Greenlizard0 Weekend Football Thread ** spoilers ** [5th - 8th May 2012]

Andybtsn said:
Hmm, you seem to contradict yourself there, City's defensive record is extremely good this year and that's due to the fact they've rarely had injuries so attack. So it can't be classed as a weakness? Their away form was poor at times but that wasn't down to their defence but more Mancini.

Dzeko is a major liability, as is Ballatelli, since Tevez has been back City have been in superb form..

I agree Man U would have conceded less with Vidic available but I think City would have been a lot more prolific in attack if Tevez hadn't turned into a moron.
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Sorry, that's not what I meant. My point is that City have a plethora of world class players in attack, but in their defence, not so much, and they have been extremely lucky with injuries at the back. Take Tevez out of that unit and you still have Aguero, Balotelli, Dzeko, Silva, Nasri, Toure, Johnson - £200m worth of attacking talent! The fact that they weren't firing for much of the season was more Mancini's fault for shunting players out of position to get as many of the above players on the pitch as possible. Balotelli actually did Mancini a huge favour by getting himself suspended because he really wasn't contributing anything in the latter part of the season but the manager had persisted with him. City looked a better team after Aguero went back up top rather than playing as a wide forward and Tevez was forced to take Balotelli's place.

If you take Kompany out of City's defence then they're down to Toure or Savic, neither of whom are fit to lace Kompany's boots and offer none of his leadership qualities. In the 3 games Kompany missed through suspension in January, City conceded 4 goals. Kompany also missed the 1-1 draw at Stoke in March through injury. It's also worth noting that in both games where the defence was shuffled and Kompany returned to the starting XI after injury/suspension City dropped points (vs Everton away and vs Sunderland at home).

Even with Tevez's absence, City have still scored two more goals than United and have earned plenty of plaudits for their attacking play. As an aside, it is concerning that they have scored more goals away from home than United despite Mancini's turgid tactics on their travels. :o Crucially, however, United are six goals worse off than City defensively, and I have no doubt that Vidic's absence is a huge factor in this. Bedding in a new keeper and the likes of Jones, Smalling and Evans would have been a hell of a lot easier with the presence of our club captain.

In many ways it was hugely appropriate that Kompany ended up scoring the winner on Monday night after getting a run on Smalling because he has been the difference between the two sides this year. And who would have been marking him at the corner were he fit? Undoubtedly Vidic.
 
Juve unbeaten too. Wow..

We need threads for Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A next season, all leagues I keep tabs on but no where to post. The Spanish Thread is just a Ronaldo/Messi fest :D (Deservedly mind)
 
Andybtsn said:
If Man U had Vidic all season and if Tevez had featured all season too...I still think City would have won it.
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There are a number of players who had they been available throughout, would likely have made more than a point difference to their side.
However, only one is from City (Tevez) with Fletcher, Vidic, Anderson and Cleverly all missing huge amount of games for us.
But I think it's injurys to defenders specifically which most cost us.
Personally, I think we have dropped far more points because of silly goals than City have by not scoring.
Still, there's always next year. I hope Smalling is given the chance to establish himself as first choice, he's probably Englands best youngster after Wilshere and could reach the very top imo!
 
Juve have been really, really good this season at times.

They have a very good shots v possession ratio too :)

I'd love a 'European thread' for the start of next season, or if you wanted individual threads for the European (best) Leagues.

/Back on topic, Lee Dixon :D Alan Shearer :mad:
 
Tummy said:
Juve have been really, really good this season at times.

They have a very good shots v possession ratio too :)

I'd love a 'European thread' for the start of next season, or if you wanted individual threads for the European (best) Leagues.

/Back on topic, Lee Dixon :D Alan Shearer :mad:
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Did you see Ibra being wound up by Cesar for the penalty? What a moron
 
Well, the only good thing I can say about this weekend is that we're still third placed, somehow. :D

Let's just win the game against QPR and get this crappy season over with. At least we've managed to get a little bit of transfer business done early for a change, ship out the dead wood, bring in one or two new faces, get RVP to sign a contract extension, get Walcott to not sign a contract extension and we're ready for a fresh start next season. I feel like a broken record, I think I was here last year. :p
 
Ex Owl Brunt :cool:

Got quite a few ex Wednesday players in the Premier League actually; Jones, Brunt, Whelan :)
 
Depends on who comes in to Replace Roy at West Brom.

/re Chiles; I can not stand that man, can't post my view of him or several other people whom work in football, or write about football though :p it's really not forum friendly.
 
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