Get it off your chest here

[Ted Hughes]

I don't know what planet any of you fuckers suggesting bringing on Milner for Demichelis are on, or which fucking game you were watching.

It can't have been the one I saw where Chelsea kept winning headers against everyone BUT Demichelis & Vinny in our half.

If it wasn't for him & Yaya, they would have scored fucking ten. He did ten times more defending than Nastasic even though he wasn't playing at the back.

There were two choices tonight; try to play like we normally play even though we didn't have the players available, or match them & pack the midfield. We tried the first one & it didn't work. Once they scored,the second one was never an option; they would have just closed the game out & won 1-0 anyway.

Had Fernandinho been fit, THEN perhaps 3 in midfield would be a possible plan, but Demi off & Milner v David Luiz; fucking no chance.

We brought on Jovetic which was the only real option we had available which would likely make a difference, other than dropping that useless cunt at the back & puttng Lescott on.

I think most are making the point that a midfield 2 consisting off 2 thirty somethings,one who offers nothing and his legs have gone and was an accident waiting to happen left us criminally short against Chelsea quick counter attacking 5 man mid-field for 94 minutes.He could have put Vinny in the middle 2 and put MDM in defense he was so intent on persisting with this suicidal approach.

Bayern at home 2 man midfield = lost,Chelsea at home 2 man midfield = lost.If we persist then it will be Barcelona at home 2 man midfield= lost.And i dread to think what Messi will do to MDM against him in the middle.Was lucky he was not red cardrded tonight.If i was Ya Ya i would be at the boss office tomorrow asking what he is playing at,poor cunt had 3 .4 Chelsea players on him every time he got the ball.MDM is shite,if i was Rodwell,Milner i would be livid.How anyone can have a hard on for him is beyond me.

I would play Pantillimon in midfield rather than Rodwell after his performance v Watford; no way would he ever have got a game today, not a cat in hell's chance. Milner is probably not 100% fit, & would get chewed up by Luiz anyway, there was a lot of aerial ball in midfield.

If we had started Milner, Yaya, Demichelis or Rodwell today, the result would most likely have been exactly the same or we may have got a draw. Just we wouldn't have got a shot off; they would just sit a bit further back & block us off, then Hazard wouls skin Zabba & they'd hit us on the break just the same. If the Count had his time again, he probably would have started with Jovetic but the options weren't there tonight; too many injuries.

Chelsea played out of their skins too. Would have been a tough game with any 11 until we got in front.

To be fair any 2 in the middle would have struggled against a midfield 5.I just don't see what MDM brings to us,far to slow,always lunging in and selling himself.I thought he was going to be red carded.

I personally would have gone to 1 up front and stuck another player in the middle,we could even have played Vinny in the middle,he played there for Hamburg, alongside Ya Ya and one off Milner,Rodwell.What is the point in persisting with 2 strikers up front if your getting over run.

That's fine & it may have worked better, but we have so far refused to take a backward step for anyone, apart from at Chelsea away, & we got beat.

We almost certainly would have looked more solid with an extra man in midfield, but there's a fair chance we still would have lost.

If we are to beat decent teams, we have to attack them & score goals. Our back 4 is not good enough to play v people such as Hazard & not concede chances, even if we try to be tight. We saw that last season against the better sides, under Mancini.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

If I were the real milner for his own sake I would look at moving on. Can't even get A sub appearance when the game was crying for him. He can't even start ahead of a 31 year old slow as fuck defender in midfield gfs, who Wouldn't get a sniff in madrid, barca, Chelsea and even the rags so no idea why we play him. How can s player like milner be lower down the pecking order than this cunt defender and Garcia I have no idea.

I think Milner has only had one day of training since his injury, so wasn't risked.

[Ted Hughes]

If I were the real milner for his own sake I would look at moving on. Can't even get A sub appearance when the game was crying for him. He can't even start ahead of a 31 year old slow as fuck defender in midfield gfs, who Wouldn't get a sniff in madrid, barca, Chelsea and even the rags so no idea why we play him. How can s player like milner be lower down the pecking order than this cunt defender and Garcia I have no idea.

I think Milner has only had one day of training since his injury, so wasn't risked.

I'm sure that will be the case.

