*** West Brom v City - Official Match Thread ***

[Beefymcfc]

Good to see all Sterling's touches and he was much better than people say. Yes he missed a chance one on one but you could see the pace and quality on many occasions. He'll be fine.

He looked a little nervous and choked on the goal but it's only to be expected. We know what everybody has got but I think Raheem will be the difference this season, he'll be immense.

£44 mil, they'll be asking how we got him so cheap.

[sheblue]

Can't wait for kev to sign. Kev, serg, rah and Dave, savage stuff.....

[Beefymcfc]

Can't wait for kev to sign. Kev, serg, rah and Dave, savage stuff.....

Sky have just asked why we need him after tonight's display?

Because we can, dickhead!

[nottsblue]

Carragher looks gutted and I had to laugh when Vinnie put him on the spot about being a fullback, he didn't look happy.

That's where the intelligence kicks in, and the Scouse twat has none.

Loved Kompany's post match comments. Mentioned how Sky don't like us and that the love in for the old top 4 had motivated the team this week. Showed more tactical acumen in discussing Sterlings pace and the worry that gives a full back in 30 seconds than Carragher showed all night.

[Slim]

Can't wait for kev to sign. Kev, serg, rah and Dave, savage stuff.....

Sky have just asked why we need him after tonight's display?

Because we can, dickhead!

Navas or de Bruyne...wait, I'll need a moment to think...are you fucking kidding me?

Now onto the harder decision, Kate Upton or Lena Dunham?

[DoomMerchant]

Can't wait for kev to sign. Kev, serg, rah and Dave, savage stuff.....

Sky have just asked why we need him after tonight's display?

Because we can, dickhead!

plus imagine that Silva gets hurt? This team isn't exactly deep in the creative forces in midfield imho. Nasri is a turd. Navas is a one trick pony who will run to get the ball back too. We will need someone else for sure.

Sterling did his best work just making the space in the middle vs. a packed house and that was almost more important than hitting that goal.

WBA did what most teams we struggled vs did last season....and instead of us finding fuckall inside....we scored our first two goals that way. Mostly because of the threat of width from both Sterling and Navas and our impeccable one touch passing which was just orgasmic during the first half.

cheers

[Sister of fu]

The media have done us a huge favour by writing us off. We have several winners in our squad who know how badly they let themselves and the club down last season.

People making out we are done are thick as pig shit. If Yaya and Kompany find form we have a huge chance. Yeah it's early days but we looked very hungry tonight and Silva was out of this world.

[nottsblue]

Can't really have wished for more this weekend. Chavs and arse drop points at home to sides they shouldn't have done. Rags look shite and just scraped a lucky win.

Then we play the best opening 45 minutes for a while. We looked up for it from the off, denying time and space. To a man they worked hard off the ball to regain it and when we had it we were mesmerising with short intricate passing, all orchestrated by Silva. Yaya looked hungry again and Sterling offered us pace and width and it was no coincidence Kola found lots of space behind him as they had doubled up on Sterling. Sagna and Navas on the other flank were the same and this is an extra dimension I felt we lacked last season.

Took the foot off the gas second half after the third but that is understandable. Nice to see we looked dangerous at set pieces again. Would have been nice for Sterling to score or Kun, but 3-0 more than makes up for that.

Roll on Sunday and more of the same please boys

[Blue Since 76]

Not going to bother mentioning Silva etc as that was an 11/10 performance. I was really pleased with the defensive effort put in across the pitch, especially by Kolarov. Sagna also looked much more lively going forwards, rather than Yaya's even fatter third brother. If that level of desire, hunger and commitment is maintained, we'll walk it.

Sterling showed what he'd been bought for in a nervy performance. Looking forward to watching him, Aguero and Silva in a month's time.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Just finished watching it after being out tonight. Well pleased obviously with lots of major plusses:
I see Vinnie and Mangala as important for us and tonight they did the job well. Physical and very positive
Well done Sagna. Happy with his defensive part and support play even if he isn't as good as Zaba in the final third
Well done Joe. Thought he looked very positive too with some good punches on crosses he looked positive in getting to.
Silva. He really is a diamond isn't he.
Yaya definitely up for it.
Bony. Not a star yet but what a great set up and some other bits. Nearly scored too and he will be quality for us.
Sterling.Pleased he had an ok game without starring but make no mistake he will be a star.

