Sunderland Post Match

[tom_mackem]

How about that kick to the head of that new fella with the Z in his last name? HAHAHAHAHAHA!

And, tell me again, did Defoe elbow BOTH centre halves in the face or not?! Yeah, that what I thought!

Oh, and did Aguero put that hole in the back of his sock himself, too? Maybe he drew those big red lines down the back of his calf, too? Don't remember the ref even having a word with O'Shite about that "tackle," do you?

As for time wasting, welcome to a City game! However, it usually starts with the opposition in about the 10th minute of the first half and doesn't end until the first goal, sometimes the second....and then all of a sudden, it's game on! Hard to remember the last time I saw City players time waste...and I certainly can't remember the last time ANY ref was as quick to get his cards out IN EXTRA TIME for a few seconds AGAINST City!

Good luck for the rest of the season. If you keep playing like that, you will win more than you will lose....and I'm glad we don't have to come back later in the season if you are still down there.

If you bothered to read my post above you would see what i had to say about both incidents.

As for 'O'Shite' making the challenge, It was Jones, but nevermind.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Give over man, The tackle on Aguero was a last ditch challenge which caught him on the calf because Billy Jones was caught out of position (nothing new), there was no maliciousness in that challenge whatsoever.

Whether there was more in the Defoe elbow than what the ref made of it remains to be seen but fuck me, Otamendi is a big lad, Im sure hes given a few out before in the past.

Stop going on like complete fannies over what was a commited game of football.

I think both teams sensed that the ref was a bit weak and too liberties. Our time wasting was a bit over the top but the booing of Joe Hart was a bit embarrassing too.

I thought Sunderland played very well and you would have got at least a point with a bit more composure. The big lad in central making his debut was dominant. You will stay up if you play like that for the rest of the season & take your share of your chances. I hope you stay up!

Defoe would be facing a ban if he was playing against another Club but the elbows will be brushed under the carpet. He's not that big anyway!

 

[tom_mackem]

You are decent mate and I hope you don't think City fans don't sympathise with your current predicament because we definitely do.
I'll never forget the last game of the season in 2012 at the stadium of light... Your fans were amazing that day. This alone should endear any blue to your supporters.



Fwiw you battled tonight and we were lucky to be leaving with the full 3 points but on the plus side you look like you've got some fight left in you yet and Sam has brought a few players in and his record of never being relegated may be the deciding factor between you and another team staying up. I hope you do, good luck for the rest of the season mate.

Thanks for the kind words, I hope you go on to win the league.

 

[FanchesterCity]

Im sure your used to time wasting at the Etihad because every team in the league would take a point before a balls been kicked.

I just cant abide blatent cheating, I seen it on a few occasions tonight, Something i associate with a Chelsea or Arsenal, Not Manchester City.

Otamendi was caught with an elbow from Defoe which could have potentially been given as a red, How can Otamendi from going down and rolling around on the floor like hes been polaxed to jumping up and into Defoes face?

Another thing i noticed was Clichy put the ball out of play for a throw in and lay ontop of the ball restricting us to put the ball back in play - fair enough, logical, probably worth taking a yellow card to regroup, but he then entered the field, N'Doye brushed past him and he went down for absolutely no reason holding his face and was told to get up by the linesman and referee stood 3 yards away.

What is it with that? Its literally embarrasing to watch, M'Villa also over exaggerated a challenge made by Aguero in the last few minutes.

I take it you're up in arms when a Sunderland player claims a throw-in knowing full well it's not theirs - that's erm, cheating isn't it?
What would have been the preferred reaction from Otamendi?:

a) Stay on the ground rolling around and not get up
b) Stay standing and accept the elbow gracefully
c) Go to ground, then get up again in anger

You've lost an important game and you're upset about it, but 'blatant cheating' is a term banded around by every set of fans after a poor result or they feel an injustice has occurred.
Sunderland are a team in trouble and going in strong for every challenge because they are fighting for their lives.
City are a team in 4 competitions and scared stiff of more injuries and are going to feel most challenges are putting them at risk.
Regardless, two elbow to face incidents DID happen, and Aguero did get an elongated stud mark down the back of his calf - these are facts. As it turned out, they weren't debilitating injuries, but all three players were within their rights to demonstrate against them.

The time wasting was gamesmanship. It's not great, but it can be necessary when under the cosh. You will undoubtable resort to it yourselves in the the coming months.

 

[Chi-town blues]

I don't want Sunderland to go down. I like 'em.
Thought Sunderland put us under a fair bit of pressure tonight, but were lacking in anybody who could finish.
I'd also say City looked below par (tired?) but held out pretty well for the points.
We're getting to the point in the season when teams at the bottom are getting desperate and going into challenges very strongly, and teams near the top are very wary of injuries.
I thought Defoe's second elbow was intentional, but not the first. I wouldn't personally say it was a particularly dirty game, but there were some strong challenges going in.

Every set of fans will see a game from their own perspective though. The ReadyToGo Sunderland site believes we were play acting and wasting time for most of the game. It'll all be forgotten by the next game though as nothing was really all that bad. I don't think there are really many hard feelings from either side.

