Thaksins boys give City the blues

Report by Andrew Waldon as I was appearing as Mr Claus at my Supporters Branch kids Christmas Party - ho ho ho!!!

BUILD UP

Looks like being a big crowd, with 6 bus loads of Thais already at the ground at the special invitation of City chairman Thaksin Shinawatra but it looks like they will have to brave bitterly cold conditions as the temperature is freezing..

THE TEAMS

No team sheet available but it’s a strong City line up on show including a trialist who has made fifty appearances for Bayern Munich’s reserve side, Matthias Schwarz. The invisible man Dabo is also on show

Thailand who are using the game as a warm up for Kings Cup include recent City signing Suree Sukha.

THE GAME

Thailand take the lead on 11 minutes when SURIYA capitalises on a mix up between Mentel and Onuoha, with disastrous consequences as the goal counts and Mentel is stretchered off with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

It s obvious that the message has gone out that this should be a none tackling game and from City’s point of view lets waste as many chances as we can. Mpenza has two glorious opportunities to score but spurns both and Samaras continually frustrates by missing simple chances.

Wholesale changes at half time as City withdraw all their big names apart from Samaras and the pattern of missed chances continues this time with Adam Clayton being the culprit.

The game as a contest is over on 70 mins when SARAYOOT, lifts one over the head of Hartley much to the delight of the screaming visiting fans

City: Mentel, Vidal, Logan, Onuoha, McDonald, Jihai, Schwarz, Geovanni, Samaras, Dabo, Mpenza.

Subs: (All Used): Hartley, Obeng, Breen, Clayton, Marshall, Moore, M Daly, Mouritsen

Thailand: 18 Kosin Hathairattanakoo, 2 Suree Sukha,3 Patiparn Phetphun, 5 Niweat Siriwong, 6 Natapam Phanrit, 8 Suchao Nutnum, 9 Sarayoot Chaikamdee, 19 Pichitphong, 15 Narongchai Vachiraban, 11 Suriya Domtaisong,12 Pipat Thonkanya

Subs: (All Used) 4 Jetsada Jitsawad, 16 Kiatisuk Senamuang, 11 Tawan Sripan, 14 Apichet Puttan, Punarat Kinsukow, 13 Pibob

Attendance: 1077….but at least 700 of those must have been hiding somewhere