Laughing Stock

[Original Dub]

beggars belief!!!
Arguably our best result since winning at the shit hole two years ago and we're bloody wingeing.
That second half performance was a well as we've played all season imo.

I thought the performance in both halves was great. Chelsea applied a lot of pressure in the first half. The way some people
react ( for example that prize prat , Hansen, on MOTD) you would think we were awful until they scored, which simply was not the case.

Also Barry's chip to Bellamy has been described as a long kick up to a front man. Bellamy was in our half when Barry made the chip.

True to form z!

[BobKowalski]

beggars belief!!!
Arguably our best result since winning at the shit hole two years ago and we're bloody wingeing.
That second half performance was a well as we've played all season imo.

I thought the performance in both halves was great. Chelsea applied a lot of pressure in the first half. The way some people
react ( for example that prize prat , Hansen, on MOTD) you would think we were awful until they scored, which simply was not the case.

Also Barry's chip to Bellamy has been described as a long kick up to a front man. Bellamy was in our half when Barry made the chip.

Agreed. But its also how you want to interpret the first half. Some like Hansen and most on here think it was dire and dismal; Kamaracommentating at the time thought it was an intriguing tactical battle. I read one report echoing Kamara and another saying it was rubbish.

There is one thing that is true though and that we played like the way we did in the first 30 mins because that was what Mancini told them to do. Keep it tight, frustrate them, and then we look for something on the break. And we did frustrate them allowing them little in the way of clear chances until they made that decisive chance which we cancelled out quickly.

The ironic thing is that we did to Chelsea what Chelsea did to Arsenal at the Bridge. Wenger complained that his side played all the football and he was right in terms of possession and territory. Chelsea just sat back whilst Arsenal got busy being busy and than passed the ball to Drogba who scored two 1st half goals and the game was over. Clinical, efficient and easy.

We sat back, Chelsea pressed forward (cautiously to begin with I thought) and then finally worked an opening. We cleared the ball to Tevez who did what Drogba does and bullied the back two and scored a goal. Which is why forwards like Tevez are priceless and Benjani is playing for Sunderland. We also niggled Chelsea in that 1st half by the way we played and that carried on and got worse in the second. They pressed, we dealt with it comfortably (again) and Barry passed a sweet ball to Bellers who scored a sweet goal and saved himself a twatting from Tevez for not passing. Then it got tasty as having frustrated them and now gone ahead we went for the kill with SWP injecting fresh pace into the attack and got our just rewards with the penalty. We then swapped Bridge for Santa Cruz when 3-1 up at Chelsea (its a crazy world) but it was classic stuff, frustrate, wound, then close in and go for the kill.

But the thing is boys and girls you don't get the second bit without the first bit. You don't swan over to Chelsea and start pressing forward from the off because as Arsenal found out you gonna get screwed without the lube. You may not like the way Mancini plans his matches and as he found at Stoke when he tried to combat that much different threat it ain't always going to work but I prefer the manager to have a plan in the first place.

Mancini as a manger is alien to us and quite possibly alien to some of the players as well because I would be amazed if some of them ain't scratching their heads trying to figure all this out or as Shay put it 'the lads just want to play football', but I'll give them their due in that misgivings or not and based on the last 3 games they are certainly trying 100% to deliver on what Mancini wants.

[john68]

I enjoyed reading that post Bob....if only all of it were true.
All it missed was...."Once upon a time....." and a finish of ".....and they all lived happily ever after."

Sorry mate.

[the_georgian_genius]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

I suppose if we're gonna sit back and hit teams on the break at least we started taking our chances. We punished them 2nd half and showed a ruthless streak we've been missing.

My main concern with this group of players though, is now under 2 managers they seem to lift only after going behind. It's a little worrying and teams will not always continue to play expansive football after going 1 up the way Chelsea did. We need to show that ruthless streak from the 1st minute and really fuck some teams up.

That said after the pile of shite that the last months football has been this was well and truly a breath of fresh air.

[mcfc1632]

People see things and express things in slightly different ways - it is a reflection of how we have 'camps' on here that we are having a 'debate' after the result.

My concern is what now..?

