Manchester City

[oldgit]

Didn't want to start a new thread, so just popped it in here.

This is the Daily Stars Premier Team of The Year http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/416327/TEAM-OF-THE-YEAR-Arsenal-Chelsea-Liverpool-Man-Utd-City

Obviously subjective but quite an interesting first choice 11. I often wonder when writers come up with these imaginary teams, how they would actually gel and play together.

Goalkeeper: David de Gea (Manchester United)

Right-back: Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton)

Centre-back: John Terry (Chelsea)

Centre-back Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)

Left-back: Leighton Baines (Everton)

Right-midfield: Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)

Centre-midfield: David Silva (Manchester City)

Centre-midfield: Nemanja Matic (Chelsea)

Left-midfield: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Right-midfield: Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)

Striker: Wilfried Bony (Swansea)

Striker: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

A bit crowded at right midfield with Sterling and Sterling! I remember, back in the Mr Cholmondley-Warner days, the different leagues assembling their best XI and playing each other,

[mrbojangles]

Edited the two Sterling's Oldgit. Copy and paste issues.

[jellydog]

Merry Christmas fellow Blues

mcfc-137233.jpg

Same to you MrB as well as the rest of the TVisa Football faithful !

[jellydog]

HT 3-0 City. Another Silva led demolition.

City are much more effective without a striker than Spain.

[Bredbury Blue]

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/manchester-city/382/blog/post/2216224/player-ratings-david-silva-gets-full-marks-as-city-beat-baggies

MF David Silva, 10 -- Despite playing just over an hour of the match, the Spaniard was head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch. He was in one of those moods where nobody could get near him. His passes were inch perfect, his movement was second to none and his finishing -- normally not great -- left Ben Foster standing.

The wife and I were talking aboit whether or not Silva is looking chunkier these days? Apart from his genius with the ball, 2 aspects never picked up on by the press:

1. He always puts in a full shift for the team; he's never lazy.

2. He never hides.

Thought Milner and Demechellis were also excellent yesterday, again, and Navas continues to frustrate with his final ball and indecision (replace close season...he's not up to the same level of his teammates).

[Bredbury Blue]

Anybody else getting panicky with the snow falling in the 2nd half and the prospect of the game being abandoned if it got worse at England's highest ground above sea level?

[mrbojangles]

Anybody else getting panicky with the snow falling

I was panicking last night, as I have to drive to London today for my flight back to Saudi. Fortunately the snow doesn't seem to have stuck. Don't want to stay in this country one second longer than I have to.

[smokie36]

Blue skies here mrboj!

[Bredbury Blue]

Talk of Kompany being in contention for tomorrow's Burnley game but why rush him back? If Demechellis is fit, I'd continue with him and Mangala and let Vinny easy his way back.

Reckon we'll see a change in fullbacks. ..maybe Dinho in for Nando...I could see him starting Frank maybe for Yaya (I'd be playing Yaya every second of game time until he has to leave for Africa)...could see Navas Silva Nasri Milner repeating their WBA roles.

Reckon the Burnley game will be harder than the WBA game as Burnley will probably play on the counter and we'll have the struggle of breaking them down.

[Bredbury Blue]

Navas and Sinclair aren't good enough in our wide positions. PSG reportedly not willing to offer Lavezzi a new deal. Make an offer.

[mrbojangles]

Blue skies here mrboj!

I'm back in the warmth now smokes and a lovely sunny day. Nearly missed my flight last night though. A normal 3 1/2 drive to Heathrow took over 6 hours.

[mrbojangles]

Navas and Sinclair aren't good enough in our wide positions. PSG reportedly not willing to offer Lavezzi a new deal. Make an offer.

I'm with you on Sinclair BB but I'm starting to see some good stuff from Navas lately.

