Manchester City

[Bredbury Blue]

I thought we played quite well yesterday.

The ref (and his assistants) were appalling. I dont think you can appeal yellow cards, so Aguero has unfairly got an unwarranted yellow against his name.

It was bad enough to miss the penalty, but how can you book him??? In order to book him, the ref has to be sure he has seen simulation. Therefore he is either making it up in his own mind or else he is hallucinating. He should be given a holiday.

Kompanys injury is a worry. Looks like its his hammy again, which means he will probably out through Christmas. Please spare us Boyata!!!

My disappointment continues to be Navas. What is his role? I thought the idea was to have him as an outlet on the wing. Play all the nice intricate football inside and use him on the wing alternating between guile and thrust. He just doesnt seem to be able to take on his man!! OK, he occasionally puts in a good ball but for me he doesnt do half of what he should be doing. I think we should try and get the kid Aarons from Newcastle.

I hope the goal doesnt go to Clichys head. I dont want to be seeing Kolarov-esque shots from him all game. He cant do it. I already saw one 30 yarder yesterday flying high into the crowd. I think the fact he hit the post last week, he thinks he is Roberto Carlos reincarnated

But the season is not yet half over. We are only 6 points behind, without playing with any real consistency. Still in with a shout of getting to the knock out stages of CL. Its not a bad position to be in.

Yesterday and vs Liverpool would be the best performances of the season. It was tight until we got the 1st goal and that i felt we were comfortable. Some decent performances yesterday and it looked it mattered to them again.

AMAZING we are only 6 points behind...we could definitely do with Chelsea having their main playmaker, 1st choice centre-backs, leftback and 2nd choice forward out and then we'd see how good they really are.

So we beat one of the 4 teams we'd not beaten before since the Sheikh took over, now we have to go on wednesday to another one of the 4 in Sunderland. Will it be Sagna or Boyota alongside Demi - i'm taking a wild guess it'll be Sagna.

Funny season this, the usual suspects are not in the top 8 positions, and i'm not having a go at Utd here, but seen as they are supposed to be not doing to well, the fact that they are 4th doesn't say much for some of the other teams.

[MrRed]

I had to laugh at your last paragraph

The fact is the premier league is probably the poorest season for a long time AND BOTH United and city are not at there best by a long way yet.

But come May it will be the usual suspects that rise to the top,still believe Chelski will piss it though.

[Bredbury Blue]

Should i stay or should I go now...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/11265197/Frank-Lampard-must-wish-he-could-prolong-Manchester-City-stay-but-knows-he-has-to-honour-New-York-contract.html

[Bredbury Blue]

HEADLINES YOU WONT READ THIS WEEK- Mangala well on way to being The New Demichelis

[Bredbury Blue]

At 28, the Belgian should be in the prime of his career, but since City won the Premier League title on the final day of the 2011-12 campaign, he has missed 24 of the 89 league games played by the club almost a third of their league fixtures.

[mrbojangles]

I thought we played quite well yesterday.

The ref (and his assistants) were appalling. I dont think you can appeal yellow cards, so Aguero has unfairly got an unwarranted yellow against his name.

It was bad enough to miss the penalty, but how can you book him??? In order to book him, the ref has to be sure he has seen simulation. Therefore he is either making it up in his own mind or else he is hallucinating. He should be given a holiday.

Kompanys injury is a worry. Looks like its his hammy again, which means he will probably out through Christmas. Please spare us Boyata!!!

My disappointment continues to be Navas. What is his role? I thought the idea was to have him as an outlet on the wing. Play all the nice intricate football inside and use him on the wing alternating between guile and thrust. He just doesnt seem to be able to take on his man!! OK, he occasionally puts in a good ball but for me he doesnt do half of what he should be doing. I think we should try and get the kid Aarons from Newcastle.

I hope the goal doesnt go to Clichys head. I dont want to be seeing Kolarov-esque shots from him all game. He cant do it. I already saw one 30 yarder yesterday flying high into the crowd. I think the fact he hit the post last week, he thinks he is Roberto Carlos reincarnated

But the season is not yet half over. We are only 6 points behind, without playing with any real consistency. Still in with a shout of getting to the knock out stages of CL. Its not a bad position to be in.

Good summary jack but I think you are being a tad harsh on Navas, in particular the job he did yesterday. From what I have seen of Southampton thus far I agree with a pundit who was talking last night in that Bertrand is a real threat for Southampton and charges forward a lot. He knew he couldn't charge like that last night or Navas would have skinned him and left him for dead, so he had to stay deeper. Navas totally nullified him as a threat down the wing. Job done IMO and he was always back tracking doing some good defensive cover. I quite like the lad but yeah, there is room for improvement in his overall game.

[smokie36]

Favourite Salfordians:Joe Gladwin, John Cooper Clarke, Mark E. Smith and Peter Hook.

And smokie for a couple of years.

[jellydog]

At 28, the Belgian should be in the prime of his career, but since City won the Premier League title on the final day of the 2011-12 campaign, he has missed 24 of the 89 league games played by the club almost a third of their league fixtures.

I think the injuries have taken their toll on Vinnie. Still a very good footballer, a great leader and you couldn't ask for a better representative of City, but yeah, he's lost a step I think, and more vulnerable than I remember him.

[Bredbury Blue]

Mystery solved.

"Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed that Serbian defender Matija Nastasic will miss at least one more week due to a muscle injury in his thigh."

[mrbojangles]

I really hope he gives Nastasic a run out when he's fit again. The lad does have a lot of promise.

[jellydog]

I really hope he gives Nastasic a run out when he's fit again. The lad does have a lot of promise.

