City v Wigan Post Match Thread (FA Cup)

[Ducado]

Didn't want to post after I got back yesterday, this forum goes into meltdown when we lose a game of football.

The way I saw it, was pretty simple to me. I don't think there was anything in the first half, they had 1 shot on target and scored. I still don't know what MDM was doing, no need to make the tackle lescott had the cover on. I'll leave the decision making to pellegrini, I'm not going to slate him we have done enough of that. He is though, feckin useless and we are screaming out for a world class centre half in the summer, possibly two.

The problem yesterday was not team selection, tactics, it was just plain and simple, for 45 minutes, a terrible attitude. Wigan wanted it more, they fought harder, won the second balls and all the 50/50s. We played with a lack of pace, no urgency and too many sideways feckin passes. Wigan didn't sit and soak up pressure, one blue behind me thinking they were and that we have a problem breaking teams down when it's like that. They played with two strikers, and wing backs. It was 3-5-2 in possession and a 5-3-2 out of it. Exactly what Watford did. We just had the wrong attitude.

2nd half, we battered them after that god awful start. I'm in 122 and I had a crackin view of clichy. I still don't know what he was doing. He never anticipated the ball, caught ball watching basically and at this level you don't get away with that. It's the most timid ball across your 6 yard box. JFDI there, concede a corner, whatever, but do something.

What I will say about team selection is this, we have a squad and Manuel is rightly using it, he has done for all the cup comps. There was enough quality on the park to win that football match. However, take away kompany, fern and zabba from that team all at once and we have a problem. Aguero (who is clearly not fit) and Spanish Dave (who changed the game when he came on) are the stars. Those three, though, are the spine in this team, it's like ripping our heart out when they don't play. Now I do blame Manuel for that, because the same thing happened against Watford and lessons have not been learned. He changed it that day at half time and we won the game. My argument is this, if kompany plays yesterday, we win the football match.

Wigan had a charmed life after that and on another day, well who knows. Well done them, they did they what they had to do, had a bit of luck, but mostly loads of willingness to win the game. That's where it was won for me, our petulance and arrogance (summed up by toure) is what cost us the game.

You should post more often

 

[Blue Elvis]

Didn't want to post after I got back yesterday, this forum goes into meltdown when we lose a game of football.

The way I saw it, was pretty simple to me. I don't think there was anything in the first half, they had 1 shot on target and scored. I still don't know what MDM was doing, no need to make the tackle lescott had the cover on. I'll leave the decision making to pellegrini, I'm not going to slate him we have done enough of that. He is though, feckin useless and we are screaming out for a world class centre half in the summer, possibly two.

The problem yesterday was not team selection, tactics, it was just plain and simple, for 45 minutes, a terrible attitude. Wigan wanted it more, they fought harder, won the second balls and all the 50/50s. We played with a lack of pace, no urgency and too many sideways feckin passes. Wigan didn't sit and soak up pressure, one blue behind me thinking they were and that we have a problem breaking teams down when it's like that. They played with two strikers, and wing backs. It was 3-5-2 in possession and a 5-3-2 out of it. Exactly what Watford did. We just had the wrong attitude.

2nd half, we battered them after that god awful start. I'm in 122 and I had a crackin view of clichy. I still don't know what he was doing. He never anticipated the ball, caught ball watching basically and at this level you don't get away with that. It's the most timid ball across your 6 yard box. JFDI there, concede a corner, whatever, but do something.

What I will say about team selection is this, we have a squad and Manuel is rightly using it, he has done for all the cup comps. There was enough quality on the park to win that football match. However, take away kompany, fern and zabba from that team all at once and we have a problem. Aguero (who is clearly not fit) and Spanish Dave (who changed the game when he came on) are the stars. Those three, though, are the spine in this team, it's like ripping our heart out when they don't play. Now I do blame Manuel for that, because the same thing happened against Watford and lessons have not been learned. He changed it that day at half time and we won the game. My argument is this, if kompany plays yesterday, we win the football match.

