Swansea v City - Live Thread

[blueboy]

So...this is it. Final City Live Thread of 2015-16 season and we need a minimum of 1 point. How hard can that be?

Overall, it's been a poor season. There's been some highlights: KDB looking like he's worth every single penny. Willy's heroics in the penalty shoot-out at Wembley to win us the C1C. The CL journey, beating PSG when nobody gave us a chance of reaching the semi-finals of the CL. The rise of Kelechi.

But for all of these highs, there's been some awful lows. Taking a pasting by Leicester, Spurs, Liverpool. After a great start to the season - the capitulation of our form and injuries one after the other. Seeing our Captain return from injury time and time again, only for it to be yet another disappointment. Wilf Bony, Jesus Navas, Raheem Sterling, Kolorov, MDM.

The fact our youngsters got pretty-much overlooked all season after seeing one star take his chance. The persistence of MP playing TLMLF, even after our team had looked far more solid and had a worth ethic again without him.
The total non-event and whimpering effort in Madrid for the second-leg of the CL...when, with a little more belief, motivation and the right team, we could still be looking forward to a CL final. If we tried and got beat 3-0 trying, I don't think anybody would have minded - but the way the manager set up the team and allowed it to continue for so long, just for it to fizzle out, was for me, the most disappointing thing I've seen all season.

So, thanks Manuel. You are a charming man, but I'm glad you're moving on and we have Pep coming in. The football in the first season was brilliant, but the last 2 seasons have seen us regress for the sake of that CL run - and to then allow that performance in Madrid is the reason I'm glad you're going.

So, one last hurrah or another inept showing when the chips are down? After this season - neither would surprise me.

Team? I'm not going to bother for this one. There can be no passengers today, no excuse of fatigue or lack of preparation - we've had a full week. Over to the manager and players to dig us out of hole we should never have been anywhere near.

[Guest]

#Just1Point

And why am I more nervous than the CL Semi ??

Come on Manuel, you owe us .......

[Wensdi]

Navas at least has always given 100% commitment and you can't fault his work ethic.

[blueboy]

Navas at least has always given 100% commitment and you can't fault his work ethic.

And I haven't Wensdi. I put him in most teams I pick for that reason....but 1 goal all season? His effort is one thing, but just as many complain about Sterling's contribution this season (and I know we paid a lot of money for him), check out his goals/assists compared to Navas'.

We've basically sacrificed the likes of Roberts' end product for Navas' work ethic.

[blueboy]

OK. Here's the last team of the 2015-16 season and MP's last game.

[blueboy]

Subs: Caballero, Sterling, Kolarov, Demichelis, Nasri, Toure, Bony

[blueboy]

Managers Notes:

I enjoyed the complete experience of Manchester City, all the three years.
Not only because of the titles but I always say it's the best league in the world, for the atmosphere, for the fans, it's a very competitive league with six teams that are very close to each other in the amount of money that they spend and the potential of their squad.
City is a club that is growing in every year not only in results. We have another style of playing, we are a team that takes more risks, we score a lot of goals, if you compare the last season before me with the amount in the last three seasons I think it's an important difference.
I'm sure in the future this Club will continue growing.
I always think that we can do it better, but the important thing is to compare with all the other teams.
If we made the summary of the three seasons that I was in charge we were the team that had the most points and we are the team that scores the most goals.
If we finish off today with UEFA Champions League qualification I think we can say that it's a successful season for a lot of reasons.
Firstly, we won a title – the Capital One Cup, secondly, it’s the first time of the history of this club that we reached the semi-final of the Champions League.
The third thing is that we are always in the spot of the Champions League.
The fourth thing it that we were the team in all four competitions for the longest amount of time – it’s just a shame that we couldn’t compete for the FA Cup this season as we would have liked.
Now we have an important chance to clinch fourth place to round off my tenure – I’m proud of the way we went about our work here in these three years and I wish everyone connected with the club all the best for the future – especially you, the supporters.
Enjoy the game.
Manuel

[blueboy]

Bluemoon Rising TV Live Stream from outside The Liberty - STREAM FINISHED:

[Guest]

That is our best team at the moment.   Got to be enough there for a point?

Delph not even on the bench, and I still think Bony will score today 

[blueboy]

Like your optimism BB....I can see Swansea coming out and blitzing us in the first 25 mins.

[Guest]

I think it will be the reverse Blue, we will play it like an away CL game with proper high tempo (Semi Final Excluded  ).  Its how we've got our best results this year.

[blueboy]

Its how we've got our best results this year.


...............


In the CL yes, but we tried that against Arsenal at home last week....2-2. 


Not sure other than the CL, when we've deployed these tactics in the PL this season.

[skyblueoz]

Mike Dean was the ref in 2012.  City needing to win v QPR to win the league on goal Difference after Utd won at Sunderland.2016 Mike dean is the ref Needing at least a point from the game to potentially beat Utd on goal difference. Assuming Utd win. Hopefully the same outcome but please City do it a little bit easier this time.

[blueboy]

The Swamp's being evacuated over a security alert...wonder if our KO will be delayed?

