**WBA V City Official Match Thread**

[Bianchi on Ice]

We disrespected the cup Dub and thats my point, whats the fucking point of it? giving fringe players a run out? UEFA will sniff this out and take away the european place for the winners soon enough

[Green & Blue]

[Bianchi on Ice]

I can almost smell the irony

[Original Dub]

We disrespected the cup Dub and thats my point, whats the fucking point of it? giving fringe players a run out? UEFA will sniff this out and take away the european place for the winners soon enough

Bang on.

We have probably the greatest strenght in depth for any squad in the entire league. Those kids should have been on the bench for when we had the game under complete control and not a moment before then.

Lots of us could see we were going to lose that game as soon as the team was announced.

Explain that to me Mr Mancini...

[Burt]

City should give every single one of those travelling fans their money back tonight, disgraceful lack of respect to the competition and the fans.

And if ANY post should make it onto the official site that was it.

And the chances of it happening are about the same of finding rocking horse shit.

Good posts by both of you and I am gutted. I want to give our kids as many games as possible but not all chucked in together like tonight. We desperately need to stick a pot in our trophy cabinet and taking such weak chances with tonight's team selection leaves a nasty taste in my mouth with regard to what the club as a whole dismiss fans like myself want.. If it's because Bobby is dismissive of the League Cup then I am angry. If it's because the higher management are dismissive of the League cup then I am very angry. Either way, it makes no sense given the curent squad at our disposal unless there is some serious, heavy shit going on behind the scenes that we are not aware of.

We were playing away at a fellow Premier League ground and although The Baggies also put out a weakened side. They didn't put out a side full of inexperienced players. I do not know the stats but we must have had half our team out tonight that probably had not much more than a handfull of any kind of first team games in ANY world league games between them. Those lads will have had the stuffing knocked out of them and how must they feel now about their potential progress?

I don't usually go off on one about this kind of thing but I feel compelled to do so because I am quite jacked off about this particular scenario. I can handle the bitter, pathetic devilworshipping, rag armchairs at work. They'll get their cum-uppance one day anyway. What I do find difficult is why have we basically not tried to make a decent fist of progressing and potentially winning a domestic trophy that is within our compass.

Most of those kids aren't good enough to make it anyway Burt, so even giving them gametime has benefitted nobody. A stronger side with Boyata, Guidetti & Ibrahim in it would have been fair enough but putting so many untried kids in with them was ridiculous. I'm really fucking wound up about this. Just beating Chelsea & Juventus won't wash this away for me. I wanted to win it this year.

I rest my case yer honour. Stupid wasn't it mate.

[Blue Since 76]

Would you like to elaborate on which competitions are worthy of our massive club then? Perhaps Mancini could advise too, before anyone buys any more tickets to watch City's 3rd team.

[Original Dub]

I just want to fucking win something.

Our squad has the capability of competing on every front without having to RELY on kids. That was the whole point of spending.

Anyway, there's enough negativity floating about, I'm done.

[Socrates]

I just want to fucking win something.

Our squad has the capability of competing on every front without having to RELY on kids. That was the whole point of spending.

Anyway, there's enough negativity floating about, I'm done.

Not true. The money was spent to ensure we have a second player ready to come in for Prem games not so we could risk them in minor games. We are limited to 25 players, they may be more expensive ones but we can't just bring another one in if players get injured in less important games.

[DoomMerchant]

I just want to fucking win something.

Our squad has the capability of competing on every front without having to RELY on kids. That was the whole point of spending.

Anyway, there's enough negativity floating about, I'm done.

Not true. The money was spent to ensure we have a second player ready to come in for Prem games not so we could risk them in minor games. We are limited to 25 players, they may be more expensive ones but we can't just bring another one in if players get injured in less important games.

To be honest, people defending Hughes 10 months ago had more of a leg to stand on. Seriously.

Cheers

[Bianchi on Ice]

I just want to fucking win something.

Our squad has the capability of competing on every front without having to RELY on kids. That was the whole point of spending.

Anyway, there's enough negativity floating about, I'm done.

Not true. The money was spent to ensure we have a second player ready to come in for Prem games not so we could risk them in minor games. We are limited to 25 players, they may be more expensive ones but we can't just bring another one in if players get injured in less important games.

Disagree Socrates I dont see any minor games out there, unless City have qualified for the next stage of the Europa league with a game left or something like that, and even then why break momentum?

[edgeley blue]

Obviously everybody rightfully has their own point of view on what team we should have played this evening, however I do think there has been on over reaction to tonights result. Yes I wanted us to win every trophy going, but even had we won tonight, Mancini would have still put the kids out next round.

