Our Next Four League Games

[King Kev]

Wigan Away
Fulham Home
Birmingham Away
Burnley Home

12 points please.

[Moonchesteri]

No reason why we couldn't do that. nor why we shouldn't expect 12points from those matches. Come on City, let's make a proper push for the top spots!

[Ted Hughes]

Fair ol chance of 12 points there.

I suppose Wigan must have done something right to beat Chelsea but I can't see them repeating it. Hope we get an early goal v Fulham. I can't face watching them park the bus for another 90 mins, it was painful in that Cup game.

[Somerset Blue]

Nothing to fear in that lot. Having said that, we've got to avoid complacency too. But I'd be genuinely disappointed if we don't win these four - things are definitely changing!

[kinkylola]

should definitely expect 12 points but have to watch out for trip ups against wigan and fulham. I could see us playing poorly/running into a parked bus and only managing a draw ... but that's jsut to play devil's advocate. I'm happy we're not playing burnley at turf moor ... as they seem a different team there, really up for it. playing them at home is much better for us at this point in the season.

[Colin the King]

Funny that, I was just about to post a similar thread.

If we're serious about cracking the top four, 10 points is an absolute minimum but 12 should be the target. I think we'll see off Wigan because with Martinez coming in they play a much more possession orientated game and that will suit is. If it was Jewell or Bruce still in charge we may well have come unstuck but despite our awful record against Wigan I expect us to turn them over. The Chelsea game last week was a freak result, nothing more.

Fulham is an interesting one because we've struggled against them at home in the last few years. That awful 3-2 when Sven was in charge and an even worse performance last season (remember Elano and Robinho were on the bench with Etuhu starting). Nonetheless, they look to have taken a step backwards since last season thanks in no small part to the UEFA Cup and don't really have the squad depth to be strong if the players get injured or tire. To that end we should beat them, but it won't be a walk in the park either. Hodgson is a top class manager and will focus very much on trying to get a point when they come to Eastlands, much like he did in the League Cup. The difference is he should have a better XI out for the league game.

Burnley will be the game we announce ourselves as an attacking force. I've had a feeling about this game ever since the fixtures came out. Look at their record so far- four home wins, four hammerings away from home. Like Wigan and Martinez, they play an attractive, passing game which will suit us down to the ground and our far superior players will make light work of them. 5-0, if not more- and I normally fear the worst about everything...

Which brings me squarely onto Birmingham. Don't know why but I have a bad feeling about this game. They play exactly the opposite way to ourselves, it's all huff, puff and long balls which we look uncomfortable with. They'll create a really hostile atmosphere and the world's media will be waiting for the big scalp. This is where I think the running win will stop. I think we'll manage a point. Ten points from that four is a good return and after that we have the small matter of Liverpool at Anfield- which may well be our biggest game of the season.

[john68]

As always Eoin, a very good analysis...I think we'll get a full house...maximum points.
I don't think that we suffer from being the soft touches that we once were, so I don't see Brum posing us many problems.

Does anyone know who the other top teams play in their next four games. It would be interesting to see if we can top.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

This could be fun. If we managed to stay in the top 4 with 4 good results then we head into Liverpool in November with a lot riding on it. It would be even better if we were 3 or more clear of them by that game. Game in hand as well could make it a big big game.

[MSG77]

Games for the "contenders" in all comps between now and Sat Nov 21st, when City go to Anfield

City - @ Wigan, Fulham, Scunthorpe (CC), @ Birmingham, Burnley
Chelsea - @ Villa, Atletico Madrid (CL), Blackburn, Bolton (CC), @ Bolton, @ Atletico Madrid (CL), Rags
Rags - Bolton, @ CSKA Moscow (CL), @ Liverpool, @ Barnsley (CC), Blackburn, CSKA Moscow (CL), @ Chelsea
Spurs - @ Portsmouth, Stoke, Everton (CC), @ Arsenal, Sunderland
Arsenal - Birmingham, @ AZ Alkmaar (CL), @ West Ham, Liverpool (CC), Spurs, AZ Alkmaar (CL), @ Wolves
Liverpool - @ Sunderland, Lyon (CL), Rags, @ Arsenal (CC), @ Fulham, @ Lyon (CL), Birmingham
Villa - Chelsea, @ Wolves, @ Sunderland (CC), @ Everton, Bolton
Everton - Wolves, @ Benfica (EL), @ Bolton, @ Spurs (CC), Villa, @ Benfica (EL), @ West Ham

We don't have any European games, we have the easiest CC draw at home against non-prem, and are the only "contender" not to have to play any of the others. Really no excuse for not still being in the top 4 when we travel to Anfield.

