*** Official City v Reading Match THread ***

[blues2win]

That will frighten Kiev. I don't like Tevez on his own up front. He drops off the whole time and then the midfielders have no one to find. Balotelli or Dzeko has to come on. Message to Bob. Can we PLEASE UP THE TEMPO. OH AND CAN WE PLEASE STOP PLAYING EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF THEM. We have to get behind them to score.

[kinkylola]

Vieira and tevez off ... yaya pushed back a little bit, balo and dzeko on, change shape, let kolarov and swp put crosses in from the wings, dzeko and balo will destroy the reading backs. going 1 up top is just not the right way to go.

[citytilidie]

where the fuck is this 'wonderful' left foot of Kolarovs? just cos he knocked a ref out in italy? woop de fucking do. time to fuck him off taking corners

[guv111]

Don't we generally always play faster in the first half and ease up in the second? Doesn't bode particularly well.

Oh well, Warren Barton's got a nice kitchen.

[kinkylola]

That will frighten Kiev. I don't like Tevez on his own up front. He drops off the whole time and then the midfielders have no one to find. Balotelli or Dzeko has to come on. Message to Bob. Can we PLEASE UP THE TEMPO. OH AND CAN WE PLEASE STOP PLAYING EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF THEM. We have to get behind them to score.

tevez up top on his own works in theory ... because the midfielders can make overlapping runs into the space created ... BUT TEVEZ DOESN'T PASS ... it totally defeats the purpose of the 'false 9' which is what mancini wants to create when he plays 1 up top in this formation

[hyper]

Don't we generally always play faster in the first half and ease up in the second? Doesn't bode particularly well.

Oh well, Warren Barton's got a nice kitchen.

It wouldn't be possible to ease up from that performance, unless they just don't come out onto the pitch at all...

[Biamp]

We need Mario, and Dzeko.

[s1ty m]

Vieira and tevez off ... yaya pushed back a little bit, balo and dzeko on, change shape, let kolarov and swp put crosses in from the wings, dzeko and balo will destroy the reading backs. going 1 up top is just not the right way to go.

I'd be pulling yaya before anyone, he's been appalling. Tevez is just out of form, one goal and he'll be fine.

[PALUS]

That will frighten Kiev. I don't like Tevez on his own up front. He drops off the whole time and then the midfielders have no one to find. Balotelli or Dzeko has to come on. Message to Bob. Can we PLEASE UP THE TEMPO. OH AND CAN WE PLEASE STOP PLAYING EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF THEM. We have to get behind them to score.

[guv111]

I'm guessing the quarter finals still have replays? That idea is almost more depressing than us losing. At least we'd know where we stood if we lost today.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

We need Mario, and Dzeko.

the extra words are ... to come on and play really well and not how they have played recently.

[david yearsley]

Anxiety and nerves seem to be getting the better of us as well - snatching at chances , wrong final ball etc

[kinkylola]

tevez is a one man wrecking crew ... and that's exactly his good and bad qualities summed up. when he's off form and balls aren't falling for him ... it is shit to watch him not pass to the open player over and over again. try barreling his way through defences and ending up just losing the ball. That's the bad side of tevez, and it's what we've seen past couple of weeks. I think we need to play with more than just 1 forward to get over this hump AS A TEAM.

[PALUS]

That will frighten Kiev. I don't like Tevez on his own up front. He drops off the whole time and then the midfielders have no one to find. Balotelli or Dzeko has to come on. Message to Bob. Can we PLEASE UP THE TEMPO. OH AND CAN WE PLEASE STOP PLAYING EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF THEM. We have to get behind them to score.

i agree to play with one striker against 1 division side it s stupid

[hyper]

We need Mario, and Dzeko.

the extra words are ... to come on and play really well and not how they have played recently.

Absolutely. Based on recent performances they'll offer nothing more than we have out at the mo.

[aaron bond]

Vieira and tevez off ... yaya pushed back a little bit, balo and dzeko on, change shape, let kolarov and swp put crosses in from the wings, dzeko and balo will destroy the reading backs. going 1 up top is just not the right way to go.

I'd be pulling yaya before anyone, he's been appalling. Tevez is just out of form, one goal and he'll be fine.

Definitely get Yaya off.

It's easy saying let Kolarov and SWP put crosses in but why couldn't they have done that in the first half??? I agree that's what they should be doing though, but we NEVER cross the ball, and I don't know why!!!

[city72]

where the fuck is this 'wonderful' left foot of Kolarovs? just cos he knocked a ref out in italy? woop de fucking do. time to fuck him off taking corners

i was thinking the same his corners are of pub team quality & his free kick was shite

[kinkylola]

We need Mario, and Dzeko.

the extra words are ... to come on and play really well and not how they have played recently.

Absolutely. Based on recent performances they'll offer nothing more than we have out at the mo.

well ... balo at least would offer goals.

[Biamp]

We need Mario, and Dzeko.

the extra words are ... to come on and play really well and not how they have played recently.

They have been poor lately without a doubt.

[guv111]

Don't we generally always play faster in the first half and ease up in the second? Doesn't bode particularly well.

Oh well, Warren Barton's got a nice kitchen.

It wouldn't be possible to ease up from that performance, unless they just don't come out onto the pitch at all...

Well, Balotelli has set a precedent!