***city v the ref, sorry v barca match thread***

[MilnersJaw]

I said before it started it was a write off with 442 and Fernando. Got to blame pellers, another clueless set up.

[london blue 2]

Four players watching alba cross with none pressing was criminal. No excuse for that at this level.

[twosips]

Im now starting to see how bad Fernando actually is. He offers us absolutely nothing

He's not bad though - he's just bad in Pellegrini's system. IF we played three in central midfield he would be a perfect anchor but with just two he still hasn't found his balance between defending and holding the middle of the pitch for us - he's still way too defence-heavy. Given how Garcia improved after a full season and a bit with us I still haven't given up on Fernando, I just hope he finds the right balance soon and it all clicks for him.

By 'perfect' do you mean competent? I've not really seen much to suggest that he's that good an anchor. Matic for example clearly is.

Matic would be nowhere in this.

Well he's at least somewhere in the PL then. Which sadly Fernando hasn't been at all.

[Ted Hughes]

I think people in here are actually being harsh. I think Barcelona have been brilliant, better by miles than any other opponent we have faced this season. We aren't suddenly terrible, we actually look quite dangerous going forward, but in the middle of the park and in attack they are just better than us.

Its easy now to blame Pelligrini, but the criticism last time was we didn't try to play our way and we changed our whole game because it was Barcelona. He's trying to set us up how we are normally strongest, but we are being beaten by the better team. I don't think its a fair criticism, we'd be losing with 5 in midfield but then he'd be blamed for changing our shape (as we know from last time).

People in here are way too reactionary with no attempt for rational thought.

I think we can make every single pass that Barca have made tonight but are frightened. If we passed the ball they wouldn't have it.

[everyonehatesus]

For everything we can say was shit about our players in that half Hart isn't one them that needs to fucking look at themselves. I hate pellers and can't for the life of me see how we will do anything at this level with this CUNT as a manager. Gutless from all involved so far and looks like we are shitting ourselves every time they come at us.

[london blue 2]

I don't get the Matic love. Fernando would look decent in Chelsea's line up. Our midfield doesn't suit him

[Cit.revenge]

ONE SHOT ONE GOAL

3 SHOTS, 2 GOALS. ITS SAME SHIT

NEW THAT CUNT WOULD SCORE.

DOESNT TELL A FULL STORY COS WE STARTED OFF SO WELL UNTIL WE HAD TO DEFEND A SHOT ON TARGET... (I SAY IT EVERY GAME, FIRST CLEAN SHEET WAS COS NEWCASTLE HAS ONE SHOT AT HART).

How do we change it?

dinho on for dzeko? I just dont know. we need a runner.

navas too? dzeko isn't working with aguero for me.

we have 442 so have no ball but yet arent threatenin on the break. Bony? Dzeko isnt that player. hes HINDERING aguero for me by going wide

"dzeko isn't working with aguero for me"- i hate when i see this , not that Edin was playing somthing but Kun played nothing . Problem is we have shit defense and no Yaya to start action . Pelle r should know that Fernando can take ball over the half line and hes shit at covering defense to . But for me again Kompany worse on pitch

[HBlock Cripple]

I think people in here are actually being harsh. I think Barcelona have been brilliant, better by miles than any other opponent we have faced this season. We aren't suddenly terrible, we actually look quite dangerous going forward, but in the middle of the park and in attack they are just better than us.

Its easy now to blame Pelligrini, but the criticism last time was we didn't try to play our way and we changed our whole game because it was Barcelona. He's trying to set us up how we are normally strongest, but we are being beaten by the better team. I don't think its a fair criticism, we'd be losing with 5 in midfield but then he'd be blamed for changing our shape (as we know from last time).

People in here are way too reactionary with no attempt for rational thought.

Balanced and fair assessment, well done for bringing some sense here.

[Deyna]

Everyone blaming Kops, the only one to blame tonight is Pellers! No gameplan whatsoever!

[guv111]

Prediction:

We will go in 0-2 or 0-3. rally like we always do when it's too late in Europe, and say how brave and committed we were late on, but still lose.

