Team v CSKA

Sorry I've not posted in a while, first week in the new job, all the settling in and training I've had no time to get on here. 

Anyway, team for tonight is unchanged from the Norwich game...



Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Demichelis, Nastasic, Clichy, Nasri, Fernandinho, Toure, Silva, Aguero, Negredo

We really have to sort that fucking defence out otherwise a very good performance.

A brilliant attacking performance from the team today. Again, a little inept in defence which doesn't bode well when we play the bigger/better teams where we won't get as many offensive chances. 

Another unchanged team though should see a good result on Sunday. Fingers crossed Silva is just a knock.

Thought Demichelis did very well, Clichy and Nastasic were the issue defensively for me.

I think we have to accept that if we are going to keep scoring this many goals though (just look how many we have scored in the league and CL so far and our goal difference), then we will be more susceptible at the back.

Going forward though, Aguero and Nasri in particular were fantastic tonight, his ability to keep the balm is fantastic.

Better teams, we may have to change it. I'll take a 5-2 like tonight over a 2-0 any day of the week though!

I didn't like the way Zabba dives in to get left behind and some of the soft free kicks we give away around the box. CSKA were very poor overall but they could have scored 4 or 5 themselves!

Great attacking display...especially in the first half.....Aguero.....what a player!

Negredo....buy of the season......if only........what a goal a la Worthington, would that have been????

Agree.....i think once again, we've been exposed as poor defensively as a unit.

Clichy, I'd always take him over Kolorov...but like Hart, too many silly errors.

Daft mistakes are now creeping into Nasty's game as well....running back and playing them on side for the first goal.

A top class CB and LB is a must in Jan prior to the CL next stage.....apart from that, we looked bloody awesome going forward and other teams will look at our attacking 5 and think...WTF??

No good though, unless we sort out our poor defensive unit.

CL next round...............at last. Well done MP.     

I agree with everything you said Blue, but do we really need another LB? Unless it's a quality one like Baines (who we won't get) then there is no point. Clichy is just having a bad spell for us at the minute but I'm certain it'll pass. 

I'm more worried about Nasty who desperately needs Kompany back in the side to help him out. Demichelis is clearly a good defender and experienced, but is he the type of leader Nasty needs besides him? Perhaps not. I think Vince and Demichelis could be the partnership for the rest of the season once he is fit. 

I think you are spot on with the CBs Jordan. I think Clichy has made too many silly errors but we won't get Baines as he is English and we don't buy them anymore.

Clichy has been great for us since joining and i agree he is just having one or two lapses in concentration but he is still good enough to keep out Kolarov and i dont think its a position we need to worry about too much just yet. A good established CB with CL experience is first on the shopping list.

The two goals we conceded were sloppy, but I have to say it's the first time I can't complain about the missed chances going forwards, I think we scored with almost every shot on target, which is great stuff.  I also like the way Aguero and Negredo are linking up, Serge is being hugely unselfish with the ball and playing Nedge in when he's in a better shooting position, although bagging a pair for himself was good for me too.

I have to say again how brilliant Nasri was.  He's like a whole new, and better, player this season.  He was involved with just about everything and worked his socks off for 75 minutes.  Glad he got a standing ovation when he went off too.  He should've been awarded MOTM over Nedge, in my opinion.

Right, now i'm probably gonna get lambasted here but i don't think a new CB will or should be bought.
Ok, so Vinny's out but we have more than enough cover in that area, another one (who'll need to settle in) is just imo someone we don't need.

As regards last night, in a nutshell, we did enough overall but looked sloppy at times.....this part of our game needs to be erased against better teams.

Sorry leo, i didn't think Nasri was that impressive last night, Negredo and Serge were much better but that's just my opinion.

I thought that Nasri was fantastic, even chasing hard to win the ball back. He set up two goals as well. For me, Aguero was the clear MOM. He scored a top class goal that gave us some breathing space and set up a tap in for Negredo. Negredo had two tap ins and a good headed goal, but Sergio was the best on the park. By miles.

shakencity wrote:Sorry leo, i didn't think Nasri was that impressive last night, Negredo and Serge were much better but that's just my opinion.

Nedge and Serge were in great form last night, can't argue with that at all, and I thought Serge was much better as he did more work and unselfishly set up Nedge when he had a chance to score himself.

But it does surprise me you didn't think Nasri wasn't that good.  He was in everything, pressing forwards, running at defenders, he played some real quality through balls (and was key to 2 or 3 of the goals), tracking back and making tackles.  Everyone around me last night was saying how good he was.

So, purely out of curiosity, how did he fail to impress?

I thought Nasri was decent last night.

You being controversial Shaken??

Being French gives him a disadvantage from the off and has to do something out of this world to impress me  .

Ok, so he set Negredo up but i just thought his overall play was as it always is.....very average at best.
Maybe i was wrong, but i never actually thought when the game had finished, "fuck me Nasri was good tonight", but i did think "how fuckin good are Negredo and Sergio".
Anyway, it's just my opinion.

