*** City v Watford Matchday Thread ***

[ruralblue]

Must say a MASSIVE thanks to who ever put the bbc radio link up. Lots of panic pre match and for first ten mins or so with no joan rivers. The OS going down didnt help either but, I rather enjoyed listening to the Goat commentating! !!

[Jon London]

Agree the Goat was great and predicted the 4-2 comeback although after 80 minutes he was getting twitchy.

[Green & Blue]

Would love to hear the goat commentating on City games.Anyone know if todays game is available to listen to online?

[ruralblue]

Omg cannot believe how we were opened up for that second goal.

[nottsblue]

Omg cannot believe how we were opened up for that second goal.

Pants didn't cover himself in glory either

[Saul Goodman]

He was involved quite a bit in the first half. He did beat a man or two on occasion but let himself down as he tried to do too much and overran the ball. It was that sort of frustrating involvement he had. He was also eased off the ball a number of times. Most of Watford's good work came down his side too. That said, he did nt hide and he was nt the only one who did nt deliver.

Sounds like Navas last week

[phips]

sorta shocking that an ex-hospital janitor with only 1 player on his squad that was paid for almost beat us

[michaelcityfan]

Like an earlier post I saw two nil down but thought we could overcome . Not like the good old snatch defeat from.the jaws of victory city. Things have changed. Hope negredo will be back soon and the count starts using a defense more it's like Keegan all over again but it never does win you anything over a full season imo.

[AG7]

Got back from the game a couple of hours ago and just gone through the whole thread ...

Micah was piss poor the first half and always out of position, the section I sat in (3rd tier, right on half way line) were playing spot the Micah ... cuz he never was where the right back should be, he'd bomb forward and then be seen walking (not even walking, fucking strolling back zig zag route) ... same with Rodwell, he for some reason was always anticipating the ball going the other way whichever way he turned ... knew straight away Zaba and Komps were coming on as both were out the tunnel 2-3 mins into the break and warmed up extensively, frankly was expecting Demichelis (or Lescott) to make way for Komps but then Pelligrini obviously knows better. Oh and Lopes was poor too throughout ... as good as he was last, is as bad as he was this one ...

Now to the most important part ... how come no one has mentioned Aguero had a PERFECT hat-trick ... first goal, RIGHT footed, second goal was LEFT footed and third with a HEADER ... first hat-trick this season, 25 and counting, long live the Kun!

[AG7]

Goals from the game:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ab47 ... -net_sport

[Sideshow Bob]

Got back from the game a couple of hours ago and just gone through the whole thread ...

Micah was piss poor the first half and always out of position, the section I sat in (3rd tier, right on half way line) were playing spot the Micah ... cuz he never was where the right back should be, he'd bomb forward and then be seen walking (not even walking, fucking strolling back zig zag route) ... same with Rodwell, he for some reason was always anticipating the ball going the other way whichever way he turned ... knew straight away Zaba and Komps were coming on as both were out the tunnel 2-3 mins into the break and warmed up extensively, frankly was expecting Demichelis (or Lescott) to make way for Komps but then Pelligrini obviously knows better. Oh and Lopes was poor too throughout ... as good as he was last, is as bad as he was this one ...

Now to the most important part ... how come no one has mentioned Aguero had a PERFECT hat-trick ... first goal, RIGHT footed, second goal was LEFT footed and third with a HEADER ... first hat-trick this season, 25 and counting, long live the Kun!

Thoughts on jovetic today?

[AG7]

Thoughts on jovetic today?

You mean apart from when he collided with Dzeko who was going to head in for a goal for us at the time we were 0-2 down (or maybe 1-2 at the time) but still chasing and desperate for a goal ... someone next to me commented we have too many strikers on the field now ... that summed it up for me, he wasn't there long enough to really show what he's about and the little he was on it clearly showed he hasn't played with this team so was constantly moving on his own ... one was this incident when he came and attacked the ball which Dzeko was going for too and they both kind of came in each other's way ... another time he passed it to some imaginary team mate out wide where no one had run to ... and another time he was supposed to have run in but wasn't and once had ran way too much that the pass went behind him ... so can't really say much except he did look rusty and out of place, but a few of the moves he was part of the runs he made were definitely better then the two other rusty players (Micah and Rodwell) ... I guess next fe games will tell us ... with that £16m signing doing so well (Beast), expectations from the £22m (in the same window) are a bit high ...

[Ted Hughes]

Jovetic was a breath of fresh air & did things the other players didn't. If not for poor touches by Dzeko & Aguero, he would have 1-2d his way through at least twice but whatever, he pulled defenders all over the shop. Class act.

He is class & he is different. He doesn't replicate Silva or Nasri, even when he is in their area, he has a different method. Another string to our bow.

Watford, first half, played with an intelligence, tactical nous & workrate we don't see from Prem teams. They were superb.

We were shit, but credit where it is due, they saw our high line with no pace, & just dropped the ball over it & ran after it.

They had players back, players midfield & players upfront, all of whom were playing an almost perfect game, & outnumbering us in every area. Lopes was one of the reasos they were able to do this, but also, he was one of the main City players trying to do something about it. He struggled, but he showed the 'right stuff'.

Rodwell however; NO. Fucking comfort zone no mark. Not impressed at all. Demichelis 2nd half in his position, was 20 times better.

Now when I think of City v Dortmund; mirror image of 1st half today. Same 2 in midfield.

[john@staustell]

Toally agree with Ted. Lopes, however young, has to stop giving the ball to the other side and not tracking back!

