December Fixtures

[sandman]

Chelsea... Spurs, United, Arsenal, Bolton
United... Arsenal, Chelsea, Sunderland, Birmingham
Arsenal... United, Stoke, Chelsea, Wigan
Citizens... West Ham, Everton, Newcastle, Villa

Team..Played..Points
Arse.....16......32
Mun.....15......31
Chel.....16......30
City.....16......29

Discuss...

[sandman]

Plus for United Sunderland will not be easy. For Arsenal Stoke will not be easy

[saulman]

If we continue playing like we have, we should be top when the transfer window opens.
Then there will be a big old Mancini on-line thrapp fest and lashings of humble pie being eaten.

Either that or we'll fuck it up.

[sandman]

I'd hope so Saulman, though United are potentially 5 points ahead of us.

I am hoping that we're top 2 maybe 3 coming into Jan, though i'd prefer it to be behind Arsenal than the other two (not unlikely)

[brite blu sky]

added home and away as it makes a bit of difference.

Chelsea... Spurs (a), United (h), Arsenal (a), Bolton (h)
United... Arsenal (h), Chelsea (a), Sunderland (h), Birmingham (a)
Arsenal... United (a), Stoke (h), Chelsea (h), Wigan (a)
Citizens... West Ham (a), Everton (h), Newcastle (a), Villa (h)

These are a tough set of fixtures for the three of them. Chelsea are the ones that look like they have the toughest call and will need to pull their fingers out if they are to get anything. Lose at WHL and they will 'officially' have 'problems' going to the swamp.

Given that none of them are really that convincing it is too difficult to call. Obviously for us it would be best if they cancel each other out and drop pts to each other.

[superkev8705]

We can win all our games over xmas. Hardest game is Everton at home. Cant say im looking forward to that one.

[london blue 2]

I think the importance of the next game is immense, it could provide us with the belief to mount a serious assualt on the top spot over the next two months. If all goes well we'll be in a very very healthy position come next week.

MUST WIN!

[ashton287]

A good few matches coming up.

Should be easy run of wins for us and a few good games between the rest.

[Spurge]

Everton home has been tough over recent seasons.

We've lost at Sunderland and Wolves on our travels so West Ham and Newcastle away are no certs for us.

Villa at home is usually good for us

So with the above in mind the formula is this....

recent history home + recent history away / City = just about anything!

Either way with the games the arse, the rags and Chelski have there could be some serious 'cancelling out' so it's certainly an opportunity for City. Mancini has ben saying how important December is for City and I'm sure it's as much about other teams fixtures as our own that he's referring to.

[dazby]

Can someone incluude Spurs to the list please?

[john68]

Sat 11th Dec...CITY V WEST HAM
Sun 12th Dec...SPURS V CHELSEA
Mon 13th Dec...RAGS V ARSENAL

Sat 18th Dec...ARSENAL V STOKE
Sun 19th Dec...CHELSEA V RAGS ...BLACKPOOL V SPURS
Mon 20th Dec...CITY V EVERTON

Sun 26th Dec NEWCASTLE V CITY...RAGS V SUNDERLAND...VILLA V SPURS
Mon 27th Dec...ARSENAL V CHELSEA

Tues 28th Dec...CITY V VILLA...BIRMINGHAM V RAGS...SPURS V NEWCASTLE
Wed 29th Dec...CHELSEA V BOLTON...WIGAN V ARSENAL

Sat 1st Jan...CITY V BLACKPOOL...WEST BROM V RAGS...BRUM V ARSENAL...SPURS V FULHAM
Sat 2nd jan...CHELSEA V VILLA

Hope that helps Dazzler.

[dazby]

Thanks John. They've got an opportunity to get themselves right in the mix as well.

[brite blu sky]

Thanks John. They've got an opportunity to get themselves right in the mix as well.

They have. All the pundits and press seem to think that 4th is a fight between Spurs and City. Before the season started I was thinking that there was as much a chance of all the top 5 teams battling it out for the top 4 places. The reasons being exactly what we have see already happen.. like Chelsea are aging and 2 or 3 of their mainstay players out.. they start to wobble. Same can happen to the rags. It all depends on how much we and Spurs continue to improve. Spurs's problem is CL imo, but it looks as though they are going to buy in January to offset that.

