Manchester City

[herbergeehh]

Just watched the highlights online, exciting stuff!! We've now got an aerial threat second to none from set pieces from the looks of it, Samba is obviously impressive, and with Nelsen and Santa Cruz in there aswell as Benni the poacher - we'll trouble a lot of teams this season. Flowing football is the best way to describe some of our attacks, I love the way Santa Cruz links up with Bentley - and we know he can find Gamst in the box when we're attacking.

[mike at picture]

Apparently City beat West Ham with some scintilating football on the opening day but I thought there was a distinct lack of quality from them yesterday often conceeding possesion when not really under pressure.

For us I was impressed with Warnock. I've been a critic and worried about his concentration levels and defensive qualities but yesterday his defensive work was sound and his buccaneering overlaps really flustered City.

[rover6]

Can't help feeling sorry for Man City. Along comes all this money and these decent players but who do they have in charge? Mr 'I think Owen Hargreaves is a left winger' - aka Fraud Extraordinaire.

Nice one Rovers. By all reports a super performance

[berkshireblue]

Absolutely battered them should have been 3 or 4

Great performance, the back 4 were immense..

Dunn superb again and adds further credence to sav's comments when he joined us saying the training routine and set up at Brum was 2nd rate compared to the one at rovers. Dunn's fitness is another great example

[den]

I can't remember the last time I was as excited about a new season, as I am now. The one thing going for us now, is that this team doesn't have a weakness - anywhere. I struggle to remember that EVER being the case. Withstanding long term injuries, we should be excellent this season. A full strength rovers side wont lose many games.

A view on City. Erikksson has done well as a club manager on the continent, as many people have pointed out. The key there though, is "on the continent". This is English football though, a vastly different animal. You could see the continental influence in City's style of play. Nice passers of the ball, good quality in some positions. However, so negative in approach and absolutely no pace in attack. The back four don't expect to be tackled. Hamman playing short passes from 5 yards in front of the centre half, didn't trouble anyone all afternoon. Put them under pressure when they're in posession and they aren't up to it. A lot of their players were like rabbits in a cars headlights. They didn't know how to handle that pressure. TBH, I'm not sure they can change. A very poor side.

[den]

One other thing - can someone explain what Eriksson meant when he said they shouldn't have lost this game?

[Pugg]

One other thing - can someone explain what Eriksson meant when he said they shouldn't have lost this game?

I think the direct translation is "I am deluded" or something similar.

[den]

alright fellas, city fan in peace here.

The mother comes from Balckburn, so as you would expect, the text messages have been flowing in tonight. Im not the biggest fan of the boring ex-rag that is Mark Hughes but hes put a great team together, in only 3 years is it? Im not here to come and boast about attendances and all that lark, i just wanted to say that the best team won today, and the scoreline didnt really reflect your performance, however much it pains me to say it.

We were absolutely toilet today; micah was out of sorts, the very impressive Corluka and Garrido were poor, as was the dunney monster, and surprisingly Elano, who although quiet, was still probably our best player on default today. Im sure it was just one of those days though, weve all had em; Chelsea today for example.

For the first 12minutes i thought we were looking excellent on the ball, which is one major plus about watching city this season, we know how to pass the ball around. As soon as the goal went in though, you destroyed us. The blend in your midfield is superb, and although pederson looks out of sorts recently, him bentley, savage and dunn was too good of a blend for us today and they totally outfought us, and surprisingly for some (including myself), outclassed us.

Cya back at COMS guys, im ###### sick of losing to you so I cant say im looking forward to it. Bogey team.

Hopefully Europe beckons for both of us, (honestly) were miles better than today. 8 foreigners in every sense of the word today, but we'll gel.

replace bogey with better

[den]

One other thing - can someone explain what Eriksson meant when he said they shouldn't have lost this game?

Another quote: "It seems stupid to say but it was almost easier than I thought it would be, but any how we lost the game."

MCFC

[Eddie]

Been reading a few City messageboards and I have to say it quite upset me to see them all saying how we kicked them off the park and that we should be fined and stopped from playing football like that. We were better than them in every area and there was only one team playing football. People think if you close a team down that all you can do is kick them and that they somehow played the better "true" football and deserved to win. Really gets to me.

