Time to believe.

[john68]

@ Xavi,
Mate, I'm going to repeat an old mantra, that defeat always has a reason and our failures throughout so many years had many reasons. None were the result of just fucking up. Whether it was Swales, poor football or financial management, we didn't fail without reason.
Those days have gone and we have come a very long way in a very short time. It took Taggart around 7 years to make the progress that we are making now and remember that he had all the resources he needed. It wasn't who he bought that made it for him but a group of kids handed to him by Kidd, supplemented by a few good buys.

We are slightly over 12 months of Mancini's reign and are still undergoing massive changes, both as a club and on the field. Some of those changes will cause us to be a little inconsistant at times but don't mistake those little blips for fuck ups mate. They are blips and will be rectified.
We are still work in progress (and we have already made massive progress). By his own admission, Mancini would like to strengthen further, so he must identify some weakness that he has yet to address. We are not yet the finished article but don't worry. we are suffiently along our journey to mix it with the big boys...we just need to let it all settle and stabilise and we'll do it more often. Often enough to overtake the others and win the major trophies.

[Redna]

I'm a believer. Allways has been and allways will be. Manchester City FC is the club of my heart.
CTID!!!!!!!!

[xavi6]

@ Xavi,
Mate, I'm going to repeat an old mantra, that defeat always has a reason and our failures throughout so many years had many reasons. None were the result of just fucking up. Whether it was Swales, poor football or financial management, we didn't fail without reason.
Those days have gone and we have come a very long way in a very short time. It took Taggart around 7 years to make the progress that we are making now and remember that he had all the resources he needed. It wasn't who he bought that made it for him but a group of kids handed to him by Kidd, supplemented by a few good buys.

We are slightly over 12 months of Mancini's reign and are still undergoing massive changes, both as a club and on the field. Some of those changes will cause us to be a little inconsistant at times but don't mistake those little blips for fuck ups mate. They are blips and will be rectified.
We are still work in progress (and we have already made massive progress). By his own admission, Mancini would like to strengthen further, so he must identify some weakness that he has yet to address. We are not yet the finished article but don't worry. we are suffiently along our journey to mix it with the big boys...we just need to let it all settle and stabilise and we'll do it more often. Often enough to overtake the others and win the major trophies.

John, that's all fine and I agree but the point of this thread was to big up our chances of winning the league, i.e. people getting way too ahead of themselves.

And Slim, knee jerk was starting this thread in the first place after a good run of results even with pretty much half a season to be played. We don't have title credentials...yet anyway, and I don't see the issue with pointing out that the Villa game is a reason why. It should be fairly obvious.

[john68]

Sorry Xavi mate, we seem to be both missing each others points. My post was meant to address your comment regarding "a massive fuck up coming somewhere along the line".
My point being that there is no rational reason for supposing that is likely to happen. In fact, everything is in place for the opposite to possibly happen. We have a quality squad with three players still being assimilated. If that assimilation happens sooner rather than later, there is every reason to think we will improve and increase our challenge on the title.

Our only points of reference, are the 2 seasons we did win the league and this season's record is far ahead of our record in 1937 and about on schedule comapred to 1968. In both those seasons, we went on a good run in the 2nd half of the season, ending with finishing top.
Considering that we have played the 1st part of this season heavily reliant on Tevez for goals, the signing of Dzeko giving us more options, with Ballotelli in the wings, we have every reason to be optimistic.

Can we win the title???...YES!!!!!...Will we?....Who knows.

[dazby]

The rags will lose 3 games in a row. Arsenal will continue to run hot and cold. Losing to Villa was a massive blow but we can still do it.

[Ted Hughes]

In the 70's when it was 2 points for a win, the old adage used to be, that if you got 8 points behind Liverpool at any stage of the season, you were out of the title race, as they only lose roughly 1 game per quarter season.

Rags are losing 0 games per half season & will go 9 points ahead of us if they win their games in hand.

Even allowing for 3 points per win, dropping 2 points for a draw etc, 9 points would still be a hell of a gap. Six ponts would be a hell of a gap at this stage.

As Kiddo says; it's the rags' title to lose now.

[bluelogic32]

The rags will lose 3 games in a row. Arsenal will continue to run hot and cold. Losing to Villa was a massive blow but we can still do it.

This is how I look at things, however my girlfriend who stayed over for the weekend who was forced to watch the game would probably beg to differ according to my reactions.. but that was then and now is now. The future is bright for both players and fans of Manchester City. We still have a very good chance, but the league is very tough and the second half of the season will be a true test for us and many other teams who are looking to prove a point. It was unfortunate to lose to Villa and yes a massive blow, though the demi-gods did not seem to be in our favour. As a team we tend to come back very strong after losing a match, I expect no different in this situation. Stringing a couple of wins together will do wonders for us, Kolarov has been improving and becoming more of an attacking threat, and even Boateng has recieved the least amount of flak i`ve seen all year for his performance last game and he deserved it...Times are rough but i`m still looking up

[CityFanFromRome]

A loss doesn't change our season much; true, we are now possibly 9 points behind the rags if they win their games in hand instead of six, but I am sure they won't win both those games, and that we will win the derby at the swamp; in that case, we take three points back with that game, and we are left less than six points behind them if they don't win both the other games. Given their bad away form, there's chance that they will lose more points and we can close the gap still.

Of course, now we don't have any more chance of making mistakes if we want this title, we must win all games, pretty or ugly doesn't matter, just the three points. What keeps me believing is that we were just unlucky against Villa, we could have easily won 3 or 4 to 1 on another day.

