Martin Demichelis

[Pigeonho]

Considering the money we were reportedly willing to pay, I think it's fair to say we did the right thing by not being held to ransom over Mangala.

progress to the next round via barca would have made up the short fall.

then add the 3 domestic comps.

sorry city you fucked up.

1. Mangala cup tied, would have made no impact last night.
2. Demichelis started the game with poor distribution but grew into the match
3. After Navas went down under Busquets challenge, watch Kompany take a step back, that played Messi onside and as Demichelis was playing him offside it created the situation and in a split second he made the wrong call although, it wasn't a penalty.

Domestically we can cope without a centre back but in the Champions League we were screwed from day 1 this season. We need a few more players before we can be in the running to win it.

Is the correct answer.

 

[Matty]

City need a Demichelis style centre half to play alongside, and compliment, Kompany. In elite company a player like Lescott is found lacking. Unfortunately what we need is Demichelis from 5 or 6 years ago, he was 33 just before Christmas and whatever pace he used to have has long since left his legs. The priority in the summer is a top quality centre half partner for Kompany, that's the area we need to spend the money on. Demichelis will do until then, with Lescott and Nastasic to support, but it's a definite weakness in our squad.

As for last night, the attempt to win the ball from Messi was a little reckless if you ask me, 1-0 down and 11 v 11 is a different prospect to 1-0 down and 10 v 11 (and you've got to assume a penalty will be scored, and Demichelis can't have been certain he was outside the box, which he was, marginally). He should have stayed on his feet and pressured Messi, and at least given Hart the opportunity of saving the shot.<br /><br />-- Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:42 am --<br /><br />

progress to the next round via barca would have made up the short fall.

then add the 3 domestic comps.

sorry city you fucked up.

1. Mangala cup tied, would have made no impact last night.
2. Demichelis started the game with poor distribution but grew into the match
3. After Navas went down under Busquets challenge, watch Kompany take a step back, that played Messi onside and as Demichelis was playing him offside it created the situation and in a split second he made the wrong call although, it wasn't a penalty.

Domestically we can cope without a centre back but in the Champions League we were screwed from day 1 this season. We need a few more players before we can be in the running to win it.

Is the correct answer.

I thought, techincally, you were allowed to name 1 player in your squad who had already represented another club in the same European competition these days?

 

[Pigeonho]

City need a Demichelis style centre half to play alongside, and compliment, Kompany. In elite company a player like Lescott is found lacking. Unfortunately what we need is Demichelis from 5 or 6 years ago, he was 33 just before Christmas and whatever pace he used to have has long since left his legs. The priority in the summer is a top quality centre half partner for Kompany, that's the area we need to spend the money on. Demichelis will do until then, with Lescott and Nastasic to support, but it's a definite weakness in our squad.

As for last night, the attempt to win the ball from Messi was a little reckless if you ask me, 1-0 down and 11 v 11 is a different prospect to 1-0 down and 10 v 11 (and you've got to assume a penalty will be scored, and Demichelis can't have been certain he was outside the box, which he was, marginally). He should have stayed on his feet and pressured Messi, and at least given Hart the opportunity of saving the shot.

-- Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:42 am --

1. Mangala cup tied, would have made no impact last night.
2. Demichelis started the game with poor distribution but grew into the match
3. After Navas went down under Busquets challenge, watch Kompany take a step back, that played Messi onside and as Demichelis was playing him offside it created the situation and in a split second he made the wrong call although, it wasn't a penalty.

Domestically we can cope without a centre back but in the Champions League we were screwed from day 1 this season. We need a few more players before we can be in the running to win it.

Is the correct answer.

I thought, techincally, you were allowed to name 1 player in your squad who had already represented another club in the same European competition these days?

Not heard that one, as that is what puts people off splashing out so much in January - players cup tied in the CL...

 

[tonea2003]

i thought he played well last night and gave messi a rough ride.

he had no choice but to bring messi down.

he is a stop gap but has played well in most games thus far

 

[jimbopm]

I feel for the lad, he was left in nomansland after the referee decided not to award a free-kick on Navas, Messi waited for Vinny to drop back in so he could be played on side and after that Demichelis had no chance.

 

[che_don_john]

I'm of the opinion MDM should have stayed on his feet, kept 11 men and let Hart try to save it.

what's done is done.

Totally agree.

I think most would agree, with hindsight. But find me a single centre-back at that level who, in the heat of the moment, wouldn't have tried to take Messi down outside the box (which, by the way, he actually succeeded in doing).

Demichelis is just our new scapegoat. We love to have them. Last season it was Kolarov. Fact of the mater is that Demichelis was the better option ahead of Lescott because he is calmer on the ball and possession is so valuable against a team like that. He had a really good game until the sending off (seems to have escaped people's attention that Barca didn't have a shot on target until then).

Navas lost the ball in an area where it only takes one pass to put someone in on goal. When possession changes hands like that so quickly. a defence is always going to be caught out if the first pass is quick enough (which Barca do so well). You could even argue that Vinny wasn't holding the line well (the other three defenders were playing Messi offside), but then that would be harsh on Vinny too because he was in that position to offer an option when we had the ball a fraction of a second earlier.

 

[its a Barm]

Again we have been taught a lesson and thats what it is a lesson so we have to learn from these games good things and bad things ,i would not expect us to get to the latter stages of the champs league for a couple of years yet unless we have a very kind draw, not even with better players it takes time for a team to get champs league savy, so i see it as progretion next year may be quarters or even semi we cant get to the final with this team,even as good as it is we are just that little bit behind the linkes of barca madrid and munich.

 

[hgblue]

If Pellegrini keeps playing him, he will cost us again.

 

[Durham Blue]

I think folk on here would be complaining whichever centre back coupled Kompany, Nasty has made mistakes ( big ones!) and so has Joleon in the past. ( and also last night) and no- one rated Garcia when he played in that position so basically we could swap all three or four for one player at Kompany's level in the Summer, in my view will be the most important signing for next season.

Shame Nasri didn't get on earlier, thought he was great v Chelsea last week and deserved a start and did look lively when he came on but by then we were up against it.

Strange atmosphere in the stadium last night, pre match and first half too was it nerves off the pitch?

 

[steviemc]

But never mind this fuckin manager loves his sorry arse and he can't do no wrong,

Pellegrini? The manager of the club you supposedly support.

Does this guy not like any english players, he's never linked with any either !!

Do you only call the manager by name when we win?