All Arsenal boil down to now are a bunch of pansies falling all over the playing field the first chance they get, no wonder opposing teams play the way they do when even the slightest whisper of fresh air can trip an Arsenal player up searching for a free kick or gift card for the opposed.
I was disappointed with Mancini's squad choice but more than happy with his tactics, If City played the way Arsenal do then I'd be extremely embarrassed.
In the first half Arsenal players were flying around and falling over at any given opportunity, how Robin Van Persie gets away with it all the time without even a yellow achieving total immunity baffles me.
Well to be honest it does not baffle me at all, falling over extremely easily has become so common with Arsenal that referee's these days seem to allow it to continue because it is Arsenal. This obviously dates back to the time when Wenger called for his players to be protected.
If I were an Arsenal fan I'd be embarrassed watching the circus they are now having to pay to see, having to pay some of the highest prices in the Premier League just to watch a bunch of footballers in skirts.
I'd understand Arsenal fans accepting it if they were winning titles and the Champions League, but lets face the fact they are not even close to doing so.
With that said City gave Arsenal way to much space, not closing them down fast enough. Showing way to much caution with no cutting edge to our game, that I believe was down to Mancini's reluctance to play Adam Johnson from the off.
You could see as soon as Adam Johnson came on that our players started to believe, for a moment we actually attacked with intention.
Any of my regular readers will know that I have mentioned many a time about City having to play against 12 including the referee, well the Arsenal game was a prime example.
The referee had shown his yellow card way to easily for Barry and Dejong, this should be no surprise and we should expect a whole lot more of it.
53 minutes into the game Arsenal fans continued to scream and shout for anything, seriously when is there going to be a referee with enough balls to put it to Arsenal?
It is like Arsenal are totally immune from being booked, Van Percie went down like a sack of spuds and Vincent Kompany hardly even touched him, the referee does nothing rightfully and Van Percie stops play with his theatrics.
Tevez got hacked down right infront of a cameraman and again an Arsenal player failed to get booked, Dejong and Barry got booked for lesser which is just totally insane.
We all know Vincent Kompany as a clean and fair footballer, well by the way one or two Arsenal players were acting you would think they were trying to get him booked.
How people can say Arsenal play the best free flowing attractive football baffles me, all I see is a bunch of kids falling over trying to get their opponents booked at the best possible chance they get.
Sagna and Zabaletta had a forehead to forehead altercation but even Sky Sports pointed out that Sagna were the guilty party, and that Zabaletta should not have been shown a red card along with Sagna who clearly caused the whole problem.
Another Arsenal player went down like a sack of spuds just to get a free kick in the last dying minute, Boateng did nothing wrong and again the referee got it wrong.
We may not agree with Mancini's tactics or lineups from time to time but then we are not the boss, even if we wanted to win against Arsenal a draw is just as important for it leaves us above Arsenal still.
Lets face facts that if Arsenal were missing Fabregas and Nasri, they would have lost without any shadow of doubt, even more so if City were not missing Balotelli but more importantly Silva.
We were definitely missing David Silva which could easily have gained us three points but that is football, one thing we have to look forward too is the arrival of Edin Dzeko.
The only embarressment here is your thought process.
ReplyDeleteIf you'd had Mario + Silva last night you might of made a pass in our half, leaving less than 10 behind the ball we'd of carved you open all evening. You learnt that in the first 5 mins.
The only thing you are right about is that the referee was card happy. De Jong was barely a foul let alone a yellow.
Should be an exciting run in though. I just hope your team decides to play a bit in the next few months against the top teams. I couldn't imagine travelling 3hours+ to watch my team play like yours did last night.
Our passing was a bit sloppy last night. James Milner was not passing well at all. The last thing you want to do is give away possession to Arsenal on their home turf. We could have played much better. I think you're right about David Silva, he is turning out to be one of the best acquisitions City have ever made -- and that's not hyperbole. All in all, I was very happy with 1pt from last night. I am not sure if we would have won even with Silva and Balotelli but we'd been more of a force for Arsenal to contend with. Mancini's tactics were spot on last night and we should give him some credit for that. City are shaping up quite well and are a difficult team to beat -- we haven't been able to say that for a long time.
