City vs Villa post match discussion

[baildon blue]

Great result nice to see us hammer a team in the premiership.Looking forward to Real Madrid on wednesday.Bluemoon

 

[greenfingers]

Re: Re:

Is it only me, or was the first half infuriating to watch? Just our decision making & our ability to find and open space was terrible. I understand that they were with 9 men, however we need to find a way to start scoring early, and stop relying on our opposition to tire or change tactics then pounce on them.

Totally agree with what you're saying!! Against better teams we have to find a more expansive and quicker game. We are trying to 1-2 our way throught defences all the time playing pretty pretty touch football. Against the Villas of this world it will probably always pay off. We have all the possesion so we should be brave enough to swing in numerous balls early on and get someone on the end of them. Rags are great exponents of this, and will simply play the percentages knowing they can't outfootball teams like we can, but rely on a goal from every 3rd or 4th cross. I'm saying we should mix up our style of play a little and become less predictable, not abandon our passing game.

Yes I think many of us agree with you - I certainly do.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Re: Re:

Is it only me, or was the first half infuriating to watch? Just our decision making & our ability to find and open space was terrible. I understand that they were with 9 men, however we need to find a way to start scoring early, and stop relying on our opposition to tire or change tactics then pounce on them.

No it wasn't just you. I actually thought the first half was quite dull. 60%+ possession and lucky with a scrappy goal. Yes, Villa parked the bus but too much what I call tippy tappy football around the box...Maicon's direct passing is refreshing in this sence.

But Villa and Spurs have IMO seen us recaptue some of the swagger of last season so onwards and upwards...top of the league!

The first half of our matches are a means to an end. If you watch the body language of teams leaving the pitch at HT you'll see that more often than not the away side are knackered from closing down/chasing/keeping alert etc. This is why we batter teams in the second half. If we went out all guns blazing early doors we could fall to a sucker punch.

This system has worked in 33 out of 36 league games (or something like that) and some still can't see it for what it is.

 

[TBooksbluearmy]

When teams come to the Etithad and start to park the bus, perhaps if we try shooting from outside the box every now and again it might help to draw the defence out of the box so opening up space behind the defenders. This will then enable us to play a through ball for the strickers to run onto.

 

[Kippaxblue5]

Pics and comments on the Aston Villa game are now online at
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.rtfract.com/citnov12b.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.rtfract.com/citnov12b.htm</a>

 

[Lucky13]

Pics and comments on the Aston Villa game are now online at
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.rtfract.com/citnov12b.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.rtfract.com/citnov12b.htm</a>

Some good pictures and it's Krusty the Clown

 

[Rammyblues]

Having had time to reflect on yesterday two notrites from me:-

1) I cheered the Pilkington goal as much as I cheered the five goals City scored.

2) If we get beat at Chelsea next week it will be only back to where we were yesterday with them being two points ahead but having got another tough away fixture out of the way subject them obviously beating QPR. Anything else is a bonus.

 

[Bluemooner 1]

Aside from the goalscorers, Nasri's passing was excellent yesterday and I thought Nastasic had a good game at the back.

1st half was frustrating but 2nd half was fabulous!

 

[1972Bramhall_Blue]

The first half was very frustrating, and I think we suffered from the lack of an aerial threat. Villa packed the middle and we had any number of crossing opportunities but is there any point slinging in a high ball for Aguero or Tevez? Not really and they just had so many bodies in the middle that playing though them was always going to be difficult, we needed the goal to make them abandon the blanket defence after which we took them to the cleaners. I think games like this are ones we should start with Dzeko if only because he makes high crosses a real danger.

 

[BigJoe#1]

The first half was frustrating but Villa set out to frustrate us and did it very well.

They just stood off us and never really challenged wg=hich made it difficult for us to break them down. That said I think we showed class, patience and determination which manifested in a deserved 5-0 win.

We were quality yesterday, don't unders estimate the size of the task that Villa set us. Look what they did to the scum!!