City away at The Potters

[KunDB]

City XI: Hart, Sagna, Otamendi, Demichelis, Kolarov, De Bruyne, Fernando, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Bony

C'mon City

[KunDB]

Subs: Caballero, Navas, Kelechi, Delph, Garcia, Clichy, Humphreys

[gavin]

Slightly surprised that Delph doesn't start but I assume he will Tuesday. I see this as an absolutely crucial game though. We need to have a great run through December.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Well I suppose we can all take some comfort from the fact that Peter Crouch isn't playing.

[Ludo]

If Fernando is a footballer I'm the fucking Pope

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Two missed tackles - two goals conceded

[Swiss]

If Fernando is a footballer I'm the fucking Pope

if Bony is a striker...

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Being totally out played here - so far...

[KunDB]

Being totally out played here - so far...

I would not dare to be negative on here, criticism of manager or team is an absolute no, no.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Grow up Zabba. Watch the game

[ebm1991]

Navas on second half I hope

[ebm1991]

Nothing happening down the wings

[Stephen Paul]

Bony is fucking shite

[gavin]

Absolutely disgraceful performance first half. I was never under any illusions that we would defend well but that was a joke.

[KunDB]

Outplayed by our former manager who has set up his team to expose our glaring weaknesses and lack of organisation at the back.

We could and probably should be 4 down.

[Swiss]

Organisationally, we're shit.

We can't play the nando's together, but we knew that anyway!

[KunDB]

Bony is fucking shite

Bony does not select Bony, Pellegrini does.

[KunDB]

Absolutely disgraceful performance first half. I was never under any illusions that we would defend well but that was a joke.

Spot on Gavin, losing is one thing, this defending is an entirely different thing and is down to team selection, organisation and set up, which is appalling. No balance.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

I suppose the dilemma here is do we ditch Bony for Kelechi? I don't see we have that much to lose now - might as well give Kelechi a good go.

The other question is Navas for Sterling,

The no brainer is Delph for Fernando.

[lee]

Bony does not select Bony, Pellegrini does.

brilliant answer that!!

[KunDB]

Delph on yes.

Kelechi yes.

Navas no.

It is not all over but I fear Pelle reacts too slow too late to events.

We need to attack from a solid base in defence, Pelle just does not get that.

C'mon City.

[KunDB]

brilliant answer that!!

I despair in Pelegrini's faith and belief in proven failed players like Bony (and some from the past) and his insistence on keeping on playing them.

We all want Bony to suceed but we all can see he just is not up to the job.

[gavin]

I honestly don't see City getting anything out of this at all. Whenever we have threatened they have almost immediately had an easier chance to score again.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Our tempo certainly needs to lift - with quicker decision making and more accurate passing. Stoke are simply out running us most of the time. More energy needed - harder work - get into the fuckers.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

No changes then - Pellers has some balls (or he's stupid)

[ebm1991]

Not seen good in Bony at all in a City shirt.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

I can't remember when I last saw us consistently pass the ball this badly - over and over again.

[Lekos]

Didn't watch the first half, but it was obviously shit.

From what I've seen in the second half, defence is a shambles, Stoke second guessing our passes in the final third, Bony is pish and Sterling is an off the bench player (at the moment).

I hope the above all changes very quickly.

[Ludo]

Why's he taking Fernandinho off?

[Lekos]

I was thinking the same

[Ludo]

The one thing we lack in midfield is a bit of hustle and Fernando certainly doesn't have that.

[Ludo]

Silva off, so now we have to play 3 different systems inside 15 minutes....

[goat]

words fail me today

[Lekos]

Bloody hell. Should be 3 down there.

[goat]

was never a fan of mancini but at least he flapped his arms a bit and shouted, pelle looks tired and confused

[Ludo]

Was going to say we're down to ten men but we already were.

[Lekos]

And now fernando is off. Should have been subbed ages ago.

Down to 10, absolutely shambolic.

[Swiss]

Why are we pumping long balls in this wind...

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Because our players have little brains...

