Manchester City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Rigadon]

We created a couple of chances in the first half and were unlucky not to score from Benteke's header but that's pretty much the last time I can remember us being in their box.  We conceded a terrible goal just before half time which more or less decided it.  The two penalty decisions (one terrible, the other unspeakable) put the seal on it and it was help yourself after that.

No-one was expecting three points, very few were expecting one so points-wise it's as you were (for us at least) but the goal difference and more importantly the morale and confidence will have taken a battering.

Who are the kids going to look to in the dressing room for inspiration, authority, fight and morale?  I just don't know at this point, which is very worrying indeed.

Difficult to argue with that. 

The linesman should be ashamed of that performance. 

[Breezeblock]

i've got to contend with two plastic redscouse, a plastic redmanc and my gaffer who's a strripey on monday. Fuck this shit, i'm ringing in sick!

[ian c.]

The linesman made a complete mockery of the game. Nothing should be read into what happened after the first penalty.

Can't believe some of the players shook the linesman's hand.

If our management team ignores what happened afterwards we will definitely go down. It was an appalling and criminal decision, but that made it 2-0. You don't give up at 2-0.

I don't think we did give up at 2-0.  That happened at 3-0.

Let's hope we can pick ourselves up and get something out of next week.

[Rigadon]

I'd add that we need to beat at least of 2 of QPR, Reading and Stoke or it's going to look very ominous going into the Liverpool/Chelsea/Spurs run around xmas...

[Ducksworthy]

What happened? Where did it all go wrong?

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Goal 1 - We should have had a foul for the high foot
Goal 2 - Never a penalty as long as I have a whole in my arse.
Goal 3 - See goal 2
Goal 4 - Deflection, but Guzan could have done better
Goal 5 - We'd given up

Gabby and Wiemann were as much use as a cock at a lesbian convention and neither contributed anything, you can add Ireland as well.

The 2nd and 3rd goals destroyed us, it's no wonder the players gave up after that. I fucking hate Man City, not only can the buy the best players, today they clearly bought the officials too. Wankers.

[Dan England]

I think there's a lot of over the top reactions. We were in a game until a horrendous Linesman decision. This side is better than last years. We will stay up. Lambert has had just 12 league games to make changes. We will have a far better second half to the season. Suck it up and move on.

*Puts on tin hat and ducks*

[peter w]

Good defending first-half. Two unlucky penalties,a deflected own-goal, and when heads down an easy 5th. Going to be a long season. We've get relegation type goal difference.Once we've played Arsenal we've got some very very important games.

[LeeB]

I think there's a lot of over the top reactions. We were in a game until a horrendous Linesman decision. This side is better than last years. We will stay up. Lambert has had just 12 league games to make changes. We will have a far better second half to the season. Suck it up and move on.

*Puts on tin hat and ducks*

I'm with you pal.

[PaulWinch again]

It's very important we get experienced quality into the club in January. However we absolutely have to get 9 points in our next four games.

[Percy McCarthy]

Nice to read a few posters keeping their chins up. Hopefully the players can too.

It sounds mad after 0-5 but I still think we're decent.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

The jig was up when we lost 4-1 at Southampton.

Our Midfield squad is hopelessly sub-standard.
Bannan is awful, El Ahmadi is Wigan-esque, Westwood needs time that we haven't got, Ireland is a complete under achiever and Holman is the proverbial headless chicken.

We're deeply in the shit and I can't see how we're going to get out of it.

[Dan England]

I think there's a lot of over the top reactions. We were in a game until a horrendous Linesman decision. This side is better than last years. We will stay up. Lambert has had just 12 league games to make changes. We will have a far better second half to the season. Suck it up and move on.

*Puts on tin hat and ducks*

I'm with you pal.

Two wins and we are mid table. It will be an up and down season, we are not adrift at the bottom and the players have faith in the gaffer. So should we.

[littlevillain]

a minor blip in our 2yr plan to premier league domination.

[pauliewalnuts]

Winning a couple of games on the bounce would make all the difference for us The problem is, I can't see that happening

Losing today is no big shock and is not why we are where we are. That's due to losing to or failing to beat teams who are nowhere near as good as Man City.

If we don't strengthen significantly in Janiary then the result of these young players in a relegation battle will quite possibly be us going down.

Pinning our hopes on kids alone is never going to be enough. This squad is nothing like strong enough, it is not a top flight squad. That is not the fault of Lambert or the players - it is this weak because it has been eroded over time in a battle to sort the wage bill by an absentee owner who got bored very quickly and whose stewardship of the club the last few years has been woeful.

It's easy to say that this fixture or that is really tough and what do you expect etc etc but if you looked at the PL squads on paper and marked out those we "should" beat, there aren't many if them.  That's what happens when you start relying on - not blooding, actually relying on - players who were playing in the lower leagues till very recently.