***Official City v Everton Thread***

[kennyboy]

we dont have what it takes....

[Bluez]

we dont have what it takes....

You mean a ref who can see properly?

[david yearsley]

we dont have what it takes....

You mean a ref who can see properly?

Top teams don´t fall asleep for the first 20 mins and allow teams to score at will. The first goal was simply defenders sleepwalking and not concentrating. From that moment we had it all to do. I´d just switched on after a shit of a day. Cheers Kolo. If there was any team where it was evident that we had to scrap and earn the right to play it was this bunch of thugs, We didn´t step up and one or two looked like they´d rather be on a fuclin beach. God why didn´t they call the fucler off yesterday

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

Ref was poor but that's an excuse imo. One or two players weren't at the races today and that's the reason we lost.

As much as I hate them tonight you have to admire Everton's willing. If we'd've shown half the commitment we would've won no probs.

[Bluez]

we dont have what it takes....

You mean a ref who can see properly?

Top teams don´t fall asleep for the first 20 mins and allow teams to score at will. The first goal was simply defenders sleepwalking and not concentrating. From that moment we had it all to do. I´d just switched on after a shit of a day. Cheers Kolo. If there was any team where it was evident that we had to scrap and earn the right to play it was this bunch of thugs, We didn´t step up and one or two looked like they´d rather be on a fuclin beach. God why didn´t they call the fucler off yesterday

How can you say we didn't step up? we were camped outside their box for pretty much the whole game. One 5 min possesion stat showed we had 97% at most of tha was in their half. They well and truely parked the bus and got away with murder

[david yearsley]

we dont have what it takes....

You mean a ref who can see properly?

Top teams don´t fall asleep for the first 20 mins and allow teams to score at will. The first goal was simply defenders sleepwalking and not concentrating. From that moment we had it all to do. I´d just switched on after a shit of a day. Cheers Kolo. If there was any team where it was evident that we had to scrap and earn the right to play it was this bunch of thugs, We didn´t step up and one or two looked like they´d rather be on a fuclin beach. God why didn´t they call the fucler off yesterday

How can you say we didn't step up? we were camped outside their box for pretty much the whole game. One 5 min possesion stat showed we had 97% at most of tha was in their half. They well and truely parked the bus and got away with murder

We clearly did not step up from the FIRST whistle. That´s when games begin not 20 mins in and 2 down. We should not expect to win games starting like that regardless of how many shots we had and pens turned down. Everton are shite but we gifted them something to hang on to

[Bluez]

we dont have what it takes....

You mean a ref who can see properly?

Top teams don´t fall asleep for the first 20 mins and allow teams to score at will. The first goal was simply defenders sleepwalking and not concentrating. From that moment we had it all to do. I´d just switched on after a shit of a day. Cheers Kolo. If there was any team where it was evident that we had to scrap and earn the right to play it was this bunch of thugs, We didn´t step up and one or two looked like they´d rather be on a fuclin beach. God why didn´t they call the fucler off yesterday

How can you say we didn't step up? we were camped outside their box for pretty much the whole game. One 5 min possesion stat showed we had 97% at most of tha was in their half. They well and truely parked the bus and got away with murder

We clearly did not step up from the FIRST whistle. That´s when games begin not 20 mins in and 2 down. We should not expect to win games starting like that regardless of how many shots we had and pens turned down. Everton are shite but we gifted them something to hang on to

First goal was a gift, leaving Cahill unmarked in the box is criminal. Second was a good goal while we were a man down.

[guv111]

I feel sorry for those who went. Too many City players either bad, lazy or both. Balotelli is a a walking disaster.

We closed Everton in their own penalty box for most of the game and you say this? We made mistakes at the back in the only two moves they did, and paid for it, but I think on a whole we didn't perform badly. We were a bit slow when arriving outside of their box and left them the time to regroup and close all spaces, but we deserved to win this, if only the ref didn't let them play volleyball in the box, if Balotelli's ball had gone in and not on the post, etc.

You're right, we did dominate, but at key moments key players blew it.

[Swales4ever]

Gutted for the result and its implications: if not the last train lost, quite.
Very much proud of the Lads for the never surrendering effort and huge desire.
Still we/they are a work in progress as the crappy defensive mistakes and the general bad approach of the first 30 minutes have shown.
Can't help myself to thinking that the most technical side had been more disadvantaged by the frozen, slopy pitch. Some plays of our players and particularly the fact that our little magician took about 30 minutes to enter the game/defreeze his brain had widely proved it.
Garreth Barry immense, wonderful tonight: would have deserved Eric Clapton to sing his beauty.
Balo practically void untill the lob ended on the bar, another huge factor for the defeat in addition a good dose of bad luck.

Most positive, I have been confirmed that the "Christmas tree", i.e. the 4-2-3-1 formation is a real option and Yaya + GazBaz or NDJ can cope with it. It just need Dzeko or Llorente to deploy its full benefit... if it has worked so well in the second half versus a rough team like the Toffies, it will work any time Bob will want to go all out.