Liverpool's draw between now and then is brutal! And Rags @ Liverpool and @ Chelsea in the league. We could be 2nd by then.

[Vhero]

Fair ol chance of 12 points there.

I suppose Wigan must have done something right to beat Chelsea but I can't see them repeating it. Hope we get an early goal v Fulham. I can't face watching them park the bus for another 90 mins, it was painful in that Cup game.

Agreed that was one of the most boring to watch matches I have ever been too.

[Fish111]

The pessimist in me says 8 points with Fulham & Wigan being the banana skins. Wigan are playing decent football as they showed against Chelski but they can also be terrible, Fulham have been our bogey team of late and Roy Hodgson has got them playing football in the right way, they are good to watch. 8 Points would be satisfactory but if we really do have aspirations of staying in the top four then a minimum of 10 points is a must.

[lythamblue]

Hmmm .... interesting read this but I fear a few too many chickens are being counted!

I doubt the teams we are playing will lay down as much as you expect and just let 'superstar' City roll them over.

Wigan and B'ham away will be very difficult games where in both games we will probably need to score twice to win them.

Yes, we could be capable of winning all four, but Manyoo would not have expected to lose at Burnley and Chelski would not have expected to come away from Wigan with zilch either. I think 8/9 points out of these 4 games would be a GOOD result if we can achieve that, and then I will believe we are really on our way to becoming a top four side, both mentally and ability wise.

In essence, all we need to target is an average of 2 points per game. That will be easily enough for a top 4 finish (we can win the league next year), probably with 4/5 points to spare. I doesn't really matter in which games they come from.

[Bingo Lewis]

We should just concentrate on winning one game at a time. Getting ahead of ourselves will do us no good. yes, they are 4 winnable matches, but Injuries haven't been on our side this season and anything could happen. Teams will up their games against us to get one over the rich kids too. no game will be easy for us.

[lythamblue]

We should just concentrate on winning one game at a time.

My thoughts entirely ...... but I didn't want to be the one that said it.

However, I am sure that that is the management mentality being conveyed to the team ..... and quite rightly so.

Win every game you play, add the points up at the end of the season ..... and I think you will find you have done rather well!

[Beeks]

I see 9 points here...seriously thing we will come unstuck against Wigan

A. They are our hoodoo team

B. They play the type of football that will stifle us

The other fixtures are wins

[Ted Hughes]

We should just concentrate on winning one game at a time.

My thoughts entirely ...... but I didn't want to be the one that said it.

However, I am sure that that is the management mentality being conveyed to the team ..... and quite rightly so.

Win every game you play, add the points up at the end of the season ..... and I think you will find you have done rather well!

That's fair enough but these 4 games could be the most important spell of the season. All of the top 7 have got a fair chance of dropping points so 12 points would mean we could come out of it 1st or 2nd with a buffer between us & most teams. Then we'd still be in touch with 1st place win, lose, draw, at Anfield with a chance to almost kill off Liverpool & would have OT, Anfield & Villa Park off the 'to do' list even if we lost there.

In short; it's our chance to arrive as genuine 100% title challengers.

[Bingo Lewis]

We should just concentrate on winning one game at a time.

My thoughts entirely ...... but I didn't want to be the one that said it.

However, I am sure that that is the management mentality being conveyed to the team ..... and quite rightly so.

Win every game you play, add the points up at the end of the season ..... and I think you will find you have done rather well!

That's fair enough but these 4 games could be the most important spell of the season. All of the top 7 have got a fair chance of dropping points so 12 points would mean we could come out of it 1st or 2nd with a buffer between us & most teams. Then we'd still be in touch with 1st place win, lose, draw, at Anfield with a chance to almost kill off Liverpool & would have OT, Anfield & Villa Park off the 'to do' list even if we lost there.

In short; it's our chance to arrive as genuine 100% title challengers.

Problem is mate is that unfortunately I don't feel we are "Title Challengers" this season. Top 4 challengers, yes, hopefully, but nowhere near ready for a title challenge, and I feel if we are expecting too much in games such as these, if something does go wrong there's gonna be hell to pay all round. taking things 1 game at a time during this difficult transitional season is definately the way to take things. If we lose a game, fuck it, concentrate on winning the next, if we win a game, fuck it, concentrate on winning the next.

[Goaters 103]

Funny that, I was just about to post a similar thread.