ReplyDeleteI think it goes to show you a lot about how the two clubs are run. City wanted the point badly for their title challenge and probably didn't even have the means available at their disposal to fight Arsenal like for like (Silva, Balotelli...) and Arsenal, well Arsenal wanted the same thing as usual, play beautiful football and if it so happens even win the game with it. I don't blame Mancini for parking the bus. A draw was enough for them and they achieved their goal. Fair play. But why City didn't even try to bother and snatch the three points is beyond me. And I think it's unfair to generalize THE Arsenal fan and or THE City fan.
ReplyDeleteVery well balanced and levelheaded analysis.
ReplyDeleteDom, id rather watch City play with honor than a cheating powder puff team like Arsenal who get blown over by a mild breeze.
ReplyDeletewere you one of the 1000 Manchester City fans that braved the weather to join us?..."is that all you take away?".With that sort of away support you could soon be labelled "just a small club with money"...
ReplyDeleteHello CiTyBLUe after last night’s disappointment of a game I have to say your post has made me smile… thanks for that…
ReplyDeleteHowever it would be a shame if your bunch of mercenaries finished anywhere in the top four…
To the 13:30 commenter - Is that what passes for IQ and comedy where you come from? Ironic that it was made by an Arse fan obsessed with only one thing (and that is not rats by the way)!
ReplyDeleteOh well done Homer (and I should clarify for you that I mean the ancient Greek poet, not of the Simpson variety!), how long did it take you to compose that, or did you find it on the internet, perhaps mummy wrote it for you?!
ReplyDeleteGet a partner and go do some window shopping you egregious troglodyte!
We should be more than happy for a quite lucky point after being outplayed for long periods.
ReplyDeleteBut I am not pleased that we did not try to catch them on the break. Arsenal are vulnerable to counter-attacks, shy didn´t we even try?
Professional soccer is all about results not show or beauty. Teams that can play the right tactics to get the right result would prosper. At the end of the day, what matters is whether you got what you wanted, the rest is worth no squat. Well done City, a sign of a great manager is to know when to defend and when to attack and maximize the results. Obviously, Arsenal fans seem too intelligent to comprehend this
ReplyDeleteErm you need to watch the Wigan vs arsenal match, wigan got a pen when the player didnt even touch him, then arsenal had a pen turned down late on. Nice to know people are so one minded this days.
ReplyDeleteQuote: Anonymous, 6 January 2011 14:36
ReplyDeleteErm you need to watch the Wigan vs arsenal match, wigan got a pen when the player didnt even touch him, then arsenal had a pen turned down late on. Nice to know people are so one minded this days.
Answer: Did not watch the match but I guess Wigan played you at your own game.
Well then city blue if yu did not watch the wigan vs arsenal match then how on earth do you know if arsenal cheat or not, if you don't watch arsenal matchs??
ReplyDeleteQuote: Anonymous, 6 January 2011 14:46
ReplyDeleteWell then city blue if yu did not watch the wigan vs arsenal match then how on earth do you know if arsenal cheat or not, if you don't watch arsenal matchs??
Answer: Now your going to tell me you watch every single match of opposing teams week in week out, does a favour, Maybe one or two players at other clubs other than Arsenal cheat at times but every one of Arsenal players are taught to cheat the second they put an Arse shirt on.
8mins was wasted in the final 30mins of the match nice to know the refs added 8 min to the end of the match, o wait no they didnt. Tut tut lucky city.
ReplyDeleteQuote: Anonymous, 6 January 2011 13:59
ReplyDeletewere you one of the 1000 Manchester City fans that braved the weather to join us?..."is that all you take away?".With that sort of away support you could soon be labelled "just a small club with money"...
Answer: Nar your just not worth spending money on, who wants to watch 11 feathers falling over at the slightest puff of wind other than you easily pleased Arsenal fans.
Your the equivelant of a bunch of cockney chavs.
At cityblue, no I dont watch all matchs but sky sports gives me the chance to watch most games but that's just it I don't watch all
ReplyDeleteMan u, chelsea, arsenal, Bolton, west ham games and so on so that's why I never say how that team plays cause i can't possible know can i. The only team I can only judge is man city cause they are the team i watch all the time. You don't know how arsenal are run cause you don't have anything to do with them, so you can't say they cheat.
I didn't see a lot of the first half but if we are talking about diving and simulation then how about Milner feigning injury to prevent an Arsenal counter on one of the rare occasions you had committed players forward? How about Richards throwing himself to ground on the edge of our box? How about your player falling over when Nasri gave him the gentlest touch on the back? How about Zabaleta falling over as soon as he felt Arshavin make the lightest contact behind him? How about Jo going to ground and holding his face after having attempted to haul Song to the ground?
