***soton v city official match thread***

[ashton287]

This reminds me of Everton away at the end of last season and a bit of the FA cup final with all the long balls we played for them to just co me back at us.

Utterly battered. Second best in everything. Looked like we had 9 men and them 30. But a point away to these is a very good point and we are lucky to have it.

[bigblue]

We have to be happy with a draw at Southampton tbh.. theyre a very good team and we knew that. Very disappointing performance by us though.

Was disappointing, but they were great. really showed that they belong where they are in the table. Defending could have been better, but we drew to a special goal.

[shawzy]

Fuckinell that was piss poor...2nd to every loose ball...They were so much better than us....Thought Garia coming on would have saved the day...Hmm perhaps not.

Anyone see Jose face after the Stoke game...Priceless haha.

[Lee_R]

We have to be happy with a draw at Southampton tbh.. theyre a very good team and we knew that. Very disappointing performance by us though.

They are not very good team. They are well trained team on a good run. World of difference.

What good run? I think theyre playing very well all considered. Plus do you remember the first game of this season? If we had played with half their energy and enthusiasm we'd be a bit better off.

[Green & Blue]

All things considered that was a decent point on the road.

Not impressed with the team performance at all but Southampton did play very well today and looked like they wanted it far more than the City players.

If we are going to catch Arsenal the players need to start working for it.Quite simply they were out fought today.

[PrezIke]

at least chelsea lost!

we need a cb with pace asap, and should consider going with dm on the road with a lone striker.

i know dzeko and negredo are likely expecting to start every other game at least, so that may be part of the problem with keeping them happy.

[ashton287]

They are not very good team. They are well trained team on a good run. World of difference.

well trained team with the heart and determination to make our very good team look piss poor. We looked like a championship side for most of that game.

[Ted Hughes]

So many players played like shite today, getting simple things wrong, it's remarkable that we have a point, almost raglike.

Just in the last few minutes, Zabba twice made stupid fucking decisions, then comes hurtling forward past Navas leaving half a pitch behind him, Kolarov gets a throw & throws the ball 15 yards, directly to a Southampton player in the 92nd min.

All game shit like that was happening, unfathomable stupidity. Even Aguero & Beast were at it, although I recon both were carrying knocks/strains.

Doesn't matter what formation you play if the players on the pitch play like that.

Mention for Fernandinho; fucking heroic.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I am pleased overall, Soton are really a good team and not many teams will win here.

We are obvious better and better, let”s win with Arse next week and challenge the title.

I agree although not sure I fully understand that 2nd line. Not good performance obviously but mostly that was down to Soton.Their style of play smothers City where they like to build the play and they are very fit so they never stopped closing down.Plenty of our players were below their best of course but it's a point from a tough game and it did take a world class strike to stop us winning.

[Green & Blue]

So many players played like shite today, getting simple things wrong, it's remarkable that we have a point, almost raglike.

Just in the last few minutes, Zabba twice made stupid fucking decisions, then comes hurtling forward past Navas leaving half a pitch behind him, Kolarov gets a throw & throws the ball 15 yards, directly to a Southampton player in the 92nd min.

All game shit like that was happening, unfathomable stupidity. Even Aguero & Beast were at it, although I recon both were carrying knocks/strains.

Doesn't matter what formation you play if the players on the pitch play like that.

Mention for Fernandinho; fucking heroic.

True Fernandinho was about the only player who got stuck in today, looking a really good signing even with that price tag.

[ashton287]

After this now we need to rest the team mid week and take second in the group. We are nowhere near good enough to beat bayern and certainly not 7-0.

Aguero, negredo, navas, fernandinho, zaba, nasri. Don't even fly them to Germany FFS just leave them home to rest up. Arsenal is a massive game now and we need to beat them home and away to close that gap.

[Twobob]

So many players played like shite today, getting simple things wrong, it's remarkable that we have a point, almost raglike. Just in the last few minutes, Zabba twice made stupid fucking decisions, then comes hurtling forward past Navas leaving half a pitch behind him, Kolarov gets a throw & throws the ball 15 yards, directly to a Southampton player in the 92nd min. All game shit like that was happening, unfathomable stupidity. Even Aguero & Beast were at it, although I recon both were carrying knocks/strains. Doesn't matter what formation you play if the players on the pitch play like that. Mention for Fernandinho; fucking heroic.

It surely cant be the case but it just seems that the team goes out there without a clue what each is supposed to do! Seems like theres fuck all plan and midfield and defence is all over the show.

Either that or the white line is erasing their memories and they all think they're frigging ice-cream men!

Sounds like Ferdi pretty much had to cope with the midfield all on his own.

[PrezIke]

scouting report on how to stop us is press as much as possible.

didn't bayern do the same thing?

helps to have to have players that can do that, of course with skill and pace, as well as a manager they believe in.

not a lot of clubs with that kind of team make up.

[PeterParker]

I am pleased overall, Soton are really a good team and not many teams will win here.

We are obvious better and better, let”s win with Arse next week and challenge the title.

I agree although not sure I fully understand that 2nd line. Not good performance obviously but mostly that was down to Soton.Their style of play smothers City where they like to build the play and they are very fit so they never stopped closing down.Plenty of our players were below their best of course but it's a point from a tough game and it did take a world class strike to stop us winning.