[andy1966]

was never a fan of mancini but at least he flapped his arms a bit and shouted, pelle looks tired and confused

All is not lost , Steve McClarren will be available by Monday 

[Ludo]

Absolutely fucking dire.

We're making Stoke look like Barcelona.

[gavin]

Never looked forward to a final whistle so much in my life.

[Swiss]

To be fair, since we've dropped to 10 men we've played a little better...

[lee]

i blame the wind 

[KunDB]

Yes, another 'inexplicable' performance Pelle has to explain, players outplayed, players outfought, players out-thought. chaotic defence again, all round second best and by a country mile. Wrong team, wrong tactics, another Liverpool like collapse.

Even our class players looked shite, that's a clue in itself btw.

In a season we should be controlling the Premier League we are battling to stay in the top 4.

There just are NO EXCUSES.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Worst City performance I've seen in a long time - at least the last two seasons (and we've had heavier defeats than that)

I can't find a single positive thing to say about that. We couldn't even get the basics right. Stoke passed the ball quickly, accurately, and worked hard for each other. Showed us how the game should be played. We were second best in every single department. Woeful. 

[Ludo]

The only positive to be taken from today is that hopefully Fernando's injury will keep him out for a bit.

[Swiss]

The only positive to be taken from today is that hopefully Fernando's injury will keep him out for a bit.

was thinking the same

[Neil Mcnab]

Stoke pressed, had more energy, managed to pass the ball accurately in difficult conditions. They also appeared to have more desire to win. We are almost turning into Arsenal, lots of possession, with no end product.

All our players were poor, with Kolarov being the least poor. Worst were Demichelis and Fernando. If ever a performance said let me go to Argentina, Demichelis's was. Fernando has had the odd good game, but he isnt up to the standard we need.

Opposing managers have found a flaw in our set up and Pellegrini appears to have no answer. He will need to find an answer very, very quickly, or...

[Swiss]

If Pep wants, then i don't think it matters what Pellers does this season. Thank god we don't play Boro at the end of the season

[KunDB]

Stoke pressed, had more energy, managed to pass the ball accurately in difficult conditions. They also appeared to have more desire to win. We are almost turning into Arsenal, lots of possession, with no end product.

All our players were poor, with Kolarov being the least poor. Worst were Demichelis and Fernando. If ever a performance said let me go to Argentina, Demichelis's was. Fernando has had the odd good game, but he isnt up to the standard we need.

Opposing managers have found a flaw in our set up and Pellegrini appears to have no answer. He will need to find an answer very, very quickly, or...

I second that, stepping away from tackles with regularity.

[bluebrendan]

Because our players have little brains...

Don't exaggerate Rowley...there was no sign of any brains at all.

[NileRivers]

Again the match before a European tie.Is Pellegrini up to to the task as set out by the owners?Need to be honest with himself.Cannot hide behind the fact so and so is injured.We have a huge budget compare to Hughes eg.

Players look tired because they not training enough.We nowhere near the 50:50 ball.Our midfield cannot control the tempo.Players not playing for one another.its a shambles at times for a club that can buy entire Premier league teams.

Its an embarrassment to say the least

[Lekos]

Players look tired because they not training enough

How do you know they're not training enough? I'd say they look more like they can't be arsed than tired.

Pretty much agree with the rest of it.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

I would be interested to see what Bony does in training

[lee]

the whole thing smells of they(the players and pelle) know somethings afoot...new manager rumours which are maybe more than just rumours now..nimmers hit the nail on the head with pellers looking like keegan..

[KunDB]

the whole thing smells of they(the players and pelle) know somethings afoot...new manager rumours which are maybe more than just rumours now..nimmers hit the nail on the head with pellers looking like keegan..

If that is the case and probably is a stand in manager until the season end may be an option worth considering.

[Swiss]

the whole thing smells of they(the players and pelle) know somethings afoot...new manager rumours which are maybe more than just rumours now..nimmers hit the nail on the head with pellers looking like keegan..

Or Sven. But at least he doesn't sound like Alan Ball

[lee]

how can we forget that boro defeat tony

[Swiss]

I think that summer was the first time i looked forward to not seeing city again for a few weeks