Chapter 1: What were the highlights of the Man City vs West Brom match?
Namas is with him and he finds Namas who picks out Sergio Aguero and in the end it's Nasri who turns the ball home to mark his return to first team action with a goal.
And how good that must feel for Sami Nasri, who we just heard from here on Saturday Night Football. It's been a long absence, but that will make up for some of it tonight. 13 attempts each, a really good game. Four from City on target, two for West Brom. West Brom's 13 attempts, the second highest they've had away from home this season.
Eight corners, the highest they've had on the road this season. You'd expect City to have more ball, but in pretty much every area, it was even Stevens, even touches in the opposition area. 20 per City, 19 for West Brom in a game which they gave their all, but sadly for them, ended up with nothing. Looks like they will be safe in the Premier League for another season, regardless of that result.
Was Samir Nasri the difference today, Thierry?
Yes, he was, alongside Kolarov and Aguero, I guess, but he makes no mistake, had an amazing game. And I'm going to... You can see, he came on that side, the side that we talked about, to get the ball. The ball is going to go on the other side. Otamendi is going to get the ball and try to play that ball for Kevin De Bruyne. He's going to get it. I'm going to pause it right about here.
Because look at where our man is, Samir Nasri, right there. And we talked about Sessegnon. Look at where Sessegnon is. We talked about that he got bullied so many times that he's not alert and he doesn't see the run of the player. Nasri can smell that De Bruyne won his battle. Great run from Navas. Navas, we all know that he always likes to set a goal, but look at the ball right here.
Obviously, nice re-scoring, but where is Cessenio? That's a massive mistake, and that caused them a goal. But how happy are we that that man just scored a goal because he deserved it?
Yeah, he did, and it's about the persistence of De Bruyne initially. After a bad touch, Navas links up well with him, decides not to shoot. He does that often. expected Aguero to score, but he's on the move.
Yeah, you expect Aguero to score, but the thing you like about being 30, 40 yards away, we said earlier on that he reads things, he sees pictures, and he felt something was going to come his way. Otherwise, he'd have stopped like Sessegnon.
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Chapter 2: How did Samir Nasri's performance impact the game?
And I don't think anyone would say he didn't deserve it. And I think there was something about Nasri's performance today that totally was missing in the home games that have gone so wrong in the last month or six weeks. He brought an edge to it, he brought a bite off the ball. You see there, good challenging, good passing, creativity.
And he brought a smile, I think, to the Man City fans' faces, because they've endured a lot of hassle, a lot of trouble over the home games lately, and he was excellent.
What it is, is players like that attract the ball. When you're good, your team will give you the ball. And something that it did today, we didn't mention David Silva. We didn't say they missed David Silva. We didn't say, oh, the magician wasn't there. He was the magician today and he did ever so well.
Well, imagine him, Silva and De Bruyne together. That's something for maybe the new manager to think about. But how well did West Brom do today? They gave it a really good game, didn't they? Well, they started ever so well.
On the counter, like we said.
Yeah, didn't they, Justin? Referee gets in the way here.
That's the only way you could stop Nasri today.
In some respects. But I think this was great. They were bright all day, West Brom, and it started with this. There's only one thing on McLean's mind now, and that's to get the ball in the box. Might have done more, in fairness, Abeleta, but this is a wonderful bit of control, and he lets fly. He can do this. Big question mark over Joe Hartz.
I suppose the decision he makes not to cover the near post, thinking that it's probably going to come far, thinking if it goes near that his full-back is going to get hold of it, but take nothing away from the strike. When, or if, Pep is watching videos of the game, I think that's a moment that Joe Hart might regret. It's a question of when.
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Chapter 3: What were the key tactical decisions made by both teams?
The game plan was to press when we could, get back into a compact shape if they broke through into midfield and then get behind the ball. We looked to pass the ball a bit better instead of trying to hit channels. We felt that we could find pockets and if we got two or three passes off, we'd create chances and that happened.
I think at times we looked to press and stop them playing out from the back and if they did want to take risky passes, we'd be there to engage and win the ball back higher up the pitch. I think our game plan worked well today. City are going to get chances on the top quality side and
And we're disappointed in the two goals because one's a penalty and the other one's a, you know, we tried to clear it, it bounces off and they get a break and there's a few deflections. But that's football, that's the level of performance we need from now until the rest of the season and we'll pick up plenty of points.
How bad a time did that penalty decision come because you were on top of the stage?
Yeah, it did. It gave them, you know, it deflated us a little bit when you conceded a penalty after starting well. But to be fair, I thought we responded well. And we were right in the game. I was in the tuck and they got the goal. And then we put pressure on right till the last minute, creating chances and opportunities.
And side as a couple, one bounced over my foot in the box with a few flash crosses. So as I said, I think we made our fans proud today. The ones who came to watch us today in this rain in Manchester, I think they'll go away and they'll be proud of the team's performance.
Darren, thanks for your time.
Cheers.
Thank you. So they should be. West Brom were excellent. And they feel they should have had a penalty. What have you spotted around Mike Jones, the referee here, Thierry?
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Chapter 4: How did West Brom's strategy affect their performance?
And if it's in the box, then you think about it. Shouldn't be a debate. Yeah, exactly.
Well, they had chances to win it or to get back into it regardless of that, didn't they, Thierry?
Well, Beraino had an amazing chance and we saw while we were watching the game that he was miles offside, in all fairness, but you have to bury that. You have to make sure that you can score. I mean, he could have done everything with that ball, but obviously he put it out. He could have been... I was thinking about the other one, by the way.
But I think that he should have tried to control it a tiny bit more. That's the one I was talking about. You can see, if I go a tiny bit more back, that's the one I was talking about. He's clearly offside. But then, as you know, Niall, the ref doesn't blow the whistle.