Wigan had a charmed life after that and on another day, well who knows. Well done them, they did they what they had to do, had a bit of luck, but mostly loads of willingness to win the game. That's where it was won for me, our petulance and arrogance (summed up by toure) is what cost us the game.

The tough tacklers are Kompany, Zabba and Fern. When they aren't playing we lack bite in the team and constructive urgency as opposed to headless chicken syndrome. We missed an opportunity to address this weakness in the January transfer window with the Porto signings and it's come back to haunt us. But win the remaining 12 PL games and the defeats will be forgotten. The season ain't over yet and unlike last season we already have one trophy!!
CTID

 

[Stanger]

Didn't want to read about City tonight but caved in.

Peller's ability to manage the squad has to come under serious scrutiny. I'd like to know whyafter the warford game he made similar changes to our defense with the same result except this time we didn't recover.

Why when we have had so many games is Milner not even getting a sniff of start ing games yet Navas is pellers emrgency get out.

i know Negredo hasn't been great but from looking like the best signing of the season Peller's has played him alongside Dzeko a number of times and played Edin as the front man and asked Negredo to play a slightly deeper roll. This seems to have knocked the confidence out of Negrrdo. His shoulder injury may besomewhat to blame then Pellers had oppertunity's against westham to rest players who were key and he didn't.

When we are playing well - all on their game the 442 is brilliant, when we aren't or when games need it, is when the manager starts to earn his money. I'm sorry but this is were he has been found wanting. I understand the prem is not La Liga and he probaly thinks we justhave to turn up to beat teams from the lower leagues but to make the exact same mistake twice isn't good.

^^This.

Pellegrini never seems to learn from his mistakes. We have been chasing games against lower teams far too many times this season. Yet, we see the same 442, with too many changes to the squad. Very poor management really.

 

[Oystercatcher28]

Wigan earned their victory, City were and have been well below par. No reason to panic, but if we don't respond midweek, we have one more front to go for glory... and it is a big ask, one loss can set us back so much. C'mon City, show some guile!

 

[TangerineSteve17]

If Pellegrini is actually saying to his team before kick-off "Take it easy lads, we're better than them, the chances will come..." etc then the fault lies with him. I can not believe that is what he is telling the team though.

Our most passionate players were missing yesterday, Kompany, Fernandinho, Milner and Zabba. Just having them in the team, them all giving 100%, striving TO WIN the match gives us an immeasurable boost.

Obviously there are a few things last night which you can't really account for, Aguero being rusty, Negredo still ghosting, Demicheles, despite also giving his all, making yet another rash challenge, and Cliche switching completely off for their 2nd. The quality is there obviously to win arguably and match against anyone but when the play is laboured, unimaginitive and dare I say complacent, we don't deserve to win any match.


Now i've had my rant, it's not the end of the world :) We've won a cup, could still potentially progress in the CL and still in great shape to win the league, the players just need a kick up the arse, and get some positivity back.

 

[Bill]

Didn't want to read about City tonight but caved in.

Peller's ability to manage the squad has to come under serious scrutiny. I'd like to know whyafter the warford game he made similar changes to our defense with the same result except this time we didn't recover.

Why when we have had so many games is Milner not even getting a sniff of start ing games yet Navas is pellers emrgency get out.

i know Negredo hasn't been great but from looking like the best signing of the season Peller's has played him alongside Dzeko a number of times and played Edin as the front man and asked Negredo to play a slightly deeper roll. This seems to have knocked the confidence out of Negrrdo. His shoulder injury may besomewhat to blame then Pellers had oppertunity's against westham to rest players who were key and he didn't.

When we are playing well - all on their game the 442 is brilliant, when we aren't or when games need it, is when the manager starts to earn his money. I'm sorry but this is were he has been found wanting. I understand the prem is not La Liga and he probaly thinks we justhave to turn up to beat teams from the lower leagues but to make the exact same mistake twice isn't good.

this.

 

[Marvin]

Didn't want to read about City tonight but caved in.

Peller's ability to manage the squad has to come under serious scrutiny. I'd like to know whyafter the warford game he made similar changes to our defense with the same result except this time we didn't recover.