We were up against it tonight.

[Blue Since 76]

I would play Pantillimon in midfield rather than Rodwell after his performance v Watford; no way would he ever have got a game today, not a cat in hell's chance. Milner is probably not 100% fit, & would get chewed up by Luiz anyway, there was a lot of aerial ball in midfield.

If we had started Milner, Yaya, Demichelis or Rodwell today, the result would most likely have been exactly the same or we may have got a draw. Just we wouldn't have got a shot off; they would just sit a bit further back & block us off, then Hazard wouls skin Zabba & they'd hit us on the break just the same. If the Count had his time again, he probably would have started with Jovetic but the options weren't there tonight; too many injuries.

Chelsea played out of their skins too. Would have been a tough game with any 11 until we got in front.

If you're going to play just two in midfield, especially when one is Yaya, the other one had to be ready to do a lot of work. Against three, it's almost impossible. Change the worker for an ageing centre half and it didn't look promising before kick off.

Milner was probably the closest we had to a replacement, but if he wasn't fit, maybe he should have considered a formation change from the start. Demi and someone else behind Yaya would have solved many of the problems we had and he'd have had two strikers on the bench, if required.

We all know what Pellegrini's formation is going to be and he's been out thought on it by Guardiola and Mourinho now. No harm done yet, but we might need to be a bit more flexible, especially with some tough away games to cone.

[MilnersJaw]

I think Milner has only had one day of training since his injury, so wasn't risked.

Come off it mate. How many times has milner not been injured this season and has not started and sat on the bench all game. Many games when that cunt Garcia was playing when James would have been more effective. Milner played in Munich cos we didn't need to win and in cup games. He can't get a sniff under pellers

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

I think Milner has only had one day of training since his injury, so wasn't risked.

Come off it mate. How many times has milner not been injured this season and has not started and sat on the bench all game. Many games when that cunt Garcia was playing when James would have been more effective. Milner played in Munich cos we didn't need to win and in cup games. He can't get a sniff under pellers

Just going off what the manager said after the game. I'd have Milner in the side more often myself.

[Ted Hughes]

I would play Pantillimon in midfield rather than Rodwell after his performance v Watford; no way would he ever have got a game today, not a cat in hell's chance. Milner is probably not 100% fit, & would get chewed up by Luiz anyway, there was a lot of aerial ball in midfield.

If we had started Milner, Yaya, Demichelis or Rodwell today, the result would most likely have been exactly the same or we may have got a draw. Just we wouldn't have got a shot off; they would just sit a bit further back & block us off, then Hazard wouls skin Zabba & they'd hit us on the break just the same. If the Count had his time again, he probably would have started with Jovetic but the options weren't there tonight; too many injuries.

Chelsea played out of their skins too. Would have been a tough game with any 11 until we got in front.

If you're going to play just two in midfield, especially when one is Yaya, the other one had to be ready to do a lot of work. Against three, it's almost impossible. Change the worker for an ageing centre half and it didn't look promising before kick off.

Milner was probably the closest we had to a replacement, but if he wasn't fit, maybe he should have considered a formation change from the start. Demi and someone else behind Yaya would have solved many of the problems we had and he'd have had two strikers on the bench, if required.

We all know what Pellegrini's formation is going to be and he's been out thought on it by Guardiola and Mourinho now. No harm done yet, but we might need to be a bit more flexible, especially with some tough away games to cone.

Demichelis saved us from a right battering tonight imo, he did def mid plus Nastasic's job. The problem tonight is that Rodwell was dogshit last week. This was the night where he should have stepped in & ran around like fuck tackling anything that moved. He played like a wet fucking fish v Watford, so we had to go with Demi instead.

I have always said, I would have kept Barry & played him in games like this, but the idea seems to be, that we are going to play this way until we get it right. Obviously, we would have Fernandinho & Aguero playing & a proper centre back with pace next to Vinny & possibly Nasri tucked in too, but those players aren't available.

If this is the way Pellegrini has it in mind to play & he wants to work on it, then you don't just chuck it in because you lose a few games; you persevere.

We played the other way last season & won fuck all.

[Twobob]

On another night yaya, Silva and bostard take their myriad of chances and we win 3-1. I'm done being angry. Its football. Luckily, we get to play another game. I think this display will motivate us to smash these fuckers.