Will we build on that performance and kick on - making the 4th spot a no-brainer - avoid some last game of the season drama?

Or will we be typical CITY and get stuffed next time out?

Why can we play like that against Chelsea & Arsenal and be utter shite against Bolton, Birmingham, Hull, Stoke, Spurs etc?

There must be some mentality issue in the players which was present under Hughes and certainly has not been eradicated under Mancini


For what its worth, re yesterday's game:

I did not think the 1st half was that bad - clearly set up to contain and doing an OK(ish) job for the 1st half hour - but you could see them getting a grip of MF and it started to become only a matter of time....

Lets not delude ourselves - who on here genuinely thought after Lampard scored that we would go on and win? - I suspect nobody - who thought that we would probably end up beat by 2 or 3, with perhaps us scoring a consolation goal? - most I would suggest

The game turned on the fact that we are now blessed to have one of those players in our team that can make things happen from nothing - they are a rare talent and Carlos has been sadly missed. Lets remember, it was a Chelsea attack pressing for another goal before half time - not some excellent break away practised on the training ground - it was a punt from defence vaguely in the direction of our short lone striker who is marked by 2 of the (reputed) best CBs in the world and one of the (reputed) top DMs - there is no way Carlos should score from there - very few would even try - Ade (who I like) would have vaguely jumped, RSC (who I hope to like) would have not got anywhere near - there are only 3 players in the PL who could make something of that - Torres, that twat at the scum and Carlos - lets just rejoice that we have him - 'cos if we go in at half time losing - (IMO) that brilliant 2nd half does not happen

I love Bellers and you have to admire the way he maximised the opportunity given by Barry's astute pass - but again lets not delude ourselves - he could make that run again another 50 times and he would not score - he did it absolutely inch perfect - putting the ball into the only spot where he could score off his weaker foot - but that can only be executed very rarely - so great as it was - that was a 2nd goal that really came from the blue - and if Cech had been playing it would not have gone in (nothing meant here to detract from Bellers effort).

Then confidence is up and Chelsea lose their discipline - led by that German git - we go on to play like we can sometimes - e.g. at Liverpool after we were a goal down, against Arsenal after they had equalised - BUT WHY OH WHY CAN WE JUST NOT SIMPLY PLAY LIKE THAT BECAUSE OUR PLAYERS ARE OF THE CALIBRE TO PLAY LIKE THAT?

Why does it have to be some 'exceptional circumstance' - that is the key to us becoming something - Hughes did not make it happen - Mancini needs to find a way - but it is not in convincing himself that his 1st half tactics were a resounding success so lets repeat that again and again - circumstances allowed the dogs to be unleashed - needs more of that

For me that was a brilliant result, from a brilliant performance triggered by the good fortune that we have a player who can score a 1 in 1000 chance in 1st half injury time - welcome back Carlos - we have missed you

[Erwin Rommel]

Game Statistics Chelsea on left, City on right.


20 Goal Attempts 8
13 On Target 6
3 Corners 2
1 Offside 3
21 Fouls 12
3 Yellow Cards 1
2 Red Cards 0
51 % 49

Chelsea had double as many chances, and more possession. The only difference was we were able to score on the counter attack against a shocking goalkeeper. We will not be able to score chances in this manner against the likes of Burnley.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

I know mate. This has gone beyond ridiculous now. I mean when has Chelsea last lost at home in league? Can't remember that happening in few years. When have WE last won in Stamford Bridge? Good fifteen years ago. In fact had we not scored on saturday, we would've set record for most away games without even scoring against one team as we hadn't scored there for last seven games. But we put four past them. At theirs.

And people go on and say 'it wasn't brilliant' or whatever. This is starting to get really embarrasing for us and to be fair, if people don't think wins like and performances like that aren't what they are looking for then it's hard to understand where they can go from here.

These are kind of wins even the world football giants would celebrate wildly.

I mean, I didn't think Hughes was the man but I celebrated his marque games (Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea) wildly.

I repeat, this is embarrasing for us and shows what a spoiled brats we are turning into.