[skyblueoz]

See they are trying to get that extra 5 minutes to get back at us.

[blueboy]

United match abandoned....and SS1 dediceds to spend 5 minutes talking about this instead of letting us watch the bloody game!!!

[Topdawg]

What will happen  if we lose? Get it replayed as unfair timing not having both matches played simultaneously?

[blueboy]

Well done Otamendi you complete bellend.

Jesus, and some think he's better than Mangala??? He's a total liability.

As for Aguero....forget the golden boot and play for the team FFS!!

Kelechi has wasted so many opportunities in this game....

[Guest]

Am so cross, we should have been 3 up,  fucking amateurs,  none of them are guaranteed a place with Pep.  Just fucking try for us please.  Get Bony on! Never though I would say that, we need ex player hoodoo

[skyblueoz]

what we need is for the 2 strikers to stop thinking about personal glory & play for the team. We should have been out of sight by now, Pellegrini should bang their heads together ( that's what they do to naughty children isn't it? ) well it was in my day.

[blueboy]

I don't know about banging their heads together, I'd certainly take a baseball bat to Otamendi's!!

Have ANY of this management team ever said to him "look, it's simple, DON'T BLOODY DIVE IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He does time and time again....liability!

[Topdawg]

navas was a **** for shooting and not crossing. Itchy was poor controlling the ball.

[Topdawg]

Sorry, but Aguero is being a greedy ****

[Topdawg]

Mango nowhere near his man

[blueboy]

Aguero should be brought off...bloody awful today.

[blueboy]

Just watching this game....and we wonder why we can't wait for the Manager to leave. Today is a classic example.

65 mins, watching nothing but sloppy bollocks....and he still sits there and makes no changes, holding out for a 1-1.

We'll lose this with that attitude.

And he claims we play exciting football? Really Manuel?

[Topdawg]

Navas' cross was abysmal.

[Topdawg]

Aguero shooting wide. Fernandinho shooting wide. We are gonna lose this.

Even that large bet I had on Swansea winning isn't a silver lining.

[Topdawg]

that's it sergio, foul the guy for no reason.

[Topdawg]

he was only going to head it back to us anyway.

[Topdawg]

Hart s an idiot with his passing.

[Topdawg]

Get Itchy off.

[Topdawg]

Unbelievably shit from mangala. Chest it down for someone to take it away from you.

[Topdawg]

Nasri showing some pace.

[Topdawg]

For me, poor again from mango. Letting the ball run across him while someone comes on the blindside to close him down.

Don't we shout man on or time anymore???

[Topdawg]

Aguero off for Yaya...

[Topdawg]

Nice OP Bluey.

Last game summed up our season a bit. Did just about enough to get by even though we should have hammered them.

I liked Nasri's cameo. Except against Arsenal, he's very good on the ball, gives us excellent control and cam find a pass or a shot.

[Guest]

Limped into top 4!  Bring on Pep now

[leopold]

Well, there we have it. Just enough from a season where just enough has been the mantra.

I doubt the rags will win 19-0, especially with a cup final next weekend. I expect they'll play a weakened side, they're pretty much guaranteed EL now.

[Topdawg]

Another BH weekend in France (we have 3 or 4 in May alone). Fortunately nor spoilt by us losing, so thankful for small mercies.

Roll on all the hype for the incoming and outgoing and us walking the title next season.somehow, I don't think we will.

[Wensdi]

We didn't play that badly - just didn't take all our chances well.  Optimistic for next season (unlike TD) and speaking of you Dawg - you and I are duking it out for 2nd place in the Prediction leage - all depends on United's last game.  I had 'em for a win and you a draw.  So - we'll have to wait and see who nabs second place.  I'm quite optimistic having crept up the table from 5th (a few weeks ago).

[skyblueoz]

well I relinquished it with a whimper. So fill your boots.

The media scrutiny will be intense next season every single defeat or draw will be dissected in great detail. They will take great delight in everything negative about city & pep so be prepared. From the money spent to the signings match day performances, to the progression in cup competitions etc etc nothing will be missed.  

Considering his record at Barca & Bayern  I would not be surprised if a double of league & F.A cup were  the expectations from Journalists & pundits alike.

[shakencity]

Considering his record at Barca & Bayern  I would not be surprised if a double of league & F.A cup were  the expectations from Journalists & pundits alike.

Anything less than a CL semi-final spot will be jumped on as a backwards step too no doubt.

[ManCityMan]

Spot on, with Pep in post and the size of war chest being mooted if we don't make a clean sweep of all domestic honours and the CL as well, we will be villified by the press

[blueboy]

Spot on, with Pep in post and the size of war chest being mooted if we don't make a clean sweep of all domestic honours and the CL as well, we will be villified by the press

And by me...

[skyblueoz]

  yeah but your language will be tempered by the mods

[leopold]

  yeah but your language will be tempered by the mods

Meh, I ain't got time for that.

[skyblueoz]

Don't tell wensdi Leo!!!!

[blueboy]

I've been very restrained since....

[skyblueoz]

keep it up Andy u are doing a splendid job my boy

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