Oh dear. We went 1-0 up after 15 mins. Mata cross, Ba header. Good goal but shocking from Joe Hart. We get a second just before half time. Mata's goes down a bit to easy and Azpilicueta scores a penalty. 2-0 at half time. 5-10 mins into the second half, Oscar goes around the keeper and slots it in. 3-0. Cech comes off the pitch for Jamal Blackman and then Javi Garcia scores immediately from the corner. 3-1. 2 minutes later James Milner puts Dzeko through on goal. 3-2. 5 minutes from the end Dzeko scores again 3-3. Then in the last minute Micah Richards scores, Man City win 4-3. Very entertaining match, two strong line ups & that was quite a comeback from City, I was a bit annoyed but it really doesn't matter in the end, hopefully we can get a win in a couple of days when we play them ( Saturday night, Sunday morning I think? ) I just have to say that we were awful to be honest. All 3 goals were lucky and I'm pretty sure we had about 4-5 shots the whole game, I couldn't believe we were 3-0 up! Man City were all over us and they definitely deserved to be winning. They should have been 2-0 up at half time easily. Our cm and cb were so bad the whole match! Oh well, nevermind, great match!!
Didn't watch it but is sounds great entertainment! I will have to watch the game on CTV today! Sounds like we need better back up for Petr!
Definitely need some decent back up to Cech! Hilario, Turnbull, Blackman are not good enough. If Cech got injured for a few months then we'd be in trouble. Courtois would be excellent back up but he's to good and young to be sitting on the bench! He should stay on loan for 1-2 more seasons. I say we just look for either a good young keeper with potential who'd be good or an older experienced GK. I'm thinking someone like Jack Butland or either Schwarzer or Sorenson. Bring Cudicini back? Or even sign Gomes from Spurs, he's a decent keeper to be fair.
I had intended to watch it but fell asleep over my laptop waaaaay before it came on I was a bit miffed to put it mildly but will watch it at a later point. I have said for quite a while now if Cech gets injured we are lost, I mean look at the games where turdball played when Cech injured his fingers, scary games. Its always a problem with back up goalies but I suppose they know that when they get into the game. We have to realise its no big deal to lose these friendlies (even though it hurts lol) and I rather that than lose players to injuries out of season.
Problem with goalies is that they need to be able to organise a penalty area. One of the hardest things in sport must be to come up as a wet-behind-the-ears nobody from youth team, and expect to command and instil confidence in experienced all-stars like Ivanovic and Luiz. Very intimidating, and that result would have been damaging to Blackman's confidence.
I've now seen it and think we did well to come away 3-4 down! Came in at half time 2-0 up when we should have been 2-0 down! Good experience for the kiddies!
This. I played keeper growing up an I filled in for my dad's adult league team a few times. It was almost impossible at first to yell and organize your team defensively as a 15 year old and everyone's more than twice your age, especially when one of the CB's is your dad. That might be a reason most keepers don't peak until their 30s.
Yeah there's the second match between Chelsea & City at 10 tonight. That's after the champions league final though of course
Watched it last night! How did we get to a 3-0 lead? Will Azpi be Lamps eventual replacement as penalty taker?
Hopefully Courtois is the answer and Cech finally gets the chance to rest during a season Otherwise a loan deal for an experienced European keeper would do and loan Courtois to a fellow Prem side
To be honest the one player I would love Jose to bring with him is Raphael Varane, brilliant young player
Just lost 5-3 to City. Very fun game. Saw some great glimses of Ake, Christeinsen and particularly Loftus-Cheek. Also saw Mikel playing a freer much more commanding central midfield role, complemented perfectly by Ramires. However, the averageness of Ba and Torres was definitely highlighted. Either way, nothing on it, good run out, and bye bye Rafa, and thank the Lord bye bye Benayoun.
TBF we started with a very weakened 11 whilst City played a really strong 11. We are coming off 80 games and had a very limited squad with injuries and the English players not available. A bit of fun but nothing at all to read in to.
If there is anything to be learned from those two games is that the one area in which City have the definite edge is their fluency upfront with Tevez and Aguero. Or another way to look at it is that Ba and Torres simply aren't up to the task - both in goal scoring terms, and crucially, also in terms of ball retention and working with our midfielders to pull defenders apart and craft openings. Problem is, I'm not sure Lukaku solves this kind of problem. On the one hand, he looks like he could fill Drogbas shoes, but on the other, perhaps Drogbas shoes are best left unfilled given the midfield we have. So I'm actually thinking someone who is more capable of working a bit deeper, yet is still classifiably a striker, eg Rooney, would be more beneficial.
