CroJack
Key Player
No penalty. Sterling works for a company that produces scuba diving equipment.
Manchester City
- Thread starter Jackflash
- Start date
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
A bitter consolation ... from this point forward Celina’s goal will be studied by every coach and player that is about to play City. A brilliant illustration of how to open them up, expose their weakness, play through them with speed and finish a la Michu.
And second we have found a new permanent penalty taker. Grimes was subtly brilliant today. He played at least 4 different roles with aplomb against one of the best teams in the world, hardly put a foot wrong in the entire game, and demonstrated that he’s nowhere near done developing. Big John is reported to have once said to a journalist when asked his best position ... “on the field”. Not to equate Grimes with Charles, but today we got a glimpse of what that idea really means. Grimes simply must be on the field. Grimes has to be the first name that Potter puts on the team sheet every game, the first contract that gets renewed by club execs, and the last player we will ever transfer out.
And second we have found a new permanent penalty taker. Grimes was subtly brilliant today. He played at least 4 different roles with aplomb against one of the best teams in the world, hardly put a foot wrong in the entire game, and demonstrated that he’s nowhere near done developing. Big John is reported to have once said to a journalist when asked his best position ... “on the field”. Not to equate Grimes with Charles, but today we got a glimpse of what that idea really means. Grimes simply must be on the field. Grimes has to be the first name that Potter puts on the team sheet every game, the first contract that gets renewed by club execs, and the last player we will ever transfer out.
Graham Potter was gracious in defeat, in their BBC post match interviews, Pep admitted they'd been lucky. Graham Potter had every right to complain about the officials, but no, he accepted the outcome and was delighted at his teams performance, the closest he got to any criticism was saying VAR may have produced a different outcome. On occasions like this I think the FA should publicly make a statement on results like this,the evidence is there in black and white, it would also prevent managers from getting fined for doing so themselves.
I've already named them the Potter Prodigies in a previous post
and that was BEFORE the Citeh game. But you're dead right, JF. If the Yanks had a grain of sense, not only must they keep Potter and his young lads in place, they should also add just a little quality experience to give us more depth and options. If they do that we could all be watching us back in the Premier League (WHERE WE BELONG) before too long.
CroJack
Key Player
CroJack
Key Player
Indeed. And the only thing that beat us against Man City was fatigue. The lads didn't have fresh legs in the second half and therefor they sat too deep. As long as we pressed them high it was a more less even game. I am so proud of them and Potter.
Behindthegoal
Key Player
Last time I heard "you're only here to watch the Swans" I think Laudrup was manager.
We kept the Citeh fans quiet for 67 minutes
We kept the Citeh fans quiet for 67 minutes
And their two subs that gave them two illegal goals.Man City subs:
Sergio Aguero & Raheem Sterling
Swansea subs:
Declan John & Joel Asoro
Behindthegoal
Key Player
Not entirely true, JF. I had £10 at 24/1 on Swansea. I persuaded myself at half time to lay off at 6/4, take a profit and enjoy the match. And if Blind Pugh and his mate had not given the penalty nor ignored the offside I still made enough to buy our Wembley tickets.
Writing in the Sun today former referee Mark Halsey categorically confirmed what the whole world (apart from the incompetent donkeys who officiated the game) knew to be a fact. The gist of his article is as follows:
Manchester City got two lucky breaks in the second half of their comeback at Swansea. Firstly, they were very fortunate to be awarded a penalty by Andre Marriner. Swansea defender CCV made a challenge and clearly won the ball from Raheem Sterling. Sterling was not looking for a penalty and to everyone's amazement Andre gave it.
The second nail in the coffin for Swansea was that Segio Aguero was clearly offside when he headed in the winner. That was another clear error that would have been overturned had VAR been in operation.
So we have yet another example of match officials toadying up to a big club - trying to curry favour with them I assume. It is sickening, it is wrong and, in its best light, is incompetence of the worst kind. We are a club in desperate need of money, so how much has Marriner's abject failure to do his job properly, potentially cost us? Not to mention the incredible boost it would have given the club, the players and the fans for us to make a Wembley appearance by adding the scalp of one of the world's best football teams to our CV. Maybe we wouldn't have won our semi-final but what a body blow for us to be shamefully robbed of the opportunity to do so and maybe appear in the FA Cup Final for the very first time in our history. Well the game IS now history and I hope that Marriner and his cohorts are suitably ashamed of their actions.
