Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

[salmonman]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th City are out then.

[HastGill1]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

I've been a bit torn on this game, I've thought this was a fantastic opportunity to back City quite heavily for months but with the injuries they are suffering I'm not really sure there is much of an of edge here on a straight City win despite the seemingly big price. As I have stated previously I don't think Dzeko and Negredo can play together, they never perform well but with Aguero out I don't think Pellers will go for both up top in this game. Fernandino is also a massive miss, he is probably the most important player in City's midfield for me, Toure doesn't have the consistency that Fernandino has and his discipline to anchore the whole midfield as basically everyone else around him goes forward in search of goals. City's team quality is reduced by not having these two and getting these guys back and fit is the difference between City winning the league or not. I've been known to give Barcelona a bit of a hammering on here over the years, I remember the CL final against United when I was totally convinced United were going to win and making a lot of negative comments regarding Pedro and Villa (who obviously then both scored!). They are a side of fantastic players but tactically they are still not evolving in the way I would expect, Martimo has tried to alter their style slightly, the now will try more crossfield passes and play the ball longer on occasion. The two best players for them this season have been Sanchez and Fabregas, we won't see the best of Neymar for a couple of years and we are starting to see that Messi is possibly only human after all..I'm a bit surprised they are 'struggling' in the league (which in Spain means they aren't running away with it), only 2 wins in the last 5 has seen them pegged back, and means that unlike previous years they haven't been able to heavily rotate in the lead up to this last 16 tie. This is certainly a game for Pellers to earn his corn, he has to formulate a decent plan to contain them but ultimately exploit their weaknesses as City need to win this game to go through you would think, his overall record against Barcelona isn't bad and then he was competing against them with a fifth of their budget with Villareal, importantly he knows all about their tactics from his time in Spain. Looking at City in the cup tonight I don't think this is far off how they will play tactically against Barca, Garcia will need to start, going with Demichelis would be suicide his lack of mobility would be brutally exposed in a defensive midfield position - in fairness I don't think Pellers wanted to play him in defensive midfield against Chelsea the other week, his hand was forced. I would think the totally anonymous performance of both Dzeko and Negredo against Chelsea (the league game) and other games they have played together will show that it needs to be one of them and Jovetic while Aguero is out, Nasri might even come into the side after his impressive goalscoring return this evening. Pellers will know it is very difficult to stop Barca scoring but the facts are there to see, if you look at their away results in the CL they very regularly shift goals and surprisingly only won 1 of their last 6 away in the competition, conceding at least 2 goals in 4 of those 6. Man City's home games in the group stages followed the pattern of most of City's home games this season with an average of 5.6 total goals scored. These first legs in the CL first knockout stage have been pretty steady for under/over 2.5 with a 4/4 split in 3 of the last 4 years, I look at the qualities of both these sides and they are certainly both better at going forward than defending, City will want to take a lead to the Camp Nou as it is very difficult to win there. City will press Barcelona on the ball trying to win back possession as quick as possible, Barca have had problems at the back all season, as good as Puyol has been over the years his knee problems are beginning to get on top of him and I haven't been impressed with Pique for a while, Mascherano is a converted centre back and I'm staggered they haven't strengthened their options in the position. The full backs on both teams will bomb forward and I think City will look to exploit any available space Alves and Alba give them, Barca are vulnerable in the air and the centre of the pitch will be very competitive and congested. I'm having a small punt on City draw no bet as well, with Barcelona's questionable away form in the CL and City's superb home form I will take 2.2 any day of the week. Over 2.5 Goals - 1.633 - pinnacle - 2 Points LOST Over 2.75 Goals - 1.80 - pinnacle - 2 Points LOST Over 3.0 Goals - 2.060 - pinnacle - 2 Points LOST Man City 0AH - 2.20 - pinnacle - 2 Points LOST

Thats a lot of red :lol..the penalty decision changed the game, it was outside the box but I would have called it a pen if I was the ref, certainly looked in to me anyway. City set up far more defensive than I anticipated which killed the goal bets before the game had begun, without the penalty shout it might have gone either way but Barca have earned the know how to get out of such games.

[AZAlkmaar2]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th @andypaps: Sorry, this is post match but you also have to look at the form. The last three away games were without a Messi and Neymar in form. I think Neymar wasn't playing at all and Messi wasn't fully fit in those games.

[andypaps28]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

@andypaps: Sorry' date=' this is post match but you also have to look at the form. The last three away games were without a Messi and Neymar in form. I think Neymar wasn't playing at all and Messi wasn't fully fit in those games.[/quote'] I agree to an extent but Man City for me just were not set up right.

