Arse v City

[gavin]

Sergio starts

City XI: Hart, Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Toure (C), Delph, De Bruyne, Silva, Aguero

Subs: Caballero, Demichelis, Clichy, Navas, Sterling, Iheanacho, Bony

[gavin]

Arsenal fan at work was saying to me that he was worried about the pace of Sterling and Navas on the break....

Looks like it will have to be after the break eh.

[Lekos]

Mangala 

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Delph on the fuckin wing??

Stick dave there and yaya behind kun n Delph with fern tut

[Swiss]

Well...

[Lekos]

Mangala 

[goat]

is mangala the  lovechild of alan kernaghan

[gavin]

Too much space for the first. Second, we give the ball away and then Otamendi just fails to get in a decent challenge. It is just far too easy to score against us. Same old. Just not good enough.

You can dominate possession but if you don't get tight to attackers, don't get challenges in then you're wasting your time.

[Leewonpen]

is mangala the  lovechild of alan kernaghan

It is rumoured but, Kernaghan vehemently denies it

[goat]

dont blame him

how much did mangala cost again?

[Lekos]

30 odd Million

[guidebridgeblue]

I want to vomit

[goat]

30 odd Million

and however much fernando cost

porto have raped city

[lee]

i was gonna have a moan but i have been beaten to it

[Leewonpen]

Until the De Bruyne miss I thought we looked OK - defence not put under any pressure........Yaya cannot do a job on Özil

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Pelers needs to change it at half time cos there is a shit load of work to be done!

[lee]

id just like to say martin tyler is a wanker

[Lekos]

and however much fernando cost

porto have raped city

It's that fucking Mendes

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Why didn't Raheem start? If it was an injury concern he shouldn't be in the squad. If he's fit enough to come on at half time he's fit enough to start.

Starting to get real tired of your shit Manuel

[nimrod]

2 chances 2 goals

The whoke backline is absolute fucking shambles.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

KDB is covering the winger on the right side and then the full back overlaps and sagnas 20 feet away in the box and the full back gets a free cross!

[Neil Mcnab]

It must have been Toure to come off?

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Fuckin bony

Bony!!!

[Swiss]

KDB is covering the winger on the right side and then the full back overlaps and sagnas 20 feet away in the box and the full back gets a free cross!

Ithought that too








Maybe swap Mangala for Boyata 

[nimrod]

Fuckin bony

Bony!!!

ahh well theres always the league cup

[Swiss]

Strikers win games, defenders win titles

[Swiss]

I'm not sure if I'm watching city or that Barclay's advert with the walking football

[nimrod]

Fuckin hell Navas

[Lekos]

What the fuck is Navas passing there for. Jesus fucking Christ.

Shit stored in a fucking tupper wear.

[clevblue]

Absolute shite

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Tours you frustrating lazy shit

[Neil Mcnab]

Great strike by Toure. Pity he gave Ozil the freedom to do what he wanted in the first half.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

R.E that naval one on one. He didn't shoot cos he's got balls all confidence, which to be fair I would feel the same if Delph started on the wing ahead of me

[Swiss]

Tours you frustrating lazy shit

Hahaha


Sagna let a man run past him again, when's Zabba back!?

[Swiss]

Why do we wait until it's too late to play...

[Lekos]

One of the commentators said "Yaya Toure has burst into life in the last quarter of this game".

Shame he doesn't generally bother for the other three.

Too little too late.

Absolutely wank.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

It would help if he was played in a position that flatters him

[lee]

at least sterling managed to get his shirt dirty

[Lekos]

It would help if he was played in a position that flatters him

Played in a position that 'flatters' him?! Effort is what's missing. It's not like he's stuck on the wing.

[goat]

for about 70 minutes its was like they had the wrong toure  on


the dead one

[goat]

It would help if he was played in a position that flatters him

sat down in the box with 20 benson?

