The Bayern effect

[PeterParker]

The win we needed to get back to our last season form?

We look again like a complete team, Fernandinho and Yaya look like they are back, Jojo scores again, Sergio on fire.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

To be honest I thought I saw it in the Swansea game, and said as much to our kid (who begged to differ). Reminded him of it tonight.

[sheblue]

Tonight was our best team performance in yonks.

[Nick]

also agree we were 'back' vs swansea (my mate argued with me and thought we played wank!)

but bayern game gave us a huge lift.

its simple - lift yourself for every game, stick to the pressing game(!) and we will beat anyone. Chelsea don't tend to slip up against 'lesser' sides anymore (sunderland had one of those games they usually have against us) whereas we tend to.

[City64]

The win we needed to get back to our last season form?

We look again like a complete team, Fernandinho and Yaya look like they are back, Jojo scores again, Sergio on fire.

Same thing happened when we beat Villareal with a last gasp winner in the CL in 2011 ........

[Ted Hughes]

I think we started to pass it more like City when we played Swansea, but there was still a nervousness about us, which returned v Bayern. I recon it would have been evident vs Southampton & Sunderland if we had lost that game. I'm not sure we would have won either away game. I feared for our season prior to the Bayern game, but I do think the turnaround has kicked us back into shape.

We have seen similar turnarounds at the swamp in the past, even vs shit teams, have pushed them on from looking hopeless, to winning titles.

I wouldn't be surprised if that Bayern game does the same for us.

[ENIAM NAM]

Couple of great performances this week so far. There seems to be a real desire to win the ball, even at 4-1 up.

I wonder whether the better form is down to having a more settled team selection. The centre back pairing tonight was out of our control, but navas, nasri, aguero up front on his own, jovetic playing off him, fernandinho, clichy, zabs have all had a good run in the team.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

I think we started to pass it more like City when we played Swansea, but there was still a nervousness about us, which returned v Bayern. I recon it would have been evident vs Southampton & Sunderland if we had lost that game. I'm not sure we would have won either away game. I feared for our season prior to the Bayern game, but I do think the turnaround has kicked us back into shape.

We have seen similar turnarounds at the swamp in the past, even vs shit teams, have pushed them on from looking hopeless, to winning titles.

I wouldn't be surprised if that Bayern game does the same for us.

I doubt we'd have won that Bayern game without that performance against Swansea behind us. Whatever the truth of the matter, the fact is we are building a momentum that may well prove as irresistible as it did last season. Fingers crossed.

[Original Dub]

I firmly believe you play your way out of bad form by tooth and nail. And you play your way into bad form through bad luck and/or decisions.

Rarely have I witnessed the "flick of a switch".

We're back. And momentum is with us. The rest is up for grabs.

[Green & Blue]

I think we started to pass it more like City when we played Swansea, but there was still a nervousness about us, which returned v Bayern. I recon it would have been evident vs Southampton & Sunderland if we had lost that game. I'm not sure we would have won either away game. I feared for our season prior to the Bayern game, but I do think the turnaround has kicked us back into shape.

We have seen similar turnarounds at the swamp in the past, even vs shit teams, have pushed them on from looking hopeless, to winning titles.

I wouldn't be surprised if that Bayern game does the same for us.

I doubt we'd have won that Bayern game without that performance against Swansea behind us. Whatever the truth of the matter, the fact is we are building a momentum that may well prove as irresistible as it did last season. Fingers crossed.

The resurgence started at Swansea alright, we played some really good stuff in that game and confidene has started to grow since.The Bayern result was huge and the whole team seem to have belief again now and the resulting football in the past two league games has been so enjoyable to watch.

A few players have notably stepped up their performance over the last few weeks.Clichy, Fernandinho, Navas and Yaya are all back putting in quality shifts again.I thought Yaya and Fernandinho were superb together in midfield tonight.

[sheblue]

the clichy that is playing now is not the same guy who was at left back two weeks ago. Navas has been excellent recently, its hard to see him being dropped.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

the clichy that is playing now is not the same guy who was at left back two weeks ago. Navas has been excellent recently, its hard to see him being dropped.

It's possibly due to that old cliché about players finding their form when they get a good run of games.

[Hutch's Shoulder]

All the above is true.

