next : liverpool (h)

[Original Dub]

"Diving boy".

WTF? That is fucking pathetic. Why not call him a snake and a money grabber while you're at it? The media have done a right number on some folk on here. "Sell him in January". "Diving boy". "Waste of money".

I've been on this board for more years than most and I've never seen such a bunch of spoilt whinging sheep as you lot.

A 20 year old boy is our second top goal scorer with assists and penalties won to boot and he's still a target. For those who say he's goes down too easily - I have seen a couple of incidents where he could have stayed on his feet, but that applies to every attacker we have. If a foul is there to be won, they have to draw the ref's attention to it. I don't give a fuck where that is on the pitch.

However, I've seen multiple times when he has been dragged, kicked and pushed and the ref just waved it away. He will become stronger and more confident as he gets older, but I would have thought that most would known that.

Apparently not.

[zuricity]

I can see our diving boy being mentally ill prepared for this one. Hope I'm wrong and he plays like he did in Seville. Sterlkng could be something special here.

KDB has been very hit and miss the last few games after an amazing start, was anonymous in the derby so I hope he steps up for this one.

Yaya see above.

If silva and Aguero are fit they play for me. Aguero from the off silva if needed.

Oh do fuck off with that shit, plenty of our players have been guilty of going down easy trying to buy frees over the years and didn't get the shit for it that you're giving Sterling. Only last season good honest pro Milner was given a yellow for diving. Aguero was booked for diving against I think it was Swansea last season. I recall Silva getting stick from non-City fans for a dive against Chelsea a couple of years back. Yaya is often guilty of it, Nasri too, Micah, I could go on.

He needs to rein it in but quit singling him out.

Sergio diving vs Swansea ? is that the one where someone on here posted the ref with dark glasses and a walking stick. the one where he was clearly fouled and went over without any theatrics ?

[Foreverinbluedreams]

I can see our diving boy being mentally ill prepared for this one. Hope I'm wrong and he plays like he did in Seville. Sterlkng could be something special here.

KDB has been very hit and miss the last few games after an amazing start, was anonymous in the derby so I hope he steps up for this one.

Yaya see above.

If silva and Aguero are fit they play for me. Aguero from the off silva if needed.

Oh do fuck off with that shit, plenty of our players have been guilty of going down easy trying to buy frees over the years and didn't get the shit for it that you're giving Sterling. Only last season good honest pro Milner was given a yellow for diving. Aguero was booked for diving against I think it was Swansea last season. I recall Silva getting stick from non-City fans for a dive against Chelsea a couple of years back. Yaya is often guilty of it, Nasri too, Micah, I could go on.

He needs to rein it in but quit singling him out.

Sergio diving vs Swansea ? is that the one where someone on here posted the ref with dark glasses and a walking stick. the one where he was clearly fouled and went over without any theatrics ?

No I think you're referring to the yellow card he got against Southampton when he was clearly fouled.

I don't know where I got Swansea from, it was against CSKA

https://vine.co/v/OebiYadL9q2

[london blue 2]

Brown to miss out. He's been awful of late.

Sterling and Navas with Sergio up top.
Delph F1 and F2

Shut coutino up and it's job done.

[Nigels Tackle]

Brown to miss out. He's been awful of late.

Sterling and Navas with Sergio up top.
Delph F1 and F2

Shut coutino up and it's job done.

is brown this season's tia maria??

[South Stand Balti]

I would start De Bruyne. I think the number of games he had to play in a short period of time, in such a fast paced league, caught up with him. I also prefer him in a central role. Big Dave has done most of his stuff just off to the left so I'm going with:
Joe
Sagna God Otter Kola
Fern 1 Yaya
Navas KDB Silva
Sergio

Sterling can come on and run em ragged last 20 mins.

[Beefymcfc]

I can see our diving boy being mentally ill prepared for this one. Hope I'm wrong and he plays like he did in Seville. Sterlkng could be something special here.

KDB has been very hit and miss the last few games after an amazing start, was anonymous in the derby so I hope he steps up for this one.

Yaya see above.

If silva and Aguero are fit they play for me. Aguero from the off silva if needed.

Oh do fuck off with that shit, plenty of our players have been guilty of going down easy trying to buy frees over the years and didn't get the shit for it that you're giving Sterling. Only last season good honest pro Milner was given a yellow for diving. Aguero was booked for diving against I think it was Swansea last season. I recall Silva getting stick from non-City fans for a dive against Chelsea a couple of years back. Yaya is often guilty of it, Nasri too, Micah, I could go on.

He needs to rein it in but quit singling him out.

How does no sound?

