247 replies to this topic

[LTF]

I'm flying to Ireland Wednesday with my oldest. The Chelsea match's 3:45 p.m. start time is fucking killing me (as oppose to the typical 2:45 p.m. start time; fuck you, later Daylight Saving Time). My plan was to hit the Kinsale for the match beforehand, but that's not gonna work. We'll have to head over to the airport at some point during the first half.

I'm gonna have to check and see if that shitty Oirish bar at Terminal E is showing it. Fuck me. I've drank there many, many times before flights, but I'm usually so tanked when I arrive I can't remember if they even have fucking televisions.

[teddykgb]

I'm completely terrified of this game. Team is not in form right now, Chelsea is bouncing as most teams do with a new manager. Been incredibly unlucky and unproductive in front of goal, this is absolutely one of those measuring stick games and I hope they've got their heads right to cope with it. Massive game here, I can't imagine having to be dealing with air travel for this one.

[Snakebauer007]

http://espn.go.com/s...-premier-league

article on two of my favorites to watch play

[teddykgb]

A real nailbiter, looked like every game we've played for two months. Wasted chances and a deflected goal. Massive comeback, keeps us in the chase. Nasri was so good, everything he hasn't been for so long. Seemed like he really played well with Tevez, not just on the goal but like it gave him another player who would dribble and run with him to work off of. Another tough test this weekend, got to find a way to keep it tight heading into the derby. Hope United find a banana skin of their own in there.

[teddykgb]

Not the best result this weekend in an extremely rough game versus Stoke. It is kind of funny how Stoke gets away with an elbow that cost Mario Balotelli multiple games, but the ref was not the story here, as City continues to struggle in away games. Things are getting nervous, and those nerves would be calmed if Clint Dempsey can summon some magic for Fulham tonight.

[Zomp]

How do you feel about Mancini lamenting to the press that his players are tired? I know he's trying to take the blame and put it on his shoulders but it looks kind of silly to me. With a squad as big as his and only playing one game a week, the tired excuse doesn't hold much weight.

[teddykgb]

It's ridiculous. They haven't played more games than anyone else and Mancini rotates more than any manager i've ever seen. Silva may be tired and injured. Everyone else should be more than capable of playing.

It's hard to ignore that this Mancini team is frustratingly like some of his Inter efforts. Bad in Europe and not coming up big when it really counts. I'm more with him than against him, I think he's probably a good manager, but they've come up small in some awfully big moments, he's got to find a way to correct it. Right now our offense is sputtering and mostly consists of 5-6 players standing in a wall at the top of the box. It's getting uglier by the game.

[Zomp]

[DLew On Roids]

Quoted for permanence.

[Zomp]

Psh.

I'm quite happy.

[Zomp]

and I actually agree with Balotelli regarding the free kick. Kolarov had already taken two, and that spot was much better for a right foot.

[Zomp]

I don't want to hear a word about the decisions when Balotelli gets to stay on.

[Zomp]

[Apisith]

So true. These refs are blind.

[Dernells Casket n Flagon]

I'm not sure he's had a tackle today where his spikes have been down.

[sachmoney]

Someone should get Balotelli to see a psychiatrist or something. He had some really good moments where he used his body to overpower Arsenal players. I just don't get it with him. If I were City, I wouldn't be so mad about the challenges as I'd be with just the lack of focus. He wasn't covering early and that could have left them in a huge hole early (Arsenal had close to 80% possession in the first 20 minutes). The challenges to me showed effort, but it wasn't channeled in the correct way. You have to be able to control your emotions and you've got to know when to go for a tackle and when you should just contain you mark. Balotelli's immature antics makes him the most entertaining player in the Premiership (on and off the pitch), but he's maddening for both sets of supporters when you see him play (City because he can be great or like he was today...the opponent because of, well, what could have happened to Song). Man, what a head case.

The real reason I came here though is to praise the play of Kompany. Had the result stayed 0-0, he was the clear man of the match. He did everything for you. There's really not enough you can say about his play today.

[LTF]

A banner day for Premiership officials. City lived dangerously for just about the entire match. They didn't even deserve the point had it stayed nil-nil.

As I just told Zomp, United could officially clinch it at Eastland in a few weeks. That will be a gas.

[Snakebauer007]

Balotelli just isnt good enough, imo, to be on a team with the ambitions of City. That is, good enough talent wise to put up with the other stuff. He's certainly talented, but Messi he is not(Rooney or anyone in the 2nd tier either for my money)I found it telling that when he was down injured, his teammates all walked on by him without acknowledging him, checking on him, etc, just ignored him.

Just a view from an outsider, but City seems better off cutting ties with him(and probably Tevez) for the better of the team as a whole.