Somehow I feel we are beating our heads against the wall here about Nastasic, but I hope he does get a shot. Great potential.

I see where Snidely Whiplash Hart shaved his moustache off. Excellent judgement.

[Bredbury Blue]

Man City's reduced losses a positive sign, says Khaldoon Al Mubarak

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak says the club have moved "beyond a period of heavy investment" needed to make them competitive.The Premier League champions are a step closer to breaking even, posting losses of £23m for the year to 31 May 2014.That figure includes a £16m fine City paid to Uefa for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations."The club is where we hoped it would be when we began this transformation six years ago," Al Mubarak said.He added: "Now we have moved beyond the period of heavy investment that was required to make the club competitive again, it is commercial growth of the kind we are seeing today that will underpin and support our operations in the future."Owner Sheikh Mansour has invested around £1bn in the club since taking over in September 2008, but the latest accounts are a sign that City are moving towards a model of self-sustainability.The club's losses have fallen over the last three years, from £197.5m in 2010-11 to £97.9m in 2011-12 and £51.6m in 2012-13.

[Bredbury Blue]

Premier League champions believe record revenues combined with reduces losses demonstrate a more sustainable financial model

Manchester City are confident they will be in full compliance with Uefa financial rules by the end of this season following the publication of their yearly accounts.The clubs revenues rose to £347 million in the last financial year a record for Manchester City - while their losses were halved over the same period.Their chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak believes these figures represent a significant milestone in the financial history of the current Premier Leaguechampions as they demonstrate a more sustainable financial model.After years of heavy spending in order to build the squad and establish an infrastructure on and off the pitch, City are now budgeting in anticipation of profit and believe they are fulfilling the long-term financial plan set out by the Abu Dhabi owners back in 2008.City fell foul of UEFAs recently established Financial Fair Play laws last summer when they were fined £49 million, of which around £33 million was suspended.Their net spending was also restricted as Manuel Pellegrini planned his Premier League title defence.Indeed, the most significant club losses in 2013-14 were a consequence of the £16 million UEFA fine.We have moved beyond the period of heavy investment that was required to the club competitive again, said City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.It is commercial growth of the kind we are seeing today that will underpin and support our operations in the future. The club is where we hoped it would be when we began the transformation six years ago.Chief Executive Ferran Soriano says City have reached a new level of financial sustainability and believes all the outstanding UEFA sanctions will have gone by the end of this season.

[BangrakBob]

Chicog shouldn't be too far away now BB

[jellydog]

Chicog shouldn't be too far away now BB

Gird thy loins, Chicog approacheth with double headed battle axe and breath of Budweiser.

[mrbojangles]

[mrbojangles]

Hope Boyata is up to it. Weird looking bench. Wonder how far away Silva is. Can't be long surely

CITY XI: Hart, Zabaleta, Boyata, Demichelis, Clichy, Fernandinho, Toure, Nasri, Navas, Jovetic, Aguero

SUBS: Cabellero, Angelino, Sagna, Fernando, Lampard, Milner, Pozo

[mrbojangles]

Nice reply Sergio

[jellydog]

Nice reply Sergio

I think that rocket goal from KUN fractured the Doppler Effect.

[mrbojangles]

Nice worked goal that. Very patient and then a killer pass from Toure, nice lay off from Aguero and bing a bong nice finish from Jovetic.

[mrbojangles]

Nice reply Sergio

I think that rocket goal from KUN fractured the Doppler Effect.

Nice wasn't it

[Bredbury Blue]

Impressive half from Boyota, been solid ans assured. Zaba vs Wickham has been our biggest worry.

[mrbojangles]

Impressive half from Boyota, been solid ans assured. Zaba vs Wickham has been our biggest worry.

Yeah I'd agree with that BB. Also, Navas is looking good tonight. He's put in some lovely balls that only needed a toe on the end.

[mrbojangles]

Lovely chip over Pantillimon from Zabba

Sunderland 1-3 City

[jellydog]

Lovely chip over Pantillimon from Zabba

Sunderland 1-3 City

That celebration by Zabba looked like one big tit.

Truly the most composed in attack that I've seen from City in a while. Very heartening, particularly without Silva pulling the strings.

[mrbojangles]

Aguero is simply a pleasure to watch.

Sunderland 1-4 City

[Bredbury Blue]

How good was Milner/Agueo goal!

Never seen so many people leaving with 20 minutes to go...poor.

[mrbojangles]

Lovely chip over Pantillimon from Zabba

Sunderland 1-3 City

That celebration by Zabba looked like one big tit.

Truly the most composed in attack that I've seen from City in a while. Very heartening, particularly without Silva pulling the strings.

Is his wife pregnant?

Looking really good tonight. That red and white stripe article BB posted the other day has thankfully been blown out of the water

[Bredbury Blue]

Lovely chip over Pantillimon from Zabba

Sunderland 1-3 City

That celebration by Zabba looked like one big tit.

Truly the most composed in attack that I've seen from City in a while. Very heartening, particularly without Silva pulling the strings.

Is his wife pregnant?

Looking really good tonight. That red and white stripe article BB posted the other day has thankfully been blown out of the water

YES! Now only Stoke and Liverpool left on the list.

[jellydog]

Lovely chip over Pantillimon from Zabba

Sunderland 1-3 City

That celebration by Zabba looked like one big tit.

Truly the most composed in attack that I've seen from City in a while. Very heartening, particularly without Silva pulling the strings.

Is his wife pregnant?

Looking really good tonight. That red and white stripe article BB posted the other day has thankfully been blown out of the water

Apparently so, yes.

Why Lampard instead of a youngster ?