The Race for Fourth

[cdncityfan]

While I know there is already a thread about the number of points we might garner, I thought it would be interesting to see what matches Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham and us have left. While we all face tough matches, I think City has a more difficult fixture list than the other three, with the possible exception of Tottenham. Come on, City!!!

Manchester City*:
Chelsea (A), Tottenham (H), Sunderland (A), Fulham (A), Wigan (H), Burnley (A), Birmingham (H), Man United (H), Arsenal (A), Aston Villa (H), West Ham (A)
*home game against Everton unscheduled as well

Liverpool:
Blackburn (H), Wigan (A), Portsmouth (H), Man United (A), Sunderland (H), Birmingham (A), Fulham (H), West Ham (H), Burnley (A), Chelsea (H), Hull City (A)

Aston Villa:
Hull City (A), Sunderland (H), Stoke City (A), Wigan (A), Wolves (H), Chelsea (A), Bolton (A), Everton (H), Portsmouth (A), Birmingham (H), Man City (A), Blackburn (H)

Tottenham:
Everton (H), Man City (A), Blackburn (H), Stoke City (A), Portsmouth (H), Sunderland (A), Arsenal (H), Chelsea (H), Man United (A), Bolton (H), Burnley (A)

[CityFanFromRome]

Right now Villa is the team worrying me the most, they are only one point behind us and we don't have a game in hand over them if I'm not mistaken.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Right now Villa is the team worrying me the most, they are only one point behind us and we don't have a game in hand over them if I'm not mistaken.

None of the teams around us concern me in the slightest. It's just City that matter and if we play really well with a slice of luck over the next 3 months we will get 4th.

[mr_nool]

While I know there is already a thread about the number of points we might garner, I thought it would be interesting to see what matches Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham and us have left. While we all face tough matches, I think City has a more difficult fixture list than the other three, with the possible exception of Tottenham. Come on, City!!!

Manchester City*:
Chelsea (A), Tottenham (H), Sunderland (A), Fulham (A), Wigan (H), Burnley (A), Birmingham (H), Man U***d (H), Arsenal (A), Aston Villa (H), West Ham (A)
*home game against Everton unscheduled as well

Liverpool:
Blackburn (H), Wigan (A), Portsmouth (H), Man U***d (A), Sunderland (H), Birmingham (A), Fulham (H), West Ham (H), Burnley (A), Chelsea (H), Hull City (A)

Aston Villa:
Hull City (A), Sunderland (H), Stoke City (A), Wigan (A), Wolves (H), Chelsea (A), Bolton (A), Everton (H), Portsmouth (A), Birmingham (H), Man City (A), Blackburn (H)

Tottenham:
Everton (H), Man City (A), Blackburn (H), Stoke City (A), Portsmouth (H), Sunderland (A), Arsenal (H), Chelsea (H), Man U***d (A), Bolton (H), Burnley (A)

Our fixture list looks really nasty. Two huge games coming up against Chelsea and Spurs, and the the Scum, Arse, Villa on the trott at the end ... I hope Everton will have lost their incredible form when it's time to meet them ...

[btajim]

Sunderland (A) - W
Fulham (A) - D
Wigan (H) - W
Burnley (A) - W
Birmingham (H) - W

I like it!!!

[Beeks]

The scousers have by far the easiest run in...I have a horrible feeling that the big 4 might remain that way this year and the media will give us a big 'I told you so'

[john@staustell]

The scousers have by far the easiest run in...I have a horrible feeling that the big 4 might remain that way this year and the media will give us a big 'I told you so'

They surprised me yesterday in that they are getting back to form (in their own horrible way). I dont expect us to get much from Chelsea but after that it's up to City to put the results together to stay ahead of them, including the game in hand.

[mcfc1632]

Right now Villa is the team worrying me the most, they are only one point behind us and we don't have a game in hand over them if I'm not mistaken.