[teddykgb]

Balotelli is almost good enough, which is the problem. I get what you're saying though. I've probably flip flopped 5 times on Balotelli in this thread. Playing with him is often like playing with 10 men, but in any given moment he's practically 10 men by himself. He's capable of scoring a goal on anyone at any moment from almost anywhere on the field. It's so tantalizing. But his acumen is lousy, and his actual technical ability isn't that great. He's got a couple of cute dribble moves, but his lethality is in his speed and his curling shot. He doesn't play particularly well with his back to goal, he's had a horrible time of settling some of the through balls played to him when he's wide open, and his passing is often naieve at best. He plays like a kid who never had to learn a lot of the basics, because that's probably what he is. He gets by on moments of sheer brilliance where his talent opens up a world few players can even dream of playing in. There are some City fans who like to compare him to Ronaldo in that regard, that you have to be patient with him because he could bloom in just a few years. I can at least see the argument, but I think the difference between the players at their respective young ages is that I don't remember Ronaldo causing so much angst from his own teammates and even some of the other teams. Balotelli just has so much hate and anger in his game, everything ends up being so cynical. His dives, his tackles, his interactions with his teammates. He's continually on a one man mission, a one man wolfpack (ty Hangover) if you will.

In my heart of hearts, I don't think he can be saved as a footballer. I think his head is too mad to ever learn to play the game as a team game. The best analogy for him that I could come up with would be some sort of magnificent 2 guard in the NBA. He can bounce around and score a lot of goals in a lot of different places, but I'm not sure he's ever going to make the team he plays for significantly better...you have to give up so much to play him that he almost has to have a moment of brilliance to justify the other 88 minutes he's on the field doing you damage. I'm not sure any player is talented enough to be that consistent. But my god, his ability to take a penalty....

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Kicking the hell out of us at Carrow Road today.

[LTF]

I had fantasies about this ... Tevez returning and -- much like he did when he singlehandedly dragged West Ham out of the relegation zone -- coming up massive down the stretch. How about him winning that ball in the air for the second goal?!

Really though, the story was Aguero and how he made Norwich his bitch for 90-plus minutes.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

It was a close thing after we made it 2-1. Holt had a couple of chances to tie it. Then of course Ruddy spills a juicy rebound into the box and it's all over.

[LTF]

Back from the brink ... City grind out a 2-0 win over Wolves. Now it's eight full days of feeling like I'm gonna throw up.

[Zomp]

We going to the Landing on Monday?

[teddykgb]

This game being on a Monday couldn't be less convenient. The only question is what time I leave work "not feeling well". Which shouldn't be much of a stretch because i'm going to be a basket case on Monday. Shame on those who said this was over a few weeks ago, I have no idea how this is going to turn out, but what a massive, incredible derby.

edit: Typical City would be to win the Derby then lose to a surging Newcastle the next week. Or even worse, have fucking Hughes come in and nick us on the last game of the season. I'm consumed by this.

Edited by teddykgb, 22 April 2012 - 09:15 PM.

[teddykgb]

Now that this silly Champions league semi final is over it's time to focus on the important stuff. Mancini has decided to just continue blowing smoke up United's ass in the lead up. I tend to think that all the talk is completely meaningless, the narrative about whether it worked or not being dictated by the result, instead of the inverse.

From a City perspective, I'm really interested in the starting XI. A lot has changed since the 6-1. The midfield that day was Barry, Toure, Silva, Milner and Balotelli started and scored a few of those goals. Of course, there's at least some logic in going back to what worked, but Balotelli has been a complication and Milner nearly invisible for months now. Nasri almost assuredly gets the start in Milner's place, and Tevez for Balotelli also seems likely, but how that lineup change affects the game is really interesting to me. I'm sure Mancini will put Balotelli on the bench, since he's a fantastic player to be able to bring on should things just not be working out.

What scares me about this game more than anything is that we played it a few seasons ago against Spurs. This is obviously bigger, but that was the CL qualification on the line, everything had broken City's way and it seemed like they just had tos how up and take care of business at home and the storyline would be complete. I took the time out of work and snuck over to the Landing and was treated to a shit loss and watching Bellamy shake the other manager's fucking hand on the way off the field. If there's an open question about this City team, it's whether they're really able to rise to the challenge. They've only really done it in the FA cup run last year, with notable failures in other big games in Europe and the PL. I'm not necessarily concerned about United, per se. They're a good team and we may lose. I'm just terrified of feeling like City didn't even show up in a game this massive.

[LTF]

I don't even know where to start. Clichy, Barry, Lescott, Kompany, and Zabs were immense. City won the midfield battle -- and quite easily, too. The one-goal difference doesn't even reflect how much United was outplayed. Baconface said beforehand that they were going for the win, but that starting lineup said otherwise. His hissy fit in the second half was classic; a bully never likes like getting bullied back.

I want an animated gif of Vidic banging his head on that railing and then my day will be complete.

[teddykgb]

Completely and totally surreal. Ferguson bitching about someone being in the 4th officials ear...United show up at the Etihad and play defensive..Gareth Barry was absolutely immense, probably helped out by playing against the only midfield as bereft of pace as he is. 1-0 flattered them, to be honest. Must hold composure and take care of Newcastle. No more goddamned slip ups.

