*Official*City*v*Porto*Thread*

[Ted Hughes]

I can't, I mean can NOT, believe someone would have a moan about that. It was just brilliant.

I think if one of Porto's shots had gone in, we'd be out now.

[Cocacolajojo1]

I didn't think we were very good at all tbh but we dealt with them comfortably enough & created the best chances. Some of our football was dire though.

That's the best I've ever seen Hulk play. He actually passed the ball to players on his own team on several occasions. That's several more than usual.

I reckon you are being a tad harsh there Ted. I did say when we scored so early we might step back and that's what happened.It took some drive out of our play and gave it to Porto who just had to go for it.But for all we kept surrendering possession we didn't concede many real chances and we still created a few great openings ourselves.It was a sort of control over the game.

Platt was right at half time and we did get better if not top notch.But once we put on the extra striker and maybe Porto tired a little it was all over very quickly.Good solid performance against a very competent side

I think our passing game was non existent & that was basically because we didn't try to use it. If Porto had scored one of their free shooting chances, I recon this board would be very different today, as I don't think City could have just switched on & started playing, I think it would have been very similar to our other uninspired European games. I think Porto would have been all over us. We got away with being rubbish because of the early goal imo.

Yes. We got away (meaning we won) because we scored a goal. What are the odds of that happening in football...

[ant london]

I didn't think we were very good at all tbh but we dealt with them comfortably enough & created the best chances. Some of our football was dire though.

That's the best I've ever seen Hulk play. He actually passed the ball to players on his own team on several occasions. That's several more than usual.

I reckon you are being a tad harsh there Ted. I did say when we scored so early we might step back and that's what happened.It took some drive out of our play and gave it to Porto who just had to go for it.But for all we kept surrendering possession we didn't concede many real chances and we still created a few great openings ourselves.It was a sort of control over the game.

Platt was right at half time and we did get better if not top notch.But once we put on the extra striker and maybe Porto tired a little it was all over very quickly.Good solid performance against a very competent side

agree with both of you to an extent

think that the base of our retention of the ball was fairly terrible in parts.....but we could also have drubbed them

we may have struggled if they had scored their chances early on....there again we may have moved it up a notch

[dazby]

I can't, I mean can NOT, believe someone would have a moan about that. It was just brilliant.

I think if one of Porto's shots had gone in, we'd be out now.

If Defoe was an inch taller, we'd be second in the league right now.

[PoC]

I can't, I mean can NOT, believe someone would have a moan about that. It was just brilliant.

I think if one of Porto's shots had gone in, we'd be out now.

If Defoe was an inch taller, we'd be second in the league right now.

If my uncle had tits he'd be my aunt

[Sideshow Bob]

thought it was a very professional performance, and bob got his tactics spot on. just wish we'd played mroe of this counter-attacking style against BM and napoli!

sure, we were a bit lucky porto failed to score, but they were equally lucky we didn't finish off any of the half dozen excellent chances we fashioned in the first half.

[john68]

I was well impressed with City last night and think Bob got his tactics spot on.
Last night was about qualifying for the next round and we did that relatively comfortably. Thhe early goal did us a huge favour and though we may view it thatwe were lucky to get it, the goal itself wasn't lucky, it was worked for.

After that (3-1 agg) it was about game management and maintaining the lead and taking opportunities as they arrived. Just ticking over and doing enough....we did that and sufficient opportunities arrived for us to score another three. Job done.

Porto chased last night and as in the first leg, they tired at the end. All part of the strategy. Do enough, keep manageing the game and the chances will come.

No ifs no buts....just the bare reality...game won, job done....no unnecessary wasted energy chasing a massive scoreline that was pointless.Now bring on Blackburn

[Ted Hughes]

I can't, I mean can NOT, believe someone would have a moan about that. It was just brilliant.

I think if one of Porto's shots had gone in, we'd be out now.

If Defoe was an inch taller, we'd be second in the league right now.

If my uncle had tits he'd be my aunt

If we had Porto's midfield & added Silva + Aguero, we could have dominated the game AND scored goals.

[Dameerto]

I think RM decided to play differently, gave up possession and opted for pressing high, waiting for mistakes and longball/throughpass to Kun. I think it was a good setup for this kind of game and it gives us a bit more options in changing game plan and stuff.
Barry was the weak link I think.

I mentioned in the match thread either Mancini spotted something in the first leg to exploit, or he was anticipating Porto having to push for a goal because he seemed to have set us up to play plenty of balls over their high defensive line for Aguero to scamper after - quite different to our usual passing game.

[Plain Speaking]

I lost count of the number of times we gave possesion to them under no significant pressure. IMO we resort to the Joe Hart "long ball" far too often, its like we're playing rugby for a "good field position."
The best teams in Europe dont surrender possesion so easily. The score was very flattering. They had at least half a dozen gilt edged goal scoring positions. Luckily we got away with it.
Pizarro looked very impressive in his short cameo, I particularly liked the pleasure the team showed to Pizarro for his contributions, he could be a useful option to unlock defences. Aguero ran his socks off. Overall Mancini has plenty to work on in training.

[sheblue]

thought we were not great against porto, a better team would have given us major problems. porto had nothing upfront and the scoreline flattered us a lot.
worrying.

[Beefymcfc]

I missed the 1st half but with Sergio scoring so early then surely this changed the game dynamic? Mancini, as of late, typically resorted to his Italian style tictacs, and it worked. Although Porto had the majority of the play and over 20 shots, only 4 were on target compared to our 6. If they'd have scored, the dynamics would've been very different and I could only envisage a City win.

Anyway, Dzeko made the difference and showed how good we can be when going forward. And that Sergio lad, whoosh, he's got something about him, ain't he.