ReplyDeleteWell? How does all that fit into your bizarre and very outspoken view of last night’s events? I've heard the word 'embarrassing' thrown around in all quarters with regard to last night's match; this is the first time I've heard it said of Arsenal's display.
Sid, Jo is a player no City fan wants at City and we never wanted him after six months of the flop, you point out one or two City players which you could do with any team on any day.
ReplyDeleteThe difference here is it is not just one or two Arsenal players that cheat, it is the whole bloody Arsenal team that cheats and it is just utterly pathetic.
Is there any wonder the opposed would rather spend their money on a ticket to anywhere other than Arsenal.
Quote: Anonymous, 6 January 2011 15:03
ReplyDeleteAt cityblue, no I dont watch all matchs but sky sports gives me the chance to watch most games but that's just it I don't watch all
Man u, chelsea, arsenal, Bolton, west ham games and so on so that's why I never say how that team plays cause i can't possible know can i. The only team I can only judge is man city cause they are the team i watch all the time. You don't know how arsenal are run cause you don't have anything to do with them, so you can't say they cheat.
Answer: I watch enough of Arsenal to know they are a bunch of cheating flair players, not just one or two but the whole squad plays for as many fouls and penalties possible.
You are the only club that actually go looking for it 24/7, someone said Silva is the same type of player as Arsenals players but guess what.
Statistic show that Silva gets straight back up in 92% of situations just like Calors Tevez does, as far as Arsenals players go they all role about like little pansies or get up screaming and shouting at any given opportunity.
Ever heard of the old saying, 'victim of your own'.
ReplyDeleteEver wonder why you have had an increase in broken legs lately?,the way your whole squad plays invites late tackles because that is what the whole of the Arsenal squad play like.
they all try to suck the defending in to make mistakes, then you go crying about it when the worst happens.
Why would anyone (in the right mind, of course) support their manager to park the bus? so much so as to travel all the way to Emirates to see them stop every ball?
ReplyDeleteWell, if i has any slightest intelligence, i would most probably have skipped all the big matches that my team comes up again. I could do the same going to the bus depot. Its more exciting that way.
I guess you've seen the Aresnal Blog called "Le Grove", article entitled "Absolutely shameful. Arsenal vs Manchester City match review + player ratings"?
ReplyDeleteI have been reading their fans comments on other blogs leading up to last night's game and all the many comments on that blog in particular.
Some of their fans are top guys, respectful and objective, and some of them are not.
They have noticed this article and are going a little bit bonkers about it.
I have noticed quite a common thread in their collective attitude, in so far as they have a massive superiority complex.
They really do feel they are entitled to win everything because they are a "big" club, and play pretty football.
They also claim their team has been "organically grown", and therefore they are "classier" than everyone else. This apparently even extends to their fans, who they also believe are superior to all other fans, because they claim they never boo their own team, ever.
However, if you read their blogs, half of them are constantly criticising Wenger, his substitutions, tactics, and the players, in particular Arshavin, who is "fucking lazy". I guess he shouldn't have gone to Arsenal to have them wreck his career - naughty Arsenal, hoovering up all the talent, killing football - sound familiar?
What this tells me, is that all fans are more or less similar in their broad spectrum, some are dicks, some you'd share a pint with happily.
I think some of them need to recognise this, and stop being so hypocritical of other teams and their supporters.
I thought Mancini must have instructed City not to go anywhere near an Arsenal player in our last twenty yards or so, after getting suckered at COMS by the speed of their front line, and their ability to go down a little too professionally for my liking - although they are playing to their strengths.
I think he called it right, and next season we should be set up nicely to go for the jugular against Scum, Spuds and the Arse.
The problem with you Arsenal fans is you can not understand why City played like they did, we had Kolarov Balotelli and Silva (£65m worth)out so we adjusted our style pity Wenger could not think the same way or you would not be playing ( and getting spanked again) by Barca in the Champions league if you had not capitulated against the mighty Braga!
ReplyDeletePlease get help. Seriously. Something's very wrong with your brain
ReplyDeleteI am happy they have taken the time at "Le Grove" amung other Arsenal sites, I call that job done.
ReplyDeleteSometimes people need to be pulled back down to earth, unfortunetly Arsenal fans have some kind of serious allergy to with reality which is why they have their heads in the clouds.
Anonymous, 6 January 2011 17:07
Anyone only need read through past articles to realise that if I feel a City player etc needs criticising Im there like the cookie munster in a cookie jar.
