[Archived] Man City Preview

[tony gale's mic]

Please.

By going to the effort of trying to defend his spectacular failure at Newcastle I can only assume that you ARE in fact Sam Allardyce.

Taking a side that had finished 5 points from relegation the season before to mid table safety and 9 points from relegation in January?

What a spectacular failure.

Almost as much of a failure as taking a side in 19th and looking certain for the drop, saving them from relegation and producing form over 22 games that would have seen us 10th in the league had it been produced over a season.

[spencey7]

so is that what happened? 18 shots were Mgp throwing balls into the box classed as shots,or are you making things up and dressing them up as facts again

What were our best chances in the game?

Samba's header from a corner in the first half? Roberts hopeless effort in the second? What else?

[philipl]

spencey7 gone on ignore.

[spencey7]

Fantastic performance by Rovers

And I'm the one with the blinkers on...

[Tom]

No idea what spencey is on.

I just got back thought we played well, by far and away the better team in the first half apart from Warnocks Wigan moment, second half we faded but at no point were outplayed.

As a team we were far better, as induviduals we can't compete nor can be expected to, that was the only difference today.

- Pedersen was superb, if only Roberts had been alive to the second ball he would have had a tap in after Pedersen headed it back across goal

- NZonzi looked decent but needs time

- Givet was solid as usual

- Mcarthy looked fit and showed some class but Roberts is still Roberts, here in lies the problem.

- So much for City fans taking over, even at one nil they hardly made a peep in the first half

- The minutes appluase was a spine tingling moment, brilliantly observed by both fans

All in all I have no complaints tonight apart from the fact we can't take chances but we kneww that about some of these players before today. We were beaten by £100million or so of talent who we outplayed for much of the match whether Spencey can see it or not.

[Balwer]

spencey7 gone on ignore.

How do I do the same philip?

[tonyoz]

Thought we were the better side in patches, worrying lack of pace against the counter attack. Finishing was, as always, our biggest issue. For all the talk of our midfield getting spanked off the park I didn't think they did that poorly considering they're probably our 4th and 5th choice central midfielders.

Jacobsen impressed me marking Robinho. I just know if that was Simpson we'd have seen far more of the superstars runs down the wing. Solid defensively and really got forward with some great runs and crosses, had no idea he was able to be so attacking.

Pedersen was our best player, although faded a little in the second half. Hope this a permanent return to form and the midweek International reminded him what he's capable of.

Warnock was good in patches, but falling over for the first goal was poor.

Givet was dependable as always, Samba was good apart from losing Adebayor for the goal.

Diouf was flashy. As he generally is.

Roberts and McCarthy were ok, was impressed with Roberts work rate. If he could finish he'd be top class, but sadly he can't.

Robbo did some good things but his opposite number was the better goalie today, thought Given had a blinder.

Very frustrating game today, disappointing to let the late goal in too but we'd thrown caution to the wind I suppose.

Some positives to take out of the performance, and I echo the previous comments about how City will struggle to compete with the Big 4, although they showed brief flashes that they have the talent to do so.

I have always rated Given but today he came and missed at least 3 times. He was good as a shot stopper, it's true, but he is usually rock solid - today he was shaky.

[Guest Kamy100]

How many of those efforts were set pieces? How many were fashioned by a pass? And how many were the result of pinball?

I'm confident you'll find the vast majority are the latter.

You are prize pillock.

Just got back from the game, thought that we played really well throughout, particularly in the first half, created numerous chances but could not put them away. City had very few chances but the difference was that they put them away. The big problem for Rovers will be that we need to convert chances we create but I am confident that we can get this right.

I though Jacobson and N'Zonzi did quite well.

Lots of positives to take from the performance/

[Mr. E]

Now Hughes is running his mouth again.

[Plastic Head]

Just back, disappointing result, largely postive performance.

Negatives: The result; Andrews; Set pieces.

Positives: The general performance, especially first half; Jacobson, Pedersen and Nzonzi; Blue socks: The other scores "went for us"; We are above Burnley.

Slip by Warnock let them in for the first, the second didn't matter, didn't get many lucky breaks but failed to create clear cut chances.

Corners and free-kicks were very poor, something that hasn't been addressed after Villeneuva left.

Robinson: One good save : 6.5

Jacobson: Error free debut: 7.5

Givet and Samba: Restricted the stars to very few chances, kept Robinho totally out of the game: 8 each

Warnock: Unlucky slip, apart from that sound: 7

Nzonzi: Very encouraging debut, could turn out to be a bit of a star: 7.5

Andrews: Abyssmal in all aspects of football, totally invisible during our best spell in the first half. Didn't complete a meaningful pass, didn't make a tackle in the match, failed to track back and kept marking space, slower than a Nissan Micra going up Saunders Road. Guilty for allowing City to break again and again from our corners and free-kicks. Finally put out of his misery after an attempted cross into box from 15 yards out finished up as a throw-in by the half way line. Terrible, terrible, terrible. Please play anyone else: 0

Pedersen: One of his best efforts for ages, should shoot from outside the box more: 8

Diouf: Created little, fairly solid; 6.5

Roberts and McCarthy: big lumps, huffed and puffed as usual but no cohesion between them and never really looked like scoring. Hopefully they will be 3rd and 4th choice once Nicola and Di Santo are fully fit. 4.5 each

Gallgher: Better than Andrews: 6

Di Santo, Hoillet: never got enough of the ball to make an impact: 6

Not too downhearted tonight, especially with the injured lot to come back. Still work to do though, creatively and corners/free-kicks.