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

I totally agree that he's a lazy shit but in the whole time he has been with city how many times has been effective in the holding position? Zero

[goat]

i think his best position now is in mls or one of  those leagues

[Swiss]

for about 70 minutes its was like they had the wrong toure  on


the dead one

I felt guilty for laughing, then got over it.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Yeppers. Now Delph's fit and looking pretty handy we have no need to play him there.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

for about 70 minutes its was like they had the wrong toure  on


the dead one

The should get him to read that out on the 'mean tweets' video

[nimrod]

anyway I got up at 5:45 am to watch that shit its 8 oclock now and Im fucking depressed

think I'll take up smoking again

Yeah goat, the dead Toure................fitting

[gavin]

Shit defending could have cost us big at the start of that half again. We could have got something out of it in the end but really it wouldn't have papered over the obvious - we don't defend well enough to win the league. The only hope is for Vinny to come back and that is a disgrace given the investment. The manager can't organise a defence and the expensive players we have bought at the back aren't good enough to cope without proper organisation.

It seems clear to me that Yaya was played in the wrong position initially. Honestly, I was taken aback when Pelle indicated Delph was on the left and Yaya was the defensive midfielder. Delph had to be defensive and Yaya further forward. Having said that I have little doubt that we'd still have conceded a couple anyway.

[Lekos]

I totally agree that he's a lazy shit but in the whole time he has been with city how many times has been effective in the holding position? Zero

Fernandinho was the holding midfielder

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Fernandinho was the holding midfielder

The both were

It seems clear to me that Yaya was played in the wrong position initially. Honestly, I was taken aback when Pelle indicated Delph was on the left and Yaya was the defensive midfielder. Delph had to be defensive and Yaya further forward. Having said that I have little doubt that we'd still have conceded a couple anyway.

How can it be so obvious to us but lost on Pelle?

[Hesperus]

Beaten in another big game. Happens every time. Pathetic.

[KunDB]

Well Pelle explain your tactics tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nimrod]

The both were

How can it be so obvious to us but lost on Pelle?

Best squad weve ever had being wasted

sheik must be chewing his nuts

[bry the guy]

i just have to say that its been a very long time since our team got in to the other team like we did,
we gave them a good game I dont think they were better than us in fact i think we deserved at leaste a point.

[Ludo]

A point? They could have been 4 up before we scored.

Yaya and silva on the same team is a luxury we can't afford any more.

[Lekos]

When it was 2-1 I was thinking it would obviously be fantastic if we nicked a point, but at the same time thinking how much Arsenal would be robbed if we did.  We deserved nothing from last night.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

Yep. Arsenal deserved the win but didn't look anything special which makes things even more frustrating.

It's just getting the basics wrong or just not doing them at all which any half decent manager would be able to rectify.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

OK then... had to zoom straight off to work after the final whistle, so this is my first chance to comment. A very disappointing loss in a big game, but I'm with bry the guy - I don't think Arsenal were significantly any better than us.

Their first goal was very good (we just stood off a touch too much in the build up) but that effort was matched by Yaya's sublime finish. The goal that separated the two teams had a fair bit of good fortune about it (through Hart's legs). Both sides had their chances and each could have scored a goal or two more. Overall I don't think either team were at their best. Arsenal gave the ball away more than we did, and they looked almost as shaky as City at the back once we added some pace to the flanks and got stuck into them. I don't think Arsenal could have complained much if we had recovered a point.

But that didn't happen and we came away empty handed. Yes, the Delph / Yaya positional thing was an odd choice. It only served to isolate Yaya - even more than usual - from where the real action was for much of the game - until, that is, Silva went off and Yaya was pushed forward and became much more involved. To my eyes our initial plan appeared to be to hit them on the break - but if that was the case surely Navas would have been a more potent starting option? Pellegrini's tactics seem strangely muddled sometimes... like he's fishing around for a solution but isn't quite sure in his own mind what it is.

(Sorry for the long post - but you're all used to it by now)

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Yaya and silva on the same team is a luxury we can't afford any more.

It's increasingly starting to look like that. They can still work well together in the right circumstances, but to accommodate them together forces compromises elsewhere on the team sheet that we can ill afford,

[goat]

It's just getting the basics wrong or just not doing them at all which any half decent manager would be able to rectify.

cant blame manager for everything, unless he told mangala to play like a ming

[alexsam]

Rowley said it all for me.

