Hopeless use of subs today. One of the most annoying things in football is the opposition scoring again whilst detailed instructions on a large sheet of paper are given to a sub. Okay, wouldn't have made much difference, but hard to see what was being tried. Gray hopeless again, Okaka and Deeney must just shrug watching it.
When we lose it just makes me fed up however it happens - just because the City team cost 6,000 million pounds does not make it better. Still - if we learn something from the match - and unlike Mazz I am hopeful Silva will, then perhaps we could become stronger. At the end of the day we expected and got nil points. Goal difference is not really important as one extra point overtakes even the best opposition goal differences
Today was a free hit! It's against the bottom third we must take points, a few from the middle third helps and any from the top third is bonus time, today wasn't that time!
Deeney is no longer really good enough for the Premier, however it is an absolute insult to him (and Okaka for that matter) that Gray an average Championship player gets in ahead of him. Dyche really pulled our trousers down on this transfer.
He'd balloon all the penalties wide off his kneecap. I'd take £3m for him now, if anyone would be deranged enough to pay it. And that would be daylight robbery.
Last season City relaxed in the second half and thought of their holidays, luckily for us. Today they just kept going, even though they could have eased up. As others have said, a masterclass - but from a very expensive squad. Not much Deeney and Capoue could do coming on late in the game with it already lost. They didn't add much at all. Agree that we played much better than the scoreline would suggest and think we are building one of the best teams we've seen for many years. Despite his effort, I don't think Gray fits in and he doesn't seem to anticipate the game very well ... still, it's early days, he's only had a few games. Richarlison and Carillo have added so much...
Said to my friend before the match that today should show how far we've come since that horrible last match under Mazzarri. We couldn't possible lose 0-5 again could we? Hmmm no as it turned out late on!! Mazzarri embarrassed the club by fielding two keepers on the bench. Maybe today we could have done with two in goal! Whether or not he was right to moan in public, today showed exactly why Silva complained about our Deadline Day deals. We really needed more quality in defence. Still, as many others have said already on here tonight, City on this form are awesome. This week alone they've demolished Liverpool, Feyenord and us 15-0. Seemingly no injuries for us or red cards today so hopefully only our pride and goal difference are dented as we regroup for Swansea next week. Today was a painful lesson about the harsh realities of the PL, but it's how quickly we bounce back that will really define our opening two months of the new season.
So we lost some focus after the first goal, but honestly I did not think we played like a team that deserved to concede 6 goals at home. Manchester City were just a class above us. Last season they performed like this at the start of the season and fell away. But a team is going to be mightily impressive to stop them strolling to the Premier League title this season. Pity neither Richarlison or Capoue could put away their headers, it was though a day to watch some sublime city players. Four points from Swansea and WBA, I imagine will see our best points haul by the end of September in the top flight for forty+ years.
If Aguero was given the sort of service Gray was given today, he would have looked like an average Championship player too.
I think the level of criticism towards Gray is unfair. I get that his first touch is not that impressive but the guy has been a pivotal part of our success so far this season he works hard up front and runs in behind giving other players time on the ball.
I wonder if Richarlison could provide that, with control, headers and the odd goal. Play Pereyra in Richarlison position
Well that was a reality check. The last thing you want to see is City turning up and playing their best possible football. Man City are on a different planet, and when they click you just hope you're side is not in the firing line as we were today. Nothing you can do about it. Gomes had to once again make many excellent saves just to keep it at 6. Before a match like this, you hope they are a little off the pace and you get a fair crack from the referee. This is the only chance you have really. They have spent millions on assembling that side. You can only hope to mess up their tempo and get in their faces a little. You will probably still lose but at least it will be competitive. City were brilliant today though, we couldn't get close to them. However, the referee cannot be that bad, as it just hands them an unfair advantage. Two of their first three goals should not have stood and we should have been given a penalty after the foul on Chalobah. It's funny how Taylor spots a foul on a City player for their penalty. This will never change though. Some referees will always favour the bigger side. Taylor is one of those and has a reputation for it. Had we been officiated fairly would we have won, or even drawn? No, probably not, but it would not have been such a thrashing. At 3-0 the game is dead, at 1-0 the match is very much alive. On to the performances of the players. Defensively we were weak and we were never going to contain City. We need to invest in this area of the side and spend money on a commanding centre half. Gray is not a central striker. He looks completely lost in this position. Not only today, but in all the games I've seen him play. I refuse to believe he's quite as bad as he looks though. He was a decent player at Burnley, but maybe he has to play in a different position. Wide right would probably suit him more. The little cameo from Pereyra was good though, so hopefully he'll be available in future games. Carrillo looked good as did Richalison. We've not won a single home match since that narrow 1-0 victory against Swansea City on 14th April. I might have to start going to away matches just to see us win.
