Bit late today ... lots of slating of City by Scholes/Wio
Manchester City's Champions League struggles remain a mystery
Manchester City's acquaintance with the Champions League continues to be uncomfortable - for the fourth time in succession they failed to win their opening home group game as they were held by Roma.
City are not yet up against it in Group E but a meagre return of a single point from their opening two games, a defeat by Bayern Munich in Germany and Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Etihad Stadium, provides evidence of the difficulty of both the club's transition to Europe's elite tournament and the task ahead.
For a team so packed with experienced players, assembled at great expense by an ownership of high ambition, City's struggle to fully come to terms with the Champions League remains a mystery.
What are the factors currently at work as they once again make heavy weather of the early stages of their group?
Embracing the Champions League challenge
Manchester City's squad is awash with talent and yet the players seem unable to cast off the cloak of inhibition when it comes to the Champions League.
City have yet to convince that they have the collective self-belief that makes them feel at home alongside the exalted company they mix with in this tournament. There is, on occasion, an almost apologetic air about the way they go about their work.
Make no mistake, they have barely caught a break when it has come to the groups they have been drawn in, but the evidence suggests they are still having trouble quite convincing themselves they have earned the right to be here.
What makes these subdued displays, lacking in conviction, all the more mystifying is the experience contained within the squad. The Champions League is a challenge you would expect City to embrace, not shy away from.
David Silva and Jesus Navas were part of Spain squads that won the World Cup and the European Championship. Yaya Toure has won the Champions League with Barcelona, while Sergio Aguero and Martin Demichelis were playing for Argentina in the World Cup final in Rio only in July.
This is not a squad without talent or experience, so it may just be that they need to somehow fashion one big result - the win away to Bayern Munich last December was achieved with almost an air of defiance and was still not enough to win the group - that will settle all the nerves and uncertainty that appears currently to hold them back.
Fans still not convinced about their pedigree
Man City's home Premier League opener against Liverpool was watched by 45,471 fans, but Roma drew only 37,509
No-one could ever accuse Manchester City's fans of taking anything for granted - even the recent great successes have not wiped out that fatalistic streak that often has them fearing the worst.
But it seems even they are having trouble with the Champions League at the moment. Tuesday's attendance for the first home group game of this year's tournament was watched by only 37,509 fans, a full 10,000 short of capacity at Etihad Stadium.
This may be a source of disappointment to the club's hierarchy given the scale of their investment, and how hard they worked to bring this sort of football back to Manchester City.
In defence of City's support, they have never been shy of lending their backing and maybe another home game was just a financial step too far for some on this night. They are not fickle fans.
The home game with Bayern is likely to be a sell-out but this attendance was still a disappointment and drew scorn from former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who tweeted: "How many empty seats are there at the City v Roma game by the way? Big CL game & fans would rather Ramsay's Kitchen or something at home."
He added, in reference to City's planned ground expansion: "Expanding the stadium for what though?? For who though??"
Cheap shots but the low attendance was a talking point, as was the subdued atmosphere for most of the game.
The lack of atmosphere at City games this season was even a matter for discussion before the game, and manager Manuel Pellegrini brushed aside questions on the subject in his post-match briefing.
City's fans are virtually above criticism when it comes to supporting their team as they were there in their thousands in good times and bad. Maybe they are also struggling to convince themselves that their club is at home in the Champions League.
Again, one big result would change that landscape, but City are currently struggling to produce it and the mood of supporters is downbeat.
Yaya Toure still struggling for the old authority
The groans of disapproval that greeted one over-hit pass from Yaya Toure in the second half summed up the current mood surrounding the player who was the powerhouse behind Manchester City's Premier League win last season.
Toure is currently a shadow of the figure whose goals and influence drove City to the Premier League, and the sooner he rediscovers his old authority the better.
He was overshadowed in midfield on Tuesday, despite Roma being without their own two outstanding midfield players in the injured Kevin Strootman and Daniele De Rossi. Radja Nainggolan and Miralem Pjanic were both highly impressive and came out on top against City's midfield.
Toure was bypassed with ease as Roma fashioned Francesco Totti's wonderfully finished equaliser and there was barely a hint of the surging runs that have been his trademark. He is struggling badly.
He is too good a player to be dismissed lightly or prematurely, and Pellegrini clearly has great faith that Toure's powers will be restored. For the sake of City's Champions League campaign, not to mention the Premier League, it cannot come soon enough.
Has Pellegrini got his tactics right?
Pellegrini persisted with playing Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko in attack against Roma, but once again this was a tactic that left City exposed to the dangers of being outnumbered in midfield.
This was a problem as far back as last October when City lost 3-1 at home to Bayern Munich, and Aguero and Dzeko both started. City were overrun and well beaten.