Slight negatives.
A few too many free kicks given away in bad areas.
Couldn't Pellers have put Kelechi and Denayer on instead of Kun and Demich for the last 20!

[getdressedmctavish]

Lovely from the lads but very poor tactically from West Brom. They improved after half time when they went 5 in midfield. Dean was excellent apart from the pen which was a sending off as well, let sympathy cloud his judgement but he's a very good ref, never far away from the action.Dont get carried away. Chelsea will play two holding midfielders, kick Dave to fuck and try to hit us on the break. A good test of just how much we have learned and whether Ya Ya really is up for it again. If he is we could be unstoppable.

[MilnersJaw]

Well we just beat the barometer of the premier league. A pulis team away on weekday night, feels good.

Hart looks to have improved on catching the ball instead of punching it to.

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

Carragher looks gutted and I had to laugh when Vinnie put him on the spot about being a fullback, he didn't look happy.

That's where the intelligence kicks in, and the Scouse twat has none.

Loved Kompany's post match comments. Mentioned how Sky don't like us and that the love in for the old top 4 had motivated the team this week. Showed more tactical acumen in discussing Sterlings pace and the worry that gives a full back in 30 seconds than Carragher showed all night.

Nottsblue, you know that City have had the best opening match of any team in the PL, when even their usual worst detractors, are praising the team! I thought you might enjoy reading this praise from Jamie Carragher & his admission that City will be title challengers:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... agher.html

[Original Dub]

Sterling had at least two players on him at all times and silva shines even more than usual.

Coincidence? I think not.

Get used to it.

We bought silva and toure some space. How much is that worth?

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

We have the best three players in the league. Big Dave, Sergio and Yaya.
I hope all the haters have learnt a lesson this evening.

[phips]

Dave was obviously immense but I thought Fernandinho was fantastic. there were warranted fears about his lack of match fitness but he was outstanding. broke up play and sprayed the ball around. he played in Sterling for his chance, played the pass before Kolarov gave Bony the chance on the edge of the box, and he played in Yaya before his 1-2 with Bony for the goal. immense.

good to see that Mangala's passing is still just as shit as it was last season.


fuming at Pellegrini for not giving Nacho game time. what was the point of both the Nasri and Demichelis subs? sure, yank Sterling and Yaya but Nasri and Demichelis didn't need to come on. today was the perfect opportunity to get Nacho 25-30 mins; we dominated West Brom all match. there prob won't be as good of an opportunity as this.

[Slim]

I thought v1.0 was immense, broke up play well and his positioning and understanding with the two centrehalves was half the reason we didn't look shaky as fuck at the back. Also Sagna was brilliant, didn't dare praise him during the game but for a player I thought was just here to warm a seat on the bench he has done well enough for Pellers to question who starts against Chavski.

As for the subs, I thought we were moving on Nasri? Why did that die in the arse? Nacho for sure could have used the minutes, Aguero needed some too and even the commentators thought Kompany had gone into the midfield...why not Denayer? I was disappointed Lopes didn't make the bench as I think he should be getting time in every match we can, but maybe Pellers has a mandate, maybe he just wanted to see the season started without incident, who knows. The next few weeks will tell where his head's at in regards to the kids.

[john@staustell]

Doug, I thought the free kicks were given away because there was a conscious effort not to let them near our goal. Also hack anything that moved in the penalty area. Seemed to work so far

[Dunnylad]

Excellent performance against a sub standard WBA team, that should have sent a message across the Premier League & Kompany's comments about not being in the hunt for the title according to 'experts' was class. Like the fact that Sterling put in a shift & goals will come, gives us something we lacked last season in terms of real pace and directness. Defence looked solid as well, on that performance it'll be hard for Denayer to get a slot, but that's a good thing if it means we are improving.

Only negative was the alarming lack of cover at times in midfield. The free kicks we gave away were often the result of Albion players causing threat after drifting too far up field without being checked - still think.we are somewhat lightweight in that department.

Summary - pleased, very pleased, but reserving final judgement.until much later on.

[Renato_CTID]

I didn't believe to my eyes yesterday watching this game, what an impressive performance from Ingeniero's boys! Silva MOM of course, but Yaya too was a beauty! Kolarov and Sterling on the left were like a locomotive, even Kompany and Mangala gave at least a sort of confidence to all the squad. Fingers crossed obviously, but future looks like to be ours! CTWD