Tag Archive for City

City v Sunderland (League) – Sat 06 Oct [3v0 win]

October 7, 2012 Jim.Stuart Matches No comments

My first City game. City v Sunderland 6/10/2012 by Jim Stuart

A perfect game for me to see the Blues in the flesh for the first time.From the first whistle City dominated the game in a style which was much in evidence for most of last season and what a pleasure it was for me to be there to witness a brilliant team performance. All through the game I kept pinching myself to see if I was dreaming. Me? At the Etihad to see the champions? Never, but there I was watching City in awe at the sheer size of the stadium to getting to see some of the best players in the world it had to be a dream but it wasn’t it was reality and from another Kolarov rocket to Milner’s late third it was all over far too soon. I wanted to stay for more. I have the bug now that I was told I would get and I can’t wait for the Spurs game In November and hopefully many more in the future. A very special day and one which I will never forget

City v Dortmund (UEFA CL) – Wed 3 Oct [1v1 draw]

October 7, 2012 admin Matches No comments

Unbelievable how good the Dortmund fans were, must have been several thousand in our end! They never stopped the entire match, bouncing clapping, drumming and singing in a sea of yellow. Noisiest fans I have seen at Etihad.

Hat off to them! It’s going to be very difficult if we need to get something in Dortmund to go through

We were outplayed by the team and the fans but a heroic performance from Hart meant we picked up a point with a late Balotelli penalty.

Dortmund fans walking to match

Dortmund fans heading to match

Dortmund Fans rocking at the Etihad

Unbelieveable how good the Dortmund fans were, must have been several thousand in our end! They never stopped the entire match, bouncing clapping, drumming and singing in a sea of yellow. Noisiest fans I have seen at Etihad. Hat off to them! It’s going to be very difficult if we need to get something in Dortmund to go through


City v Borussia Dortmund

October 3, 2012 admin Matches No comments

After a tough first outing in Champions league City were again rewarded a group of death

Tonight’s match City v Borussia Dortmund kicks off at 7:45

Heading down on the train now and the nerves are starting to build up, this really is a massive game already!

This will be a crucial match after Dortmund picked up 3 points in the last outing versus Ajax and we slipped up in the last minute away at Madrid.

Dortmund are fresh from a convincing win at the weekend and City coming off a great result at Craven Cottage versus Fulham.

The Dortmund fans travel in numbers and have a very vocal support, let’s hope City are up for it today!

The biggest threats from Dortmund from an attacking perspective will come from Lewandowski and Goetze. Defensively they are very solid with Hummels and Subotic both rocks in central defense!

I’d like to see Lescott and Kompany at the back today and Aguero and Dzeko; but this may be deemed to attacking

Tough to leave Tevez and Nasri out but loads of options from the bench including Balotelli

Fulham v City (League) – Sat 29 Sep [2v1 win]

October 2, 2012 admin Matches No comments

We traveled down to this match by plane on the Friday and here is what I learnt with regards to the travel:
Don’t trust the easy jet staff when it comes to directions for trains, we got the East Midlands train into London St Pancreas and then had to pay for this service also.
Don’t book an early flight from Gatwick if you are staying in the City Center.
Don’t go out drinking until 2AM when you need to be up at 4AM.

We stopped off in Hammersmith where I met Wayne and Brian to watch the Arsenal v Chelsea (another win for Chelsea was a shame)
Despite coming down the day before the match we were 15 minutes late for the start of the game, thanks to issues with the tube and running in the wrong direction for 5 minutes when we got out of the taxi.
Big thanks to the guy who let us jump into his taxi after I ran across the road and begged him to let us in!

Well as it happens, it worked out fairly well, we missed the Fulham goal and City were on top of the match.

We were in the neutral section and the City fans were very loud – well played lads. I’m sure this inspired the players as we watched wave after wave of attack. We seemed to be dominating possesion but lacking the penetration.

Aguero grabbed a tap in just before half time after a close range effort from Silva following good work on the wing from Tevez.

Half time came and the players were clapped off the pitch. There was a guy firing things into the crowd from a cannon and I joked there is no way he will fire it up here, but he did and it ended nicely in my arms, a fantastic catch that Hart would have been proud of. This is the second time I have caught a gift at a City match (I caught a football in Bangkok when we were beaten by Thai Allstars XI). I gave the ball to a young Thai kid in the crowd and to this day I still hope he became a City fan!

Throughout the second half City came on stronger and stronger and the fans louder and louder, even though in the neutral section you could hear the City fans giving it loads.

Dzeko was the hero once more and the chants of Edin Dzeko blasted around Crave Cottage.

We walked back to Putney Bridge singing the YaYa No Limits song and it’s only 6v1

To top it off united get beat by Spurs – City win united lose!!!

City v Arsenal (League) – Sun 23 Sep [1v1 draw]

October 2, 2012 admin Matches No comments

A third draw for City in five games, not a great start in defense of our Premier League title, especially as Chelsea are off to a flyer and United are picking up points with refereeing decisions helping them on their way. Arsenal have looked impressive this season, Bould has came and as a defensive coach and gave them the steel and organization at the back that they have lacked in recent seasons.

We headed down on the 4:40 Megabus, took in the Mancheatser United v Liverpool game where United were gifted a penaly and a man sent off again.
I think this made the city fans flat as it is the quietest we have been at the Etihad for some time.
The arsenal fans however were in great voice and never shut up the whole match, perhaps the singing section were waiting for something to cheer  about.
This game was always going to be won or lost in midfield and Arsenal domiated this area of the pitch limiting City to few chances all match. Despite this the champions took the lead thanks to a first half header from Joleon Lescott, he really looked to enjoy thsi goal and teh players surrounded him to celebrate.