Why when we have had so many games is Milner not even getting a sniff of start ing games yet Navas is pellers emrgency get out.

i know Negredo hasn't been great but from looking like the best signing of the season Peller's has played him alongside Dzeko a number of times and played Edin as the front man and asked Negredo to play a slightly deeper roll. This seems to have knocked the confidence out of Negrrdo. His shoulder injury may besomewhat to blame then Pellers had oppertunity's against westham to rest players who were key and he didn't.

When we are playing well - all on their game the 442 is brilliant, when we aren't or when games need it, is when the manager starts to earn his money. I'm sorry but this is were he has been found wanting. I understand the prem is not La Liga and he probaly thinks we justhave to turn up to beat teams from the lower leagues but to make the exact same mistake twice isn't good.

this.

Yes it was a good post.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

I make it a practice not to post until about 24 hours after the match, otherwise it'll be just be raving, gnashing and foaming. So for what it's worth, I'll try to analyse yesterday.
I’ll leave it to others to discuss Dzeko’s two glaring misses — one put almost perfectly onto his head, the other one right to his feet — and I’m sure there have been many takers. I have ceased to expect anything of him. But make no mistake, the real, the unforgiveable damage was done in the first forty five minutes.
How so? Well, has anyone else become utterly sick and tired of seeing us amble around at about half the pace we should be playing at until we go a goal (or preferably two, just to make it nice and hard) behind? What do we think, that we’re going to do a Watford or Sunderland every single game? We put Wigan’s goal under no kind of threat for the entire first half. That’s what kills me. When we upped the pace after Samir’s goal to what we should have been playing at from well within the first half or at the very least, from the very start of the second half, we were overrunning them, creating real pressure and chance after chance.
But let’s have it right. We are a multi-million pound squad. We should be beating the Wigans of this world by 2-0 or so, if we are treating them with urgency right from the off. Respect to Wigan, but I am absolutely certain that Arsenal are going take them apart.
Is it worth singling out players? Well I will say this, and it’s not a way of defending Dzeko at all. By God but Beast has gone badly off the boil. I don’t remember him doing anything vaguely threatening until he was taken off. The penalty was a tad harsh, but the most important point was that Demichelis had been clearly beaten for pace and it wasn’t the last time in the match. Anyway, as I was saying about that back line:

Quote from pre-match thread:
Lovebitesandeveryfing wrote:It's the combination that bothers me, mate. Vinny with Demichelis? Well, ok, just about (although there's a lot on here who'll disagree with me: cf. a certain goal scored not so very long ago by a certain Sunderland striker). Vinny with Nastasic? Well, pretty good last season, and that, make no mistake, is our long-term combination, whatever Nastasic's failings this season. He'll come back, he's very young. Vinny with Joleon: definitely, Joleon's a good player when he's got Vinny next to him, and he proved it over and over again during the title winning season (although there are strong signs that Pellegrini does not rate Lescott and he's not long-term for us).
On this question of burn-out, which I'm alert to. It seems to me that a central defender does not burn out to the extent that a box-to-box midfielder does, or even a striker who's constantly looking to shake his marker off. A central defender's essential job is to read balls coming at him, and to move into the appropriate position to mop up. Then, if they're skilled — as Vinny is — to move out of their box with the ball at their feet and release it at just the right moment to a midfielder who's in a better position. By the time they've got to the halfway line, they shouldn't have that ball any more. Then they should hold back. All this, Vinny does excellently, but I'm certain that this doesn't involve getting through as many miles on the park as many other players get through. Plus one other thing: Vinny's just come back from, what was it?, a four week lay-off. And was that the first time he's been injured this season? I
seem to remember that it's the second, but I could be wrong. Yaya plays every single game if he's even vaguely fit. Beast seemed to play every single game, in every competition, until he got injured, and I think that's come back to bite him on the arse, big time. Silva's in the same category. These players, yes, must be rested.



Asplund2 wrote: Yeah I agree with all that you say mate, Vinny is the player that maybe could play the rest of the games. But is there one game to rest it I think its this game.



