Manchester City 0 - Dynamo Kyiv 0 Johnny On The Spot & Stats Link

Johnny Baguette

Johnny Baguette

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Johnny On The Spot:

#HISTORIC. Manchester City have taken another big step in the club's stellar modern era with the type of controlled and composed performance in such circumstances that only a begrudging, bandwaggoning, barrel scraping BT Sport pundit could criticise...The City feelgood factor is strengthened safe in the knowledge that The Blues are now Champions League Quarter Finalists for the first time in our 122 year history, but there is a reserved edge as it has come at a high price with the loss of our Captain and leader Vincent Kompany to another calf injury. We await with deep concern the news of himself and the also knacked Nicolas Otamendi...However, I think it is to the side's immense credit that shorn of first choice centre backs from the 23rd minute, they continued to control the game and protection was well afforded to the unexpected Mangala-Demichelis axis who had to do their warming up on the pitch. Much of that dominance was down to the outstanding display throughout this game of Vice-Captain Yaya Touré whom I thought dictated the pace of the contest from start to finish, delivering a master class in central midfield technique at the top level. Kyiv, who really didn't fancy this game from the first whistle, typified by no less than 12 of their players writhing on the turf at various lost cause stages had absolutely no answer to Touré's imposing figure all night...Any Blue who has misgivings ahead of the Stretford Galacticos venturing inside the city walls at the weekend should take great heart from Yaya's clear and present intent tonight. Destiny awaits us in Friday's draw. What price a Guardiola vs Pellegrini clash of the MCFC titans?

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The Last 8 up to date...

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Here's the boss...

Manuel Pellegrini:

"It was a tactical game, we didn't take any risks just to qualify and waited to see if they gave any space. They played a quiet game.

"It was important for us to keep the ball and not let them create chances. They knew before the game they had to score three goals.

"Unfortunately for Vincent Kompany, he has a calf problem again in his muscle so we will see how it is tomorrow. Nicolas Otamendi has had a kick and hopefully can recover in the next couple of days.

"It is difficult for Kompany because he came back very well, he played six games in-a-row but unfortunately for him he couldn't continue.

"It is a very important achievement for the club. Before we could not do it, we were very unlucky. It is not normal to play against Barcelona twice in the last-16. This is a club that is growing and continues to develop as a big club.

"We are going to see which is the best way to play. We normally are a team who always score so we get criticism about not keeping clean sheets. We have kept three clean sheets for three games in-a-row now.

"We will see the next game. In this knockout round, you should know how to play tactical games and we will see how far we can go."
 
Dynamo Kiev boss Sergei Rebrov:

"We lost this game in Kiev. But I say thank you very much to the players. City have big players with big experience but it is not easy now. I wish them well."
 
Do I just imagine it or do other English sides get praised for that type of containment game, when it's needed, when playing in Europe?
 
Kiev did not come to lose and City did not extend themselves, the lies of VK4 will hurt, but there was some very pleasing movements in the game that were a delight on the eye. What want good was the shooting, which was wayward to say the least, but we got the job done.
 
Thought we were pragmatic tonight, following the changes we had to make following the two injuries.
Kompany maybe gone now for the rest of the season, I truly hope I'm way off the mark with that one.

Pellegrini has said at least a month.
I agree with Buzz about Kiev's approach, I think it was a case of saving face for them. It seems the Kiev press corps have drunk the Etihad dry according to Kidd of the Mirror and N Custis of the Sun on Twitter!
 
Bluedub - 15/3/2016 22:16

Do I just imagine it or do other English sides get praised for that type of containment game, when it's needed, when playing in Europe?
Click to expand...

We did what was necessary. It was a turgid affair to be sure and I would have loved us to win by a hatful BUT there are two sides playing in every game and it took an age for the BT Sport commentator to make the point that there was an onus on Kiev to actually try and score. They displayed a chronic lack of ambition and City were disrupted by the early loss of their two first choice central defenders (one of whom is their captain and, as we are constantly told, is a "key player for Manchester City and they aren't the same without him") leaving Pellegrini zero tactical flexibility.

I am sure another other team sited just outside Manchester would have been praised for a "thoroughly professional job". The priority was to qualify for the quarter finals and not entertain Robbie "The Pub Bore" Savage. I am surprised he didn't offer such gems as "Well, when Kompany and Otamendi were injured I would have brought on Sterling and Bony, played two at the back and gone for it! We needed GOALS! City should have risked elimination - I mean they have a responsibility to BT Sport and the neutrals. What would it have mattered if they had conceded a couple of goals and gone out of the competition? We want to be entertained"

Honestly that twat offers nothing, NOTHING, in the way of enlightened and valid comment. He is the atypical bloke you do NOT want to be sat next too when watching a game in the pub. :013:
 
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