[MPLouis]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

I hear you about Man.City's home record.It is impressive.But it is valid only in Uk.I rate Barcelona to be many levels above the best team in UK right now.We have seen through the past years city's perfomance in Europe and in the Premier league.They beat every team in the league but when it comes to Champ League' date='things become different.I think tonight things are gonna get ugly for City.Their fortress is going to be destroyed and the myth for City being unstoppable at home-busted.The only possible hope for City not being exposed is that there is 2nd leg and Barcelona doesn't need to win the 1st at all cost.I remember Manchster United-Barcelona final a couple of years back when United were still on top form and Rooney scored the 1st goal.Then it was Barclona who stepped ahead.Manchester just couldn't handle the midfield and after Barcelona's equalizer we saw just how big is the gap between Barcelona and the other teams.Tonight we shall see a replay of that game.I am gonna risk a little bit more and take a long shot with Barcelona -1AH @3.55.I am not fully convinced that the Spaniards will go out firing on all cylinders but i am willing to take that risk.Small bet on Correct score 1:3 and 0:2 @ 17 and 13 with bet365

I guess you called this one pretty well :clap

[nicko]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

There was a clear faul on Navas before the penalty position' date=' also it was't penalty, was out of the box. Enough of those bloody midgets, can't win a fcking game without a referee help.[/quote'] I don't think that is a fair comment. Foul on Navas or not, penalty or not, the game was 60 or more % set for a Barca win, with this City approach. Two mistakes and a bit of a mess in the penalty area thanks to Valdez was all City did in the first half. Hosts only decided to go forward in the second half, as it should have been from the start. Unless Pellegrinni was going for a Levante approach parking up the bus - he did neither. Clearly with forwards like Negredo and Dzeko ( both a bit clumsy ) City is easy to ''read'', and beat. Apparently the midget of City Aguero could have been the difference, if fit. I don't think Barca needed a help from the ref to win this and many more games, a biased thinking about a great team. As of the midgets in FC Barcelona - my guess is that you are on about Xabi, Messi, Iniesta and Fabregas, you are not fair either. Any team woud be blessed to have them, the number of Cups they won for Barca ( and Spain ) speaks for itself. My guess is that their joint market value is in the range of 200+ million...Small guys, yet huge value and skills. ...not to mention another midget - Don Diego of Argentina.

[nicko]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

I hear you about Man.City's home record.It is impressive.But it is valid only in Uk.I rate Barcelona to be many levels above the best team in UK right now.We have seen through the past years city's perfomance in Europe and in the Premier league.They beat every team in the league but when it comes to Champ League' date='things become different.I think tonight things are gonna get ugly for City.Their fortress is going to be destroyed and the myth for City being unstoppable at home-busted.The only possible hope for City not being exposed is that there is 2nd leg and Barcelona doesn't need to win the 1st at all cost.I remember Manchster United-Barcelona final a couple of years back when United were still on top form and Rooney scored the 1st goal.Then it was Barclona who stepped ahead.Manchester just couldn't handle the midfield and after Barcelona's equalizer we saw just how big is the gap between Barcelona and the other teams.Tonight we shall see a replay of that game.I am gonna risk a little bit more and take a long shot with Barcelona -1AH @3.55.I am not fully convinced that the Spaniards will go out firing on all cylinders but i am willing to take that risk.Small bet on Correct score 1:3 and 0:2 @ 17 and 13 with bet365[/quote'] Well done !

[senk]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th Yep, like almost every team they defended with 9 players and tried to hurt them on the counter but what the heck??? That's not the strength of City who made these tactics seriously? Barca only looses if you press them high on the field and isolate Messi in the centre. Even with these tactics Barca had a tough time to open up the City defense and that foul by Demichelis certainly ruined the game for them. Never understood why defenders make a foul like that? He can miss the chance [oke its messi now] and otherwise it's 11 against 11 for more than 35 minutes to atleast draw the game. The times that City had the ball were often dangerous around the penalty box, I just don't get it why he fielded such a defensive side. Have to be fear in some kind of way.. Now they are out for sure or Aguero has to score 5 goalsin Camp Nou ?:D:D

