***official city vs real match thread***

[Moonchesteri]

What a game. Many of those who have a passion for hate of our club will take the negatives but for me I thought we outplayed possibly the worlds best side....that was, after we switched.

The 3 at the back just didn't work, we were over-run in every department. Bobby obviously thought that with our injuries that we could at least give it a game; we couldn't. The freekick and subsequent goal was all player driven and furthermore, the chances that Real (yep, Real Madrid!) had was down to poor understanding of the situation. Thankfully, Mancini learnt his lesson and sorted the shape of the team out (3 at the back just doesn't work).

From thereon in I thought we were much more organised and a much better threat. We dominated large parts of the game and produced some really good football. The Aguero penalty was fortunate and the sending off even more so but from that point in I thought the referee controlled the game superbly.

The breaking up of play, allowing Real time and time again to fall over (even though they broke for a goal he allowed play with one of their players down but stopped it as soon as we had the break), was absolutely sensational. Why he did it, I don't know. Combine this subtleness with the draw regulations and you realise we don't really stand a chance. We're the petro-dollar upstarts don't you know.

Not worried at all and we can walk away with our heads held high. We may finish bottom but which Blue really cares? It's never an excuse, it's always a priviledge, that's what being a Blue is all about.

Roll on (I used to say stroll on) Sunday, I'm confident that the lads are focused and ready to give a good account. Let's just hope we can keep 11 players on the pitch. We're such dirty bastards don't you know!

GREAT POST....POSITIVE BUGGER!

Ditto!

[walmai]

So, the double (or treble even) is still on.

On the basis that its impossible you'd not qualify again for CL, which would you choose?

1/ A cup double (FA/Europa), or

2/ elimination now from Europe altogether, but the title?

For me, there's no chance of Man United winning the CL and the longer you prolong their winning nothing, the better.
Chelsea will stabilise, but aren't consistent enough to go all the way for the title, imho.

[lets all have a disco]

I nailed my colours to the mast a long time ago i'd win the title over anything.

[london blue 2]

I nailed my colours to the mast a long time ago i'd win the title over anything.

Title all day everyday.

[I Just Blue Myself]

So, the double (or treble even) is still on.

On the basis that its impossible you'd not qualify again for CL, which would you choose?

1/ A cup double (FA/Europa), or

2/ elimination now from Europe altogether, but the title?

For me, there's no chance of Man United winning the CL and the longer you prolong their winning nothing, the better.
Chelsea will stabilise, but aren't consistent enough to go all the way for the title, imho.

That's not even a question. A point could be made for a FA Cup/CL Double over the title, but the Europa? Premier League any day of the week.

[walmai]

Point taken, but I was romanticising the moment of sweet victory in a foreign city, in European competition.
For sure, its not the same gravy as a CL final, but nearly every proper travelling fan I know from West Ham holds very dear the time we won the Intertoto, in Metz, as if you didn't know

Yes, laugh away, but the buzz of several thousand - tens of thousands in terms of Europa final - fans all out together in the continental sunshine is the kind of thing life-long memories are made of.

You can win the title any old year.

;)

[Beefymcfc]

Point taken, but I was romanticising the moment of sweet victory in a foreign city, in European competition.
For sure, its not the same gravy as a CL final, but nearly every proper travelling fan I know from West Ham holds very dear the time we won the Intertoto, in Metz, as if you didn't know

Yes, laugh away, but the buzz of several thousand - tens of thousands in terms of Europa final - fans all out together in the continental sunshine is the kind of thing life-long memories are made of.

You can win the title any old year.

;)

Can you?

TheEuropa for me was an excellent competition and I'm sure we'll give it a go if we're there but in reality the Premier League has always been the goal. Proving ourselves there and competing alongside the Rags is what will take us on.

CL isimportant but winning it early, or even getting close, will not bring us a new found fan base, it will only alienate them. I wonder what beating Barca in the final would do for our club in the long-run.

[bobby brows]

What a game. Many of those who have a passion for hate of our club will take the negatives but for me I thought we outplayed possibly the worlds best side....that was, after we switched.