Spot on pal - we need a kick up the arse bishop Brennan style to push us on.

[MCFC 1990]

Too right no point moping, we had an off night. We have an incredible squad and for all intents and purposes would have beaten chelsea on any other day but the majority of football comes down to luck, and that wasn't with us today. We'll bounce straight back with another impressive run no doubt starting with revenge after tonight. This is OUR YEAR make no mistake. Lets focus on the next one guys stay positive dont be too hard on ourselves after what we've already achieved this season :-)

[Ted Hughes]

Neutral perspective on Demichelis.

It cannot be easy being Martin Demichelis, a stop-gap buy at Manchester City with the kind of ponytail not seen in these parts since the Hacienda was open for business for twenty-four hour party people.

The Argentine has an ambling gait, a distinct lack of pace and, while his team-mates can boast multi-million pound price tags and image rights, he arrived from Atletico Madrid last August for £3.5m simply because Manuel Pellegrini, his manager at Malaga, needed a reliable squad player to cover for any defensive emergencies.

Demichelis is the definition of being under-appreciated, but the 33-year-old made a point to his doubters as City struggled to cope with a vibrant and hungry Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night.

Despite his 1990s appearance and lack of visible athleticism, which perhaps contributed to the tangible anxiety among the supporters whenever he had the ball at his feet, the biggest handicap to Demichelis against Jose Mourinho's team was having to play alongside Yaya Toure.

Toure may be City's raging bull in midfield, the irresistible force that drives the team forward, but there are times against quality opposition when the Ivorian can become a liability.

And with Demichelis deployed in place of the injured Fernandinho in Pellegrini's midfield two, Toure's buccaneering style left his team-mate - usually a centre-half - exposed time and again when Willian, Eden Hazard and Ramires embarked on marauding runs forward.

Toure is adored by the City supporters, and quite rightly considering his contribution to the club's 2011-12 title success, but he could certainly do with some of Demichelis defensive discipline.

Of City's front six, Demichelis was the only one who was willing, or able, to tackle, block or intercept.

Having played at centre-half in each of his previous seventeen appearances for City, Demichelis stepped into the hole created by Fernandinho's muscular injury ahead of more obvious candidates such as James Milner and Jack Rodwell, who were named as substitutes.

But he could not have envisaged the workload he would face with Toure spending more time in the final third than the middle one.

With City obliterating every Premier League opponent to have visited the Etihad so far this season, perhaps they have simply forgotten that defending is not just the preserve of the back four, but something that starts with the centre-forward.

Demichelis knows this and , unsurprisingly, he was booked following a late challenge on Hazard. Still, at least he was there to earn the yellow card by fouling the Chelsea midfielder.

Barcelona, who visit the Etihad in two weeks' time for the first-leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Pellegrini's team, will have noted the frailties exposed by Chelsea.

Toure's wanderlust, the lack of defensive work by City's forwards and the unconvincing nature of the left half of Pellegrini's back four.

Demichelis may be back alongside Vincent Kompany at centre-half when Lionel Messi and Xavi come to town, but while that will lessen the problems at the back, it will not solve them in midfield.

Unless Toure remembers that defending is just as important as barnstorming runs forward.


Harsh on Yaya imo, but it adds a bit of a different perspective to the one on here.

[twosips]

Demichelis was not the problem at all tonight. I actually thought he played well.

[twosips]

Find it genuinely incredible how people are acting as if its the end of the world. Some incredible moaning tonight. We had a naff night forced by injuries, and Chelsea had the performance of their season and guess what...we're two points behind perennial bottlers Arsenal and still ahead of Chelsea. First loss in 20 games and it apparently means most of our players are shit and that we fucked up January and that Pellegrini has let us down....mental. I'm not worried and we'll most likely win the next 6/7 in a row and be top of the league.

[Bleed_Blue]

I am gonna hold it in, will hold it in for 12 more days, Milner, Negredo and hopefully Dinho will be back by then, this is not over yet.

Pelli didnt have much choice today with team selection.

[aaron bond]

The defeat last night isn't too bad for us position-wise. We're still firmly in the mix for the title. It's just a shame we weren't able to put a bit of room between us and Chelsea.

