The Manchester Derby

Harpy

well that didn't go according to plan at all!! that wasn't a good performance at all!! Have to hand it to city though they did very well..as much as i hate to say it..come on liverpool!!

Xavi6

Well where do I start?!

What an unbelievable win, the best I have ever seen from City.

All this b*llox about a minute's silence. Our fans were a credit to the club and kept our good name intact. The blue and white scarves were a superb idea.

As for the game, there are heroes all over the park and in the dug out. Dunne and Richards proved their quality once again. Didi and Gelson were outstanding in the middle. Was Scholes playing?

Stephen Ireland played quality, the full backs didn't give Nani or Giggs a sniff. Petrov's crosses were stunning and Vas played unusually well. And now we have a new hero up front. Benjani looked well up for it and caused all sorts of problems for a very ordinary Ferdinand.

Sven Goran Eriksson is a legend. He had his tactics right and picked the perfect team (although I did predict it too earlier in this thread ).

34 f*cking years we've waited to win there and finally it's happened. We are a club on the up and Sven is going to take us even further.

Blue moon,
You saw me standing alone,
Without a dream in my heart,
Without a love of my own.

Sqaull20

I did not get to see the match, but where was the mighty Cristiano Ronaldo today?

adox

Xavi6 wrote: »

Well where do I start?!
All this b*llox about a minute's silence. Our fans were a credit to the club and kept our good name intact. The blue and white scarves were a superb idea.

I think the concerns were perfectly justified. City fans have been very disrespectful before about the Munich disaster as have other fans (including United) about other tragedies. Anyway respect to them. It was a great moment and renewed my belief in common decency being alive and well in todays society.

Unearthly

Sqaull20 wrote: »

I did not get to see the match, but where was the mighty Cristiano Ronaldo today?

Had a bad game

estebancambias

As I have already said, if we play Ireland off Robbie Keane with Andy Reid and S.Reid in the middle we will qualify for the World Cup.

Dcully

Hamman made a show of Scholes.

Harpy

Xavi6 wrote: »

Well where do I start?!

What an unbelievable win, the best I have ever seen from City.

All this b*llox about a minute's silence. Our fans were a credit to the club and kept our good name intact. The blue and white scarves were a superb idea.

have to agree with what you said it was a great performance by city..
and credit to their fans they were brillaint, don't think you'd get a better minutes silent there's usually at least one person during minutes silences that roar something but city were very respectful during it they did themselves proud and then to top it off with a win..not so happy about that part but they were by far the better team, we just didn't perform today

estebancambias

Unlike the game at Eastlands, City looked stylish and brilliant.

PHB

No Rooney gives United no shape, no structure. No striker at all just magnifies that problem. The result is disappointing but not unsurprising. Without a striker on the pitch, I don't know what people expect. This wasn't helped by the shambolic defending from Brown and O'Shea. Personally I think Vidic and Ferdinand were very good.

Petrov though, clearly MOM, was absolutely amazing.
Ireland looks such a talent, if only he'd ****ing play for us.

Xavi6

What a beautiful picture -

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44417000/jpg/_44417055_fans2_pa416.jpg

That's what football's about

OPENROAD

Harpy wrote: »

, there's usually at least one person during minutes silences that roar something but city were very respectful

Well done to city fans, the media blew it up really that problems would exist, Minute silences are usually 100% respected at Premiership grounds from my experience.

eirebhoy

Xavi6 wrote: »

Stephen Ireland played quality

The 15 minutes I watched convinced me that he's gonna be a class act. We've (Ireland) so many gifted attacking players now.

grames_bond

Xavi6 wrote: »

What a beautiful picture -

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44417000/jpg/_44417055_fans2_pa416.jpg

That's what football's about

i agree great picture!!

Xavi6

Ireland is currently streets ahead in the MOM poll on the City forum and got it on the official site too. Fully deserved and he got my vote.

From the match report on the official site -

The first dive from Ronaldo was timed at 17 minutes as Hamann got close in the penalty area

sligobhoy67

I was at the match today - in a directors box dont you know - the build up in Manchester this week was very strange - like a bit of a Mexican stand off.

Fair play to the blues for holding the minutes silence (apart from the guys outside - possibly behind the south stand who were letting off fireworks)

United run the first half with the Citeh back four working really hard - how the went in at half time behind I will never know, never mind two down - Ronaldo was great.

