Tag Archive for Dzeko

City v West Brom (League) – Tue 7th May [1v0 win]

Neil Dickson making write up

 

City v Liverpool (League) – Sun 3rd Jan [2v2 draw]

Unfortunately my first game of the New Year ends in a draw and I think with this result any chances of winning the Premiership have disappeared. I know we lost it & won it again last season but United were not a good team last season & didn’t deserve to win it.

This season, with the addition of RvP it’s been a kick-up the backside for Rooney and they have Ferdinand & Vidic back – don’t misunderstand me, I still don’t think they are a great team but beating us didn’t help our cause.

Back to yesterday’s game, all 4 goals were crackers for one reason or another and it was quite a good game – shame about the result sort of thing. Milner was brilliant throughout the game – he’s definitely improving this season – better passing than previously. Aguero was superb in the second half – pity his Maradona run didn’t end in a goal, although his goal was brilliantly executed.

Gerrard scores that sort of goal regularly – so why do we on ever put a man on him when he gets in those sort of positions. Sturridges goal, although very well taken should never been allowed, Dzeko was clearly fouled & the referee let play continue. Liverpool are definitely getting the rub of the green with referees again. Yesterday’s referee was appalling.

Anyway enough said, here’s to beating dirty Leeds and winning the Cup again.

 

All the best

Deryck CTID

Arsenal v City (League) – Sun 13th Jan [2v0 win]

It’s 37 years since our last win at Arsenal so most fans were most likely pessimistic of the prospect of Arsenal away with YaYa, Aguero and Nasri missing. The funny thing being was that I felt positive, I had been saying all week that I thought that we would win and Dzeko would get the winner!

I arrived in London at 7 in the morning and decided to walk up to the Emirates, I know the area fairly well and remembered that the Drayton Arms opened at 12 and it would show the Rags v Liverpool game.

The talk all week had been about £62 tickets and the fact that City had returned 900 tickets of our allocation, from talking to fans most thought the news would be received negatively but the media seemed to support the stance the club and fans took on the price of tickets. I met friends in the pub and unfortunately United won, that never dampened spirit of the fans as they City fans blasted song after song. My favourite in the pub being “Na Na Nastisic, better than cnut Vidic, plays for City and Serbia” – it’s only fair he has a song as he has been class this season (our best signing by far in the window) – There was debate to start with that he has taken Lescott’s slot after he had such a great season last year but the fans are warming to a classy player at such a young age (certainly looks a better prospect than Savic).

After last year I was concerned about the atmosphere but it’s been the best one this season – atmosphere enhanced by the early sending off and the high spirits of the fans. We belted out “We are the Champions, Champions of England” for the majority of the game and song after song in between including showing our support for Mancini, Milner, Dzeko, Kompany, Nastasic, Zabaleta amongst the many.

As I said it’s the loudest atmosphere this season, only to be marginally better by the Champ16ns match last year at Sold Trafford. The fans continued to sing “£62 pounds and we are still here, 2 sets of fans had banners and the stewards and then police removed these from fans – harsh when we consider we are all meant to have freedom of speech.

Dzeko was rugby tackled for the pen “our first in 3 years away from home btw” but failed to finish after save from his legs and then off the post. City continued to press and Tevez setup Milner with one of those passed sent with the eyes that Ronaldinho was all to famous for, Milner received the ball and whipped it across the keeper and into the back of the net. It made a cracking ping when it hit the post and went in and the City fans went mental. Dzeko then got a tap in from a great assist from Tevez reaching for the ball. Well deserved goal as Dzeko had a cracking performance, holding the ball up well and leading the line with power. Dzeko setup Tevez late on and he should have scored, he opted to go round the keeper but the keeper saved well, I may be wrong but feel if the roles were reversed Dzeko would have hit it sooner and we would have ended up with a 3 goal lead.

Kompany was sent off late on for a tackle where he clearly won the ball. This was later rescinded much to the surprise of City fans on Bluemoon and other City forums. After the match Brian and I were Interviewed by Sky Sports News about the ticket prices. Milner was fantastic and Garcia had is best performance for Man City

The final whistle blew and the linesman whispered to Lescott –“ go see the fans, they paid £62 for this!” – oddly he was banned by the FA for the next set of features. As the remaining Arsenal fans began to exit the City fans echoed loudly – “Sh!t club and you charge too much!” – summed it up perfectly

Well that 24 hours on the bus was certainly worth it as I have now seen City win away at Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea.

City v Spurs (League) – Sun 11th Nov [2v1 win]

Left Aberdeen at 0900 Saturday morning & picked up members at Laurencekirk, Dundee & Edinburgh to make it three short of a full coach.

