Manchester City

[mrbojangles]

I can understand Milner wanting a four year deal but to be honest, although I think he's good now, I don't think his legs have four years left in them. Which is probably why City are only trying for three.

[jellydog]

I can understand Milner wanting a four year deal but to be honest, although I think he's good now, I don't think his legs have four years left in them. Which is probably why City are only trying for three.

In accord with that MrB. It would be a pity to see Milner leave but it might be best down the road. Tough call. Three years seems about right.

[BangrakBob]

Tim Sherwood appointed new Aston Villa boss - what's the attraction in a man with so little experience? Huge gamble by Villa.

Sherwood is adept at saluting idiots, throwing his coat and pouting in the stands.

haha I was wondering why you were polite about Sherwood the other day. I was sure you thought Timmy was a bellend. By the way, he has just spent 90 minutes doing all that stuff in the stands. They did win, but it was against that Barm Cake Nigel Pearson.

[jellydog]

Tim Sherwood appointed new Aston Villa boss - what's the attraction in a man with so little experience? Huge gamble by Villa.

Sherwood is adept at saluting idiots, throwing his coat and pouting in the stands.

haha I was wondering why you were polite about Sherwood the other day. I was sure you thought Timmy was a bellend. By the way, he has just spent 90 minutes doing all that stuff in the stands. They did win, but it was against that Barm Cake Nigel Pearson.

Nice catch Bob. I didn't want to be accused of vendetta like behavior towards Dim...but I can only keep that up for so long.

[mrbojangles]

Barcelona won 5-0 yesterday. Messi scored a hatrick and Suarez scored a fabulous scissor kick. Not looking forward to us playing them next week.

[StevieH]

his 31st hat-trick for them. quite ridiculous.

[jellydog]

Barcelona won 5-0 yesterday. Messi scored a hatrick and Suarez scored a fabulous scissor kick. Not looking forward to us playing them next week.

They are on fire at the moment, and Suarez getting in gear at the wrong time for City. Messi might possibly be playing his best football ever. I forget the stats, but he has been scoring goals with his right foot as well. Just unfair.

[Bredbury Blue]

Barcelona won 5-0 yesterday. Messi scored a hatrick and Suarez scored a fabulous scissor kick. Not looking forward to us playing them next week.

They are on fire at the moment, and Suarez getting in gear at the wrong time for City. Messi might possibly be playing his best football ever. I forget the stats, but he has been scoring goals with his right foot as well. Just unfair.

Sounds like we should play the following to have any chance

Fernando

Kolorov Demechellis Boyota Sagna

Clichy Mangala Kompany Zaba

Hart

;-)

Edited February 16, 2015 by Bredbury Blue

[Bredbury Blue]

Manuel Pellegrini is the second-most successful City boss in the Premier League, trailing only Roberto Mancini.Pellegrini has amassed 138 points in 63 matches (at a rate of 2.19 points per match) but Mancini remains the standard bearer having won 273 points in 133 matches at the City helm.

[Bredbury Blue]

Not sure I agree with this article, that Chelski have pipped manu to most hated club, but it amused me:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11418353/How-Chelsea-became-the-most-hated-team-in-England.html

[BangrakBob]

Barcelona won 5-0 yesterday. Messi scored a hatrick and Suarez scored a fabulous scissor kick. Not looking forward to us playing them next week.

They are on fire at the moment, and Suarez getting in gear at the wrong time for City. Messi might possibly be playing his best football ever. I forget the stats, but he has been scoring goals with his right foot as well. Just unfair.

Sounds like we should play the following to have any chance

Fernando

Kolorov Demechellis Boyota Sagna

Clichy Mangala Kompany Zaba

Hart

;-)

What about Toure and Bill Bony lads..I think you've got every chance

[mrbojangles]

Barcelona won 5-0 yesterday. Messi scored a hatrick and Suarez scored a fabulous scissor kick. Not looking forward to us playing them next week.

They are on fire at the moment, and Suarez getting in gear at the wrong time for City. Messi might possibly be playing his best football ever. I forget the stats, but he has been scoring goals with his right foot as well. Just unfair.