[Ted Hughes]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

I know mate. This has gone beyond ridiculous now. I mean when has Chelsea last lost at home in league? Can't remember that happening in few years. When have WE last won in Stamford Bridge? Good fifteen years ago. In fact had we not scored on saturday, we would've set record for most away games without even scoring against one team as we hadn't scored there for last seven games. But we put four past them. At theirs.

And people go on and say 'it wasn't brilliant' or whatever. This is starting to get really embarrasing for us and to be fair, if people don't think wins like and performances like that aren't what they are looking for then it's hard to understand where they can go from here.

These are kind of wins even the world football giants would celebrate wildly.

I mean, I didn't think Hughes was the man but I celebrated his marque games (Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea) wildly.

I repeat, this is embarrasing for us and shows what a spoiled brats we are turning into.

The 2nd half was brilliant as a result of getting more men forward quickly when we had the ball & a general attitude that we were actively waiting for a chance to hurt Chelsea rather than just keep them at bay. We did it as well as most teams could possibly wish to do & showed we're capable of competing at that level.

The 1st half shows the danger of trying to keep a top side at bay without having a significant attacking threat; they break you down sooner or later, often because of an individual error. Humans make mistakes & simply relying on tactics to survive is rarely enough unless you break up the pressure with an attacking threat. The goal by Tevez could be the turning point of Mancini's career because had we gone in at 0-1, Ancellotti would have got Chelsea doing to us exactly what we did to them 2nd half. Instead they had to come out looking for a goal & we dealt with it superbly.

We'll still need to reach the same standard in games where the oppo are going to sit back & try to do it to us though.

[mcfc1632]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

I know mate. This has gone beyond ridiculous now. I mean when has Chelsea last lost at home in league? Can't remember that happening in few years. When have WE last won in Stamford Bridge? Good fifteen years ago. In fact had we not scored on saturday, we would've set record for most away games without even scoring against one team as we hadn't scored there for last seven games. But we put four past them. At theirs.

And people go on and say 'it wasn't brilliant' or whatever. This is starting to get really embarrasing for us and to be fair, if people don't think wins like and performances like that aren't what they are looking for then it's hard to understand where they can go from here.

These are kind of wins even the world football giants would celebrate wildly.

I mean, I didn't think Hughes was the man but I celebrated his marque games (Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea) wildly.

I repeat, this is embarrasing for us and shows what a spoiled brats we are turning into.

The 2nd half was brilliant as a result of getting more men forward quickly when we had the ball & a general attitude that we were actively waiting for a chance to hurt Chelsea rather than just keep them at bay. We did it as well as most teams could possibly wish to do & showed we're capable of competing at that level.

The 1st half shows the danger of trying to keep a top side at bay without having a significant attacking threat; they break you down sooner or later, often because of an individual error. Humans make mistakes & simply relying on tactics to survive is rarely enough unless you break up the pressure with an attacking threat. The goal by Tevez could be the turning point of Mancini's career because had we gone in at 0-1, Ancellotti would have got Chelsea doing to us exactly what we did to them 2nd half. Instead they had to come out looking for a goal & we dealt with it superbly.

We'll still need to reach the same standard in games where the oppo are going to sit back & try to do it to us though.

Ted - the point of posts like yours, mine and others is being missed (perhaps deliberately in some quarters) - no one is saying lets not celebrate - no one is saying lets not enthuse - no one is saying that this is not the best 'result' of the season - just some are saying that there is a need to temper thoughts on how this result is going to help us in the next 11 games to win ugly - to win with flair - to close games down etc

I just think that a number of people cannot stop themselves acting in a way that has to put everyone into camps - so if you state something moderate here it gets extrapolated into 'anti-Mancini' etc - when now - as before we are just looking to discuss what is right for CITY

I want Mancini to take the lessons from this and other games and go out and get as many of the 44 points available so we are 3rd at least - there does not have to be extreme camps all the time

[BobKowalski]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

I know mate. This has gone beyond ridiculous now. I mean when has Chelsea last lost at home in league? Can't remember that happening in few years. When have WE last won in Stamford Bridge? Good fifteen years ago. In fact had we not scored on saturday, we would've set record for most away games without even scoring against one team as we hadn't scored there for last seven games. But we put four past them. At theirs.

