Manchester City vs Aston Villa Match Thread

[Astnor]

The support for Cash from Traore is not very good - again I think

[Edvard Remberg]

Jack looked under par

[jcsutv]

Still not sure what happened when Cash and Mings kept the shot out from the headed down corner. Think I have seen it 5 times.

[Ads]

Excellent from Targett. Some rustiness from McGinn in transition. Barkley and Traore not switched on quite fully for different reasons in the final third. Traore with decision making and Barkely in execution.

Gifted something daft in the first minute and caught on the break just before half time, bar that we've defended well.

We have such threat on the break. Positive all things considered.

Now let's not do what we did last year at the start of the 2nd half.

[Smithy]

Citeh are brilliant
But paradoxically they are beatable.

All fart and no shit, as my grandad would say.  They'll dominate possession, and knock it around one-touch looking great - but they're not creating that many good chances (yet).

Blimey - mockers.

Obviously. But not meant like that.  City are as likely as anyone to be top scorers in the league.  But sometimes they can look like world-beaters with the way they play, but without being properly threatening.  Sometimes they 'click', but they haven't so far, and we have to hope they continue looking great without scoring :-)

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

A really good half, City are always going to have the vast majority of the ball, that's a given, but we're doing well restricting the number of clear cut chances they're getting (which isn't many - I think 2 shots on target?). We also look dangerous on the break.  I just hope we can keep up this effort for 90 minutes given the last fortnight we've had of restricted training - it must have has 'some' effect on fitness, surely?

They've had more shots on Targett.

[Lastfootstamper]

Citeh have not led at half time in only 4 games so far this season. They've gone on to draw one, lost the other 3.

Just sayin'.

[SoccerHQ]

Too many unforced errors, we are giving the ball away all the time and asking the defence to keep bailing us out. Can not last long.

It's the first time I've properly noticed just how good City's pressing is. When they lose possession the whole side goes into a pressing frenzy for half a dozen seconds.  It makes it very difficult to get anything going yourself.  I bet their stats for regaining possession within five or six seconds of losing it are pretty good.

They've only been doing last 3 and a half years.....

Hoping they don't bring Mahrez on as he usually rips us to bits like last season at VP. Think with way they're playing Gabriel Jesus would poach one in 6 yard box so that's two obvious subs for them to make.

We were in at 0-0 last season and then conceded 20 seconds after kick off so need to be a bit sharper here as we will get some chances the longer it's 0-0.

Big unknown is how our long out intensity will hold up for given the lack of training.

[CT]

The support for Cash from Traore is not very good - again I think

When they attack down the right, Jack is right there with Targett. On the left, Traore is always a few yards forward of Cash and City keep exploiting that.

Still think we’re doing superbly considering our break, and the fact they’re bang in form.

[The Edge]

Citeh have not led at half time in only 4 games so far this season. They've gone on to draw one, lost the other 3.

Just sayin'.

So's Robbie Savage. He's actually been quite complimentary which is a bit of a surprise.

[villadelph]

I think we've rattled them.Pep looking stressed,one or two City players not comfortable.Let's go at them.

Pep is a proper spaz.

[Mellin]

Good game for Trez this. Shame. I'd get Ghazi on though.

[andyh]

Commentators keep banging on about fitness and us fading.
They forget how fit we are.

[Smithy]

Too many unforced errors, we are giving the ball away all the time and asking the defence to keep bailing us out. Can not last long.

It's the first time I've properly noticed just how good City's pressing is. When they lose possession the whole side goes into a pressing frenzy for half a dozen seconds.  It makes it very difficult to get anything going yourself.  I bet their stats for regaining possession within five or six seconds of losing it are pretty good.

They've only been doing last 3 and a half years.....

Hoping they don't bring Mahrez on as he usually rips us to bits like last season at VP. Think with way they're playing Gabriel Jesus would poach one in 6 yard box so that's two obvious subs for them to make.

We were in at 0-0 last season and then conceded 20 seconds after kick off so need to be a bit sharper here as we will get some chances the longer it's 0-0.

Big unknown is how our long out intensity will hold up for given the lack of training.

I don't really watch full premier league matches apart from our own (well, it's very rare), so I haven't seen them play 90 minutes very much at all in the last few years. I didn't watch them at all while we were in the championship. Plus highlight shows (on any channel) don't tend to show the 'boring' stuff where moves break down and sides regain possession.  It's the first time I've really paid attention to their patterns of play.  I might be nearly four years late in my assessment, but I got there in the end :-)

[jwarry]

Why do I not like Rio Ferdinand?