If we had won the cc and finished 7th Mancini would be sacked, if we finish 4th Mancini will still be employed by the richest man in the world. We all want wembley trips/ cup finals etc but the bottom line is for our futures sake we have to finish in the top 4 this season. Winning the cc would not secure our future, nor would it appease any of you, if we are not in top 4 by the end of the season, because with the final being played in feb, most of us would forget all about it if results didnt go in our favour therafter.

Probably sounds like mancio wrote this, but I have had a couple of vinos

[Burt]

Obviously everybody rightfully has their own point of view on what team we should have played this evening, however I do think there has been on over reaction to tonights result. Yes I wanted us to win every trophy going, but even had we won tonight, Mancini would have still put the kids out next round.

If we had won the cc and finished 7th Mancini would be sacked, if we finish 4th Mancini will still be employed by the richest man in the world. We all want wembley trips/ cup finals etc but the bottom line is for our futures sake we have to finish in the top 4 this season. Winning the cc would not secure our future, nor would it appease any of you, if we are not in top 4 by the end of the season, because with the final being played in feb, most of us would forget all about it if results didnt go in our favour therafter.

Probably sounds like mancio wrote this, but I have had a couple of vinos

There's no reason that I can see why we can't go for the chumps league and also try to win the league cup with the squad we've got mate.

[Ted Hughes]

I just want to fucking win something.

Our squad has the capability of competing on every front without having to RELY on kids. That was the whole point of spending.

Anyway, there's enough negativity floating about, I'm done.

Not true. The money was spent to ensure we have a second player ready to come in for Prem games not so we could risk them in minor games. We are limited to 25 players, they may be more expensive ones but we can't just bring another one in if players get injured in less important games.

We haven't just got 25 players ffs! We've got 25 very expensive mostly international players plus Balotelli, all the kids who played tonight & a shitload more who didn't play. There's no reason we can't play some of those kids to fill gaps when players are rested, just not fucking all of them at once! We've got more players than we need apart from strikers & that's only down to Mancini shipping players out & not replacing them. We only have 2 players not expected to be fit by the end of this month. Fucking two! And we cant play midweek games? My arse.

[edgeley blue]

Obviously everybody rightfully has their own point of view on what team we should have played this evening, however I do think there has been on over reaction to tonights result. Yes I wanted us to win every trophy going, but even had we won tonight, Mancini would have still put the kids out next round.

If we had won the cc and finished 7th Mancini would be sacked, if we finish 4th Mancini will still be employed by the richest man in the world. We all want wembley trips/ cup finals etc but the bottom line is for our futures sake we have to finish in the top 4 this season. Winning the cc would not secure our future, nor would it appease any of you, if we are not in top 4 by the end of the season, because with the final being played in feb, most of us would forget all about it if results didnt go in our favour therafter.

Probably sounds like mancio wrote this, but I have had a couple of vinos

There's no reason that I can see why we can't go for the chumps league and also try to win the league cup with the squad we've got mate.

I am not disagreeing with that Burt, I am just thinking that come the end of the season things like tonight will be largely forgotten if we can finish in the top 4. I am pissed off with Mancini for not playing say Kompany SWP Milner from the start to get a foothold in the game, but the CC has been a bit of a joke tourny for the last few years and us winning it wouldnt make any difference to the long term strategies that the club are trying to accomplish.

Doesnt mean that we dont have a right to be a bit pissed off though

[getdressedmctavish]

Just got back. Cost a fortune in lost earnings. Saw the team and knew we'd get steam rollered. Watched a kid at right back who was about as quick as me, a dwarf and naive centre half, a left back who threatens the linesman and feck all else, a kid midfielder who was clearly terrified and a young striker who was blowin out of his arse after ten minutes.None of those lads are anywhere near good enough at this stage of their careers. Then you have RSC on the pitch. One of the most arrogant gutless feck you displays I've seen in 50 years watchin this lot. But to be frank brainless arrogance is what I expected when I heard Platt was coming to the club.Mancini must be feckin thick to put himself under pressure like this and its a real indicator that there may be some serious flaws in his judgement. His excuses are sports science bollocks.A feckin piss take and plenty of bright lads who've learned over the years to grin and shrug off defeat were spitting blood tonight. You've done yourself a big disfavour you Italian c-nt and I bet the shiek is about as happy as I am.

[ronk]

We can talk about weak teams but on paper that wasn't such a weak team as it might otherwise appear

Given -- World Class player
Vidal -- debut, didn't play well, wasn't on the pitch when they scored
Mee -- debut, weak
Boyata -- solid young player, ready for the prem
Cunningham -- young, but an Irish international and we were down players anyway
Vieira -- World Cup winner, this time last year was playing for Inter.
Johnson -- one of our stars
Ibrahim -- young, but has played well for us in the past
Jo -- £18m Brazilian international, scored
RSC -- £17.5m Paraguayan international, played at the World Cup.
Guidetti -- Debut, highly rated. Sort of player you try in the League Cup.