Did anyone spot Wenger in a big puffy sleeping bag with sleeves?
ReplyDeleteParking the bus at the Ems is quite common and I dont criticise Mancini for doing so, but arent all of you City fans a bit embarrassed that your gazillion pounds-worth squad didnt manage a s i n g l e shot on goal for 94mins?
ReplyDeleteIt is very nice of an Arsenal fan to do a peice on me and I thought I'd share it with you.
ReplyDeletehttp://arsenal-mania.com/articles/3109794/City-fans-are-becoming-increasingly-annoying.html
Quote: Anonymous, 6 January 2011 18:40
ReplyDeleteParking the bus at the Ems is quite common and I dont criticise Mancini for doing so, but arent all of you City fans a bit embarrassed that your gazillion pounds-worth squad didnt manage a s i n g l e shot on goal for 94mins?
Answer: Why would us City fans be embarrassed as for decades we have played the attacking game, only to be sucker punched in the dying moments.
That is exactly what Arsenal fans want from every visiting team and when they don't get it they start screaming and whining.
Sure we parked the bus but if we could have pinched a goal we would have, Arsenal played well (thanks to us giving you too much space) which in turn played against us in an attecking manner.
I love football and agree that the way city play is the way to win trophies, Chelsea did it under Morinho but if every team played like that then we`d all be watching bowls or croquet. Thank god for the likes of wenger and Harry Redknap for that matter for keeping the premiership worth watching
ReplyDeleteQuote: Anonymous, 6 January 2011 19:22
ReplyDeleteI love football and agree that the way city play is the way to win trophies, Chelsea did it under Morinho but if every team played like that then we`d all be watching bowls or croquet. Thank god for the likes of wenger and Harry Redknap for that matter for keeping the premiership worth watching
Answer: You talk like we play defensive football every single game, City have scored 3 or 4 goals in each of our last lot of games before the Arse game so explain that one.
Clear case of polite way of saying 'boring boring City' and sounds somewhat familiar.
What a mug... A fair-weather fan with no appreciation for the beautiful game.
ReplyDelete£300m+ on a squad and complaining about TWO injuries? Couldn't even manage ONE shot on target... Mancini has no attacking intent against the big teams
Your team will have a couple of years in the limelight, not be allowed into Europe due to the upcoming financial restrictions, the sheikh will get bored, mass exodus of players, administration, relegation... You'll be back where you belong
Everyone can see after reading what you have to say, who the mug is, the mugs are the people like you who think our owners are going to get bored and disappear and thinking we are going to pay for it by being punished by Fifa.
ReplyDeleteThat just smacks of delusion and a lack of education with a large lashing of bitter salt and sweet jealousy.
City went to do a job: don't lose and prevent Arsenal from gaining ground. After 20 minutes, Arsenal were reduced to pot shots (apart from falling over) from outside of the area. Job done. This is a campaign, last night was just a battle.
ReplyDeleteCity did miss Silva, who has been their most influential player. And so too Balotelli, who offers pace, flair and that knack of scoring when others cannot. Arsenal without Fabregas and Nasri would have looked a lot less lively: Mancini did the right thing in the circumstances and it worked.
As for boring, boring City, it is worth reminding the truly blinkered, that City's away record is the BEST in the Premiership. Check out the facts and see for yourself. Not so embarrassing eh?
And for those who think that the Sheik will jump ship anytime soon, need to think again. Quite apart from Dzeko, who is about to join City (a player much admired by Wenger but Arsenal can't afford him), this investment is for the long term: this has only just started.
Oh come its a lil harsh to say arsenal are full of players who fall around! Their game is a passing game n since they're quick on their feet they do get a lotsa fouls..
ReplyDeleteNot that I support RVP falling all over the place! That has always irritated me!! But draw the line pls.. most of the others don do that match in match out.. n also all teams hv such players..
As to the tactics of man city i agree that it should not be criticized.. Mancini felt they would lose if they played normally so he made them defend n thats fine really..
Bout sagna Wenger came out n accepted that it was a stupid mistake n they're not appealing..
Also bout the cards being dished out.. that usually happens to the away teams.. i can assure u that arsenal doesn't get decisions in its favor all the time...
SirAlexIsTheMan
ReplyDeleteThis must go down as a record of achievement that I have managed to upset a rag while not talking about the scum United.