But here are a few moans for you.

At the match last night there were about 200 Belgians there for what for many was their first City game. Rumour has it that VK managed to box off 200 tickets of them. Not sure if that a fact but it being said so I will gossip.

For those who do not know the premier league give clubs money which is supposed to be used for the clubs to help fans at away games. For instance Stoke have free coaches.

The last two years City have subsidised Chelsea and Arsenal away games. Last night Arsenal were charging £64 a ticket but City used the money to make them £32.

Fucking shocking that a load of tickets made it to first timers and the club and other fans get in a flap when at the games fans who have gone for years are pissed off seeing as loads of regulars are missing these games.

What is the point of paying platinum or building loyalty points up?

Bollocks to it, I going to do what I should have done years ago and join the money merry go round when it comes to City and football.

[Lekos]

Bloody hell, you buying the club mate?  You heard it here first folks.  All hail alexsam.

[bluebrendan]

is mangala the  lovechild of alan kernaghan

Never mind that, is Otamendi the love child of Kit Symons??

The last two years City have subsidised Chelsea and Arsenal away games. Last night Arsenal were charging £64 a ticket but City used the money to make them £32.

It was only £32 for S/card holders, not everyone.

[alexsam]

So you saying it is ok for the club to syphon tickets off for JCL's and possibly charge £64 when you know and I know we could sell for £32 to season card holders

Tickets sold out at over 13000 points for this game to season card holders so don't give me that crap mate.

If I sound annoyed it is because I am. Its a disgrace.

Lekos - I wish I could.

[bluebrendan]

So you saying it is ok for the club to syphon tickets off for JCL's and possibly charge £64 when you know and I know we could sell for £32 to season card holders

Tickets sold out at over 13000 points for this game to season card holders so don't give me that crap mate.

If I sound annoyed it is because I am. Its a disgrace.

Lekos - I wish I could.

Try reading my post before putting words in my mouth.

I was telling you that the £32 tickets were only for S/card holders, did I make a comment on whether selling to outside parties at £64 was ok or not?

For the record I don't think it's ok at all but the club own the tickets and they decide how to distribute them, have you tried complaining to the club?

[nimrod]

OK then... had to zoom straight off to work after the final whistle, so this is my first chance to comment. A very disappointing loss in a big game, but I'm with bry the guy - I don't think Arsenal were significantly any better than us.

Their first goal was very good (we just stood off a touch too much in the build up) but that effort was matched by Yaya's sublime finish. The goal that separated the two teams had a fair bit of good fortune about it (through Hart's legs). Both sides had their chances and each could have scored a goal or two more. Overall I don't think either team were at their best. Arsenal gave the ball away more than we did, and they looked almost as shaky as City at the back once we added some pace to the flanks and got stuck into them. I don't think Arsenal could have complained much if we had recovered a point.

For me we were our usual crap selves, the Yaya goal came out of nothing and i can only remember the KDB chance first half, other than that we never looked like even threatening to score until the last few minutes.
They missed so many chances to score, we seemed to have no cutting edge or creativity whereas they seemed to be able to cut through us like a knife. I thought we were 2nd best in terms of chances to score ie where it counts.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Shots:
Arsenal = 8 
City = 20

Shots on target:
Arsenal = 5 
City = 6

I agree Arsenal had marginally the better chances and certainly finished better on two occasions. Your last statement is correct, but hardly a one sided contest. Yaya's goal did not come "out of nothing" (a sustained period of City pressure)

[Lekos]

Shots off target might be one of the most vacuous stats Rowley.

We were really good, we missed the target 14 times.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Agreed, and I suppose that's Nimrod's point, but I still don't think it was as one sided as some of you seem to believe.

[nimrod]

As far as stats go, Im with Summerbee 

we were decidedly average and Im sure it will continue under Pelle, weve lost 5 now and its not even Xmas, thats not even top 4 standard

Ken I think your secretly working for the City Group PR dept.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Hardly...

I call it as I see it.

I thought Arsenal were a bit average as well. As BBM said - if City had played a little better the result might well have been very different. But yes - Pellers needs to sort things out.