Him, Yaya, Dzeko, Richards and Rodwell were dreadful first half. Demichelis was caught out for the goal but ws also often exposed by the disappearing act of Richards and Lopes.

2nd half Yaya woke up, Demichelis was excellent in midfield and Zabaleta showed Richards when to attack and when to defend. I used to have faith in Rodders, but I was at the match (so I didn't hear any names in commentary) and I'd actually forgotten he was playing until his substitution was announced. Compare that with Demichelis 2nd half who controlled everything, with Yaya resurrected from the dead.

That said the Watford coach knew exactly how to play but 2nd half they just got knackered and fell back trying to defend a lead.

[Dameerto]

We don't want to start loaning Lopes out on the back of one inconsistent performance, he needs to be blooded with our first team and allowed to make mistakes. With the proper post-match debriefing from the backroom staff it will help him to improve his game.

[Ted Hughes]

We don't want to start loaning Lopes out on the back of one inconsistent performance, he needs to be blooded with our first team and allowed to make mistakes. With the proper post-match debriefing from the backroom staff it will help him to improve his game.

It was good experience for Lopes. Silva or Nasri would have struggled under that kind of pressure, alongside the abject pairing of 'better than Colin Bell' & Rodwell, with the back to normal Kolarov on the other side .

He played some bad passes & made some bad decisions, but he didn't hide; he kept looking for the ball & trying to make something happen.

Now he has seen the other side of life at the top.

[Sideshow Bob]

Thoughts on jovetic today?

You mean apart from when he collided with Dzeko who was going to head in for a goal for us at the time we were 0-2 down (or maybe 1-2 at the time) but still chasing and desperate for a goal ... someone next to me commented we have too many strikers on the field now ... that summed it up for me, he wasn't there long enough to really show what he's about and the little he was on it clearly showed he hasn't played with this team so was constantly moving on his own ... one was this incident when he came and attacked the ball which Dzeko was going for too and they both kind of came in each other's way ... another time he passed it to some imaginary team mate out wide where no one had run to ... and another time he was supposed to have run in but wasn't and once had ran way too much that the pass went behind him ... so can't really say much except he did look rusty and out of place, but a few of the moves he was part of the runs he made were definitely better then the two other rusty players (Micah and Rodwell) ... I guess next fe games will tell us ... with that £16m signing doing so well (Beast), expectations from the £22m (in the same window) are a bit high ...

Cheers. Sounds like a mixed bag. Im just happy that he's playing again! *touch wood*

[Ted Hughes]

Thoughts on jovetic today?

You mean apart from when he collided with Dzeko who was going to head in for a goal for us at the time we were 0-2 down (or maybe 1-2 at the time) but still chasing and desperate for a goal ... someone next to me commented we have too many strikers on the field now ... that summed it up for me, he wasn't there long enough to really show what he's about and the little he was on it clearly showed he hasn't played with this team so was constantly moving on his own ... one was this incident when he came and attacked the ball which Dzeko was going for too and they both kind of came in each other's way ... another time he passed it to some imaginary team mate out wide where no one had run to ... and another time he was supposed to have run in but wasn't and once had ran way too much that the pass went behind him ... so can't really say much except he did look rusty and out of place, but a few of the moves he was part of the runs he made were definitely better then the two other rusty players (Micah and Rodwell) ... I guess next fe games will tell us ... with that £16m signing doing so well (Beast), expectations from the £22m (in the same window) are a bit high ...

Cheers. Sounds like a mixed bag. Im just happy that he's playing again! *touch wood*

If you want a 2nd opinion, I would say that I disagree 1000% with every single word of that & that it basically beggars belief that someond could watch his performance & come up with that.

I also recon 95% of people who saw him play will be very pleased with him.

[MilnersJaw]

can someone explain to me who saw the game actually happened at the back in the first 45 mins.

i was listening to the radio but that really doesnt give you a good picture.

MP made changes at the back because the defence was hopeless? what the fuck were micha, demi and lescott doing?

Also the invisible man came on and seemed to have changed the game too, was lopes ineffective?

[Sideshow Bob]

Thoughts on jovetic today?

You mean apart from when he collided with Dzeko who was going to head in for a goal for us at the time we were 0-2 down (or maybe 1-2 at the time) but still chasing and desperate for a goal ... someone next to me commented we have too many strikers on the field now ... that summed it up for me, he wasn't there long enough to really show what he's about and the little he was on it clearly showed he hasn't played with this team so was constantly moving on his own ... one was this incident when he came and attacked the ball which Dzeko was going for too and they both kind of came in each other's way ... another time he passed it to some imaginary team mate out wide where no one had run to ... and another time he was supposed to have run in but wasn't and once had ran way too much that the pass went behind him ... so can't really say much except he did look rusty and out of place, but a few of the moves he was part of the runs he made were definitely better then the two other rusty players (Micah and Rodwell) ... I guess next fe games will tell us ... with that £16m signing doing so well (Beast), expectations from the £22m (in the same window) are a bit high ...

Cheers. Sounds like a mixed bag. Im just happy that he's playing again! *touch wood*

If you want a 2nd opinion, I would say that I disagree 1000% with every single word of that & that it basically beggars belief that someond could watch his performance & come up with that.

I also recon 95% of people who saw him play will be very pleased with him.

I suspect the reason we hear such conflicting reports is that a lot of what jovetic does is very subtle. Clever touches in buildup, runs into space, holdup play, etc. Those are the things I always loved watching him for, tbh, even more than his goals/assists.