[pleasure]

One other thing - can someone explain what Eriksson meant when he said they shouldn't have lost this game?

a couple of my mates are city fans (and were there yesterday) but they dont share eriksson's views. they were very impressed by rovers and thought city deserved a hammering.

i'll go on record and say the brand of attacking football we're playing at the moment is the best we've played since the 1st 6 months under hodgson.

we're playing with real flair, total comitment and a real swagger. both everton and arsenal were lucky to take points off us.

speaking of arsenal, there premiership record (for their long unbeaten run) looks to be under threat. :ph34r:

[Eddie]

speaking of arsenal, there premiership record (for their long unbeaten run) looks to be under threat. :ph34r:

Got a while to go yet.

[tonygreenbank]

That is the most stupid, blinkered match report I have ever read. Elano Man of the Match!!?? City fans are not easily fooled. They know they were outplayed by a very strong and skilful team. Rovers played some great stuff but we have to kill teams off when we are so dominant. Emerton was my MOM. His fitness levels are amazing.Cant wait for the Chelsea game now.

[City Fan In Peace]

That is the most stupid, blinkered match report I have ever read. Elano Man of the Match!!?? City fans are not easily fooled. They know they were outplayed by a very strong and skilful team. Rovers played some great stuff but we have to kill teams off when we are so dominant. Emerton was my MOM. His fitness levels are amazing.Cant wait for the Chelsea game now.

I merely said that Elano was OUR man of the match. Samba and Emerton were excellent.

As for the lad calling us a poor side, I think thats a tad premature. We destroyed west ham first game, and although Arsenal deserved to beat us, we made some cracking chances up there, and it took them 80 minutes to break us down. Sadly, yesterday your forwards (and width) were far too good for our new boys, but im taking anything away from your performance, I really do think you will be 6th this season, as do most city fans who i have been talking too since the game.

I just wish the links with Santa Cruz and us could have materialised, youve got a good player there.

As for Sven saying we should of won, I think he was referring to our intricate passing, which should of in turn resulted in some cutting edge, he said on Manchester Radio that we were poor yesterday, and rightly so. I dont like to think of sven as the deluded fergie type, he knows we were soundly beaten yesterday, and imo should of chosen some tougher players to combat your midfield.

Anyway, the best of luck to you.

[Antgrad]

I really do think you will be 6th this season, as do most city fans who i have been talking too since the game.

Just a query but why 6th? Who apart from the "big 4" are better than us? Certainly not Spuds.

[City Fan In Peace]

Just a query but why 6th? Who apart from the "big 4" are better than us? Certainly not Spuds.

I would of said 5th/6th, but personally, over the season, im still confident that the spuds will just edge it. Its all a matter of opinion though isnt it. Everton look strong, but I saw your game at goodison, which you deserved to win; so I would say 6th is about right.

[philipl]

Fair enough City in Peace.

To be honest I'd far rather see City do well than some of the other big spenders. At least you have brought some different, new and exciting talent into the Premiership. And as a club manager, I think you have one of the best in SGE even if you are paying him far too much. Still the casinos won't mind.

I guess that yesterday, City were finding out what English league football is all about. I remember a close-up on the bewildered face of Elano about 80 minutes in and thinking we would be real mugs if we let this win go now.

I know you beat Bristol City away with half a reserve team out (mostly remnants from last season's first team) but you've got to be a good bet as a shock defeat if you draw somebody like Hartlepool away in the third round of the FA Cup.

[Fife Rover]

I think some people expected him to be a failure rather than wanted and I gotta admit I was one of them but from his performances so far this season my mind has been changed. Long may it continue!

Fantastic result today and as others have said it's good that there is so much optimism around, I feel like every game we go into we are going to win or at least get something. I wouldn't dismiss a decent result at Chelsea next week either.

I second that Ben: I have to agree and hold my hand up that I hoped but did not believe that Dunny would come good for us. I was wrong to to doubt it. Well done Dunny! Now go on and show McClaren and the rest of the southern suckup journo's what you are really capable of. Then maybe another England cap will be forthcoming.

[Fife Rover]

I'm sorry if the answer is staring me right in the face - but who is 'Bert' ???

Bret Emerton

[tonygreenbank]

I merely said that Elano was OUR man of the match. Samba and Emerton were excellent.

