A few thoughts

Having had the chance to reflect on last night's game in the cold light of day, I can be a bit more reasoned in my thoughts.
Primarily, before the game would I have taken any away win (particularly against a good side) in light of the season so far? Too bloody right I would!
MP has had yet another chance to assess 'certain' players, and yet again they have failed to deliver. So, while still gaining three points, they have surely exhausted another life as a City player. MP is, I believe, trying to put them in the shop window at every opportunity. Unfortunately they are just throwing themselves into the bargain bucket.
VK came through his first game back unscathed, and got vital time under his belt to be 100% before the Arsenal game. That's a massive bonus.
Yet again we scored goals while not being in top gear. How many times do you hear it said that that's the sign of a good team?
Winning breeds confidence, so this run we're on could just start to settle the away nerves. Southampton will be the acid test on that front. But they're on a bit of a slide, so hopefully their confidence is starting to erode?
The Scum losing last night, and everyone else winning, has dropped them further off the pace. Although I won't completely put them out of the race just yet, it is looking good at the moment. If they were flying we would be under a lot more pressure.
So, on reflection, last night had more positives than negatives. We didn't drop further away from the leaders, despite them having an easy home tie, and us having a tricky away game. Dzeko's abject performance, the inexplicable use of G*****, and Kolorov's usual inability to defend hasn't cost us any points. VK has played 90 minutes without breaking. The Scum and their odious manager have been humiliated. And Beast has been rested, plus we have Little Dave to come back.
So all in all, today is a Tigger day, not an Eeyore day.

titbumwilly wrote: MP is, I believe, trying to put them in the shop window at every opportunity. Unfortunately they are just throwing themselves into the bargain bucket.

I thought MP said that no-one was leaving in January.....although i guess he would say that wouldn't he.

Imo, with that team selection, he got away with it yesterday. If we'd have gone onto lose, then he would have come in for some serious stick.
Why didn't Rodwell (instead of Garcia) come on for Nasri, instead of coming on after 89 minutes.....he mustn't rate him.

Anyway, good win at a tough place.

Some fair points made there, especially VK getting 90 minutes under his belt.

However, even in the cold light of day, you said the following:

Dzeko's abject performance, the inexplicable use of G*****, and Kolorov's usual inability to defend hasn't cost us any points.

For me, that's totally unacceptable to play players that after the match, we go phewww....I don't want them anywhere near the squad if it means playing them significantly degrades our performances and leads to defeats/draws from positions where we are comfortable.

As for MP assessing their performances...if he thinks Garcia is anything but shit, and Dzeko just can't be arsed putting 50% in, and Kolorov CANNOT defend for his life....if he doesn't know this by now....then I'm seriously worried. He saw 90 minutes of Dzeko last Wednesday...and he was shit then.

After MP got his tactics spot on against Swansea....he nearly cost us 2 points last night.

titbumwilly wrote:MP has had yet another chance to assess 'certain' players, and yet again they have failed to deliver.

But how many more times does he need to assess these players?  Surely it's as clear as day that these three amigos are simply not up to the job.

He can play Dzeko all day long and nothing will change.  Last night the only header he won in the box was one which he cleared out of our own goal area.  Every other header was like watching Max Wall doing that walk, where his head almost disappears into his shoulders.  And when he was on for a clear shot, he just wouldn't pull the trigger.

Granted, Kolarov does have some redeeming qualities, he's good getting forward and he did offer us an attacking option, but how many times did we see DeMichelis and Nasri having to cover him in defense, where he's supposed to be?  And on one of the rare occasions he did arse himself to be there, he punted the ball across the face of his own net, which is just asking for someone to knock it in.  Not Costel, granted, but we got what we deserved for shoddy defending.

As for Garcia, all he gave us was a gap where we used to have someone who could play.  He's bob useless.

I would like to think he said to Dzeko, "here's your chance, now show why you should be picked".
I have a sneaky feeling that might be the last we see of him!

I know what you mean, TBW, but he's had plenty of chances to shine and so far, aside from popping up to score occasionally, we're not seeing much evidence of the right effort being applied.  It's all well and good people saying he had a great pre-season, but that doesn't matter, it's what he does when it counts.

I think the options are more limited with jovetic being injured. Guidetti is basically a huge gamble. So hat only really leaves dzeko. at some point the beast & aguero need rest especially with the amount of kicks they receive from opposition in a game & the number of games we have to play this month. As long as the beast & aguero are fighting fit for the saints , arse & Liverpool games I am ok with dzeko starting against fulham & Palace. Kolarov did provide the cross for yaya's goal and for all his crap positional & defending he is ok going forward & it was the foul on him which led to the penalty so he had a hand in both of yaya's goals . I cant think of anything though to justify Garcia except that we need Napoli to buy. I think clichy will play the important games at left back. I would rather see lescott than demichellis to be honest playing alongside Vinnie.

skyblueoz wrote:I would rather see lescott than demichellis to be honest playing alongside Vinnie.

Given that this was the CB pairing that won the league, I'd be very much inclined to agree.

Fernandinho was awesome yet again, what a player he is turning out to be.

Granted, nowhere near 30mil, but I'm really liking what I see. He links up the play between defence and attack quickly and smoothly, and breaks down the oppositions attack. He's our younger and improved Barry.

Spot on with that.
VK and Nasty would be my preferred option, but would still be more than happy with VK and Lescott.
Let's just get two settled in there and stick with them. Although recent injury history would suggest this is unlikely to be possible.