And people go on and say 'it wasn't brilliant' or whatever. This is starting to get really embarrasing for us and to be fair, if people don't think wins like and performances like that aren't what they are looking for then it's hard to understand where they can go from here.

These are kind of wins even the world football giants would celebrate wildly.

I mean, I didn't think Hughes was the man but I celebrated his marque games (Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea) wildly.

I repeat, this is embarrasing for us and shows what a spoiled brats we are turning into.

I'll admit I don't quite get it either but at the end of day we beat Chelsea away and I can't remember when I last enjoyed a victory this much well ok I can it was the 2-1 at the swamp and it wasn't so much beating Chelsea but the manner of victory that made it so sweet. Pretty much a perfect day.

Anyway I give up. There is a determination on here that no matter what we do Mancini ain't the man. People fret over his comments "I hope he doesn't mean this" "I'm worried if he believes this" etc etc, and win, lose or draw he gets it in the neck. I was a big Hughes outer but even I didn't bother quibbling over a big victory like Chelsea at home because I have no time for moaners when we register an excellent win ("we were lucky Given saved the penalty" - yeah well hes paid to save them like Tevez is paid to score them - whine, bollocks).

I've said my piece on Mancini and what he is doing or trying to do. I hope it works and we get 4th spot or higher (you never know). If he don't then we will probably have someone else as manager in the summer so we can have the discussion all over again I guess :)

[john@staustell]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

I know mate. This has gone beyond ridiculous now. I mean when has Chelsea last lost at home in league? Can't remember that happening in few years. When have WE last won in Stamford Bridge? Good fifteen years ago. In fact had we not scored on saturday, we would've set record for most away games without even scoring against one team as we hadn't scored there for last seven games. But we put four past them. At theirs.

And people go on and say 'it wasn't brilliant' or whatever. This is starting to get really embarrasing for us and to be fair, if people don't think wins like and performances like that aren't what they are looking for then it's hard to understand where they can go from here.

These are kind of wins even the world football giants would celebrate wildly.

I mean, I didn't think Hughes was the man but I celebrated his marque games (Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea) wildly.

I repeat, this is embarrasing for us and shows what a spoiled brats we are turning into.

The 2nd half was brilliant as a result of getting more men forward quickly when we had the ball & a general attitude that we were actively waiting for a chance to hurt Chelsea rather than just keep them at bay. We did it as well as most teams could possibly wish to do & showed we're capable of competing at that level.

The 1st half shows the danger of trying to keep a top side at bay without having a significant attacking threat; they break you down sooner or later, often because of an individual error. Humans make mistakes & simply relying on tactics to survive is rarely enough unless you break up the pressure with an attacking threat. The goal by Tevez could be the turning point of Mancini's career because had we gone in at 0-1, Ancellotti would have got Chelsea doing to us exactly what we did to them 2nd half. Instead they had to come out looking for a goal & we dealt with it superbly.

We'll still need to reach the same standard in games where the oppo are going to sit back & try to do it to us though.

Ted - the point of posts like yours, mine and others is being missed (perhaps deliberately in some quarters) - no one is saying lets not celebrate - no one is saying lets not enthuse - no one is saying that this is not the best 'result' of the season - just some are saying that there is a need to temper thoughts on how this result is going to help us in the next 11 games to win ugly - to win with flair - to close games down etc

I just think that a number of people cannot stop themselves acting in a way that has to put everyone into camps - so if you state something moderate here it gets extrapolated into 'anti-Mancini' etc - when now - as before we are just looking to discuss what is right for CITY

I want Mancini to take the lessons from this and other games and go out and get as many of the 44 points available so we are 3rd at least - there does not have to be extreme camps all the time

Lets you, me & Ted start a 'non-extreme camp'? Oops, hang on a minute..........................

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

I know mate. This has gone beyond ridiculous now. I mean when has Chelsea last lost at home in league? Can't remember that happening in few years. When have WE last won in Stamford Bridge? Good fifteen years ago. In fact had we not scored on saturday, we would've set record for most away games without even scoring against one team as we hadn't scored there for last seven games. But we put four past them. At theirs.

