Kostas

Random rant: Would it unfair to compare Gael to Arsenal's Andrei Arshavin?They both have a brilliant first touch and the ability to single-handedly turn a game around but on a bad day can go missing and practically leaving their team with 10 men.

Matic was named in the Eredivisie team of the week.

Starting a 17year old in a European game without securing the group,who would have thought we would be talking about it 3 months ago?

It's a season-long loan,theoretically we could because of the good relationship between the clubs but I don't think we will.

It is worth pointing out that that tactic absolutely failed against Inter,I was glad we didn't resort to long balls.The similarities to that Inter game are too many,I dread what will happen in the home game against City as our pitch is much smaller and it will be easier for them to close spaces.

For all the recent McEachran obsession I'd love to see Kakuta getting more than 20 minutes.

Interesting how we all focused on that exact pic.TX has a point.

Josh McEachran may play against OM link

The club has handled the Goalkeeper situation poorly. They loaned Delac to Vitesse where he has so far played exactly 0 minutes and loaned Taylor to Crewe effectively leaving us with two #3 and a yougnish Walker who's playing in the reserves,maybe they hoped Stoke would give in but they didn't.

Timing is very important with goalkeepers. We are currently entering our 2nd season without a #2 goalkeeper(!)

Random ramblings : The ref was bad,but he was nowhere as bad as some here made him to be,I for one remember that Mikel got away with a yellow card after an obstruction to that cunt.We certainly did not lose the game because of him,and I reckon Drogba can handle physical play better.Anyone calling that reff incompetent should remember the Barcelona game.That said Boyata should have been sent off,no question about it.Ramires grew into the game in the 1st half,but that was only because he was bloody awful in the beginning and for much of the 2nd half.He lost possession one way or another at least a dozen times(one of which lead to the decisive goal).I'm not blaming him cause his still adapting and everything but you can't look over his performance.He will have better games.Can't blame Ancelotti for his changes,it's not like he had many choices.Drogba had to come off cause he was bloody useless;keeping him on the pitch would only give Man City more time with his stimulating and whining,wonder if starting him off the bench like in the United game would be a better choice.Sturridge had a huge chance to prove his worth but he didn't do much,he certainly couldn't change the game from the right wing.McEachran was comfortable but I've come to expect that from him.Credit to Manchester City players for their sublime defending,they may have been dirty more than a few times but they were sound defensibly.They're not half decent,they're better than pretenders like Arsenal but lack the consistency to challenge.Not many top sides will get 3 points at the CoM this season,I've said this before the game and unfortunately we confirmed that.I thin that this was our best chance to beat them for a while,they're still very much a new team and are going through an injury crisis.Zhirkov looked more determined than half our players when he came in,still he cannot play in the midfield.We were defensively sound,bar that one City goal where everyone fucked up we didn't have the shocks we had against them last year,Mikel's performance and their defensive approach certainly helped.Man City are beyond doubt our bogey team,we might as well accept it now.And god I hate that Argie troll.I know most are going to get defensive over this but it really was our first test and we failed.This might cost us in a competitions like the CL.We're top of the league.

They might as well have payed Malouda and Drogba,the referee wasn't good enough but neither were we.

Josh is coming on for Ramires,here's a nice surprise.Can't say I expect him to chance things.

Boyata finally got a yellow card.

Zhirkov for Mikel Doesn't make much sense to me since Zhirkov can't play at CM.

Great shot by Nicolas. And another shocking miss by Essien..

Guess I should be happy with ESPN then.Mikel has been our best player 'nough said

Man City have been very phisical against us,had the referee not been whistle-shy we would have gotten many fouls.They're gonna crush Arsenal like ants with those players. Lamps would have made a difference but Ramires grew into the game.

HT Neither side really bossed the game.

Damn it Michael.

Bad tackle but they'll have to try harder to harm Bran.

Mikel has been quite good so far.

FUCKING HELL !!

Here's a good SopCast stream : Channel - 82153

PC is overrated.