Liverpool vs. City Pre Match Thread

[Bluep*ss]

For late readers - just remember that the motorway will be closed at the week-end.
They are putting a bridge over near the airport(Manchester).

 

[mancity1]

tbh I have not personally been impressed by the success and value for money of the "Spanish duos" transfers to date, which ones so far have really impressed you?

None to be honest although Ferny had a great first season domestically and hence my comment.

MDM in my opinion has been value for the money spent.

This summer is when we shall see if they swim or sink and I am excited about that.

Aguerro was our last class aquisition.

VK and Zabba are on the decline and we need a big overhaul in the summer with youngsters required to start to get serious game time in the first team sooner rather than later.

We have not got value for money for any of our players bought in since Kun by and large but I always want the latest like Mangala to be given more time and they will be.

Not too many central defenders hit the ground with gusto and make it last consistently over their first season in a new league at such an age.

Domestically the likes of Rodwell , Sinclair etc were a disaster.

Both are struggling for regular first team game time in relegation threatened sides.

Never should have got either we should have promoted the best of our under 21's to fill in their roles to be honest.

At least we have replaced some of our senior brokers and scouts but the pressure is on the duo to deliver now and deliver they must if they are to keep their jobs beyond next season.

.

don't think zabba is on the decline! Any signing is a gamble just look at the rags di maria and falco looked great signings but have been poor look at lamela and soldado at spurs Liverpool have spent alot and not improved there team! Aguero was a gamble but it paid off! Maybe the next batch coming in will be to the quality of zabba, vinny, yaya, silva, sergio.

Don't get me wrong Zabba has been what City is all about since 2008 , my favourite player in truth and woudn't have swapped him for all the tea in China but he is past his best no doubt.

Zabba was never a gamble and has served Argentina with distinction as well for sometime.

A players player our real spiritual leader who you will also note has grasped the English language better than all the other Argentinians and Spanish speaking players at the club and actually made an effort to take time to make English his second language and encourages by speaking English to the likes of Silva and Kun and Tevez the dumb dude when he was with us and others for obvious reasons all things which go unnoticed by main stream media.

Despite his lapse this season he still gets my nod over Clichy , Kolorov and Sagna every time and that's our problem our still best fullback has been with the club for 7 years and we still haven't found a better one who he can mentor to take over the reigns from him quickly which is what we need to do.[/quote]

Hate to keep mentioning the rags but they still haven't found a replacement for g.neville it could take 20 years to find someone better or at the same level as these kind of players! We are at a level now where we can't get much better so improving the team is very hard! Yes we all know the area's but getting the players is another thing![/quote]

I think we can and we are paying many staff good money to do so.

Even if its not an easy task it makes it all the better when you break new ground and new ground we must break.

Constant improvement in the playing level of the first team is essential especially if we are to achieve the targets in Europe the owners have set for us.

They certainly want a Chumps League title this decade maybe two and the path to that target started a while ago.

To do so the vast majority of our current squad will need to be turned over with players better equipped to challenge on both fronts.[/quote]

I agree but maybe they think they are buying the right players only for the players to fail. When we heard we were signing fernando and mangala everybody seemed happy thinking we had signed the players to improve the squad![/quote]

Not sure about Fernando yet I think he needs more time in his favourite role with the right balance of attack and defensive aspects to our play.

I am quite bullish on Mangala , I think next season though will obviously tell us more if he has what it takes at the top level.

Vidic took a little time to find his feet as did VK if we cast back to 2009-10 because prior to that Leslie played him in the wrong part of the ground.

i know our corners have been scheiben hausen all year but I am still a bit concerned that Vinny hasn't got on the end of those that get into the box at all this season.

 

[uwe rosler 28]

None to be honest although Ferny had a great first season domestically and hence my comment.

MDM in my opinion has been value for the money spent.

This summer is when we shall see if they swim or sink and I am excited about that.

Aguerro was our last class aquisition.

VK and Zabba are on the decline and we need a big overhaul in the summer with youngsters required to start to get serious game time in the first team sooner rather than later.

We have not got value for money for any of our players bought in since Kun by and large but I always want the latest like Mangala to be given more time and they will be.

Not too many central defenders hit the ground with gusto and make it last consistently over their first season in a new league at such an age.

Domestically the likes of Rodwell , Sinclair etc were a disaster.

Both are struggling for regular first team game time in relegation threatened sides.

Never should have got either we should have promoted the best of our under 21's to fill in their roles to be honest.

At least we have replaced some of our senior brokers and scouts but the pressure is on the duo to deliver now and deliver they must if they are to keep their jobs beyond next season.

.

don't think zabba is on the decline! Any signing is a gamble just look at the rags di maria and falco looked great signings but have been poor look at lamela and soldado at spurs Liverpool have spent alot and not improved there team! Aguero was a gamble but it paid off! Maybe the next batch coming in will be to the quality of zabba, vinny, yaya, silva, sergio.

