*** City Plays West Ham in the League Cup Match Thread ***

[carl_feedthegoat]

Alf still looked in pain after the game, couldn't lift his arm to shake hands. Looks like a dislocated or broken collarbone to me. Reporter told Manuel post match he was limping down the tunnel, Manuel shrugged and said "Alvaro has a pain in his shoulder - we will see tomorrow."

Bad news blues.

Pellers has said later that Negredo is fine so it's all good news tonight.

But I do think it's time to calm down about Lopes. Very nice performance and 2 assists on the way to MotM ( although not for me) but let's not go OTT as some would do for players at the swamp as soon as they set foot on a pitch.

Absolutely this.

I saw the whole thing through a drinking session due to a mate who has been ill & recovered & still I can see that Lopes did some great & some shit things, (& that Lescott was much better than Nastasic).

I'll watch a recording of it when sober but I recon even pissed, I'm still much more even handed than any Lescott hating twerps on here. And also that Lopes showed raw but not finished talent.

I can understand the enthusasm re Lopes, but it's still early days.

The test in the end will be him producing a level higher than that, every week.

And if he can, there are others who may soon follow.

Well done to him though; i'm delighted.

Lopes was MOTM and that was obvious...excellent player and only 18.He wont get that many chances with us in the prem unless of injuries but we need to keep him at all costs as he does have what it takes so Id keep him in the squad for the LC final and maybe 20 mins on against Watford if we are coasting it.

[Ted Hughes]

Alf still looked in pain after the game, couldn't lift his arm to shake hands. Looks like a dislocated or broken collarbone to me. Reporter told Manuel post match he was limping down the tunnel, Manuel shrugged and said "Alvaro has a pain in his shoulder - we will see tomorrow."

Bad news blues.

Pellers has said later that Negredo is fine so it's all good news tonight.

But I do think it's time to calm down about Lopes. Very nice performance and 2 assists on the way to MotM ( although not for me) but let's not go OTT as some would do for players at the swamp as soon as they set foot on a pitch.

Absolutely this.

I saw the whole thing through a drinking session due to a mate who has been ill & recovered & still I can see that Lopes did some great & some shit things, (& that Lescott was much better than Nastasic).

I'll watch a recording of it when sober but I recon even pissed, I'm still much more even handed than any Lescott hating twerps on here. And also that Lopes showed raw but not finished talent.

I can understand the enthusasm re Lopes, but it's still early days.

The test in the end will be him producing a level higher than that, every week.

And if he can, there are others who may soon follow.

Well done to him though; i'm delighted.

Lopes was MOTM and that was obvious...excellent player and only 18.He wont get that many chances with us in the prem unless of injuries but we need to keep him at all costs as he does have what it takes so Id keep him in the squad for the LC final and maybe 20 mins on against Watford if we are coasting it.

We are reaching the situation where decisions will have to be made regarding some of these lads. The fact that Suarez fucked off to Barca has delayed it by a season, but he would have put us in a quandry had he decided to stay. We would have had to either play him or sell him. He made the decision for us as it turned out but some of these lads are better than him now.

We can get through this season ok as we are, but next season Lopes, probably Pozo if he gets his form back, Denayer & maybe several others, will need a higher level of football than EDS if they are to move frward as they should. We have to decide on how we are going to deal with that & do what's right for them.

If we don't think they are good enough to play regularly in first team games yet, we have to loan them out, but even that can't go on forever. At some point, we have to start actually playing some of them in the Prem as opposed to signing players.

Txiki may have to make that call & just refuse to sign anymore players in their positions.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Alf still looked in pain after the game, couldn't lift his arm to shake hands. Looks like a dislocated or broken collarbone to me. Reporter told Manuel post match he was limping down the tunnel, Manuel shrugged and said "Alvaro has a pain in his shoulder - we will see tomorrow."

Bad news blues.

Pellers has said later that Negredo is fine so it's all good news tonight.

But I do think it's time to calm down about Lopes. Very nice performance and 2 assists on the way to MotM ( although not for me) but let's not go OTT as some would do for players at the swamp as soon as they set foot on a pitch.

Absolutely this.

I saw the whole thing through a drinking session due to a mate who has been ill & recovered & still I can see that Lopes did some great & some shit things, (& that Lescott was much better than Nastasic).

I'll watch a recording of it when sober but I recon even pissed, I'm still much more even handed than any Lescott hating twerps on here. And also that Lopes showed raw but not finished talent.

I can understand the enthusasm re Lopes, but it's still early days.

The test in the end will be him producing a level higher than that, every week.

And if he can, there are others who may soon follow.

Well done to him though; i'm delighted.

Lopes was MOTM and that was obvious...excellent player and only 18.He wont get that many chances with us in the prem unless of injuries but we need to keep him at all costs as he does have what it takes so Id keep him in the squad for the LC final and maybe 20 mins on against Watford if we are coasting it.

We are reaching the situation where decisions will have to be made regarding some of these lads. The fact that Suarez fucked off to Barca has delayed it by a season, but he would have put us in a quandry had he decided to stay. We would have had to either play him or sell him. He made the decision for us as it turned out but some of these lads are better than him now.

We can get through this season ok as we are, but next season Lopes, probably Pozo if he gets his form back, Denayer & maybe several others, will need a higher level of football than EDS if they are to move frward as they should. We have to decide on how we are going to deal with that & do what's right for them.

If we don't think they are good enough to play regularly in first team games yet, we have to loan them out, but even that can't go on forever. At some point, we have to start actually playing some of them in the Prem as opposed to signing players.

Txiki may have to make that call & just refuse to sign anymore players in their positions.

I think you are right in that the biggest decision wont just rest with the manager, I also think it will be more down to the two Spanish guys. It will be them who will take the major decision on an agreement where we include someone like Lopes in the starting line up (Squad) at the risk of maybe losing a game or 2.

I don't see any other way.

[Burt]

Some sense being talked about young Lopez here.

Under the circumstances he had a good game and will hopefully learn from the few mistakes that he made.

Overall I have to say that his was the most pleasing performance from a young City player coming through that I have seen Micah Richards and long may it continue.

Carl made a very good point in saying that in future we may have to take a hit by risking losing a couple of point now and again by throwing these young uns in for a game or two. We are big enough and good enough as a club and a squad to now do this sort of thing and it will reap its rewards at a later date for sure. All the best teams have done this over the years and so should we.

Very professional performance by the way last night and I was very pleasantly surprised by our fans turnout.

Onwards and upwards Blues!

[gmercer1]

I wonder if there is anyway he can play for England in 5 years time, just like they are trying to sort out with this jizzinyoureye kid?

He has a MOTM performance and nothing really mentioned (pundits and press)...........the scum lad plays a game and its as though he has won the champions league..........on his own.

[Slim]

I wonder if there is anyway he can play for England in 5 years time, just like they are trying to sort out with this jizzinyoureye kid?

He has a MOTM performance and nothing really mentioned (pundits and press)...........the scum lad plays a game and its as though he has won the champions league..........on his own.

The Home Nations agreement requires that players engage in a minimum of five years of education before the age of 18 within the territory of the relevant association and do not offer national team eligibility through residency.

[john@staustell]

I wonder if there is anyway he can play for England in 5 years time, just like they are trying to sort out with this jizzinyoureye kid?

He has a MOTM performance and nothing really mentioned (pundits and press)...........the scum lad plays a game and its as though he has won the champions league..........on his own.

You're probably right, but it WAS like playing against the Academy for the Partially Sighted that match.