I would also say that now the squad is starting to recover from the effect of a disrupted pre-season due to the World Cup and then the international breaks disrupting us further. Now we have a couple of uninterrupted months of club football we should be able to out a few decent runs together, and push on even more when the injured players return.

[Ted Hughes]

The key now, is not to let the Champions League have any negative effect, especially if things go wrong in Rome. Chances are we won't just br playing v Roma & their fans out there, there will be 5 agents of doom to contend with.

If we play like we are doing, we will win there, but we may not be allowed to.

Whatever, just keep our eyes on the prize in the Premier League, & that means starting with this intensity v Everton.

[Hazy2]

The key now, is not to let the Champions League have any negative effect, especially if things go wrong in Rome. Chances are we won't just br playing v Roma & their fans out there, there will be 5 agents of doom to contend with.

If we play like we are doing, we will win there, but we may not be allowed to.

Whatever, just keep our eyes on the prize in the Premier League, & that means starting with this intensity v Everton.

Agreed finish Last if it goes tits up, Thursday Sunday they can stick where the sun don't shine.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

The key now, is not to let the Champions League have any negative effect, especially if things go wrong in Rome. Chances are we won't just br playing v Roma & their fans out there, there will be 5 agents of doom to contend with.

If we play like we are doing, we will win there, but we may not be allowed to.

Whatever, just keep our eyes on the prize in the Premier League, & that means starting with this intensity v Everton.

This is my worry, Ted. An adverse result against Roma (or we win and go out anyway) might just effect our confidence in the league.

[Hazy2]

The key now, is not to let the Champions League have any negative effect, especially if things go wrong in Rome. Chances are we won't just br playing v Roma & their fans out there, there will be 5 agents of doom to contend with.

If we play like we are doing, we will win there, but we may not be allowed to.

Whatever, just keep our eyes on the prize in the Premier League, & that means starting with this intensity v Everton.

This is my worry, Ted. An adverse result against Roma (or we win and go out anyway) might just effect our confidence in the league.

we are smashing Roma !

[PeterParker]

I see that win similar to our win at WBA last season. If you recall, we really had problems away and that win started a long a majestic run for us that eventually brought us the title.

This year, won with Bayern then went to Soton and smashed them on a ground where they only received one goal. Then we broke the 1-0 curse with Sunderland. The morale is high in the dressing room at this stage and my guess is that the World Cup hangover passed and the boys finally realised they are no longer champions, Chelsea are ahead and if they want it, then they have to get it all over again.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

I see that win similar to our win at WBA last season. If you recall, we really had problems away and that win started a long a majestic run for us that eventually brought us the title.

This year, won with Bayern then went to Soton and smashed them on a ground where they only received one goal. Then we broke the 1-0 curse with Sunderland. The morale is high in the dressing room at this stage and my guess is that the World Cup hangover passed and the boys finally realised they are no longer champions, Chelsea are ahead and if they want it, then they have to get it all over again.

I like the way that the media are talking about (the certainty of) Chelsea going through the season undefeated and how they are playing football on another level to everyone else (the way they did with Loserpool last season). According to some, the campaign is now as good as over.

I also like the way that some of the bookies odds are making them 1/4 favourites to win the title, with City next at 4/1.

This might make Chelsea players start to become a little complacent (in spite of the reported professionalism of Mourinho in this respect) and, if nothing else, heap a little bit more pressure on them.

I like the way that we're now cruising along in their slipstream with not as much pressure on us, but just waiting for the inevitable Chelsea slip-up when we will be there to pounce. We've also had a hard fixture start to the season and our next few games are, relatively speaking, a little less daunting.


Hopefully, we can also rack up a few goals in the meantime and start to erode Chelsea's goal difference advantage, just for starters.

Be afraid Jose, be very afraid, City are coming for you.

[sheblue]

The key now, is not to let the Champions League have any negative effect, especially if things go wrong in Rome. Chances are we won't just br playing v Roma & their fans out there, there will be 5 agents of doom to contend with.

If we play like we are doing, we will win there, but we may not be allowed to.

Whatever, just keep our eyes on the prize in the Premier League, & that means starting with this intensity v Everton.

This is my worry, Ted. An adverse result against Roma (or we win and go out anyway) might just effect our confidence in the league.

we are smashing Roma !

That's the spirit!! We will win there.