In the second half United were awol and Citeh dominanted - Dunne and Onhoua were great and Giggs faded badly - Nani should have been taken off early.

Verdict - Citeh just too good.

MOTM - Dunne

gosplan

sligobhoy67 wrote: »

Ronaldo was great.

just shows how different it all appears on TV

estebancambias

Yep, my dad was talking to a few guys from Newcastle on Friday and they say Duff is brilliant, even though its a common conception that he has struggled.

LostinBlanch

Personally speaking I don't understand how Hamman didn't get a yellow for that two footed lunge into Nani's back in the first 20 minutes. He then went on to commit at least 3 other fouls with no sanction. And SKY then give him MOM now that is just taking the piss.

sligobhoy67

gosplan wrote: »

just shows how different it all appears on TV

Just to clarify - I was talkin about the first half and problem the first half hour of that. Him and Giggs ran Michael Ball and and Micah Richards in circles

Villain

sligobhoy67 wrote: »

Just to clarify - I was talkin about the first half and problem the first half hour of that. Him and Giggs ran Michael Ball and and Micah Richards in circles

only problem is neither Ronaldo or Giggs had the ball at the time

eirebhoy

estebancambias wrote: »

Yep, my dad was talking to a few guys from Newcastle on Friday and they say Duff is brilliant, even though its a common conception that he has struggled.

Kevin Doyle vs Slovakia (at home) was one of those performances which couldn't be appreciated from the TV screens. Top class.

homerjay2005

kensutz wrote: »

Wasn't it a gun salute.

lads, what the hell was it?? other forums are claiming all sorts, some are saying fireworks for other celebrtions, others are saying fans leaving off bangers outside the stadium....all i say is that its very weird and does not make sense that there would be an event DURING a minutes silence. surely when placing the wreaths would have been the time.

kaimera

wow, city had a great defensive display today.

by the time carrick slotted home they didn't care. Pld Sven.

shane86

eirebhoy wrote: »

Kevin Doyle vs Slovakia (at home) was one of those performances which couldn't be appreciated from the TV screens. Top class.

Indeed. As were Duff and Hunt on the night (which as Dunphy mentioned after the Slovak away game made his ommission all the more bizarre, the Slovaks must have been bricking it at the thought of the caveman coming on, yet he never did), the Slovaks defended their arse off that night, otherwise it could have went 3-0.

quarryman wrote: »

hilarious stuff, united fans; always entertaining

Indeed

Its never particularly nice to see a team lose in a "tribute match", be it for a recently deceased player or an anniversary, but well done to Man City. Hope it keeps Man U from winning the prem and somehow simultanouesly hope it doesnt cost Liverpool their CL spot.

scruff321

really enjoyed that match today

btw who got man of the match?

PHB

I heard it was Dunne, but imo it was defo Petrov

Paul Tergat

MOM was didi hamman

Thanx 4 The Fish

Not deserved TBH, Hamann did play well but so did Petrov. I think dunne was certainly a contender mind. Anyway, well done City, better team and deserved the win on the day.

eirebhoy

Dunne 36%
Ireland 17%
Benjani 9%
Petrov 8%
Richards 8%
Hamann 6%
Fernandes 6%
Onuoha 3%
Vassell 3%
Hart 2%
Ball 2%

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/

Xavi6

eirebhoy wrote: »

Dunne 36%
Ireland 17%
Benjani 9%
Petrov 8%
Richards 8%
Hamann 6%
Fernandes 6%
Onuoha 3%
Vassell 3%
Hart 2%
Ball 2%

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/

Who Gets Your Vote?

Hart 4% [ 4 ]
Onuoha 1% [ 1 ]
Richards 10% [ 9 ]
Dunne 15% [ 13 ]
Ball 1% [ 1 ]
Ireland 25% [ 21 ] x
Petrov 11% [ 10 ]
Hamann 8% [ 7 ]
Fernandes 11% [ 10 ]
Vassell 4% [ 4 ]
Benjani 4% [ 4 ]

From mancityfans.net

Dave!

Richards for me

Xavi6

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3346157.ece

Certainly something was missing from United’s performance, which Carlos Queiroz, the assistant manager, predictably put down to midweek friendly internationals, as if City had a team of carthorses, untroubled by such commitments (for the record, the best player on the pitch, Richard Dunne, the City captain, played 90 minutes for Ireland against Brazil, who are believed to be quite good).

