Best individual performance against your team?

[Ciderhead]

De Bruyne probably the best player I've ever watched at a game.

He was otherworldly but for me Fernandinho was the main difference between the two legs, every time we won it back he was there we just couldn't mount an attack. And Silva could've played 10 games without giving the ball away.

Not sure there's a better midfield in world football at the minute

 

[markwwfc1992]

Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Fernandinho.

Jesus Christ what a midfield.

Meh, they couldn't score against our reserves.

 

[Ciderhead]

Meh, they couldn't score against our reserves.

Knew that was coming when I saw you quoted my post

Think you'll find none of them played that game..

Edit: Okay, De Bruyne came on for half an hour

 

[JonBCFC]

Meh, they couldn't score against our reserves.

Really? You’ve never said

 

[markwwfc1992]

Really? You’ve never said

I don't think it's highlighted or acknowledged nearly enough.

 

[The Mustard Tiger]

Best individual performance I've ever seen in a game was Robert Koren for West Brom against Coventry in a 4-0 route at the Ricoh Arena. Despite it being 10 years ago now it really sticks in the mind as he completely bossed the midfield and ran the show.

 

[Luke_ciderhead]

Going back a few years but an ageing Kevin Keen absolutely tore us a new asshole for West Ham when they won 5-1 at the gate around 1990ish. Probably the best opposition performance I had seen until last night. Snodgrass always plays a blinder against us too.

 

[Ciderup]

I can honestly say, that performance by Man City last night was the best team performance, with the ball and their 'press' that I have ever seen in 44 years watching city, they were superb and it was a pleasure to watch TBH. Silva and KDB are simply awesome and Fernandinho was everywhere.
What a team!

 

[Luke_ciderhead]

Likewise ciderup although I've suffered only 27 years so never got to see the likes of Shankley's Liverpool, Clough's Forest or Revie's Leeds like you will have done.

They look the part, now they need to back it up with plenty of silverware which I'm sure they will.

 

[blademan89]

I can honestly say, that performance by Man City last night was the best team performance, with the ball and their 'press' that I have ever seen in 44 years watching city, they were superb and it was a pleasure to watch TBH. Silva and KDB are simply awesome and Fernandinho was everywhere.
What a team!

Yet they only beat you in injury time in both games, pretty good testament to yourselves in that case.

 

[Bobbin']

Think the Bristol City fans need to calm down a bit.

Man City are obviously a very good side but are hardly Real Madrid or Barca of recent years or even Arsenal’s invincibles imo.

As Blademan says, they’ve just squeezed past a Championship side with a late goal in each game.

They’re going to run away with the league but that is in part, because the rest of the PL is pretty turd. I think they’ll come unstuck in the CL again.

Not taking anything away from Bristol City by the way.

 

[SF_]

They'd be unreal if they had a single competent defender in the squad.

 

[Bobbin']

They'd be unreal if they had a single competent defender in the squad.

Exactly why they won’t win the CL, their defence is poor.

 

[JJH]

They'd be unreal if they had a single competent defender in the squad.

Kyle Walker's the best right back in the world and Otamendi and Kompany don't do too badly for themselves. Even Stones was doing incredibly well before his injury. Zinchenko looks a player as well but he's learning his position, Mendy's back soon so he'll probably be out of the side.

I disagree Bobbin I think they're as good as the best Madrid/Barca sides in recent years, they're absolutely bossing every single game, have comfortably the best midfield in world football and are 14/1 to do the quadruple this season...

Great side with some of the best players to ever grace the Premier League. De Bruyne, Aguero, David Silva etc etc...

 

[SF_]

Kyle Walker's the best right back in the world and Otamendi and Kompany don't do too badly for themselves. Even Stones was doing incredibly well before his injury. Zinchenko looks a player as well but he's learning his position, Mendy's back soon so he'll probably be out of the side.

I disagree Bobbin I think they're as good as the best Madrid/Barca sides in recent years, they're absolutely bossing every single game, have comfortably the best midfield in world football and are 14/1 to do the quadruple this season...

