BIG FOUR? IT'S MORE LIKE THE BIG FLAW (NOTW)

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

It's big TWO this season. Rest of the clubs are so far behind rags and Chelsea it's ridiculous.......and sad. We have playing squad to match them imo but lack the winning experience and to some degree mentality.

Correct, but you cant expect surely from 2 seasons of "big money spending" to be up there with the best in the premiership already?

I would at least expect us maybe next season to be thinking about this as a big ambition!!

I've never said I was expecting us to challenge for the title. Never for a minute have I thought we would. That was just an observation.

I stick to my original target of expecting us to challenge for spot in top four. We'v lost massive amount of points now on "easy" games and we will need to win games against big boys as I'm certainb Arsenal will go on a good run at some stage. What happens with Liverpool this season is complete mystery. Right now it looks like Rafa has lost his marbles but we'll see.

[john@staustell]

I agree with NQDP, looks like a race for third to me which, despite our 6 draws, we are well capable of doing (ask me again after Hull!!).

These journos always forget it was at Anfield, like they forgot we played SCUM at Old Toilet. Makes a difference you know chaps! Sort of weighs the die when a 'Big 4' team is at home.

[Im_Spartacus]

Getting back to the article and away from vitriol at fellow supporters and posters, I actually agree with a lot of it. I imagine a fair bit was written before the game started, but the fact that we looked frightened of a poor Liverpool team, missing their best player and with Gerrard only a threat from free kicks and lucky deflections, we should have comprehensively beaten them. If our record against last season's top 4 was 2 wins and an unlucky defeat so far, I think people would be more worried about us. I'm now more worried that we won't be able to finish above all of Spurs, Villa and Liverpool and therefore 5th may be the best we can get. That may be in the Chairman's stated aims, but I doubt that is what the club really wants or needs - how do we attract better players than we have with only Europey League to interest them?

Agreed, I think the article was on the whole an accurate summary of the game and the attitude that city took in that game. Had I posted that article, it probably would have passed without comment. As such, some of the responses have been fucking pathetic and prove just how fucking inward looking some posters can be if you can't accept criticism of your club from the press. It makes no difference what the poster's agenda is, he was reporting what a journalist had written.

Frankly the players and manager need to take responsibility for nobody having taken the initiative early doors yesterday when it became clear how poor Liverpool really are, and ultimately that shows a lack of leadership on the pitch, and management standing idly by despite the game being there for the taking. City and Liverpool should both be ashamed for being responsible for possibly the worst 45 minutes of football in premier league history, and it is quite right that the press report it.

[everyonehatesus]

If we turned this season around so we had this small blip of score draw's at the start of the season and the run of wins now, im bloody sure that more peolpe would be very pleased with city.
We have just lost some confidence at the moment and i think it will be coming back to us on saturday. We don't have the "win at all cost's" part yet and we haven't had for far to long, but what we have done is make sure we are bloody difficult to beat and for that i think is a massive improvement on last season you only have to look at the away games to see that we are moving forward at a team and club.
With a couple of wins over next few games we should see us move back into that fourth place we have only been able to dream about for as many years as i can remember. I dont get all this over the top attacks on any team player and i do understand why so many will not and can not find it in them to just sit back and enjoy this transitional period of the clubs future. Is it realy going so bad i don't think it is, and lets remember that we still have a game in hand.
It would too easy to attack every member on this forum that comes on only to write negative post's and be abusive to other forum member's, but this isn't what being a supporter of City is about and i realy hope it stay that way.

[john68]

Points Dropped League

1...Chelsea...pl 13...dropped 6pts

2...the rags..pl 13...dropped 11pts
3...Arsenal...pl 12...dropped 11pts

4...Spurs.....pl 12...dropped 14pts
5...CITY......pl 12...dropped 15pts
6...Villa......pl 13...dropped 17pts
7...L'Pool....pl 13...dropped 19pts
8...S'Land...pl 13...dropped 19pts

There does seem to be gaps growing at the top with Chelsea opening a 5pt advantage over the rags and Arsenal with Spurs, City and Villa leading the chasing pack. Everyone seems a little more fragile than previous seasons, dropping suprise points. Wigan to do the business this afternoon?
With City playing both Chelsea and Spurs in the next group of games and all the others (up to Wolves) being winnable, we could do ourselves a big favour by the end of the year and put real pressure on and cement our challenge. We need to drop Spurs and Villa and make the 4th spot ours at the very least.

