Martin Jol said they were better in the first half tonight! Absolutely no way! We lost it in the first leg, we were amazing tonight!

Great effort all round. That effort plus more technically able players will see us move onwards and upwards. Dunne's lack of the later was exposed tonight, as was Richards' and Caciedo.

Elano amazing! Robinho kept the ball when no-one else in the world could. Onuoha for Young City Player of the Year. Zabaleta was immense. KOmpany controlled the centre.

gutted,i want us to achieve so much, but let down one time too many by captain calamity.an apolgy to all city fans needed richard

Great effort on the pitch. We can proud of our club
despite the elimination from Europe. Would've gladly swapped living with
Lughes until the end of the season for a victory in this tie, but it
didn't quite happen, thanks in no small part to Richard Dunne, who is
simply a moron. I remember late in the first half wondering if Lughes
would be savvy enough to sub Dunne at halftime to avoid the inevitable
second yellow on our ever-rampaging bull. He wasn't, he didn't, and you
know the rest. I wonder if the announcement will come tomorrow, this
weekend, or Monday. When Lughes is removed, we will finally be able to
exhale before moving forward as a club again.

As a 'Team' performance (With a couple of exceptions), this was what we should be expecting EVERY WEEK !

Here are the exceptions; Dunne = Done (Thanks for the service, but next year, we need him replaced), Richards = Done (Needs to be dropped and see if he can find his form back, but at the moment he's a complete liability).

MH = Done ? Nobody, I repeat Nobody, can understand why Gelson was brought on, when Zab, albeit injured, was powering forward. Why not Sturridge at that point ? And, to take Elano off was suicide !

Everyone else contributed to the effort. Yes, Ireland wasn't at his best (He can't be every week) and Caciedo really needs to read the line ! but they all TRIED ! and that's what this team desperately needed.

well done city, hard luck.
fernandes, dunne, caceido,sturridge would all go if it was up to me!!!
dunne has been fantastic but im afraid its time to move on but thanks for everything dunney

let me be one of the first to say i'm proud of the display from all the lads tonight - full stop...no comments like why cant we do that every week - we did it tonight and thats all that matters tonight, so we should all be proud of the fight and pride in battle. hit the post & bar / disallowed for offside / 3 clear cut chances / run into the ground attitude...lets have some positive comments.

Fantastic effort and Elano was man of the match. We deserved more but a bit unlucky.
I have supported MH since he came to city and still do. Only mistake was not to have taken Dunne off at half time as his sending off was only a matter of time - I have never seen such a clumsy fool.
Should have used the last sub as Richard tired toward the end

Richards and Dunne cost us the tie from the 1st leg. Richards at fault again for Dunne's 2nd yellow ambling back, the fact Hughes refuses to drop this muppet having played 1 decent game all season and not playing Zabaleta who was signed as a rightback in his natural position is mind boggling (hell, give Logan an extended run if you want to use Zabaleta in midfield). I am sick to death of seeing Richards now, not to mention the chance to go up 3-1.

Zabaleta and Elano brilliant today, Ireland not at the races but can be excused having been the soul of the side all season. One final word for Onuoha, brilliant at the back, wish his counterparts were as good.

I just want to know why we have players cramping up and looking unfit to finish 90 and we still had 1 unused sub. The fact Petrov and Evans, one of whom would have been better than the awful Caicedo is another mystery I will never find the answer to. Caicedo must have set a new world record of offsides in a single game, completely and utterly infuriating.

Only takeaway is we fought until the end, and the boys deserve credit for that as a whole. We beat a very good side on the night, but luck caught up with us having used it all up in those penalty shoot-outs.

The reality is that the tie was lost seven days ago, brave effort but too many mistakes. You need a bit of luck to win any competition but that is something we just never seem to have, the four goals we conceded were all due to mistakes and had shades of luck, we scored two top quality goals plus a pen plus hit the woodwork twice. If we win anything we will have to do it in style, lady luck hasnt done us any favours for a long long time. Get behind the boys on Sunday and lets finish the season with a few wins, nobody knows what the summer will bring as far as the manager and players are concerned but now is not the time for those discussions. Thank you.