If you like Arsenal so much then I guess you will be becoming and Arsenal fan once your pathetic United start declining?, judging by your typing you are probably not even old enough to remember anything prior 1990. So do yourself a favour, stop talking about big clubs and get back in your pram.
Makes me laugh when fans of clubs use their past glory as a two by four, when they are not even old enough to have lived most of it.
Become a fan of an already successful club and join the crowd, then start giving it the big we are speeches from their new fan manuals.
Pathetic.
Big Clubs don't always play beautiful football. Mourinho achieved much with the opposite. As for the Rags, there is nothing beautiful about the way they have played this season but with 12 men, it really doesn't matter does it? Nor is it any surprise that the Rag on here is almost illiterate: how is the weather in Brighton?
ReplyDeleteSirAlexIsTheMan, are you for real?????
ReplyDeleteType first and think later eh?
We parked the proverbial bus against United this season at COMS, not Old toilet, but you probably weren't supporting Manure back then in the olden days, before Xmas.
I would go so far as to say I bet you've never been to the Swamp in your life, and live nearer the Emirates stadium than the club you profess to support.
City and United have a rivalry based on just about everything but the prettiness of the football played by either team at any given time in history, but you wouldn't have googled that bit yet I suppose.
If we attract any morons to our club like you, and I catch them spouting it off about shit they know fuck all about I will personally slap them upside the head until they've learnt some humility and taken some football history lessons.
Come off it....I'm proud to be an Arsenal supporter and the only reason I'm disappointed in my team is because they didn't win (as i would imagine the supporters of the second place team in the table would be as well). Arsenal may suck at times (our inability to finish is excruciating) but they are never boring, and moreover, they always play for three points. If you're manager wants to play into Sir Alex's hand go ahead and do that but don't act as if you have the moral high ground. I agree that Kompany is a classy defender and that Sagna started the late ruckus but how you can defend a goon like Nigel DeJong is beyond me...for team and country that man has gone after players his entire career. Have fun with the financial fair play rules mate.
ReplyDeleteSo Nigel Dejong has gone after players his entire career?, are you sure your not mistaking Dejong with Roy Keane?.
ReplyDeleteDejong is a combative defensive midfielder and just like most of the best he has made a few late tackles and hurt two players but never intentionally, both occasions were freak accidents and that is fact.
You lot just used the silly altercation with with Alonso as an excuse cause and join a witch hunt, which was utterly pathetic, even his own national team joined in.
Those witch hunters including you if you joined in are nothing but scumbags, ill continue to defend Dejong as long as he does nothing intentional so if you don't like that then tuff shit.
Atleast all of our players don't fall over and dive all the time, when other teams do the same back you whine like babies.
I want to apologise to the managers because I actually dived. I was trying to win the penalty.Arsenal's Theo Walcott on his failed attempt to win a spot-kick vs Leeds United 8th Jan 2010
ReplyDeleteHow does someone accidently raise their foot shoulder height to kick Xabi Alanso in the chest?
ReplyDeleteQuote: Anonymous, 9 January 2011 14:04
ReplyDeleteHow does someone accidently raise their foot shoulder height to kick Xabi Alanso in the chest?
Answer: This is exactly what I am on about, muppets pointing the finger for one mistake that Dejong has done.
Then they use it to highlight the two freak leg breaks, the same leg breaks other players like Roy Keane caused.
But Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, Roy Keane is idolised despite making those mistakes because he played for the rags.
You anti City haters are just a bunch of two faced hypocritical muppets.
The difference is Dejong never ment to break legs and there was no intent, Roy Keane admitted to breaking Alfies delibrately and even tv footage showed him telling Alfie he did it on purpose while spitting on him while he lay in pain.
Do one will ya.
What makes Roy Keane different from De Jong, Mascherano, Makelele and other defense minded midfielders was that he was not defense minded. When he got on the ball his mentality was to move the ball forward. He was an excellent passer and he chipped in with a few goals.
ReplyDeleteYes he also chipped a few of his opponents bones too and gave them a physical football battering, the same way the others you mention play accept they don't do it maliciously.
ReplyDeleteFunny how Roy Keane gets idlised and gets given legendary status while others get witch hunted, hung, drawn and quartered.
Oh wait a minute, Cantona also gets special treatment despite kicking a football supporter and Rio Ferdinand also got special treatment despite failing to attend 2 drug tests.
While were at it I see a strange pattern here, lets not look to much into that aye or shall we?
If you don't play for a so called big club then your nothing but scum right?