When this year's edition of the Champions League is ready to be kicked off, the last year's finalists Juventus FC are set for a visit to the Etihad, and Manchester City. A City that has started the season in the best way. Five wins, 11 goals produced and zero conceded. It is worse for Juventus; No victory in the first three matches in the league and a very precarious situation for Allegri and his players.
Manchester City are now making their fifth appearance in the Champions League. In the past two years, City eliminated by FC Barcelona. In this years edition of the Champions League, Manchester City seem to have finally been assigned a group randomly, in which the first place can be viewed as reasonable. Previously, Manchester City have never been a sure thing for the first place in the group, but this is as close as it gets.
Take over the group first, and then Europe.
Showing posts with label Pellegrini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pellegrini. Show all posts
Monday, 14 September 2015
Saturday, 12 September 2015
It's Nacho Time!
Sergio Aguero was forced to leave the game due to getting injured and Jesus Navas missed an open goal. Kelechi Iheanacho stepped up and blessed Manchester City. The 18-year-old substitute scored the only goal of the game in stoppage time.
Manchester City already had David Silva and Raheem Sterling on the injury list. Crystal Palace gave City a new heavy blow when Sergio Aguero was the subject of a vicious tackle by Crystal Palace player Scott Dann after 18 minutes. It should have been a red card for Dann.
To replace Aguero on the field came the new signing Kevin de Bruyne who made his debute in light blue. The new acquisition played the ball with a good pass to Jesus Navas who rounded the goalkeeper and got a open goal. The winger finished the chance, but missed.
Instead of the superstars, it is an 18-year-old who will get the headlines. Kelechi Iheanacho came on at the end of the match and after only having been on the pitch for a few seconds, he scored the 1-0 goal in stoppage time and became another great City hero.
It is undoubtedly Nacho Time!
Manchester City already had David Silva and Raheem Sterling on the injury list. Crystal Palace gave City a new heavy blow when Sergio Aguero was the subject of a vicious tackle by Crystal Palace player Scott Dann after 18 minutes. It should have been a red card for Dann.
To replace Aguero on the field came the new signing Kevin de Bruyne who made his debute in light blue. The new acquisition played the ball with a good pass to Jesus Navas who rounded the goalkeeper and got a open goal. The winger finished the chance, but missed.
Instead of the superstars, it is an 18-year-old who will get the headlines. Kelechi Iheanacho came on at the end of the match and after only having been on the pitch for a few seconds, he scored the 1-0 goal in stoppage time and became another great City hero.
It is undoubtedly Nacho Time!
Saturday, 29 August 2015
Manchester City vs Watford
With great swagger, Pellegrini does not change anything in the starting line-up from the previous match. Given how good the guys played and with a international break approaching, one might wonder why he would do it? One reason may well be to bring in some new blood to show something and bring new energy during a match where City's worst opponent is their own motivation.
This problem becomes evident during the first half to almost be described as the world championships in trot football. City look uninterested, uninspired and energy releasing during the match opening 45 minutes.
At the break Pellegrini stirred around in the pot and he takes a underperforming Navas and on comes Nasri. This means that Pellegrini also makes a tactical change and sends Silva out on the right and he places Nasri on the left wing. Sterling is in the middle. It takes only 90 seconds for Sterling to run free and Sagna crosses the ball towards the world's most expensive Englishman who makes it 1-0.
In the 55th minute Yaya fires off a hard free-kick into the Watford wall. Somehow the ball bounces out to Silva who, as usual, beats a perfectly weighted pass forward to Fernandinho coming in from the right and he fires a rocket of a shot straight in the net and if the match was decided by 1-0 is definitely closed at 2-0.
Iheanacho got to make his Premier League debut after 87 minutes for Manchester City in front of a standing ovation for both him and for Sterling who he replaced. Over 90 minutes Joe Hart was not tested at all.