[Zomp]

I thought Yaya and Nasri were your best players.

[Snakebauer007]

For all the good performances today, I dont remember Silva being on the field.

[teddykgb]

Silva has been a bit of a no show for most of the 2nd half. He's been brought off early often, I suspect he's quite injured, but also as Nasri dictates more and more of our play Silva just sees less and less of the ball.

I agree with Zomp about the effectiveness of Nasri and Yaya. Both were very good, although yaya had a few lesser moments even setting aside his card. I do think Barry, Zabaleta, and Clichy all deserve mention with them, though. The only player who really didn't play well was Aguero, was was at times pretty wasteful. Everyone else played extremely well, really.

[sachmoney]

I want an animated gif of Vidic banging his head on that railing and then my day will be complete.

Will add actual thoughts later, but because you asked:

[LTF]

Sweet. Thanks.

[teddykgb]

Obviously a huge, huge, huge win. Dominated Newcastle and United in successive weeks...nobody can say City haven't come up big in these games. Could have easily been a 4-1 as opposed to a 2-0, but I'll take them any way we can get them. QPR is all that's left. I remain terrified of the draw machine Mark Hughes. I hope he plays SWP and SWP remains a blue and walks one into his own net. Now I can sit back and hope for Swansea to make next weekend a bit easier.

I hope Newcastle find their way into a CL spot. Tough team.

[bsj]

As a QPR fan...I am hoping Swansea makes next weekend irrelevant...I cannot imagine a tougher draw next week...

[LTF]

I remain supremely confident heading into next weekend. I felt the same before this morning's match. Sure, City suffered a few slip-ups last month and prior, and a had matches where the squad dug themselves into early holes. But they've always battled back, whether it was Lescott's winner against Villa, Nasri's late clincher vs. Chelsea, the equalizers against Stoke and Sunderland, etc. Hell, you could go all the way back to last spring and the FA Cup run, and their late wins against Notts County, Reading, and Stoke.

Shit gets taken care of next Sunday.

[LTF]

Probably the greatest T-shirt ever.

http://shop.mcfc.co.uk/stores/mancity/products/product_details.aspx?pid=105767

[DLew On Roids]

QPR is all that's left. I remain terrified of the draw machine Mark Hughes. I hope he plays SWP and SWP remains a blue and walks one into his own net. Now I can sit back and hope for Swansea to make next weekend a bit easier.

Best home record vs worst away record. Your guys should roll. The only thing that would concern me is that QPR only need a draw to stay up. They'll try to park the bus, the locomotive, the A380, and the Nimitz-class carrier.

[teddykgb]

Best home record vs worst away record. Your guys should roll. The only thing that would concern me is that QPR only need a draw to stay up. They'll try to park the bus, the locomotive, the A380, and the Nimitz-class carrier.

Objectively, of course, I know this. It really should be a walk in the park. Probably take 20-30 mins to break through a packed in QPR and then smooth sailing. I just hate when a storyline like Hughes has a way to impact the game, sometimes life does seem to prefer the story.

[DLew On Roids]

Bah, ignore that garbage. Hughes is just another manager.

[Snakebauer007]

Congrats to City, I remember celebrating Chelsea's first title in 50 years, and I know it has been almost as long for this club, what a way to do it though.

[Zomp]

Congrats. City were the best team all season and don't look to be going anywhere soon.

[bsj]

Congrats City. As a QPR fan, surprised that both of us got a good result given the propensity for the worst to always inevitably happen.l Best team all season, you earned it. But we did push you guys to your fucking limit Glad we stayed up, it would have sucked to go down after the effort

Oh, and my sincere apologies for Joey Barton. He was dropped on his head as a child. I sincerely hope he is gone next season.

[Zomp]

Sir Alex "On behalf of Manchester United I'd like to say congratulations to our neighbours. It's a fantastic achievement to win this league"

Despite what SFIC thinks...as classy as they come.

[SoxFanInCali]

You forgot the line he said just before that:

"Nobody expected that. Everybody expected City to win, but they did it against 10 men for half an hour and with five extra minutes to help them."

[Zomp]

...did he lie?

[SoxFanInCali]

I didn't say he lied. You're the one who said "as classy as they come".

He is the last person on earth who should be complaining about the amount of stoppage time another team gets.

[SoxFanInPdx]

Congrats to LTF and KGB on winning the league. I'm assuming you two are either in the hospital for chest pains or piss drunk in a pub celebrating, both would be understandable. I'm hoping to read stories about Balotelli partying with the Gallagher brothers in the next few days.

As for Fergie's insincere congrats, everyone knows he takes a dig at clubs even when he gives a half-ass compliment to them. You know what though, they choked it away and City earned it. Fuck him.

[bsj]

Honestly...I don't like Man U, never have...I am really glad it broke this way. If we blew this game to Man U, I would be really really pissed.

[bsj]

FWIW...apparently Joey Barton has been arrested for assaulting a Man City staff member following the game.

What an idiot.