Time for Champions

[mcfc1632]

We have enough players to put a strong 11 out for the Europa. Players who are not being used on the weekend plus a few youngsters.

If any of those players, other than the youngsters, can't perform individually to the level required, we should get rid of them at the end of the season as they are not good enough to fufil their purpose. This is why we have a squad. If we can't use it, it's a waste of time & wages & we need to sign players who we can use.

Thankfully some sense at last - rather than some (IMO) rather stupid comments about playing 'youngsters/nobodies' etc and an attitude that suggests that we do not fulfil our obligations and show the competition (and travelling fans) no respect at all.

I would think that any call from ADUG would have been more than likely reminding Bobby that he has been provided with the funding to build a squad that compete on many fronts - and we now only have 2.

I am grateful that Bob (normally) puts out a strong side and looks to win every game and rotates a good number of players even in PL games.

We played a strong team in the FA cup (GK choice was the only question really), we have played reasonably strong teams in CC - if anything I would have thought that Bobby would have done more to introduce youngsters in those cups and in PL games where we have a winning lead.

Of course the PL is the highest priority - but that does not mean we do not put out a strong team in the EL

Thankfully, unlike some fans, I do not think that Bobby - nor anyone up the CITY hierarchy all the way up to the sheik would want us to play shadow teams and treat competitions (and the travelling fans) with a lack of respect. We have a big squad and should be able to field a strong team in all games. I am sure against Porto we will see a team that contains 7 or 8 regular 1st teamers with some others rotated rather than a clearly weakened team.

[Socrates]

Just going back to Ted's original point, the Champions will be the team that makes the least mistakes as the pressure piles on. We have to be able to be impervious top the pressure and push on regardless of what others do. It is in our hands and we have to keep control.

Despite what the media would have us believe about the teams at the top and their current form...We seem to have imploded over the lastfew weeks....or have we?

Since the halfway stage of the season; Spurs have dropped 7pts in their last 7 games, the rags have dropped 8pts in 7 games, Newcastle have dropped 9pts in their last 7 games, Arsenal have dropped 11pts in their last 7 games, Chelsea have dropped 12pts in their last 7 games and Liverpool, who the media are telling us have improved dramatically, have dropped 15pts in their last 7 games.

Poor City who having lost Yaya and Kolo to the ACoN plus Kompany and Balo to bans, have completely imploded and struggled badly have.....actually dropped only 6pts in our last 6 games, prior to our 7th game at Villa tomorrow.

We could implode our way all the way to becoming Champions....poor City eh!

Absolutely, think most of us fans are struggling to understand what it takes to be Champions, you excepted John. You don't win every game and you take your occasional losses, or draws, on the chin and battle on rather than whinging about them for months on end and expecting to win every single fucking game.

What did it take to be champions last year? The champions last year failed to win FOURTEEN of their 19 away games! They were nearly invincible at home, as are we this season. Like every season they lost less than 6 games home and away. We are on target to beat those stats on all fronts and should be feeling very happy with our team rather than complaining endlessly and getting on peoples' backs when we do lose or draw and leaving early to beat the fucking traffic when we are winning.

[Ted Hughes]

We have enough players to put a strong 11 out for the Europa. Players who are not being used on the weekend plus a few youngsters.

If any of those players, other than the youngsters, can't perform individually to the level required, we should get rid of them at the end of the season as they are not good enough to fufil their purpose. This is why we have a squad. If we can't use it, it's a waste of time & wages & we need to sign players who we can use.

Thankfully some sense at last - rather than some (IMO) rather stupid comments about playing 'youngsters/nobodies' etc and an attitude that suggests that we do not fulfil our obligations and show the competition (and travelling fans) no respect at all.

I would think that any call from ADUG would have been more than likely reminding Bobby that he has been provided with the funding to build a squad that compete on many fronts - and we now only have 2.

I am grateful that Bob (normally) puts out a strong side and looks to win every game and rotates a good number of players even in PL games.

We played a strong team in the FA cup (GK choice was the only question really), we have played reasonably strong teams in CC - if anything I would have thought that Bobby would have done more to introduce youngsters in those cups and in PL games where we have a winning lead.