And people go on and say 'it wasn't brilliant' or whatever. This is starting to get really embarrasing for us and to be fair, if people don't think wins like and performances like that aren't what they are looking for then it's hard to understand where they can go from here.

These are kind of wins even the world football giants would celebrate wildly.

I mean, I didn't think Hughes was the man but I celebrated his marque games (Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea) wildly.

I repeat, this is embarrasing for us and shows what a spoiled brats we are turning into.

The 2nd half was brilliant as a result of getting more men forward quickly when we had the ball & a general attitude that we were actively waiting for a chance to hurt Chelsea rather than just keep them at bay. We did it as well as most teams could possibly wish to do & showed we're capable of competing at that level.

The 1st half shows the danger of trying to keep a top side at bay without having a significant attacking threat; they break you down sooner or later, often because of an individual error. Humans make mistakes & simply relying on tactics to survive is rarely enough unless you break up the pressure with an attacking threat. The goal by Tevez could be the turning point of Mancini's career because had we gone in at 0-1, Ancellotti would have got Chelsea doing to us exactly what we did to them 2nd half. Instead they had to come out looking for a goal & we dealt with it superbly.

We'll still need to reach the same standard in games where the oppo are going to sit back & try to do it to us though.

Ted - the point of posts like yours, mine and others is being missed (perhaps deliberately in some quarters) - no one is saying lets not celebrate - no one is saying lets not enthuse - no one is saying that this is not the best 'result' of the season - just some are saying that there is a need to temper thoughts on how this result is going to help us in the next 11 games to win ugly - to win with flair - to close games down etc

I just think that a number of people cannot stop themselves acting in a way that has to put everyone into camps - so if you state something moderate here it gets extrapolated into 'anti-Mancini' etc - when now - as before we are just looking to discuss what is right for CITY

I want Mancini to take the lessons from this and other games and go out and get as many of the 44 points available so we are 3rd at least - there does not have to be extreme camps all the time

Lets you, me & Ted start a 'non-extreme camp'? Oops, hang on a minute..........................

Could you please try and avoid quoting that fool.

[Ted Hughes]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

I know mate. This has gone beyond ridiculous now. I mean when has Chelsea last lost at home in league? Can't remember that happening in few years. When have WE last won in Stamford Bridge? Good fifteen years ago. In fact had we not scored on saturday, we would've set record for most away games without even scoring against one team as we hadn't scored there for last seven games. But we put four past them. At theirs.

And people go on and say 'it wasn't brilliant' or whatever. This is starting to get really embarrasing for us and to be fair, if people don't think wins like and performances like that aren't what they are looking for then it's hard to understand where they can go from here.

These are kind of wins even the world football giants would celebrate wildly.

I mean, I didn't think Hughes was the man but I celebrated his marque games (Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea) wildly.

I repeat, this is embarrasing for us and shows what a spoiled brats we are turning into.

The 2nd half was brilliant as a result of getting more men forward quickly when we had the ball & a general attitude that we were actively waiting for a chance to hurt Chelsea rather than just keep them at bay. We did it as well as most teams could possibly wish to do & showed we're capable of competing at that level.

The 1st half shows the danger of trying to keep a top side at bay without having a significant attacking threat; they break you down sooner or later, often because of an individual error. Humans make mistakes & simply relying on tactics to survive is rarely enough unless you break up the pressure with an attacking threat. The goal by Tevez could be the turning point of Mancini's career because had we gone in at 0-1, Ancellotti would have got Chelsea doing to us exactly what we did to them 2nd half. Instead they had to come out looking for a goal & we dealt with it superbly.

We'll still need to reach the same standard in games where the oppo are going to sit back & try to do it to us though.

