***Official Match Thread: Rags v City***

[phips]

finally was able to just watch the match. didn't know the result.

not at all surprised. going into it i expected United to win. after Aguero's first goal United outplayed City the entire match.

[lets all have a disco]

I'm still pissed off at the way they performed if they dont turn up on Sunday it could get VERY messy.

[PrezIke]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... zy-runners

hard to believe this is the first time this "strategy" has been employed against us.

[bayblue]

Agree with lots of the stuff posted here.
We do seem to run out of energy and without that we look a shadow of last years team.
What I've not seen much comment on was why we seemed to change our game plan. From the kick off Milner was all over Carrick. We then had some great possession but after the goal we left Carrick to control the game. Result being he had more touches I think than any other player and even though he's a rag he can certainly control a game.

So - why did we change???

[walmai]

It is scientifically impossible for you to not win on Sunday.

We have no fit strikers of even bottom half of the table Prem standard.

Its going to make last January's horror show look like an evenly matched contest.

Believe me, you couldn't have picked a better time to play WHU. I literally cannot understand why anyone would even contemplate travelling up to watch us play.

Our season ended on FAC5 day.

[Nigels Tackle]

It is scientifically impossible for you to not win on Sunday.

We have no fit strikers of even bottom half of the table Prem standard.

Its going to make last January's horror show look like an evenly matched contest.

Believe me, you couldn't have picked a better time to play WHU. I literally cannot understand why anyone would even contemplate travelling up to watch us play.

Our season ended on FAC5 day.

£50 on a west ham win it is then

[Ted Hughes]

Agree with lots of the stuff posted here.
We do seem to run out of energy and without that we look a shadow of last years team.
What I've not seen much comment on was why we seemed to change our game plan. From the kick off Milner was all over Carrick. We then had some great possession but after the goal we left Carrick to control the game. Result being he had more touches I think than any other player and even though he's a rag he can certainly control a game.

So - why did we change???

Milner not fit, Silva not as fit as a not fit Milner, Yaya not arsed, Zabba's grandad having a nightmare thus people looking to put out out fires around the pitch rather than sticking to the original plan ?

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

It is scientifically impossible for you to not win on Sunday.

We have no fit strikers of even bottom half of the table Prem standard.

Its going to make last January's horror show look like an evenly matched contest.

Believe me, you couldn't have picked a better time to play WHU. I literally cannot understand why anyone would even contemplate travelling up to watch us play.

Our season ended on FAC5 day.

At least your lot will put in the effort, so that gives you a chance.

[Dameerto]

It is scientifically impossible for you to not win on Sunday.

We have no fit strikers of even bottom half of the table Prem standard.

Its going to make last January's horror show look like an evenly matched contest.

Believe me, you couldn't have picked a better time to play WHU. I literally cannot understand why anyone would even contemplate travelling up to watch us play.

Our season ended on FAC5 day.

£50 on a west ham win it is then

It could be down to me to get our form back - I just need to start betting against City for the first time in my life.

[bayblue]

Agree with lots of the stuff posted here.
We do seem to run out of energy and without that we look a shadow of last years team.
What I've not seen much comment on was why we seemed to change our game plan. From the kick off Milner was all over Carrick. We then had some great possession but after the goal we left Carrick to control the game. Result being he had more touches I think than any other player and even though he's a rag he can certainly control a game.

So - why did we change???

Milner not fit, Silva not as fit as a not fit Milner, Yaya not arsed, Zabba's grandad having a nightmare thus people looking to put out out fires around the pitch rather than sticking to the original plan ?

Yeah. But of all the people who should have been able to follow his brief and have the legs for it then it should be Milner. That's presumably why he didn't put Silva in that role.

[lets all have a disco]

It is scientifically impossible for you to not win on Sunday.

We have no fit strikers of even bottom half of the table Prem standard.

Its going to make last January's horror show look like an evenly matched contest.

Believe me, you couldn't have picked a better time to play WHU. I literally cannot understand why anyone would even contemplate travelling up to watch us play.

Our season ended on FAC5 day.

That's us bang in trouble now.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

It is scientifically impossible for you to not win on Sunday.

We have no fit strikers of even bottom half of the table Prem standard.

Its going to make last January's horror show look like an evenly matched contest.

Believe me, you couldn't have picked a better time to play WHU. I literally cannot understand why anyone would even contemplate travelling up to watch us play.

Our season ended on FAC5 day.

We have a defence which isn't even good enough for a relegation haunted Championship side.

You'll probably score two or three own goals so that would be more than enough, given our misfiring forward line.