Some poor defensive play from City when we shoudl have just cleared the ball let Laurent Koscielny grab a late goal. To be fair arsenal were probably worthy of a point and it maintains the unbeaten run for both sides.

I can see Arsenal being strong this season and we will need to make sure that we are up for it in the return fixture!

Real Madrid v City (UEFA CL) – Tue 18 Sep [3v2 loss]

October 2, 2012 admin Matches No comments

I went into this match thinking I would have been happy with a draw and if we never got tonked we would lose no face.

A few of our members were at this match (Des and Mick) and were unfortunate to see some of the violence which marred this away match.

Des had purchased a MCFC Aberdeen flag and a bunch of 15 youths stormed the area they were drinking in and stole the flags whilst punching, kicking, throwing bottles and anything that came to hand. Mick took a bottle to the head which left him with a big scar and an expected broken arm after being kicked when down on the ground. It seemed that the Madrid Ultras were just interested in taking a flag as a trophy and weren’t worried about injuring woman in the process- scum!

Luckily after a police escort to the match and the following day in hospital it was identified that Mick needed stitches on a cut but is arm wasn’t broken.

Unfortunately this wasn’t the only violence, heavy handed Spanish Police waded in on City fans striking them with batons for no apparent reason. Luckily this was recorded on video and has been highlighted in the papers. It seems Spanish police Brutality is the norm rather than the exception after hearing accounts from Aberdeen, Bolton, Spurs and United fans.

 

Well enough about that back to the game and watch a match it was!
Madrid looked the strongest side and City were on the receiving end of chasing after possession. Madrid looked dangerous but City were coming back into the game and restricting Madrid to long shots from outside the box.

Then bang Dzeko scored after being put through on goal by Yaya. I screamed at the top of my lungs, it was almost orgasmic, but my wife complained as she had a sore head, I apologies and scraped myself of the roof. Sat back on the sofa and prayed!!

The delight was short lived when Marcello smashed a cracking stroke into the back of the net to make it 1v1.

A cracking free-kick from specialist Kolarocket put City back in front and I dropped to my needs, put my finger to my lips and went sssssshhhhhh.

But it was me who was to be silenced, from Euphoria to despair as Madrid scored 2 late goals, a nicely placed shot from Benzema and a lucky snap shot from Tranaldo which Kompany and Hart could both have done better with. I wont hang on this point as Hart and Kompany have been massive for us in the last few years!

I went up to bed sulking and dreading the next day, I shouldn’t get so tied up in the footie but it shows how far we have come when I am upset by a 2v3 defeat away to the best side in world football.

Speaking to my friend the following week and he told me how nice the Madrid fans were and how they thought City were the best fans they had seen! Fair play to them, it shows a minority can spoil it for everyone, I must admit I felt mighty proud hearing the City fans booming at the Bernabau.

To make matters worse Borussia Dortmund won the other group game on the night defeating Ajax 1-0 in Germany leaving City playing catch up. I believe if we have any plans on progressing we must beat Dortmund at home in the next group match!

stoke v City (League) – Sat 15 Sep [1v1 draw]

October 2, 2012 admin Matches No comments

History repeated itself once more at the Britannia after luckless City came away with a 1-1 draw for the third year running.

It was a very frustrating afternoon for the champions who had to come from behind to share the spoils and remain unbeaten this season.

Basketball player and City fan peter Crouch dribbled past the City defense before slam ducking the opener.
I remember seeinga  sign in Stoke at a car wash which stated “Best hand Jobs in Town”, i can confirm thsi to be incorrect after watching Crouch performnace today.

City were dominating possesion and were up against it in a physical Stoke side, who seeemed to lead with their arms and elbows into most challenges.

Balotelli showed maturity when attacked with a flying elbow from one of the Stoke ninjas.

Garcia scored a powerful header which will have warmed him to the City fans further. As the minutes ticked down only a couple of world class saves from Begovic from another Garcia effort and a clearance off the line by Shawcross from Dzeko were enough to give Stoke a pount at home. We may look at this as a point dropped but few teams dominate Stoke to this extens so we should be buoyed by this.

Let’s hope next season we can get over this voodoo.

City v QPR (League) – Sat 01 Sep [3v1 win]

October 2, 2012 admin Matches No comments

The two sides looked very different from the last time they met on the champions12 Premier League final match but the game followed a similar scenario and screams of happiness for City.

In a frustrating match where City took the lead only to be pegged back gasps of not again came round the stadium. I must admit to being more relaxed at this match, there were no tears, heart spasms or splitting headaches. City were by far the stronger side and possession and chances paid when Dzeko and Tevez scored twice in the second half to finish things off.

Not sure if i would have been so relaxed if Dzeko hadn’t managed to get the equalizer so soon though.

Great performance by the lads and a strong 3 points at home, no clean-sheet being disappointing but it’s early season and I’m sure the defense will improve!

Liverpool v City (League) – Sun 26 Aug [2v2 draw]

October 2, 2012 admin Matches No comments

A very tough match and a well fought for point at Anfield after coming from behind twice. Liverpool were the better side on the night and but for a gift from Skirtel to put Tevez in on goal we would have been coming away empty handed!

Luckily we never signed him in the summer or we would have been 1 point further back at this point.

City v Southampton (League) – Sun 19 Aug [3v2 win]

September 22, 2012 admin Matches No comments

First game of the season and I drove down to this match with Des, Scott and Steve.

Tried out our new season tickets and they are in a cracking location together on the half way line.

Almost identical match to the QPR game at the end of last season ending in 3v2 after we took the lead and went behind in the match.

Goals from Tevez, Dzeko and Nasri were enough to seal the 3 points and set City off to a successful start to the season. I can’t handle these 3v2 matches, bring back the 1v0 wins :)

Nasri and YaYa celebrate the end of Ramadan!