If Pellers doesn't change to 5 in the middle this could be more embarrassing than 3-0.
Trouble is he's wasting one substitution if not two just to rectify the situation. He fucked up big time with that selection.

Whatever his tactical idiosyncrasies, he's also laden with a team of self-satisfied twats, happy to swan around doing fuck all when the mood takes them.

[mr_nool]

The problem is Barcelona are just better.

Players like Clichy, Milner, Fernando just don't play for clubs gunning for this competition. You might get away with one if the rest are superstars but City's next level aren't exactly brilliant.

This stage is about par for this squad.

Can't really disagree with that. Too many good but not great players.

[carl_feedthegoat]

I think people in here are actually being harsh. I think Barcelona have been brilliant, better by miles than any other opponent we have faced this season. We aren't suddenly terrible, we actually look quite dangerous going forward, but in the middle of the park and in attack they are just better than us.

Its easy now to blame Pelligrini, but the criticism last time was we didn't try to play our way and we changed our whole game because it was Barcelona. He's trying to set us up how we are normally strongest, but we are being beaten by the better team. I don't think its a fair criticism, we'd be losing with 5 in midfield but then he'd be blamed for changing our shape (as we know from last time).

People in here are way too reactionary with no attempt for rational thought.

Ill tell you what isnt an overreaction , Vinny has costs us the game up to now , stupid cunt he is...the second goal was even more annoying than the first..just stood there like a cunt.

I saw the highlights of the previous Barca game and he also cost us that one as well.....4 goals conceded ...all his fault imo.

[sheblue]

I said before it started it was a write off with 442 and Fernando. Got to blame pellers, another clueless set up.

Irrespective of 442 or whatever formation were giving them too much time on the ball, poor marking, no pressure, too many just not working properly, it's down to attitude.

[Ted Hughes]

I don't get the Matic love. Fernando would look decent in Chelsea's line up. Our midfield doesn't suit him

Chelsea would just park the bus & hope, & Fernando would be motm.

[Bluemoon16]

Fear factor killing us again

[twosips]

For what its worth. I'm not intending to single out Fernando. I'm just frustrated that in the summer he was our backup midfield solution, our new signing and the one meant to help sort problems, and its pretty rubbish that he looks really, really naff.

I agree the rest of the team has been awful too.

Maybe, just maybe, we're not as good as we think we are. We play no one in England that passes the ball as well as Barca do and our passing game is simply not as good as theirs so we don't know what to do. Perhaps.

[Nick]

no the problem isnt that they are just better. Why have we lost our heads after conceding to their first shot on target?

442, playing milner and fernando for the first time could cost his job. Dzeko is useless in this sort of setup/game.

scholes pulling out his told you so with the 442

dino is our best CM (bar yaya and hes not there.

With yaya and Dinho it'd be a different game/

last year we had no yaya or nasri. why can't we have a chance at them full strength?

[Mase]

I'd bring Kola on.

[Tesl]

I think people in here are actually being harsh. I think Barcelona have been brilliant, better by miles than any other opponent we have faced this season. We aren't suddenly terrible, we actually look quite dangerous going forward, but in the middle of the park and in attack they are just better than us.

Its easy now to blame Pelligrini, but the criticism last time was we didn't try to play our way and we changed our whole game because it was Barcelona. He's trying to set us up how we are normally strongest, but we are being beaten by the better team. I don't think its a fair criticism, we'd be losing with 5 in midfield but then he'd be blamed for changing our shape (as we know from last time).

People in here are way too reactionary with no attempt for rational thought.

i get what you're saying but this is why we bought Bony isn't it?

Not sure what difference Bony would really have made. We'd still be losing because our problems aren't the two men up front.

[getdressedmctavish]

To me, you know we will struggle without ya ya so you go four is nonsense. Yes there are a lot of bad performances out there Cliche's bottle was gone completely from the off, but we had to get the ball and close down space on the pitch. The commentator says we should get tight but they have a man over so going tight would be even worse, they would destroy us.We have to set the target of keeping them to two. I honestly think Pellers is inept.Get Fernandinho or Lampard on for Dzeko and try and stay in the game. Does this bloke have a fuckin death wish or something ?