Post match Reaction Thread

[Bill]

Re: Rate the ref time.....

uefa got what they wanted city out...

correct, shameless cheating by that ref.

 

[larderland]

The first 5 minutes were phenomenal. The speed at which we played and the movement of the ball was impressive, with Richards and Barry standing out. How Balotelli missed that chance in the first few minutes, only he can tell us. As has been common for many of our games, it was very comfortable without us creating much after that, until the Balotelli sending off. I will talk about that later. Yeah, Kolarov's goal had an element of luck about it, but that is the kind of thing you need when you are two goals down. What we needed to do was take that momentum through half-time and come out like we started the first half. Completely blitz them, have them all over the place and hopefully nick a goal.

Chances wise, the second half was disappointing. The urgency from the first period was gone, and we were at pedestrian speed again. Was that familiar feeling of the others waiting for somebody else to step up and drag us through it. As try as he might, Tevez isn't quite on form, and no amount of running and effort will create a goal, he has to rely on the other players to contribute. David Silva was similar; there was plenty of effort, but today his en product was non-existent.

Positives:
There were hints of us playing excellent, quick football
Tevez looked like he was playing for the shirt
We can concentrate on the other competitions, and that precious fourth spot.
The performance was generally quite good
AJ and Milner are back.

Negatives:
Distinct lack of clear cut chances.

Now, for Balotelli. I am not defending his performance today. The kid just didn't seem to do anything right. His miss, his block from David Silva's shot, his running with the ball.... it was all below standard. And of course, there was the sending off. Yes, it was a sending off, it shows what frustration can do to you.
But instead of getting on his back, why don't we try something new and actually support the player? I know it sounds absurd, but hear me out:
Whenever he picks up the ball at our next home game, it isn't going to be encouraging for him to hear groans is it? He is a young lad, and his ability to pull something out of the bag in good situations is going to be invaluable for the rest of this season/next season. Just look at the Fulham game. We were void of ideas. He picks up the ball on the edge of the area, turns and scores. Just like that. Imagine if he did that in the last minute against Chelsea on Sunday? Or in the cup semi against the Rags? Or in the vital game against Spurs? I'm not saying he will definitely do this. But one thing that IS definite is the negative effects the witch-hunt will have on him. Getting on his back can only be counter-productive. Get BEHIND our player, for fuck's sake, instead of sending out a head-hunt!

post of the year!!!


my friend you got it spot on. yes he was stupid for what he (balotelli) did. but then again which great player hasnt been sent off.

we should support all players we have at our disposal regardless of their mistakes.

forza mancini and balotelli!

think u 2 will b on ur own in supporting balo,think tonight was the last straw

 

[Machetero]

Kyiv (sp?)

Easy:)
Kiev - is transliteration from Russian
Kyiv - is transliteration from Ukrainian

Both are fine, but I prefer Kiev. :)

and you got your tactics right today. Playing ugly, that is how you defend a two goal lead.

Well, I guess it's true, but playing like crappy ballerina is no good. It's not appreciated by football followers here. For instance Misevskiy is constantly being booed by own fans for playing like a prick and falling down at each tackle.

Even 2d coach of Dynamo Kiev - Oleg Luzhniy (defender. former captain of DK 1989-1999, USSR team and Arsenal London player) constantly criticizes him for that.

Luzhniy himself played last 30min with a broken toe in our qualification CL league game against Sparta Prague in 1998. Made it to 1/2 that year loosing to Bavaria (3-3, leading 3-1 during the game and 0-1 in Germany. MU won that CL((

Good luck in the rest of the competition, and I'm guessing you have consolidated 2nd place in your league already?

Thanks! I hope we'll play Spartak Moscow - our old rivals from the Soviet times.
It's fine in Ukrainian league - we are firmly second, but I hope we'll make a miracle and manage to achive the first place (1st position in our league brings you to the group stage of CL, while second takes to pre-liminary qualification round of the same tournament.

I don't really understand why Mancini is playing Balotelli and not Dzeko. Balotelli acts and plays like Pinoccio on drugs. As wooden and crazy.