[john68]

My main thought, not just for December but for the 2nd half of the season is that Spurs will not be able to fully strengthen to the extent they need to in the window and will still suffer in the league after Euro games.
I didn't expect Chelsea to somewhat implode and if their political internal problems don't resolve themselves, they too will drop points.
The rags remain an enigma, by rights they should have suffered more than they have and are hanging on better than I expected. Their squad is shite but they keep nicking points. I think a lot depends on what Glazer does with his money and how much Taggart gets to fill obvious gaps.
For City, I see a general improvement and the beginnings of things starting to gel. I still believe we have the strongest squad in depth and we should see more from Silva, Boateng, Kollarov and Ballotelli, with the possibility of Michael Johnson playing an occasional bit part. Should we buy in the window, we could be set fair for a good run in.
Remember too that the FA Cup is due to start in the new Year adding further pressure to those at the top. That may be where our strength in depth gives us a bigger advantage over our rivals.

We are only 1 win away from the top with a ton of positives to look forward to. If we can make our mark in December while the others are beating each other up, we will have a huge psychological boost. I am beginning to fancy this more and more.

[Swales4ever]

My main thought, not just for December but for the 2nd half of the season is that Spurs will not be able to fully strengthen to the extent they need to in the window and will still suffer in the league after Euro games.
I didn't expect Chelsea to somewhat implode and if their political internal problems don't resolve themselves, they too will drop points.
The rags remain an enigma, by rights they should have suffered more than they have and are hanging on better than I expected. Their squad is shite but they keep nicking points. I think a lot depends on what Glazer does with his money and how much Taggart gets to fill obvious gaps.
For City, I see a general improvement and the beginnings of things starting to gel. I still believe we have the strongest squad in depth and we should see more from Silva, Boateng, Kollarov and Ballotelli, with the possibility of Michael Johnson playing an occasional bit part. Should we buy in the window, we could be set fair for a good run in.
Remember too that the FA Cup is due to start in the new Year adding further pressure to those at the top. That may be where our strength in depth gives us a bigger advantage over our rivals.

We are only 1 win away from the top with a ton of positives to look forward to. If we can make our mark in December while the others are beating each other up, we will have a huge psychological boost. I am beginning to fancy this more and more.

Pretty agreeing here.
though:
don't forget Ancellotti had been trained to political bollocks at the worst of the courts: Berluskoni's AC Milan! nuff said...
I'd be very surprised if chelsky would not spend some good money on january... at least at the back
As for the rags, well... it may even happens a season where all the stars are lined up favourably, but still they are a 13/14 men side of teared old bastards.... so I'm very confident for the spring...

[Original Dub]

I think if we have any hope of winning the title this season, we absolutely have to be top of the league after those fixtures IMO.

[BlueForYou]

I think if we have any hope of winning the title this season, we absolutely have to be top of the league after those fixtures IMO.

Why?
Is the league harder after December???

Well, you have laid the foundation for claiming another manager after December if we don't top.

I can see it already.....
Original Dub: Mancini messed it up. Now we won't win the League because we're not top of the league.... I wan't him out.

Get Hughsie back.

[Swales4ever]

I think if we have any hope of winning the title this season, we absolutely have to be top of the league after those fixtures IMO.

Why?
Is the league harder after December???

Well, you have laid the foundation for claiming another manager after December if we don't top.

I can see it already.....
Original Dub: Mancini messed it up. Now we won't win the League because we're not top of the league.... I wan't him out.

Get Hughsie back.

Come on, Mate... Dubbers may even be a bit of on a Nostalgic Mood... sometimes.
Still I wish I was a Top City supporter like he definitely is.

Bit harsh there, imo.

[sandman]

Team......Played........Points........Upcoming Opposition
Arsenal......17............32...........Stoke (h), Chelsea (h), Wigan (a)
Citizens......17............32...........Everton (h), Newcastle (a), Villa (h)
United........16............31...........Chelsea (a), Sunderland (h), Birmingham (a)
Chelsea.......17............31...........United (h), Arsenal (a), Bolton (h)

[bluej]

Team......Played........Points........Upcoming Opposition
Arsenal......17............32...........Stoke (h), Chelsea (h), Wigan (a)
Citizens......17............32...........Everton (h), Newcastle (a), Villa (h)
United........16............31...........Chelsea (a), Sunderland (h), Birmingham (a)
Chelsea.......17............31...........United (h), Arsenal (a), Bolton (h)

That's presuming United and Arsenal both lose to each other tonight though.