Come on City!!!

[Swales4ever]

I feel sorry for those who went. Too many City players either bad, lazy or both. Balotelli is a a walking disaster.

We closed Everton in their own penalty box for most of the game and you say this? We made mistakes at the back in the only two moves they did, and paid for it, but I think on a whole we didn't perform badly. We were a bit slow when arriving outside of their box and left them the time to regroup and close all spaces, but we deserved to win this, if only the ref didn't let them play volleyball in the box, if Balotelli's ball had gone in and not on the post, etc.

You're right, we did dominate, but at key moments key players blew it.

Absolutely spot on. That's why I keep saying that only next season we will be ready to go for the title.
As much as I hate to say it, the rags would have won this game, even if they are now far inferior to us, quality wise.

[Renato_CTID]

Proud the same of our beloved Blues, even if we lose very badly! Don't remember a worse game of Vinnie since he plays for us. Cannot say the same for fucking bastard Sylvain, but this is football. Lucky if we play only twice against blue scousers, but life must go on and I feel more positive about our future then before this game. CTWD!

[Blue2]

I know we battered them , but ....................... not enough cohesion, too many misplaced passes and misunderstanding between the players, poor defensively ( Kolarov had a mare but in defence and in their half). Not our night or not good enough? I just get the feeling that this season is too soon for us, we still lack the abity to break down mass defence.

PS Milner was fuckin awful - again.

[Bluez]

I know we battered them , but ....................... not enough cohesion, too many misplaced passes and misunderstanding between the players, poor defensively ( Kolarov had a mare but in defence and in their half). Not our night or not good enough? I just get the feeling that this season is too soon for us, we still lack the abity to break down mass defence.

PS Milner was fuckin awful - again.

I am not sure how often we willsee a defence quite that massed. They were just filling the box with bodies, its almost impossible to score when they are doing that. Luckily there are not that many teams which are that negative.

[Goaters 103]

Typical City syndrome again, with the club and too many fans getting way ahead of ourselves with the "top at Christmas" theme, and what we got was a cold, hard reality check.

You cant start playing in a game when you are 2 goals down at this level and expect to win, and Barry aside who I thought was excellent, way too many of our players were nowhere near their best.

Some observations and a rant from the 2nd tier - why does it take 10 mins to get Zabaleta back on, as he's a full-back and hardly pivotal. If a cut is that bad and cant be repaired within 3 mins, then make the sub - the 2nd goal we conceded, from that area, effectively cost us any chance of winning, and with Richards sat on the bench it was totally needless and bloody amateurish.

We appear to have paid £16m for a full-back who cant bloody defend in Kolarov. Im also sick of hearing what a dead ball/free kick specialist he is; check that, he isnt a specialist, he just takes all the damn dead balls, regularly hitting the wall from free kicks, or the first man at corners. Roberto Carlos did the same but taking all of them doesnt make you a specialist ffs, when they are all totally ineffective.

Balotelli is too flakey, too much of a sideshow and needs to man up in games like tonight. He has to take the chances he had in the 2nd half, not hit the post or fall over when given a clean sight of goal. His development of losers limp in the 2nd half when he'd fluffed our chance to equalise was laughably predictable. Adam Johnson's distribution and decision making in the final third continues to be the sole reason he does not start regularly for us - it needs to be better quality Adam, too many either clear everybody, hit the defender or go behind for a dead ball.

James Milner looks lost, and whatever the bollocks is wrong with him he needs to sort it out because he doesnt look like half the player he was at Villa, and thats being kind. Ya Ya Toure meanwhile is the weakest header of a football for a guy his size since David Brightwell - if he actually jumped when trying to win it, instead of playing with his feet nailed to the bloody turf a la Steve Daley, he might actually head the damn thing.

Will we ever win a header against 5ft 8 inches Tim Cahill? Probably not. Will we be having this same conversation after Everton beat us again next season, with another Cahill free header inside our box? Of course.

Forget top spot, we need to cement fourth spot first by topping Spurs and if we keep thowing in typical City showings like tonight, that isnt a given. Meh, bah humbug, typical City (skulks off freezing cold and totally pi$$ed off).

[blues2win]

AArgh. I posted a couple of days ago my main concern. WATCH CAHILL IN THE AIR. FFS how could we let him score? Deserved at least a point but ifs and buts will get us nowhere. Carlos seemed affected by all the ballyhoo for which he was largely responsible of course. Hopefully we can put this behind us now.

On to Boxing Day.

[The Original Special One]

I know we battered them , but ....................... not enough cohesion, too many misplaced passes and misunderstanding between the players, poor defensively ( Kolarov had a mare but in defence and in their half). Not our night or not good enough? I just get the feeling that this season is too soon for us, we still lack the abity to break down mass defence.