None of the teams around us concern me in the slightest. It's just City that matter and if we play really well with a slice of luck over the next 3 months we will get 4th.

I agree - much is made about our run-in - but any run-in is hard if we play the way that we have since xmas - but yesterday I took away a lot of positives.

Perhaps it was just me with my blue-tinted glasses on - I was watching it in a pub and everyone around me was commenting on what a crap game it was and the commentators said the same - I had an entirely different view as a CITY fan

Given was Ok - he did not have to be any more than that
Zab was simply immense and it shows that a player with a football brain is needed at RB
Bridge was fine and now looks like he is coming into some steady form
Kompany was good in the CB role -OK he made a couple of mistakes but he was generally good - better than Kolo
Lescott had his best game for us and all of a sudden looked worth the money - really impressed - more of the same please

So our defence was excellent - and most importantly looked a real unit - 1st choice grouping for me - and I would like the same at Chelsea - we might not concede with that group and the right support from DM

Ireland was terrible - seemed totally lacking in confidence and that should have been his best role - we have a problem here
De Jong was just absolutely fantastic - AGAIN - becoming 1st name on the team sheet - only to be rested occasionally so he is fresh for big games
Barry had one of his better games - still looks a yard short but otherwise OK - seemed to make more effort
SWP was OK(ish) - but needs to get his A1 game back and create more pressure from breaks
Johnson looked like a 28 year old at the top of his game - full of confidence - making me think he was a really good buy
Ade - I think he did OK - worked hard - yes I was frustrated as well when he did not hold the ball a bit better - win more headers - but I always think he is capable of breaking and scoring

But most of all - we looked like a team - I thought we played really well

If we repeat that performance with Carlos back in the team - we will be 4th - we do not need to worry about others

[Beeks]

Right now Villa is the team worrying me the most, they are only one point behind us and we don't have a game in hand over them if I'm not mistaken.

None of the teams around us concern me in the slightest. It's just City that matter and if we play really well with a slice of luck over the next 3 months we will get 4th.

I agree - much is made about our run-in - but any run-in is hard if we play the way that we have since xmas - but yesterday I took away a lot of positives.

Perhaps it was just me with my blue-tinted glasses on - I was watching it in a pub and everyone around me was commenting on what a crap game it was and the commentators said the same - I had an entirely different view as a CITY fan

Given was Ok - he did not have to be any more than that
Zab was simply immense and it shows that a player with a football brain is needed at RB
Bridge was fine and now looks like he is coming into some steady form
Kompany was good in the CB role -OK he made a couple of mistakes but he was generally good - better than Kolo
Lescott had his best game for us and all of a sudden looked worth the money - really impressed - more of the same please

So our defence was excellent - and most importantly looked a real unit - 1st choice grouping for me - and I would like the same at Chelsea - we might not concede with that group and the right support from DM

Ireland was terrible - seemed totally lacking in confidence and that should have been his best role - we have a problem here
De Jong was just absolutely fantastic - AGAIN - becoming 1st name on the team sheet - only to be rested occasionally so he is fresh for big games
Barry had one of his better games - still looks a yard short but otherwise OK - seemed to make more effort
SWP was OK(ish) - but needs to get his A1 game back and create more pressure from breaks
Johnson looked like a 28 year old at the top of his game - full of confidence - making me think he was a really good buy
Ade - I think he did OK - worked hard - yes I was frustrated as well when he did not hold the ball a bit better - win more headers - but I always think he is capable of breaking and scoring

But most of all - we looked like a team - I thought we played really well

If we repeat that performance with Carlos back in the team - we will be 4th - we do not need to worry about others

Pretty much agree with your analysis completely barring Zab...I think he is a bit of a loose cannon and i'd rather we look for a new RB in the summer...genuinely don't think Richards or Zab are good enough

[avoidconfusion]

Sunderland (A) - W
Fulham (A) - D
Wigan (H) - W
Burnley (A) - W
Birmingham (H) - W

I like it!!!

