Best Opposition Player You've Seen Live v City.

[Mifred]

Frank Lampard. One year he came to the Etihad with Chelsea, I think it was during the Barry De Jong era.

I have never watched a footballer make the game look so effortless and dominate like that, not in the flesh

Thought he was called Nigel!

 

[dickie davies]

You all believe you're serious football supporters, yet none of you have mentioned Jari Litmamen

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

This used to be quite an easy question pre 2008, and I’ve had instantly said Terry Henry. It’s rare opposition players get the home stadium on its feet in applause. That’s what happened that game.

Shows how blessed we’ve been though since we started in the CL. So many to choose from and so many years to look back at.

Very hard to say, so I’ll stick with Terry, just due to that applause he got.

 

[Citizen Green]

There's a few that stand out...

Bernardo (Monaco) in the Champions League at The Etihad.

Messi, Iniesta, Xavi on numerous occasions.

Santi Cazorla (Arsenal) at The Etihad.

Robben (Bayern Munich) at The Etihad.

Michael Owen (Dippers) at Maine Road, I think he ended up getting a hat-trick that day.

Henry at Maine Road, They were 4-0 up after 30 minutes or something.

Another great shout, great little player he was.

 

[mattcity5]

I remember Paul Merson getting applauded off the pitch by city fans at Maine road playing for villa when he was subbed off

This was several years before he turned into a complete bellend pundit

Yeah I remember that too. Always thought he was a decent player, a bit more of a trier than anything else. But this was the tail end of his career and his legs had gone a little, and he just absolutely ran the show.

 

[Milesvk]

There's a few that stand out...

Bernardo (Monaco) in the Champions League at The Etihad.

Messi, Iniesta, Xavi on numerous occasions.

Santi Cazorla (Arsenal) at The Etihad.

Robben (Bayern Munich) at The Etihad.

Michael Owen (Dippers) at Maine Road, I think he ended up getting a hat-trick that day.

Henry at Maine Road, They were 4-0 up after 30 minutes or something.

The Owen one against Liverpool, if it's the right game I remember thinking Heskey was also outstanding dragging our defence everywhere to allow Owen loads of space.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

You all believe you're serious football supporters, yet none of you have mentioned Jari Litmamen

Now you’ve just made yourself look silly, trying to claim the high ground yet mis-spelling his surname.

 

[Tarzan Pancake]

Wasn’t that 3-3 draw one of the games Grobbelaaar got accused of throwing? He certainly had a stinker that day.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure he dived over the ball at one point.

 

[Merlin's Magic]

I guess nobody has named Adama Traore yet. The guy kept turning into prime Pele against us every time he played for Wolves!

 

[Pearceman]

Ardiles in a 2 all draw at Maine Road in 83. He seemed to be just strolling about but was everywhere at the same time.

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

For me 2 performances top the rest.

Henry when they battered us 5-1 at Maine Road and Berbatov in the League Cup for Spurs.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

It was more the feeling that I had when he got the ball, as opposed to what he did with it. Agreed, he rarely had a good game against us!

Crazy how they got away with having Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez and Berbatov in their squad. Cunts!

It was a very good side I have to say, definitely the best the pisscan assembled by some distance. Shows how insanely good Pep's Barca was as they were on another planet to them in the CL finals.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

Now you’ve just made yourself look silly, trying to claim the high ground yet mis-spelling his surname.

Pretty sure he only played against us at the tail end of his career when he was a bit part player for Liverpool aswell, unless there was some friendly against Ajax before my time.

 

[billfromthehill]

Gazza

 

[uwe rosler 28]

Messi.

You can end the thread now.

I will raise you with iniesta the games at home and away I watched he was head and shoulders above anyone on the pitch.

 

[The Norfolk Blue]

Messi in the Nou Camp when Joe Hart saved us from an absolute mullering …. It will never be topped, as he actually made David Silva look ordinary.

 

[Manchester33]

I will raise you with iniesta the games at home and away I watched he was head and shoulders above anyone on the pitch.

Iniesta is obviously a world class player and one of the greatest ever (in his position)... but Messi is literally the greatest footballer that ever lived.

Yes, you could argue that Iniesta had some performances against us (that might have been better than the Messi performances against us), but Messi is a better player overall. I don't think any football fan could argue that point.

 

[uwe rosler 28]

Iniesta is obviously a world class player and one of the greatest ever (in his position)... but Messi is literally the greatest footballer that ever lived.

Yes, you could argue that Iniesta had some performances against us (that might have been better than the Messi performances against us), but Messi is a better player overall. I don't think any football fan could argue that point.

I'm not arguing who was the better player just saying the best player I seen live in them games was iniesta. Seeing a lot of berbatov shouts reminds me of the performance dean ashton put in yo knock us out of the cup at home 1 season.

 

[2bluejacko]

Cavani, when he played for Napoli against us at the Etihad, seemed like a perfect centre forward.

Watched a very young Michael Owen tear us a new one at Maine Road (hat-trick IIRC?!) and thought, “That lad might be a good ‘un!”

Bernardo had a pretty fucking great game against us for Monaco at the Etihad, too! I remember thinking, when we went for him for big money, how one big time performance can change the trajectory of one’s career.

Mendy was also outstanding at left back in that Monaco game... driving home in the minibus and them 2 was all the lads were on about

 

[shemnel]

I remember walking away from the Monaco home game thinking we need to sign silva, mendy and Mbappe. All three played awesome against us.

the 2017 clash, the 5-3 one, was a pretty vintage City side in my opinion (with Fernandinho at left back??) and the Monaco team was exciting - Mbappe, Silva, Falcao, Fabinho, Bakayoko, Lemar, Mendy

Agree with others re Henry, he had a couple of blinders against us, and I remember Del Piero playing very nicely when Juve came to us in the UEFA Cup in about 2011