We fought the good fight but although we came up short, the lads played with heart and passion. Our fans were great and gave that 12th man tonight. Well done City and MH!

Tonight we saw players playing for the shirt, and I am so proud to call myself a TRUE BLUE. All fans were TRUE BLUES tonight. The Chairman was there and although he would have preferred a different result, I saw a man who loved the what he saw in the players. Come on City!

Gutted but very very proud of the team, Living not to far from Hamburg it hurts even more.
Elano was at his best hope Hughes can see what he has missed out on all season. Dunne mmmm think his time may be up if we want the next level. Why oh why does that crowed not turn up evry home game????? living in Germany i have to watch from afar but those who can should. CITD proud to be blue

we all see completely different games.thought kompany and bridge deserved more

Great effort all round, Elano & Robinho were different players tonight, Kompany and Zabaleta were great but Onouaha and Ireland apart the rest whilst showing plenty of effort lacked the ability to finish moves off.

I've banging on about Dunne all season but now is not the time to slate the guy. I thought he played Ok, apart from the sending off. If only we had got Valencia from Wigan at right back, because if Micah had a top class positional central defensive partner his best position IS centre half - he hasn't got the technique to play right back. Thought Kompany was our best player tonight, was happy with robby and elano's work rate. Believe me Hughes is the right man for this job...I couldn't stand another close season with a European coach banging on about the time he needs whilst buying players he wants blah blah blah... I call on all fellow blues to try something novel and get behind the manager and back him long term - Hughes is a winner, always has been and if we give him time and backing he will be with us.

I thought Robinho played well, but there were more than a couple of situations where in 1-on-1 scenarios around the box he really could have stepped up and lived up to the price tag.

Elano was Superb,Zab was also excellent and i thought bridge was a big improvement. but the same two was very poor yet again. Dunne and mr T cannot be playing for us next season its as simple as that.

A much better performance and encouraging fro the remainder of the season Elano and Robinho underlined their class. Caceido is only 20 so would give him another season. I excluded three from my team posted here yesterday and they did not make my subs list thre three were Dunne, Richards and Sturridge so I will leave you to judge but for me all 3 would be shown the door out of COMs. Richards actually gave up with 15 minutes to go and left the right back position empty. Fernandes is enthusiastic but flatters to deceive and a parting of the ways is also inevitable. As for Elano and Robinho no chance of being sold and only an idiot would dispense of either one of them.
Same type of performance against WBA please. On reflection it is obvious we had three players unfit Kompany, Bridge and Zab so great shows from these lads. Also SWP and Bellamy may have made a significant difference. Give Joe Hart a game against WBA and rest Given and Zab. Petrov and Boj would be good.

Tikkablue, ELY, Cambs
16/04/2009 at 22:19. Well put, agree.

PJS, Oz
16/04/2009 at 22:03. Excellent summation.

Well! Like that 48yr old on Britains got talent we sat there waiting to laugh and we got a diva.Still the same old City though.
City remind me of my younger self[always falling over my feet]and the culture I grew up in which used to be represented by United who were called the rags according to my dad,then United got efficient and City took over.
One of the old comedians in the 40s did a sketch which is still shown every New Years day on German television funnily enough.Monty someone I think.
This Duchess gave a party every New Years day, but they all died so the butler-or Monty... went round the table drinking all the toasts getting drunker and drunker,and you thought he was going to trip over a tiger skin rug.Then when you got used to the idea that he was'nt that daft.Down he went, flat on his face. So I think City are keeping alive an old tradition.I wondered why you waved bananas. That is it.Slipping on the old banana skin.
So don't take it too hard it was a wonderful game gave us a glimpse of what City should be capable of but for that devilish sense of fun we inherited.True Mancunians.

Britboy in Florida- As a 'Team' performance (With a couple of exceptions), this was what we should be expecting EVERY WEEK ! - the reason we could play that well was because a)we had to go for it and b) we had nothing to lose- it's not as easy as you make it sound to get up for every game played.

