John McCormick writes: For a while it looked like we might get something. We shaped up as a football team, with Borini and Januzaj being positive, and even Billy Jones getting close, and we showed fight.
Then they scored, and scored a second, and it became once again close, but no cigars.
And by the end of the game, really, it was not even close. What can you expect when City could bring on a player of the calibre of Kevin de Bruyne with fifteen minutes to go?
Yet, despite the gap, our manager found things to praise (somewhat ungrammatically) in his post-match message, and this time I agree with him.
“We were playing against a really good team. I thought our players done a good job of trying to contain them and make some opportunities for ourselves.
I have to praise them for their effort and commitment in trying to get something from it.
Last week it hits the bar and doesn’t bounce for us right and today it hits the post and doesn’t bounce for us as well.
If you keep hitting the bar and post eventually one of them will hit the inside of the post or underside of the bar and go in.
What we’ve got to get is more chances to do that.
I thought Didier, Seb and our two full backs today were excellent.
We just lacked a bit of quality that would make the difference in areas around the box.
I’m hoping the break gives us a chance to get Victor, Lee and Kirchhoff back for the start of April.
I want to be right in there fighting to the end.”