The Official Manchester City Thread

[Kadilo]

Just now, Kadilo said:

Bad news. 5 mins in the Holland Spain friendly and looks like Ake had done a hamstring. 

 

[mrbojangles]

9 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Bad news. 5 mins in and looks like Ake had done a hamstring. 

 

Oh gawd. That's all we need. Inter-bladdy-nationals

[RickG16]

On 11/9/2020 at 5:23 PM, Bredbury Blue said:

Thought Liverpool started really well for around 20-25 mins, while we were poor, struggled to cope, we just couldn't get out, Gundogan and Rodri in particular were being hounded out of possession, all we could do was pass it along the backline. 

 

Another clumsy soft penalty given away; on first viewing i thought penalty, though Mane was happy to go down. 

Immediately preceding the Mane incident, i thought that when Sterling was fouled outside the box and and no advantage developed as he tried to play on and not go down but ended up losing control of the ball and his balance in the box due to the foul, that the ref should have gone back to the foul and given us a freekick, but no bother, it is what it is.   
Can see why players don't stay on their feet.

 

At that point and based on our poor showing i thought Liverpool would go on to win it by a couple. 

 

We adjusted, worked our way back in to it, an excellent move and goal from Jesus (anyone who watches Jesus has seen that flick before several times) - he did really well to last as long as he did in his first full game back. 

 

I thought it was a handball and a penalty BASED ON CURRENT interpretation of the stupid handball law, but all of us who follow football know that it wasn't really handball as we know it - go back to 'ball to hand' = not handball, 'hand to ball' = handball.

 

Torres wasn't in the game; played out of position upfront for two games and was great, plays in his favoured right wing position and didn't impact the game. Thought the sub of Bernardo for him later in the match was a good one as Bernardo was able to retain the ball and put some effort in to win back the lose ball.

 

Foden should have come on when Liverpool were tiring and especially when TAA went off and Milner came on.

 

Last 60 minutes i thought City were better team though Liverpool had short periods. Recently we've had a decent 1st half and then wilted the 2nd half (fitness?) so i was surprised that it was Liverpool who seemed to be toiling the more the game went on - they seemed to lose intensity around the time Firmino went off at the hour mark.

 

Another missed penalty - we could do with a Salah/Yaya/Mario level penalty taker - we have missed so many over recent seasons. KDB could have put that to bed if he'd bagged it.

 

The more i see Dias the more i like him, and he and Laporte look to be building a decent strong partnership.

 

The unorthodox Cancelo had another good game and looks to be nailing that LB position down.

 

I don't know why the managers were moaning about the number of substitutes that should be available to them, as they only used 3 out of the total 6 available to them in this game.

 

Reasonably happy with our performance and the result - we didn't crumble when under pressure like we used to (without Laporte and pre-Dias), we came back in to the game well and played well in the last hour against a very team. 
  

I was thinking about reading 'War and Peace' during the lockdown, but this seems like a good online equivalent.

[mrbojangles]

11 hours ago, RickG16 said:

This is where I disagree. By shock you are implying he is courting some kind of public reaction... Which in turn implies that Roy Keane is actually bothered about what the general public thinks.

 

I can imagine him being exactly the same sat at home or watching the game with friends when no cameras are on. And isn't that what we want?

 

It may have started off as Keane being Keane but now it's for the camera's. Have you seen the video of Micah laughing his head off at Keane cos he's topping up his own make up? Does he do that at home with no camera's?

[RickG16]

38 minutes ago, mrbojangles said:

 

It may have started off as Keane being Keane but now it's for the camera's. Have you seen the video of Micah laughing his head off at Keane cos he's topping up his own make up? Does he do that at home with no camera's?

Just as he was on the field, I can imagine Keane being a perfectionist about make up. The make up lady obviously wasn't doing her job properly and wanted to throw him under the bus.

 

.... Not enough leaders in the make up room!

[mrbojangles]

Anyway. Enough about Keane and his MrAngry act and his make-up 

 

KdB has been voted 2nd best footballer in the world (behind Lewandowski

 

Quote

Manchester City ace Kevin De Bruyne has been named the second best player in the world in a new poll.