Don't get me wrong Zabba has been what City is all about since 2008 , my favourite player in truth and woudn't have swapped him for all the tea in China but he is past his best no doubt.

Zabba was never a gamble and has served Argentina with distinction as well for sometime.

A players player our real spiritual leader who you will also note has grasped the English language better than all the other Argentinians and Spanish speaking players at the club and actually made an effort to take time to make English his second language and encourages by speaking English to the likes of Silva and Kun and Tevez the dumb dude when he was with us and others for obvious reasons all things which go unnoticed by main stream media.

Despite his lapse this season he still gets my nod over Clichy , Kolorov and Sagna every time and that's our problem our still best fullback has been with the club for 7 years and we still haven't found a better one who he can mentor to take over the reigns from him quickly which is what we need to do.

Hate to keep mentioning the rags but they still haven't found a replacement for g.neville it could take 20 years to find someone better or at the same level as these kind of players! We are at a level now where we can't get much better so improving the team is very hard! Yes we all know the area's but getting the players is another thing![/quote]

I think we can and we are paying many staff good money to do so.

Even if its not an easy task it makes it all the better when you break new ground and new ground we must break.

Constant improvement in the playing level of the first team is essential especially if we are to achieve the targets in Europe the owners have set for us.

They certainly want a Chumps League title this decade maybe two and the path to that target started a while ago.

To do so the vast majority of our current squad will need to be turned over with players better equipped to challenge on both fronts.[/quote]

I agree but maybe they think they are buying the right players only for the players to fail. When we heard we were signing fernando and mangala everybody seemed happy thinking we had signed the players to improve the squad![/quote]

Not sure about Fernando yet I think he needs more time in his favourite role with the right balance of attack and defensive aspects to our play.

I am quite bullish on Mangala , I think next season though will obviously tell us more if he has what it takes at the top level.

Vidic took a little time to find his feet as did VK if we cast back to 2009-10 because prior to that Leslie played him in the wrong part of the ground.

i know our corners have been scheiben hausen all year but I am still a bit concerned that Vinny hasn't got on the end of those that get into the box at all this season.[/quote]

Mangala will make it at city no doubt! But Fernando won't a great midfielder can pass a ball he can't! He might make a responsible squad player for lower end prem games/ easy cup games.

 

[cibaman]

Zabaleta made 42 appearances in 12/13, 48 last season and 24 so far this season. All 100% full on. And during last summer he had the small matter of a World Cup. 7 WC appearances, following on from 16 international caps in qualfying and friendly games during 2014..

He'll be fine next season

 

[mancity1]

don't think zabba is on the decline! Any signing is a gamble just look at the rags di maria and falco looked great signings but have been poor look at lamela and soldado at spurs Liverpool have spent alot and not improved there team! Aguero was a gamble but it paid off! Maybe the next batch coming in will be to the quality of zabba, vinny, yaya, silva, sergio.

Don't get me wrong Zabba has been what City is all about since 2008 , my favourite player in truth and woudn't have swapped him for all the tea in China but he is past his best no doubt.

Zabba was never a gamble and has served Argentina with distinction as well for sometime.

A players player our real spiritual leader who you will also note has grasped the English language better than all the other Argentinians and Spanish speaking players at the club and actually made an effort to take time to make English his second language and encourages by speaking English to the likes of Silva and Kun and Tevez the dumb dude when he was with us and others for obvious reasons all things which go unnoticed by main stream media.

Despite his lapse this season he still gets my nod over Clichy , Kolorov and Sagna every time and that's our problem our still best fullback has been with the club for 7 years and we still haven't found a better one who he can mentor to take over the reigns from him quickly which is what we need to do.

Hate to keep mentioning the rags but they still haven't found a replacement for g.neville it could take 20 years to find someone better or at the same level as these kind of players! We are at a level now where we can't get much better so improving the team is very hard! Yes we all know the area's but getting the players is another thing!

I think we can and we are paying many staff good money to do so.

Even if its not an easy task it makes it all the better when you break new ground and new ground we must break.

Constant improvement in the playing level of the first team is essential especially if we are to achieve the targets in Europe the owners have set for us.

They certainly want a Chumps League title this decade maybe two and the path to that target started a while ago.

To do so the vast majority of our current squad will need to be turned over with players better equipped to challenge on both fronts.[/quote]

I agree but maybe they think they are buying the right players only for the players to fail. When we heard we were signing fernando and mangala everybody seemed happy thinking we had signed the players to improve the squad![/quote]

Not sure about Fernando yet I think he needs more time in his favourite role with the right balance of attack and defensive aspects to our play.

I am quite bullish on Mangala , I think next season though will obviously tell us more if he has what it takes at the top level.