MH = Done ? Nobody, I repeat Nobody, can understand why Gelson was brought on, when Zab, albeit injured, was powering forward. Why not Sturridge at that point ? And, to take Elano off was suicide !

I could explain it to you - Zab was INJURED and had run himself into the ground. We still needed someone to win the ball back and cover the defense - if we had conceded one goal it was all over. As for Elano - it had to be one of the front players or Ireland to make way, and Elano too had run himself into the ground. Popular choice would have been Caicedo, and while he was an absolute muppet with his offsides, he did cause the defense problems with his strength- something that Elano would not have been able to do once the long balls were thrown up there in the last few minutes. You could argue Ireland could have come off, but he was still chasing back and Elano wasn't. Sturridge for his part looked sharp and could have got the equaliser if he had taken a second longer before shooting when in space in the box. For me both substitutions fully justifiable. Not saying you have to agree, but to say no-one understood - you're talking for yourself mate. The fact some booed the Elano substitution was ridiculous - he had an outstanding game but that doesn't mean it's the wrong thing to do to replace him if he's run out of legs. Take note - Elano, even under Ericksson, rarely finishes games as his fitness is not great.

Anyway, I can't believe that a so called City fan can come on here and complain after that performance- you're expecting too much too soon. Here's a prediction - we won't be as good on Sunday. Why? Because no team in world can perform with that level of passion week in week out. Sometimes you have to trust your quality will win you games, and that is where we have been caught a bit short. Get behind the team and be patient. CTID

Onuoha was very impressive along with Zabaleta. I wish Elano would display that passion more often. Micah Richards as become a liability; clumsy, no technique and out of condition. The weight-room as now become his enemy. The future looks uncertain for him following a promising beginning; definitely not a full-back.

A thrilling game, and it is a shame we are not progressing any further, but now is the time to try and get as many points in the league as we can and hope that other slip up. The days of Richard Dunne at the back are over, and he should be put out to pasture, with thanks for all he has done over the years.

I am not convinced that Sturridge can cut it but advocate that he should be kept on for another 12 months. Caceido needs more shooting practice as well. Why not when it is appropriate in games to blood the youngsters of the youth cup winning side such as Weiss, should we find ourselves 3-0 up with 20 minutes to go against West Brom, and rest some obviously weary legs that has played a lot of games over a short period of time in the last two months and 45 games or so this season already.

Elano was man of the match, and Robinho came out to play as well. Ireland looked tired at times and Zabaletta was clearly not fit, but both gave all they could. Well done guys.

Why oh why oh why do you give Richards a 6? Richards was a disgrace once again. The only bad player on the pitch tonight was Richards and as usual he strolled around as if he was out for a Sunday picnic!! Dunne ended up getting sent off because of Richards ineptitude. Richards does not deserve to wear the shirt.

Kompany and Zabaleta were fantastic and deserve a 9 as does Elano and Robinho, in fact all except Richards deserve a 9. Richards deserves a 3 if that!! Get rid of Richards please Hughes because his body language tells you that he doesn't want to play for us any more!

That was a fantastic match with the fans being the 12th man. Thank you City, thank you fans, you were great.

Dunne was clumsy to get sent off but he did give absolutely everthing to the cause tonight and I think it would be harsh to criticise too much.

Elano was superb - Why cant he play like that evry week.
Nedum was solid as was bridge.

Zabaleta is the man that rouses us and get us going - excellet effort. Hope he is fit for Sunday!

Robinho had a vry good game tonight and was unlucky not to score.

Caciedo for all his offsides was a handful, took his goal well and the offside one having watched it again was more his body in front than his feet and was very marginal. I think he should start again on Sunday.

Ireland was a bit off colour tonight but maybe thats becuase others played much better than they usually do!

Crowd 10/10 - Best atmosphere since we went to that ground.

Unlucky tonight and well played. Must follow up with a win against West brom now!