Great side with some of the best players to ever grace the Premier League. De Bruyne, Aguero, David Silva etc etc...

Otamendi and Stones are very good footballers but not great defenders, they need an organiser alongside them, they'll never be Vincent Kompany level, but I doubt he'll be fully fit ever again.

Zinchenko is clearly a central midfielder being asked to play left back, if he plays there against a half decent Premier League team or at European level then he would get absolutely destroyed.

Walker is very good going forward but vulnerable defensively, if he's the best defender in the world then there is a distinct lack of world class right backs at the moment because that's not a category i'd put him in.

Agree about them having the best midfield in the world at the moment and I wouldn't swap Aguero for another striker but their defence is full of ball players rather than defenders, couldn't see them going somewhere like Barca or Bayern and seeing out a 1-0.

Superb to watch but I want to see them come up against Europe's best before making any big claims about them.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Otamendi and Stones are very good footballers but not great defenders, they need an organiser alongside them, they'll never be Vincent Kompany level, but I doubt he'll be fully fit ever again.

Zinchenko is clearly a central midfielder being asked to play left back, if he plays there against a half decent Premier League team or at European level then he would get absolutely destroyed.

Walker is very good going forward but vulnerable defensively, if he's the best defender in the world then there is a distinct lack of world class right backs at the moment because that's not a category i'd put him in.

Agree about them having the best midfield in the world at the moment and I wouldn't swap Aguero for another striker but their defence is full of ball players rather than defenders, couldn't see them going somewhere like Barca or Bayern and seeing out a 1-0.

Superb to watch but I want to see them come up against Europe's best before making any big claims about them.

Great post.

The times in the past when we've seen English players labelled world class only to watch them be dismantled against genuine quality.

Walker is excellent attacking but can be caught the wrong side time and again, Stones lacks the mental capabilities to be truly top drawer, his dips in concentration are too costly.

City will win the CL at some point but SF is spot on in saying they'd struggle if it came to a defensive masterclass unlike Chelsea, United etc in the past.

Much like Arsenal in the mid 00s.

 

[Bobbin']

Otamendi and Stones are very good footballers but not great defenders, they need an organiser alongside them, they'll never be Vincent Kompany level, but I doubt he'll be fully fit ever again.

Zinchenko is clearly a central midfielder being asked to play left back, if he plays there against a half decent Premier League team or at European level then he would get absolutely destroyed.

Walker is very good going forward but vulnerable defensively, if he's the best defender in the world then there is a distinct lack of world class right backs at the moment because that's not a category i'd put him in.

Agree about them having the best midfield in the world at the moment and I wouldn't swap Aguero for another striker but their defence is full of ball players rather than defenders, couldn't see them going somewhere like Barca or Bayern and seeing out a 1-0.

Superb to watch but I want to see them come up against Europe's best before making any big claims about them.

Was going to reply but can’t add much more to that, exactly how I see that Man City team - particularly defence. I mean they’ve had Fabian Delph playing at LB. Appreciate Mendy would usually play there who is decent.

Never saw the appeal of Stones when at Everton and still don’t just another case of a young English player being hyped up.

 

[LancashireTrotters]

Dennis Bergkamp for Arsenal, class above 99% of players to grace the Premiership.

Cristiano Ronaldo was another who just had too much quality for us to deal with, even during the years that we were challenging for top four Champions League spots.

Franck Ribery looked top notch when we played against Marseille. We tried to sign him a few months later, wouldn’t pay what they wanted though.
He tore us apart a few years later again, this time for Bayern.

 

[JJH]

Otamendi and Stones are very good footballers but not great defenders, they need an organiser alongside them, they'll never be Vincent Kompany level, but I doubt he'll be fully fit ever again.

Zinchenko is clearly a central midfielder being asked to play left back, if he plays there against a half decent Premier League team or at European level then he would get absolutely destroyed.

Walker is very good going forward but vulnerable defensively, if he's the best defender in the world then there is a distinct lack of world class right backs at the moment because that's not a category i'd put him in.

