The mancityfans.net football forum

It would seem that lately the media have suddenly realised that we have only been beaten once in 18 competitive games since the start of the season and are regularly starting to use the phrase 'Hard to Beat'. I've also seen this replicated a few times on here as well.

It is off course true, we are hard to beat but not in the traditional sense. Normally, teams given this description, do so on the basis that they keep clean sheets and grind out loads of 1-0 wins etc.

We are 'Hard to Beat' because we nearly always score!! Therefore, any team that wants to beat us is going to have to score at least two ... to have any chance of beating us, and in most cases even that would not be enough. Even when we go a goal behind, we always seem able to notch it up a gear and get it back.

I view that as a positive as being able to create and score goals is the hardest thing to do in top level football.

Now ..... if we could just sort out a few more of those clean sheets ...... that certainly will make it interesting!

Or, we could put even more emphasis on the attack and score at least 2 every game, that way we could concede one every game and still win, :D

CityFanFromRome wrote:Or, we could put even more emphasis on the attack and score at least 2 every game, that way we could concede one every game and still win, :D

We do score at least two in many games. Recently, that has only been good enough to get us a draw.

True, we have scored in all but one match this season (Brum away) so teams will have to score at least one goal to draw with us.

Goal difference paints a story in my view, with the exception of the freak game at WHL, it tells alot about how teams are doing in matches in which the points tally does not.

We have scored 26 and let in 18

Chelsea have scored 37 and let in just 10
United have scored 34 and let in just 13
Arsenal have scored 38 and let in 18
Spurs have scored 35 and let in 21
Villa have scored 24 and let in just 14
Liverpool have scored 31 and let in 20

We have some way to go to match Chelsea, United and Arsenal

it helps that we play our home game at "FORTRESS EASTLANDS" with us only losing once at home in 2009 so far and that was against Fulham, a game we were winning as well!

MaineRoadMemories wrote:True, we have scored in all but one match this season (Brum away) so teams will have to score at least one goal to draw with us.

Goal difference paints a story in my view, with the exception of the freak game at WHL, it tells alot about how teams are doing in matches in which the points tally does not.

We have scored 26 and let in 18

Chelsea have scored 37 and let in just 10
U***d have scored 34 and let in just 13
Arsenal have scored 38 and let in 18
Spurs have scored 35 and let in 21
Villa have scored 24 and let in just 14
Liverpool have scored 31 and let in 20

We have some way to go to match Chelsea, U***d and Arsenal

Our goal difference isn't great because we haven't yet tonked anyone by 5 or 6 like the others have done.

What i'm saying is that we have so much individual attacking talent in the team, it is almost impossible for any opponent to keep them all quiet for 90 mins ..... and therefore we will always most likely score at some time or another.

We are not yet cohesive enough to produce for 90 mins and bag 5 and 6 ...... but one or two is rarely a problem for us.

This should get better though as the season progresses and let's hope that the last two games may have indicated that the penny is begining to drop.

lythamblue wrote:

MaineRoadMemories wrote:True, we have scored in all but one match this season (Brum away) so teams will have to score at least one goal to draw with us.

Goal difference paints a story in my view, with the exception of the freak game at WHL, it tells alot about how teams are doing in matches in which the points tally does not.

We have scored 26 and let in 18

Chelsea have scored 37 and let in just 10
U***d have scored 34 and let in just 13
Arsenal have scored 38 and let in 18
Spurs have scored 35 and let in 21
Villa have scored 24 and let in just 14
Liverpool have scored 31 and let in 20

We have some way to go to match Chelsea, U***d and Arsenal

Our goal difference isn't great because we haven't yet tonked anyone by 5 or 6 like the others have done.

What i'm saying is that we have so much individual attacking talent in the team, it is almost impossible for any opponent to keep them all quiet for 90 mins ..... and therefore we will always most likely score at some time or another.

We are not yet cohesive enough to produce for 90 mins and bag 5 and 6 ...... but one or two is rarely a problem for us.

This should get better though as the season progresses and let's hope that the last two games may have indicated that the penny is begining to drop.

MAN CITY IS A NATS BOLLOK AWAY FROM GIVING SOMEONE A REAL HIDING...EVEN AWAY.

What I'm so impressed about this season is the resilience of our players. Yes, we've let in sloppy goals at unfortunate times, but for the first time in years I feel confident that if we go a goal down, or a team equalises, we'll hit back sooner or later. For many years it felt as though we had to score the first goal otherwise we'd crumble, and never had the character to come back. But at Anfield and Old Trafford this season we've gone a goal down and came back all guns blazing- at home against Chelsea the same story. There was only seven minutes on the clock when they scored but I knew it was far from over.

It seems in the last three games that we've improved tenfold defensively, with Lescott looking a lot more like the player we all hoped he'd become. With the defence gelling and our attack so crammed with exceptional talent, I really can't see anything but forward leaps from now on. The seven consecutive draws were bitterly disappointing, but if that's our 'bad patch' out of the way for this season, who knows where we might end up?

With the amount of money we've spent I expected us to be a good side, of course. But I'm pleasantly surprised with just how resilient these players are.

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

lythamblue wrote:

MaineRoadMemories wrote:True, we have scored in all but one match this season (Brum away) so teams will have to score at least one goal to draw with us.

