I was there and croft switched at half time to the left flank.Get your report right. Good little player could be brill once he's the finished article. Flood and B. Wright Phillips also impressive. Whoever said fowler had lost weight needs glasses and he has no pace. McMananman is still a traffic cop. City have got to learn to take a chance and shot rather than trying to walk the ball into the net all the time. Its bad when your kids look better than what your first team does but its just a friendly so I wont get too worried yet........

Went along with the hope of seeing the new signings, Bradley WP, and confirmation of the (reportedly) leaner, meaner Fowler-Growler... Like many other disappointed Blues I didn't even manager to get in. I think the phrase rhymes with 'Clucking Bell'. Did I miss much?

I went to the game last night and overall city looked quite bad. Though Mills looked good as did Bischoff, Distin and Jordan, we looked terrible in midfield and attack. Jopey Barton played rubbish. Every pass he made went to Bury and then 'the big gob' had the cheek to blame others for not picking up his wayward pass. I'm afraid everything has gone to his head and he thinks he's the finished article. Willo Flood looked a much better prospect in for central midfield, but i don't think he will be ready for another season. Fowler also looked rubbish with every ball bouncing off him. The former great ususa ended up falling on his arse. What has happened to him i don't know as he looked much better when he originally came from Leeds suposedly suffering just returned from injury. It looks like he's actually going backwards. Mcmanaman also looked awful and basically a soft touch. I despair for the future season.

Even in pre season friendlies with minnow teams "up for it",City should be winning comfortably.Winning against any level of opposition is a good habit and something City badly need to learn.

I know its only one game, against Bury but it does sound rather exciting having the youngsters running riot! Croft has the ability to be world class and if he continues to display like this should play from the start of the season. Having SWP and BWP in the same team throws my custard too!
By the way I am in Bali and own a small beach bar on an island called Lembongan. It is draped in blue flags and city named cocktails. All the local kids love City now too! Pop in for a sherbert, first drinks are free for blues! CTID

lee croft looked very special last night. he seems to have the touch, vision and dribbling ability to provide a threat. i wouldn't mind seeing the lad given a few games this season, certainly have him on the bench. if he doesn't make it i'll be very suprised !

Could the entrance into Gigg Lane have been any more disorganised last night? And could Steve McManaman have been any more useless? Time to give up on him if he can't even bring himself to play well against Bury. I don't care if its the first friendly, he is a waste of space. Compare him with Joey Barton or Willo Flood, both played him off the park last night. He definitely looked like he's going to be City's weak link again this season.

Looks like our difence is holding up well then ;)..hehe still convinced we will need an attacking midfielder!

FowlUp and Spannerman - Dumb and Dumber. GET RID, NOW!!
Stepehn Jordan had a good game but was left exposed time and again with McaMannaman starting of the left and disappearing all the time forcing Jordan to continually have to bring the ball forward and then get back to cover. Fowler - well we all wanted him to come good but his highlight was standing on the ball and falling over and then missing a sitter. Time for him to go. Get Beep in the team and along with Sweep will be a brillaint combination (fingers crossed).

no mention of Fowler over the bar from 6 yards? Only the first game though

Seems as though Macca had a howler. I read somwhere he only signed a one year contract. Didn't he sign last November ? If so, we can cut our losses in a few months (and cut the wage bill). Never seen Croft play but apparently he is the star man for the England under19 team. Surely worth a few appearances as sub after Xmas....

I,m not to worried about the outcome of last nights friendly when it comes to the start of the new campaign all the players will be ready -the press are going to stir it up this season whenever their is an opportunity to belittle keegan and city ,i advise my fellow blues to not get sucked into their game plan give him a chance its a new season and a new start lets stick together and lets look forward to a better season!!!!!!!

Eventually got in the ground after 1hr of waiting. I was impressed by Mills, Barton, Sibierski, Croft & Wanchope in the 1st half. Jordan looks like he has as much pace & touch as Fowler... Collins who replaced him looked a much better prospect, along with flood in the centre mid.
Fowler & Spacmanaman are such a waste of space, but what can you do???