An 8 hour journey included a 45 minute stop for a meal etc.

An overnight stay in Manchester began by meeting in Weatherspoons Piccadilly at 1900, a couple of drinks later everyone went on their way, some night clubbing others for a meal, finally got to bed at 1am.

Travel bags were transferred in the morning to the coach & then it was off to the Townley for pre-match drinks.

City started well but could not score then on 20 minutes Spurs ran up the field & Caulker scored, helped by a rare Joe Hart fumble & poor refereeing not to say anything about the quality of the linesmen.

It was still 0-1 after a poor 1st half.

City started the second half brightly but it wasn’t until the 66th minute that  scored good work by Yaya and Silva.

City played really from then on despite Spurs changing 3 players.

Nastasic was switched for Maicon & made a big difference as soon as he came on. Dzeko took Tevez’ place and from a half chance once again scored the winner; leaving it until the 88th minute this time.

Gale Clichy took a well deserved Man of the Match Award with Zabaleta not very far behind.

The boys in blue hung on to the final whistle and thereby created a new City Premier

League Record of 32 unbeaten home league games. Brilliant stuff especially for City.

We met up at the Townley after the game & the coach left at 1600 and we were back in Aberdeen for 0030.

It was great meeting everyone again especially those from further away, hope you enjoyed it.

I would like to thank Des for all his efforts in organising the coach – it’s a big responsibility, and also to David & Richard for organising tickets for those who needed them

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

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!!!

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

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!

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

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!

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

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!

City v QPR (League) 13 May [2v3]

All week I had been looking forward to this match, I’d have to admit to thinking that we had won the league the week previous with our results at United (home) and Newcastle (Away).

My wife and I had been discussing the possibility as dressing as banana 1 and banana 2 for the match to add to the party atmosphere. I don’t think either of us envisaged the day ahead we were going to have.

We went to our normal seats but we couldn’t sit together, our season tickets were 2 blocks apart in East Stand Level 3 (303 and 305), so I kissed my wife and moved to my seat on the half way line.

This was the first time I had sat on this seat and said to the guy next to me, I hope this isn’t an unlucky seat.

The first half started as expected with City dominating possession and looking likely to score, you could feel the nerves around the stadium with everyone praying for a goal. After 20 minutes news came through that United had scored and that upped the tension to another level.

Zabaleta scored on the 39th minute with a bizarre goal, the enjoyment and release from all the fans was clear to see. The fans started to sing louder and we all began to believe that if we could get another that would be job done.

Then the unthinkable happened when QPR scored and then scored again after mistakes from Lescott and a goal on the counter attack. I felt tears welling up when they got the 2nd, all my hopes and dreams had been crushed. I said to myself typical bloody City always stealing defeat from the jaws of victory!

The stands began to empty and I jumped up and ran across to the seat beside Kim. Fortunately the seat behind her was available and she consoled me.

As the time progressed you could see that most had begun to believe that we had bottled it and the rags were going to win the title. We kept on having chances but couldn’t make the break through. No matter how hard we cheered and willed the players on we couldn’t get the goal which would give us a small chance of a draw being enough if United were to slip up at the Stadium of light.

I remember thinking about how I had cheered for Shuanny and Nedum when they were wearing light blue and hoping they would do us a favour, but that couldn’t happen as QPR had to win to avoid relegation. Sweep is one of my favourite players and I was asking myself how he would feel breaking the heart of the thousands who had worshiped him!

I prayed harder and harder as the time ticket away, it’s now injury time and I have lost all hope. I have never seen so many grown men in tears at one time. After all it is only football!

Balotelli came close with a powerful header which looked like with all the will in the world it would hit the back of the net. Then another corner and it”s in the back of the net a determined Dzeko smashes in a header to give us a glimmer of hope in injury time. Aguero grabs the ball and then runs to the halfway line to restart the match. QPR try to waste time and refuse to kick off then eventually the ball is back in play!

The whole crowd screaming Come on City and urging us forward, then the ball breaks to Balotelli on the edge of the box and he makes his first assist of the season to Aguerrooooooooooo.

The crowd erupts, I check the linesman and his flag is down, we have done it, City are CHAMPIONS!!

We watch the celebrations, I blast Hey Jude at the top of my lungs and then run to the clubshop to get Champions 12 on the back of my shirt.

This is how it feels to be City!! Bloody great

Storm the pitch

Preparing for the celebrations

Getting the trophy

Title celebration

Paul Merson

Last 10 minutes

Best Man City and Man United fan reactions to Aguero’s title winning

Champions 12 Shirt

City v Blackburn (League) 25 February [3v0 win]