The 3 at the back just didn't work, we were over-run in every department. Bobby obviously thought that with our injuries that we could at least give it a game; we couldn't. The freekick and subsequent goal was all player driven and furthermore, the chances that Real (yep, Real Madrid!) had was down to poor understanding of the situation. Thankfully, Mancini learnt his lesson and sorted the shape of the team out (3 at the back just doesn't work).

From thereon in I thought we were much more organised and a much better threat. We dominated large parts of the game and produced some really good football. The Aguero penalty was fortunate and the sending off even more so but from that point in I thought the referee controlled the game superbly.

The breaking up of play, allowing Real time and time again to fall over (even though they broke for a goal he allowed play with one of their players down but stopped it as soon as we had the break), was absolutely sensational. Why he did it, I don't know. Combine this subtleness with the draw regulations and you realise we don't really stand a chance. We're the petro-dollar upstarts don't you know.

Not worried at all and we can walk away with our heads held high. We may finish bottom but which Blue really cares? It's never an excuse, it's always a priviledge, that's what being a Blue is all about.

Roll on (I used to say stroll on) Sunday, I'm confident that the lads are focused and ready to give a good account. Let's just hope we can keep 11 players on the pitch. We're such dirty bastards don't you know!

TOP POST FROM A TOP POSTER!

Thought the ref was a joke, not biased, just out of his depth. he made it a way more entertaining game. Especially when he booked Ramos but pointed the card at Silva!

Garcia had his best game for City tonight!

Silva was the best I've ever seen from a blue shirt! the energy, effort, desire, words don't justice

[walmai]

Can you?

No, just you!

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Back from the game and just watched plenty of it again>we really weren't very good for that first 20 minutes were we? It's hard to tell whether it's just the system we are not good at playing or whether we just make bad mistakes to gift goals.It has to be the system as Real would have battered us if we had stayed with it.

Beyond that though we had too many players just not playing well.I feel for Dzeko as he put a decent shift in tonight and there were some good things but a few too many poor things and he simply doesn't suit a situation where he is expected to join in the play a lot.His touch and speed of thought just isn't good enough often enough.

Nasri had a poor game tonight which is disappointing but the concern for me is that he just didn't show enough energy. Forgetting the system part Kolarov was also very poor.It's just shows how limited he is apart from his crossing when given space to do it.In fact when RM were dominant I though Yaya,Silva and Nasri were totally shackled.Silva worked hard to break free and started to get success and ended up having a superb game.

Zaba full of effort but with mistakes and the same for Vinnie and Nasti who both did some crucial things but at the same time made cock ups. I actually though Maicon had a decent game but he will be slaughtered for the goal ( rightly so) but for me Joe has to move off his line and take that one easily.He didn't read the flight at all did he?

Aguero not bad but he did miss two great opportunites and Tevez was very unusually poor.

[Goaters 103]

Woulda coulda shoulda again, story of our european campaign. Gave away another mickey mouse goal and have zero clean sheets in 5 games - says it all really.

Very poor first half, pride regained in 2nd half. Might be a blessing in disguise not getting a win as we want no part of the Europa League, and its Thurs/Sun schedule.

Big players again didnt do nearly enough for us - Ya Ya still off colour, Nasri invisible, Dzeko poor, Tevez awful when he came on. Silva was excellent, Zabba battled had and Nastasic shows promise. We need to learn our lessons, and go and win the Prem again.

[Beefymcfc]

Can you?

No, just you!

Sorry mate, I wasn't being fecetious when I said that, it was more in the 'any club' kind of way. I do not see us as a club who have some sort of entitlement to win things, as any supporter would (well, nearly every supporter), so you have set your goals out accordingly. My personal one is for us to be challenging in and around the top 4, aiming for the league. It's not something that I expect but it is a real possibility we can win it.

I'd take a league title over anything else, it's not something that I'd say 'We can have that anytime' so lets go for the other, if you know what I mean.

