***city v burnley official match thread***

[Blue Since 76]

Shocking second half performance from every player and the manager. When even Silva can't pass to a teammate, I'm not sure what has happened.

At least Kolarov was consistent throughout...

I think that could be the game where we lose the league. Not for the two points dropped, although I think it could be that tight, but for the chance missed to put pressure on Maureen before a tricky trip to Spurs. Chelsea have had a bad month and this could have been a crucial twist, but we just gave them the initiative back and I suspect they'll now roll over Spurs and go on a length winning running again. The question is, can we?

Still, Sunderland at home on Thursday, so what could go wrong there?

just like in 11/12 when we drew 3-3 at home vs Sunderland and gave the momentum straight back to rags when we could've put on some pressure. We all know how that ended up.. oh wait!

It's a long season.

I know it's a long season, but we had a chance today to open up a bigger gap over the rags and put more pressure on Chelsea. Instead, we've made a right pig's ear of it, meaning it's now even more likely we'll need results at places like Chelsea, Everton, Anfield etc. Ignoring the Chelsea result, which was probably a good point in the end, we've thrown away 5 points at home to Stoke and Burnley. That doesn't stop you winning the league but it makes it a lot harder. Chelsea have that look of Maureen's team of old - not easy to watch but usually pretty efficient at getting the job done, we need to be the same.

Today it looked like we stopped at half time, knowing it'd be easy to beat a team like Burnley with a two goal league. We can't be like that and we can't allow Chelsea to not pay for their mistakes - we did that against the rags two seasons ago and they slowly increased their lead without any pressure. We had a 45 minute off period today and it need to be the last for quite a while.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Shocking second half performance from every player and the manager. When even Silva can't pass to a teammate, I'm not sure what has happened.

At least Kolarov was consistent throughout...

I think that could be the game where we lose the league. Not for the two points dropped, although I think it could be that tight, but for the chance missed to put pressure on Maureen before a tricky trip to Spurs. Chelsea have had a bad month and this could have been a crucial twist, but we just gave them the initiative back and I suspect they'll now roll over Spurs and go on a length winning running again. The question is, can we?

Still, Sunderland at home on Thursday, so what could go wrong there?

just like in 11/12 when we drew 3-3 at home vs Sunderland and gave the momentum straight back to rags when we could've put on some pressure. We all know how that ended up.. oh wait!

It's a long season.

I know it's a long season, but we had a chance today to open up a bigger gap over the rags and put more pressure on Chelsea. Instead, we've made a right pig's ear of it, meaning it's now even more likely we'll need results at places like Chelsea, Everton, Anfield etc. Ignoring the Chelsea result, which was probably a good point in the end, we've thrown away 5 points at home to Stoke and Burnley. That doesn't stop you winning the league but it makes it a lot harder. Chelsea have that look of Maureen's team of old - not easy to watch but usually pretty efficient at getting the job done, we need to be the same.

Today it looked like we stopped at half time, knowing it'd be easy to beat a team like Burnley with a two goal league. We can't be like that and we can't allow Chelsea to not pay for their mistakes - we did that against the rags two seasons ago and they slowly increased their lead without any pressure. We had a 45 minute off period today and it need to be the last for quite a while.

Difficult to disagree with that last paragraph.

[Beefymcfc]

Shocking second half performance from every player and the manager. When even Silva can't pass to a teammate, I'm not sure what has happened.

At least Kolarov was consistent throughout...

I think that could be the game where we lose the league. Not for the two points dropped, although I think it could be that tight, but for the chance missed to put pressure on Maureen before a tricky trip to Spurs. Chelsea have had a bad month and this could have been a crucial twist, but we just gave them the initiative back and I suspect they'll now roll over Spurs and go on a length winning running again. The question is, can we?

Still, Sunderland at home on Thursday, so what could go wrong there?

just like in 11/12 when we drew 3-3 at home vs Sunderland and gave the momentum straight back to rags when we could've put on some pressure. We all know how that ended up.. oh wait!

It's a long season.

I know it's a long season, but we had a chance today to open up a bigger gap over the rags and put more pressure on Chelsea. Instead, we've made a right pig's ear of it, meaning it's now even more likely we'll need results at places like Chelsea, Everton, Anfield etc. Ignoring the Chelsea result, which was probably a good point in the end, we've thrown away 5 points at home to Stoke and Burnley. That doesn't stop you winning the league but it makes it a lot harder. Chelsea have that look of Maureen's team of old - not easy to watch but usually pretty efficient at getting the job done, we need to be the same.

Today it looked like we stopped at half time, knowing it'd be easy to beat a team like Burnley with a two goal league. We can't be like that and we can't allow Chelsea to not pay for their mistakes - we did that against the rags two seasons ago and they slowly increased their lead without any pressure. We had a 45 minute off period today and it need to be the last for quite a while.

Difficult to disagree with that last paragraph.

Yep, I want to see that 10 game winning streak reached, including 2 wins over Barca.