I've been on this board for years and I've honestly never seen so many people condone diving. Never. Not saying nobody has ever done it but nobody has ever done it regularly and been stuck up for.

Now if you read the rest of the thread you'll see I want him to start.

I think hes genuinely outperformed my expectations and he's bloody exciting to watch. I think the shit he got off scousers was uncalled for and I honestly think he's on his way to becoming a top player here. I just want to do it the right way. Nothing wrong with that.

I'm laughing at your new description of one of our players, and the fact that you think we condone it. I've not seen anybody who has. Your constant lambasting and forcing the issue makes me wonder if you've mentioned this before, or just jumped on it to make a point as I've not seen much on the board regarding this diving issue. In fact, I wonder what your thoughts on Sterling were before he came here, or your thoughts when he was linked and then brought in?

Sterling really changed my perception of his ability and mental strength at the start of the season, had a couple of average games but then proved even better afterwards. Yes, he can have ordinary games, who can't, yet you're now onto his mental fragility. If anything, Sterling has proved to me that he is anything other than fragile and will take anything thrown at him; he'll even come back and throw it in your face, as he did with the interview during the Dipper dilema.

Should he play against the Dippers, I'm not sure, but I am sure that the bloke who sees him day in/day out will make a decision on his mental and physical state rather than pre-supposing where he will be. Personally, if fit, I'd say he's got to be an option to start, regardless of if it's against his old club or not.

One of the reasons I wanted him here, and not just because I knew we didn't have a choice (he was coming), is because it would really piss the Dippers off and what better way to do that than give him chance for a bit if revenge. You never know, the team might just give that extra 10% to help him do just that.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Won't get excited about this game until this international break is over and we see who is still standing.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

I would start De Bruyne. I think the number of games he had to play in a short period of time, in such a fast paced league, caught up with him. I also prefer him in a central role. Big Dave has done most of his stuff just off to the left so I'm going with:
Joe
Sagna God Otter Kola
Fern 1 Yaya
Navas KDB Silva
Sergio

Sterling can come on and run em ragged last 20 mins.

Watching him closely against Norwich De Bruyne looked knackered.

[Beefymcfc]

I would start De Bruyne. I think the number of games he had to play in a short period of time, in such a fast paced league, caught up with him. I also prefer him in a central role. Big Dave has done most of his stuff just off to the left so I'm going with:
Joe
Sagna God Otter Kola
Fern 1 Yaya
Navas KDB Silva
Sergio

Sterling can come on and run em ragged last 20 mins.

Watching him closely against Norwich De Bruyne looked knackered.

I read that Sagna and Kolarov had played the most minutes but they've had many a year in the Prem. Players like KDB will obviously take time to adjust and it's probably worse now that he's got that added pressure of the PL.

Not doing a bad job though. Hopefully the Belgium team will give him a bit of a rest these next 2 weeks.

[South Stand Balti]

I would start De Bruyne. I think the number of games he had to play in a short period of time, in such a fast paced league, caught up with him. I also prefer him in a central role. Big Dave has done most of his stuff just off to the left so I'm going with:
Joe
Sagna God Otter Kola
Fern 1 Yaya
Navas KDB Silva
Sergio

Sterling can come on and run em ragged last 20 mins.

Watching him closely against Norwich De Bruyne looked knackered.

I read that Sagna and Kolarov had played the most minutes but they've had many a year in the Prem. Players like KDB will obviously take time to adjust and it's probably worse now that he's got that added pressure of the PL.

Not doing a bad job though. Hopefully the Belgium team will give him a bit of a rest these next 2 weeks.

A break will do him good but I've no doubt KDB is the real deal. I don't want him to be overly used as a utility player. It must piss a player off keep playing in different positions during one game. When all the lads are fit we shouldn't need to do this.

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

... These boots are made for kicking!... Mario is sharing his Superhero support for City vs Liverpool!

Meanwhile, the Liverpool team is preparing to play City, by inviting the New Zealand rugby team to teach them their haka dance!... I'm not kidding!... Either that, or this is a new Daniel Sturridge Resuscitation dance!!

[Mase]

Didn't KDB pick up a knock on the last international break and since then he's not looked himself.

[Hazy2]

A side issue, could be the 1st test of the South Stand, leaving the ground with that many Scousers at the same time could be interesting.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Beefy you've quoted my post which mentions my thoughts on him before and after signing and speculated as to how I felt. Just read the post you quoted it's there.

The diving thing isn't sonething I've gone mental for before as we've never condoned it. Saying you can't see anyone doing that means either your heads in the sand or you can't read. Just look at the poll and see how many people think he's falling too easily. It's obviously not just me.

