Other football

[mike23]

Most of City's top players seem to have had pretty average seasons. Aguero and Silva just seem to have had odd matches where they've reproduced last season's form and Tevez doesn't seem to have scored many. Seems they've finally had enough of Balotelli so I wonder if they've got someone else lined up before the transfer window closes. It's too late to make any difference to the title race though.

 

With each passing week our home defeat to Villa looks even worst. A draw probably would have been best tonight to keep Newcastle in trouble but it's probably too much to hope both they and Villa go down in the same season.

[Newport]

I reckon they drew this game on purpose so that Mancini can sign a few players these last couple of days of the window. Or maybe they should just sack him so they can bring in a proper manager.

[A_S]

2-1 Newcastle Full time.

 

How the fucking fuck did we lose at home to Villa?

 

On the flip side, Spurs, City and Chelsea fans will be shaking their heads wondering how the fuck they couldn't beat QPR, when Liverpool could brush them aside in one of the most comfortable performances from the reds this season.

 

United lost to Wigan last season in the middle of a title run home. Shit happens.

 

It just happens to Liverpool at the moment a little more than would be nice!

[General Dryness]

On the flip side, Spurs, City and Chelsea fans will be shaking their heads wondering how the fuck they couldn't beat QPR, when Liverpool could brush them aside in one of the most comfortable performances from the reds this season.

 

United lost to Wigan last season in the middle of a title run home. Shit happens.

 

It just happens to Liverpool at the moment a little more than would be nice!

 

Its worth noting that two of the 3 games you mentioned were 0-0 draws away from home for Spurs and City.

 

The Chelsea game is about the closest comparison as it was an away win for QPR, but it was a smash and grab late goal after getting battered for the whole match, whereas we dominated but managed to concede 3 before a very late consolation.

 

I see your point, but none of those were as awful as our loss to Villa. As you say, shit happens. A little more frequently than we would like.

[Guest San Don]

for al the money city have spent they have bought some terrible players league over now i reckon

 

Mancini, top manager, eh?

 

With a good manager they should really walk the league with the players they have. They have a solid spine through the team and more than a couple of strikers most clubs would die for.

 

Mancini is too schooled in the italian way of football. The 'we start with a point so let's make certain we have that at the end of the game.'

[FanchesterCity]

You still have to persuade players to come, and not all of them fancy anything outside of London.

 

Shit happens, not beating QPR's just one of those things. We almost got sucker punched on the break twice, but it's all part of the rich tapestry.

 

It's not 100% certain who did the buying in the last transfer window, but it was hardly a great window. It really looks like City are cutting back on the spending for the moment, to comply with FFP. Either that, or there's a sell to buy policy going on (which is fair enough).

[kalasoma]

You still have to persuade players to come, and not all of them fancy anything outside of London.

 

Shit happens, not beating QPR's just one of those things. We almost got sucker punched on the break twice, but it's all part of the rich tapestry.

 

It's not 100% certain who did the buying in the last transfer window, but it was hardly a great window. It really looks like City are cutting back on the spending for the moment, to comply with FFP. Either that, or there's a sell to buy policy going on (which is fair enough).

 

It may not be about cutting back on spending. Getting rid of De Jong may have freed up some wages, but replacing him with Javi Garcia? That wasn't cheap and not sure Garcia is better than De Jong. It's like us selling Mascherano. We got a fair amount of money for him, but haven't really replaced him. Rodwell and Sinclair are probably on much less wages and were probably bought for sell on purposes and FFP in mind. But they haven't really been used much either so it seems like an unnecessary waste of transfer funds. At least City can afford that where most other clubs can't. Perhaps with Balotelli going, wages will be freed up but don't think it will reflect on compliance with FFP that much.

[Baltar]

Strange that Lambert is still in a job when it's obvious he's taking Villa down. Not all his own fault, they've got a typically tight yank owner but Villa going down would've been a surprise call at the start of the season. Surely they need to change their manager to have a chance of staying up?

[fowler9]

but Villa going down would've been a surprise call at the start of the season.

 

I don't think so, they were extremely lucky to stay up last year and are worse if anything this time round

[Major Tom]

Mancini, top manager, eh?

 

With a good manager they should really walk the league with the players they have.

 

Agreed. City really need to get shot of Mancini.

[Major Tom]

but Villa going down would've been a surprise call at the start of the season.

 

Robbie Savage picked them to go down at the start of the season.

 

Savage; the pundit's pundit.

[Alan Sex]

 

Robbie Savage picked them to go down at the start of the season.

 

Savage; the pundit's pundit.

 

What a fucking knob Savage is.

 

Teams go down at the end of the season.

 

Knob.

[xerxes]

it's a good job we gave Rafa a swerve............................

[FrenchEyeGlass]

it's a good job we gave Rafa a swerve............................

 

Too true, I mean imagine leading by two goals only to end up with a 2-2 draw.

 

Edit: Just so you know, an ellipsis ("...") only has three dots, not twenty million. Don't be a mong.