PS Milner was fuckin awful - again.

I am not sure how often we willsee a defence quite that massed. They were just filling the box with bodies, its almost impossible to score when they are doing that. Luckily there are not that many teams which are that negative.

It reminded me of Ireland's game at Liechtenstein, about 15 years ago, where they packed the bodies in or around their penalty area for the entire game, which left Big Jack fuming on the sideline.
That game ended scoreless.
Although the penalty shouts were a bit dubious, the referee should have awarded us at least one, because by packing the area like they did, they were inevitably going to deflect balls with their arms.
(and perhaps it will be just reward for their negativity)

[The Original Special One]

Typical City syndrome again, with the club and too many fans getting way ahead of ourselves with the "top at Christmas" theme, and what we got was a cold, hard reality check.

You cant start playing in a game when you are 2 goals down at this level and expect to win, and Barry aside who I thought was excellent, way too many of our players were nowhere near their best.

Some observations and a rant from the 2nd tier - why does it take 10 mins to get Zabaleta back on, as he's a full-back and hardly pivotal. If a cut is that bad and cant be repaired within 3 mins, then make the sub - the 2nd goal we conceded, from that area, effectively cost us any chance of winning, and with Richards sat on the bench it was totally needless and bloody amateurish.

We appear to have paid £16m for a full-back who cant bloody defend in Kolarov. Im also sick of hearing what a dead ball/free kick specialist he is; check that, he isnt a specialist, he just takes all the damn dead balls, regularly hitting the wall from free kicks, or the first man at corners. Roberto Carlos did the same but taking all of them doesnt make you a specialist ffs, when they are all totally ineffective.

Balotelli is too flakey, too much of a sideshow and needs to man up in games like tonight. He has to take the chances he had in the 2nd half, not hit the post or fall over when given a clean sight of goal. His development of losers limp in the 2nd half when he'd fluffed our chance to equalise was laughably predictable. Adam Johnson's distribution and decision making in the final third continues to be the sole reason he does not start regularly for us - it needs to be better quality Adam, too many either clear everybody, hit the defender or go behind for a dead ball.

James Milner looks lost, and whatever the bollocks is wrong with him he needs to sort it out because he doesnt look like half the player he was at Villa, and thats being kind. Ya Ya Toure meanwhile is the weakest header of a football for a guy his size since David Brightwell - if he actually jumped when trying to win it, instead of playing with his feet nailed to the bloody turf a la Steve Daley, he might actually head the damn thing.

Will we ever win a header against 5ft 8 inches Tim Cahill? Probably not. Will we be having this same conversation after Everton beat us again next season, with another Cahill free header inside our box? Of course.

Forget top spot, we need to cement fourth spot first by topping Spurs and if we keep thowing in typical City showings like tonight, that isnt a given. Meh, bah humbug, typical City (skulks off freezing cold and totally pi$$ed off).

Excellent post, especially your comments about Balotelli, Ya Ya, and Johnson,.....and Kolarov
To which I needn't add anything.

At least I had Cahill in my FF team
(and Distin must have won a bonus point or two, even if the 6 points for a clean sheet was denied him)

[PeterParker]

All day i had a bad feeling, i couldn`t eat well, i received great news that i couldn`t enjoy and now i know why. What a nightmare this game was. I mean 23-3 the shot at goal report ! It`s like we are cursed when we play home with Moses guys, maybe the planets are alligned weird in the day we play Everton.
Anyone has the feeling that City- Everton is starting to become "Groundhog Day" ?

[Beefymcfc]

Will read the thread tomorrow, but in the mean-time You've got to say a well done to Everton. Moyes was tactically more acute and we had to wait until they had a man sent off to get anything - a few decision's didn't help either.

No chance of winning the league now unless United and Arsenal go on a slump and Tottenham have gained on us in their eye's even though they haven't played.

I'm sure we will rally though and go on another unbeaten run.

COME ON CITY!

[Ted Hughes]

I know we battered them , but ....................... not enough cohesion, too many misplaced passes and misunderstanding between the players, poor defensively ( Kolarov had a mare but in defence and in their half). Not our night or not good enough? I just get the feeling that this season is too soon for us, we still lack the abity to break down mass defence.

PS Milner was fuckin awful - again.

I am not sure how often we willsee a defence quite that massed. They were just filling the box with bodies, its almost impossible to score when they are doing that. Luckily there are not that many teams which are that negative.

Judging from watching the rags, I'd say; the next 30 years or so for starters.

Everton were rag fodder. They played the exact game the rags love at home; everyone behind the ball scared shitless hoofing the ball back to them, barely having an attack themselves. They scored two fucking goals & we struggled like fuck to open them up. It highlighted our weaknesses & hopefully Bob will take it on board & sort it out rather than pretend everything is ok.

This was the true test; a goal down rather than a goal up. We failed.