MAN CITY 2 – 3 Manchester United – MY THOUGHTS
8 Aug
In an odd sense, that’s mission accomplished. Yes, the result wasn’t the one we were looking for, but the most important thing is that we escaped any injuries, the players got a tough 90 minutes under their belts, a bonus with the season only a week away, and there were some positive signs. Only an uncharacteristic Vincent Kompany error settled the game, so it is with hope, rather than a feeling of despair, that I look forward to the visit of Swansea.
Imagine that had happened in the FA Cup semi-final and just think how deflated we would have felt. And then banish that thought because this was a meaningless game in terms of setting a marker or gaining a physchological upper hand. In effect, it was a superb game for the fitness of both teams, as good a pre-season friendly as possible, but the result is unimportant.
There were a few disappointing City trademarks, such as the lack of width, complete absence of tempo from midfield and perhaps most worryingly, the inability of our midfield to gain a foothold in the game when United pressed in the second half. They are aspects of our play which can be worked on, but this is still pre-season, the players are finding their feet and I don’t think we should be too concerned.
To that side, add in Sergio Aguero, who surprisingly remained on the bench for the entirety of the match, and probably another couple of top quality footballers and you are looking at a side which could seriously challenge for the Premier League title. Vincent Kompany, apart from his error, was solid, whilst some of Edin Dzeko’s hold up play looked vastly improved from the end of the previous campaign.
Joleon Lescott still looked incredibly nervous in possession although he is someone who generally improves over time, but Aleks Kolarov seemed to have neglected his defensive play. Gael Clichy will soon replace him, I would have thought.
It is clear to see we need support for David Silva, as there is too much emphasis on him to be the sole creative influence. The pursuit of Samir Nasri would suggest Roberto Mancini is seeking to solve that problem, but apart from minor details here and there, I think we’re set for a potentially very exciting season.
So don’t get too downheartened by this loss. The players will be far better off for getting 90 tough minutes under their belts, Mancini will see what needs tweaking and I expect us to be fully ready come Monday night and the visit of Swansea.
I hear what you are saying, but this match so reminded me of the game in ’93. There again, I couldn’t believe we were 2-0 up at half time. I rang my rag mate who wouldn’t answer his phone and sang 2-0 over and over again onto his answerphone. You know what happened there, and he rang me at full time and played it back.
Yesterday, I drove down with so much optimism, but they played a high line, pressed the defence and closed us down and didn’t let us get our passing game together. Again, I couldn’t believe we were 2-0 up and when a bloke said to me “We haven’t won yet”, I replied to him “This is the new City, not the old one…” it broke my heart to see them come back and beat us.
I had today off as I didn’t know what time I would get back last night, but am expecting my desk to be daubed and covered in crap in the morning along with the typical rag shite all day…and probably for the rest of the week…I can only console myself by the thought that hopefully Mancini will address the blatant issues that need addressing…
I’m not sure if I share your optimism. Defeat I can live with but it was more the manner of it that galled me.. We played for ten minutes of the 90 and I thought the score-line flattered us. We were completely over-run in midfield my United’s average (at best) midfield.. I wouldn’t have known Yaya was playing for long periods of the game and I hope it doesn’t take him as long as last season to get to the level of fitness required. Nervous in possession is a nice way of describing Lescott. He’s not a center back that is capable of playing with a top four club in England.. He’s like the English version of Kevin Kilbane.. If he’s under pressure or not the ball is pumped high and aimlessly up the line for the left-winger to run after.. We need another center-back.. Kompany’s was a rare mistake and no harm in it happening in such a meaningless game. I’m sure we will have no problem dispatching Swansea on Monday next but against the better sides I’m not so sure.. I would like to have thought we would be challenging for the title this season. On Sunday’s performance we’re a long, long way from it..
We lost the game to United’s athleticism and the fitness level of out team. However; there are a few issues that are reminiscent of last season’s shortcomings and Mancini does need to address them:
1- Our chronic problem of conceding goals in dying minutes. The number of games in which we have conceded last minutes goals or barely got away with it is far too many for Manchester City team
2- Our chronic inability of shutting the game down and not defend deep after we are in healthy lead against top teams.
3- Lescott has improved greatly but he is not a top class defender for critical games against top teams like United or Chelsea and is prone to one to two fatal mistakes in those games, though I do hope he gets better and better as he has come a long way[too bad Boateng never got a chance as CB]
4- As mentioned in the article, we do need a top class creative midfielder to ease up things on David Silva, we can not expect him to have magic hat to pull a rabbit out in every game.
5- The absence of a high caliber winger much like Nani was apparent throughout the game in City. Introduction of Adam Johnson made a bit of impact but he is not a 90 minute winger and tends to fade away whenever he starts a game.
With all said, new season has just begun and It is a very good time to be a City fan as great things lie ahead. Season after season we have improved and I do not see why this season can be any different.
They won the game far and square…. better team on the day but they had to be…they were smarting from their humiliation against Barca and loosing the semi-final last time we met – so naturally they were up for it…
It was a friendly and means nothing – the Rag media has gone into overdrive proclaiming that they are champions elect already – I guarantee that won’t be the case – next season will be as close as ever…
Just listened to the BlueTuesday Podcast
good job – hope you gave Lakey a pat on the back for his book – what a compelling read – haven’t put it down yet
It was a meaningless friendly if we won it and a serious marker for the coming season if Nited won it, we were on a hiding to nothing either way. Already the media are doing their best to put ickle Citeh in their place at any opportunity, even Fergie’s mouthpiece Quasimodo Neville joined in yesterday. He labeled Balotelli as an “embarrassment” after he left the pitch for the dressing room, only to return a short while later. The fact that Evra did exactly the same seems to be lost on the “bootlicker”, as Carlito rightfully once named him. So it’s siege mentalities all round again chaps, I hope it was a minor footballing blip, onwards and upwards.
It’s the same on bitter and blue but I have been very disheartened by this performance. I could not believe that we were two goals up at the break and I expected a fightback. But we were destroyed and rightfully so as we were disgaceful. The intensity and pace of United;s game was startling and have made me think about the fitness levels of our players.
As soon as Smalling took his goal we were well and truly rattled and I am worried about how easily bullied we allowed ourselves to be. We do need another creative player bar Silva but I do not understand how Milner cannot fill that void.
So much to ponder
Bad performance, but on the bright side it’s better to have those kind of performances in meaningless games. No points lost, no exit from major competition and we can learn from it. So a costless exercise that hopefully we can learn from.
look it was a friendly utd looked fitter because they had full pre season together we have not also utd will NOT play beter than that all season will WILL once all our sqaud is fit and together utd use SIX subs to beat us and though we did not play well we scored twice against the so called best team in the world [sky sports] kompanys error was avoidable they scored won the world cup [sky sports]sorry comunity shield 3/2 cheer up fellow blues the season starts on monday just heard mario might be blamed for these riots in london [sky sports]stick together blues we will conquere
UNBELIEVEABLE. That’s the only thing I can think about rite now. What’s so unbelieveable? The fact that Manchester United were 2-0 at half-time, and still managed to win! Our midfielders were ZERO, Yaya Toure put a a really diappointing performance. United definitely deserved to win, they were the better team. Like Caig Stephens said, it’s a just a friendly, City can learn from their mistakes and hopefully hammer Swansea!!