Finally, the match ends with a very confident 2-0 win which means that Pellegrini broke a 103-year club record for the most number of league wins in a row. The new record is now 10 wins in a row.
https://twitter.com/VictorTjornevik
This problem becomes evident during the first half to almost be described as the world championships in trot football. City look uninterested, uninspired and energy releasing during the match opening 45 minutes.
At the break Pellegrini stirred around in the pot and he takes a underperforming Navas and on comes Nasri. This means that Pellegrini also makes a tactical change and sends Silva out on the right and he places Nasri on the left wing. Sterling is in the middle. It takes only 90 seconds for Sterling to run free and Sagna crosses the ball towards the world's most expensive Englishman who makes it 1-0.
In the 55th minute Yaya fires off a hard free-kick into the Watford wall. Somehow the ball bounces out to Silva who, as usual, beats a perfectly weighted pass forward to Fernandinho coming in from the right and he fires a rocket of a shot straight in the net and if the match was decided by 1-0 is definitely closed at 2-0.
Iheanacho got to make his Premier League debut after 87 minutes for Manchester City in front of a standing ovation for both him and for Sterling who he replaced. Over 90 minutes Joe Hart was not tested at all.
Finally, the match ends with a very confident 2-0 win which means that Pellegrini broke a 103-year club record for the most number of league wins in a row. The new record is now 10 wins in a row.
https://twitter.com/VictorTjornevik
Monday, 24 August 2015
Manchester City vs. Everton
After two impressive efforts against West Bromwich and Chelsea, City travelled to Goodison Park to extend their 100% record start of the season. Pellegrini kept the same starting XI on the field as he did against Chelsea the previous week.
The first half is underway at a rapid pace and it is City who holds the baton. Aguero kept stressing Everton in the penalty area, and it resulted in some really good chances. Aguero forced Howard to make several impressive saves in the Everton goal and Silva conjured a chance for Sterling which Sterling unfortunately missed.
City's back line was not entirely comfortable with the speed Everton came at them with will and both Mangala and Fernandinho gets yellow cards because of some less well-timed tackles. Lukaku is a constant threat and and he managed to score but the goal was correctly flagged for offside.
0-0 at halftime.
The second half begins as intense as the first ended and the game keeps on going back and forth although City has most of the ball. Eventually City scores and it is Sterling who is behind it. After making it into Everton's penalty area with speed from the flank he passed to an overlapping Kolarov who shoots from a low angle to make it 1-0 for City 60th minute.
After the goal it is still mostly City who dominates but while the City takes it easy and does not stress, it becomes all the more intense when Everton has the ball. Occasionally they put a little pressure on City and after a miss by Hart on a corner Everton almost scores.
They didn't get any other chance to score and in the 88th minute Yaya, and Nasri offered the fans some footballing candy when Yaya bends the ball into the penalty area and Nasri scores easily with careless a lob over Howard and into the top corner and it's 2-0 to City. In summary, a good performance by City.
The first half is underway at a rapid pace and it is City who holds the baton. Aguero kept stressing Everton in the penalty area, and it resulted in some really good chances. Aguero forced Howard to make several impressive saves in the Everton goal and Silva conjured a chance for Sterling which Sterling unfortunately missed.
City's back line was not entirely comfortable with the speed Everton came at them with will and both Mangala and Fernandinho gets yellow cards because of some less well-timed tackles. Lukaku is a constant threat and and he managed to score but the goal was correctly flagged for offside.
0-0 at halftime.
The second half begins as intense as the first ended and the game keeps on going back and forth although City has most of the ball. Eventually City scores and it is Sterling who is behind it. After making it into Everton's penalty area with speed from the flank he passed to an overlapping Kolarov who shoots from a low angle to make it 1-0 for City 60th minute.
After the goal it is still mostly City who dominates but while the City takes it easy and does not stress, it becomes all the more intense when Everton has the ball. Occasionally they put a little pressure on City and after a miss by Hart on a corner Everton almost scores.
They didn't get any other chance to score and in the 88th minute Yaya, and Nasri offered the fans some footballing candy when Yaya bends the ball into the penalty area and Nasri scores easily with careless a lob over Howard and into the top corner and it's 2-0 to City. In summary, a good performance by City.