Jesus 1st friendly of the season and your whinging already

OK. So it was the first game back but we haven't changed. Macmanaman still pointing and no effort, Fowler looking unfit and slow. Missed 2 sitters - one over the bar from the 6 yard line! Overall, must have been about 15 chances just past the post. on the line etc. New season, nothing's changed. Chance after chance missed and no creation in midfield.

Game last night just prooves we need to give the kids more chances. They were the ones that shone last night. Forget spending more money on journeymen.

Jackman - just moved to Jakarta from Hong Kong. Will try and visit the blues bar next time am in bali. How do you get to the island?

It may only be the first game back but nothing's changed. Macmanaman pointing, Fowler missing sitters from 6 yards.
Big Head/Mouth Barton still cant pass to a blue shirt, no creativity in midfield, all right sided attack, Jordan no pace, all possession but chance after chance missed....etc etc. Bischoff and BWP showed a bit of promise though. Just like the season never ended. GET RID OF FOWLER NOW!

I was there last night, and was disappointed with most of it. Getting into the groud was a job in itself. I had my five year old lad with me, who had to go through one turnstile while I went through another. So, I had to que in the kids gate, get him in, make him wait on the other side(with a steward, but still not ideal) whilst I jibbed in the adult que- cheers to the bloke that let me jump in front of him. It was all cash so I don't see why we coudn't have gone through the same gate- anyway on to the game. First half was shit basically. Why does everything have to go through Barton who's passing is not a strong point? I know Macca isn't exactly popular but surely he should be the one to come deep and start the moves off? Bartons a ball winner, Macca supposedly the cultured playmaker(yeah right!!). Mills looked pretty good as did Bischoff, Distin. Croft looked ok but needs to work on the final ball, and is woefully one footed. Fowler does look slimmer but.....well we'll see. BWP a plus point as was SWP, all in all though I was glad to meet up with my old mate Joseph Holt after the game.

GET RID OF TONY,ECCLES NOW!!! (& the other whingers).
It was the first pre season friendly. Get a grip. Get behind the team. Start moaning already before the season's started why don't you. The atmosphere at COMS will be crap again with people like you if you're starting whingeing before the season has even staretd.Come on City !!

We all know that Anelka did not play, but it sounds like K K
is right we do need another striker.
By all accounts some of our younger players played best.
I was not at the game,
thanks for the comments from the fans who were there.

First game back so can't come to any firm conclusions but Fowler, McManaman & Barton straight back in their stride. (Joey - we're the team in blue!) However JB got some good blocks in on the edge of the area and didn't give any daft free kicks away. some of the youngsters looked good - Croft, BWP, Flood, Bischoff and Onouha. Croft should be giving Sinclair and McManaman a run for their money this season. (Where was Sinclair by the way - no mention of him at all). Well done Jim Cassell - at least one of the coaching staff seems to know what they're doing. Negouiai looked OK, Macken was easily the best of the forwards and Paolo also looked sharp.

Organisation was a shambles though. We get 40000 per game and they get 2000. Why did they initially only open up one end of the ground to City fans? Makes us look good.

ITV reports today that Mido is still at the top Kevin Keegans wish list.

Didn't see the game, but what I observe from the comments here is:
1) We have no creativity in midfield
2) Fowler missed tons of chances.

Which begs the question: If we have no creativity in midfield, how did Fowler get tons of chances to miss?
I think the problem is with him rather than the midfield

The following should have their contracts ripped up now. Jordan- useless, Fowler - awful, Mcmanaman - no comment needed, Ellegard - couldn't catch a cold. Jury is still out on Sommeil and Macken. The kids all did very well especially Flood, Croft and Collins who looked a far better player than Jordan. Barton thinks he is better than Zidane when in reality I have seen better Sunday league players. He needs to sort his attitude out quickly otherwise his contract should be ripped up. If anyone disagrees with this assesment then they need glasses. And another thing, why was the organisation outside the ground an absolute disgrace. Bury knew that City would bring at least 5,000 so why weren't they ready for it. Editor, can you answer that one?