Lovebitesandeveryfing replied: On the face of it, it looks like the easiest, I'm with you there. Trouble is, if we start thinking that or rather, if the players start thinking that, then we'll get done! And you know what? I'm getting a taste for this going to Wembley business. I want us to do it again. Very soon. ;-) End if quoted exchange.



It’s no consolation at all to be right. In fact it feels fucking awful. But I’ve got to admit I had it slightly wrong, because I hadn’t anticipated that Pellegrini would compound the mess by choosing Clichy over Kolarov. The idea constantly peddled that “Clichy is better at defending than Kolarov” may have been true in the past — was certainly true in 2011-12 — but it simply won’t stand up to the scrutiny of their respective performances this season. Clichy was found out against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge; he was found out against Bayern at the Etihad, big time; and he has now been found out against (wait for it)… Wigan. That second goal is diabolical, there’s no logical way that it’s the striker’s ball. He just wanted it more. Micah looked o.k., I thought, and Lescott too. Zab needed resting, so I’ve got nothing to say about that. But you just knew that you line up those four at the back and one or two of them are going to be badly exposed. It could have been Micah, it could have been Joleon. Well, it wasn’t, but by God we need Matica Nastasic injury free and back to his proper form, to partner Vinny (and yes, I was critical of Vinny for the Sunderland goal). That is our quality central defence, for years to come. Everything else is back up, and not at the same level, even potentially.
Otherwise, can we save anything from this disaster? Because it is a disaster. This was a fairly benign draw from the hat. What would you rather have had: Arsenal or Everton away? Or Wigan at home? Doesn’t need too much thought, does it?
Well, I for one feel sorry for Samir. He put everything into it, obviously wanted to win, and was probably our only genuinely good player (I totally include Sergio by the way in that judgement about the first half nap that everybody seemed to be taking — when he started to go for it in the last half hour we saw the difference immediately). I still fail to understand why James is not an automatic starter in exactly these sorts of games. He for one does not do “ambling”. I don’t say he was brilliant or anything even close to it, but when he came on he was busy and up for it.
That’s about it. We’ve got to pick ourselves up from this hangover, and fast. Are we really going to blow away all that fine work done in the PL in November, December, January? I feel for fans going to Barcelona, but I honestly think it would be the biggest shock of the last fifteen years in the CL if we were to beat them 3-0 on their own turf. That’s basically what it would take. And I don’t fancy us to beat them on penalties, in the event of a 2-0. Ok, 3-1 would see us through. But even then, supposing that miracle takes place, are we really going to beat everyone that’s lined up behind them to win that competition? No, for me, the League is the total and absolute priority. It was great to win the Capital One Cup, but if we’re left holding just that in our hands, this season will have a decidedly bitter taste for me. Even a second place wouldn’t console. We were second last season. This club has other ambitions now.

 

[Chris in London]

I am not one for scapegoating and this is not a ny sort of "it was his fault we lost" post.

Having said that, by God Clichy was dogshit yesterday.

I haven't read the thread, but I'm sure it has been done to death that for the second goal he should have put the ball in Row Z. What worries me perhaps more is that three or four times I noticed him pull out of 50-50s. not lose them, fail to make the challenge.

For the last two seasons Clichy has been a fair bit better than Kolarov defensively and I haven't seen that much between them offensively though Kola has shaded it IMO. This season Clichy has been poor. No two ways about it.

I can't explain the failure to put the challenges in. It isn't because he's a shitbag, because we'd have seen that over the last 2 seasons and we haven't. Is it that we are 3 months away from a world cup and he doesn't want a broken leg going in to it? I sympathise with any player who wants to go to Brazil for the world cup, but if that's what's going on I wish he'd remember who pays his fucking wages. whatever it is, we can't have him near the team while he is pulling out of every contest.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Most team would die to have a silva a vineyard or a zab in their ranks. We buy them and leave them out.

Madness

[bigimg]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--qJK8O5Amzg/URAcuT2WM9I/AAAAAAAAJRk/BpCBWw9O8GI/s1600/que-cat.gif[/bigimg]

I didn't expect to have any kind of laugh on this thread this morning, but that gif is brilliant! Lol!