Sounds like we should play the following to have any chance

Fernando

Kolorov Demechellis Boyota Sagna

Clichy Mangala Kompany Zaba

Hart

;-)

What about Toure and Bill Bony lads..I think you've got every chance

That's too attacking BB. I don't think we intend to leave our half all match

[BangrakBob]

Sounds like we should play the following to have any chance

Fernando

Kolorov Demechellis Boyota Sagna

Clichy Mangala Kompany Zaba

Hart

;-)

What about Toure and Bill Bony lads..I think you've got every chance

That's too attacking BB. I don't think we intend to leave our half all match

haha well it worked for Bob Martinez against us, but I doubt it will work against Barcelona.

wouldn't you lads rather see your boys embrace the moment and die trying..."better to burn out than to fade away"

[mrbojangles]

Sounds like we should play the following to have any chance

Fernando

Kolorov Demechellis Boyota Sagna

Clichy Mangala Kompany Zaba

Hart

;-)

What about Toure and Bill Bony lads..I think you've got every chance

That's too attacking BB. I don't think we intend to leave our half all match

haha well it worked for Bob Martinez against us, but I doubt it will work against Barcelona.

wouldn't you lads rather see your boys embrace the moment and die trying..."better to burn out than to fade away"

Yeah course we would but I also don't want to be embarrassed and given a lesson in football. Wouldn't do much for confidence in the prem chase.

[Bredbury Blue]

Sounds like we should play the following to have any chance

Fernando

Kolorov Demechellis Boyota Sagna

Clichy Mangala Kompany Zaba

Hart

;-)

What about Toure and Bill Bony lads..I think you've got every chance

That's too attacking BB. I don't think we intend to leave our half all match

haha well it worked for Bob Martinez against us, but I doubt it will work against Barcelona.

wouldn't you lads rather see your boys embrace the moment and die trying..."better to burn out than to fade away"

Yeah course we would but I also don't want to be embarrassed and given a lesson in football. Wouldn't do much for confidence in the prem chase.

Yes of course we would...definitely have a go or don't bother participating. But let's not be naive and play 442; be solid, work hard and wait for the moment.

[jellydog]

I'd say City have a chance to get by Barca. Not favorites by any means but not impossible. If Silva, Aguero, Yaya and Bony are in form then the chances increase (is that too much to ask for ?). OTOH the big challenge will be defending against the onslaught of Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Iniesta and Xavi. I'm less optimistic about having much success in that area. City have been struggling at times defensively and look to be lacking pace. I can see Neymar and Suarez getting in behind and creating chaos.

[Bredbury Blue]

I'd say City have a chance to get by Barca. Not favorites by any means but not impossible. If Silva, Aguero, Yaya and Bony are in form then the chances increase (is that too much to ask for ?). OTOH the big challenge will be defending against the onslaught of Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Iniesta and Xavi. I'm less optimistic about having much success in that area. City have been struggling at times defensively and look to be lacking pace. I can see Neymar and Suarez getting in behind and creating chaos.

Agreed.

Wouldn't be nice to see Pelle go in to the game with a plan that nobody expects; play a back 4 with either kompany sweeping or Demi playing just in front of the back 2 to compress the space, or navas played central, whatever, you get the point. I'm sure all opposing managers are never surprised by how we set up/play.

Another gripe I have about Pelle - but I do like the man - is he is very cautious with his subs. In recent times nothing has been happening for us but Pelle always trusts his starting 11 for up to 70 minutes to pull it around, but there are times in the 1st half when you need to do a Mourinho and rip up the script and throw 2 subs on.

[mrbojangles]

I'd say City have a chance to get by Barca. Not favorites by any means but not impossible. If Silva, Aguero, Yaya and Bony are in form then the chances increase (is that too much to ask for ?). OTOH the big challenge will be defending against the onslaught of Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Iniesta and Xavi. I'm less optimistic about having much success in that area. City have been struggling at times defensively and look to be lacking pace. I can see Neymar and Suarez getting in behind and creating chaos.

Agreed.

Wouldn't be nice to see Pelle go in to the game with a plan that nobody expects; play a back 4 with either kompany sweeping or Demi playing just in front of the back 2 to compress the space, or navas played central, whatever, you get the point. I'm sure all opposing managers are never surprised by how we set up/play.

Another gripe I have about Pelle - but I do like the man - is he is very cautious with his subs. In recent times nothing has been happening for us but Pelle always trusts his starting 11 for up to 70 minutes to pull it around, but there are times in the 1st half when you need to do a Mourinho and rip up the script and throw 2 subs on.

