*** Manchester City v Dynamo Kyiv CL Match Thread***

[Foreverinbluedreams]

I guess it depends on your perspective IWT. It was clear from the opening minutes that we were set up to play a containment game, need only look at Fernandinho's position to see this, he was deployed left of centre to contain their main threat Yarimelenko ( or however you spell the fucker ) and in that regard it was a thoroughly professional, disciplined performance.

We didn't look uncomfortable to me, one undercooked Demichelis pass to Mangala and subsequent brain fart aside we looked totally composed and dealt well with what little they mustered.

Martin Samuel is just using the fact that the game was a snorefest to get his usual dig in against the Eurocracy, nothing to see here, we don't have a duty to entertain him, our duty was to advance to the quarter finals of the European Cup for the first time in our history.

As for what the rest of the season holds, I'll leave that to other threads, I am commenting on this game in isolation here as its a match thread.

The samuel piece is not badly written, its the shitty headline thats given by the editor that always lets him down (of which he has no control). Although he hasnt been as pro city in recent articles as he has been in the past

He's never really been proCity, more anti-Europe, he's used City's situation as a vehicle to drive his point home.

[Wonderwall]

I guess it depends on your perspective IWT. It was clear from the opening minutes that we were set up to play a containment game, need only look at Fernandinho's position to see this, he was deployed left of centre to contain their main threat Yarimelenko ( or however you spell the fucker ) and in that regard it was a thoroughly professional, disciplined performance.

We didn't look uncomfortable to me, one undercooked Demichelis pass to Mangala and subsequent brain fart aside we looked totally composed and dealt well with what little they mustered.

Martin Samuel is just using the fact that the game was a snorefest to get his usual dig in against the Eurocracy, nothing to see here, we don't have a duty to entertain him, our duty was to advance to the quarter finals of the European Cup for the first time in our history.

As for what the rest of the season holds, I'll leave that to other threads, I am commenting on this game in isolation here as its a match thread.

The samuel piece is not badly written, its the shitty headline thats given by the editor that always lets him down (of which he has no control). Although he hasnt been as pro city in recent articles as he has been in the past

He's never really been proCity, more anti-Europe, he's used City's situation as a vehicle to drive his point home.

Yeah spot on, I agree with that description of his work.

[iwasthere2012]

I guess it depends on your perspective IWT. It was clear from the opening minutes that we were set up to play a containment game, need only look at Fernandinho's position to see this, he was deployed left of centre to contain their main threat Yarimelenko ( or however you spell the fucker ) and in that regard it was a thoroughly professional, disciplined performance.

We didn't look uncomfortable to me, one undercooked Demichelis pass to Mangala and subsequent brain fart aside we looked totally composed and dealt well with what little they mustered.

Martin Samuel is just using the fact that the game was a snorefest to get his usual dig in against the Eurocracy, nothing to see here, we don't have a duty to entertain him, our duty was to advance to the quarter finals of the European Cup for the first time in our history.

As for what the rest of the season holds, I'll leave that to other threads, I am commenting on this game in isolation here as its a match thread.

The samuel piece is not badly written, its the shitty headline thats given by the editor that always lets him down (of which he has no control). Although he hasnt been as pro city in recent articles as he has been in the past

He's never really been proCity, more anti-Europe, he's used City's situation as a vehicle to drive his point home.

Yeah spot on, I agree with that description of his work.

I wouldn't disagree with your point about samuel being anti-europe, but just regarding your own point about only commenting on the match last night, well that's kind of my point.
I did see us comfortably beat a side with no ambition. I did also see some very worrying trends in our recent game, continue. It wasn't all professional job done by any means.
From Samuels's article on last night's performance;
The only conclusion that could be drawn from the first half was that Kiev did not appear to have done enough homework on City’s defence. A better-informed team would surely have realised how calamitous it was to lose not just Kompany but also Otamendi. It left Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis guarding the shop, and neither acquitted himself particularly well.
I tend to agree and I think our midfield contributed by getting really jittery for a period, which I can only assume shows their lack of trust in the teams ability to continue with the two of them there. We have seen us struggle with them all season and I think the whole team gets nervous with their unpredictability.

As he says in the article;
And City were far too comfortable. The best that could be said of them is that they were excused games on medical grounds. Losing Kompany after five minutes, and his partner Otamendi after 20, would sink the spirits of any team. Kompany is a talisman for City, and they are much reduced without him. If his calf injury stretches towards May, his loss could be fatal to the club’s ambitions in the remainder of the season.