If we're serious about cracking the top four, 10 points is an absolute minimum but 12 should be the target. I think we'll see off Wigan because with Martinez coming in they play a much more possession orientated game and that will suit is. If it was Jewell or Bruce still in charge we may well have come unstuck but despite our awful record against Wigan I expect us to turn them over. The Chelsea game last week was a freak result, nothing more.

Fulham is an interesting one because we've struggled against them at home in the last few years. That awful 3-2 when Sven was in charge and an even worse performance last season (remember Elano and Robinho were on the bench with Etuhu starting). Nonetheless, they look to have taken a step backwards since last season thanks in no small part to the UEFA Cup and don't really have the squad depth to be strong if the players get injured or tire. To that end we should beat them, but it won't be a walk in the park either. Hodgson is a top class manager and will focus very much on trying to get a point when they come to Eastlands, much like he did in the League Cup. The difference is he should have a better XI out for the league game.

Burnley will be the game we announce ourselves as an attacking force. I've had a feeling about this game ever since the fixtures came out. Look at their record so far- four home wins, four hammerings away from home. Like Wigan and Martinez, they play an attractive, passing game which will suit us down to the ground and our far superior players will make light work of them. 5-0, if not more- and I normally fear the worst about everything...

Which brings me squarely onto Birmingham. Don't know why but I have a bad feeling about this game. They play exactly the opposite way to ourselves, it's all huff, puff and long balls which we look uncomfortable with. They'll create a really hostile atmosphere and the world's media will be waiting for the big scalp. This is where I think the running win will stop. I think we'll manage a point. Ten points from that four is a good return and after that we have the small matter of Liverpool at Anfield- which may well be our biggest game of the season.

Spot on 100%.

[Ted Hughes]

We should just concentrate on winning one game at a time.

My thoughts entirely ...... but I didn't want to be the one that said it.

However, I am sure that that is the management mentality being conveyed to the team ..... and quite rightly so.

Win every game you play, add the points up at the end of the season ..... and I think you will find you have done rather well!

That's fair enough but these 4 games could be the most important spell of the season. All of the top 7 have got a fair chance of dropping points so 12 points would mean we could come out of it 1st or 2nd with a buffer between us & most teams. Then we'd still be in touch with 1st place win, lose, draw, at Anfield with a chance to almost kill off Liverpool & would have OT, Anfield & Villa Park off the 'to do' list even if we lost there.

In short; it's our chance to arrive as genuine 100% title challengers.

Problem is mate is that unfortunately I don't feel we are "Title Challengers" this season. Top 4 challengers, yes, hopefully, but nowhere near ready for a title challenge, and I feel if we are expecting too much in games such as these, if something does go wrong there's gonna be hell to pay all round. taking things 1 game at a time during this difficult transitional season is definately the way to take things. If we lose a game, fuck it, concentrate on winning the next, if we win a game, fuck it, concentrate on winning the next.

The best way to finish in the top 4 is to aim for 1st though don't you think? I 'd be surprised if we win the title but imo there's no reason we shouldn't try. I think that playing under pressure of winning is something that, as a club we're not used to. We're used to relegation battles; pressure of losing everything rather than winning. Not being scared of losing & not panicknig about it is new for us. Getting the habit of winning games under pressure & trying to live up to expectations is probably the only piece of the jigsaw we can't fix with the wallet & the training ground. We may as well get used to dealing with it right away; it's good practice for the future.

[Bingo Lewis]

The best way to finish in the top 4 is to aim for 1st though don't you think? I 'd be surprised if we win the title but imo there's no reason we shouldn't try. I think that playing under pressure of winning is something that, as a club we're not used to. We're used to relegation battles; pressure of losing everything rather than winning. Not being scared of losing & not panicknig about it is new for us. Getting the habit of winning games under pressure & trying to live up to expectations is probably the only piece of the jigsaw we can't fix with the wallet & the training ground. We may as well get used to dealing with it right away; it's good practice for the future.

Don't get me wrong mate, I'm not saying we shouldn't be aiming for 1st, that is exactly the mentality to have, and pretty much what I am saying in a roundabout way. I think targeting a league position this season, especially this early into it is adding unneccesary (?) pressure to us, and in the same way, if we just concentrate on winning every game we play, and it paying off, would lead to us taking the title anyway, if that makes sense? I just feel if we start planning on a title challenge this season, aiming for first or second, it'll be a disappointment at the end of it if we don't, and a nice easy way for the media to deride us even more. concentrating on beating the next team takes away that pressure to the team and I think it would be a more pleasant season for the team, and may bring a better result at the end too.