Thursday, 20 August 2015
Nicolas Otamendi is a Citizen
Manchester City confirmed their third purchase this Thursday of the club's summer in 2015. The Argentine center-back Nicolas Otamendi has been bought from Valencia. Otamendi is a name that have been seen and heard all summer during the silly-season soap opera. Now it turns out that Otamendi instead choose light blue before red and thus he becomes a Manchester City player.
During the last season Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester City had big problems at back. The fans shouted for reinforcements, preferably at fullback as Kolarov and Sagna aren't youngsters anymore.
The executives negotiated a good deal and the other clubs that were interested Otamendi were set aside. Otamendi choose Manchester City and the expected transfer feet is 28.5 million pounds.
Otamendi was named one of La liga`s best central defenders last season. Manuel Pellegrini says he was the number one defender in La Liga last year. Nicolas Otamendi, who was born February 12, 1988 in Buenos Aires has previously played for Porto, which may be considered to be the club where he blossomed into a world class player.
With the purchase of Otamendi the competition gets significantly tougher for Manchester City's defenders. The club is currently sitting on Kompany, Mangala, Demichelis, Otamendi, and Denayer. Rumors say that Denayer is set to be loaned out, or, as it has been speculated in the media today, that Demichelis would move back to Argentina.
#WelcomeNicolas
https://twitter.com/VictorTjornevik
During the last season Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester City had big problems at back. The fans shouted for reinforcements, preferably at fullback as Kolarov and Sagna aren't youngsters anymore.
The executives negotiated a good deal and the other clubs that were interested Otamendi were set aside. Otamendi choose Manchester City and the expected transfer feet is 28.5 million pounds.
Otamendi was named one of La liga`s best central defenders last season. Manuel Pellegrini says he was the number one defender in La Liga last year. Nicolas Otamendi, who was born February 12, 1988 in Buenos Aires has previously played for Porto, which may be considered to be the club where he blossomed into a world class player.
With the purchase of Otamendi the competition gets significantly tougher for Manchester City's defenders. The club is currently sitting on Kompany, Mangala, Demichelis, Otamendi, and Denayer. Rumors say that Denayer is set to be loaned out, or, as it has been speculated in the media today, that Demichelis would move back to Argentina.
#WelcomeNicolas
https://twitter.com/VictorTjornevik
Sunday, 16 August 2015
Manchester City vs Chelsea
Last season there were signs indicating that Manchester City was facing a re-building period in the summer. The team looked like they were going through a tough time last spring and gave up early in the title battle against Chelsea. Moreover, City had the highest average age of all the teams in Europe's top five leagues while stars like Vincent Kompany and Yaya Touré had off seasons.
After two rounds there is a rekindled Manchester City. City is out for revenge.
Manchester City was dominant today in the win against Chelsea. During a strong first half, it was City who had the momentum. Their performance was a clone of Pellegrini's debut season. Sergio Aguero, who started on the bench in the premiere, created four or five chances. His 1-0 goal was a masterpiece of its kind, where he with minimal space, turned and finished off the attack with a low shot that crept its way into the low corner.
David Silva has moved into the number ten role and there he is completely magical. He played brilliantly against West Bromwich and he was extremely good again against Chelsea. Raheem Sterling ran away from Branislav Ivanovic and over again and he has already given the City a new dimension. Fernandinho is another player who dipped last year and now looks to have found 2013/14 form. Eliaquim Mangala also looks more stable. Manchester City now appears as "the team to beat".
https://twitter.com/VictorTjornevik
After two rounds there is a rekindled Manchester City. City is out for revenge.
Manchester City was dominant today in the win against Chelsea. During a strong first half, it was City who had the momentum. Their performance was a clone of Pellegrini's debut season. Sergio Aguero, who started on the bench in the premiere, created four or five chances. His 1-0 goal was a masterpiece of its kind, where he with minimal space, turned and finished off the attack with a low shot that crept its way into the low corner.