[david yearsley]

Utterly ludicrous to even attempt to compare the pre Mourinho Chelsea with the pre Hughes City - absofuclinlutely poles apart ! Oh for a Dennis Wise at City ; then we would have had a real head start breaking the stranglehold of the now infamous top 4

[Blue Since 76]

If we turned this season around so we had this small blip of score draw's at the start of the season and the run of wins now, im bloody sure that more peolpe would be very pleased with city.
We have just lost some confidence at the moment and i think it will be coming back to us on saturday. We don't have the "win at all cost's" part yet and we haven't had for far to long, but what we have done is make sure we are bloody difficult to beat and for that i think is a massive improvement on last season you only have to look at the away games to see that we are moving forward at a team and club.
With a couple of wins over next few games we should see us move back into that fourth place we have only been able to dream about for as many years as i can remember. I dont get all this over the top attacks on any team player and i do understand why so many will not and can not find it in them to just sit back and enjoy this transitional period of the clubs future. Is it realy going so bad i don't think it is, and lets remember that we still have a game in hand.
It would too easy to attack every member on this forum that comes on only to write negative post's and be abusive to other forum member's, but this isn't what being a supporter of City is about and i realy hope it stay that way.

And if we swapped Sven's season before and after Christmas, he'd still be here (assuming he wasn't sacked at Xmas). Ultimately, the league will be decided in May, not on any run of 6 games that anyone picks out.

I've been enjoying transitional periods since the seventies. Any chance of a winning period?

[Original Dub]

It's big TWO this season. Rest of the clubs are so far behind rags and Chelsea it's ridiculous.......and sad. We have playing squad to match them imo but lack the winning experience and to some degree mentality.

Correct, but you cant expect surely from 2 seasons of "big money spending" to be up there with the best in the premiership already?

I would at least expect us maybe next season to be thinking about this as a big ambition!!

I've never said I was expecting us to challenge for the title. Never for a minute have I thought we would. That was just an observation.

I stick to my original target of expecting us to challenge for spot in top four. We'v lost massive amount of points now on "easy" games and we will need to win games against big boys as I'm certainb Arsenal will go on a good run at some stage. What happens with Liverpool this season is complete mystery. Right now it looks like Rafa has lost his marbles but we'll see.

Great to see you back buddy....

As usual you're wrong though.

Arsenal to go on a run? If we'd have lost to Sunderland there'd be fucking murder. They've now lost three or four times this season. As have all the pretenders...

We're more likely to go on a run than they are. The difference between us and them is that we're where we are and we haven't even clicked yet.

CITYTILLIDIE11 -

Hurry up and die will you?

I'm surrounded by rags on this island and NONE of them give out about city half as much as you do.

PRICK.

[Socrates]

Points Dropped League

1...Chelsea...pl 13...dropped 6pts

2...the rags..pl 13...dropped 11pts
3...Arsenal...pl 12...dropped 11pts

4...Spurs.....pl 12...dropped 14pts
5...CITY......pl 12...dropped 15pts
6...Villa......pl 13...dropped 17pts
7...L'Pool....pl 13...dropped 19pts
8...S'Land...pl 13...dropped 19pts

There does seem to be gaps growing at the top with Chelsea opening a 5pt advantage over the rags and Arsenal with Spurs, City and Villa leading the chasing pack. Everyone seems a little more fragile than previous seasons, dropping suprise points. Wigan to do the business this afternoon?
With City playing both Chelsea and Spurs in the next group of games and all the others (up to Wolves) being winnable, we could do ourselves a big favour by the end of the year and put real pressure on and cement our challenge. We need to drop Spurs and Villa and make the 4th spot ours at the very least.