Goal difference paints a story in my view, with the exception of the freak game at WHL, it tells alot about how teams are doing in matches in which the points tally does not.

We have scored 26 and let in 18

Chelsea have scored 37 and let in just 10
U***d have scored 34 and let in just 13
Arsenal have scored 38 and let in 18
Spurs have scored 35 and let in 21
Villa have scored 24 and let in just 14
Liverpool have scored 31 and let in 20

We have some way to go to match Chelsea, U***d and Arsenal

Our goal difference isn't great because we haven't yet tonked anyone by 5 or 6 like the others have done.

What i'm saying is that we have so much individual attacking talent in the team, it is almost impossible for any opponent to keep them all quiet for 90 mins ..... and therefore we will always most likely score at some time or another.

We are not yet cohesive enough to produce for 90 mins and bag 5 and 6 ...... but one or two is rarely a problem for us.

This should get better though as the season progresses and let's hope that the last two games may have indicated that the penny is begining to drop.

MAN CITY IS A NATS BOLLOK AWAY FROM GIVING SOMEONE A REAL HIDING...EVEN AWAY.

I agree Carl. We will give a few teams a thorough tonkin between now and the end of the season FACT!

lythamblue wrote:

CityFanFromRome wrote:Or, we could put even more emphasis on the attack and score at least 2 every game, that way we could concede one every game and still win, :D

We do score at least two in many games. Recently, that has only been good enough to get us a draw.

I also said we need to concede only one ;)

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

lythamblue wrote:

MaineRoadMemories wrote:True, we have scored in all but one match this season (Brum away) so teams will have to score at least one goal to draw with us.

Goal difference paints a story in my view, with the exception of the freak game at WHL, it tells alot about how teams are doing in matches in which the points tally does not.

We have scored 26 and let in 18

Chelsea have scored 37 and let in just 10
U***d have scored 34 and let in just 13
Arsenal have scored 38 and let in 18
Spurs have scored 35 and let in 21
Villa have scored 24 and let in just 14
Liverpool have scored 31 and let in 20

We have some way to go to match Chelsea, U***d and Arsenal

Our goal difference isn't great because we haven't yet tonked anyone by 5 or 6 like the others have done.

What i'm saying is that we have so much individual attacking talent in the team, it is almost impossible for any opponent to keep them all quiet for 90 mins ..... and therefore we will always most likely score at some time or another.

We are not yet cohesive enough to produce for 90 mins and bag 5 and 6 ...... but one or two is rarely a problem for us.

This should get better though as the season progresses and let's hope that the last two games may have indicated that the penny is begining to drop.

MAN CITY IS A NATS BOLLOK AWAY FROM GIVING SOMEONE A REAL HIDING...EVEN AWAY.

We are, an its gonna be fucking breathtaking to watch!!!

lythamblue wrote:

MaineRoadMemories wrote:True, we have scored in all but one match this season (Brum away) so teams will have to score at least one goal to draw with us.

Goal difference paints a story in my view, with the exception of the freak game at WHL, it tells alot about how teams are doing in matches in which the points tally does not.

We have scored 26 and let in 18

Chelsea have scored 37 and let in just 10
U***d have scored 34 and let in just 13
Arsenal have scored 38 and let in 18
Spurs have scored 35 and let in 21
Villa have scored 24 and let in just 14
Liverpool have scored 31 and let in 20

We have some way to go to match Chelsea, U***d and Arsenal

Our goal difference isn't great because we haven't yet tonked anyone by 5 or 6 like the others have done.

What i'm saying is that we have so much individual attacking talent in the team, it is almost impossible for any opponent to keep them all quiet for 90 mins ..... and therefore we will always most likely score at some time or another.

We are not yet cohesive enough to produce for 90 mins and bag 5 and 6 ...... but one or two is rarely a problem for us.

This should get better though as the season progresses and let's hope that the last two games may have indicated that the penny is begining to drop.

7 draws in a row don't help. Even winning 4 of them by one goal puts us at the 30 goal mark for the season. Memories of 9 goals at home all season are distant, as are thoughts of hoping for a draw away even against weaker sides.

Even the run of draws is a slump with some bad luck
Villa was an improvement and we came back from a losing position.
Wigan we came back quickly and looked good until Zabaleta got sent off. Still an improvement for us.
Fulham was bad, but they did well to come back. They're a tough team to beat.
Birmingham was bad too
Burnley was a freak game, like a cup final for them
Liverpool, can't complain with that.

Through all that we're showing signs of being a more complete team, but we're still not the finished article.

Wonderwall wrote:it helps that we play our home game at "FORTRESS EASTLANDS" with us only losing once at home in 2009 so far and that was against Fulham, a game we were winning as well!

Once at home in the League. Don't forget the FA Cup defeat to Forest in January.

wolfcity wrote:

Wonderwall wrote:it helps that we play our home game at "FORTRESS EASTLANDS" with us only losing once at home in 2009 so far and that was against Fulham, a game we were winning as well!

Once at home in the League. Don't forget the FA Cup defeat to Forest in January.

thanks for that Mr Cheerful

carl_feedthegoat wrote:
MAN CITY IS A NATS BOLLOK AWAY FROM GIVING SOMEONE A REAL HIDING...EVEN AWAY.

Can't see how at the moment... dont seem to be creating THAT many chances. However i do feel we are learning to control games in a way the the "big four" have always done. To me that is a better achievment though.