References in periodicals archive
When you go out on the pitch it's about yourself, the team, about how everyone comes together, and on that night we all came together."
FOOTBALL WHENEVER Manchester City take to the pitch it's expected that there will be goals but that might not be the case in their League Cup encounter with Bristol City at the Etihad Stadium, writes Steve Davies.
"The boys have been working with him a month or so now, we know when we can have a laugh and a joke - but on the pitch it's very serious.
"I grew up there (United) so it's a special place in my life but once we get on that pitch it's just business at the end of the day and try and get the points for the team.
"You can't compare Slovakia and Russia in size, but on the pitch it's 11 against 11 and I think desire and heart was on our side.
But on the pitch it's time to get on the march again.
"However ferocious we are on the pitch it's always friendly and good fun in the bar afterwards watching the main event," he said.
"But on the pitch it's difficult to guess where teams are from.
"Of course we can beat Real Madrid, they have great players and a great team but on the pitch it's 11 against 11."
"On the pitch it's pretty much a 'war' anyway, so there's always going to be a few battles and a few words.
"If you've got a permanent pitch it's a lot easier for it to recover but it's looking okay.
"With the noise on the pitch it's very difficult to communicate with your team mates.
"When you're on the pitch it's all guns blazing like every Test match, but before the game we were thinking about the occasion a bit more than we usually would.
"When you consider they play more forward-type players in the wider areas of the pitch it's a testimony they have handled the defensive aspects extremely well."
When you're down on that football pitch it's highly charged, and you're so fired up it's difficult to control yourself.