Of course the PL is the highest priority - but that does not mean we do not put out a strong team in the EL

Thankfully, unlike some fans, I do not think that Bobby - nor anyone up the CITY hierarchy all the way up to the sheik would want us to play shadow teams and treat competitions (and the travelling fans) with a lack of respect. We have a big squad and should be able to field a strong team in all games. I am sure against Porto we will see a team that contains 7 or 8 regular 1st teamers with some others rotated rather than a clearly weakened team.

It's just a matter of common sense. If we only have one fit striker, then of course you don't play him in the Europa. Likewise, if we have a game v Utd coming up, you leave out Silva in any European games over the two weeks previous to it.

However we look at it, barring lots of injuries, we should easily have a strong team in every Europa game without having to take risks. If the players involved perform well enough, perhaps some will state a case to be first choice for the Prem games.

Having said this, if we perform like we did v Napoli, we're going out anyway.

[phips]

Sorry to say it but I don't really give a fuck about Thursday. Hands up those who would find the Europa Cup any sort of consolation for coming third to the scum and twitcher.

i'd be happy if we play the EDS team against Porto

Looks like this won't happen,

Roberto Mancini hopes to have Yaya and Kolo Toure available for Manchester City's Europa League clash with Porto on Thursday.

The brothers have been away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ivory Coastover the past few weeks and are currently preparing for Sunday's final against Zambia.
Mancini appreciates they will be struggling with fatigue but a private jet is set to fly them back to Manchester immediately after the final.

Yaya Toure has been an especially influential player for City this season and Mancini has indicated that he will call on at least the younger man against Porto.

"I spoke to Yaya this week and he is tired because of the number of games he has played for Ivory Coast," the City boss said in the Sunday Mirror.

"But he is an important player for us and hopefully he can recover after winning the African Nations and be ready for Thursday.

"I will play a strong team against Porto. We want to win the Europa League because it is an important trophy.

"We have no game next week so we can concentrate fully on a good performance.

"It will be difficult to go through because Porto are a top team, but we want to do the best we can in this competition."

The Europa League may not have quite the same prestige as the UEFA Champions League but Mancini is determined to go all the way and lift the trophy after crashing out of the continent's premier competition.

"We were disappointed not to do well in the Champions League," he said. "But it was a difficult group and we were unlucky to go out with 10 points.

"Now our concentration is on the Europa. It is a long time since Manchester City won a trophy in Europe. But last season we won the FA Cup after a long time and winning a European trophy would be a big step for the club."
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news ... rto-return

[bluej]

Sorry to say it but I don't really give a fuck about Thursday. Hands up those who would find the Europa Cup any sort of consolation for coming third to the scum and twitcher.

i'd be happy if we play the EDS team against Porto

Looks like this won't happen,

Roberto Mancini hopes to have Yaya and Kolo Toure available for Manchester City's Europa League clash with Porto on Thursday.

The brothers have been away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ivory Coastover the past few weeks and are currently preparing for Sunday's final against Zambia.
Mancini appreciates they will be struggling with fatigue but a private jet is set to fly them back to Manchester immediately after the final.

Yaya Toure has been an especially influential player for City this season and Mancini has indicated that he will call on at least the younger man against Porto.

"I spoke to Yaya this week and he is tired because of the number of games he has played for Ivory Coast," the City boss said in the Sunday Mirror.

"But he is an important player for us and hopefully he can recover after winning the African Nations and be ready for Thursday.

"I will play a strong team against Porto. We want to win the Europa League because it is an important trophy.

"We have no game next week so we can concentrate fully on a good performance.

"It will be difficult to go through because Porto are a top team, but we want to do the best we can in this competition."

The Europa League may not have quite the same prestige as the UEFA Champions League but Mancini is determined to go all the way and lift the trophy after crashing out of the continent's premier competition.

"We were disappointed not to do well in the Champions League," he said. "But it was a difficult group and we were unlucky to go out with 10 points.

"Now our concentration is on the Europa. It is a long time since Manchester City won a trophy in Europe. But last season we won the FA Cup after a long time and winning a European trophy would be a big step for the club."
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news ... rto-return

We don't play at the weekend so there's no excuse for a weakened team really.