I don't think that's a huge insight on his part. It's basically what we've all seen and felt. I think the evidence is the team probably feel the same.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

That undercooked pass from Demi aside, what did they do wrong IWT? Don't get me wrong the nerves did begin to jangle when Otamendi was forced off but the replacements acquitted themselves well.

What does "far too comfortable" mean? we didn't need to be anything else but comfortable.

There were a few misplaced passes in the final third when we were countering but nothing to be overly concerned about.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Oh and one more thing, I could also point out that the approach we had last night could be seen as a plan B.

On second thoughts, I better not mention that.

[iwasthere2012]

That undercooked pass from Demi aside, what did they do wrong IWT? Don't get me wrong the nerves did begin to jangle when Otamendi was forced off but the replacements acquitted themselves well.

What does "far too comfortable" mean? we didn't need to be anything else but comfortable.

There were a few misplaced passes in the final third when we were countering but nothing to be overly concerned about.

What far too comfortable means in my book, is that they were not exactly tested by Kiev. Kiev had probably two maybe three forays into our box but between Hart and the pair of them, they didn't inspire me with confidence. The ping pong at the end was as much our own making by not clearing the ball simply, than anything cconstructive that Kiev were capable of.
There's no doubt the more the second half progressed you could see what was happening and I didn't really think we were going to lose the tie at any point.
But that horrible feeling that we are only one panicky brainfart away from making a mess was there and really a better team will expose us.
I appreciate you are still only talking about last night's performance, but I think a lot of people's reaction to last night has as much to do with the fallout or consequences going forward.
I think we will be exposed if we have to play that pair as CB's in the league. It's not all their fault as we've had numerous discussions about how the team doesn't defend well as a whole. I just think there is less confidence throughout without Vinny's presence.

[Dimples]

Sometime I think we are to hard on our team and ourselves.
If the shoe was on the other foot you would be reading tripe like this:

MU 0 : Kiev 0 (MU win 3-1 on agg)

Professional MU display dispatches Kiev despite losing both their centre halfs to injury early on

A superb professional display from MU ended Kiev's interest in this years CL.
MU lost their first choice centre back pairing to injury early in the match.
Their replacements seamlessly stepped into the breach and completely snuffed out the Kiev attack.
To the extent that Kiev were a forlorn, dispirited defeated rabble long before the end of this match.
The brilliant attacking display that destroyed Kiev in the first leg laid the foundation for a QF appearance for MU.
Every team will be hoping to avoid MU in the QF draw on the basis of the way Kiev were ruthlessly disposed of over the two legs.
and on and on................

[iwasthere2012]

Sometime I think we are to hard on our team and ourselves.
If the shoe was on the other foot you would be reading tripe like this:

MU 0 : Kiev 0 (MU win 3-1 on agg)

Professional MU display dispatches Kiev despite losing both their centre halfs to injury early on

A superb professional display from MU ended Kiev's interest in this years CL.
MU lost their first choice centre back pairing to injury early in the match.
Their replacements seamlessly stepped into the breach and completely snuffed out the Kiev attack.
To the extent that Kiev were a forlorn, dispirited defeated rabble long before the end of this match.
The brilliant attacking display that destroyed Kiev in the first leg laid the foundation for a QF appearance for MU.
Every team will be hoping to avoid MU in the QF draw on the basis of the way Kiev were ruthlessly disposed of over the two legs.
and on and on................

Haha true.
But you know what our reaction on here would be to that kind of propaganda. We would say it is a complete rewrite of the reality of the situation.

[ColinBell8]

This season is like having a 9 month toothache.

[bigblue]

This season is like having a 9 month toothache.

Hopefully will be more like having a 9 month toothache from wearing a retainer to fix your teeth

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

That wasnt a masterclass in containment, it was the best you can expect from that line up. No penetration, as on Saturday. When will people realise that with the those two defensive midfielders in, we are utterly toothless. The real danger was not going cavalier, it was not finishing them off, which allowed them a fragment of hope.
Sadly I expect the same again on Sunday and I suspect it will cost us. If you can't score, you're just one fuck up from losing, and Otter and Mangler have a fuck up per game each in them.
I don't know why Pellers stopped attacking this season, we're still shit at defending no matter how many def mids we play, now we're just powder puff going forward. I rate Fernandinho, but having Delph alongside him is unnecessary and Fernando is not even a footballer.
It's like watching a Mancini side now, but without the discipline.
Attack Ffs City