I think that MP is going for a Vinnie and Demichiles pairing at the back,but I prefer Lescott.Fernandinho is starting to come through but why is Clichy not in?He was really strong against Swansea and should be given more game time:P 

Jordan wrote:Fernandinho was awesome yet again, what a player he is turning out to be.

Granted, nowhere near 30mil, but I'm really liking what I see. He links up the play between defence and attack quickly and smoothly, and breaks down the oppositions attack. He's our younger and improved Barry.

Not to mention faster!

I'm not sure we should worry about his valuation, though.  The market for a top end DCM would be in the low £20 millions, so we've definitely paid too much, but it's not like we've bought a Vauxhall Astra for Lamborghini money.  We've just spent too much for a Lamborghini.

I'm not comfortable with DeMechelis - when he gets the ball, I'm a bit nervous and except for his header which hit the bar - he under achieves.  Thought Kolarov did make a great pass in front of goal for YaYa to score and he has taken some good free kicks on occasions.  Dzeko - yes he was woeful last night and doesn't even try to win the ball back when it's stripped off him.  Nasri has been tremendous and let's not forget Milner has assisted in several goals over the last three games and he works hard.

Wensdi, you must be relieved that SWFC have ruled out Neil Warnock as their new manager. I think that you dodged a bullet there, the guys a clown.

Yep MCM - once a Red always a Red.  Other interesting news that Owen Coyle hasn't performed at Wigan.  I think we discussed his appt. on here a few months ago - and I said then he was a poor choice for Wigan.  Nothing like Roberto.  Hope to God he doesn't get the post at Hillsborough.
I was thrilled the Owls won against Leicester though - quite unexpected and needed.  Hope they get a few wins under their belt before Crimble.

Dzeko was bad in his all round play apart from the pass for the first goal but we play a stupid amount of games this month, some rotation was needed. To do it and get the three points is fine by me.

What if we lose or draw through a lack of effort/poor finishing? I get the fact that players need a rest, but Dzeko has now become nothing short of poor. He's been given lots of opportunities and hasn't even bothered to try to stake a claim. Now that seriously worries me. If Aguero or Negredo get injured...with Jovetic yet to prove anything, to have Dzeko in the first 11 fills me with dread on the effort he's put in during the last 2 starts.

I'm not worried as much as you are - if only Serge or Nedge gets injured, we've got some options and at the very least we can play with Silva or Nasri in the middle to support whichever of those guys can't play.  If both get injured, then I think we'll be screwed.

And look at our goal stats... we're not exactly reliant on either for goals.  Look at Norwich, nobody scored more than once.  We've got a team who can score, we're not relying on a single player to deliver *cough* van Persie *cough* Soldado *cough*

My main concern is the high line and the unsuitability of playing a high tempo pressing game with the likes of kolorov yaya Garcia etc in the squad
Doesn't work properly unless everyone buys into it
Would have De Jong back in a shot

On a side note, just took my son to his football practice this morning wearing his City shirt as usual. One of the other dads who hasn't spoken to me before, a melton local, comes over and goes

"So what's with the city shirt? You from there?"

"Yep, I was a season ticket holder up to five years ago, still go to around 10 games a season and taken my son since he was three".

"Oh right. Yeah, City are a good team".

Immediately sheepish, his son is dressed in full United garb with Van Persie on the back.

"Are you United then? You from there?"

"No, from melton".

"Ah. United are a bit shit at the moment aren't they?"

He goes all quiet and says "Anyway, what do you think of the England draw?"

Utter tosspot. The irony of a United fan and his son who have never been to manchester let alone old Trafford coming over to try and have a go at my son for wearing a city shirt when he actually goes to games!

Now, my sons nine. I tell him afterwards about it and how quiet he went when he realised we actually go, and he says that kids at school who support United (lots of them in melton) all have a go at him and I ask what he says back.  All matter of factly, he says

"Daddy...I just tell them to fuck off!"

Haven't got it in me to tell him off, is it wrong that I'm actually proud?!

I pity them Melton
They are like sheep without an original thought in their heads,it's really quite sad

It's these random county town folk that are the worst Paul.

Haven't got it in me to tell him off, is it wrong that I'm actually proud?!
.......................................

If you don't tell him off, the least you should do is pat him on the back, ruffle his hair and tell him "that's my boy"   

That's exactly what I did, in between fits of laughter!

Kids say the funniest things!

Yes a 9 yr old shouldn't be saying fuck off

TMG, I was speaking slightly tongue in cheek there, I just had to wait for a while before I could.

meltonblue wrote:Utter tosspot. The irony of a United fan and his son who have never been to manchester let alone old Trafford coming over to try and have a go at my son for wearing a city shirt when he actually goes to games!

To be fair, this isn't restricted to the provinces.  I've had plenty of rags doling out shit about me being a City fan, most of them live, as I do, within ten miles of the swamp and the nearest any of them get is the local boozer.  One of them bragged about going to the stadium tour.  Bragged!  I asked him if he ever went to any actual matches.  His response was, "Why, do you go to the council house?"

"Yeah.  Season ticket holder.  I go to every game."

He said, "Well, someone's got to, I suppose.  At least you can get seats there."

I said, "Oh, so you don't go then, even though they're only up the road?  So which is it, armchair or pub?"

He muttered something about berties and walked off.  Fucking rags.  They're bad enough when they live outside Manchester, but the ones who live close enough to go and still don't really need to give their heads a wobble before they open their stupid fat gobs.