City V's Blackburn - Match thread

[wyted]

what time is motd on tonight? can't wait to see the goals again!

I can't wait to see the goals... I couldn't get a stream at first and missed Ade's goal and then the stream I had died off at the end. Typical Ci... Internet.

[petrov]

Im thrilled with that performance tbh, not the greatest game of football ever but heres why.

-Last season we'd of buckled under the kind of pressure we were under late in the first half. Lots of teams will struggle their this season as fat Sam has a way of ruining matches and stealing points.
-We looked settled in attack already when we could play we did.
-Our defence was rock solid second half and after dodgy displays first half Dunne and Bridge really upped their games and steadied up.
-Welcome back Micah, you can't control or pass a football to save your life, but you were very steady against an on form Pederson today. Keep it up.
-Gareth Barry - fucking brilliant in my opinion, got everywhere worked his socks off, done well with the ball too.
-Ade - Did i actually imagine it or did he track back and get stuck in, scored a great goal and held up the ball reasonably well. Lazy? My arse, maybe he just needed a better manager than Wenger.

Mark Hughes - got his tactics bang on, despite a nervy period we dominated the 2nd half and eased to the win. Bringing on Tevez for Robbie was a good decision as it steadied up our left side and they didn't get a sniff after that. Every player with the exception of Robbie got stuck in and tackled, tracked back and put in a shift that'd make Vassell proud. Playing Bellamy negated Allardyces destroy the game tactic as much as possible and the sliding tackle on the fat bastard made me smile. Top marks.

All in all we'll face tougher games than this, but not many. alot of teams will drop points there and to win 2-0 is quite pleasing, this is the type of game we'd of bottled in the past and probably conceeded a couple from set pieces and a Dunne o.g. When any of the back 4 made a mistake today someone always saved their arse and thats fucking teamwork baby. More pleased with the clean sheet than anything.

[blues-clues]

A debut goal for Ade, Ireland off the mark already, a clean sheet and a win at one of the toughest places to go away, topped off with a sliding challenge by Hughes on Fat Sam. Great start to the season.

I hope they show Hughes' tackle on MOTD - I missed it on the feed.

Can someone please explain what happened with Hughes and Allardice. Sounds like a comedy moment by all accounts.

[Guy Debord]

I'm very happy with today's performence, even though it looked shakey at times. 3 points, 2scored and none concieved ... Can't expect more for an away game.

You never now what's gonna happen tonight, our kid.

[avoidconfusion]

Fucking hell what a great start to the season. 2:0 , 3 points away from home against Blackburn of all teams, one of the toughest teams to play away from home.... brilliant!

Richards was fantastic as was Bridge I thought. Bellamy still running like a madman in the 90th minute... absolutely brilliant... love that guy.

How the fuck Pederson was MOM ahead of Barry I will never know, I thought Barry bossed the midfield so much it looked like Ireland isn't even playing sometimes.

Adebayor, what a great outlet he is, great hold up play from him at times, great pass to SWP in the 1st half who then set Ade up for his goal.

Two fantastic saves from Given to make sure we stay ahead.

Toure and Dunne looked allright as well.... fuck me...


THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

[shawzy]

Very good result beating those classless wankers at there ground..We took the fight to them and won in a professional manner.No panic stations like last season..Well done all the players.
Mark Hughes got this game spot on and it was very brave to take Robbie off but it worked and we won.

[mr_nool]

I'm very happy with today's performence, even though it looked shakey at times. 3 points, 2scored and none concieved ... Can't expect more for an away game.

You never now what's gonna happen tonight, our kid.

I blame the beer ;-)

[Crossie]

Dodgey defence? no, a defence under pressure that refused to break, every team that go to Ewood Park will come under that sort of pressure, constant long balls, set pieces, it was a very tough test, they had chances, and when the defence was beaten ( twice? in 94 mins) Given was there to do his job.

Very well done, Fucks knows what our best team is though, although I have a small feeling it doesnt include Robinho, not away from home anyway, crazy!!

[bluej]

Just a note on the MOM, they are normally picked by a match sponsor so they will inevitably always be a home player.

[CityGer]

Absolutely superb. What a start.

I said in the 'your hopes for the season' thread that I'd love to see us go away from home, grind out results and keep clean sheets. I think we did slightly more than just grind this out. We were missing the spirit and steel to get this kind of result last season so this bodes well.

Well done lads!!!

