What do Manchester city actually do?

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Without Yaya Toure?

Out both cups and thrown away our lead at the top in what 3 weeks?

To think some numptys on here still question what he brings to the team. We're fucking awful when he's not in the centre. For fuck sake.

[freshie]

Our shit form started whilst Yaya was still with us so to blame it all on his absence is bollocks. Yes he is a good player and we miss him but we still got beaten at Sunderland and Chelsea and drew away to WBA with him in the side

[Grob]

Its not just not having Yaya. The team has been unsettled by not having Kompany, Toure, and Balotelli. Aguero has lost form. Dzeko has been abysmal since october. Silva therefore hasnt had the impact. Sami has been getting better but not influencing games enough Jonno is invisible these days.

Whilst losing Toure is massive, if enough players were in form we would have coped. Why they have all lost form, well, we'll have to ask the manager

[paddyblue]

we had Kompany, Toure, and Balotelli and were still shit and dropping points away from home

[Original Dub]

Ill tell you what we don't do.... PACE.

Aguero is fast but we need pace behind the strikers. We can't play it into the back of the net by pure skill alone when teams park the bus.

Also, this is bigger than having a goal drought away from home... This is about being tactically sussed out by old school opposition managers.

We needed an injection of pace and didn't get it. I hope he gets to but that type of player for next year's campaign.

I hope he's still here to be able to, because our style of play has disintegrated at an alarming rate.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Ill tell you what we don't do.... PACE.

Aguero is fast when teams park the bus.
.

Eh?????? are you sure hes fast ? he wasn't very fucking bastard fast tonight was he when he got a few yards in front of the defender and then the defender got back in front of him !!!

[paddyblue]

we needed a few shots on target nasri's one that hit the woodwork was really the only shot from outside the box

[Goataldo]

Now that had me laughing audibly!

Although re Toure, if they apply themselves like that with Toure in the side, it will cancel out what he brings. He won't make Dzeko control.or shoot properly. He won't make Bob make sensible subs. He might help confidence and cohesion, but then it's still down to the team to.pull their fingers from their arses.

[shawzy]

Well all i wanted was the Carling Cup but we threw that in the bin last week ;-(
On a serious note.We have been indifferent of late and the big teams are right on us now..When were back to full strength in 2 weeks time we can push on with no excuses...Bobby's wakeup call now..Blip time is over if we want to win this league.

[guv111]

Well, Kompany was back tonight and we were still shit. My guess is that even with Yaya we'd be shit at the moment.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

It's the control in the middle we've lost tho. That's why opposition are getting so many chances lately.

[Goataldo]

Re Aguero's pace, he seems lightening over the first few, but fades quickly. His strength and body positioning often gets him out of it, and he's got great feet. Not sure about genuinely pacey though. Below par tonight but nowhere near as bad as some.

[Nigels Tackle]

it's not pace we lack, it's energy. there's fuck all 'buzz' to our play.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

it's not pace we lack, it's energy. there's fuck all 'buzz' to our play.

I think Mancini's comments after the match reflect the way the team played. We started ok and maybe the players just expected to win and to be able to do it without a massive effort.

Since when are we going to win at Everton without really putting maximum effort in! I fully agree there was no pace or energy or intensity of any kind till maybe late on and that was more desperation than anything else. Why would that be? Are the team really stupid enough to think all they had to do was turn up?

[BobbyJ1956]

They top the league right now, they have the best squad in the league and the best manager we've ever had, they get back some missing players soon, win 4 and draw one of the next 5 league games, beat ManU in the derby, and win the league in April.

[halnone]

They top the league right now, they have the best squad in the league and the best manager we've ever had, they get back some missing players soon, win 4 and draw one of the next 5 league games, beat ManU in the derby, and win the league in April.

Great thinking :)

[john68]

Whatever happens over the next few months, whether we win the League or not, we are still nowhere near to being the finished article. We are still very much work in progress.

Like it or not, the loss of Tevez has cost us dearly. his energy and goals would undoubtedly have got us through much of this mess.
Losing Ballo has left us with Dzeko as our main striker and he is still a learner in the Prem. He is far short of reaching his potential, which he may or may not ever reach with us.
Aguerro too is a baby in this League and I always thought he would have trouble lasting the course in his 1st season. We have next season, where he should come good again throughout the whole season.
A new team at the start of the season that played free flowing footie under no pressure has now had pressure heaped on it from expectation, the media and the fact that they are currently on top of the pile and are favourites to win the title.

Our competitors and rivals aren't idiots. What was new to them a few months ago, as we swept all before us, has been studied and analysed time and time again, our weaknesses have been found out and some of our strengths negated.

We have come a long way, there will be more ups and downs. Hopefully we will have enough ups to see us through as Champions.

[dick dastardley]

not strong enough upfront we need a player that can hold the ball up for our midfielders to join in the attack, no pace on the wings is another thing and players that lack bottle (barry turning his back) pisses me right off. bobbys body language last night didnt look to good, out of all the cups bar one struggling away from home, and with a team that lack confidence, time for bobby to earn his corn!!!

[sheblue]

This idea that we will be transformed when yaya comes back is , well gaga. The rot was set in before he left. since late November too many players are not giving enough, and going through periods of poor form.

the main culprits are,
nasri, blows hot and cold, disappears in games. Disappointing so far. Has a LOT to prove.
Milner, started the season very well and i was delighted with him but now looking like he was last year.
Barry, erratic performances good one day poor the next, always looks slow and a bit cumbersome, too left footed. his main advantage is he has good positional sense, just wish he would stand up and attempt to face up to a shot.
Dzeko, showing some signs of improvement, but not what we were expecting. Still a lot to prove.
Balotelli, a big child who needs to grow up and cop on to himself, if that lad got his head right he would make the difference, there is no doubt about his ability, he just needs to apply himself, and apply himself fast, but dont hold the breath.
Savic, too raw for high pressure games.
Kalorov, not a defender, poor signing.
NDJ 40 - 50% of the player he was last year.
Johnson, when he comes on he just doesnt go at full tilt, does he?
Lescott, He has been ok this year and many have done worse. but is he good enough for a club that aspires?

We need to find form and find it very fast.

[Hazy2]

My take on it, No space in behind Everton, No fight from the team, Dzeko looked weak and bullied, no partnership between both forwards. Sergio looked less interested the more game went on, Midfield are in control of the ball, not the game. Getting done with a counter attack again. We look lost at 0-1, not that Everton away ever ends up any other way, Beat Fulham,I will be happy again.