[lets all have a disco]

A loss doesn't change our season much; true, we are now possibly 9 points behind the rags if they win their games in hand instead of six, but I am sure they won't win both those games, and that we will win the derby at the swamp; in that case, we take three points back with that game, and we are left less than six points behind them if they don't win both the other games. Given their bad away form, there's chance that they will lose more points and we can close the gap still.

Of course, now we don't have any more chance of making mistakes if we want this title, we must win all games, pretty or ugly doesn't matter, just the three points. What keeps me believing is that we were just unlucky against Villa, we could have easily won 3 or 4 to 1 on another day.

NICE,If we go and open up at the Swamp i'll be very suprised we'll play exactly the same way as we did against arse.

[avoidconfusion]

I actually think we will play EXACTLY like we played against Arsenal. Mancini will try his utmost not to lose this game. He won't go there to win it... he might try to nick it but I expect a nervous 90... sorry 98 minutes with Mancini trying to hold on to a draw.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I actually think we will play EXACTLY like we played against Arsenal. Mancini will try his utmost not to lose this game. He won't go there to win it... he might try to nick it but I expect a nervous 90... sorry 98 minutes with Mancini trying to hold on to a draw.

Exactly how I see it.

[Beefymcfc]

I actually think we will play EXACTLY like we played against Arsenal. Mancini will try his utmost not to lose this game. He won't go there to win it... he might try to nick it but I expect a nervous 90... sorry 98 minutes with Mancini trying to hold on to a draw.

Exactly how I see it.

Cheers fella's, now that's how to cheer a bloke up!

I'm just wondering whether it's actually worth going?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I actually think we will play EXACTLY like we played against Arsenal. Mancini will try his utmost not to lose this game. He won't go there to win it... he might try to nick it but I expect a nervous 90... sorry 98 minutes with Mancini trying to hold on to a draw.

Exactly how I see it.

Cheers fella's, now that's how to cheer a bloke up!

I'm just wondering whether it's actually worth going?

Don't you think a nil nil draw at the swamp would be a good result? And especially so in the context of our aim for a chumps league place.

[brite blu sky]

In respect to the derby,there are a few ways of looking at the overall approach to it.
One is that we look not to suffer a psychological blow by getting beat - dont lose at all costs. A draw is actually a result and keeps us on track at this stage of the season. We gain 1pt and the rags lose 2pts.
Another is that there isn't a psychological effect, the game wont make any difference to us or the rags. - so we just play our game as best we can all round.
A third is that we can really hurt the rags, if they haven't already lost their unbeaten status we have the chance to take that away from them with all the impact that would have on them negatively and us positively. It could be the difference that fucles up their form in the latter part of the season. In addition we get 3pts and back into the mix of challenging.


Now out of those 3 angles, i would say the first is fairly acceptable in terms of City's overall season.. just as a draw at the Emirates was. However given the situation we are in at the moment, outside chance of challenging for the title but a good position for getting 2nd 3rd or 4th, i would think that we dont really have too much to lose and an awful lot to gain by really going for it. Mancini will fully understand the Derby status but i dont think will give a shit, his mind will be that this is another game in the season and just approach it like that. The rags i rekon will be wary of our counterattacking ability and play accordingly, whether that affords us some kind of advantage i dont know, but unless we really go for it, which i think we should, then another stalemate is likely to be on the cards.

[Lev Bronstein]

Five across the middle, one up front play not to lose, but hope to nick it - that's how I think the rags will play.

[CityFanFromRome]

NICE,If we go and open up at the Swamp i'll be very suprised we'll play exactly the same way as we did against arse.

I didn't say we will open up, just that I have a feeling we will win ;)

[Beefymcfc]

I actually think we will play EXACTLY like we played against Arsenal. Mancini will try his utmost not to lose this game. He won't go there to win it... he might try to nick it but I expect a nervous 90... sorry 98 minutes with Mancini trying to hold on to a draw.

Exactly how I see it.

Cheers fella's, now that's how to cheer a bloke up!

I'm just wondering whether it's actually worth going?

Don't you think a nil nil draw at the swamp would be a good result? And especially so in the context of our aim for a chumps league place.

I sure do mate, but as the new house has nearly gone through I've got the option of staying home and watching the paint dry ;-)

[avoidconfusion]

I think I would take a 0:0 at the swamp now.

[john68]

There is another angle BBS. In general terms, a point at the swamp appears a solid result.
But given that we are now supposed to be competing against the top elite sides, a draw serves us no purpose whatsoever. We are several points behind and need to make up lost ground. A draw merely serves to consolidate the status quo, whilst giving us one less game to catch them.
They are potentuially 9 pts ahead with games running out. They have a massive advantage over us and the derby is a great chance to to close the gap.
My thoughts against Arsenal were that we adopted the strategy of hgolding them because we didn't have the necessary tools available to do much else. As it stands, we have Silva to create, Dzeko to as a cutting edge and Tevez to do a bit of both. Add to that the threat of Johnno and Yaya down the flanks and through the middle, we have all the artillery we need to beat them.

[Esky]

I think I would take a 0:0 at the swamp now.

I would on the condition that I didn't have to watch it.

I'm all for pragmatism - trying to play like we're still run by KK in every game would be disastrous. Still, I at least want to be entertained by what I'm watching. The few weeks around the last derby and the Birmingham game were among the most dispiriting I've had as a fan of the club, even including the Pearce days and losing to Mansfield in the third division.

As John says above, we have the tools to challenge them without compromising defensive integrity. A draw helps us little in the race for fourth and even less if we're going for the title.

I see no real reason to play for 0-0 and to bore everyone in the world again.