Very optimistic.

[mcfc1632]

Right now Villa is the team worrying me the most, they are only one point behind us and we don't have a game in hand over them if I'm not mistaken.

None of the teams around us concern me in the slightest. It's just City that matter and if we play really well with a slice of luck over the next 3 months we will get 4th.

I agree - much is made about our run-in - but any run-in is hard if we play the way that we have since xmas - but yesterday I took away a lot of positives.

Perhaps it was just me with my blue-tinted glasses on - I was watching it in a pub and everyone around me was commenting on what a crap game it was and the commentators said the same - I had an entirely different view as a CITY fan

Given was Ok - he did not have to be any more than that
Zab was simply immense and it shows that a player with a football brain is needed at RB
Bridge was fine and now looks like he is coming into some steady form
Kompany was good in the CB role -OK he made a couple of mistakes but he was generally good - better than Kolo
Lescott had his best game for us and all of a sudden looked worth the money - really impressed - more of the same please

So our defence was excellent - and most importantly looked a real unit - 1st choice grouping for me - and I would like the same at Chelsea - we might not concede with that group and the right support from DM

Ireland was terrible - seemed totally lacking in confidence and that should have been his best role - we have a problem here
De Jong was just absolutely fantastic - AGAIN - becoming 1st name on the team sheet - only to be rested occasionally so he is fresh for big games
Barry had one of his better games - still looks a yard short but otherwise OK - seemed to make more effort
SWP was OK(ish) - but needs to get his A1 game back and create more pressure from breaks
Johnson looked like a 28 year old at the top of his game - full of confidence - making me think he was a really good buy
Ade - I think he did OK - worked hard - yes I was frustrated as well when he did not hold the ball a bit better - win more headers - but I always think he is capable of breaking and scoring

But most of all - we looked like a team - I thought we played really well

If we repeat that performance with Carlos back in the team - we will be 4th - we do not need to worry about others

Pretty much agree with your analysis completely barring Zab...I think he is a bit of a loose cannon and i'd rather we look for a new RB in the summer...genuinely don't think Richards or Zab are good enough

Maicon - yes please - but between Zab and Micah - Zab every time - yesterday needed football brains - so for yesterday I did not want Micah - Zab had a real good game and for me is a class utility player - his football brain means that he can fit into a number of roles - agree though a specialist RB would be best

[john@staustell]

Right now Villa is the team worrying me the most, they are only one point behind us and we don't have a game in hand over them if I'm not mistaken.

None of the teams around us concern me in the slightest. It's just City that matter and if we play really well with a slice of luck over the next 3 months we will get 4th.

I agree - much is made about our run-in - but any run-in is hard if we play the way that we have since xmas - but yesterday I took away a lot of positives.

Perhaps it was just me with my blue-tinted glasses on - I was watching it in a pub and everyone around me was commenting on what a crap game it was and the commentators said the same - I had an entirely different view as a CITY fan

Given was Ok - he did not have to be any more than that
Zab was simply immense and it shows that a player with a football brain is needed at RB
Bridge was fine and now looks like he is coming into some steady form
Kompany was good in the CB role -OK he made a couple of mistakes but he was generally good - better than Kolo
Lescott had his best game for us and all of a sudden looked worth the money - really impressed - more of the same please

So our defence was excellent - and most importantly looked a real unit - 1st choice grouping for me - and I would like the same at Chelsea - we might not concede with that group and the right support from DM

Ireland was terrible - seemed totally lacking in confidence and that should have been his best role - we have a problem here
De Jong was just absolutely fantastic - AGAIN - becoming 1st name on the team sheet - only to be rested occasionally so he is fresh for big games
Barry had one of his better games - still looks a yard short but otherwise OK - seemed to make more effort
SWP was OK(ish) - but needs to get his A1 game back and create more pressure from breaks
Johnson looked like a 28 year old at the top of his game - full of confidence - making me think he was a really good buy
Ade - I think he did OK - worked hard - yes I was frustrated as well when he did not hold the ball a bit better - win more headers - but I always think he is capable of breaking and scoring

