running at opponents and supporting each other. Quick passes.

Every time we got the ball you could see the pace drop. Hesitant passing. No one running (with some notable exceptions). Too little support for the player with the ball. Passes going astray. No drive - no desire.

We missed Silva really, really badly tonight - but with this squad the absence of one star player shouldn't make that much difference.

We played like total strangers. And we're starting to see this happen too often. 

[goat]

so pelle is the worst manager ever now?

fuck me, fickle doesnt come close with some here

No one said that, not me certainly, but Pelle does need to grow balls and make sweeping changes and drop Yaya as a must (but he won't).

The bosses are not blind they will be shell shocked.

was joining in with the typical over exaggeration here

dropping hart last season shows he isnt scared, remember last season? when he won the league at first go

[Ludo]

remember last season? when he won the league at first go

One swallow doesn't make a summer.

[Zabba]

so pelle is the worst manager ever now?

fuck me, fickle doesnt come close with some here

No one said that, not me certainly, but Pelle does need to grow balls and make sweeping changes and drop Yaya as a must (but he won't).

The bosses are not blind they will be shell shocked.

was joining in with the typical over exaggeration here

dropping hart last season shows he isnt scared, remember last season? when he won the league at first go

It is that Leadership we need from him now. Work hard or I will drop you, no matter who you are should be the clear message from him.

I want Pelle to stay and flourish but he must act.

[goat]

remember last season? when he won the league at first go

One swallow doesn't make a summer.

not really interested in who or what you swallow, it does make him a champion at the first attempt tho

[Ludo]

Yes it does.

But it's like last years snow. It's worth fuck all now.

[goat]

well i hope someone else is guarding the bridge

[andy1966]

"remember last season? when he won the league at first go"

It was more Liverpool lost it
same with the rags the other time we won it

[zacc]

eee c'mon lads some of us have seen plenty of dross with City in the past.
CL is a new concept for the club and obviously much harder then it looks on paper, none of the English teams in it cover themselves in glory so far this season.

[Ludo]

well i hope someone else is guarding the bridge

Haha, the old troll joke again.

I thought that was your area of expertise

[goat]

no, seems mine is spotting massive twats

[Ludo]

Got a mirror then?

[andy1966]

eee c'mon lads some of us have seen plenty of dross with City in the past.
CL is a new concept for the club and obviously much harder then it looks on paper, none of the English teams in it cover themselves in glory so far this season.

Yes but before we only had to watch dross once a week 

[goat]

Got a mirror then?

for someone that gets upset by the predictable you are wandering down a well worn path

[Ludo]

eee c'mon lads some of us have seen plenty of dross with City in the past.
CL is a new concept for the club and obviously much harder then it looks on paper, none of the English teams in it cover themselves in glory so far this season.

Yes but before we only had to watch dross once a week 

I watched my first City game in 1971 and I've seen lots of dross in the intervening years but this is the best squad we've probably ever had and possibly the best I'll ever see and to watch that performance tonight was soul destroying.

At least when we were crap in the third division we had the excuse of having crap players.

[Ludo]

Got a mirror then?

for someone that gets upset by the predictable you are wandering down a well worn path

Oh don't worry on my account.

I'm more upset by the game than you'll ever make me.

[goat]

really? because you seem more concerned by my mirror collection and having a fun packed response to any of my posts so far


some might think you are trying to provoke me you scamp

[bry the guy]

really? because you seem more concerned by my mirror collection and having a fun packed response to any of my posts so far


some might think you are trying to provoke me you scamp

You called him a scamp you wont last nearly three week if you carry that on so be carefull

[goat]

im splitting the winning with brendan

[bry the guy]

3 or 4 days isnt nearly 3 weeks though.

[Ludo]

really? because you seem more concerned by my mirror collection and having a fun packed response to any of my posts so far


some might think you are trying to provoke me you scamp

Sorry darling, I'll be more attentive in future.

[bry the guy]

good boy ooops goat.

[zacc]

it's true it's the most expensive dross I've watched in a long time.
so hopefully it can only get better?

[bluepill]

We've now gone full circle since the hughes out era. Only issue is that he won fuck all and Pellegrini has won a title - last year. What does a manager need to do to survive a spell of poor form without a large section of fans turning?

[Ludo]

I don't think the fans are turning on him I just think we're angry at the performances we've seen over the last few weeks.

[bluepill]

potato potato

[silvablue]

We've now gone full circle since the hughes out era. Only issue is that he won fuck all and Pellegrini has won a title - last year. What does a manager need to do to survive a spell of poor form without a large section of fans turning?

Why should paying customers (fans) not tell manager and players their product is crap, when it is, temporary or not. No one is calling for Pelle to go, just improve 'team' performance and player work rate, from what I have read on here.

[bluepill]

Give it time

[Zabba]

I suppose now would not be a good time to run through the post Bayern Munich defeat quotes of some of our players and manager. Something around we are as good as Bayern Munich and we matched or outplayed them, if my memory serves me well.