 

[mike channon´s windmill]

Just back from the game. Quick points as I saw it:
1. Balotteli: He is an embarassment to Manchester City Football Club once again.
2. The rest of the players played as well as they could, gave their all and I have no complaints about the rest of the players.
BUT: the itallics were used above because the players played aswell as Mancini allows them to. Again I make no applogies for blaming mancini and his inept tactics for us going out. Playing with 10 men is difficult but DK offered nothing tonight. That was their plan. Concede less than 2 and win the tie. No attempt to score. The players again played under the constraints of Mancini's cautious, rigid and narrow approach and as much as they tried it was never going to happen. We had no sustained periods of pressure just sporadic bursts and the game fizzled out. Mancini's obsession with playing with no width or pace in midfield will get him the sack and i'll throw a party when it happens. Sick of his tactics, sick of his face, sick of him wasting our best opportunity since I supported us to win anything. We stumbled unconvincingly into this stage of the EL then limped out. We've stumbled unconvincingly into the semis of the FACup, well lets hope the scum have an off day in that match. 4th spot is under serious threat.
How some can still stand by him I can't believe.
The first few minutes showed us that with tempo and thrust these players can play...until Mancini realises that's the only way to play the better but he won't.
He is a liability as much as Balotteli. I fear our season is going to fizzle out in the same way because of mancini..I hope not...but there is NO evidence to say anything will change.

Tend to agree - imagine the scum - they would have got the ball down the flanks and peppered the box with cross after cross until something gave. We don´t have pace, width , any good crossers therefore Dzeko is a waste of time. We don´t have a finisher atm either. Kiev were frankly dire but our tactics selection and total naivety over there did for us. Forget it now and sort out Sunday FFS - Oh and I hope Haye annihilates that fookin useless blockhead Klitchko

 

[Tony - MCFC]

Balo is a mess and cost us but still a City player so need to get behind him, this last couple of months is huge for us. Dzeko has to start more, I know some on here don't rate, but the guy looked good tonight and does when he's been on especially of late.

 

[Machetero]

Shit competition. A lot of work with not much prestige. A best of the rest competition with way too many games. The group stage is absolutely shite. And it means flying to places like the Ukraine and kicking off at home at 6pm. Fuck it. The Dippers can have it.

Sorry, but in CL you'll -possibly- have to fly as far as Saint Petersburg, Moscow or even Kazan (hope not, otherwise -3 in Kiev will be paradise compared to -20 in the capital of Tatarstan region of Russia).

Team on this stage of EL are the same as in CL (with an exception of Barcelona, Real) in terms of strength. EL is surprisingly strong this year. Perhaps due to the fact that lower-UEFA-coefficient countries now have their own 'Champions path' of CL qualification where the don't play against 2d-4th teams from countries that are #1-15 in UEFA coefficient rating.

 

[cockneycarparkm32]

Proud of the effort made by the players . I thought the officials were dreadful , shame as it spoiled what should of been a magical night, still not sure with Mancini. Absolutely no width again ,until David or Carlos went out wide despairing to watch at times . Takes too long to make tactical changes for me. The game was crying out for width and a target man ,he got it wrong again tonight. The target man was left on the bench. Balotelli , deffo a red card , but... lets put one thing straight . The sign of a good striker is putting easy chances like the one in the first half away. Not trying to score the perfect goal . Mancini is gonna cut his own throat with Balotelli . The kid now owes Manchester City football club ,at least the F.A. Cup Final . Lescott was man of the match ,not De Jong another bad decision tonight ;) City `til I Die

P.s. I am proud of every single Blue who turned up tonight and gave their vocal support.This is not a dig at anyone who couldnt make it , the passion showed tonight was better than Sunday by a country mile,each and everyone of you should be given tickets to Wembley, Salute .

 

[robinho ho ho]

I can understand other posters wanting fans to get behind balotelli, but he is not helping himself. He has been sent off twice and booked 8 time in 15 starts - its about time Mancini tore a strip off him. If he doesn't it MAY cost him his job..... with mourinho available in the summer, who knows, and look what he did with balo at inter last year... so he's gotta go either way.

 

[Clubber]

Knee jerk Reactions

I thought everyone had a good game today (Minus Balo).

But what I think many should be aware of is that our best performers tonight (in my opinion anyway) were Kolarov and Lescott. Kolarov was a constant attacking outlet and solid at the back. Lescott was unbeatable, won every header, played the ball well on the deck and muscled everyone.

My point is, these lads have be slagged off for a large proportion of the season by some people, yet they are good players who are more than good enough to win the prem with. So let's not make the same mistake with Balo, and give him and the rest of our team the time they deserve.

 

[ultimateharold]

Balo was getting support, even after the miss. But you can't expect to get away with getting booked/sent off consistently, or only occasionally showing glimpses of talent.