City 2 FC Copenhagen 1

[guardian.co.uk report, telegraph.co.uk report, MEN report]

An impressive victory for me. Despite the overall lack of quality from our opponents, I thought we showed the patience and savvy required to ensure progression was achieved and it provided further evidence of the recent good progress being made.

Whilst the scoreline was at 0-0 there was always the threat of being caught cold, but in the first half we controlled the game well, dominated possession and created a number of chances that on another day could have seen us go in at half time with a two or three goal lead.

One criticism from the first half was the over reliance on long diagonal balls to both Bellamy and Robinho - thankfully rained in during the second half, where there was far more quick, short passing moves that provided some wonderful football as we pressed for the goal that would settle nerves.

Robinho was guilty of a couple of bad misses before Craig Bellamy eased us into the next round with a well timed brace, capping what was a fantastic performance from him. Full of industry and enterprise, he has also added goals (one thing I was sceptical of when he signed) and he truly has looked a fantastic addition to the side.

Putting aside reports of spats with Robinho, I thought the front pair linked together well, with Robinho perhaps too wide on occasion, but their attacking presence aligned with Ireland and Wright-Phillips was there to see. It is worth noting Robinho's contribution, marrying both 'graft' and the quality touches and decisions which were a joy to see.

Defensively I thought we were sound and stuck to our task well. The concentration levels were there (injury time excepted) and I was impressed with Shay Given's command of the back four. Like Bellamy, an impressive addition.

Through to the last sixteen now - something not achieved for some time - and whilst Aalborg will be a step up in quality from the Danish opponents we have faced this season, there is a definite sense that some momentum is building in our season which will auger well as we bid to to win the competition.

FC Copenhagen open thread

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City v FC Copenhagen preview

[MEN preview, BBC Sport preview, Setanta preview]

The last minute equaliser we conceded in Copenhagen last week has of course altered the complexity of the tie, but as we sit at the half way stage, we should be feeling confident of progressing through to the last sixteen.

On the evidence of the first leg, we definitely look the more dangerous side and we are more than capable of goals against FC Copenhagen's defence. The danger as I see it is if we were to fall behind early, when we are then chasing the game rather than being in control of it. It is imperative therefore that our concentration at the back is much improved.

It will be a big blow if Vincent Kompany is ruled out, especially given tht Nigel de Jong is ineligible to play. The midfield would then have an unfamiliar look to it, with far less steel and solidity than we have witnessed in recent weeks. It will be interesting to see who Hughes decides to bring in to the side. Another chance for Elano is surely on the cards but I do worry about the lack of defensive from the midfielder.

Far more onus will then be on the more creative and attack minded elements of the side to deliver and I do feel we will have enough firepower to outscore our opponents and secure a passage into the next round, but not without scare or two along the way.

FC Copenhagen 2 City 2

How the complexity of a European tie can change.

There we were, sat on 2-1 lead - that could (should?) have been more - but nevertheless would have put us firmly in the box seat as far as qualifying for the next round. A late lapse in concentration however and our position looks far more precarious heading back to Eastlands for the second leg in a weeks time.

Of concern is that fact that FC Copenhagen look to have enough in attack to cause us serious problems, and although we hold the advantage of two away goals, perhaps trying to sit on a lead may not suit our approach.

What struck throughout yesterdays game as far as our perspective was how easily we managed to create opportunities against a back line that was lacking in pace against our quick moving attack. I still felt however we lacked a real presence in attack and this could have cost us the goals that would have put the tie out of sight.

I thought we were the better side and possessed more quality, but FC Copenhagen looked bright, were tidy going forward and comfortable in possession, as you would expect from a European side, but we timed both of our goals perfectly, just at the point where they were beginning to impose themselves on the game. Both goals took the sting out of their attack, and at both 1-0 and 2-1 we controlled the game well, adopting a very 'European' approach to our play.

Frustrating once again then that we contrived to let ourselves down in a game that we should have shown the wherewithal to close out, and individual mistakes and lapses in concentration have haunted us throughout the season and were our undoing tonight as we let victory slip from our grasp.

A worry for me was how isolated Robinho appeared throughout the game. I thought he worked hard, showed good touches but was unable to link in with Bellamy, Ireland or Wright-Phillips quite in the way he has done previously, but given recent criticism of his performance away from home I thought he turned in a good shift.

There is a real danger with the second leg now, but you feel an early strike for ourselves could alter the course of the tie tremendously, with the longer it remains at 0-0 the more likely we would be susceptible to nerves.