Someone had to quote you on that LOL

[edge275]

Getting back to the article and away from vitriol at fellow supporters and posters, I actually agree with a lot of it. I imagine a fair bit was written before the game started, but the fact that we looked frightened of a poor Liverpool team, missing their best player and with Gerrard only a threat from free kicks and lucky deflections, we should have comprehensively beaten them. If our record against last season's top 4 was 2 wins and an unlucky defeat so far, I think people would be more worried about us. I'm now more worried that we won't be able to finish above all of Spurs, Villa and Liverpool and therefore 5th may be the best we can get. That may be in the Chairman's stated aims, but I doubt that is what the club really wants or needs - how do we attract better players than we have with only Europey League to interest them?

Agreed, I think the article was on the whole an accurate summary of the game and the attitude that city took in that game. Had I posted that article, it probably would have passed without comment. As such, some of the responses have been fucking pathetic and prove just how fucking inward looking some posters can be if you can't accept criticism of your club from the press. It makes no difference what the poster's agenda is, he was reporting what a journalist had written.

Frankly the players and manager need to take responsibility for nobody having taken the initiative early doors yesterday when it became clear how poor Liverpool really are, and ultimately that shows a lack of leadership on the pitch, and management standing idly by despite the game being there for the taking. City and Liverpool should both be ashamed for being responsible for possibly the worst 45 minutes of football in premier league history, and it is quite right that the press report it.

Totally agree mate! I think most posters are just ganging up on citytillIdie,

[john68]

Points Dropped League

1...Chelsea...pl 13...dropped 6pts

2...the rags..pl 13...dropped 11pts
3...Arsenal...pl 12...dropped 11pts

4...Spurs.....pl 12...dropped 14pts
5...CITY......pl 12...dropped 15pts
6...Villa......pl 13...dropped 17pts
7...L'Pool....pl 13...dropped 19pts
8...S'Land...pl 13...dropped 19pts

There does seem to be gaps growing at the top with Chelsea opening a 5pt advantage over the rags and Arsenal with Spurs, City and Villa leading the chasing pack. Everyone seems a little more fragile than previous seasons, dropping suprise points. Wigan to do the business this afternoon?
With City playing both Chelsea and Spurs in the next group of games and all the others (up to Wolves) being winnable, we could do ourselves a big favour by the end of the year and put real pressure on and cement our challenge. We need to drop Spurs and Villa and make the 4th spot ours at the very least.

Someone had to quote you on that LOL

I even had the temerity to nail Svensational on his similar post...:-) Suppose I've bin nicked...:-(

[Blue2]

Why do posters regularly come out with the following? " if we turned this season round and reversed the results " etc etc.


A few points

you cant
it has no relevance whatsoever
you would expect most teams in our situation to start getting better ( time for players and systems to settle in etc) - we aren't, which is worrying.

[Original Dub]

Why do posters regularly come out with the following? " if we turned this season round and reversed the results " etc etc.


A few points

you cant
it has no relevance whatsoever
you would expect most teams in our situation to start getting better ( time for players and systems to settle in etc) - we aren't, which is worrying.

You didn't see any improvement in us at all at Anfield?

I thought we played some fantastic stuff after Liverpool went one nil up and until they got that lucky deflection to set up their second.

Also, you think we haven't improved on last season? I think we've improved in pretty much every area.

I certainly never expected us to stage a comeback in any game last season. Now I know we have it in us to come back against any side in the league.

I also expect us to be near impossible to beat. Damn good foundation to have while the team are getting to know each other IMO.

In fact, I'd go as far as to say that we're on target ATM.

[Blue2]

Why do posters regularly come out with the following? " if we turned this season round and reversed the results " etc etc.


A few points

you cant
it has no relevance whatsoever
you would expect most teams in our situation to start getting better ( time for players and systems to settle in etc) - we aren't, which is worrying.

You didn't see any improvement in us at all at Anfield?

I thought we played some fantastic stuff after Liverpool went one nil up and until they got that lucky deflection to set up their second.

Also, you think we haven't improved on last season? I think we've improved in pretty much every area.

I certainly never expected us to stage a comeback in any game last season. Now I know we have it in us to come back against any side in the league.

I also expect us to be near impossible to beat. Damn good foundation to have while the team are getting to know each other IMO.

In fact, I'd go as far as to say that we're on target ATM.

