THE UNOFFICIAL OFFICIAL FA CUP THREAD

[mr_nool]

It's amazing that we got rid of Dunne because he was deemed not good enough yet he's been to one final, is off to Wembley again and will probably finish above us in the league.

Amazing I tells ya.

Perhaps more testament to the Coaching of Martin O'Neill because Dunne had become an absolute liability towards the end. I don't think i've come across a Centre Half who'd scored more Own Goals, been at fault in the Defence and was sent off in one season as many times as Dunne in 08/09. Remember, City are chasing the Premiership and the European Cup now. Is Dunne really good enough to achieve such heights in the next few seasons?

It could also be as easy as Dunne needing a new surrounding and a new challenge. Perhaps he would've gotten it here thanks to the fiercer competition with Toure and Lescotte coming in. Perhaps not. Will never know for sure, though.

[btajim]

It could also be as easy as Dunne needing a new surrounding and a new challenge. Perhaps he would've gotten it here thanks to the fiercer competition with Toure and Lescotte coming in. Perhaps not. Will never know for sure, though.

No-one could have forseen the injuries to Toure and Lescott - but the thought of Dunne warming the Bench for the first 3 months is really sad. Former Captain, City Legend etc.

I've nothing but good will for Dunne. I hope his second trip to Wembley this season is more succesful than his first.

[mr_nool]

It could also be as easy as Dunne needing a new surrounding and a new challenge. Perhaps he would've gotten it here thanks to the fiercer competition with Toure and Lescotte coming in. Perhaps not. Will never know for sure, though.

No-one could have forseen the injuries to Toure and Lescott - but the thought of Dunne warming the Bench for the first 3 months is really sad. Former Captain, City Legend etc.

I've nothing but good will for Dunne. I hope his second trip to Wembley this season is more succesful than his first.

I don't have anything other than good will for him either, and if he would've picked up his game thanks to the competition (just like he's done thanks to the move), I doubt that he would've been benched very long - injuries to Lescotte and Toure or not.

[Original Dub]

It's amazing that we got rid of Dunne because he was deemed not good enough yet he's been to one final, is off to Wembley again and will probably finish above us in the league.

Amazing I tells ya.

Perhaps more testament to the Coaching of Martin O'Neill because Dunne had become an absolute liability towards the end. I don't think i've come across a Centre Half who'd scored more Own Goals, been at fault in the Defence and was sent off in one season as many times as Dunne in 08/09. Remember, City are chasing the Premiership and the European Cup now. Is Dunne really good enough to achieve such heights in the next few seasons?

I keep hearing this "Dunne was a liability" but I just don't agree with it... we haven't had a steady back four for a long long time and Dunne has played in an ever changing defence for an age. He was the last line of defence for us and that nromally means you are more likely to be sent off or score an own goal. It certainly doesn't mean he's shit. Ask Jamie Carragher, who as far as I know has similar own goals and red cards to his name.

Dunne should never have been sold and I don't buy this "he needed new surroundings" lark. He would have had his new surroundings playing alongside Toure or Lescott and he's proving, as Andy Gray and Baconface said last week, that he's one of the very best in the league. He could well win Villa's POTY and no player wins five POTY in the premier league if they are not top notch. They'll win the FA Cup I believe, and that would be two cup finals, a chase for champions league and part of THE best defence in the entire league. £5m, dear God.

We fucked up moving him on, no doubt about it, but we as City fans have a fierce habit of thinking our players are liabilites when they most certainly are not. Won't be long now until we move Given on... and then Adebayor... and then Toure... and then...

[btajim]

I don't have anything other than good will for him either, and if he would've picked up his game thanks to the competition (just like he's done thanks to the move), I doubt that he would've been benched very long - injuries to Lescotte and Toure or not.

I'd say the change of scenery was more important than the competition for a place in the Team at Villa. O'Neill presumably wanted James Collins and Richard Dunne as his first choice pairing. Intelligently assembled, too. Very no nonsense Defenders.

[btajim]

I keep hearing this "Dunne was a liability" but I just don't agree with it... we haven't had a steady back four for a long long time and Dunne has played in an ever changing defence for an age. He was the last line of defence for us and that nromally means you are more likely to be sent off or score an own goal. It certainly doesn't mean he's shit. Ask Jamie Carragher, who as far as I know has similar own goals and red cards to his name.

Dunne should never have been sold and I don't buy this "he needed new surroundings" lark. He would have had his new surroundings playing alongside Toure or Lescott and he's proving, as Andy Gray and Baconface said last week, that he's one of the very best in the league. He could well win Villa's POTY and no player wins five POTY in the premier league if they are not top notch. They'll win the FA Cup I believe, and that would be two cup finals, a chase for champions league and part of THE best defence in the entire league. £5m, dear God.

We fucked up moving him on, no doubt about it, but we as City fans have a fierce habit of thinking our players are liabilites when they most certainly are not. Won't be long now until we move Given on... and then Adebayor... and then Toure... and then...

You must remember the mistakes last season? Red cards / Own Goals. I wouldn't expect that from ANY City player. POTS x 5 or a Kid promoted from the Youth Team. The sending off against Hamburg finished it, IMHO.

I'd have Lescott and Kompany over Dunne and Distin for a Top 4 challenge. If we finish above Villa (likely) then I think my point is proved.