[fowler9]

didn't realise Diego Lopez was back at Madrid, not seen him recently but he improved a hell of a lot when he left them for Villarreal before

[King Emlyn]

Benitez is stinking it up at Chelsea.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Rafa is doing an appalling job, fortunately its an appalling job to have so I'm fairly pleased. Anything that causes Chelsea fans to have meltdowns is just great.

[King Emlyn]

Still banging on about how they controlled the game...in a a 2-2 draw...against Reading. I've asked this a million times but I'll ask it again. Just how have you controlled a game you didn't win?

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Rafa is doing an appalling job, fortunately its an appalling job to have so I'm fairly pleased. Anything that causes Chelsea fans to have meltdowns is just great.

 

It really is.

 

The only thing that would make this better would be if they protested against Abromovich and he left them up shits creek.

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Still banging on about how they controlled the game...in a a 2-2 draw...against Reading. I've asked this a million times but I'll ask it again. Just how do you control a game you don't win?

 

He said they controlled it for 85. That would leave 5 minutes in which you don't control the game.

 

Its something i've heard managers, including Ancelotti in the CL, say often.

[mike23]

It would be less frustrating if all the other teams challenging for the top 4 didn't look so flawed. Arsenal, Spurs and Everton will likely drop plenty of points before the end of the season but we've thrown away a serious number of points this season and sadly I think we'll do it quite a few more times before the end of the season. Even Chelsea are no longer looking a certainty for the top 4 the way they keep collapsing against rubbish teams at the moment.

 

At least my both teams to score accumulator came in tonight to cheer me up a little bit. About time one came off. Even I couldn't mess it up when every team scored in the premier league. Fortunately I avoided the temptation to include Huddersfield and Palace from the championship.

[King Emlyn]

He said they controlled it for 85. That would leave 5 minutes in which you don't control the game.

 

Its something i've heard managers, including Ancelotti in the CL, say often.

He's always said it, it makes no sense. He's said it many times in games he's lost. It's bizarre

[Faustus]

I love the bones of Rafa, don't get me wrong, but I think the whole 'controlling the game' issue is something he has never quite got the hang of. Against the shite in this league, I think you have to sacrifice that element of 'control' and look to play more expansive and throw caution to the wind. If the opposition are far weaker than you- as Reading are to Chelsea- they're obviously going to look to keep things tight so playing fairly narrow, relying on magic from one or two players and looking to exploit a weakness rather than force one sometimes plays into their hands.

 

In games against the top clubs, I don't think there's a better manager He has a chess like reading of the game and it can make the difference. Against the shite, I think you have to sacrifice an element of your tactical approach and maybe say something as simple like: "Match them for physicality and contest every second ball. Do that, and your superior class will tell."

 

I can remember Rafa bemoaning a defeat against Besiktas when he commented 'we controlled the game', despite the fact their gameplan clearly worked because they defended resiliantly, allowed us possession up to halfway, then shut us down immediately once we got into the final third and commited men on the counter.

 

I really thought he cracked it that last six months of the 08/09 season, but he seemed to go back into his shell the next season.

 

Anyway, I've written far more on Rafa tonight than I envisioned. Love the bones of the fella and I'll always respect him, but I've never got the weird obsession some have with him. If he continues having a 'mare at Chelsea, I won't complain because if two CL spots rather than one are up for grabs it'll benefit us.

[mike23]

I love the bones of Rafa, don't get me wrong, but I think the whole 'controlling the game' issue is something he has never quite got the hang of. Against the shite in this league, I think you have to sacrifice that element of 'control' and look to play more expansive and throw caution to the wind. If the opposition are far weaker than you- as Reading are to Chelsea- they're obviously going to look to keep things tight so playing fairly narrow, relying on magic from one or two players and looking to exploit a weakness rather than force one sometimes plays into their hands.

 

In games against the top clubs, I don't think there's a better manager He has a chess like reading of the game and it can make the difference. Against the shite, I think you have to sacrifice an element of your tactical approach and maybe say something as simple like: "Match them for physicality and contest every second ball. Do that, and your superior class will tell."

 

I can remember Rafa bemoaning a defeat against Besiktas when he commented 'we controlled the game', despite the fact their gameplan clearly worked because they defended resiliantly, allowed us possession up to halfway, then shut us down immediately once we got into the final third and commited men on the counter.

 

I really thought he cracked it that last six months of the 08/09 season, but he seemed to go back into his shell the next season.

 

Anyway, I've written far more on Rafa tonight than I envisioned. Love the bones of the fella and I'll always respect him, but I've never got the weird obsession some have with him. If he continues having a 'mare at Chelsea, I won't complain because if two CL spots rather than one are up for grabs it'll benefit us.

 

 

To be fair to him he's certainly not the only manager like that. Most of the managers at the big clubs in recent years seem to have overcomplicated things against the lesser teams and given them far more respect than they've deserved. Mancini definitely seems to fall into that category. United never seem to have any great tactical plan against the shite teams other than to go out and outscore them and that's why they win the league more often than not despite not having the best squad of players in a lot of those seasons.

[stringvest]

Its all right Rafa,there will be a job available on Merseyside soon lad.

 

Tranmere are doing very well as it is, thank you very much.