Manchester City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Dante Lavelli]

I'm not buying all this 'outclassed' shit. We gifted them 3 goals. Two from corners and one from Warnock trying to do  Doug Ellis.

We were our own worst enemy today - Milner's goal was class and the only one I can excuse.

True I was going to write similar.  They did create a few, not loads, of other chances however.
I just hope we got our bad defending day out of the way against this lot as we cannot afford it against lesser teams.

[Legion]

Makes me angry about football, not Villa.

To be expected. Forget it and move on. Three points next week will do. Any less will be very disappointing.

Exactly this. Predictable scoreline. There are a lot of teams bunched together who are all average, we are only 3 points behind Liverpool who spent loads. Man City and the other 1 or 2 are in a league of their own.

Exactly this again. I stopped receiving Sky Sports last weekend - and how liberating does that feel - and this result kinda symbolises exactly why. Another hugely mediocre Saturday afternoon in the Premier League passes me by...

More sadness than anger for me.

[PeterWithesShin]

I'm really glad I wasn't stupid enough to rebel rouse pre-match that we would win!

Another 3 points bought by the City filthy lucre. Fuck em and their money. The 3 we earn next week in the oldest derby will feel much sweeter than theirs did today.

[Villanation]

I'm not buying all this 'outclassed' shit. We gifted them 3 goals. Two from corners and one from Warnock trying to do  Doug Ellis.

We were our own worst enemy today - Milner's goal was class and the only one I can excuse.

Its a good point, 1st half, for all there money it certainly didn't show Villa where just as good, in fact I though Villa where slightly the better side in the first 20mins, maybe Gabby could have scored, maybe Heskey could have scored and maybe had that have been the case we may have seen a different outcome.

Then the mega rich concept would have seemed crap.

Still think with who this side have and left out its all out of kilter.

Still Villa will look back at the first half, we held our own, it was a good test of our character, if we can take a lesson from the first 45 then we will continue to do well IMO.
 

[richard moore]

Makes me angry about football, not Villa.

To be expected. Forget it and move on. Three points next week will do. Any less will be very disappointing.

Exactly... from twitter..

"Excitement continues at #mcfc where the real world equivalent of an FM cheat continues to help a failing small club to pyrrhic victories."

Beautifully put - exactly what my head thinks but I can't quite express so eloquently...

[SamTheMouse]

Agree about the midfield. Ireland seems promising to me, I think in a better side he'd look really good.

But the question we have to ask ourselves is: what exactly are Delph and Petrov for? What I would like to see is specialists. If you're going to compete with the big boys, you need athletic buggers who can stamp their authority on the game and stifle the supply to the opposing forwards. De Jong, Fellaini, etc.

Petrov and Delph are both lightweights, neither of them have any natural defensive ability, neither are especially quick or strong, they're both crap in the air, and Delph doesn't even have Stan's technical ability so he keeps giving the ball away or playing hospital passes to teammates.

We haven't had a strong, balanced midfield at Villa for years. I wish someone would sort it out.

[TimTheVillain]

Bring on the Baggies.

4-1 is what I predicted, so now we need 3 points next Saturday - that's about it really !

[PaulWinch again]

Also fair play to Milner for not celebrating, although that may have been because what's the point of celebrating in such a one sided contest.

[SamTheMouse]

My stream went down towards the end - did Milner celebrate his goal?

[Legion]

My stream went down towards the end - did Milner celebrate his goal?

No.

[SamTheMouse]

Also fair play to Milner for not celebrating, although that may have been because what's the point of celebrating in such a one sided contest.

Blimey, you must be psychic.

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

This was always going to be the real test, first quality side we have come up against and we lacked all over, our defence was shocking at times.

So forget the results we've got so far, the actual test is when we come up against a team of world class players after spending a sum we could only dream of? A team who will almost certainly finish in the top 4 and probably run other teams close for the championship?

Edit: Quite right, sorry Legion.

I haven't half had enough of some people on here seeming delighted whenever we lose, though, they can't wait to stick the boot in.

Complete rubbish. this is exactly the kind of team that tests the side, that shows the teams strengths and weaknesses. talking complete rubbish.

That shows the team’s strengths and weaknesses?  I suppose it does, but what did we actually learn from today?  That our central midfield is a bit lightweight compared with Toure and De Jong?  That Balotelli is a bit too good for the likes of Hutton and Warnock?  That all over the pitch we just aren’t as good as Citeh?  You don’t say.

As others have said, it’s a sad indictment of the current state of football that we knew we would probably lose this game, and we did.  We all know where our weaknesses are, today they were confirmed.  We have strengths too, but against a side like that they count for very little.  Even if our strongest XI played out of their skins Citeh have got enough quality on the pitch and on the bench to deal with it – they didn’t spend £300 zillion to lose at home to the likes of us.     

Griping about today’s game is pointless.  If you want to use it as a stick to beat McLeish or have a pop at any of the players, fine, but I’d say you should have a reality check before you give yourself an ulcer.  The best thing we can all do is forget it and move on.  Have a few drinks, enjoy your evening, and let’s look forward to a very sweet three points next week. 

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Also fair play to Milner for not celebrating, although that may have been because what's the point of celebrating in such a one sided contest.

It was a goal worth celebrating by any standards. Pure class, from the 50 yard ball he played out to start the move to the most beautiful of finishes into the top corner.

Milner previously showed his true character last season for us against West Ham so today was no surprise. The lad has respect.

[barrysleftfoot]

  One other thing, were they fitter than us?

  Barry left 2 years ago, and yet on todays performance his running off the ball was more noticeable than he ever did for us.

 That was the big difference today, when they had the ball their urgency and movement was much more superior to ours.

[Villan For Life]

  One other thing, were they fitter than us?

  Barry left 2 years ago, and yet on todays performance his running off the ball was more noticeable than he ever did for us.

 That was the big difference today, when they had the ball their urgency and movement was much more superior to ours.

Better players around him probably helps.