MotM v Juve

[City64]

Easy one Fern1

We are shite in this competition ......... fucking shite !!!!

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

For City, the MOTM was Fernandinho, who was both City's most accurate ball passer, while also being the best ball recoverer, according to the stats.
However, my actual MOTM was Gigi Buffon, with a total of 6-8 major saves.

To give everyone some optimism, if Gigi Buffon had not been one of the best keepers in the world, City would most likely have won this match.
Juve had a total of 5 shots on target... they scored from 2, while Joe Hart saved 2 & the other was blocked by the defenders.

Here's a list of major saves that Buffon & Juve's defenders made, that other keepers might have missed:
2 min: Buffon makes the first save, when Sterling shoots under him.
17 min: Bony & Silva combine to win a corner & Sagna's flick on is saved.
22 min: Fernandinho narrowly misses scoring from 30 yds.
23 min: Kolarov's free kick just drifts wide of the far post
27 min: Yaya rises highest to meet Silva's corner, but heads it wide.
32 min: After beating the defenders, Bony slices a shot wide
35 min: Kolarov & Silva combine for a cross in the box, with no takers
38 min: Kolarov's cross reaches Sagna... Buffon challenge sends shot wide
40 min: Nasri's cross reaches Fernandinho, who nearly beats Buffon
59 min: Chiellini & Kompany co-produced goal for City
60 min: Buffon is forced to make a double save, first from Sterling
60 min: Buffon completes the double save, from Silva's instant rebound shot
62 min: Bony forces a Buffon save with a shot, that was forcefully spun in
88 min: Yaya nearly beats Buffon with a 30-yard rocket shot, that usually beats most keepers! City just couldn't force another goal past Buffon.

[phips]

there's literally only 1 option. Fern

[Im_Spartacus]

For City, the MOTM was Fernandinho, who was both City's most accurate ball passer, while also being the best ball recoverer, according to the stats.
However, my actual MOTM was Gigi Buffon, with a total of 6-8 major saves.

To give everyone some optimism, if Gigi Buffon had not been one of the best keepers in the world, City would most likely have won this match.
Juve had a total of 5 shots on target... they scored from 2, while Joe Hart saved 2 & the other was blocked by the defenders.

Here's a list of major saves that Buffon & Juve's defenders made, that other keepers might have missed:
2 min: Buffon makes the first save, when Sterling shoots under him.
17 min: Bony & Silva combine to win a corner & Sagna's flick on is saved.
22 min: Fernandinho narrowly misses scoring from 30 yds.
23 min: Kolarov's free kick just drifts wide of the far post
27 min: Yaya rises highest to meet Silva's corner, but heads it wide.
32 min: After beating the defenders, Bony slices a shot wide
35 min: Kolarov & Silva combine for a cross in the box, with no takers
38 min: Kolarov's cross reaches Sagna... Buffon challenge sends shot wide
40 min: Nasri's cross reaches Fernandinho, who nearly beats Buffon
59 min: Chiellini & Kompany co-produced goal for City
60 min: Buffon is forced to make a double save, first from Sterling
60 min: Buffon completes the double save, from Silva's instant rebound shot
62 min: Bony forces a Buffon save with a shot, that was forcefully spun in
88 min: Yaya nearly beats Buffon with a 30-yard rocket shot, that usually beats most keepers! City just couldn't force another goal past Buffon.

You've listed 9 events in the first half. Only one of them was on target, Buffon had fuck all to do with it

[bayblue]

Fern was excellent. Great energy and often the only one was was driving the team on during an evening where we seemed to lack our usual movement.

[ruralblue]

Fern. The bloke is the biz!

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

You've listed 9 events in the first half. Only one of them was on target, Buffon had fuck all to do with it

The list of events was sourced directly from the City website & Opta stats. So, this is not a list of my own opinions. Those 9 events in the first half, all required Buffon or the Juve defenders to prevent City players from scoring.

Opta said that City had a total of 13 shots, with 5 on target... The City stats said 6 on target. Buffon & the defenders were forced to intervene, which directly caused the City player shots to be off target. City had 59% possession, 88% passing accuracy & 6 corner kicks.

So, Buffon & the Juve defenders made the majority of saves during the match.
The worldwide press & Allegri are all mainly crediting Buffon, for rescuing the match for Juve.

[iwasthere2012]

You've listed 9 events in the first half. Only one of them was on target, Buffon had fuck all to do with it

The list of events was sourced directly from the City website & Opta stats. So, this is not a list of my own opinions. Those 9 events in the first half, all required Buffon or the Juve defenders to prevent City players from scoring.

Opta said that City had a total of 13 shots, with 5 on target... The City stats said 6 on target. Buffon & the defenders were forced to intervene, which directly caused the City player shots to be off target. City had 59% possession, 88% passing accuracy & 6 corner kicks.

So, Buffon & the Juve defenders made the majority of saves during the match.
The worldwide press & Allegri are all mainly crediting Buffon, for rescuing the match for Juve.