OD you've lost your marbles mate if you think he doesn't throw himself over. Rant and rave all you like, you've lost the plot.

Now one last time for everyone. I rate Sterling, I like him, I want him here. The diving boy comment was a tongue in cheek dig aimed at the girls on here feigning horror at is calling out one of our own for something we don't like. Chill. He's gonna be a top player, but no matter what you say I want him to stop going down so easy. Simple!

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

Now one last time for everyone. I rate Sterling, I like him, I want him here....Chill. He's gonna be a top player, but no matter what you say I want him to stop going down so easy. Simple!

Your comment reminded me of a funny old Gershwin song...

"You say punishment and I say penalty kicks
You say to stay on his feet and I say Raheem's been beat
Either, either
Neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off!"

[iwasthere2012]

Now one last time for everyone. I rate Sterling, I like him, I want him here....Chill. He's gonna be a top player, but no matter what you say I want him to stop going down so easy. Simple!

Your comment reminded me of a funny old Gershwin song...

"You say punishment and I say penalty kicks
You say to stay on his feet and I say Raheem's been beat
Either, either
Neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off!"

You've changed your tune.

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

Now one last time for everyone. I rate Sterling, I like him, I want him here....Chill. He's gonna be a top player, but no matter what you say I want him to stop going down so easy. Simple!

Your comment reminded me of a funny old Gershwin song...

"You say punishment and I say penalty kicks
You say to stay on his feet and I say Raheem's been beat
Either, either
Neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off!"

You've changed your tune.

...No... The Song Remains The Same...
...Just the lyrics have been changed, with apologies to Ira Gershwin & Led Zep!

1) Sterling did not imitate Diego Costa and pound the ground, while the Villains continued playing the match.

2) Sterling also did not imitate Wayne Rooney, by shouting curses at the ref... which would have been a yellow card for Raheem!

Instead, it looks like Pellegrini has coached the team, to assume that the refs will ignore all penalty calls for City. Most of the City players just get on with playing, after being denied by the ref.

As for the upcoming match, Sterling will be seriously abused by the fans, whether he plays or not... And I also wouldn't let Skrtel anywhere near Raheem!... So, I'd rest Raheem for the Liverpool match, unless absolutely necessary.

[iwasthere2012]

Now one last time for everyone. I rate Sterling, I like him, I want him here....Chill. He's gonna be a top player, but no matter what you say I want him to stop going down so easy. Simple!

Your comment reminded me of a funny old Gershwin song...

"You say punishment and I say penalty kicks
You say to stay on his feet and I say Raheem's been beat
Either, either
Neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off!"

You've changed your tune.

...No... The Song Remains The Same...
...Just the lyrics have been changed, with apologies to Ira Gershwin & Led Zep!

1) Sterling did not imitate Diego Costa and pound the ground, while the Villains continued playing the match.

2) Sterling also did not imitate Wayne Rooney, by shouting curses at the ref... which would have been a yellow card for Raheem!

Instead, it looks like Pellegrini has coached the team, to assume that the refs will ignore all penalty calls for City. Most of the City players just get on with playing, after being denied by the ref.

As for the upcoming match, Sterling will be seriously abused by the fans, whether he plays or not... And I also wouldn't let Skrtel anywhere near Raheem!... So, I'd rest Raheem for the Liverpool match, unless absolutely necessary.

I'd say George and Ira are spinning in their graves. Don't give up the day job.

[Nigels Tackle]

Now one last time for everyone. I rate Sterling, I like him, I want him here....Chill. He's gonna be a top player, but no matter what you say I want him to stop going down so easy. Simple!

Your comment reminded me of a funny old Gershwin song...

"You say punishment and I say penalty kicks
You say to stay on his feet and I say Raheem's been beat
Either, either
Neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off!"

You've changed your tune.

...No... The Song Remains The Same...
...Just the lyrics have been changed, with apologies to Ira Gershwin & Led Zep!

1) Sterling did not imitate Diego Costa and pound the ground, while the Villains continued playing the match.

2) Sterling also did not imitate Wayne Rooney, by shouting curses at the ref... which would have been a yellow card for Raheem!

Instead, it looks like Pellegrini has coached the team, to assume that the refs will ignore all penalty calls for City. Most of the City players just get on with playing, after being denied by the ref.

As for the upcoming match, Sterling will be seriously abused by the fans, whether he plays or not... And I also wouldn't let Skrtel anywhere near Raheem!... So, I'd rest Raheem for the Liverpool match, unless absolutely necessary.

rest him??? we signed him to play in games like this. it's also going to be the best atmosphere ever at the etihad on saturday week so we'll drown the scouse fuckers out.