This team needs a serious dose of reality and their inflated egos punctured. 

[alexsam]

Worse performance in 40 years and that is saying something.No excuses despite shit refereeing again.
Regressing rapidly.

That has cheered me up, thanks

[93:2012]

Worse performance in 40 years and that is saying something.No excuses despite shit refereeing again.
Regressing rapidly.

That has cheered me up, thanks

Delighted to help, lol.

It is of course comparative a world class team under performing compared to mostly dire teams and players.

[bry the guy]

That ref had only reffed 1 champs league game before tonight and i hope its three years before he refs another after that booking of the wrong player keeping the offender on the pitch.

[Leewonpen]

That ref had only reffed 1 champs league game before tonight and i hope its three years before he refs another after that booking of the wrong player keeping the offender on the pitch.

The ref got that wrong, he also got the free kick that lead to their first goal wrong.
Fernandinho? Correct decision. Yaya? Correct decision. Aguero? Don't think it warranted a yellow but wasn't a pen. Nasri? Got that one wrong, should have been red.
So the ref had a mixed performance, unlike City who were pathetic in their basic skills, their effort and their discipline. Considering the difference in talent between this squad and those in years past I think that was the worst performance I've seen.

[Neil Mcnab]

Pelle looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights tonight. Even getting in the Europa league is looking iffy. Looks like the FA cup is the only trophy available.
FFP has fooked us up. We would have moved up another level without it. A decent winger and midfielder may well have come in. Di Maria/Pogba? Who knows now.
As long as we finish in the top four, Pelle shoud be safe until this time next year. At least I hope he is.

[andy1966]

I suppose now would not be a good time to run through the post Bayern Munich defeat quotes of some of our players and manager. Something around we are as good as Bayern Munich and we matched or outplayed them, if my memory serves me well.

This team needs a serious dose of reality and their inflated egos punctured.

Pellegrini said on BBC 5 live this morning , that despite not winning a game so far

City could still win the champions league 

[Ludo]

I think he was comparing us to Inter who didn't win any of their first three games but still won the competition a few years ago.

[lee]

trolls r us

bring back kelvin koogan

[gavin]

Absolute shite from City. Clichy should be ashamed of what he did for their second but going forward Navas and Jovetic were a waste of space and were rightly subbed at half time. Sadly we didn't improve much afterwards. Still a win at QPR was always more important. We've never looked like doing anything in this dull competition anyway. They can stick it.

[lee]

i agree gav..its a bag of sick

[bluebrendan]

Can't blame the ref for this performance.

Absolutely, gutless from back to front and in the dugout - got what we deserved, fuck all.

[BongoBlue]

I never want to follow the "agenda" mindset but dammit why do we always get shit refs?? Another terrible performance. Worse than any penalty non-calls or unnecessary bookings for us was the booking of the wrong guy for them when the real fouler was already on a yellow. And was right in front of him. Very weird...

However - we deserved nothing from that game, except when we went down to 9 men. Against 12, but still. We were awful. I am not sure why a team that can look so good and fluid domestically cannot get it together in Europe. We have a manager who has got to the latter stages of this competition with a lesser team; why can't he do it with us?

Baffling; and fecking annoying. Bent/corrupt/incompetent/insertswearwordhere/ ref notwithstanding.

[Leewonpen]

/quote]

Not sure we have looked good and fluid domestically this season....

[bluepill]

On the plus side we get to see how the team get on without having to carry yaya

[Paul lakes knee]

Biggest thing fro me last night apart from Yaya's laziness for their opening goal was how overly dependent we are on Silva for our creativity.

Absolutely gutted at that performance.

Referee was a twot though, wasn't he?

[Lekos]

I accidentally shouted "fuck off" in a nice persons face last night when they told me the score.  Pretty shocked really, at both my behaviour  and the score.

[Kilkenny Blue]

Glichy should never pull another City shirt on after last night.  Had to be one of the worst shifts ever put in by any city player that I can recall.  I know he could do nowt for the 1st goal, but he was a liability and performed the 'headless chicken' roll to perfection.

City have been crap for a month now.  I can see no signs of improvement or any indication of a cohesive response from either management or players.  Every team coming to the Etihad must fancy their chances, and unless there is a drastic change of attitude and balls then we are going to drop a lot more points and even a top 4 could be out of our reach.

We need Lampard back more than Silva. 

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Clichy's form has been getting increasingly erratic since around the middle of last season, is steadily getting worse, and shows no sign of recovering. So far this season I can only remember one game when I thought "Clichy was pretty good today". Sad to say it's more often now that I think he's become something of a liability. Time we got rid.

Nasri is baffling. He looked a new man in the early part of last season up to his injury against Newcastle - then it all fell apart again. Now his bottle has completely gone. No guile, no vision, won't take opponents on. He works hard and covers a lot of turf, but there's no end product. A poor substitute for Silva. I've finally lost patience now - time he went as well.