 

Football website Goal has published a list of the 50 top players on the planet.

 

It features 25 male and 25 female players and was put together after a "global vote" based on their performances in the 2019-20 season.

 

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes features as the 22nd best male footballer.

Six Liverpool players make the list - Jordan Henderson, Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago Alcantara, Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk.

 

But De Bruyne is the highest-ranked English-based star - also coming ahead of the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo.

 

The City midfielder was only pipped to the top spot by Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski.

 

"Nobody could have done more than the silky-skilled attacking midfielder to take City where they want to go," said Goal.

 

Full story:- https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/best-players-world-de-bruyne-19255909

 

[RickG16]

9 minutes ago, mrbojangles said:

Anyway. Enough about Keane and his MrAngry act and his make-up 

 

KdB has been voted 2nd best footballer in the world (behind Lewandowski

 

 

Full story:- https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/best-players-world-de-bruyne-19255909

 

If Henderson was ranked higher than Bruno Fernandes I think we can immediately the dismiss the credibility of this poll. 

[BangrakBob]

13 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

If Henderson was ranked higher than Bruno Fernandes I think we can immediately the dismiss the credibility of this poll. 

Or yours....

[BangrakBob]

2 hours ago, mrbojangles said:

 

Oh gawd. That's all we need. Inter-bladdy-nationals

Not like you are going to miss him, he hasn't featured in your last 5 matches (all comps), not even on the bench for 3 of those #squadgoals

[mrbojangles]

20 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

If Henderson was ranked higher than Bruno Fernandes I think we can immediately the dismiss the credibility of this poll. 

 

It's based on global votes, so it's as credible as any other poll.

 

It's also based on the full 19/20 season. How many games did he play for United last season and was Bruno really a stand out player at Sporting whatever?

[mrbojangles]

4 minutes ago, BangrakBob said:

Not like you are going to miss him, he hasn't featured in your last 5 matches (all comps), not even on the bench for 3 of those #squadgoals

 

Cos he had an injury and we had only just got him back last week.

[BangrakBob]

Just now, mrbojangles said:

 

Cos he had an injury and we had only just got him back last week.

fair dos

[mrbojangles]

7 minutes ago, BangrakBob said:

fair dos

 

Wasn't a massive injury. I think he picked up a niggle in the Arsenal match and that kept him out for only a few weeks. He had only just come back to being named on the subs bench not even a starter so why he went on International duty is mind boggling. I don't think this injury is linked to the last so if he was injured so quickly, did he get a proper warm up?

[Bredbury Blue]

26 minutes ago, BangrakBob said:

Not like you are going to miss him, he hasn't featured in your last 5 matches (all comps), not even on the bench for 3 of those #squadgoals

 

Ake came back from injury and was on the bench vs Sheff, played 90 mins alongside Stones vs Olympiacos , then was back on the bench vs Liverpool.

 

I don't think Ake (or Stones) would be playing next up vs Spurs (A) 22/11, but i reckon he/they would be starting some of Olympiacos (26/11), Burnley, Porto, Fulham, Marseille (10/12) = 5 games in 15 days. With a hammie, Ake will be out for a good chunk of that or all of that.

 

I'm still waiting to see Pep play Ake - Laporte - Dias - Walker which i reckon could be our strongest defensive defence line-up.

 

[RickG16]

22 minutes ago, mrbojangles said:

 

It's based on global votes, so it's as credible as any other poll.

 

It's also based on the full 19/20 season. How many games did he play for United last season and was Bruno really a stand out player at Sporting whatever?

He was absolutely their standout player, but bossing the Portuguese league is obviously not as big as doing it in the PL.

 

You have to ask who are these people who are voting globally? Which kind of a poll has more credibility... a France Football Ballon D'or style vote which asks journalists, a FIFA style vote which asks national team coaches, or a vote of 'Joe Bloggs' from around the world, half of who probably post nonsense on social media. 

 

Poll or no poll this comes down to the 'eye test'. If someone can't see Bruno is a better player than Henderson they don't understand the sport. 

