Man City (H) - Sun 3rd Oct 2021 (4:30pm)

[Guest Alex_K]

Wijnaldum was a top player; next rung below world class. He wasn’t replaced so we will miss him in the way we missed our world class centre backs last season. His positional play was immaculate in games like this. We do not have an alternative.

[KMD7]

Those two goals today were of the absolute highest quality. Amazing

[aRdja]

28 minutes ago, suzy said:

Watched a programme on Mo’s 100 goals on Sky after the match. In his first two seasons  it was noticeable that the person who assisted his goals was often Bobby. Sad that doesn’t happen much now.

Yet somehow he’s still scoring great goals. 

[Guest Alex_K]

Firmino was always the least important in that 11. The greatest irony is how the football hipsters finally took up his cause 2 seasons after his peak as the key to LFC. Mo & Sadio (albeit on his own unfortunate decline to a lesser degree) were always a different class.

[s(k)aturation]

 

It was ironic the comparisons were being made on that thread the other day, but Salah is looking like he might literally do a "Suarez' this year and push us right to the very brink of a(nother) title.

 

What is also a good omen is, without looking too flash, Mane has banged in 4 already too.

 

The two of them looked right in tune for that first goal, which was wonderful to see.  If Salah scores and provides assists to that level, it was one fucking exciting season... and sometimes you just have to enjoy what's happening rather than worrying about what's wrong, no?

 

At the current rate, those two are on course around 55 goals between them.

 

Add Jota (and yes, Bobby) into the mix and... regardless of leakage at the back... and we'd have to be right in the mix.

 

Avoid losses to the top 4 and pretty much batter the rest, and we might go very very close.

 

Injuries, of course, are the big, big if.

 

[General Dryness]

2 hours ago, Code said:

We have, he was out injured.

Both CMs but different type of player. 

 

But then, you already knew that.

[The Midnight Rambler]

Talk of how bad our midfield was but I thought De Bruyne was fucking woeful too. Alisson’s positioning for Foden’s goal was almost as bad as Henderson’s at Old Trafford last season. Pep roulette helped, think we would’ve struggled against Sterling for a full 90. Gotta be a decent point after the first 45, suppose. 

[aRdja]

9 minutes ago, General Dryness said:

Both CMs but different type of player. 

 

But then, you already knew that.

 We had two full internationals on the bench. Gini wouldn’t have done much better with the other two midfielders performing like they did. Curtis didn’t have a great game but he did the ‘Gini role’ well enough, kept the ball well with 93% passing accuracy. 

[s(k)aturation]

 

With Watford, is it my imagination, or do they change managers every couple of weeks?

What's this latest one done wrong?

[Megadrive Man]

1 hour ago, The Midnight Rambler said:

Talk of how bad our midfield was but I thought De Bruyne was fucking woeful too. 

De Bruyne looked miles off the pace today, constantly giving the ball away. He was completely knackered by the end of the game too.

[3 Stacks]

44 minutes ago, aRdja said:

 We had two full internationals on the bench. Gini wouldn’t have done much better with the other two midfielders performing like they did. Curtis didn’t have a great game but he did the ‘Gini role’ well enough, kept the ball well with 93% passing accuracy. 

Of course, this is correct. Gini has barely started his season for PSG. Whether people wanted him to stay or go, he's a complete non factor as a player right now.

 

People are simply trying to find a reason as to why City dominated the game, and will blame whoever they want to blame, when the reality is this is what City do, to pretty much everybody.

[Pete]

Pep might be a great manager but he’s a bit of a cunt as a person isn’t he.  

[Creator Supreme]

5 hours ago, s(k)aturation said:

 

With Watford, is it my imagination, or do they change managers every couple of weeks?

What's this latest one done wrong?

Got them promoted but then hasn't won every PL game! Usual shit from their lunatic owner!

[Creator Supreme]

While I'm firmly on the should have kept Wijnaldum bus, we have to remember that he's 31, so he'd be needing to be replaced soon anyway. We need to be signing Gini's replacement whoever that is!

[Daisy]

Going to be another season of what ifs under these shit owners. 