We underperformed but we weren't as bad as some people are making out. We created some very good chances and were wasteful.

Pellegrini has to take some blame though. It was clear we were struggling in midfield and he didn't do anything to reinforce it. Milner should have been brought on to support Demichelis, which in turn could have pushed Yaya forward. I have no idea why he didn't change anything.

The bigger picture is that it's our first defeat in almost 3 months, so our overall form has still been excellent. Winning all 19 home games was always going to be tough, and we will be overwhelming favourites in all remaining home games.

The thing Pellegrini must give serious thought to though is our formation vs. Barcelona. I understand he wants to stick to his principles but a midfield of 4 against Barcelona's midfield could cause us serious problems (as we've seen against Bayern and Chelsea).

[DoomMerchant]

I am gonna hold it in, will hold it in for 12 more days, Milner, Negredo and hopefully Dinho will be back by then, this is not over yet.

Pelli didnt have much choice today with team selection.

of course he had a choice. Every manager does, and he made his today. Quite noticeably to all of our shock when we saw Demi on the teamsheet.

I also thought he did a reasonable job today. He and Yaya were walking/trotting around during their goal which was painful, but otherwise i thought he grafted, tackled and did some dirty work while running his old Argie bollocks off. Dunno what the fuck you would expect from a player like him, but i thought he did fine. If Jayko, Silva, and yaya played with the energy or commitment he did today we'd have won i believe.

cheers

[Bleed_Blue]

of course he had a choice. Every manager does, and he made his today. Quite noticeably to all of our shock when we saw Demi on the teamsheet.

I also thought he did a reasonable job today. He and Yaya were walking/trotting around during their goal which was painful, but otherwise i thought he grafted, tackled and did some dirty work while running his old Argie bollocks off. Dunno what the fuck you would expect from a player like him, but i thought he did fine. If Jayko, Silva, and yaya played with the energy or commitment he did today we'd have won i believe.

cheers

There was nobody who could play in ferna position today other than Demi, Milner who returned from injury yesterday, rodwell who didnt perform up to the standard against Watford, dont even know what kind of injury Garcia has.


Looking at the missed chances, which should have been finished off by Yaya, Silva, Negredo and Dzeko. Today was just not our day, but goal posts have shown their loyalty.

Kompany was quite agitated today, generally he is really calm. Nasti was fucking up, tackling Kompany. Never seen Kompany so agitated from the start of match.

[Jorgobot]

500 dollars wtf

[patrickblue]

Only just got back from the game due to being diverted halfway round Warwickshire, so can't be arsed reading all of this, but it was pretty simple. The two best teams in the league played each other, one was brilliant, the other had an off day, which wasn't helped by the strange formation forced on them. No scapegoats, they were all having an off day. Just need to get on with it.

Edit: all apart from Navas.

[Im_Spartacus]

Your spot on about Demichelis.I could not believe the criticism directed at him in the match day thread.His work rate was immense he won so many challenges tonight in the air and on the ground.Looks a far better option than Garcia as midfield cover in the absence of Fern or Yaya.

You are both correct in that there was plenty he did that was good, my problem is that there were many, many times when they play totally passed him by and saw him terribly out of position leaving the centre halves totally exposed.

I don't mind if he gets pulled around a bit by Chelsea, most players would, but there were a number of times when he made no effort to join in with the defensive responsibilities, the goal being a case in point where he was stood over on the right blowing out of his arse.

[mcfc1632]

No point in 20 negative threads.

My gripe

Joe hart needs to move on, constant long balls when we are clearly getting bullied. He won't learn.

Good call to have one thread. I was also concerned with the Hart long ball routine, but can only think that was instruction from pellers, We/he does not normally do that so it must have been deliberate? but I cannot see why, even with Dzeko and Negredo this would be meat and drink for Cahill and Terry - they must have loved it.

Just think a) we got out-done on tactics and b) we saw evidence of what a lot have come to believe - just how good Ferdy is and how Ya Ya and Silva are more effective with him in the team.

We just need to get over this quickly and kick on. In the PL our fixture list for the next set of games suggests we should be on top of the league by end of March - we need to take that opportunity.