As for the lad calling us a poor side, I think thats a tad premature. We destroyed west ham first game, and although Arsenal deserved to beat us, we made some cracking chances up there, and it took them 80 minutes to break us down. Sadly, yesterday your forwards (and width) were far too good for our new boys, but im taking anything away from your performance, I really do think you will be 6th this season, as do most city fans who i have been talking too since the game.

I just wish the links with Santa Cruz and us could have materialised, youve got a good player there.

As for Sven saying we should of won, I think he was referring to our intricate passing, which should of in turn resulted in some cutting edge, he said on Manchester Radio that we were poor yesterday, and rightly so. I dont like to think of sven as the deluded fergie type, he knows we were soundly beaten yesterday, and imo should of chosen some tougher players to combat your midfield.

Anyway, the best of luck to you.

[tonygreenbank]

whoops! Fair play to you CFIP is what I meant to say but pressed the wrong key. Best of luck for the rest of the season.

[Hughesy]

I echo the sentiments by many on here by thinking that this team is by far our strongest for a long time. We now have a squad that actually has decent depth and we have players on the bench that can come on a replace what we already have on the pitch without too much of a problem.

It is the 1st time for a long time that sometimes im laughing when we are on the attack because we just look so good and we can carve open teams and they just cant cope with us – the move when McCarthy brought the ball down, then we played some 1 touch football in the middle, followed by a cross from Warnock to a diving header by Roque was just delightful.

City have improved greatly from last season, however their full backs aint that good as (Bentley, Emerton, Warnock & Pedersen) kept proving by skinning them every time and attack wise they seem as poor. Their midfielders will no doubt score goals and the look decent at set pieces, however attacker wise they don’t look anything special.

Special mention yesterday I think goes to the whole defence – Samba immense again! Both full backs must be on red bull and Nelsen Solid & Friedel as safe as ever! Yes we only won 1-0 and it was abit nervy, however this year I don’t feel like last season when I would say, “they will score in the last few minutes”, now we look more solid, mainly because of Samba.

Hughes has pulled 4 masterstrokes since Jan last year – Samba, Dunn, Warnock & Cruz – all looking top class!

Im hoping Fat Frank doesn’t make the game with Rovers, if not then I really believe we can go there full of optimism and look for at least a point.

Hopefully if we can continue our good form & performances and then a takeover is completed – come January with money to spend, we might even be talking about that 4th place!

[USABlue]

alright fellas, city fan in peace here.

The mother comes from Balckburn, so as you would expect, the text messages have been flowing in tonight. Im not the biggest fan of the boring ex-rag that is Mark Hughes but hes put a great team together, in only 3 years is it? Im not here to come and boast about attendances and all that lark, i just wanted to say that the best team won today, and the scoreline didnt really reflect your performance, however much it pains me to say it.

We were absolutely toilet today; micah was out of sorts, the very impressive Corluka and Garrido were poor, as was the dunney monster, and surprisingly Elano, who although quiet, was still probably our best player on default today. Im sure it was just one of those days though, weve all had em; Chelsea today for example.

For the first 12minutes i thought we were looking excellent on the ball, which is one major plus about watching city this season, we know how to pass the ball around. As soon as the goal went in though, you destroyed us. The blend in your midfield is superb, and although pederson looks out of sorts recently, him bentley, savage and dunn was too good of a blend for us today and they totally outfought us, and surprisingly for some (including myself), outclassed us.

Cya back at COMS guys, im ###### sick of losing to you so I cant say im looking forward to it. Bogey team.

Hopefully Europe beckons for both of us, (honestly) were miles better than today. 8 foreigners in every sense of the word today, but we'll gel.

Fair do's humble and pleasant words. thanks

[Daremz]

Realism.

Great performance, but winning away at Chelsea? Not after they've got beaten by Villa. It'll all be about midfield, and I think they'll be bossing us from there, although I'm not sure if Lampard is recovered by that time...?

[Blueheart]

What a game, what optimisim there is that this is going to be a great season ! Both home games have provided some great entertainment which has been worth every penny of the season ticket so far.

We have a squad that such strength in depth, my only fear now is that people start to notice the team from up North and want to sign our manager....Hughsey your magic and doing a fantastic job, please dont leave us for many a year !