Manchester City vs. Manchester United

We looked in control but they look a bit dangerous when they attack

Bad feeling about it though tbh. We seem a bit too slow with Berba in there today but I can't see Hernandez coming on for Berba nor can I see him coming on for a midfielder as it will disrupt the balence of our dominant midfield.

Tricky one.
 
Berbatov has gone to pieces since those missed chances.

He's not staying in position or coming ahead of the defenders for the ball, and it's stopping us getting into the game properly. Someone needs to tell him to sort his shit out. Scholesy and Carrick have the winning of the midfield when they actually have the options ahead of them.

And Mike Dean is a terrible referee.
 
We started brightly and Carrick has been excellent in central midfield, but Valencia and Scholes have looked a little off and Berba looks like he is struggling since the two missed sitters.
 
Another Wembley disaster could shatter Berba's confidence.

Hope he scores!
 
His second chance he appeared to be trying to side foot the ball into the goal which was strange as if he had just lunged in with his leg out stretched, he would have scored. Oh well.

Scholes and Carrick have dominated, which is pleasing. Looked quite solid at the back too. At least, our two centre backs do. Nani and Evra look on different planets with some of their link up play in the City area which is disappointing.
 
Starting to think it's just not Berba's day, most unlike him to miscontrol that ball near the end. His hold up is good though so not sure a straight swap will work, hmmm decisions for SAF unless something happens soonish
 
olesmyhero said:
We started out brilliantly. The missed chances by Berbatov seemed to have deflated us a little. City came back into it and had a few decent efforts. The game is there to be won, we just need to be more clinical in the final third.
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This , I also think we need to be just a little better with possession.
No idea how the second half will pan out; I'll take a scrappy 1-0.
 
sammsky1 said:
val has been strangely ineffective. Not quite sure why as nani has been very influential
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Nani is unpredictable and can use both feet to cross it or get away/around defenders. With Valencia, he'll either pass it back/inside or run down the line to try and cross it in. Not saying it's a bad tactic, but it's fairly one dimensional. Berba won't score many headers against these two big defenders either; it was the same for Rooney when we played this formation at OT.
 
Berbatov needs to clear his head iodine the misses they are weighing him down.
 
sammsky1 said:
It's because 'supporters' like some we have on here react whenever he misses a chance. These fans need to have some fecking respect. He is out top goal scorer and as critical as anybody as getting us into the position we areso far this season. Just get off the guys back. Half way through that half, I remembered why I avoid the match day the.rad because it's full of fair weather fans who just moan like old women.

(this post not necessarily aimed at those quoted inn this post)
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I removed my post , it was in bad taste and just a spur of the moment posting :(
 
Berbatov just needs to calm down. Don't actually think hes actually played that bad, he'll come good in the second half, unless Chico replaces him that is.

The City defence apart from Kompany are pretty bad in fairness.
 
The negative nancies have returned regarding Berbatov. They just couldn't wait until he did something wrong.

The comments about Berbatov being useless today are well off the mark to those actually watching. He's had plenty of touches that a lone striker would often have. If he were so useless, he wouldn't have been in position to fluff those chances or play in some nice passes. Yeah his body language may appear deflated after those chances, much like most strikers that miss what they normally would convert.
 
Carrick playing well. Very cagey half almost sparring. Think we should sub scholes for anderson or giggs. Berba needs to forget the second chance the first was a great save. Come on reds!!!
 
VidaRed said:
what have i missed ?

who has 'controlled' the game so far ?
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I guess Utd have been better, certainly in the first 30 minutes but City got back into it then. Berbatov had 2 chances in 2 minutes he should've scored.
 
Vidicious said:
Berbatov just needs to calm down. Don't actually think hes actually played that bad, he'll come good in the second half, unless Chico replaces him that is.

The City defence apart from Kompany are pretty bad in fairness.
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THis

Hart nice save and the other chance bobled before he hit it
 
Hope Berba clears his head at HT and just forgets those misses, and concentrates on putting it right. Give it a bit in the 2nd half, then get Chicharito on. He'd cut their defence to pieces with his movement.
 
I think the main complaint with Carrick over the past year and a half was that if somebody pressured him, he would collapse. The past few games he's grown in confidence and doesn't panic when pressured. Good to see.
 
VidaRed said:
what have i missed ?

who has 'controlled' the game so far ?
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Berba should have scored at least one.
Generally we've been on top, City came into the game more in the last 15 mins of the half. Decent shots by Balotelli/Kompany. That's about it.
 
MrMarcello said:
Well if you consider ten minutes of possession in United's half versus defending for twenty/twenty-five minutes in their own half, then yeah, City shaded it.
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Yeah, I'm just saying I'll take that. SAF needs to getbthebtactics right at half time as I think that's what will win. Mancini is no mug. V smart of him to tell his back 4 to play a higher line as that has strangled Berb. Need to introduce hernandez alongside berb. I think we will murder this lot with an aggressive 442 strategy,
 
ITV have just shown a compilation of all the camera cuts to Rooney...just in case anyone missed them.
 
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