As for City, they are a long way from top 4 at the moment, but will probably improve. No way we will have that much of the game against United, Chelsea etc. So 5th or 6th i'd say. For a team that have spent a quarter of a billion pouds more than us in the last 2 years, the margin of vicory was basically a slip today.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Now Hughes is running his mouth again.

What's he said?

[Guest ErinBrown]

Now Hughes is running his mouth again.

To be fair he did say we were a hard team to play against...

[imy9]

Please.

By going to the effort of trying to defend his spectacular failure at Newcastle I can only assume that you ARE in fact Sam Allardyce.

Huh? Spectacular failure? Would you say relegation is a spectacular failure or mid table? He got 8 months in a job and had a better win/loss ratio than Keegan, Roeder, Shearer and Kinnear, what do the stats say on that one? Seriously expected something better than I'm Sam Allardyce- wrong colour and waist size for a start

[Plastic Head]

Damn! I have to have a hard season again. *sigh*

Don't worry too much yet my friend, we're in much better shape than we were in December.

And their are a lot of poor teams this season.

[imy9]

spencey7 gone on ignore.

ditto

[RovertheHill]

Lots of positives for me

The crowd. Nzonzi - very good first game. Always up for the ball and moves it quickly and simply. After a few games when he's up to the pace of the prem I think he'll be a find. Jacobsen - good, and reasonably solid except against Bellamy's pace - but then most players struggle against him. Looks like Gamst has buggered off and Pedersen is back - finally. Diouf his usual self - always wants it, creates problems. As does Roberts - if he could score we couldn't afford him. Di Santo and Junior look like an injection of pace into the side although didn't see enough of them really. Can't see Andrews lasting long as a starter on that performance.

City will not finish top four, although the refs are treating them differently already.

Bad result, but good performance. We need a cutting edge though - we had 30 minutes of sustained pressure, and despite what Spencey says we cut them open several times - but we must take those chances.

[Exiled_Rover]

Very pleased with the performance, the only difference between the teams was the gulf in funds. City were clinical when they needed to be and broke quickly - both aspects of a footballer that cost vast amounts of money. You can understand why they're so desperate to sign Lescott, they need a commanding centre half to take the pressure off a very shaky Toure (Dunne is finished).

Based on that performance we're going to finish comfortably midtable - higher still if we can find a creative midfielder to go alongside the impressive N'Zonzi (he's going to be a star - we'll move him on for a fair profit in a few years, as is our way).

Good games were had across the park - I'd like to single out Diouf for particular praise though, he played his socks off today. McCarthy also looked interested for the first time in a while and looked dangerous as a result. Sadly Roberts and Andrews need to be relegated to squad player status or shipped out entirely - neither one is up to standard. Di Santo looked eager to please when he came on and looked the part - quick/strong/skillful.

Sadly we didn't take one of the multitude of chances we created and as a consequence City made us pay. Both goals were the result of defensive errors, but both finishes were clinical (though I'd argue Ireland is the Invisible Man rather than Superman. He'll be shipped out sharpish if City want to go anywhere).

[Amo]

Yup, time to add Spencey to the ranks of Waggy.

You're not here to give an honest analysis of proceedings, you just want to irrationally slate Allardyce and his methods at every opportunity. Here's a hint: Don't waste your breath.

Are you *honestly* surprised that our football was often direct? Do you seriously think Keith Andrews and N'Zoni are going to monopolize the midfield against Gareth Barry and Stephen Ireland? Sam can only play to the strengths of those available to him.

We did well today, and had we taken our chances it would have been a different game. Since we never, we were always going to be susceptible to a second goal.

[Plastic Head]

- The minutes appluase was a spine tingling moment,

It was for me, I ricked my back picking up the baby and had just put some deep heat on before I set off.

[goragaz]

ditto

Yes I might do that.

why does he say hurtful things.

1 we were brilliant today N'zoni played with real grit

2 we showed that citeh dont like it up them

I wish Spencey Wasnt allowed to post he gets me down

[beerwins]

I thought we played very well , lots of effort and some decent football at times, the only difference was the finishing but with the amount of money citeh have blown on strikers that has to be expected, still thought centre mid area wasnt strong enough but when di santo is firing and kalinic is introduced i think we will be fine.

I cant understand the negative posts towards sam or his football yes some of its long but it was no difference than under hughes, long ball to wing, get to byline and cross in.

Some positives was the amount of times peds got to the back post from jaconbsons crosses and benni looked a lot more fired up than last season, looking forward to this season tbh, any that arent keen on sams football need not watch or bother commenting the same repetetive posts trying to convince others they are right, make do with what you have or go elswhere.

[berkshireblue]

Did nt go today my cousin took my season ticket

Were there citeh fans in the JW when they scored or more scare mongering asa per usual?

[PAFELL]

spencey7 gone on ignore.

How do you do that?

[Amo]

How do you do that?

View Member Profile > Options > Ignore User.

Voila!

[Gav]

Did nt go today my cousin took my season ticket

Were there citeh fans in the JW when they scored or more scare mongering asa per usual?

I had a quick look around the ground, hardly a City fan in the home areas from what I could see.