I've been racking my brains all day about how I would set up for this game and I must admit I'm stumped. I'd have preferred the first leg to have been at Barca and keeping it tight, then we'd know what had to be done at home

[jellydog]

Milner out against Newcastle with a knee problem. No word yet about Barca.

[mrbojangles]

Milner out against Newcastle with a knee problem. No word yet about Barca.

I'm quite looking forward to seeing what Bony has to offer.

[Bredbury Blue]

Milner out against Newcastle with a knee problem. No word yet about Barca.

Ouch! Milner out = 2 plays down. That's how highly I rate him this season.

[Bredbury Blue]

See we're the late game tomorrow; I hate that.

[BangrakBob]

I don't think there is a better City patriarch from the music industry.. wonder if he's still a fan?

Can't deny Manc talent...The Fall

Edited February 20, 2015 by BangrakBob

[Bredbury Blue]

Love Mark E Smith and The Fall (remember seeing them back in the punk days several times including at Stockport Tech).

How's about:

http://bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/Fans/MCFCCelebrityFans.aspx

[Bredbury Blue]

Martin Demichelis is likely to sign a new contract with Manchester City soon, according to manager Manuel Pellegrini.The veteran defender's current deal expires in the summer and City risk losing the Argentina international on a free transfer.But Pellegrini, who also managed Demichelis during his time at River Plate and Malaga, has reiterated his keenness to keep the 34-year-old at the Etihad Stadium.And he believes Demichelis is close to agreeing terms, saying in a news conference: "We will see, in the next days maybe he can renew his contract."I think Martin is a very important player for our squad, he is an experienced player, he is a leader of our group, he wants to stay, probably he will sign another contract."Demichelis joined City from Atletico Madrid for 4 million pounds in September 2013 and became captain Vincent Kompany's regular partner in the centre of the defence as they won the Premier League title.He has gone on to play 63 times for City, scoring three goals, while Pellegrini is looking forward to the debut of a more prolific player against Newcastle on Saturday.

City's best defender in my opinion, his reading of the game is superb though struggles in a foot race.

[mrbojangles]

City's best defender in my opinion, his reading of the game is superb though struggles in a foot race.

Yeah, it worried me when we played high up the park and the opposition got a break away. He just couldn't catch them and we were left exposed but he seems to have got to grips with that now and either reads the play well enough in time to get back or one of the others is there to cover the gap.

[Bredbury Blue]

City's best defender in my opinion, his reading of the game is superb though struggles in a foot race.

Yeah, it worried me when we played high up the park and the opposition got a break away. He just couldn't catch them and we were left exposed but he seems to have got to grips with that now and either reads the play well enough in time to get back or one of the others is there to cover the gap.

Kompany is now the worry, who has developed bad habits of diving in and trying to nick the ball or trying to barge players off the ball. He needs to get his old videos out and study how he used to play in his pomp and relearn.

[Bredbury Blue]

Pleased to see in the Telegraph's "Revealed: Your Premier League club's most under-rated player" article, that it included Milner, the DunneyMonster (QPR) and Adam Johnson (Sunderland).

[jellydog]

City's best defender in my opinion, his reading of the game is superb though struggles in a foot race.

Yeah, it worried me when we played high up the park and the opposition got a break away. He just couldn't catch them and we were left exposed but he seems to have got to grips with that now and either reads the play well enough in time to get back or one of the others is there to cover the gap.

Demi has done a good job of avoiding those situations where he gets caught in no man's land. Most of his career he liked bringing the ball up the pitch and was good at it. It wasn't unusual for him to play in midfield, a bit like Luiz. But, he can't afford to get caught out anymore and it looks like he has realized that (or somebody realized it for him).

[jellydog]

City's best defender in my opinion, his reading of the game is superb though struggles in a foot race.

Yeah, it worried me when we played high up the park and the opposition got a break away. He just couldn't catch them and we were left exposed but he seems to have got to grips with that now and either reads the play well enough in time to get back or one of the others is there to cover the gap.

Kompany is now the worry, who has developed bad habits of diving in and trying to nick the ball or trying to barge players off the ball. He needs to get his old videos out and study how he used to play in his pomp and relearn.

Absolutely spot on. I worry about Kompany. It looks like he has lost some quickness and he hasn't yet realized it. Hopefully his lack of form is due to the injuries and inconsistent time on the pitch. We'll see. He'll be 29 soon which is not old at all for a centre-back and he should have many years left. But he may have to change his approach a bit as he ages, just as has Demichelis.