***南華體育會v city match thread***

[Evenmydoghatesunited]

Yes, 1-0

Thanks. I think friendlies are crap on the whole but cannot help asking. Good match? Wot learned?

[Beefymcfc]

The first half looked decent and we could've been at least 2 up if Dzeko was an inch or 2 taller. We looked good, even if it is still early in the pre-season. One thing I noticed was that a few of them looked very different to what we seen last season; the eye was there. You could see in the likes of Dzeko and Nasri that they looked more confident and as if they wanted it.

Jimbob always looks handy and I think it'll be hard to leave him out of the team this year. Lescott looked cool and collected (yes Carl, I've seen your post) and it seemed an all around decent performance for the first half.

As for the commentary, they sounded very critical in the 1st half but no real angst that they usually have.

Looking forward to the 2nd now.

[Tim777]

Thanks. I think friendlies are crap on the whole but cannot help asking. Good match? Wot learned?

Beefy summed it up well.
Dzeko was the scorer in the 13th, Negredo was brilliant and incisive.

[brite blu sky]

The first half looked decent and we could've been at least 2 up if Dzeko was an inch or 2 taller. We looked good, even if it is still early in the pre-season. One thing I noticed was that a few of them looked very different to what we seen last season; the eye was there. You could see in the likes of Dzeko and Nasri that they looked more confident and as if they wanted it.

Jimbob always looks handy and I think it'll be hard to leave him out of the team this year. Lescott looked cool and collected (yes Carl, I've seen your post) and it seemed an all around decent performance for the first half.

As for the commentary, they sounded very critical in the 1st half but no real angst that they usually have.

Looking forward to the 2nd now.

I think you have something there Beef lad... I cant yet tell if I am imagining it or willing it, but there seems like the sense of a bit more relaxed body language. That pitch really fucked up any chance of any really fluid football though, looked like they made heavy weather of the game in the end.
Get the sense the instructions aren't so rigid anymore.

I think by the Milan or Arsenal game we should have some idea.

[Evenmydoghatesunited]

Thanks for that. I really do think Pelle is what we need. Modern man methods etc.

Gollum's I'm from Glasgow and we are as hard as shite tactic is yesterday. Lord twunt of Epsom and Cabernet sauvignon's methods are of the past. God bless all us blues and may a plague of boils fall upon our doubters detractors the bbc and all others who follow those from the industrial estate

[Saul Goodman]

Wow. Sounds like, in a minimal "debut", that Negredo impressed. I hope it wasn't just him trying really hard in his first outing in a City shirt and the same effort and skill go missing as he plays more..sorta like Nasri

[MilnersJaw]

I watched nasri in the second half and he kept slowing the ball down and passing it backwards

[ashton287]

Wow. Sounds like, in a minimal "debut", that Negredo impressed. I hope it wasn't just him trying really hard in his first outing in a City shirt

He didn't do much to be honest and nothing very impressive against piss poor opposition.

He did a good impression of aguero when he used his strength and speed to get past a defender, then ran himself into a shit angle and nothing came off it.

But it was only his first 20 minutes on a shit pitch in what looked like the most humid place on the planet. Not sure what the wankfest is all about.

[mr_nool]

He didn't do much to be honest and nothing very impressive against piss poor opposition.

He did a good impression of aguero when he used his strength and speed to get past a defender, then ran himself into a shit angle and nothing came off it.

But it was only his first 20 minutes on a shit pitch in what looked like the most humid place on the planet. Not sure what the wankfest is all about.

You forget the quality pass to Dzeko.

[I Just Blue Myself]

He didn't do much to be honest and nothing very impressive against piss poor opposition.

He did a good impression of aguero when he used his strength and speed to get past a defender, then ran himself into a shit angle and nothing came off it.

But it was only his first 20 minutes on a shit pitch in what looked like the most humid place on the planet. Not sure what the wankfest is all about.

You forget the quality pass to Dzeko.

It was quality, no doubt, but I thought Dzeko's control was just as impressive.

[Ted Hughes]

Negredo is miles better & stronger on the ball than Dzeko, but, as Ant said; our forwards don't usually link up. Dzeko is a bit of a lazy ponce on the ball but he knows where the goals are. We have not had a player who can collect a ball under pressure & play people like Dzeko in.

People expect Dzeko to be that player but he simply isn't & we have had no player of that kind for years. Now Dzeko has someone who can take that pressure off & I recon he may be a bit excited about it.

We have signed players who look like they will compliment each other as well as fitting in with the players we already had.

I think it will give us fantastic new options, not just from the new players, but also by allowing the established players more feedom to play & to swap position.

[twosips]

Was at work today so didn't see the game. Managed to hunt down this video...all of Negredo's touches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xMUOFfVk9c

Looks pretty good to me. Didn't realise he was that fast!