[Rushies tash]

5 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

Of course, this is correct. Gini has barely started his season for PSG. Whether people wanted him to stay or go, he's a complete non factor as a player right now.

 

People are simply trying to find a reason as to why City dominated the game, and will blame whoever they want to blame, when the reality is this is what City do, to pretty much everybody.

Should still be noted how conservative City were playing us as opposed to the 90 minutes of dominance against Chelsea. We're the team they fear the most.

[TheDrowningMan]

34 minutes ago, Rushies tash said:

Should still be noted how conservative City were playing us as opposed to the 90 minutes of dominance against Chelsea. We're the team they fear the most.

Yeah.

 

It’s disappointing to have drawn two at home against big rivals already, but we’re a point at Stamford Bridge away from ensuring Chelsea have a worse record in equivalent fixtures and everyone thinks they’re the best thing ever. The same Chelsea who were a James Ward-Prowse moment of madness away from dropping points at home against Southampton.

 

The next five weeks look like an absolute cunt of a time with the amount of travelling, but if we’re within 4-5 points of the top after that run, I reckon we’ll be quite well positioned, injuries permitting.

[aws]

7 hours ago, s(k)aturation said:

 

With Watford, is it my imagination, or do they change managers every couple of weeks?

What's this latest one done wrong?

Joined Watford in the first place. 

[Bob]

I’ve not read much of this thread yet, but from the last 3 or 4 Pages I think I’ve got the gist and I can’t add much to what’s been said already, and in particular the interview I’ve seen with Klopp on sky sums up exactly what me and my mate were saying about the first half.

 

overall, my main gripe after the first half was that both of those goals (and one of their best chances in the first half) came from us just not being set and right.

 

first half Jones took a throw in quickly back to Robbo, who shouldve taken it. From then nobody was set and in position, we lost it and they had a good chance.

 

their equaliser, Henderson’s arguing about whether it should’ve been our ball, instead of getting back into place and defending the throw, and then we’re exposed. 
 

their first goal had something akin in the build up too - I remember saying aloud “we’ve got ragged” as they brought it forward before finding that little prick in acres.

 

As much as Hendo has come on in the last 3 years, that was back to being the very worst of him yesterday in practically every facet, including refusing to do dirty work.

 

I didn’t think there was anything in it love at the match at the time, but seeing back a replay obviously Milner should’ve seen a second yellow, but Hendo was there and practically jumped out of the way of the challenge first.

 

another late on as they countered looking for a winner, he let ball and man past him way too easily, leaving an already booked Fabinho to deal with it and he couldn’t fully commit.

 

he lacked in everything we need from him yesterday, and reverted to shouting and other people instead of sorting his own shit out.

 

all that said, first half considered, and quality of opposition accounted for, got to be reasonably content with the point in the end.

 

 

[KMD7]

Silva should have got a second yellow for hacking down Mo. Not a word said about it

[magicrat]

Fair result yesterday but can’t help feeling gutted Mo’s goal didn’t win it

[Byrnie]

18 minutes ago, KMD7 said:

Silva should have got a second yellow for hacking down Mo. Not a word said about it

I can't remember this. Has anyone got a clip?

[Chip Butty]

Could have been 0 points, should of been 3 points and we ended up with 1. I'm sure Sky will be lining us up for even more games at this rate of entertainment value for the neutral, that we are serving up. This one, Milan, Brentford, Porto, Leeds, we really are great to watch, just slightly frustrating to support. 

[Barnesey]

The difference between us and everyone else in this league is that we are prepared to go toe to toe with Citeh - everyone else cowers behind a couple of buses. Sometimes we win, sometimes they do but it's always a game. Citeh looked to be on a different planet for 15 minutes in the first half but, in the end, we were a decent touch from Fab away from winning.

 

Utd made a habit of winning the league by beating the crap and not losing agin their rivals. Citeh will drop points because they don't score as many as their dominance suggests they should and so I'm not overly concerned right now. Hopefully, the breaks, bobbles and deflections going against us now will be in our favour when it matters in 6 months time.

[KMD7]

1 hour ago, KMD7 said:

Silva should have got a second yellow for hacking down Mo. Not a word said about it

@caramac mate? Happened near the end of the match I think