***city v the ref, sorry v barca match thread***

[iwasthere2012]

I watched Moutinho.

Really curious how a player of his class can play there. I would love to see him here.

Moutinho & Kondogbia are what I would be looking for, for us. They are the remnants of the big push for CL before their owner hit the crash, or realised FFP would take it's toll.

Amazing though, that the likes of Berbatov could still make an impact after leaving Fulham!

Well done to them, they worked their socks off and thoroughly deserved their win.

Just shows you where a work ethic will get you. Are Monaco really that good or are Arsenal that bad. I think Arsenal are still fundementally weak. How in the name of Jaysus did we lose to them?

[iwasthere2012]

Leverkeusen didn't look too shabby either.
Only saw highlights

[nottsblue]

Leverkeusen didn't look too shabby either.
Only saw highlights

Mint goal.

[iwasthere2012]

Anybody else hoping, Messi pulls a hamstring in the next two weeks?

[getdressedmctavish]

Been thinking about the barca game all week. Good debate as ever. Perhaps I can sum up why, after all the pros and cons, I don't think Pellers is up to it. Regardless what you think about formations his team selection required Dzeko and later Bony to be either, and probably both, ruthless in front of goal and to close down in midfield. He chose them both over an extra midfielder, Lampard or Fernandinho because he thought they could do that job. That was misguided in the extreme and amounted to a dereliction of duty because we all knew they couldn't do that job.A manager ought to know the strengths of his own players, not hope it all comes together on the night. If Mourinio had made that mistake(and he wouldn't have done) he would have subbed Dzeko on 15 minutes when it was clear we couldn't get the ball which is what Pellers should have done. Sometimes optimism equates to stupidity!Games are won and lost in midfield in the champions league, ask Arsene, ha

[Beefymcfc]

Been thinking about the barca game all week. Good debate as ever. Perhaps I can sum up why, after all the pros and cons, I don't think Pellers is up to it. Regardless what you think about formations his team selection required Dzeko and later Bony to be either, and probably both, ruthless in front of goal and to close down in midfield. He chose them both over an extra midfielder, Lampard or Fernandinho because he thought they could do that job. That was misguided in the extreme and amounted to a dereliction of duty because we all knew they couldn't do that job.A manager ought to know the strengths of his own players, not hope it all comes together on the night. If Mourinio had made that mistake(and he wouldn't have done) he would have subbed Dzeko on 15 minutes when it was clear we couldn't get the ball which is what Pellers should have done. Sometimes optimism equates to stupidity!Games are won and lost in midfield in the champions league, ask Arsene, ha

Let's face it, Pellers was brought in because he was supposed to be able to get the lads up for it. Were they up for it the 1st half?

I could take the fact that Barca were looking great but what I couldn't take was the point where we had 5 players upfield just sigh and not even bother their arse after Fernando decided to play for Barca.

Thinking about it, and I've only just realised this, clubs must be in a quandary with reagrd to actually applying to be in UEFA competitions, and that is probably what they want, clubs not applying for the licence.

[getdressedmctavish]

Beefy, my take on that first half performance was that the players thought the system was inadequate. I mean Cliché was so terrified without cover in front of him he could barely get his feet to move. Komps had a face like someone facing the firing squad. Spect you've seen it lol. Anyway on to the next. Liverpool is trickier to call, will they be nippy or knackered?should we be cautious or gung ho?