Well That Was F88in Much Better

Great defensive performance last night. Thought Kompany and Clichy were excellent. Micah took time to get into the game, but got better as the game progressed. Kolo did what was needed as well. Hart once again - brilliant.....heard Jamie Redknapp say last night...." that's why he's the best......" then stopped....in fear of upsetting Reina by saying "in the world"?

The midfield looked very sloppy to start with, Yaya and Barry giving the ball away continually, but improved again as the game went on.

Good to see Aguero get on the score sheet, though through terrible keeping.

Dzeko ran his socks off last night - still rusty, but gave everything and didn't stop running.

Yaya - when he makes those runs, he looks awesome. Just doesn't do it enough though.

Thought Milner was superb all night. Silva was just Silva.

Barry did his job - a couple of cynical fouls in the first half probably stuck in the refs mind after the few in the second half.....but surely, if he gets 2 yellows....how the fuck did Adam and Uncle Fester stay on the pitch?

He was a very poor ref last..which in other games could've cost us last night.

Mancini - please don't wave imaginary cards....i hate players doing it, but at least apologised last after the game.

Gary Chuckle - is he now the most neutral pundit on the box? The overview he gave of us before the game, at half-time and afterwards was spot on.

Good summerization that Blueboy.

I thought Kolo looked a tad rusty tbh, but i guess that's to be expected.

Vinny was truely immense and shone out a mile.

Hart was supberb again, the save from Downing was pivitol.

Dzeko needs a goal big time, you can feel his frustration.

Agreed on the Barry and Adam comment, it's just laughable now.

Yaya has to be the best "Attacking midfielder" in the PL when he plays like that, RM take note and stop letting him come too deep.

I was disappointed with Silva in the 2nd half, he was none existant for far too much of it. We need him to want it more and more.

Overall, a decent hard working performance and worthy 3pt winners.

I've always maintained that good teams can overcome poor refs. And we were brilliant last night to overcome Mariner. That guy is so biased against us, I don't know why he doesn't just pull on the other team's shirt and have done with it. He even got a sense of how much the dippers were leaning on our lads when Henderson leaned on him for an incoming ball. But nothing. How that fat jock twat got away with all the diving, swinging arms and leg chopping, I'll never know. Barry wasn't anywhere near as bad as him and yet somehow managed to earn two yellow cards.

On the whole a solid performance which threw any notions of the team getting demoralised out of the nearest available window and now the rags have to get three points at Newcastle to keep up. And I don't think they will.

I've only got two concerns. Dzeko is the obvious one, he looks like a pale shadow of the man who bagged four at spuds. His first touch is dire, his positional play is poor and he looks like he's got his boots on the wrong feet when in close control; the pass Aguero put to him into the six yard box was lovely, but it bobbled away from him like it had hit a lamp post. He needs a bit of luck and soon. Luckily, Aguero should pick up some confidence from his goal, but I can't help but feel it'll make Edin feel even worse about not scoring.

My other concern is Silva. Okay, I was expecting him to be marked out of the game last night and he largely was, but he's looking so tired lately. I think we're relying on him far too much and it's taking it's toll on the guy. Don't get me wrong, I think he's an excellent player, but if we're not careful he's going to pick up a big injury from fatigue and then we'll be screwed.

The one thing about Dzeko is he never stopped trying, Bobby left him on to help his confidence and he fought for everything till the last minute. If he stopped trying i'd be worried, but he kept working hard, it'll turn round for him, i hope. I'd agree that Silva looks tired, but he set up the 2 goals before he got subbed for a rest, and i prefer that to him being brought on to change the game with 20 to go.

Solid performance, another home win, despite the refs bias, and pressure back on the rags. What a difference 3 days makes.

And Blueboy, on your Gary chuckle comment..........i begrudgingly have to agree, i expected him to be biased and bitter as fuck, but he is watchable and makes some good points.....whoever he is commenting on. I feel quite dirty now, time for a shower.