[NoFear]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th I think city got the tactics wrong too TBH. Barca are very very vulnerable on set-pieces and city certainly had the height in their favor. Such defensive mindset was defo not what i was expecting from Pellegrini. Yes its barca but citys strength has been to attack. They lost of bayern cos of Joe hart's mistakes. They brushed aside a confident arsenal team by playing aggressively. Sure barca is a step above arsenal but arsenal were flying high then and had the best defensive record in the league. They also werent as vulnerable to set pieces as this barca team. Look at it this way. Barca basically failed to score if we dont count the penalty (forget alves's 90 mins goal against 10 men). Had pellegrini not been that defensive i am sure the red card would have been given to pique as he has a tendency to get them against Real Madrid. Although RM are a good counter-attacking team, point is this barca side can be got at as lesser team than city had shown in la liga. Valencia beat them 3:2 at camp nou recently. Barca was here for the draw and Pellegrini served it to them with that lineup. csk csk. I used to think he is a much better manager than a few others and thought if it ever came to the point wher i had to back the team he selected blindly, i probably would - but I am not sure after this debacle. I havent lost any money from the match since it was a not bet match for me anyway after that lineup, but Pellegrini got it all wrong this time. And to think it was him who had the experience playing barca in la liga where as tata martino was probably not used to playing against PL sides. And how Pellegrini just got it all wrong, lol, I still cant believe it. On another note, anyone else notice how bad dzeko seems to be playing these days. He just cant do anything right. He is in all the wrong positions, lacks confidence, and just generally scores against lower league teams in the FA cup. Think jovetic should probably be the next choice after negredo and dzeko should be shipped off in the summer.

[TotoSchillaci]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

There was a clear faul on Navas before the penalty position' date=' also it was't penalty, was out of the box. Enough of those bloody midgets, can't win a fcking game without a referee help.[/quote'] Navas was barely touched and Messi was a clear penalty. Demicheles pulled shit like this all the time to cover his lack of speed at Bayern. Don't know how on earth he got city gig. Overall deserved win for a dominant performance. Shows pedigree is important in this comp.

[Simeon Borisof]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th Well that was humiliating for City as i expected.They didn't even try not to lose except maybe about 10 mins between 15-25min when they tried to attack.It showed that City are not ready to compete with the big European teams yet.

[Rhoads]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

Navas was barely touched and Messi was a clear penalty. Demicheles pulled shit like this all the time to cover his lack of speed at Bayern. Don't know how on earth he got city gig. Overall deserved win for a dominant performance. Shows pedigree is important in this comp.

yes it was!

[Aidymac]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th Navas was not fouled & it was not a penalty. It was a red card. That is it really.

[TotoSchillaci]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th Doesn't matter Messi was probably going to score. So a free kick wouldn't compensate for Demichelis taking the opportunity away.

[reaper88]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

Doesn't matter Messi was probably going to score. So a free kick wouldn't compensate for Demichelis taking the opportunity away.

OMG. Just OMG. :rollin Dude what have you been smoking. Seriously. Is there new rule in football the rest of us don't know about. Sorry for the spam but just couldn't help it.

[TotoSchillaci]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

OMG. Just OMG. :rollin Dude what have you been smoking. Seriously. Is there new rule in football the rest of us don't know about. Sorry for the spam but just couldn't help it.

Duuuude haha. Football is a natural game. I know it was outside. And yeah it's not a penalty to the letter of the law. But if Messi is one on one and a fat old defender chops him down from behind inches outside the box and robs him of the 1v1 chance then conceding only a free kick is wrong. It's a let off. It's like rewarding foul play. So from a rational common sense perspective you've gotta give a penalty considering circumstances.

[Rhoads]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

OMG. Just OMG. :rollin Dude what have you been smoking. Seriously. Is there new rule in football the rest of us don't know about. Sorry for the spam but just couldn't help it.

Probably hes been watching too much Brisbane Roar or Melbourne Victory games lately :D

[TotoSchillaci]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

Probably hes been watching too much Brisbane Roar or Melbourne Victory games lately :D

Don't take jabs at me for no reason thank you. It's not my fault if you lost money. Grow up. You originally posted "There was a clear faul on Navas before the penalty position" and I disagreed and now you're crying. If you think Navas was fouled stop betting on football because you won't profit on something you don't understand.

[Rhoads]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th

Don't take jabs at me for no reason thank you. It's not my fault if you lost money. Grow up. You originally posted "There was a clear faul on Navas before the penalty position" and I disagreed and now you're crying. If you think Navas was fouled stop betting on football because you won't profit on something you don't understand.

Don't take jabs at me for no reason thank you. It's not my fault if you lost money. Grow up. You originally posted "There was a clear faul on Navas before the penalty position" and I disagreed and now you're crying. If you think Navas was fouled stop betting on football because you won't profit on something you don't understand.

I am not crying because I didn't bet on this match after seeing the starting 11s, having Nasri and Dzeko on the bench. I am just sick of seeing the same story every season in the Barcelona games, robbing their opponents with the controversary referee decisions.

Navas was barely touched and Messi was a clear penalty.

Doesn't matter Messi was probably going to score. So a free kick wouldn't compensate for Demichelis taking the opportunity away.

You just sound ridiculous. You must be a wannabe Manchester United fan or you know nothing about the football because your posts makes no sense.

[TotoSchillaci]

Re: Manchester City v FC Barcelona > Tuesday February 18th What match were you watching. What a joke