[Swales4ever]

Point taken, but I was romanticising the moment of sweet victory in a foreign city, in European competition.
For sure, its not the same gravy as a CL final, but nearly every proper travelling fan I know from West Ham holds very dear the time we won the Intertoto, in Metz, as if you didn't know

Yes, laugh away, but the buzz of several thousand - tens of thousands in terms of Europa final - fans all out together in the continental sunshine is the kind of thing life-long memories are made of.

You can win the title any old year.

;)

Just focus Yourself on travelling in Europe next term. As it stands, also considering the hard time You have given us at The Boleyn, You seems quite on "trajectory". Anyway this is my best wishes for Your very respected Club.
In light of the above, I renew my humble suggestion to save dosh by not purchasing tabloids, it might well be more useful to travel in Europe.... ;)

[Chinners]

Souness was great about us last night as was Robbie Savage, who said similar things on Radio 5, along with his constant 'come on City' shouts in between Alan 'cunt' Green's total slating of anything Sky blue

[Duckman]

how come there was "only" 45.000 at the ground? wasnt it sold out?

[Ted Hughes]

how come there was "only" 45.000 at the ground? wasnt it sold out?

It was a sell out.

Probably due to restrictions for UEFA being a bunch of fucking cunts etc/reserved areas for cunts from UEFA etc. Just guessing, but it will be down to that kind of thing.

Cunts.

[Swales4ever]

Back from the game and just watched plenty of it again>we really weren't very good for that first 20 minutes were we? It's hard to tell whether it's just the system we are not good at playing or whether we just make bad mistakes to gift goals.It has to be the system as Real would have battered us if we had stayed with it.

Beyond that though we had too many players just not playing well.I feel for Dzeko as he put a decent shift in tonight and there were some good things but a few too many poor things and he simply doesn't suit a situation where he is expected to join in the play a lot.His touch and speed of thought just isn't good enough often enough.

Nasri had a poor game tonight which is disappointing but the concern for me is that he just didn't show enough energy. Forgetting the system part Kolarov was also very poor.It's just shows how limited he is apart from his crossing when given space to do it.In fact when RM were dominant I though Yaya,Silva and Nasri were totally shackled.Silva worked hard to break free and started to get success and ended up having a superb game.

Zaba full of effort but with mistakes and the same for Vinnie and Nasti who both did some crucial things but at the same time made cock ups. I actually though Maicon had a decent game but he will be slaughtered for the goal ( rightly so) but for me Joe has to move off his line and take that one easily.He didn't read the flight at all did he?

Aguero not bad but he did miss two great opportunites and Tevez was very unusually poor.

Fair enough impression, Sir DH. even though such term may be a little limited, given Your competence on football.
On general overview, I only disagree on Maicon. still have to re-watch the game with more cool, but my clear impression has been of a superstar just not arsed to cover back. it's not only down to goal conceded, imho.

as for the original system, in case Your wondering expressed on the first sentence is not diplomatically rhetorical, as I think is, just watch back when Joe was forced to save on Khedira, because all our three centers were looking lost at each others, allowing a def mid to past through the all of them, like he was Lionel Messi... ;)

Credit where's due: for the first time, Ted's general opinion on Bob cocking up European games for the sake of "outfoxing" opponent manager. sprung to new light on my books, yday night.

On the positive. very positive: clear signs that, playing our football, even with several lads well far from their best, we looked dominant for large part of the 2nd half, almost outplaying the Almighty Madrid. so.... happy days ahead the trajectory...;)

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Ref played a blinder last night. Same as the ref for the Ajax game. But we've been our own worst enemies this time as our concentration levels on the pitch have been shocking at times. Hope we go out of Europe now as retaining the Premier League trophy is all important for me.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I thought we were very good. Encouraging performance as far as Champion's League goes next year.
God I hope we make it to Europa League. I would love us to give that a proper go.

[Swales4ever]

I thought we were very good. Encouraging performance as far as Champion's League goes next year.
God I hope we make it to Europa League. I would love us to give that a proper go.

my same sentiments, even letting aside Uefa coefficient