Time to stand up and be counted

[john@staustell]

Lets park Saturday for a minute.

In a way we've sort of had it easy this season. Fans, players, everybody 'City'. With very few exceptions and the odd fluker - Wigan - it's been a smooth ride

Next Tuesday night is the time for all players to get stuck in and be counted, to get that 3 goal problem wiped out by half time. It was quite clear the Dippers were absolutely knackered and that will only get worse. Never mind about resting people, never mind about too many games - this is the time of the season when you have to play them if you want to win anything. They seemed to freeze for 35 minutes last night in the Anfield ******* ( insert whatever over-stated word you want), so they owe us a really great performance.

Which brings us to the crowd. Without going down the chavvy/scally route of smashing up buses, it's up to the crowd - with some imaginative atmospherics from the club - to make an atmosphere like the Hamburg game (may be the best example) - to make the tired Dippers players freeze - as they have a talent for doing.

And lets get to this semi-final. Once more unto the breech.............................

[PeterParker]

We are an odd bunch and doing a remontada might be on the cards.
The key is one early goal.

[sheblue]

We just have to go for it. In a way the pressure is on them to go through now. Are we capable for scoring 3 or 4? yes of course we are. But they did defend very well last night, much better than in the 4-3 league game, there is an away goal in them, particularity on the break which we will be vulnerable to.
I am not that optimistic, really we need to batter them, and I cant see it on last nights evidence anyway, but we will see.
Even if we go out, its been a fantastic season for me and huge step in the right direction overall for the club. Were building a strong young team and there will be more hiccups along the way.
We have a lot to be proud of.

[Crossie]

Maybe the club will put its hand in its pocket and buy everyone a scarf or a banana or a fucking blue piece of paper to hold up at least?

[Original Dub]

Of course we can do it and as mentioned, the early goal is vital.

In fact, we've scored 3 goals without reply in a cup final only a few weeks back. The biggest factor IMO is how we get on on Sat. If we beat the shit out of the rags and go bouncing into the dippers game as newly crowned champions with one thing left to play for, every player will believe.

If we get some piss poor drab result against the rags, then it just might be a bridge too far.

Let's win the league on Saturday and have no talk of resting this guy and that guy until the game is already won. It has become bigger than just another league game, on so many levels.

[john@staustell]

Maybe the club will put its hand in its pocket and buy everyone a scarf or a banana or a fucking blue piece of paper to hold up at least?

I hope so

[iwasthere2012]

Of course we can do it and as mentioned, the early goal is vital.

In fact, we've scored 3 goals without reply in a cup final only a few weeks back. The biggest factor IMO is how we get on on Sat. If we beat the shit out of the rags and go bouncing into the dippers game as newly crowned champions with one thing left to play for, every player will believe.

If we get some piss poor drab result against the rags, then it just might be a bridge too far.

Let's win the league on Saturday and have no talk of resting this guy and that guy until the game is already won. It has become bigger than just another league game, on so many levels.

True enough. Fully expect the reags to kick lumps out of us on Saturday though.

[City64]

Hearing stuff that Manchester based rags want to team up with City boys and have the scouse cunts good and proper , Retribution is in the air and all around . Scouse coaches have to pass through Salford to get to the Etihad ..........

[carolina-blue]

Maybe the club will put its hand in its pocket and buy everyone a scarf or a banana or a fucking blue piece of paper to hold up at least?

I hope so

Plastic Blue flags were handed out at Wembley against the Arse looked great when everyone was waving them ...Sea of Blue I hope the club do it next week .,,Fuckit and at the Derby ,

[nottsblue]

Lets park Saturday for a minute.

In a way we've sort of had it easy this season. Fans, players, everybody 'City'. With very few exceptions and the odd fluker - Wigan - it's been a smooth ride

Next Tuesday night is the time for all players to get stuck in and be counted, to get that 3 goal problem wiped out by half time. It was quite clear the Dippers were absolutely knackered and that will only get worse. Never mind about resting people, never mind about too many games - this is the time of the season when you have to play them if you want to win anything. They seemed to freeze for 35 minutes last night in the Anfield ******* ( insert whatever over-stated word you want), so they owe us a really great performance.

Which brings us to the crowd. Without going down the chavvy/scally route of smashing up buses, it's up to the crowd - with some imaginative atmospherics from the club - to make an atmosphere like the Hamburg game (may be the best example) - to make the tired Dippers players freeze - as they have a talent for doing.

And lets get to this semi-final. Once more unto the breech.............................

Agree with all of that except for the first line.

Saturday's game is IMO crucial for next weeks game. As mentioned in the match thread I think if we go and redeem ourselves by beating the rags and winning the PL title, (which again IMO, is the benchmark for how successful the season has been), then that gives both players and fans alike huge optimism for the return leg. Nothing prepares better for a game we must win and win well, than beating the rags and we have the once in a lifetime bonus of having the chance to clinch the title at the same time.

The crowd will be well up for it, even more so with the PL title in the bag. I personally think we will come up just a bit short, but you never know. A couple of goals in the first half and it will be very tasty second half.

Whatever happens, it's been a great season and in all honesty if a year ago you'd have said the next twelve months would've panned out the way they have, most fans, if not all, would have taken it like a shot.