[Original Dub]

I keep hearing this "Dunne was a liability" but I just don't agree with it... we haven't had a steady back four for a long long time and Dunne has played in an ever changing defence for an age. He was the last line of defence for us and that nromally means you are more likely to be sent off or score an own goal. It certainly doesn't mean he's shit. Ask Jamie Carragher, who as far as I know has similar own goals and red cards to his name.

Dunne should never have been sold and I don't buy this "he needed new surroundings" lark. He would have had his new surroundings playing alongside Toure or Lescott and he's proving, as Andy Gray and Baconface said last week, that he's one of the very best in the league. He could well win Villa's POTY and no player wins five POTY in the premier league if they are not top notch. They'll win the FA Cup I believe, and that would be two cup finals, a chase for champions league and part of THE best defence in the entire league. £5m, dear God.

We fucked up moving him on, no doubt about it, but we as City fans have a fierce habit of thinking our players are liabilites when they most certainly are not. Won't be long now until we move Given on... and then Adebayor... and then Toure... and then...

You must remember the mistakes last season? Red cards / Own Goals. I wouldn't expect that from ANY City player. POTS x 5 or a Kid promoted from the Youth Team. The sending off against Hamburg finished it, IMHO.

I'd have Lescott and Kompany over Dunne and Distin for a Top 4 challenge. If we finish above Villa (likely) then I think my point is proved.

If we finish ahead of Villa your point is proved? How does that work? We spent nearly a quarter of a BILLION quid. I think that will be the main reason don't you?

And what you wouldn't expect from any city player is what Jamie Carragher has done for Liverpool - very similar stats as I've said and for all the fantastic seasons Dunne had for city, I find it bizzarre that on the back of one poor season, he was written off and sold.

I truely believe selling Dunne may have contributed heavily to Mark Hughes losing his job.

Dunne is one half of the best central defence in Europe at present and is on his way to Wembley for a second time in one season. I think that proves my point

[btajim]

If we finish ahead of Villa your point is proved? How does that work? We spent nearly a quarter of a BILLION quid. I think that will be the main reason don't you?

And what you wouldn't expect from any city player is what Jamie Carragher has done for Liverpool - very similar stats as I've said and for all the fantastic seasons Dunne had for city, I find it bizzarre that on the back of one poor season, he was written off and sold.

I truely believe selling Dunne may have contributed heavily to Mark Hughes losing his job.

Dunne is one half of the best central defence in Europe at present and is on his way to Wembley for a second time in one season. I think that proves my point

Well, Villa were a serious threat for a Top 4 place last season and if we finish above them then it's a brilliant achievement. We let Dunne go there, replaced him and then moved upwards. My point is that we've got somewhere despite his absence.

I read a Facebook Update during Villa Away this season. It read: "Richard Dunne puts the ball in the back of the net and City go 1-0 down. Is it last season?"

He had to go. He was a shadow of his former self.

[Feed The Goat]

I agree with jim on this one. Dunnie was a liability last season and for alot of the season before

[btajim]

If Lescott, Toure and Kompany were all earmarked as Hughes signings to play Centre Half (alongside Richards and Onouha as cover) then it would've been unfair on Dunne as a player to see him on the Bench. After all, who could have predicted the injuries to our original first choice pairing this season?

I'd have loved it had Dunne stormed back this season for City - but he's moved on. I've no personal beef with him.

[Original Dub]

Well he's one of the best in the league this season and there's absolutely no reason to believe he wouldn't have been in for us, because for the last 6 years or so he's had one bad season and even then it was at club level, not international. He, along with many others in defence had a stinker, but the improvements should have been made around him instead IMO and he would have blossomed.

You keep referring to his own goals and red cards and I keep referring to Jamie Carragher. Both are THE last line of defence for their respective clubs, both are very similar style defenders and both have similar stats for tackling, red cards and own goals. Do you think the scousers would want to see him leave on the back of one bad season? Would they fuck.

He is half of the best central defence in Europe this season. I had every belief that he would be back to his best this season because he's had several OUTSTANDING seasons and one bad one, even though the players around him kept changing. He has proven me right and the doubters wrong - further proof is not even possible.

Credit where credit is due.

[bluej]

Well he's one of the best in the league this season and there's absolutely no reason to believe he wouldn't have been in for us, because for the last 6 years or so he's had one bad season and even then it was at club level, not international. He, along with many others in defence had a stinker, but the improvements should have been made around him instead IMO and he would have blossomed.

You keep referring to his own goals and red cards and I keep referring to Jamie Carragher. Both are THE last line of defence for their respective clubs, both are very similar style defenders and both have similar stats for tackling, red cards and own goals. Do you think the scousers would want to see him leave on the back of one bad season? Would they fuck.

He is half of the best central defence in Europe this season. I had every belief that he would be back to his best this season because he's had several OUTSTANDING seasons and one bad one, even though the players around him kept changing. He has proven me right and the doubters wrong - further proof is not even possible.

Credit where credit is due.

There are a few who wouldn't be that bothered if he did - he has also said that he will leave if he doesn't get regular football.

I'm annoyed that we didn't keep Dunney mainly because we strengthened a rival when he left. But to be honest - he had had a bad season and a half before we sold him and whilst he has returned to form, I think its more to do with the fact that he left us. Whether its given him his confidence back or just geared him on to prove us wrong rather than his patch of bad form ending.