Just one iota of compensation was a comment I read online from a Citeh supporter who said that we were a level above Schalke. Scant consolation I know but I hope that Potter and his young heroes can take heart from their magnificent display and a potential result that was stolen from them only on the whim of an unworthy set of officials. Yet again I ask why these characters think they are so deserving of respect. Clearly they are not.
Manchester City got two lucky breaks in the second half of their comeback at Swansea. Firstly, they were very fortunate to be awarded a penalty by Andre Marriner. Swansea defender CCV made a challenge and clearly won the ball from Raheem Sterling. Sterling was not looking for a penalty and to everyone's amazement Andre gave it.
The second nail in the coffin for Swansea was that Segio Aguero was clearly offside when he headed in the winner. That was another clear error that would have been overturned had VAR been in operation.
So we have yet another example of match officials toadying up to a big club - trying to curry favour with them I assume. It is sickening, it is wrong and, in its best light, is incompetence of the worst kind. We are a club in desperate need of money, so how much has Marriner's abject failure to do his job properly, potentially cost us? Not to mention the incredible boost it would have given the club, the players and the fans for us to make a Wembley appearance by adding the scalp of one of the world's best football teams to our CV. Maybe we wouldn't have won our semi-final but what a body blow for us to be shamefully robbed of the opportunity to do so and maybe appear in the FA Cup Final for the very first time in our history. Well the game IS now history and I hope that Marriner and his cohorts are suitably ashamed of their actions.
Just one iota of compensation was a comment I read online from a Citeh supporter who said that we were a level above Schalke. Scant consolation I know but I hope that Potter and his young heroes can take heart from their magnificent display and a potential result that was stolen from them only on the whim of an unworthy set of officials. Yet again I ask why these characters think they are so deserving of respect. Clearly they are not.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
I would say that's a 7 figure economic loss as a result of those decisions.
The Sterling penalty decision was solely the referee's. The linesman's flag was not raised. Conversely, on our penalty the linesman flagged for the foul on Roberts and then Mariner gave the penalty.
Why the linesman did not flag for offside on Aguero's goal is a mystery. He should have been in line with the play - no big difficulty there given the preamble to the cross. Probably the most obvious offside situation in the match.
If ever there was a suspicion of a match fix this would be it. It really takes a lot to be that incompetent. Fractional situations are one thing, but to decide unilaterally over a linesman in a superior position on the penalty, and then for the linesman to miss that offside call both require willful intent. I find it hard to accept these were close calls and therefore open to human error.
The Sterling penalty decision was solely the referee's. The linesman's flag was not raised. Conversely, on our penalty the linesman flagged for the foul on Roberts and then Mariner gave the penalty.
Why the linesman did not flag for offside on Aguero's goal is a mystery. He should have been in line with the play - no big difficulty there given the preamble to the cross. Probably the most obvious offside situation in the match.
If ever there was a suspicion of a match fix this would be it. It really takes a lot to be that incompetent. Fractional situations are one thing, but to decide unilaterally over a linesman in a superior position on the penalty, and then for the linesman to miss that offside call both require willful intent. I find it hard to accept these were close calls and therefore open to human error.
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CroJack
Key Player
When we scored the second goal I booked a flight to London in hope I would meet you all at Wembley
The debate goes on and on. It's been mentioned throughout the day on TalkSport and again just now on the Durham and Gough show. Durham reckons Citeh owe us big time and even suggested a replay! I hope that Marriner and his crew are suitably embarrassed because I doubt they'll feel any shame. About the replay, Gough suggests we would be beaten 8-0 but my suggestion would be to start the game in the 78th minute with the score at 2-1. That would be fair and it would be fun to watch 11 men wedged along the goal line trying keep Citeh out.
I hope that Marriner and his crew are suitably embarrassed because I doubt they'll feel any shame. About the replay, Gough suggests we would be beaten 8-0 but my suggestion would be to start the game in the 78th minute with the score at 2-1. That would be fair and it would be fun to watch 11 men wedged along the goal line trying keep Citeh out.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
It comes down to the "integrity of the game", which is what the FA is always barking about when managers etc sound off against the prevailing inequities. It all goes quiet when they and their minions are the ones that have brought the shame on the integrity of the game.
THAT goal is worth a video of its own. I hope that Mr Birch appreciates just what could be achieved if he can find a way of keeping these lads together. He's supposed to be a footballing man and if he can't see what heights we could rise to by giving them a chance next season then we'd be better off without him.
Behindthegoal
Key Player
Too true Ivor. Unfortunately he has to convince his masters.