Brilliant from Martin Samuel

PHB

Personally I think United looked quite tired, but instead of putting them down to international games, maybe it was the trip to Saudi Arabia

gosplan

"When i saw what the fixture was at this time at the beginning of the season I said "who the hell chose that?"," the Scot told the Sunday Express.

"It puts pressure on the clubs. We could easily have had Middlesbrough at home or something like that. "

Ha ha, the more I look back on his comments, the more I think that shrewd Fergie knew where this match was going and how much pressure his players would be under.

Mr Alan

Super game. Super result.

City were superb. United were awful.

The City fans were a shining example to all other fans of how to be respectful, i didnt think they'd be able to manage it but they did and deserve a lot of credit for it.

*and homerjay, it wasnt me who suggested that Utd got the game moved to match the derby, it was Tauren, i simply said it was stupid if they did.

Nunu

Nunu wrote: »

Really looking forward to this poignant game tomorrow...absolutely gutted I couldn't get a ticket.

First off a minutes silence is the most appropriate tribute to the disaster pre game.

Secondly, all this talk about whether it will be respected or not is pissing me of too. Maybe I'm naive but I expect it to be universally respected. If it sadly isn't then lets talk about it then...a lot of lads on here getting all worked up about how City fans better keep silent...it's like some are almost willing them to disrespect it so Manchester City Football Club can be villified!

I for one am glad we are facing City on this 50th aniversary - a Manchester Derby with both teams wearing special kits is just perfect in my opinion.

I'm going to go 3 - 0 Utd.... Ronaldo, Scholes and Giggs;)

Well done to every single fan that was at the game...City fans never should have been doubted in the first place.

Regarding the game:(
The only solace i havre is that throughout the season Utd have reacted to defeat by going on an immediate good run. This time around it's needed again. anything less and we are out of the title race...and probably FA Cup.

grames_bond

i think we are all in agreement, utd were muck, city were great (and im a utd fan) i hope the bounce back-ability of utd will be BIG!!

Mikeyt086

on the MOM stuff, i nearly got sick when Hamman got it.

Dunne and Ireland were world class, Hamman was lucky to still be on the pitch at half time.

Mr Alan

Hamman is class.

Mikeyt086

I agree. Wasnt the best on the pitch yesterday though.

Mr Alan

wasnt far from it, from wat i saw.

grames_bond

people are totally raving about stephen irelands performance, i honestly thaught he had a good game but nothing to the extent of the hype imo, dunne definatley should have gotten man of the match he was amazing!!

cournioni

Just back... Pile of rubbish. End of.

eirebhoy

grames_bond wrote: »

people are totally raving about stephen irelands performance, i honestly thaught he had a good game but nothing to the extent of the hype imo

I'm pretty certain he's gonna get this comment for the rest of his career. Same as Seedorf.

grames_bond

eirebhoy wrote: »

I'm pretty certain he's gonna get this comment for the rest of his career....

i think he's got the potential to be a brilliant player, but i didnt think he had all that amazing a game! good just not amazing!

Xavi6

grames_bond wrote: »

people are totally raving about stephen irelands performance, i honestly thaught he had a good game but nothing to the extent of the hype imo, dunne definatley should have gotten man of the match he was amazing!!

Ireland has been slated by City fans for the past 6 weeks or so for his sh1te performances. On Sunday he made everyone sit up and realise what a truly smashing player he reallly is.

Up to this season he was always deemed to light and too small to ever be a top Premiership player. He is slowly proving everyone wrong. The guy is barely in his early 20s and showed great maturity at the weekend, putting in a flawless performance. Taking everything into consideration he was my MOM.

Xavi6

Best excuse yet (taken from one of the youtube vids of the game) -

"man city were lucky that united were sad if we wunt of been sad wudda trashed them. were the busby babes"

And from Darius Vassell -

"The Manager told us how long it was since the last City win here and that was all he had to say to inspire us."

Dave!

Jayzus, if only successive City managers had thought to point that out over the past 30-odd years! Sven you genius!

PHB

I thought Ireland was great on Sunday. Not the best player on the pitch, indeed I'd say he was the 4th best player after Petrov, Dunne and Hamann, but he showed a touch of class.