You need to have a good look at yourself before you point finger .
Play acting like one of your player holding his head when whispering near him? How about stud up on Kun's calf ? What about elbow on Demi?

 

[tom_mackem]

I think both teams sensed that the ref was a bit weak and too liberties. Our time wasting was a bit over the top but the booing of Joe Hart was a bit embarrassing too.

I thought Sunderland played very well and you would have got at least a point with a bit more composure. The big lad in central making his debut was dominant. You will stay up if you play like that for the rest of the season & take your share of your chances. I hope you stay up!

Defoe would be facing a ban if he was playing against another Club but the elbows will be brushed under the carpet. He's not that big anyway!

Im not just saying this because it was Defoe but i feel nowadays far too much is made of elbows during aerial challenges. If you see Ayews tonight against West Ham, Thats an elbow that has no place in the game and he will rightly be banned but during aerial battles? Not for me unless its a real 'look before the balls played' and a forearm smash right into the face.

Its not you im referring to here but footballs soft as shite these days, Remember the days of dare i say it Duncan Ferguson and Alan Shearer? Even Quinny used to do it for us week in, week out! I dont want to see players banned for that at all. Theres nothing better than a real battle between centre half and centre forward for 90 minutes.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

If you bothered to read my post above you would see what i had to say about both incidents.

As for 'O'Shite' making the challenge, It was Jones, but nevermind.

Sorry, didn't see that post. Might have been while I was writing mine. Anyway, Defoe is going to need to be a bit careful now, because all the refs will know he leads with his elbow in the air...as will the centre halves!

Anyway, I played for you lot as a schoolboy (Jimmy Armfield was the Boss), so I have a soft spot for Sunderland. Enjoyed a nice night out there for the game last year, too. Good luck for the rest of the season!

 

[ninjamonkey]

Im sure your used to time wasting at the Etihad because every team in the league would take a point before a balls been kicked.

I just cant abide blatent cheating, I seen it on a few occasions tonight, Something i associate with a Chelsea or Arsenal, Not Manchester City.

Otamendi was caught with an elbow from Defoe which could have potentially been given as a red, How can Otamendi from going down and rolling around on the floor like hes been polaxed to jumping up and into Defoes face?

Another thing i noticed was Clichy put the ball out of play for a throw in and lay ontop of the ball restricting us to put the ball back in play - fair enough, logical, probably worth taking a yellow card to regroup, but he then entered the field, N'Doye brushed past him and he went down for absolutely no reason holding his face and was told to get up by the linesman and referee stood 3 yards away.

What is it with that? Its literally embarrasing to watch, M'Villa also over exaggerated a challenge made by Aguero in the last few minutes.

You've got a point with Otamendi, i actually think there was enough intent in it for Defoe to have seen a red there, he knew exactly what he was doing, the one on Demichelis in the first half was nothing more than an accident but Otamendi's reaction was poor. Whilst he clearly got hit and has every right to go down, you can't roll around then get up and sprint after someone, he's shown over the season he's got a nasty habit of playacting unfortunately. It's something i despise and we're quite lucky that we don't have serial offenders at City. I just hope it's stamped out of him before long.

The second incident was Fernandinho not Clichy, he lay on the ball and it was probably worthy of a yellow but your player did kick him in the head as he tried to get the ball back, albeit accidentally. Now he could of stayed down there off the pitch and received treatment or just took a second to shake it off but then we're down to 10 men at a vital moment, it's nothing more than sensible play to make sure you're on the pitch before going down

 

[FanchesterCity]

There is nothing in this game to sour relationships between the clubs or the fans. Despite the difference of opinions, it really wasn't a dirty game.

 

[tom_mackem]

I take it you're up in arms when a Sunderland player claims a throw-in knowing full well it's not theirs - that's erm, cheating isn't it?
What would have been the preferred reaction from Otamendi?:

a) Stay on the ground rolling around and not get up
b) Stay standing and accept the elbow gracefully
c) Go to ground, then get up again in anger

You've lost an important game and you're upset about it, but 'blatant cheating' is a term banded around by every set of fans after a poor result or they feel an injustice has occurred.
Sunderland are a team in trouble and going in strong for every challenge because they are fighting for their lives.
City are a team in 4 competitions and scared stiff of more injuries and are going to feel most challenges are putting them at risk.
Regardless, two elbow to face incidents DID happen, and Aguero did get an elongated stud mark down the back of his calf - these are facts. As it turned out, they weren't debilitating injuries, but all three players were within their rights to demonstrate against them.

The time wasting was gamesmanship. It's not great, but it can be necessary when under the cosh. You will undoubtable resort to it yourselves in the the coming months.

Otamendi for being a 6 foot odd powerhouse -who looks like a nutcase and has been very, lets say, 'commited' into challenges in the past shouldnt be rolling around on the floor like hes been shot then jumping to his feet within seconds regardless of any situation and that goes for any players, yours - ours - or anyone at any club.