Yaya. This is the tricky one. There's no questioning his ability and I've long since lost count of the time his one or two moments of utter brilliance in an otherwise dour match have pulled our nuts out of the fire - but this only serves to raise the obvious question. How much better would we be if Yaya put in a shift for the full 90 minutes, or even 60 minutes, instead of the occasional 5 minutes here and there? I'm really torn. Half of me wants to keep his game changing moments of brilliance, while the other half of me thinks he's become a millstone around the necks of the rest of our midfield who constantly have to cover for him and his lack of running off the ball. You've brought us glory Yaya, but I think many of us now see you as resting too much on your laurels. Might be time to move on.

[andy1966]

I think he was comparing us to Inter who didn't win any of their first three games but still won the competition a few years ago.

So in his head we are still on for the treble 

[Zabba]

Lets call a spade a spade. Yaya, Nasri, Clichy and Navas need dumped and dumped asap.

Jovetic is edging closer to the exit door as well.

The way we play is so so predictable and easy to defend against, we always play in front of the opponents line of defence looking for the clever pass through. Opponents pack the centre of defence crowding us out. We build slow and deliberate. We play 442 badly. We play Jovetic behind Aguero, even though it clearly does not work.

We play two in front of our defence protecting them, but one is Yaya who cannot be bothered to defend or work. Opponents exploit this and our defence is consequently exposed, uncertain and in disarray. Play Yaya in a forward midfield role, if he has to play. I do not think any team at this level can afford to carry a passenger for 80 minutes each game, so I would get shot of him

We have no cohesion, no unity no team spirit and we are going backwards not forwards, only an ostrich with its head buried in the sand would not see this.

There is something seriously wrong in that dressing room, illustrated by Aguero heading straight down the tunnel when subbed in our last match and key players declining performances e.g. Zabaleta yesterday evening. It is there for all to see we are a 'TEAM' of 11 INDIVIDUALS, in the main relying on individual moments of brilliance to win matches.

My best guess is Pelle and his backroom team have lost the confidence of key players, probably over playing Yaya and team tactics. Who really knows this is conjecture, but something is seriously wrong and it is not 'players are nervous'. That is laughable given their age, experience and honours won.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Lets call a spade a spade. 

Well, I'd prefer some reasoned discussion (which is what I was trying to provoke with my last post) - but each to their own...

[Zabba]

Lets call a spade a spade. 

Well, I'd prefer some reasoned discussion (which is what I was trying to provoke with my last post) - but each to their own...

This is reasoned discussion, and straight talking.

How is it not reasoned? You may not agree but that is your choice, I have set out my reasons.

The players named need to go for falling way below the standards expected at this level consistently.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

You make some good points, but several of your comments are purely speculative, without any real foundation - and are thus somewhat over-the-top.

But like I said - each to their own.

[Zabba]

Yes some conjecture at the end I acknowledge that.

However the rest is perfectly reasoned and I note you agree with getting shot of Nasri and Clichy, but dither on Yaya. 

Watching City all my life has taught me one key lesson, trust your own eyes and instincts at all times.

If it is not right on the pitch then invariably it is not right back in the dressing room.

We may never find out the reasons or until years later in player interviews or books, but trust what you see and what your instincts tell you (true in life generally as well).

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

The problem with Yaya is like the whole Tevez saga, although for different reasons. The thing is with Tevez is that we didn't want to sell him because we believed we couldn't manage without him. We need to move on from Toure for the good of the club

[zacc]

some react, some respond, sometimes we do one then the other, all part of how we cope with City's insanity

[goat]

trolls r us

bring back kelvin koogan

troll hunter 2 out soon

fuck knows why

[bluepill]

The problem with Yaya is like the whole Tevez saga, although for different reasons. The thing is with Tevez is that we didn't want to sell him because we believed we couldn't manage without him. We need to move on from Toure for the good of the club

If you can't survive without a player then you HAVE to sell them

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Watching City all my life has taught me one key lesson, trust your own eyes and instincts at all times.

And yet - you have heavily edited - indeed completely re-written - both your last two posts after I challenged you 

The edited version of each post was quite different in tone (less aggressive) and content (less speculative) from the original. Which seems to imply that you don't entirely trust your own eyes and instincts - after you've thought about things for a bit!

[Zabba]

To my best  recollection I only edited the last line of my first post, extended it to make the point clearer and spelling errors:

"My best guess is Pelle and his backroom team have lost the confidence of key players, probably over playing Yaya and team tactics. Who really knows this is conjecture, but something is seriously wrong and it is not 'players are nervous'. That is laughable given their age, experience and honours won."

No substantive change otherwise.

A second edit, I am not sure what that refers to? It was a nothing post.

Heavily edited! Completely rewritten! Less aggressive!

You reacted in a stereotype manner without reading it properly (quoting first line only). There was only speculation (conjecture) at the end which I did edit by adding that it was conjecture; which it always quite obviously had to be, as I am no insider.