Well, imho, City from a month ago would have lost today, but now we look more composed at the back, dunno if Demichelis or Pants is the reason, but our defence was good today, even if we mixed up a thew times. Look at our offside trap, it was flawless, even if the assistant got it wrong
Yeah, we were mediocre, but we still got a point from a place where normally we would had lost. I think our mistake was to go back after Sergio missed that chance to make it 2-0.

Overall i am pleased, but this might go to shit if we will not beat Arse.

[Ted Hughes]

So many players played like shite today, getting simple things wrong, it's remarkable that we have a point, almost raglike. Just in the last few minutes, Zabba twice made stupid fucking decisions, then comes hurtling forward past Navas leaving half a pitch behind him, Kolarov gets a throw & throws the ball 15 yards, directly to a Southampton player in the 92nd min. All game shit like that was happening, unfathomable stupidity. Even Aguero & Beast were at it, although I recon both were carrying knocks/strains. Doesn't matter what formation you play if the players on the pitch play like that. Mention for Fernandinho; fucking heroic.

It surely cant be the case but it just seems that the team goes out there without a clue what each is supposed to do! Seems like theres fuck all plan and midfield and defence is all over the show.

Either that or the white line is erasing their memories and they all think they're frigging ice-cream men!

Sounds like Ferdi pretty much had to cope with the midfield all on his own.

One thing we are supposed to do by my reconing, is play offsides in our own box, which fucking scares me with Arsenal on the horizon.

[Risby]

So many players played like shite today, getting simple things wrong, it's remarkable that we have a point, almost raglike.

Just in the last few minutes, Zabba twice made stupid fucking decisions, then comes hurtling forward past Navas leaving half a pitch behind him, Kolarov gets a throw & throws the ball 15 yards, directly to a Southampton player in the 92nd min.

All game shit like that was happening, unfathomable stupidity. Even Aguero & Beast were at it, although I recon both were carrying knocks/strains.

Doesn't matter what formation you play if the players on the pitch play like that.

Mention for Fernandinho; fucking heroic.

Didn't get chance to watch the game, but heard it all on the radio.

Sounded like we played utter shite 2nd half, but I wanted to ask about Fernandinho - the radio didn't really say much about individual players, was he our only shining light?
Surely he has to be considered for the next Brazil squad.

[Spurge]

I thought we defended well to be honest, played ok in small bursts, but agree desire, energy and mistakes in certain areas was the issue today. Massive credit to Southampton thought they were strong in the areas we weren't, and considering they had lost 3 in a row (albeit unluckily against Arse, Chelsea and Villa) they were not overawed by us - quite the contrary in fact.

Their manager has got them all as fit as a butchers dog with lots of self belief, hopefully we will have learnt something from them in this respect.

[Lee_R]

So many players played like shite today, getting simple things wrong, it's remarkable that we have a point, almost raglike.

Just in the last few minutes, Zabba twice made stupid fucking decisions, then comes hurtling forward past Navas leaving half a pitch behind him, Kolarov gets a throw & throws the ball 15 yards, directly to a Southampton player in the 92nd min.

All game shit like that was happening, unfathomable stupidity. Even Aguero & Beast were at it, although I recon both were carrying knocks/strains.

Doesn't matter what formation you play if the players on the pitch play like that.

Mention for Fernandinho; fucking heroic.

Didn't get chance to watch the game, but heard it all on the radio.

Sounded like we played utter shite 2nd half, but I wanted to ask about Fernandinho - the radio didn't really say much about individual players, was he our only shining light?
Surely he has to be considered for the next Brazil squad.

Hard to say.. he was alright but it wasnt a performance to judge if he should be in the Brazil squad. I suspect he will be there though.

[Twobob]

One thing we are supposed to do by my reconing, is play offsides in our own box, which fucking scares me with Arsenal on the horizon.

Our 'line' has been a bloody wave all season - straight as blatter.

[Ted Hughes]

So many players played like shite today, getting simple things wrong, it's remarkable that we have a point, almost raglike.

Just in the last few minutes, Zabba twice made stupid fucking decisions, then comes hurtling forward past Navas leaving half a pitch behind him, Kolarov gets a throw & throws the ball 15 yards, directly to a Southampton player in the 92nd min.

All game shit like that was happening, unfathomable stupidity. Even Aguero & Beast were at it, although I recon both were carrying knocks/strains.

Doesn't matter what formation you play if the players on the pitch play like that.

Mention for Fernandinho; fucking heroic.

Didn't get chance to watch the game, but heard it all on the radio.

Sounded like we played utter shite 2nd half, but I wanted to ask about Fernandinho - the radio didn't really say much about individual players, was he our only shining light?
Surely he has to be considered for the next Brazil squad.

Not always great 1v1, but the number of times he just got a toe in to stop a dangerous attack, or covered the gaping hole left by that fucking idiot Demichelis charging out of position, plus some of the wonderful simplicity in his passing, he really is right up there imo & I keep saying; he is fucking good going forward. We haven't seen much of it yet, but we will eventually.