Your'e missing my point OD. this season is going backwards. First six games 15 points. last six - six points. Arguably, the last six have been easier games as well. In isolation, saturday's point looks to be an excellent result, but when considered against our need to finally win a league game and Liverpool's problems, its not quite so good.

[Original Dub]

Why do posters regularly come out with the following? " if we turned this season round and reversed the results " etc etc.


A few points

you cant
it has no relevance whatsoever
you would expect most teams in our situation to start getting better ( time for players and systems to settle in etc) - we aren't, which is worrying.

You didn't see any improvement in us at all at Anfield?

I thought we played some fantastic stuff after Liverpool went one nil up and until they got that lucky deflection to set up their second.

Also, you think we haven't improved on last season? I think we've improved in pretty much every area.

I certainly never expected us to stage a comeback in any game last season. Now I know we have it in us to come back against any side in the league.

I also expect us to be near impossible to beat. Damn good foundation to have while the team are getting to know each other IMO.

In fact, I'd go as far as to say that we're on target ATM.

Your'e missing my point OD. this season is going backwards. First six games 15 points. last six - six points. Arguably, the last six have been easier games as well. In isolation, saturday's point looks to be an excellent result, but when considered against our need to finally win a league game and Liverpool's problems, its not quite so good.

Right I see what your original point is now - we picked up more points in a run that, on paper, should have been harder than the last six games.... and I agree. BUT, the thing is that this could well turn out to be our 'bad run of form' and that can happen at any time in a season, so presuming we're getting worse because of this could well be wrong. Some of those games we deserved 3 points, some we deserved 0 points...

If I'm right and this is our bad run of form, then our win should come on Saturday and I've every confidence it will. That will set us up for a cracking game against Chelsea and maybe on the contrary to everyone else, its a game I think will do us the power of good.

Look mate, I'm not happy with the defensive mistakes we've made over the last couple of months, but a central defensive partnership takes longer probably than every other area of the pitch and lets face it, its individual errors that meant we didn't win at least half those games we drew.

They'll be ironed out or those responsible will be dropped.

[sky_blue_stew]

Points Dropped League

1...Chelsea...pl 13...dropped 6pts

2...the rags..pl 13...dropped 11pts
3...Arsenal...pl 12...dropped 11pts

4...Spurs.....pl 12...dropped 14pts
5...CITY......pl 12...dropped 15pts
6...Villa......pl 13...dropped 17pts
7...L'Pool....pl 13...dropped 19pts
8...S'Land...pl 13...dropped 19pts

There does seem to be gaps growing at the top with Chelsea opening a 5pt advantage over the rags and Arsenal with Spurs, City and Villa leading the chasing pack. Everyone seems a little more fragile than previous seasons, dropping suprise points. Wigan to do the business this afternoon?
With City playing both Chelsea and Spurs in the next group of games and all the others (up to Wolves) being winnable, we could do ourselves a big favour by the end of the year and put real pressure on and cement our challenge. We need to drop Spurs and Villa and make the 4th spot ours at the very least.

We're coming to an absolutely critical part of the season now. It's the middle third, with 13 league games and no interruptions from international breaks, not many cup games and relatively less European action than in the final third. So right now we can take a look at who is capable of putting together a serious league run to go for the coveted top 4 positions.

In the run:
Hull (H)
Chelsea (H)
Bolton (A)
Tottenham (A)
Sunderland (H)
Stoke (H)
Wolverhampton (A)
Blackburn (H)
Everton (A)
Stoke (A)
Portsmouth (H)
Hull (A)

Looking at those fixtures, we're looking at a decent run of games there. Only Chelsea out of the Sky 4, and the other teams who really look dangerous are Spurs, and maybe by the time we get round to it Everton (they never stay pap indefinitely). But otherwise a lot of bottom half teams there, and a lot of potential points to get on the board. Now this football blogger's perspective on the Champions League race is that we are conceding too many goals, but considering who we're going to be playing over the next 3 months, that should be changing. If we still look deeply unsatisfactory at the end of this run, in terms of performances and defending, then we'll have serious questions over how the club is developing. But this is a great opportunity to really establish ourselves in the top 4. I think our drawing habit should be coming to an end.