#Etihad Stadium

[cityzenchick]

🩵 Sending love to @kathb59 @treblebluesblog and any other girlies that will be at the Etihad for the City match against Ipswich today 🩵 Enjoy the return of Gundo - it's going to be very special 😘👏🩵

[pernillecfcw]

Great performance from the lads tonight , shame we didn’t get the win but a draw is alright and it’s a point 💙💙

[unitedbydevils]

Match Review: Manchester United Women 1-3 Manchester City Women

A spectacle of a derby for the two Manchester sides at Old Trafford, but the Blue Moon shone down on the Theatre of Dreams as Mark Skinner came undone at the hands of opposite number Gareth Taylor.

On the face of the scoreline United got slapped up, but if we look at the statistics it's not quite so damning...

All in all, pretty similar right? Exactly, and therein lies the problem. United were, on paper, a good match for City. How then did United lose, and so badly, after taking an early lead through a solid Katie Zelem penalty into the bottom left corner?

In truth, United lost the battle in all three areas of the pitch.

Up front, United were not getting the shots away. They were not clinical enough. Geyse has had a slow start to life at United and is starting to find her shooting boots, but adapting to the English climate isn't the easiest thing - especially in a league that's more physical than the Primera División. Malard is doing well for goals but gets put out wide to accommodate Geyse, which then benches Lucia Garcia who is a proper winger that likes to take people on. Nikita Parris is also in good goal form so took LW, with Leah Galton playing LB. It's not bad, and all players are getting game time, but United looked best this season with a front three of Galton-Malard-Garcia; a hard working, tenacious front line that's not afraid to have a shot.

Fara Williams and Eartha Pond's podcast 'Boots, Balls and Bras' touched upon a combined United/City XI ahead of the derby. They picked City's midfield in its entirety. They just are slightly better, for all we love who we've got. It was also a surprise not to see Hayley Ladd picked for a double hold alongside Katie Zelem, instead opting for Lisa Naalsund. Not a bad player at all, just City's strong centre and the influence of Pep's full back overload tactic suggested United might need to bide their time for a mistake and break. City themselves were patient and played a passing game designed to bait United out and breach the lines, and that worked despite less possession.

The final and main critique is of the defence. United's backline isn't bad but it's making the same mistakes with slow passing, poor positioning, and disjointed movement. That's not game over against lower table opposition but against big rivals and top sides it'll be punished. City CF Bunny Shaw is arguably the best forward in the league right now (Sam Kerr is 30...) and she did score against us, and looked formidable throughout. On another day it might have been a hat-trick.

As All For United said, City had a player sent off. They were down to 10 and United looked toothless in response. Fatigue or mentality could have played a part in the lack of a reaction, but that's on the manager to encourage players and use them tactically to get the best out of body and mind.

The result sees City leapfrog United into third place in the WSL. There's no shame in admitting that overall, Manchester City's team are better than ours (for now). They have more engaged ownership and active funds. They've played at the Etihad more than we have at Old Trafford so they have more big stadium experience. The issue is that with the sale of Ona Batlle and injury to Gabby George suddenly United's backline is shaky - and it's being exposed.

The best teams have the best defences. United's isn't bad; player for player they're a good bunch, and form has been improving generally from them. The issues are the depth in quality is lacking, so much so that Leah Galton started at LB, and there's work to be done on the training ground. United's slow passing around the backline can be worked on. You can coach players into quicker passing and better positioning to receive passes.

Next up in the league is Bristol City, away at Ashton Gate. This one's another I've the time and money to go to so I'll try and bag a few photos, but before that is Conti Cup action against Liverpool - time to bounce back.

[manchestercity1894]

Saturday 2nd September 2023. Pre Match Etihad Stadium 2.10pm

[callmeabeverhausen]

"melbourne" is a very very sporty city….so behind me the "etihad stadium" or "marvel stadium"

[khloofhd]

[leahdlom]

Etihad Stadium, Manchester, 2024.

[cityzenchick]

🩵⚽️🩵⚽️🩵⚽️🩵⚽️🩵⚽️🩵⚽️🩵⚽️🩵⚽️🩵⚽️

[takiki16]

Miami nation…they are making THEEEEEE Lionel Messi, greatest of all time and most decorated athlete to ever kick a ball, play in a BASEBALL STADIUM

[cryingforcrocodiles]

we're playing at the anfield tomorrow?

[bsjsbsjdnjd]

martin.....that was unacceptable.

[rmfantasysetpieces1]

Are you single use or multi use?

More than 300 sports stadiums around the world will begin to be built or renovated in 2025, according to projections from Deloitte, with a growing emphasis on the importance of multi-use.

from this post

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/new-york-city-fc-etihad-airways-agree-to-20-year-naming-rights-deal-for-new-mls-stadium/ar-AA1uvbws?ocid=BingNewsSerp

here is the problem though, multi use stadiums require multi use. a multi use stadium that isn't being used a lot becomes a very costly thing, most costly than a proper sized stadium

#rmsoccer

[killa-trav]

not even saying this cos i'm a united fan but genuinely taylor at old trafford would've hit so different man like it's the largest club stadium in england, only wembley is bigger she would've been so gagged and manchester crowds hit so different

[cityzenchick]

These gifs bring back such amazing memories of the match that won us the Premiership 🏆🩵

[armatofu]

[cityzenchick]

Erling is attending his 'uncles' funeral in Norway 🇳🇴 💔 so it's up to the rest of the lads to do him (and us!) proud tonight against Watford 👏⚽️ 🩵