Stats my arse. I rely more on what I see. The bulk of our successfull 88% passing accuracy would have been in our own half I would guess, or just side to side along the halfway line. The same goes for the possession. It's what you do with it that counts in the end.
Buffon saved a few shots from us that we really should have scored, and it wasn't because the saves were extraordinary.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

You've listed 9 events in the first half. Only one of them was on target, Buffon had fuck all to do with it

The list of events was sourced directly from the City website & Opta stats. So, this is not a list of my own opinions. Those 9 events in the first half, all required Buffon or the Juve defenders to prevent City players from scoring.

Opta said that City had a total of 13 shots, with 5 on target... The City stats said 6 on target. Buffon & the defenders were forced to intervene, which directly caused the City player shots to be off target. City had 59% possession, 88% passing accuracy & 6 corner kicks.

So, Buffon & the Juve defenders made the majority of saves during the match.
The worldwide press & Allegri are all mainly crediting Buffon, for rescuing the match for Juve.

Stats my arse. I rely more on what I see. The bulk of our successfull 88% passing accuracy would have been in our own half I would guess, or just side to side along the halfway line. The same goes for the possession. It's what you do with it that counts in the end.
Buffon saved a few shots from us that we really should have scored, and it wasn't because the saves were extraordinary.

I thought the saves from Yaya and Silva were impressive.

[iwasthere2012]

You've listed 9 events in the first half. Only one of them was on target, Buffon had fuck all to do with it

The list of events was sourced directly from the City website & Opta stats. So, this is not a list of my own opinions. Those 9 events in the first half, all required Buffon or the Juve defenders to prevent City players from scoring.

Opta said that City had a total of 13 shots, with 5 on target... The City stats said 6 on target. Buffon & the defenders were forced to intervene, which directly caused the City player shots to be off target. City had 59% possession, 88% passing accuracy & 6 corner kicks.

So, Buffon & the Juve defenders made the majority of saves during the match.
The worldwide press & Allegri are all mainly crediting Buffon, for rescuing the match for Juve.

Stats my arse. I rely more on what I see. The bulk of our successfull 88% passing accuracy would have been in our own half I would guess, or just side to side along the halfway line. The same goes for the possession. It's what you do with it that counts in the end.
Buffon saved a few shots from us that we really should have scored, and it wasn't because the saves were extraordinary.

I thought the saves from Yaya and Silva were impressive.

The one from Yaya, yes. I'll give you that.

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

Stats my arse. I rely more on what I see. The bulk of our successfull 88% passing accuracy would have been in our own half I would guess, or just side to side along the halfway line. The same goes for the possession. It's what you do with it that counts in the end.
Buffon saved a few shots from us that we really should have scored, and it wasn't because the saves were extraordinary.

If you don't believe in stats, maybe you might want to check the magnificent photographic proof, that Kippax Blue has just kindly shared on his new thread. I just counted 13 separate photos of incidents, where Buffon is under threat from City attacks.

[iwasthere2012]

Stats my arse. I rely more on what I see. The bulk of our successfull 88% passing accuracy would have been in our own half I would guess, or just side to side along the halfway line. The same goes for the possession. It's what you do with it that counts in the end.
Buffon saved a few shots from us that we really should have scored, and it wasn't because the saves were extraordinary.

If you don't believe in stats, maybe you might want to check the magnificent photographic proof, that Kippax Blue has just kindly shared on his new thread. I just counted 13 separate photos of incidents, where Buffon is under threat from City attacks.

I don't doubt he was involved and did his job. I don't think stats tell the whole story. The same as I don't think I get the whole story, watching on TV that those actually at the match get. I would say the saves from Sterling in particular and a follow up from Silva had more to do with bad finishing than spectacular goal keeping. He did a very efficient job for them. He is still a top keeper. The one from Yaya in particular was good but it was a shot from distance.
You need a very good shot to beat a keeper of that standard from there........like Moratta's shot for example.
A lot of his involvement, was bread and butter stuff, executed well.
You don't need stats to prove that.

[Dameerto]

Our standout player was Fernandinho, honourable mention to Kompany, Kolarov, Yaya and Sagna for having a good game.

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

I don't doubt he was involved and did his job. I don't think stats tell the whole story. The same as I don't think I get the whole story, watching on TV that those actually at the match get. I would say the saves from Sterling in particular and a follow up from Silva had more to do with bad finishing than spectacular goal keeping. He did a very efficient job for them. He is still a top keeper. The one from Yaya in particular was good but it was a shot from distance.
You need a very good shot to beat a keeper of that standard from there........like Moratta's shot for example. A lot of his involvement, was bread and butter stuff, executed well.
You don't need stats to prove that.

I chose Buffon as Juve's Man of the Match, because I still think that he had the greatest overall effect on the final score of the match.

After attending City matches, I also watch a TV recording of the same match, to see everything in a wider perspective. The TV recordings are also helpful for reviewing all the controversial calls. I especially like the photos from Kippax Blue, because I usually see things, that I missed while watching the match!

As for the MOTM, this is the first week that I didn't want to select the entire team, as a group effort. It would be great to have the entire team, added as a MOTM option, when it's so unfair to single out just one player.

[Cocacolajojo1]

I voted for Pellers. It was a sarcastic vote. He deserved it.