[mrbojangles]

Starting line up:-

1 Hart

5 Zabaleta

26 Demichelis

20 Mangala

11 Kolarov

6 Fernando

25 Fernandinho

15 Navas

21 Silva

8 Nasri

7 Milner

Jovetic on the bench but no Yaya or Kompany

[mrbojangles]

At 2-0 up we were cruising, then a blatant off side goal given. 2 points thrown away and a chance to close the gap after Chelsea drawing.

[jellydog]

At 2-0 up we were cruising, then a blatant off side goal given. 2 points thrown away and a chance to close the gap after Chelsea drawing.

I'm not unhappy that the match was unavailable to me today. Watching that lead vanish would have been totally frustrating.

[Bredbury Blue]

I'm still waiting for that Red to come on who always posts that the ref favours us to see his take on the offside goal...for me either Boyd touched it and was offside or he didn't touch it and was interfering but either way was offside. I felt in the 2nd half that a slip was on and in the end I was happy to hear the whistle. Fair play to Burnley though, thought they were excellent and 3/10 Mangala won't forget the Burnley front 2 for some time. Big opportunity wasted.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Bredbury Blue

[mrbojangles]

for me either Boyd touched it and was offside or he didn't touch it and was interfering but either way was offside.

Seeing as Boyd claimed it and celebrated scoring, I'd say he definitely touched it and was therefore off side.

[Bredbury Blue]

for me either Boyd touched it and was offside or he didn't touch it and was interfering but either way was offside.

Seeing as Boyd claimed it and celebrated scoring, I'd say he definitely touched it and was therefore off side.

And if he didn't touch it he (1) tried to play it in an offside position (2) a couple of metres from joe hart (3) on the flight of the ball = interference.

I agree with Pellegrini's comments that we were complacent and couldn't raise our game when Burnley (PS. hope they stay up) raised theirs. First half Navas had Mee turned inside out but 2nd half we never got going.

[Bredbury Blue]

From season start till now I'd think Chelsea were worthy champions, but we're still hanging in there while not playing particularly well and constantly missing key players...come on Blues.

[mrbojangles]

From season start till now I'd think Chelsea were worthy champions, but we're still hanging in there while not playing particularly well and constantly missing key players...come on Blues.

I agree Chelsea have been the best team thus far but also the luckiest with regards to injuries (or lack of). Be interesting to see how they do if they have a spate of injuries to their first choice players. I said it before the xmas fixtures that I'd be happy to be still within 3 points of Chelsea after the festive fixture list and that's still the case but I can't help feeling that we threw away a great chance to close the gap the other day. On current form, I can't see Chelsea dropping too many ponts, so we really need to take advantage when they do.

[Bredbury Blue]

Interesting that in calendar year 2014 in the Premier that City and Chelsea have exactly the same won loss draw records.

Chelsea have definitely been lucky with injuries, and it really be good to see how they'd cope without 4 from Terry Matic Hazard Fabregas and Costa...as well as we've coped without Kompany Silva Aguero Dzeko and Jovetic?

[Bredbury Blue]

Manchester United spent more than £150m in the summer... and are a long-ball team

ANALYSIS: Only Burnley have attempted more long passes this season

Unsurprisingly Arsenal attempt the least with 46 per game, in front of Manchester City (51), Liverpool (58) and Chelsea (59).

City dominate the ball in their matches with an average of 59.3 per cent per game to top the division. They can also claim to be the Premier League's tiki-taka kings with more than 480 successful short passes per game on average, 9,167 in total.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-spent-more-than-150m-in-the-summer-and-are-a-longball-team-9950268.html

[Bredbury Blue]

Interesting that in calendar year 2014 in the Premier that City and Chelsea have exactly the same won loss draw records.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30620617

That stat above for 2014. City pipped Chelsea by 1 goal and we were both 12 points above Liverpool in 3rd, Arsenal 4th and 22 points ahead of ManU in 5th...TWENTY TWO POINTS ha!

[alfieconn]

Manchester United spent more than £150m in the summer... and are a long-ball team

ANALYSIS: Only Burnley have attempted more long passes this season

Unsurprisingly Arsenal attempt the least with 46 per game, in front of Manchester City (51), Liverpool (58) and Chelsea (59).