David Silva has moved into the number ten role and there he is completely magical. He played brilliantly against West Bromwich and he was extremely good again against Chelsea. Raheem Sterling ran away from Branislav Ivanovic and over again and he has already given the City a new dimension. Fernandinho is another player who dipped last year and now looks to have found 2013/14 form. Eliaquim Mangala also looks more stable. Manchester City now appears as "the team to beat".
https://twitter.com/VictorTjornevik
Saturday, 8 August 2015
3 Things before the season starts
At the moments there's just a couple of days left before City kick off their season against West Bromwich and it shall be honored by bringing up three hot topics that are worth thinking about during theses coming days.
Silva and Sterling has shown potential of a fine collaboration during the preseason. Silva benefits balls forward and Sterling running deep. If their collaboration has seen promising so far, what happens when we add Aguero? It could get interesting.
Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure have been two of the team's key players during the period that might possibly be City's most successful ever. But last season they were not up to par. Kompany is now 29 years old and critics argue that he has lost speed as he does not fit in Pellegrini high defensive line. Yaya is now 32 years, and last season he was severely criticized by both journalists and fans, especially when he seemed to lack the proper motivation. In fact, both key players need to perform the upcoming season if City are to have any chance of the title - and above all to silence their critics.
City during recent seasons have not been known to unleash the youngsters into the first team. But this season they might do just that. 20-year-old Jason Denayer is believed to be one of four central defenders in the squad, so he'll have a fighting chance. Worth pointing out is that Denayer recently signed a five year contract with City.
With Jovetic and Dzeko out, no striker seems to be close to be enlisted as their replacement, so perhaps this will be the season when 18-year-old Kelechi Iheanacho get the chance? In the current situation, it feels like the most likely option. It has also been speculated that the 19-year-old Marcos Lopes'll get the chance, but in the current situation it seems that his hottest option is a loan or a sale to a French club because he would otherwise have to compete with Silva, Sterling, Nasri, Navas and possibly De Bruyne.
https://twitter.com/VictorTjornevik
Will the new SAS conquer the Premier League?
Sterling's transition to the light blue part of Manchester has been well documented. But maybe it is the beginning of something special? 2013/14 season, Liverpool were close to winning the Premier League with their SAS (Suarez and Sturridge) and last season Barcelona won the Champions League with MSN (Messi, Suarez, Neymar). Perhaps it is time for the City to create success with their own version of SAS (Sterling, Aguero, Silva)?Silva and Sterling has shown potential of a fine collaboration during the preseason. Silva benefits balls forward and Sterling running deep. If their collaboration has seen promising so far, what happens when we add Aguero? It could get interesting.
Will this season the beginning of the end for Kompany and Yaya?
Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure have been two of the team's key players during the period that might possibly be City's most successful ever. But last season they were not up to par. Kompany is now 29 years old and critics argue that he has lost speed as he does not fit in Pellegrini high defensive line. Yaya is now 32 years, and last season he was severely criticized by both journalists and fans, especially when he seemed to lack the proper motivation. In fact, both key players need to perform the upcoming season if City are to have any chance of the title - and above all to silence their critics.
Is it finally time for young people to have the chance?
City during recent seasons have not been known to unleash the youngsters into the first team. But this season they might do just that. 20-year-old Jason Denayer is believed to be one of four central defenders in the squad, so he'll have a fighting chance. Worth pointing out is that Denayer recently signed a five year contract with City.
With Jovetic and Dzeko out, no striker seems to be close to be enlisted as their replacement, so perhaps this will be the season when 18-year-old Kelechi Iheanacho get the chance? In the current situation, it feels like the most likely option. It has also been speculated that the 19-year-old Marcos Lopes'll get the chance, but in the current situation it seems that his hottest option is a loan or a sale to a French club because he would otherwise have to compete with Silva, Sterling, Nasri, Navas and possibly De Bruyne.
https://twitter.com/VictorTjornevik
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