The temptation to use both is understandable as Pellegrini has a pair of quality strikers on his hands, but there are undoubted risks against the sort of elite opposition City will run up against in the Champions League and 4-5-1 (with one of the pair sacrificed) may be a case of 'better safe than sorry' against the stronger teams.
Using David Silva and Jesus Navas in the wide areas was ambitious but also offered an open invitation to a side as progressive as Roma. It was no surprise when Navas was replaced by James Milner at half-time and Dzeko followed shortly after, with Frank Lampard being introduced.
Pellegrini's default position is permanently positive but he may have to consider caution or risk City being vulnerable when they travel to face Roma in Rome and welcome Bayern to Etihad Stadium.
Can City still qualify?
Absolutely. This is a squad packed with quality but they need a spark, a catalyst that convinces them they are a team that can make serious inroads into the Champions League. There needs to be an injection of confidence, conviction and belief.
City now have back-to-back games against CSKA Moscow, who are shaping up as the wooden spoon team in this group. Pellegrini's side must win both matches and put themselves in prime position to welcome Bayern on Tuesday 25 November.
That is the night Manchester City must be a Champions League team and the Etihad must provide a Champions League atmosphere - then it can be all up for grabs when they go to the 'Eternal City' to face Roma on 10 December.
Manchester City need to wise up to avoid Champions League elimination, admits Fernandinho
Fernandinho insists Manchester City have to wise up after they were lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw in their Champions League clash against Roma.
City are in their fourth consecutive campaign of Europe’s elite club competition but have got out of their group just once and they struggled again at home last night despite taking the lead.
Sergio Aguero struck from the penalty spot - one of only two shots City had on target - but Roma hit back to claim a draw. Their 23rd-minute equaliser, through 38-year-old Francesco Totti, who in the process became the Champions League’s oldest goalscorer, was deserved.
Midfielder Fernandinho said: “In the Champions League the level is different. We play against big teams from other countries who have a lot of technical players and our team have to learn to play a different way. It is difficult [to qualify] but we will try to do it. It’s not impossible, we have a big team and good players. It’s very important to beat CSKA now - if we drop points against them it will be very difficult for us.”
Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic was surprised how easy it was for his team. He said: “We expected to be under more pressure on their home turf. The draw was thoroughly deserved.”
QPR defender Rio Ferdinand took to Twitter to accuse Manchester City fans of staying away from Tuesday night's Champions League game to watch cookery programmes at home. https://twitter.com/rioferdy5
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany suggested that they underperformed in drawing 1-1 at home to Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday, posting the message: "We're better than that, no doubt about it. Back to work and back to playing the game our way."
Milner angered by lack of Man City 'tempo'
The England midfielder believes the Blues missed a big chance to record their first victory of their European campaign against the Serie A outfit
James Milner rued a lack of tempo in Manchester City's play after they were held to a 1-1 draw Roma in the Champions League.
Having taken an early lead at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday through a Sergio Aguero penalty, the Premier League champions were pegged back as Francesco Totti produced a stunning chip over Joe Hart just before half-time.
City's efforts to get back into the game saw them create plenty of opportunities after the break, but only tested Roma's back-up keeper Lukasz Skorupski on two occasions.
Milner, a second-half substitute, admitted City's normal pace in attack had been missing in their Group E clash, and rued a missed opportunity to claim all three points.
"Maybe we could have won it, I don't think we played our best - we know that," he told ITV. "We didn't really have that much tempo in the game but I thought we created a few chances and probably could have nicked it.
"We never got up to our speed. I think that's one of our strengths, when we get the ball moving quickly there's movement everywhere. Teams find it hard to deal with it.
"Well-organised teams come here. We're used to that and we have to move the ball quickly to get past them. They're a well-organised team, a good team and they're used to doing that.
"So we didn't quite to enough to win the game."
City sit third in Group E after the draw with one point from their opening two matches.
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes criticises atmosphere at Manchester City's Champions League tie
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has strongly criticised the atmosphere at Manchester City's Champions League tie against Roma.
The Group E clash, which ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw for the Barclays Premier League champions, attracted a crowd of just 37,509 at the Etihad Stadium.
That was City's lowest home attendance since they first entered the competition in 2011.
Scholes claims City's Champions League matchdays do not generate the same excitement as he experienced at United or other English clubs can create.
Scholes, who was working as a pundit for ITV, said: "I was lucky enough to play at Old Trafford and we always talked about the atmosphere on a Tuesday night, the special atmosphere you create, and the crowd is rocking when you go out for a warm-up.
Scholes' comments come as development work is being undertaken to expand the stadium.