[Beefymcfc]

And can I just finish by saying that if the lino hadn't made that horrendous decision, we would've won.

Whatever we may say about our team, these calls do make all the difference.

[Beefymcfc]

Just a very last thought.

We've just played 10 games (unbeaten) in 36 days, only being able to field 2 strikers. Since the Everton games, 6 games in 22 days, we've won 5 and drawn 1 with no strikers whatsoever.

Is it fair to say that what happened today, whether it be tactical or player wise, could've been a direct result of having to play the game with a full deck of cards, forcing a new system to compensate for 10% extra over a difficult period?

[iwasthere2012]

Just a very last thought.

We've just played 10 games (unbeaten) in 36 days, only being able to field 2 strikers. Since the Everton games, 6 games in 22 days, we've won 5 and drawn 1 with no strikers whatsoever.

Is it fair to say that what happened today, whether it be tactical or player wise, could've been a direct result of having to play the game with a full deck of cards, forcing a new system to compensate for 10% extra over a difficult period?

I'd look at it that way. Not a bad points tally considering what we were facing into three or four weeks ago.
I think we'd all have taken that.

[City64]

Just a very last thought.

We've just played 10 games (unbeaten) in 36 days, only being able to field 2 strikers. Since the Everton games, 6 games in 22 days, we've won 5 and drawn 1 with no strikers whatsoever.

Is it fair to say that what happened today, whether it be tactical or player wise, could've been a direct result of having to play the game with a full deck of cards, forcing a new system to compensate for 10% extra over a difficult period?

I'd look at it that way. Not a bad points tally considering what we were facing into three or four weeks ago.
I think we'd all have taken that.

Agreed , BUT there is NO WAY anyone should try and gloss over that utter debacle of a 2nd half showing (or non showing) yesterday , we were utter wank , no excuses !

[Ted Hughes]

Shocking second half performance from every player and the manager. When even Silva can't pass to a teammate, I'm not sure what has happened.

At least Kolarov was consistent throughout...

I think that could be the game where we lose the league. Not for the two points dropped, although I think it could be that tight, but for the chance missed to put pressure on Maureen before a tricky trip to Spurs. Chelsea have had a bad month and this could have been a crucial twist, but we just gave them the initiative back and I suspect they'll now roll over Spurs and go on a length winning running again. The question is, can we?

Still, Sunderland at home on Thursday, so what could go wrong there?

just like in 11/12 when we drew 3-3 at home vs Sunderland and gave the momentum straight back to rags when we could've put on some pressure. We all know how that ended up.. oh wait!

It's a long season.

I know it's a long season, but we had a chance today to open up a bigger gap over the rags and put more pressure on Chelsea. Instead, we've made a right pig's ear of it, meaning it's now even more likely we'll need results at places like Chelsea, Everton, Anfield etc. Ignoring the Chelsea result, which was probably a good point in the end, we've thrown away 5 points at home to Stoke and Burnley. That doesn't stop you winning the league but it makes it a lot harder. Chelsea have that look of Maureen's team of old - not easy to watch but usually pretty efficient at getting the job done, we need to be the same.

Today it looked like we stopped at half time, knowing it'd be easy to beat a team like Burnley with a two goal league. We can't be like that and we can't allow Chelsea to not pay for their mistakes - we did that against the rags two seasons ago and they slowly increased their lead without any pressure. We had a 45 minute off period today and it need to be the last for quite a while.

Results like this, mean we have put huge future pressure on ourselves to achieve difficult results in the future, & a very high percentage of the time.

It doesn't mean Chelsea have it easy, it does though mean we have it hard. Chelsea will fuck up here & there, without a doubt, but of course it's likely we will too. We could do with a quick fuckup response from Chelsea, to even it out.

Had we won yesterday, I would have made us big favourites for the title. Now, barring a Chelsea fuckup, it's down to us producing huge away results again & rarely slipping up. We can do that, we have before, but it's a big ask & usually teams come unstuck when asked to do it every week. We have made our season much more difficult.

We need to be right on it vs Sunderland, or the same will happen again. They will most likely raise their game too.

[nottsblue]

Really disappointing result yesterday

Knowing Chelsea had drawn at half time, and being two nil up should have given us every incentive to see out the game and close the gap to one point. Mourinho's ass would have wobbled big time and suddenly they might need a win at Spuds to remain top. Pyschologically we have missed a big trick here. I wonder if the ten game record played on the minds of a couple of the players?

Disappointed in the team selection with the chopping and changing of the back four. That's hindsight though. Plenty has been said about Kolorov already. Suffice to say though, he was a passenger and caused the recently solid MDM/Mangala partnership to be pulled about as he offered little cover.

I thought we lacked the killer instinct of the rags of old or even Chelsea. I doubt there will have been many times those sides were pegged back by a side at the foot of the table having led 2-0. Still, it's Pellers way to not shut up shop and who am I to disagree with him. Another day and we might have got five.