[walmai]

Well, if you're looking to offload Sergio 'misfiring' Aguero, we can probably come to an arrangement.

Straight swap for Cresswell.

[sheblue]

Slow down a bit, we made a relatively average to poor side look good last week, what will we make West Ham look like?

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Well, if you're looking to offload Sergio 'misfiring' Aguero, we can probably come to an arrangement.

Straight swap for Cresswell.

Yes, but is Aguero a Big Fat Sam type of player ??

Wouldn't his putative work-rate be questionable ??

[Hazy2]

It is scientifically impossible for you to not win on Sunday.

We have no fit strikers of even bottom half of the table Prem standard.

Its going to make last January's horror show look like an evenly matched contest.

Believe me, you couldn't have picked a better time to play WHU. I literally cannot understand why anyone would even contemplate travelling up to watch us play.

Our season ended on FAC5 day.

Scientifically speaking City could well lose to WHUFC all you have to do is ride the the first 5/10/25 mins and we are fucked,. We go for the big BOnG theory all the player get to take a huge suck on it and before yer know it, game over and every fucker as chilled as Fuck they head off for a night round at Nasri's counting our dough and slating the French Manager Dudier Dechamps.

[blues2win]

We seemed to flood the midfield which worked and then back to two in central midfield which predictably didn't especially with Yaya being one of them. Pellegrini doesn't have the players to play the way he would like which means adjusting the style but will he do that for the last six games? I fear even the game against Villa with us battering not very effectively and then getting done by Benteke on a rare counter or a dead ball. FFS City face up for the last six. Is that too much to ask?

[Herb]

We seemed to flood the midfield which worked and then back to two in central midfield which predictably didn't especially with Yaya being one of them. Pellegrini doesn't have the players to play the way he would like which means adjusting the style but will he do that for the last six games? I fear even the game against Villa with us battering not very effectively and then getting done by Benteke on a rare counter or a dead ball. FFS City face up for the last six. Is that too much to ask?

I couldn't agree more - just sick of watching us have 23 shots with 12 on target but getting beaten by a team with 3 shots 1 on target . . something to do with our crap keeper (sorry Joe but it's true) being ranked 7th in the prem for his sloppy performances this year and that being due to his having a shit saves to shots ratio . . Sooner they sort that out the better.
Good job he distributes so well isn't it . . ?

[Ted Hughes]

Agree with lots of the stuff posted here.
We do seem to run out of energy and without that we look a shadow of last years team.
What I've not seen much comment on was why we seemed to change our game plan. From the kick off Milner was all over Carrick. We then had some great possession but after the goal we left Carrick to control the game. Result being he had more touches I think than any other player and even though he's a rag he can certainly control a game.

So - why did we change???

Milner not fit, Silva not as fit as a not fit Milner, Yaya not arsed, Zabba's grandad having a nightmare thus people looking to put out out fires around the pitch rather than sticking to the original plan ?

Yeah. But of all the people who should have been able to follow his brief and have the legs for it then it should be Milner. That's presumably why he didn't put Silva in that role.

Milner is carrying an injury. That's why he hasn't been playing much & why England sent him home (& why he went off). But Silva was in that role. Pellegrini doesn't use a rigid tactical shape, it's just something ex players & numpties have bought into. Fans have been listening to these fucking idiots on tv etc & mimicking their criticisms all season, like fucking parrots, without actually looking at how City are lined up.

Pellegrini's flaw is not 442 or any of that bullshit, it is that he is trying to play a system which requires loads of movement, hard work & tracking; people swapping positions etc, & the players are too old, tired, unfit or unarsed, to do it. Milner's reason is injury.

[blues2win]

Whatever system he is using we look continually overwhelmed in central midfield against the better teams except when he plays with a false no 9.

His normal line up does work once in a while; I remember the home game in the FA Cup against Chelsea last season; but not remotely consistently enough.At the end of the day he hasn't got the players to play the way he wants so quite a few players are on their way out. The team that Mancini largely built has had its day unfortunately. One assumes Kolarov Jovetic( sadly IMO) and one or both of Yaya and Nasri will go. Dzeko too quite possibly. We need more energy and pace in the team and then maybe we can play the high line pressing game that not only Pellegrini but Tziki and Soriano both say they want.

Unfortunately our problems don't end there. Can we write off Vinny( injured again) and Zaba's shitty form as a one off post the World Cup. I suppose so. Should we give Mangala a pass for one season because he is playing in a new League and was playing in an unsettled defence( probably). Should Clichy go as well as Kolarov given his average form( probably not because he's home grown and getting in two left backs is a too much for one window). Problems problems.