What is annoying is we lost to a team we are better than....

[omcfc]

I think they had 3 shots on target from the stats. Tells you all you need to know. We are a better footballing side but can have no complaints. We were sloppy (and a tad unlucky to lose our captain and defensive rock)

My mate and I were discussing the team to play last week. We both agreed that Balotelli should have been no where near the starting 11, only making an apearance at 70 or 80 min if we needed a goal. It was a massive gamble and it spectacularly failed.

 

[93.20]

There was actually a fair amount of support for having Balo in the starting 11 on this site. The argument was that he could get on the end of crosses and set pieces where the rags were perceived to be vulnerable. That never happened. He also has the ability to make something happen anywhere on the pitch. That didn't happen either. The problem with Balo is you never know what, if anything, will happen. We can put out a class team without taking a gamble on an unpredictable player and that is why Tevez should have started.

 

[cleavers]

I'd even go as far as saying that I'd have left mario on and withdrawn nasri when Tevez came on. And there lies my only criticism of Mancini from this game, and it's one I've had for the majority of 18 months: when is he going to get wise to the waste of space that is samir nasri? He's the one of the incompleted one two, a poked pass down a blind alley, a prod and no return. He's the softest half of the 50-50, the good move halted through caution. He's the Emporer's new clothes at city, although I think he's been found out by most now.

You don't like Nasri then ? Actually I agree with all of the above. I thought the starting 11 was spot on apart from Nasri, he's the weakest link in so many ways. Balotelli did nothing wrong in the first half, in fact I thought the movement between him and Aguero was the best we've shown all season. Tevez on for Nasri, and I think we'd have won the game (should have won it anyway).