[london blue 2]

I watched nasri in the second half and he kept slowing the ball down and passing it backwards

Yeah but the flip side of that is Sinclair who carries the ball blindly forward and loses possession. I know which I prefer.

[Beefymcfc]

The 2nd half was good to watch even though we didn't score. Once again we dominated play (compared to the SA games) and I was amazed at how big Negredo is; he looks very, very strong.

One thing that I'm looking for in these type of games is formation and who a new manager wants to play where. The instant thing is Yaya's position and how he wasnt played in the more defensive role where we've seen him. If anything, he played just off the striker and was there at every call going forward. Fernando, although he made a few casual mistakes, was played in the DM role with Barry (the normal foil) pushing forward and drifting in unmarked.

It was interesting in the fact that we've seen the input of an out-and-out wide man on the right, confidently pulling players across and opening the space in the middle. This is something we have sorely missed, whether it be Jimbob or Navas. I'm just wondering if Navas will be employed purely out on the wing or he will push inside, dragging players all over the place?

All-in-all it was a better judge of what we have to offer and more than that, it showed what was in the players belly. I'm looking forward to this season, it's going to get very interesting.

[MilnersJaw]

Yeah but the flip side of that is Sinclair who carries the ball blindly forward and loses possession. I know which I prefer.

Neither?

[lets all have a disco]

Was at work today so didn't see the game. Managed to hunt down this video...all of Negredo's touches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xMUOFfVk9c

Looks pretty good to me. Didn't realise he was that fast!

He deffo looks like a baller i hope he gets something going with Kun at training,it could be lethal.

EVIL LAUGH

[Ted Hughes]

The 2nd half was good to watch even though we didn't score. Once again we dominated play (compared to the SA games) and I was amazed at how big Negredo is; he looks very, very strong.

One thing that I'm looking for in these type of games is formation and who a new manager wants to play where. The instant thing is Yaya's position and how he wasnt played in the more defensive role where we've seen him. If anything, he played just off the striker and was there at every call going forward. Fernando, although he made a few casual mistakes, was played in the DM role with Barry (the normal foil) pushing forward and drifting in unmarked.

It was interesting in the fact that we've seen the input of an out-and-out wide man on the right, confidently pulling players across and opening the space in the middle. This is something we have sorely missed, whether it be Jimbob or Navas. I'm just wondering if Navas will be employed purely out on the wing or he will push inside, dragging players all over the place?

All-in-all it was a better judge of what we have to offer and more than that, it showed what was in the players belly. I'm looking forward to this season, it's going to get very interesting.

Although it came to nothing, one of my favourite moments was seeing both Fernandinho & Yaya charging towards their penalty area side by side.

This kind of thing is going to scare the living shit out of some teams as the season progresses.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

He didn't do much to be honest and nothing very impressive against piss poor opposition.

He did a good impression of aguero when he used his strength and speed to get past a defender, then ran himself into a shit angle and nothing came off it.

But it was only his first 20 minutes on a shit pitch in what looked like the most humid place on the planet. Not sure what the wankfest is all about.

You forget the quality pass to Dzeko.

It was quality, no doubt, but I thought Dzeko's control was just as impressive.

What impressed me was Negredo's speed of thought in making that pass. I love intelligent players.

[Beefymcfc]

The 2nd half was good to watch even though we didn't score. Once again we dominated play (compared to the SA games) and I was amazed at how big Negredo is; he looks very, very strong.

One thing that I'm looking for in these type of games is formation and who a new manager wants to play where. The instant thing is Yaya's position and how he wasnt played in the more defensive role where we've seen him. If anything, he played just off the striker and was there at every call going forward. Fernando, although he made a few casual mistakes, was played in the DM role with Barry (the normal foil) pushing forward and drifting in unmarked.

It was interesting in the fact that we've seen the input of an out-and-out wide man on the right, confidently pulling players across and opening the space in the middle. This is something we have sorely missed, whether it be Jimbob or Navas. I'm just wondering if Navas will be employed purely out on the wing or he will push inside, dragging players all over the place?

All-in-all it was a better judge of what we have to offer and more than that, it showed what was in the players belly. I'm looking forward to this season, it's going to get very interesting.

Although it came to nothing, one of my favourite moments was seeing both Fernandinho & Yaya charging towards their penalty area side by side.

This kind of thing is going to scare the living shit out of some teams as the season progresses.

There was quite a lot that can be taken from the game and although I didn't see that move, it's reassuring that we are switching the play.

On another note, why did Sky think it was right ot interlope the China games and the Bayern v Barca game with the Rag 4-3 win against us from a few years ago?

Sick cunts!

[Slim]

I saw Ferdi and Milner do that, passing back and forth between themselves, was quite fun to watch.