City EDS v Chelsea EDS Thursday 7.45 (LIVE)

[Wonderwall]

Looks like 'we fight to the end' is catching on at all levels :-)

Holistic

[Herb]

A great game and much enjoyed. Fantastic play all across the pitch but I couldn't help but notice that Angus Gunn's distribution was particularly good - watch and learn Joe Hart eh?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Great result, I was worried over centre mud was being overrun then one of em's in the box wih an assist.
Nice.

Not sure the number 4 (sorry not sure of his name) is big or physical enough for the next step.

PaddyV gave him MOTM

Was Bryan the number 4 or was that Glendon? Bryan definitely is big enough but I am not convinced at all he is a center back, maybe a defensive midfield player.

[Ted Hughes]

Delighted with that result and no doubt overall it was well deserved when you think about all the chances we had compared to their 2 joke goals and our keeper not having a save to make.

I have to say as a big Pozo fan I was disappointed with him tonight.Give him a fraction of time and he has great quality in his feet and ability to make a key pass but he cannot be so easily dispossessed as he was tonight.Strength is part of it but he is never going to be strong so he needs to receive the ball better and shield it better away from his feet.

Ambrose is a very impressive player.He does get into great positions and he scores goals regularly.Show me a great goalscorer who doesn't miss plenty of chances! But it's not just that about him as he works very hard,has that ability Pozo doesn't seem to have when receiving a ball and he is good in the air for his size.

2 players that didn't stand out at all were Glendon and Bytyqi but maybe they had good games in a protective role in midfield.That's where Chelsea's power was so I guess they were told to sit and make it hard and to that extent they did a top job.Similarly Angelino, I doubt I have ever seen a game where he wasn't attacking a lot but fairplay to him he got it right and was very disciplined.

Great for Ntcham to finish the way he did. He worked really hard and was a big part of why we were looking like scoring as he won plenty of ball and played well with the front 3.His strength has always been a big part of his game but as he gets older he cant rely on that as much as the oppos,like Chelsea tonight, are also strong.His play and composure to set up Celina was excellent and Celina showed quality to stroke it home. Prior to that he found it hard to get involved so that finish will do his confidence a power of good.

Pozo was hopeless apart from the assist, which was the only moment of true Pozo he produced all night. He played like he was still in the first team.

Interesting watching the development compared to this Chelsea team. They have always had 4-5 players who are almost like 21 year olds in build, & they have always been able to run away from our players, their main strength being knocking people off the ball & running with it, but tonight they had to change the team as they were getting crushed & totally outclassed first half. The fresh legs on a heavy pitch made a difference 2nd half & enabled their big players to get on the ball, but still they created nothing. Fluked a goal.

As they get older, so our players are getting closer to theirs physically & their lack of cleverness compared to City is becoming more & more apparent. Be interesting to see how they look as footballers in a few years compared to players like Byrne & Garcia.

Ambrose had a great game, but his finishing was fucking awful at any level. Paul Moulden would have had five goals tonight. Great elsewhere though.

Intersting that Mourinho says Chelsea will have failed as a club, if 3 of those lads who played tonight don't play regularly in their first team in the near future. The ones in question are bigger than many of our lads, but ours are better, quite a few of them.

Barker should be playing some minutes for the first team.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

A great game and much enjoyed. Fantastic play all across the pitch but I couldn't help but notice that Angus Gunn's distribution was particularly good - watch and learn Joe Hart eh?

hahaha you obviously haven't watched that many of these games have you?

[Wonderwall]

Great result, I was worried over centre mud was being overrun then one of em's in the box wih an assist.
Nice.

Not sure the number 4 (sorry not sure of his name) is big or physical enough for the next step.

PaddyV gave him MOTM

Was Bryan the number 4 or was that Glendon? Bryan definitely is big enough but I am not convinced at all he is a center back, maybe a defensive midfield player.

Kean Bryan was playing number 4

[Ted Hughes]

Great result, I was worried over centre mud was being overrun then one of em's in the box wih an assist.
Nice.

Not sure the number 4 (sorry not sure of his name) is big or physical enough for the next step.

PaddyV gave him MOTM

Was Bryan the number 4 or was that Glendon? Bryan definitely is big enough but I am not convinced at all he is a center back, maybe a defensive midfield player.

Kean Bryan was playing number 4

Bryan is a midfield player as is the bloke next to him, George Evans. Not bad to beat Chelsea with 2 midfield players at cb.

Thought George was great on the ball. Never really saw him tested much defensively. Bryan snuffed out everything which came near him, including the fluke goal which he blocked & was really unlucky. Pity about his Gerrard moment early doors.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Delighted with that result and no doubt overall it was well deserved when you think about all the chances we had compared to their 2 joke goals and our keeper not having a save to make.

I have to say as a big Pozo fan I was disappointed with him tonight.Give him a fraction of time and he has great quality in his feet and ability to make a key pass but he cannot be so easily dispossessed as he was tonight.Strength is part of it but he is never going to be strong so he needs to receive the ball better and shield it better away from his feet.

Ambrose is a very impressive player.He does get into great positions and he scores goals regularly.Show me a great goalscorer who doesn't miss plenty of chances! But it's not just that about him as he works very hard,has that ability Pozo doesn't seem to have when receiving a ball and he is good in the air for his size.

2 players that didn't stand out at all were Glendon and Bytyqi but maybe they had good games in a protective role in midfield.That's where Chelsea's power was so I guess they were told to sit and make it hard and to that extent they did a top job.Similarly Angelino, I doubt I have ever seen a game where he wasn't attacking a lot but fairplay to him he got it right and was very disciplined.

Great for Ntcham to finish the way he did. He worked really hard and was a big part of why we were looking like scoring as he won plenty of ball and played well with the front 3.His strength has always been a big part of his game but as he gets older he cant rely on that as much as the oppos,like Chelsea tonight, are also strong.His play and composure to set up Celina was excellent and Celina showed quality to stroke it home. Prior to that he found it hard to get involved so that finish will do his confidence a power of good.

Excellent post Mr H.

Both thoughtful and insightful.

[Moonchesteri]

Missed the game today so I'm grateful for your analysis lads!

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Missed the game today so I'm grateful for your analysis lads!

D'accord(o)!

[john@staustell]

Saw the home cup game with Chelsea last season and to be honest they were a bit more dominant. Last night we were clearly a lot better, but the commentators trying to be neutral whilst really only knowing about Chelsea was a bit embarrasing.

They said Ambrose is only 17. Is that correct if so he is very impressive.

[Wonderwall]

Saw the home cup game with Chelsea last season and to be honest they were a bit more dominant. Last night we were clearly a lot better, but the commentators trying to be neutral whilst really only knowing about Chelsea was a bit embarrasing.

They said Ambrose is only 17. Is that correct if so he is very impressive.

Last season they had Blackman in goal who looks a very good keeper indeed. Although the one in goal last night was probably their MOTM.
They are a bog powerful side, but it just goes to show that our style can counteract that, even though the pitch was shocking.

[gmercer1]

One thing that stood out for me was how much more dangerous they looked on corners than our first team does. Some cracking balls in.

[mr_nool]

Has anyone seen any highlights of this game?
It's not on the OS.

[sheblue]

One thing that stood out for me was how much more dangerous they looked on corners than our first team does. Some cracking balls in.

The first team is a complete shambles at corners.

[mr_nool]

Bytyqi has been sent on loan to Dutch side Cambuur for the rest of the season. He's basically a direct replacement for Rusnak who played for them during the fall but who's now signed for Groningen.