Questions over a few players, but some major talent out there too.

Now subs:
Zabaleta
Milner
Silva

Incredible options to be able to bring on to try and turn the game. We were trying not to risk a few players due to the risk of injury and the lack of any cover in those positions. Maybe we went a little far with a player or two, but we were winning that game until it all suddenly went wrong. Freakish, a few good teams went out too, it's the magic of the Cup.

People are talking about how they thought we'd have won the thing, it was an early round with a lot of places where it might have not worked out. We could have played a full team and lost.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Just got back. Cost a fortune in lost earnings. Saw the team and knew we'd get steam rollered. Watched a kid at right back who was about as quick as me, a dwarf and naive centre half, a left back who threatens the linesman and feck all else, a kid midfielder who was clearly terrified and a young striker who was blowin out of his arse after ten minutes.None of those lads are anywhere near good enough at this stage of their careers. Then you have RSC on the pitch. One of the most arrogant gutless feck you displays I've seen in 50 years watchin this lot. But to be frank brainless arrogance is what I expected when I heard Platt was coming to the club.Mancini must be feckin thick to put himself under pressure like this and its a real indicator that there may be some serious flaws in his judgement. His excuses are sports science bollocks.A feckin piss take and plenty of bright lads who've learned over the years to grin and shrug off defeat were spitting blood tonight. You've done yourself a big disfavour you Italian c-nt and I bet the shiek is about as happy as I am.

I feel for you mate as you actually paid a lot to go there and support our team...respect.

There are some fans on here that would call you a "knee jerk reactor" even a "wanker" for getting all het up on seeing us lose this match.....you should even be fucking happy that Mancini gave the "kids" a chance to shine !!!!

[DoomMerchant]

We can talk about weak teams but on paper that wasn't such a weak team as it might otherwise appear

Given -- World Class player
Vidal -- debut, didn't play well, wasn't on the pitch when they scored
Mee -- debut, weak
Boyata -- solid young player, ready for the prem
Cunningham -- young, but an Irish international and we were down players anyway
Vieira -- World Cup winner, this time last year was playing for Inter.
Johnson -- one of our stars
Ibrahim -- young, but has played well for us in the past
Jo -- £18m Brazilian international, scored
RSC -- £17.5m Paraguayan international, played at the World Cup.
Guidetti -- Debut, highly rated. Sort of player you try in the League Cup.

Questions over a few players, but some major talent out there too.

Now subs:
Zabaleta
Milner
Silva

Incredible options to be able to bring on to try and turn the game. We were trying not to risk a few players due to the risk of injury and the lack of any cover in those positions. Maybe we went a little far with a player or two, but we were winning that game until it all suddenly went wrong. Freakish, a few good teams went out too, it's the magic of the Cup.

People are talking about how they thought we'd have won the thing, it was an early round with a lot of places where it might have not worked out. We could have played a full team and lost.

honestly, of that list of starters -- 5 probably don't have Premier League chops, and to put them all on the pitch together, with some of our 2nd team'ers, was just an act of hubris. I can't find fault with RSC or Jo at all, but those 5 academy kids/reservists was a shocking move to play a Premier League club, away, when surely we'd be seen as a big scalp to take down in what is ordinarily a really well-supported, loud ground for away teams to matter.

when you add it up like that it's way less ambitious and not very thoughtful to field the team Mancini did.

cheers

[Michigan Blue]

honestly, of that list of starters -- 5 probably don't have Premier League chops, and to put them all on the pitch together, with some of our 2nd team'ers, was just an act of hubris. I can't find fault with RSC or Jo at all, but those 5 academy kids/reservists was a shocking move to play a Premier League club, away, when surely we'd be seen as a big scalp to take down in what is ordinarily a really well-supported, loud ground for away teams to matter.

when you add it up like that it's way less ambitious and not very thoughtful to field the team Mancini did.

cheers

Great post, 100% agreed.

I think in the back of his mind Mancio thought he had a squad capable of the quadruple on September 1st but was all out of sorts once injuries hit.

Fair enough, Balotelli, Richards, Lescott, Bridge, etc. would have featured if everyone was healthy, but injuries happen. I respect keeping the powder dry for Chelsea but keeping it that dry bordered on the cowardly. Even Ancelotti was giving Anelka, Terry, etc. a run out tonight.

Mancini has hitched his cart to the next two results, and it had better be four points at a minimum or his gambit will have failed, and badly.

[dazby]

That squad is a 1st team defender short.

Not happy.

Bring on Chelsea.