[KunDB]

We lack committment, consistency and leadership. We cruise games and then think we can cruise against better opposition, and we get found out.

Pelle has failed to lead and motivate these players who take the foot of the pedal at every opportunity.

Compounding this is the obsession of focussing mainly on the Champions League in a vain hope  we can win it (too early).

I  said it before Pelle is nice affable guy, a shit average manager and a dead man walking. We should be cruising to the Premier League title this season with the squad and quality of players we have, not struggling to be in the top 4.

If I was these (lazy deluded) players I would be wondering if Pep has a place in the team for me next season or am I out the door come summer.

[nimrod]

As far as the performance v Arse goes I agree with these guys on the video below , especially Alejandro and Burley


http://www.espnfcasia.com/video/espn-fc-tv/86/video/2767662/moreno-pellegrini-pulls-a-brendan-rodgers

[Lekos]

Hahaha.  Don't think I've ever seen a bunch of more reprobate, Z list 'pundits'.  Who the fuck is Alejandro Moreno?!  You don't half put up with a load of shite over there in Oz land!

Marcotti is mostly an annoying twot, but the only one on the show with half a brain.

[Lekos]

I have an issue with the sentiment that we should be "cruising to the title".  This is a annoying mindset of the Yoonited fans of yesteryear, taking the league for granted and assuming they should be winning by a clear margin each and every year. 

Yes, we have been shit from time to time this season.  We could have played better in certain games, that is for sure.  However, I for one am glad our league is competitive.  I'm glad there is not a 19 point gap between 2nd and 1st like in the French league.  I'm glad there is not one team that will win the league each season like the Bundesliga or pretty much two teams in the running like in La Liga.

We all want our team to win.  We all like to have a moan from time to time about certain players / tactics / games and that's fine, but I'd get bored pretty fucking quickly if we were 19 points clear each and every season.  Conversely, this is the only thing that will make some people happy, and I think that's a shame.

[bluebrendan]

Agreed, and I suppose that's Nimrod's point, but I still don't think it was as one sided as some of you seem to believe.

It wasn't one-sided but at no time did I feel we were controlling the game, Arsenal set the tactical agenda if you like. Yes we had more possession and territory in the first 30 mins but that was Wenger's ploy to sit back early on and make sure they didn't concede. We created nothing in that "dominant" spell, then had our first real chance on the counter when KdB should have passed to Silva. A minute later we conceded and from then on we were struggling until the last 15 mins or so when Arsenal seemed to tire a little and we started to make some decent chances.

[alexsam]

Try reading my post before putting words in my mouth.

I was telling you that the £32 tickets were only for S/card holders, did I make a comment on whether selling to outside parties at £64 was ok or not?

For the record I don't think it's ok at all but the club own the tickets and they decide how to distribute them, have you tried complaining to the club?

I apologise if I came across a bit narky and quick to jump at you.

My understanding is that the club negotiates with the home club about the possible allocation of tickets and then decides what to buy knowing what it can sell to us or rather thinks it can sell to us City fans.

With this game I am pissed off that the club used money given from the premier league to subsidise tickets and could have done so for many more season card holders.

What needs to be completely clarified is if the corporate or Belgian block paid £64 or £32. This does not take away the fact that these tickets should have gone to season card holders full stop

[gavin]

I have an issue with the sentiment that we should be "cruising to the title".  This is a annoying mindset of the Yoonited fans of yesteryear, taking the league for granted and assuming they should be winning by a clear margin each and every year. 

Honestly, I look at our squad and I look at that of Leicester, Arse the rags and the rest and ours is plainly stronger. Again, we have clearly played well below ourselves in too many matches this season when we started the season on a stated mission not to do so. Some of our defending has been bordering on embarrassing. We have had a number of injuries and this explains some of our problems but too many times have I seen our side be clearly superior to the opposition on paper but drop points. It is bound to happen occasionally, that is football, and why we love it, but too much to us of late. In my view we are under-performing.

I don't expect to walk the league every year. But the competition is pretty poor this year. We are only barely clear of the rags and they are triple shite.