You have to concentrate and bury it. I thought his chest control was OK, but on a couple of occasions, I think he snatched at things. also like him, but in the heat of the moment, it was probably the difference between them getting a point or not. You know, and here he's a half a yard away here from, you know, being the hero. It was that kind of game for Berghino today.
James McLean as well, Thierry, in the very last minute. He'll be thinking about this one now, won't you, and the coach on the way.
We all thought, in all fairness, that was going to be a goal by the look of it, but it went a bit wide.
Yeah, it sure was, and Joe Hart doesn't... He's not convincing there at all. Gets nothing on it. And he lets fly. And James is capable of doing this. You know, he gets in front of De Bruyne. De Bruyne thinks there's nothing happening. So it opens up. And it's just wide. It's a great effort. But, you know, there's many an onlooker there. And I'm included.
West Brom deserved a point in many respects in that game. But for Nasri and that bit of magic that Thierry spoke about, you know, they would have definitely got something. They can build on that. I really enjoyed that interview, I have to say, from Darren Fletcher. He speaks very well. He speaks very well and got it right to a point. His fans can be happy.
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Chapter 5: What were the controversial moments in the match?
Some big decisions to make, you might think, for the new manager, Pep Guardiola, who's waiting in the wings. We'll have a bit of fun when we come back and ask the guys, including someone who used to play for him, what Pep Guardiola might well do with this Manchester City team. Stay with us.
Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City have seen off West Brom in the rain and dank day in Manchester by two goals to one. Samir Nasri with the winner late on, which is why he was breathing such a big sigh of relief. Big step towards a place in the top four next season. If Manchester United win tomorrow, they'll be breathing down their necks again. But City now just two behind Arsenal.
The title seems very unlikely, though still mathematically possible. 12 behind Leicester and five behind Tottenham. West Brom safe for another season. So Pep Guardiola will take over from Manuel Pellegrini this summer. Thierry Henry was part of the Barcelona side when Pep took over there. This was the basis of what was a settled side that he inherited. What happened next?
Well, just to remind you that also people think that he arrived at Barcelona and it was all nice and happy and everything. No, we had a difficult season. The only thing that was always going to work with him is from the house. So they were always going to be nice with him at the beginning. So Thuram was gone. as you can see here. It could have been also Raphael Marquez sometime.
Raphael Marquez or Piquet took the place of Thuram. Then you had the main man for me, one of the best right back ever, Daniel Alves instead of Zambrotta. Abidal stayed, as you know. Toure was already there. We had Ronaldinho, we had Deco. He didn't want them in the squad anymore. You have to ask him why. I don't know. We didn't get into any discussion in that. Then Yaya was playing.
We know after what happened with Yaya, Busquets started to play. So he's not scared to change. to change stuff. Guys that won or didn't win, whatever it is, you don't fit the bill, you're going to be in trouble and he's going to let you know and he's not scared of anything. He wants to win and dominate and that's almost what happened at one point with our squad.
But I'm going to just, out of respect for the man, I'll put it back.
Big players there with big reputations that he wasn't frightened to get rid of. So here he is, and this is, I suppose, a pretty consistent, the most picked City side this season.
I mean, it's an easy one for us to be here and play with that team and everything. Unfortunately for Yaya, I think that might be the end for him at Man City. As crazy as it is, you can have a guy like Gundogan maybe coming, I don't know. I know also that might be something, people are talking about it at the moment. I love Joe Hart.
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Chapter 6: How did the refereeing decisions influence the outcome?
I think Fernandinho also can be a guy that's going to stay. Sanya also is composed. Tamendi, Kompany. He's got a sort-out centre-back, hasn't he? Yeah, I mean... First and foremost, goalkeeper. I'm going to put... Laporte also is there. That's the guy that everybody wants. He plays there for Juve. Is he going to be inside or not? I mean, we're speculating, obviously.
He's spending a lot of money as well here. It's easy on the screen. But the thing I will say is that he's not scared to change stuff. And I was talking to Nair before. Forget about changing buying. He will demand a lot from his players, from the medical staff, from the kit man, from the grounds man, for people that do coffee at the training ground. Everything has to be perfect.
Intensity, work ethic, and keep the ball.
And it's not groundbreaking when you think about it. He was a young coach and he went in and he ruffled the feathers of people who he didn't think were going to do it his way and suddenly everyone else knew the way to do it. And he's not the first man to ever do that. I can remember when I was at Arsenal, we had great international players.
George Graham came in and binned all the players who thought they were safe. And it was quite startling and everyone said it wouldn't work and I believe it was the start of the modern Arsenal when he actually did that. And to do it in the modern game is, you know... a tougher thing to do, but he's earned the respect.
And I think every player in there, even the ones you mention, will be hoping that they're safe. And I think that's a great way for a manager to come in.
Do you agree with Cherry on the goalkeeper? Joe Hart, we consider the best in the country, but Cherry's point is that he's not as good as someone like Seth Deggan with his feet.
He'll be asked to take it out of his feet, he'll be asked to drop his shoulder, he'll be asked to play it out to the right back, to the left back, he'll be asked to see if things are... He'll almost be like a sweeper. He'll be asked to do that.
He's got to prove himself at that. We don't know. What I'm trying to say here is he will bring a goalkeeper that can. Whether Joe Hart... keeps his position or not, that's going to be Pep's decision. But he's going to bring competition. Because at every single position, in every big club, you have two guys that can actually start. And that's just the way it is.
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Chapter 7: What are the implications of this match for Manchester City's season?
We'll debate it again next week and the week after and the week after.
And next year. As she arrives in the summer and on.
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