I'll say it then, fuck me Nasri was good tonight. Negredo played well, but take away his two tap ins and it doesn't look as good as he missed some good chances (again).

I think Negredo's movement makes spaces for Aguero....so even though he may miss a few chances.....him or Dzeko is a no brainer.

I'd go with Negredo too, but sheer power isn't enough.

Well he's bagged some goals so far....and he and Aguero have hit a purple patch.....I think he's got a lot more than just power. That cheeky attempt last night - Dzeko would never do that.....the cross with the outside of his boot for Aguero's header in Moscow....Dzeko couldn't do that.
I think Negredo is miles better than Dzeko, works harder, has a better footballing brain and compliments Aguero more.

You must have been watching a different game Shaken, Nasri was excellent.

And opinion or not, on this occasion, yours is flawed (And that's my opinion).

shakencity wrote:Being French gives him a disadvantage from the off and has to do something out of this world to impress me  .

Ooh, harsh!  Would it help if I told you he's actually Algerian and just happened to have been born in France?  Or is just being born in France enough, you Francophobe  

Topdawg wrote:I'll say it then, fuck me Nasri was good tonight. Negredo played well, but take away his two tap ins and it doesn't look as good as he missed some good chances (again).

Aaahhhh...  I don't think I'd go that far with Nedge, he was better than that, I thought.  He worked pretty hard and at least he made sure he was there for the tap-ins.

blueboy wrote:Well he's bagged some goals so far....and he and Aguero have hit a purple patch.....I think he's got a lot more than just power. That cheeky attempt last night - Dzeko would never do that.....the cross with the outside of his boot for Aguero's header in Moscow....Dzeko couldn't do that.
I think Negredo is miles better than Dzeko, works harder, has a better footballing brain and compliments Aguero more.

Pretty much bang on for me, this.  Serge and Nedge seem to have clicked really well and watching them play last night was sheer poetry at times.  And yes, as much as I'd hope for Dzeko to become the goal machine he was for Wolfsburg again, he just doesn't show that tenacity that Nedge has.

On a bit of a tangent...  Has anyone else noticed that when we shout "Beast" at matches, it sounds like we're booing?  Is everyone else shouting "Boost" and I'm doing it wrong?  Because no matter how much depth I apply to my voice, I'm still clearly saying "Beast".

leopold wrote:

shakencity wrote:Being French gives him a disadvantage from the off and has to do something out of this world to impress me  .

Ooh, harsh!  Would it help if I told you he's actually Algerian and just happened to have been born in France?  Or is just being born in France enough, you Francophobe  

 I think it'd help if he actually played well leo .

shakencity wrote:

leopold wrote:

shakencity wrote:Being French gives him a disadvantage from the off and has to do something out of this world to impress me  .

Ooh, harsh!  Would it help if I told you he's actually Algerian and just happened to have been born in France?  Or is just being born in France enough, you Francophobe  

 I think it'd help if he actually played well leo .

But he played well last night!  And against the rags.  In fact, he's played well all season so far.  You're a hard man to please...

Kin el, he played ok last night (average, as i put it), as did the rest of the team.
My 1st post this morning said just that, i just thought the front 2 played a little better.

Listen, I've said he's been good...when he's been good and shit...when he's been shit.

Jordan,
Imo, he certainly wasn't excellent  .

He was......

Phil McNulty for the BBC:

Samir Nasri could rarely have played better in his City career than he did on Tuesday, a constant creative source, and the graceful David Silva is all subtle touches and danger.


The Metro:

And much like the victory over Norwich this was a tremendous display of attacking football; Samir Nasri and David Silva dovetailing with Aguero and Negredo, who of late are striking up a fearsome partnership in front of goal with Aguero in a stunningly rich vein of goalscoring form.

The Independent:

Samir Nasri was another who failed Manchester City when it mattered. Mancini had long mistrusted his commitment but there was no questioning his ability and here he proved it, first by holding off Kirill Nababkin and Tosic and setting Silva loose, and then finding Aguero lurking in space.

The Mail:


Aguero’s finishing and general sharpness may have been the overriding factor behind another flood of goals, but one moment of inspired interplay between Silva and Samir Nasri in the 17th minute may just have eclipsed even that as the abiding memory of the night.

Nasri’s dazzlingly quick footwork shook off the attention of three markers in an improbably tight space.

He passed to Silva and the little forward did his best to outshine his team-mate with an equally fleet-footed twist and turn, his angled shot hitting the side netting.
It was exhibition stuff and CSKA appeared still to be in a trance as they conceded two further goals in the 20th and 30th minutes.

Like I said, Shaken - it's your opinion, but you're in the minority with it.  Everyone else thought he was in great form.

Wow, perhaps I did watch a different game then

Welcome to my club Shaken!!!