Ted - the point of posts like yours, mine and others is being missed (perhaps deliberately in some quarters) - no one is saying lets not celebrate - no one is saying lets not enthuse - no one is saying that this is not the best 'result' of the season - just some are saying that there is a need to temper thoughts on how this result is going to help us in the next 11 games to win ugly - to win with flair - to close games down etc

I just think that a number of people cannot stop themselves acting in a way that has to put everyone into camps - so if you state something moderate here it gets extrapolated into 'anti-Mancini' etc - when now - as before we are just looking to discuss what is right for CITY

I want Mancini to take the lessons from this and other games and go out and get as many of the 44 points available so we are 3rd at least - there does not have to be extreme camps all the time

Well I'm certainly not in any camp. I said before the game I thought we might get something & I didn't care how we did it. As it happens we did it much better than I'd hoped. I'll be perfectly happy to let Mancini carry on for 10 years if we play good football & get results, in fact I'd prefer it. That doesn't mean I'll be happy if we go to Sunderland, put 8 men behind the ball & play out a daw because they do the same & we don't have another plan though.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

I know mate. This has gone beyond ridiculous now. I mean when has Chelsea last lost at home in league? Can't remember that happening in few years. When have WE last won in Stamford Bridge? Good fifteen years ago. In fact had we not scored on saturday, we would've set record for most away games without even scoring against one team as we hadn't scored there for last seven games. But we put four past them. At theirs.

And people go on and say 'it wasn't brilliant' or whatever. This is starting to get really embarrasing for us and to be fair, if people don't think wins like and performances like that aren't what they are looking for then it's hard to understand where they can go from here.

These are kind of wins even the world football giants would celebrate wildly.

I mean, I didn't think Hughes was the man but I celebrated his marque games (Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea) wildly.

I repeat, this is embarrasing for us and shows what a spoiled brats we are turning into.

I'll admit I don't quite get it either but at the end of day we beat Chelsea away and I can't remember when I last enjoyed a victory this much well ok I can it was the 2-1 at the swamp and it wasn't so much beating Chelsea but the manner of victory that made it so sweet. Pretty much a perfect day.

Anyway I give up. There is a determination on here that no matter what we do Mancini ain't the man. People fret over his comments "I hope he doesn't mean this" "I'm worried if he believes this" etc etc, and win, lose or draw he gets it in the neck. I was a big Hughes outer but even I didn't bother quibbling over a big victory like Chelsea at home because I have no time for moaners when we register an excellent win ("we were lucky Given saved the penalty" - yeah well hes paid to save them like Tevez is paid to score them - whine, bollocks).

I've said my piece on Mancini and what he is doing or trying to do. I hope it works and we get 4th spot or higher (you never know). If he don't then we will probably have someone else as manager in the summer so we can have the discussion all over again I guess :)

Exactly the way I feel mate.

[bluej]

People see things and express things in slightly different ways - it is a reflection of how we have 'camps' on here that we are having a 'debate' after the result......

.....For me that was a brilliant result, from a brilliant performance triggered by the good fortune that we have a player who can score a 1 in 1000 chance in 1st half injury time - welcome back Carlos - we have missed you

I won't quote it all because it was long but I agree with every word of it. Particularly the mentality part where we seem to have to be 'up against it' before we start playing like everyone knows we can.

[BobKowalski]

I've heard it all now. Yesterday's 4-2 win at Chelsea wasn't brilliant.

I suppose we only won because it was 11 v 9?

Superb, utterly superb.

I know mate. This has gone beyond ridiculous now. I mean when has Chelsea last lost at home in league? Can't remember that happening in few years. When have WE last won in Stamford Bridge? Good fifteen years ago. In fact had we not scored on saturday, we would've set record for most away games without even scoring against one team as we hadn't scored there for last seven games. But we put four past them. At theirs.

And people go on and say 'it wasn't brilliant' or whatever. This is starting to get really embarrasing for us and to be fair, if people don't think wins like and performances like that aren't what they are looking for then it's hard to understand where they can go from here.

These are kind of wins even the world football giants would celebrate wildly.

I mean, I didn't think Hughes was the man but I celebrated his marque games (Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea) wildly.

I repeat, this is embarrasing for us and shows what a spoiled brats we are turning into.

The 2nd half was brilliant as a result of getting more men forward quickly when we had the ball & a general attitude that we were actively waiting for a chance to hurt Chelsea rather than just keep them at bay. We did it as well as most teams could possibly wish to do & showed we're capable of competing at that level.

