***Champions v Villa Official Match Thread***

[Blue In Bolton]

Well. That was fucking awful. Cancelo is an absolute joke and this one is on Pep. Playing Fernandinho at centre half has always been a shit option and it is just back to passing it sideways with fuck all to show for it. Cue more of the same in the second half.

[PeterParker]

Fern at the back is a disaster. Always has been.

We gave up a season in 19/20 for playing him there
We fucked up playing him there vs West Ham and Today.

It's a managerial disaster.

[KinkyKinkladze]

I just don't get it. We had a whole season of fern at centre back to see it doesn't work. We even tried it again for a laugh last week and it was emphasised more than ever that as brilliant as he's been for us, a short bloke nearer to 40 than 30 should not be starting at the back for us. Why the fuck is he playing today?

The sooner Jesus is gone the better. His entire city career has been nothing but an excitable puppy running about. Poundshop dickov.

I hate this club sometimes I really do.

[Tru_Blu]

Pep ego again ffs….pull fern put Rodri back there bring in gun you with Kevin in front conducting the entire show…what ever he told B Silva has caused him to completely be unseen ffs…

[blues2win]

If Walker isn’t fit I think I’d swap Stones and Fernandinho. They’re targeting Fernandinho in the air. Really though our defender injuries have screwed our end of season.

Still 45 plus. Come on City.

[Blue Jam]

Feels like one of those days when it goes bad but Pep changes nothing.

[PrezIke]

To me the injuries to the defence have sent us into a tailspin the past few weeks and Pep has been relying on heavy rotation of players out of position and/or who were far out of rotation (Dinho).

It's caused problems with buildup and the way we were effective which was less changes to the back line and players accustomed to playing with one another.

It's a very tough spot for Pep to be in in terms of selection.

Factor in no Mendy and I think Gab Marcotti has gotten it right that maybe we lack enough depth with such a small squad with an injury crisis like this which could not be said as unforeseen with the level of tough games that could happen at this stage of the season if in all competitions as we target.

[Indianablue]

Not good, plenty of possession but nothing produced on goal and Villa pinch one. Predictable from Villa and we have had a week to work on this. Fernsndonho looks susceptible and Cancelo is a bit wasteful, too much going through him and shading Bernie. Their substitute keeper having his best game. Shades of Cloghie and the clown in goal - for you older blues. I fucking knew it would be like this. Need a couple of quick goals to settle the players and the crowd. It's in our hands

[PeterParker]

There are two things we need now: A plan B and a striker.

We are missing both.

[brite blu sky]

Don't know who to blame.
If he said to play like this, then he is an idiot, if the players showed up like this, they need to search for clubs.

Villa is playing exactly how everyone knew, no fucking innovation of football.

It's a colossal fuck up. Our mentality went to shit.

It's a bit like Madrid, whole team not fast enough.

Cancello makes poor choices consistently.
Phil needs to turn up more, he did at the end there but needs to do that more.
Ultimately if we speed it up Villa won't cope.
We are playing too tentative. Nervous?

At least HT gives them a chance to realise this is too slow.

[ruralblue]

This is City, this is how we do things.

Currently on the Cardio ward but such us.

[s1ty m]

Why not the double pivot like against Wolves? That worked too well? Pep has another diabolical mess, that he created, on his hands.

[Harry Dowd scored]

I think we had better manage our expectations we are not winning this game, we know Pep can’t change things for the better, so let’s just hope dippers fuck up

[branny]

Cancelo has been awful as well. We’ve created fuck all and look nervous. This is dire.

He's shit in more games than he's not. May as well play Grealish at lb. He gives the ball away less.

[PeterParker]

I think we had better manage our expectations we are not winning this game, we know Pep can’t change things for the better, so let’s just hope dippers fuck up

No chance of them fucking up, pal.
Bet your house, no chance.

[Crossie]

I’m telling my self to calm the fuck down and that we’ve been in worse situations and come up trumps. Foden on the bench, options to change it up.

[Whassat]

We need a quick goal or two the other side of the half to make this bearable.

[Nigels Tackle]

zinch coming on. christ

[john@staustell]

Fuck me he's made a sub

[john@staustell]

The bad news is......