[The Original Special One]

Not to rain on our parade but Richards performance now a cause of serious concern.
We can't afford to carry any passengers in the team and Hughes really needs to sort this problem out ASAP

[avoidconfusion]

Not to rain on our parade but Richards performance now a cause of serious concern.
We can't afford to carry any passengers in the team and Hughes really needs to sort this problem out ASAP

Jesus christ wtf are you on about? Are you a WUM or what's wrong with you?

[roadkill2487]

Given pulled off two serious saves. Unsung!

[david yearsley]

Complaints on Talkshite about Tevez/M****h song - anyone elaborate?

[BlooMooner]

Nice to have buried one of the traditional bogey teams away from home. Nice to think we may not have to fear the likes of Stoke and Wigan now!! Good solid performance and a cracking tiatto-esque tackle by hughesy on BFS.

[avoidconfusion]

Nice to have buried one of the traditional bogey teams away from home. Nice to think we may not have to fear the likes of Stoke and Wigan now!! Good solid performance and a cracking tiatto-esque tackle by hughesy on BFS.

I must have missed that one hahaha

[petrov]

Not to rain on our parade but Richards performance now a cause of serious concern.
We can't afford to carry any passengers in the team and Hughes really needs to sort this problem out ASAP

sorry mate, your as blinkered when it comes to Richards as others are too Dunne and Hughes, Richards was very good today particulary in defence. He done well against Pederson and all their chances came from our left hand side.

[ant london]

I write this smiling like a goon in the back of a cab crossing the River Nile on the way to meet friends for a hat load of beers....the red sun sets in the distance and a blue moon rises!

That was an IMMENSE result. As others have said that takes a huge amoung of expectation and pressure off the team and the management....what a trio of great full debuts from Ade, Kolo and Gazza Bazza. They were all bloody brilliant. Nice cameo from Carlitos too. What a slick bit of play from Stevie for his goal too....cool as ice!

Lots and lots of positives...too many to mention typing on my bitchberry but I am happy as a sandboy.

Cmon City....let's shake up the Premiership!

[craigmcfc]

Not to rain on our parade but Richards performance now a cause of serious concern.
We can't afford to carry any passengers in the team and Hughes really needs to sort this problem out ASAP

Have a word with yourself, your blinkered campaign against him today has not been one of your finer moments on here

[Robinho_Is_GOD]

Cracking win, and a game that we would have lost last season under the same circumstances (way the game panned out), a superb goal to get things off to a flyer, then for some reason City continued all first half to launch the ball 50 yards into the sky, even when under no pressure what-so-ever, the passing, movement and general build up play in the first half was Conference Division standard, it had to improve in the second half and did so 1000%, for some bizarre reason we then decided to play the ball around, quicker, with more urgency and direction and purpose and exposed Blackburn time and again down the flanks and caused their defence a few problems, also getting time we never seemed to find in the first half........Still trying to fathom out why we waited so long to try that novel idea of passing on the deck.

How Richards gets in ahead of either Nedum or Zabaleta (who would have been selected if I had chosen the line-up) I will never know, the man is a brainless footballer, the stupid tackle he launched into on Pedersen gave them the chance to draw level, you cannot afford to do that at this level, as it only takes a good shot and a side who have done nowt all game are suddenly level (granted Blackburn did more than nowt, but the thesis should always be the same), Toure and Bridge today played with their brains first and lungs second, Barry also played with his brain and it showed the gulf in class and the reason why they play and have played at the highest levels that they have, and why Richards is still a long way off from that.....granted he is young and might learn, but he HAS GOT TO learn, not might or could, the position this club are in we will not be able to afford to stand still or give someone 2-3 years to show potential, as every man and his dog are itching for us to fall on our faces.

I didn't think that this was the game for Robinho, but surprised at how well he did actually do, I wouldn't say he was superb, far from it, but he was effective when the ball was at his feet, same with Adebayor, brilliant close skill, superb strike for the finish and lead the line well, very pleased to see all the new signings settle in so well in the hustle and bustle of a local derby game and against a very physical side like Blackburn, Tevez just needs some match sharpness to arrive before he will be like Bellamy was today and flying about all over the pitch, competition for places we now have in Attack and Midfield (though I still think we could do with a Sneijder, van der Vaart, Ozil or Sassegnon type player), but the defence does need some coaching work done to it, and also another 1-2 players that can play in a few positions across the back, even if they did stand firm today for large parts, they still made me nervous most of the first half.

All in all a very happy City fan right now and very optimistic for the future, great grit and determination to see a tough opening day fixture through to a conclusion we all wanted.