City have planning permission to increase capacity to around 62,000 and the first phase of construction, which will increase the number of seats to almost 54,000, is under way.
City's average attendance this season has been 45,612.
Another former United player, Rio Ferdinand, has questioned why this work is necessary in light of the latest crowd figure.
Ferdinand wrote on Twitter: "How many empty seats are there at the city vs Roma game by the way....big CL game & fans would rather Ramsays Kitchen or something at home.
"Expanding the stadium for what though?? For who though???"
The underwhelming result left City again facing an uphill struggle to qualify for the knockout stages.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini, however, had no complaints about the crowd.
The Chilean said: "Of course if you have a great atmosphere it is always better for the team but we cannot be concerned about the atmosphere the fans give because they always give very good atmosphere.
"I don't think that was an important thing why we didn't win the game."
Manchester United are set to launch a £51m double bid for the Juventus pair of midfielder Arturo Vidal, 27, and defender Angelo Ogbonna, 26. (Metro)
Meanwhile, the Red Devils look certain to miss out on Germany defender Mats Hummels, 25, but could turn their attentions to his fellow Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic, also 25. (Daily Mirror)
Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, 27, could move to Arsenal or Liverpool at the end of the season on a free transfer. (Daily Star)
However, another Real Madrid midfielder Isco, 22, has ruled out a January move to Liverpool or Arsenal. (Daily Express)
Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote, 28, says he wants to leave because he needs "a new challenge". (Sun - subscription required)
Meanwhile, Newcastle are close to agreeing a permanent deal to sell 25-year-old defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa to Roma, where he is currently on loan. (Newcastle Chronicle)
Liverpool are weighing up a £30m move for Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain, 26 - a deal which could scupper Arsenal's hopes of signing 27-year-old Porto striker Jackson Martinez, who Napoli may target as Higuain's replacement. (Daily Express)
Southampton forward Dani Osvaldo, 28, says he wants to make his loan switch to Inter Milan permanent. (Sun)
Fiorentina midfielder Juan Cuadrado's agent says the 26-year-old is set to agree a contract extension at the Italian club after summer offers from "two top European clubs" failed to match Fiorentina's valuation. (Sky Sports)
Liverpool are close to completing an £8m deal for Milton Keynes Dons midfielder Dele Alli, 18. (Caught Offside)
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew needs a significant upturn in results if he is to survive until the clocks go back later this month. (Guardian)
Should Pardew lose his job, former Everton and Manchester United boss David Moyes is the clear favourite to replace him. (Daily Star)
Hull City owner Assem Allam has begun his appeal to the Football Association to rebrand the club's playing name as Hull Tigers - after his initial bid was rejected in April. (Hull Daily Mail)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is set to rest midfielder Jack Wilshere, 22, for Wednesday's Champions League game with Galatasaray. (Daily Telegraph)
Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, 31, says manager Louis van Gaal wants the team to "be more Dutch" to improve their form. (Independent)
Swansea have held discussions with a group of wealthy Americans, as well as parties from Russia and Asia, about investment in the club. (South Wales Evening Post)
Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria, 26, says he wants to end his career at Argentine club Rosario Central - along with international team-mates Javier Mascherano and Ezequiel Lavezzi. (Independent)
Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock says he is worried about how the team will cope when captain Mile Jedinak departs in January to represent Australia in the Asia Cup. (Sky Sports)
West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino, 21, says he is striving to earn an England call-up. (Talkshit)
Basel manager Paulo Sousa has warned Liverpool that the Swiss side are in the mood to do some damage in their Champions League meeting on Wednesday. (Liverpool Echo)
A five-man committee in charge of appointing managerless Fulham's next boss could take as long as three weeks to make a decision. (Fulham Chronicle)
Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier has hailed new manager Ronald Koeman as a "revelation" after their strong start to the season. (Southern Daily Echo)
Ferdinand's QPR team-mate Joey Barton hailed the performance of Paris St-Germain duo David Luiz and Javier Pastore against Barcelona on Twitter.
Norwich striker Cameron Jerome called for calm after the Championship leaders lost 1-0 at home to Charlton on Tuesday - tweeting: "No need for panic. Sometimes football goes like that - but Saturday is a great chance to put it right. Keep on supporting the lads as normal."
An Irish airline has offered Jack Grealish and his family free flights if the Aston Villa winger, 19, opts to represent the Republic of Ireland at international level. (Birmingham Mail)
Some live Champions League matches could stay on terrestrial television next season after BT Sport - who are set to take over the exclusive live rights - opened talks with ITV. (Daily Telegraph)
Former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane earns more than Arsenal legend Thierry Henry at New York Red Bulls. (DSSC)
Bollox updates shortly