City dominate the ball in their matches with an average of 59.3 per cent per game to top the division. They can also claim to be the Premier League's tiki-taka kings with more than 480 successful short passes per game on average, 9,167 in total.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-spent-more-than-150m-in-the-summer-and-are-a-longball-team-9950268.html

I must admit I was quite amused at Utd's Wimbledonesq style in the 2nd half on Sunday

[carmine]

Manchester United spent more than £150m in the summer... and are a long-ball team

ANALYSIS: Only Burnley have attempted more long passes this season

Unsurprisingly Arsenal attempt the least with 46 per game, in front of Manchester City (51), Liverpool (58) and Chelsea (59).

City dominate the ball in their matches with an average of 59.3 per cent per game to top the division. They can also claim to be the Premier League's tiki-taka kings with more than 480 successful short passes per game on average, 9,167 in total.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-spent-more-than-150m-in-the-summer-and-are-a-longball-team-9950268.html

I must admit I was quite amused at Utd's Wimbledonesq style in the 2nd half on Sunday

Is the long ball hoof now known as total football then?

Edited December 31, 2014 by carmine

[alfieconn]

Manchester United spent more than £150m in the summer... and are a long-ball team

ANALYSIS: Only Burnley have attempted more long passes this season

Unsurprisingly Arsenal attempt the least with 46 per game, in front of Manchester City (51), Liverpool (58) and Chelsea (59).

City dominate the ball in their matches with an average of 59.3 per cent per game to top the division. They can also claim to be the Premier League's tiki-taka kings with more than 480 successful short passes per game on average, 9,167 in total.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-spent-more-than-150m-in-the-summer-and-are-a-longball-team-9950268.html

I must admit I was quite amused at Utd's Wimbledonesq style in the 2nd half on Sunday

Is the long ball hoof now known as total football then?

Strange that there's been nothing about it on the Utd thread

[carmine]

Manchester United spent more than £150m in the summer... and are a long-ball team

ANALYSIS: Only Burnley have attempted more long passes this season

Unsurprisingly Arsenal attempt the least with 46 per game, in front of Manchester City (51), Liverpool (58) and Chelsea (59).

City dominate the ball in their matches with an average of 59.3 per cent per game to top the division. They can also claim to be the Premier League's tiki-taka kings with more than 480 successful short passes per game on average, 9,167 in total.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-spent-more-than-150m-in-the-summer-and-are-a-longball-team-9950268.html

I must admit I was quite amused at Utd's Wimbledonesq style in the 2nd half on Sunday

Is the long ball hoof now known as total football then?

Strange that there's been nothing about it on the Utd thread

I even described their football as turgid and no one questioned me!

[mrbojangles]

Manchester United spent more than £150m in the summer... and are a long-ball team

ANALYSIS: Only Burnley have attempted more long passes this season

Unsurprisingly Arsenal attempt the least with 46 per game, in front of Manchester City (51), Liverpool (58) and Chelsea (59).

City dominate the ball in their matches with an average of 59.3 per cent per game to top the division. They can also claim to be the Premier League's tiki-taka kings with more than 480 successful short passes per game on average, 9,167 in total.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-spent-more-than-150m-in-the-summer-and-are-a-longball-team-9950268.html

I must admit I was quite amused at Utd's Wimbledonesq style in the 2nd half on Sunday

Is the long ball hoof now known as total football then?

It's known as the "United way"

[SantiSuk]

You mean Unigh-ed don't you? Irritates the he'll out of me that some of the fans can't even pronounce the teams name. I can live with Citeh - I'm all for regional accents when it's not just slovenly. ☺

[carmine]

You mean Unigh-ed don't you? Irritates the he'll out of me that some of the fans can't even pronounce the teams name. I can live with Citeh - I'm all for regional accents when it's not just slovenly. ☺

Thats because Old Trafford is filled up with foreign day trippers that can't speak Manc English but are life long Man Yooo fans!