[s1ty m]

Of course we can do it and as mentioned, the early goal is vital.

In fact, we've scored 3 goals without reply in a cup final only a few weeks back. The biggest factor IMO is how we get on on Sat. If we beat the shit out of the rags and go bouncing into the dippers game as newly crowned champions with one thing left to play for, every player will believe.

If we get some piss poor drab result against the rags, then it just might be a bridge too far.

Let's win the league on Saturday and have no talk of resting this guy and that guy until the game is already won. It has become bigger than just another league game, on so many levels.

Agreed.

[ruralblue]

As I said last night. I have this feeling of a typical City that we will draw Saturday, allowing the press to dig the knife on even more in the build up to next Tuesday. Then for us to rip dippers a new arsehole and go through and get the league week after by trashing Spuds at Wembley. Would that make us first team to win the league at Wembley too???

[Hazy2]

Is this the Etihad rebirth. Fuck the Scouse cunts fuck the scum if the place is not a cauldron of hate and passion for everything blue, fuck it as it's game over, hand out the prawn sandwiches.

[gillie]

Of course we can do it and as mentioned, the early goal is vital.

In fact, we've scored 3 goals without reply in a cup final only a few weeks back. The biggest factor IMO is how we get on on Sat. If we beat the shit out of the rags and go bouncing into the dippers game as newly crowned champions with one thing left to play for, every player will believe.

If we get some piss poor drab result against the rags, then it just might be a bridge too far.

Let's win the league on Saturday and have no talk of resting this guy and that guy until the game is already won. It has become bigger than just another league game, on so many levels.

After last night they don't need resting as most didn't turn up.

[zuricity]

This is the Chumps league, don’t expect any favours.

Edin brought down in the box -at 0-0, no penalty.

Second half , foul just inside the box for Roma, no penalty. Kolarov free kick shows the wall clearly not 10 yards away.

Then Roma score two beautiful own goals ( really !)
and Barca are suddenly world beaters - my Arsenal they are .... it stinks.

[branny]

We're not out of this yet. We've scored three or more 23 times this season. I for one did not expect the third goal after 32 minutes to be their last. It was and the fact that they didn't push on for the 4th and 5th has kept us in with a shout. We were shit last night and as usually happens we get nothing at Anfield. We need to be at it from the off and who knows, an early goal may have them shitting it.

[City64]

We're not out of this yet. We've scored three or more 23 times this season. I for one did not expect the third goal after 32 minutes to be their last. It was and the fact that they didn't push on for the 4th and 5th has kept us in with a shout. We were shit last night and as usually happens we get nothing at Anfield. We need to be at it from the off and who knows, an early goal may have them shitting it.

An early couple of goals for us and the tie is turned on its head pal especially with rumours Salah has done his groin , Henderson suspended no Can or Matip they will be down to the bare bones at the Etihad .

[Beefymcfc]

We should always stand up and be counted, this is not just a pastime, it's a sense of being.

[zabbadabbado]

Attack will literally be our best form of defence Tuesday.

We need to score 4 Goals to progress. We all know are more than capable of doing that.

Ironically the Problem is our defence,i know it sounds daft saying this it with it being the best in the League. We have spent so much money on World class defenders, who have fuck all to do in 99% of the games we play in. Yet every time we come up against a half decent side you can guarantee one of these defenders will have A brain fart, or the entire defence collectively has a Brain fart. These mistakes are by some of the best players in the World. Frustrates me so much.

What is causing this ? Is this a a bi-product of our style ? Point being so dominant we are attacking in most games the defensive side is unwittingly being neglected. Basically our defence is forgetting how to defend because we usually out gun all and sundry. There is no real necessity for defending in most games. Annoyingly they are mostly self inflicted shit goals we concede in these games as well.

We have to come up with a better plan if we are to achieve European domination. Not sure how accurate this statistic is, but I read Guardiola has only ever won 4 times in 25 Knock out away Champions League away games. If there is any truth in that, then that really is gob smacking amazing statistic. I know Arsenal beat his Barcelona side in its Pomp,I think Chelsea did to, I remember Arsenal beating Bayern also.This is worth a thread to discuss, it suggests our manager is a stubborn flawed genius.

3 away games we have played at Liverpool the same way. I don’t even think Liverpool are that good of a side. their style is nothing more than kick and rush football every game for 30 minutes, then hanging on for grim death because they are all fucked. That’s why over a season they are where they are in the League and we are top. No shame going out to Real Madrid or Barcelona, but Liverpool, we are better than them man for man, the league don’t lie.

I think if we go for it Tuesday and score early on they will be rattled. If our lads turn up and give it a real good go erase the memory of last night shit show that will be enough for me. 4 - 0 would be dreamland.

More likely knowing our luck we will be 4-0 up after putting in the best performance of the season. 90 minutes gone, deep in to injury time a hopeful Ball lobbed in to our Box,VK miskicks the clearance, it twats Kyle Walker on the back of the Head, Ederson out of Position slips trying to get back, only connecting with a fingertip.

[harveytravis]

Just watched Barcelona coming back from 4-0 against PSG.

Reminds of 9320!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyOi4q3K8Zk