Well done to Burnley. Deserved point for them on their second half performance. Yes the first was offside, but let's not forget we got away with one v Palace. We still should have won. The offside is an excuse, not a reason.

Next up Sunderland. Win this and we are back on track. 42 points at halfway. Reckon the champions will need 90 this year so we can ill afford to drop more points at home. Come on blueboys

[Beefymcfc]

So it could be we heard the news from the Saints and then bottled it.

[Herb]

hart's donkey punch in the last match and the shit goal conceded today: why he will never be top class.

I couldn't agree more - Hart's clowning about costs us circa 10 points a season . . he's a Jonas and a fucking mill-stone round the neck of the club that drags us down. Think what we'd achieve if we had a world class keeper.

[Herb]

hart's donkey punch in the last match and the shit goal conceded today: why he will never be top class.

Give over, not an easy stop to make AT ALL.

Only 'foreverupjoesarse' could come up with such tripe - Hart was a disgrace yet again today.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

hart's donkey punch in the last match and the shit goal conceded today: why he will never be top class.

Give over, not an easy stop to make AT ALL.

Only 'foreverupjoesarse' could come up with such tripe - Hart was a disgrace yet again today.

A disgrace? Really? Cop the fuck on you plank.

[Herb]

Another Joe Hart Brain Fart - didn't matter that much against Brum as we had 3 goals but his gift to Burnley today was enough to lift their spirits and nearly give them the game.
No offence to Joe (who I have lots of respect for) but if Hart played for the rags and we had De Gea then we'd be in top spot with a 5 point lead and the rags would be in 12th. That's the difference between a good but limited keeper (who fucks up well and truly too often) and a truly great keeper (who doesn't keep doing a 'Hart') - Joe ain't good enough for us on the form of the last 3 seasons and he isn't getting any better.

And now we have the full house as another retard with an axe to grind blames Hart.

Ha ha ha - foreverUpJoesArse you're a child deluded by your weird desires for a distinctly average clown of a keeper - Hart's foolery is beyond defence you dickwipe!

[Herb]

Only 'foreverupjoesarse' could come up with such tripe - Hart was a disgrace yet again today.

A disgrace? Really? Cop the fuck on you plank.[/quote]


"cop the fuck on you plank"???? You're talking gibberish you weird sod - your diction is nearly as bad as Hart's distribution and your defence of the clown is as poor as Hart defends corners . . .
. . . and you're a twat.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

How many times do I have to say this before it sinks in to that thick skull of yours? There is no desire on my part for Hart just frustration at the same group of absolute fucking morons looking to scapegoat him at any given opportunity, going so far as to slag him off for not pulling off a save when the ball is flicked by him from a yard away.

Like I said, cop the fuck on.

[Crossie]

It feels like Hart has saved us more points that he's lost us this season.

Mangala himself has said he struggles against the smaller teams, his performance yesterday backs that up. It'll take time.

Its not helped by having Kolarov vacant on that left side, however as someone mentioned, the 2 Fern's should have been able to protect Mangala, but something didn't quite work out.

We didn't lose, we haven't really lost out on Chelsea because there will be other opportunities and they have shown that there are cracks in their game recently. All we can do it worry about ourselves, lets get Kompany and Aguero fit again and push on.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

So it could be we heard the news from the Saints and then bottled it.

We're not a team that bottles it, Beefy. I think we thought we had the game won and tried to nurse our way through the second half, obviously feeling the tiredness of having played so many games recently with so many important players missing. Once the tiredness sets in you can't dispel the feeling, and it nearly cost us. Had the Cheating Chavs won, I think the attitude would have been different in the second half and the tiredness wouldn't have affected us.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

So it could be we heard the news from the Saints and then bottled it.

I don't think we bottled it at all and I don't think the Chelsea result had anything to do with it.
It was complacency. The fans, players and management alike thought the game was won at half time and 9/10 times in that position the second half is a formality, just stroking the ball round, taking the sting out the game and usually adding a third.
We weren't expecting Burnley to come back into it and they did get a bit of luck but in the end they fully deserved their point. It's like we weren't set up for a contest in the second half and had no answers when it turned into one.
Pellegrini tired to freshen it up by bringing Lampard and Jovetic on but we still couldn't get out the slumber we were in.

We 'get away' with it most times because when a team goes a couple of goals down to us they normally shut up shop and go for damaged limitations but fair play to Burnley for coming out and making a real fist of it.

[Herb]

How many times do I have to say this before it sinks in to that thick skull of yours? There is no desire on my part for Hart just frustration at the same group of absolute fucking morons looking to scapegoat him at any given opportunity, going so far as to slag him off for not pulling off a save when the ball is flicked by him from a yard away.

Like I said, cop the fuck on.

"Cop the fuck" means nothing to me so I can only suppose it's one of the weird sex things you want to do with our distinctly average keeper you odd-ball. Why don't you go camp outside Joe's house rather than pushing your lust for the poor fella on here you perv - there are forums more appropriate to wannabe-goalie-fiddlers like you!