We have hardly done things the easy way so far in this ompetition, but to our credit have pulled through when it has mattered so far. I do think we have enough to go through next week, but should we progress, there won't be many more nights where we can afford to let opportunities like tonight slip.

FC Copenhagen v City open thread

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FC Copenhagen v City preview

An away trip is hardly what is required given our current woes on our travels, but concensus is that having the second leg of a European tie at home is a distinct advantage and I do concur that it does benefit us to have the second leg at Eastlands.

A tricky fixture awaits us though, as if we have designs on achieving anything in this competition, FC Copenhagen are opponents we should generally be happy to draw (with Aalborg or Deportivo potentially lying in wait).

The vultures are out once again following the defeat at Portsmouth, and FC Copenhagens manager Stale Stolbakken has also stoked up the atmosphere, citing that we are 'destroying' football:

‘I think that such incredible sums will take part in destroying football.

‘They are creating too big a mental distance between what we call reality and then Manchester City.

‘The hardest part for City is that they, by tradition, are not a big football club and, therefore, all the money in the world does not make a difference for them.

‘They brought in Wayne Bridge, even though he is only marginally better than what they had already — and that says how hard it is to get the best players, even though you have lots of money.’

Mark Hughes feels that we should have the edge in terms of fitness and preparation given our opponents lack of competitive action of late. Team wise, Richard Dunne and Shaun Wright-Phillips are expected to step back into the line-up following domestic suspensions, whilst Micah Richards hopes to shrug off the injury that kept him out at Fratton Park.

Our opponents qualified for this stage by finishing 3rd in Group G behind St Ettiene and Valenica, with five points from their four games. Their domestic form is good, currently lying second in the Danish League behind Brondby, They possess an excellent home record, winning eight and drawing one of their nine games, scoring twenty-one goals and conceding just five so far.

We have shown mixed form on the road in Europe, with the contrasting performances at Schalke and Santander alongside patchy efforts in the qualifying rounds. From Mark Hughes's comments though, it doesn't sound as though we will be adopting too expansive a set up:

"The game is all about making sure we are in good shape for the home leg and that we are on the front foot to bring them back to the City of Manchester Stadium.

"Uefa Cup progression is something that we have been aiming towards since the start of the season and that has not changed.

"The first task was to get through the group and we did that as winners now we want to make the best of that hard work."

It is likely to be a bitterly cold evening in Copenhagen, and I feel we will come away with a 1-1 draw to set things up for a decent second leg.

UEFA Cup draw

UEFA CUP LAST 32 DRAW

Paris St Germain v Wolfsburg
FC Copenhagen v MANCHESTER CITY
NEC Nijmegen v Hamburg
Sampdoria v Metalist Kharkiv
Braga v Standard Liege
ASTON VILLA v CSKA Moscow
Lech Poznan v Udinese
Olympiakos v St Etienne
Fiorentina v Ajax
Aalborg v Deportivo La Coruna
Werder Bremen v AC Milan
Bordeaux v FC Galatasaray
Dynamo Kiev v Valencia
Zenit St Petersburg v VfB Stuttgart
Marseille v FC Twente
Shakhtar Donetsk v TOTTENHAM

Ties to be played on 18/19 February and 26 February

UEFA CUP ROUND OF 16 DRAW

Werder Bremen/AC Milan v Olympiakos/St Etienne
ASTON VILLA/CSKA Moscow v Shakhtar Donetsk/TOTTENHAM
Lech Poznan/Udinese v Zenit St Petersburg/VfB Stuttgart
Paris St Germain/Wolfsburg v Braga/Standard Liege
Dynamo Kiev/Valencia v Sampdoria/Metalist Kharkiv
FC Copenhagen/MANCHESTER CITY v Aalborg/Deportivo La Coruna
Marseille v FC Twente v Fiorentina/Ajax
NEC Nijmegen/Hamburg v Bordeaux v FC Galatasaray

Ties to be played on 12 March and 18/19 March

At first glance it could definitely be worse overall given both the last 32 and last 16 stages have been drawn.

However - although they are both rounds that although we should progress from if we have designs on winning the competition - our opponents could potentially cause us problems.

FC Copenhagen are likely to be a better side than FC Midtjylland - who caused us problems, whilst Aalborg performed creditibly in the Champions League and Deportivo have a good pedigree in Europe.

Given the competition is now on the backburner until mid-February though, the ideal scenario would be for us to have picked up form in the league and have one or two additions in the squad ahead of the first leg in Denmark.

UPDATE:

• Mark Hughes's reaction