The 1st half shows the danger of trying to keep a top side at bay without having a significant attacking threat; they break you down sooner or later, often because of an individual error. Humans make mistakes & simply relying on tactics to survive is rarely enough unless you break up the pressure with an attacking threat. The goal by Tevez could be the turning point of Mancini's career because had we gone in at 0-1, Ancellotti would have got Chelsea doing to us exactly what we did to them 2nd half. Instead they had to come out looking for a goal & we dealt with it superbly.

We'll still need to reach the same standard in games where the oppo are going to sit back & try to do it to us though.

Ted - the point of posts like yours, mine and others is being missed (perhaps deliberately in some quarters) - no one is saying lets not celebrate - no one is saying lets not enthuse - no one is saying that this is not the best 'result' of the season - just some are saying that there is a need to temper thoughts on how this result is going to help us in the next 11 games to win ugly - to win with flair - to close games down etc

I just think that a number of people cannot stop themselves acting in a way that has to put everyone into camps - so if you state something moderate here it gets extrapolated into 'anti-Mancini' etc - when now - as before we are just looking to discuss what is right for CITY

I want Mancini to take the lessons from this and other games and go out and get as many of the 44 points available so we are 3rd at least - there does not have to be extreme camps all the time

No one is missing anything 'deliberately'. No one with any sense doesn't want Mancini to take lessons from this or any game we play. The whole point of employing a first rate coach is the ability to learn from games played but you also have to accept that some of us can see a pattern and logic in what he is trying to do and say so accordingly. I am more than happy to debate the merits or otherwise of what Mancini is doing, his tactics, training philosophy etc but you do kind of feel when the debate comes down to fretting over 24 minutes of training after one hard match and 24 hours before another hard match (which made perfect bloody sense) or threads about the 'drivel coming out of Mancini's mouth' or 'why doesn't that scarf wearing spastic fuck off' then you kind of feel that reasoned debate isn't exactly high on the agenda.

If people want to rip Mancini every chance they get then fair enough. Its the way it goes sometimes but don't come out with patronising bollocks that anyone who supports the manager and what he is doing is somehow being unreasonable and doesn't want to discuss the issues or doesn't want what is best for the club.

I hold no brief for Mancini and did say on another forum (that shall remain nameless) when his name was bandied about last year that I didn't think we should go for him based on his lack of PL experience. But we did and here he is and all I do is comment on what I have seen and what he has done.

[lets all have a disco]

Mancini won me back a little on Saturday.

Now he has seen what the team can do,release the beast a bit more.
Entertain us,win the games,finish 4th and everything will be rosy in the garden of MCFC.

[mcfc1632]

Ted - the point of posts like yours, mine and others is being missed (perhaps deliberately in some quarters) - no one is saying lets not celebrate - no one is saying lets not enthuse - no one is saying that this is not the best 'result' of the season - just some are saying that there is a need to temper thoughts on how this result is going to help us in the next 11 games to win ugly - to win with flair - to close games down etc

I just think that a number of people cannot stop themselves acting in a way that has to put everyone into camps - so if you state something moderate here it gets extrapolated into 'anti-Mancini' etc - when now - as before we are just looking to discuss what is right for CITY

I want Mancini to take the lessons from this and other games and go out and get as many of the 44 points available so we are 3rd at least - there does not have to be extreme camps all the time


Lets you, me & Ted start a 'non-extreme camp'? Oops, hang on a minute..........................


Could you please try and avoid quoting that fool.

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NQDP - careful you are doing irony again - 'cos in replying you posted me again!!

Anyway - just ignore posts when I am quoted - that is the 'done' thing - you should not be inciting others to not interact with fellow posters - people can foe me if they want

[mcfc1632]

BobK - I was not suggesting that you were taking anything wrong way deliberately - apols if you thought that - you have been clear and consistent re your views on Mancini

The thing I was trying to say really was that a comment on this thread identifying some things to learn as well as celebrate from Saturday - does not equate to an anti-Mancini comment.

For the record (as I have said many times before) I want Mancini to succeed big time - we all should - just I want the level of performance / effort repeated over the next 11 games to the extent possible - we have shown we can do it against top teams - now can we please apply ourselves against all PL teams - it is what the top teams do