Agree about them having the best midfield in the world at the moment and I wouldn't swap Aguero for another striker but their defence is full of ball players rather than defenders, couldn't see them going somewhere like Barca or Bayern and seeing out a 1-0.

Superb to watch but I want to see them come up against Europe's best before making any big claims about them.

I think Otamendi has been outstanding the last couple of seasons defensively. I've never rated Stones particularly so I agree with you on that.

Zinchenko's a left midfielder not a central midfielder I believe, but as said they have Mendy to come back.

Walker being vulnerable defensively is a myth, he's been absolutely rock solid for a good couple of seasons now both at Spurs and City. There's not a better right back in the world, maybe that's due to the lack of quality players in that position but he is the best of the bunch.

We'll see how they get on anyway, I hope they go on and win the CL as Guardiola has been absolutely brilliant with us.

 

[Bobbin']

Is Walker better than Alves?

I personally think Alves is better in all phases.

I too, hope they win the CL. Have always had a soft spot for City as my granddad was a Mancunian and supported them, would just be disappointed he wont be around to see it.

 

[JJH]

Is Walker better than Alves?

I personally think Alves is better in all phases.

I too, hope they win the CL. Have always had a soft spot for City as my granddad was a Mancunian and supported them, would just be disappointed he wont be around to see it.

I think Alves was, but I watched him a few times in the CL last season and he didn't offer half the attacking threat he used to at Barcelona. Him and Alba used to play ridiculously high.

 

[SF_]

I think Otamendi has been outstanding the last couple of seasons defensively.

Walker being vulnerable defensively is a myth

Can't agree about Otamendi, he switches off a lot, for your first goal on Tuesday night he was nowhere near challenging for that second ball and that seems a common occurrence whenever I watch City.

Also disagree about Walker, he is prone to getting caught up the pitch and I don't think he's amazing one on one. He's very good obviously but compared to world class right backs of years gone by? he doesn't get a mention. 'Defensive right backs' don't seem fashionable in the Premier League these days.

I can't comment on Mendy.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

I can't comment on Mendy.

It's Thursday today pal

 

[JJH]

It's Thursday today pal

Christ mate, Wiganmudhuts28 called and asked for his banter back.

 

[Etienne Vermeer]

Outside of the aforementioned Paul Merson (I remember that game well), I'll go back a little further and bring up Paul Gascoigne, who was on another planet for Spurs against us in the late 80s.

 

[Bobbin']

Robbie Fowler in 2001.

Liverpool beat us 4-0 and we were outclassed all over but every time Fowler had the ball you thought he was going to score, a miracle he only bagged two really. Sure there are plenty of others but that's always the one that immediately springs to mind.

 

[Gerry Gow]

It's Thursday today pal

Not one of your best.

 

[Bobbin']

Not one of your best.

How do you know what sort of Thursday he’s had?

 

[SoutheySWFC]

How do you know what sort of Thursday he’s had?

It was pretty decent to be fair.

 

[Ciderup]

Think the Bristol City fans need to calm down a bit.

Man City are obviously a very good side but are hardly Real Madrid or Barca of recent years or even Arsenal’s invincibles imo.

As Blademan says, they’ve just squeezed past a Championship side with a late goal in each game.

They’re going to run away with the league but that is in part, because the rest of the PL is pretty turd. I think they’ll come unstuck in the CL again.

Not taking anything away from Bristol City by the way.

I never saw Real or Barca in the flesh Bobbin, hence my reaction. I stand by it as well. The way they press and move the ball is the best I have ever seen. Let's be honest here, in that 2nd leg, if their finishing was anywhere near their approach play, they would have been out of sight!
I've seen them on the tele loads of times obviously but their speed just didn't hit me until that 2nd leg.
Maybe Real and Barca were / are better but I've never seen them to compare TBH. Were Arsenal's 'invincibles' a better football side? That's a fair question but I'm not sure they were at the level I saw on Tuesday. The invincibles had a far better defence certainly.