[mrbojangles]

3 minutes ago, Bredbury Blue said:

 

Ake came back from injury and was on the bench vs Sheff, played 90 mins alongside Stones vs Olympiacos , then was back on the bench vs Liverpool.

 

I don't think Ake (or Stones) would be playing next up vs Spurs (A) 22/11, but i reckon he/they would be starting some of Olympiacos (26/11), Burnley, Porto, Fulham, Marseille (10/12) = 5 games in 15 days. With a hammie, Ake will be out for a good chunk of that or all of that.

 

I'm still waiting to see Pep play Ake - Laporte - Dias - Walker which i reckon could be our strongest defensive defence line-up.

 

 

Yeah. Correction. Forgot he had played V Olympiacos. Cheers BB

[RickG16]

Anyway... Bruno is 22nd and Henderson is 23rd on the list. 

[mrbojangles]

5 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

Anyway... Bruno is 22nd and Henderson is 23rd on the list. 

 

So after all that, he is higher........blimey.

 

Does the poll get any credibility now?

[RickG16]

2 minutes ago, mrbojangles said:

 

So after all that, he is higher........blimey.

 

Does the poll get any credibility now?

Definitely more than I first thought. 

[BangrakBob]

2 hours ago, RickG16 said:

He was absolutely their standout player, but bossing the Portuguese league is obviously not as big as doing it in the PL.

 

You have to ask who are these people who are voting globally? Which kind of a poll has more credibility... a France Football Ballon D'or style vote which asks journalists, a FIFA style vote which asks national team coaches, or a vote of 'Joe Bloggs' from around the world, half of who probably post nonsense on social media. 

 

 

A rare occurrence, but I completely agree with this sentiment. 

[mrbojangles]

42 minutes ago, BangrakBob said:

A rare occurrence, but I completely agree with this sentiment. 

 

Is that because you have now found out that Hendo is below Fernandes ????

[Bredbury Blue]

Interesting fact

 

 

[Bredbury Blue]

Another interesting fact...

 

The earliest form of City, St. Mark's (West Gorton), played their first game 140 years ago in 1880 vs (LOCAL TEAM) Macclesfield Baptists. That lot from down the road played their first game a week later.

[champers]

6 hours ago, Bredbury Blue said:

Another interesting fact...

 

The earliest form of City, St. Mark's (West Gorton), played their first game 140 years ago in 1880 vs (LOCAL TEAM) Macclesfield Baptists. That lot from down the road played their first game a week later.

 

Late to the party. Bolton only sent the reserves to play Newton Heath.

[mrbojangles]

I didn't get to watch the Spain V Germany game last night but no matter how garbage Germany might have been, it's a big achievement for any player to get a hattrick against them. Well done Foran Torres, what a bargain he is looking to be for us 

[wilai]

Your boys certainly got some goals this week! Torres x3, Foden x2, Dias x2, Rodri,  Mahrez and De Bruyne all netting. You'd better hope they saved some for Spurs!

[RickG16]

6 minutes ago, wilai said:

Your boys certainly got some goals this week! Torres x3, Foden x2, Dias x2, Rodri,  Mahrez and De Bruyne all netting. You'd better hope they saved some for Spurs!

Looking like a cracker that game. And that's without even considering the next chapter of Jose vs Pep.

 

Having said that, everybody could be knackered after internationals.

[mrbojangles]

1 hour ago, wilai said:

Your boys certainly got some goals this week! Torres x3, Foden x2, Dias x2, Rodri,  Mahrez and De Bruyne all netting. You'd better hope they saved some for Spurs!

 

Yeah. The way Mahrez controlled the cross for his goal was a bit spesh

[Bredbury Blue]

9 hours ago, mrbojangles said:

 

Yeah. The way Mahrez controlled the cross for his goal was a bit spesh

It really was; worth going out of your way to see it boys and girls.

[Bredbury Blue]

GREAT NEWS!

 

Pep's signed a 2 year extension until the summer of 2023. Woo-hoo!

 

Does that mean Messi is coming and Aguero staying? Time will tell. Imagine, Messi in a City shirt and watching him every week, it'd be amazing. Fingers crossed.