Vidic took a little time to find his feet as did VK if we cast back to 2009-10 because prior to that Leslie played him in the wrong part of the ground.

i know our corners have been scheiben hausen all year but I am still a bit concerned that Vinny hasn't got on the end of those that get into the box at all this season.[/quote]

Mangala will make it at city no doubt! But Fernando won't a great midfielder can pass a ball he can't! He might make a responsible squad player for lower end prem games/ easy cup games.[/quote]

I think you may be proven correct on your assesement of both in terms of future roles and responsibilities but I would like Fernando to be given another season to show what he is capable of before we either cast him aside as a squad player or caste him aside for good.

 

[uwe rosler 28]

Don't get me wrong Zabba has been what City is all about since 2008 , my favourite player in truth and woudn't have swapped him for all the tea in China but he is past his best no doubt.

Zabba was never a gamble and has served Argentina with distinction as well for sometime.

A players player our real spiritual leader who you will also note has grasped the English language better than all the other Argentinians and Spanish speaking players at the club and actually made an effort to take time to make English his second language and encourages by speaking English to the likes of Silva and Kun and Tevez the dumb dude when he was with us and others for obvious reasons all things which go unnoticed by main stream media.

Despite his lapse this season he still gets my nod over Clichy , Kolorov and Sagna every time and that's our problem our still best fullback has been with the club for 7 years and we still haven't found a better one who he can mentor to take over the reigns from him quickly which is what we need to do.

Hate to keep mentioning the rags but they still haven't found a replacement for g.neville it could take 20 years to find someone better or at the same level as these kind of players! We are at a level now where we can't get much better so improving the team is very hard! Yes we all know the area's but getting the players is another thing!

I think we can and we are paying many staff good money to do so.

Even if its not an easy task it makes it all the better when you break new ground and new ground we must break.

Constant improvement in the playing level of the first team is essential especially if we are to achieve the targets in Europe the owners have set for us.

They certainly want a Chumps League title this decade maybe two and the path to that target started a while ago.

To do so the vast majority of our current squad will need to be turned over with players better equipped to challenge on both fronts.

I agree but maybe they think they are buying the right players only for the players to fail. When we heard we were signing fernando and mangala everybody seemed happy thinking we had signed the players to improve the squad![/quote]

Not sure about Fernando yet I think he needs more time in his favourite role with the right balance of attack and defensive aspects to our play.

I am quite bullish on Mangala , I think next season though will obviously tell us more if he has what it takes at the top level.

Vidic took a little time to find his feet as did VK if we cast back to 2009-10 because prior to that Leslie played him in the wrong part of the ground.

i know our corners have been scheiben hausen all year but I am still a bit concerned that Vinny hasn't got on the end of those that get into the box at all this season.[/quote]

Mangala will make it at city no doubt! But Fernando won't a great midfielder can pass a ball he can't! He might make a responsible squad player for lower end prem games/ easy cup games.[/quote]

I think you may be proven correct on your assesement of both in terms of future roles and responsibilities but I would like Fernando to be given another season to show what he is capable of before we either cast him aside as a squad player or caste him aside for good.[/quote]

Maybe but if the chance comes in the summer to recoup what we paid for him we have to take it!

 

[Harvster]

Worryingly confident = getting the numbers 1-3, Yaya to score a solo stormer a la Villa

 

[CelesteItis]

Hart

Zabaleta-Demichellis-Mangala-Clichy

Nasri-Yaya-Fernandinho-Silva

Aguero-Dzeko

Being dropped seemed to wake Hart up a bit maybe it can do the same for Kompany. I don't think we'll miss him particularly in his current form.

This. I agree. Well thought.

 

[richards30]

Hart
Zab
Vinny
Mangala
Clichy
Fernandihno
Yaya
Silva
Nasri
Sergio
Bony

Sergio dropping deeper when required

 

[lasereyes]

Must win game, need to put some pressure on Chelsea by closing the gap to 2 points.

If that was to be coupled with a Spurs win it might quite a gut punch to Chelsea's season,

I don't agree with Mou on much he is just a spin merchant when it comes to his spiel but I do agree with him that losing a Cup Final will have little or no impact on their remaining 12 games in the premiership.

How far they go in Europe will have a bigger impact on that and if anything a loss to Spurs will Spur them on pardun the pun.

Dont agree with this. If they lose the League Cup, it raises the real prospect of a second trophyless season for Mourinho. Given the renowned insanity of Abramovich, it's quite conceivable his job would then come under pressure. Furthermore, if they were to lose to Spurs for the second time on the trot, it will embolden others who face Chelsea in the weeks to come. Already that nimbus of invincibility has been punctured - this would be a further serious blow to that.

Finally, IMO, we definitely benefited from the League Cup win last year in a variety of ways.