Yep Good performance. It's amazing what an early goal can do to confidence
Kompany truly magnificent. Thought Dzeko did well. Tried his heart out & a goal will surely come. Milner was very good as well

Just watched the extended highlights of the battering at the swamp. Silva was pivotal in that match so I would expect Purple Nose to try & have him marked out of the game on Sunday. Hopefully he can draw on his reserves & pull another scintillating performance out of the bag

No Barry on Sunday so I expect Nasri to be given the nod. He better do the business !

Tony, i too think Nasri will come in but would you not think it better having NDJ replacing Barry?

I think Barry Chuckle has had his cards marked by Sky. He has been ok since that night he tried to defend the decision to Send Gary Cahill off when tackling at the half way line !! He used to just say things to be the complete opposite or the other guy (same as the Talkshite Radio format).

I have to admit, I rather like Neville as a pundit. He is genuinely objective and sensible, unlike the crook's son who just talks out of his jacksie

Yes Den I would agree that NDJ would be a more sensible replacement for Barry but I think Bobby will go with Nasri & ask Yaya & Milner to take on more defensive responsibilty

Nasri Milner Yaya & Silva is a very attacking MF

On a different note I see you are sneaking up on me week by week in the FF. Although I would obviously love to see the rags get beat tonight, a cheeky goal or 2 by Shrek wouldn't go amiss for FF

Yeah i'm after that top spot now mate, Yaya and Micah did well for me last night. I'd prefer the Rags to lose 4-3 with Jones or Carrick getting a hat-trick, Shrek scoring would be disasterous .

Back on the Nasri issue, i think you may be right mate. Although, he may even bring AJ in on the wing and push Silva into the middle with Yaya. I'm presuming Balo will come straight in and replace either Aguero or Dzeko.

Listening to Bobby's interview after the match he said Mario has an ankle injury & he didn't know how long he would be out. Doesn't sound good OR it could be just mind games

Thought i heard both he and Nasri were ill, i may have mis-heard then.

I'm as shit on the predictions as I am on the FF but at least it's consistency
As regards the Neville cunt,I go to most games so I've only endured the twat once or twice so in my mind he's still the vile rag bastard he's always been.

I thought we got away with it last night,certainly one of our worst home performances this season.Barry gave the ball away constantly and his constant petty fouls tend to get added up in a refs mind so I think he got the second yellow for an accumulation as much as anything. Silva was quiet for him and Dzeko looks way off the early season form,his touch was similar to Carrolls.
I thought when we went one up Liverpool were dominating the midfield and I would have preferred to see De Jong come on then to break up their possession
When alls said and done,only the result mattered
I hope we don't put too weak a side out for the rags on Sunday,knocking them out will give the club a great boost and it's always nice to see Baconface scowling like a wounded bulldog

to be honest I thought it was a poor game with both teams not really playing any near what they can/have done this season, although the weather was shite to be fair.

At least city had some sort of threat when they got in or near L/pools box, but you cant expect to put in top performances every week, what matters most is that you got all three points, which you did.

Pressures back on United.

is this a new leaf you are turning over ONH - being objective without provocation? Or are you worming your way back in slowly - providing a false sense of harmony?

always been like this but sometimes some on here did'nt like my opinon, thats football.

AnywayCity can play shit/poor every week but win & that keeps the pressure on the rest of the chasing teams, you cant be "barca" all the time.

Like I said United now will be under pressure, not only did you lot win but so did spurs.

We get 2 games 3 days.We get crap referees and linesmen,whoops, assistants who cannot keep up with the play and cost us two points,but we are still top of the heap and three points to the good. lets hope that the geordies can do the job as Blackburn did,because when they come to our midden I know who will be the most nervous,and it will not be Bobby.

I don't like the way Spurs are creeping up on us.............

utd lose tonight and spurs are on them.

i can almost accept utd winning the title, but not the spuds

I dont mind Spurs, anyteam that plays good attacking football will do for me.

Thing is United have Arsenal/Chelsea & Spurs away coming up very close togeather starting at the end of this month, tough tough fixtures.

Those games could well determine the order of 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th places ONH

Someone has hacked into ONH, not having all this sense coming out!! Last night was hard with the conditions the Ref and it being so close to our last game... some players did look jaded but everyone put in a top shift. VK is at the top of his game but the battling of Barry, Milner and dare i say Dzeko made my day. Good all round display under the conditions.