A master class from City. Probably the best performance and team I have ever seen at the Vic. No complaints about the performance. Would rather have had Milford or Styles in charge to be honest
He doesn't run in the right direction and can't hold the ball up. As a bonus he doesn't score either. He had one or two nice touches and maybe there is a player in there, but on this evidence not a lone striker.
We lost 0-6 today because Citeh were sublime, the officials were vvank and Silva set us up wrong. Silva should have changed things after fives minutes. Interestingly, thought the players heads who dropped the most were the three subs, Deeney doing his usual moaning, Capoue playing aimless 80 yard balls into touch, Bobby P giving up after five minutes after coming on. Anyone who has played football will know Gray did well, he had the hardest job on the park today. He doesn't stop. Some should perhaps get off his back.
How about on the evidence that he has started in the previous 3 games and we picked up 7 points from them. In my personal opinion from the games I have seen this season he is by far the best option we have when you consider our tactics and style of play.
Did you really leave at half-time? Would you call yourself a football fan? You presumably paid good money to watch the World's most expensive football team but you walked out on them. Every time I read your posts I seem to see angry black-and-white dismissal of huge swathes of the rest of the World. How about trying nuance?
Wasn't there and haven't watched any highlights but I will say that A) Mariappa looked out his depth against Bristol City, not surprised we conceded 6 with him against the best attack in Europe. B) City aren't the best team in Europe or even England. United & Chelsea will be both be tougher for us IMO, teams will score against City this season. However, when they're attack is good, it's frighteningly good as it was today. No shame, dust down, move on. I'll happily put £50 down that City score more than 6 at one point this season.
Not much to add apart from: Dimwits behind me constantly moaning 'we're too slow', 'Chalobah is rubbish' 'get Deeney on'. Sometimes the level of the opposition is too good. Officials were hapless. Janmaat never recovered from the blow to the head. If Chas scores the header...? Thought Silva spoke well afterwards. The real test will be how we react in Wales next week. It wasn't just afterwards that the City fans were obnoxious,they were fairly outspoken walking to the ground.
problem is the pass he needs can be no more than 2mph otherwise it will bounce off him. not easy to pass the ball 30 yards and make sure it reaches him no faster than 2mph. his touch is far worse than troys
As I suspected it was rather a waste of time playing a striker, I would have much rather seen Pereya (or Zarate) on the pitch from the off at Gray's expense.
I'm glad you reminded me of that. I thought that was a horrific challenge. The ball had well gone and the clash was very late. If that was a tackle hitting a players head, that late you could easily expect a red. I haven't seen it again but it looked as good as a head butt
Certainly looked like a nasty foul to me. It was in that little period of the game just before the first goal,when Chas missed the header,two possible handballs weren't given to us and the free kick for the goal. Pivotal segment of the match and everything that could go wrong did. Against a top side you need everything to go your way. Today we had nothing. Let's hope next week we get the rub of the green,in a match where we have a more realistic chance of a result.
I'm a watford fan, not a football fan. If we're getting battered we leave. Why would I want to pay to watch my team get thrashed? It baffles my brain that people sit there and endure something like today. That being said, on this occasion I left before half-time....but it was the pub in malaga. I'm on me holidays....
I very much doubt you mean this but feel obliged to tell you Gray was the top scorer in his last Championship season. I don't know if you're gay or what but your gripe with Gray certainly goes further than football. Honestly don't blame you if you dislike Gray as a human, I doubt many do but he's really not as bad as you're making it out to be
