Match Thread Manchester City(1) Vs Everton(2) - Capital One Cup - Semi Final 2nd Leg - Weds 27th Jan - 19:45 KO

[BlueToff]

I'd direct you all to, when the dust has settled, have a read of the Guardian article published about Kendall.

Now i'm not comparing Martinez to Kendall, but if you can't see the similarities between that squad and this, then you must be blind.

I'm sure I'll come in for a lot stick for sticking by Martinez, and if that defeat had been down to him tonight I'd have been willing to say he got it very wrong.

As it turns out, I really don't think he did much wrong at all, the players likewise.

We got beat by the best team in the land at their place, mainly due to the most gut-wrenching of referee calls that everybody could see was out of play immediately.

It was a good run that ultimately has been brought to an end because of that.

A special mention for Robles, Mori and Barks, who were all excellent.

 

[Fansince1988]

We didn't though...

City scored with a very lucky deflection from a pot-shot that Joel had covered - that came from us conceding the ball high upfield looking to start an attack. They then, naturally, went at us and they pushed us back. A £700million team pushed us back - at they're home ground - because they had the confidence of scoring. We couldn't get out because if we had they'd have killed us and the game would have been over by half time.

We weathered that storm excellently, with a bit of luck I will admit, and finished the second half on the front foot and Rom should have scored (even though it wouldn't have counted as Atkinson was playing for them tonight).

Then, we had Del's chance that he should have put away. No excuses.

They pushed us back and we needed to make subs as the legs were going for Ossie and Del. So we did. We made the change of McCarthy to add power to the midfield, and the change of Kone to stop Rom being isolated - that was an attacking change.

They hit the post, but that was their only real chance before Atkinson/lino failed to do their/his job and City got that goal.

From there, we never recovered and a bit of top class play from De Bruyne to get the ball in and top class movement from Aguero (the best striker in the country by a country mile) got the better of Jags and Stones.

That was that.

The game changed on another terrible decision by the referee/officials.

After Their 3rd goal we created nothing there was still 15/20 mins left including injury time, I expected to see a lot more fight after their 3rd, we were feeling sorry for ourselves and give up, it should in the last 15 mins or so.

 

[BlueToff]

imagine going to watch a cup semi-final and seeing a mass of inflated bananas. wtf, city! seriously? Enjoy your decade or so in the sun.

Used to like City. Still like most of their 'original' fans - the older crowd.

The new breed are total plazzies. Turned into another brand rather than a football club.

 

[BlueToff]

After Their 3rd goal we created nothing there was still 15/20 mins left including injury time, I expected to see a lot more fight after their 3rd, we were feeling sorry for ourselves and give up, it should in the last 15 mins or so.

Mate, we were knackered! Rom was poor (looks injured, actually) and City were keeping the ball.

They are the best team in the league mate, the best in the country. De Bruyne was superb - also, we had Barks missing due to him not being allowed to come back on because of the bleeding.

 

[froggyted]

I agree to some extent but to keep doing it becomes a broken record. We play too deep with officials having to make too many decisions.

So it's not good enough it our lads aren't up to the job but it is if the officials can't cut it?

 

[Fansince1988]

McCarthy definitely at his level, Besic potentially better.

Yeah your right there, we could do with a couple of goals from them, like Horne scored against Wimbledon in that final day game, that was a cracker.

 

[evo1878]

Barkley had a good game. But why was he off for the last 5 minutes of our biggest match in the club's recent history. ......... yes a nose bleed. Martinez too soft. Ferguson and keane were winners. Honestly would keane be off for 5 mins with a nose bleed. We have no spine. Martinez to blame.

Hasn't got back to defend all season but hey I don't manage the fella day in day out I just noticed it at Bournemouth and Norwich ..

 

[BlueToff]

So it's not good enough it our lads aren't up to the job but it is if the officials can't cut it?

Ignore them mate. Imagine blaming the players/manager for that shower from the ref in the second half. It was about the 50th min, I clocked it, when Atkinson started giving everything their way. No surprise, really.

 

[BlueToff]

Hasn't got back to defend all season but hey I don't manage the fella day in day out I just noticed it at Bournemouth and Norwich ..

How the hell can you even try to slate Barkley tonight. Bar Aguero he was the best player on the pitch. He more than did his part.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

The Football God's just love torturing us don't they?

Teams like City and Liverpool keep getting rewarded with trips to Wembley, while we lay in the dirt. It really has gone too far now. It's high time we caught a break

 

[toffeejack]

Ignore them mate. Imagine blaming the players/manager for that shower from the ref in the second half. It was about the 50th min, I clocked it, when Atkinson started giving everything their way. No surprise, really.

someone had a word with him at half time, he wasn't falling for any of their diving in the first half, a total bi-polar performance from him.

 

[froggyted]

Indeed. It will be gutted over the summer.

No, it's ok, have faith, Bill's looking for a buyer.

 

[Fansince1988]

Mate, we were knackered! Rom was poor (looks injured, actually) and City were keeping the ball.

They are the best team in the league mate, the best in the country. De Bruyne was superb - also, we had Barks missing due to him not being allowed to come back on because of the bleeding.

Yes they are a good team but the players can still try right un till the end. Swansea,Norwich,Bournemouth I could go on aren't so good but we don't do much good against them either. Bournemouth prime example they weren't knackered at the end they pushed on to score,why were are players so knackered? it was only a normal 90 minute game, we haven't got an issue now with Martinez fitness regime as well ?. There's no excuses he isn't up to the job and needs to go, I said this on a post last year and nothing much has change, only that in the last 2/3 months we have got worse.

 

[BlueToff]

someone had a word with him at half time, he wasn't falling for any of their diving in the first half, a total bi-polar performance from him.

Was always gonna happen mate. Carrot and stick...

All the media can say now is 'well Everton had their luck with Lukaku's goal and the penalty'

- Firstly, Sterling was in as equally an offside position for City's first tonight as Rom was - no complaints from Martinez unlike Pellegrini
- Secondly, there was no guarantee City would have scored that pen. None at all.

Also, and there may be a GIF of it about, but Pellegrini is a proper dirt bag. He pretended to brandish a yellow card in the first half to try and get (I think) Osman booked. Disgraceful stuff. Shows what a s******e club they've turned into.

It is what it is. We haven't 'Everton'd' this one at all - we have been proper, royally mugged off.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

They are the best team in the league mate, the best in the country.

Think Leicester could offer an argument there mate.