But most of all - we looked like a team - I thought we played really well

If we repeat that performance with Carlos back in the team - we will be 4th - we do not need to worry about others

Pretty much agree with your analysis completely barring Zab...I think he is a bit of a loose cannon and i'd rather we look for a new RB in the summer...genuinely don't think Richards or Zab are good enough

Maicon - yes please - but between Zab and Micah - Zab every time - yesterday needed football brains - so for yesterday I did not want Micah - Zab had a real good game and for me is a class utility player - his football brain means that he can fit into a number of roles - agree though a specialist RB would be best

Not every time mate. Zab was the worst player on the field against Stoke in the first match, but Micah had a good game against them. Genuinely horses for courses with those 2 I reckon as Zab was the best yesterday!

Micah will play Weds for sure if fit.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I think it was likely that both Toure and Micah were scheduled to play yesterday until they got slight injuries in training on Saturday. Mancini took the sensible view to bring in Zaba and Lescott and they both played really well and we looked solid at the back.Whether they stay in for the Stoke game remains to be seen.

If we carry on with the same basic team approach the key to any success we might have would seem to down to Tevez coming back and playing well plus maybe the same from Bellers.

[Ted Hughes]

Zabba is learning how to play in the PL. Recently he's got it very right twice. He's also got it badly wrong in between. In time he may become a reliable, top quality, RB but at the moment he's not reliable, especially at remembering positions/showing intuition at set pieces.

[john68]

DROPPED POINTS LEAGUE
Chelsea......dropped 20pts
the rags.....dropped 24pts
Arsenal......dropped 26pts
CITY.........dropped 32pts
Villa.........dropped 33pts
Spurs........dropped 35pts
L'Pool.......dropped 36pts

Im with Doug on this except for one detail of his post.
If we look below us, we are top of the chasing pack, we have the points and the others have to catch us. It doesn't matter how they play, what does matter is how we play and how many points we can get.

I am still amazed that nobody, either on here or at the club, seems to be llooking upwards at the clubs ahead of us. We seem to be either content to say that 4th is the best we can attain and we should just target that or that having attained 4th [osition at present, we should simply hold onto what we already have.

What about imroving what we already have? I thought the whole point of city was to evolve into something better. We are currently 6pts off Arsenal, 8pts off the rags and 12pts adrift of chelsea.

We still have 12 games left to play. In their last 7 games, Arsenal dropped 10pts. In their last 7 games the rags dropped 7pts and in their last 7 games even Chelsea managed to drop 4pts. With so much inconsistancy above us and so many games left to play. Should we only be looking at conserving what we already have or should we not be looking to improve and move onwards and upwards?

[ashton287]

Sunderland (A) - W
Fulham (A) - D
Wigan (H) - W
Burnley (A) - W
Birmingham (H) - W

I like it!!!

Very optimistic.

2 away wins? Fucking doubtit 2 away draws and 1 away loss and a draw at home to brum and a win against wigan. My blur tinted glasses are well and truly gone. Time for the rest of you to get rid and pop down to specsavers.

[Crossie]

Exactly, we wont be beating Burnely away, or fulham, prob not even a point there,

wont beat chelsea or spurs.

4th is still just about ours to lose, and lose it we will.

[john@staustell]

I agree with Jim. Sunderland and Burnley are certainly not Everton, Stoke or Hull(at their place only!).

Our players are coming back bit by bit (Bridge, Lescott, Richards, Santa, Tevez eventually, Ade) and I would expect wins at Sunderland and Burnley and a draw at Fulham.

If we played Everton on form, Hull on form at home, and Stoke away (which we drew I believe, not lost!) we would do badly whenever they were in the season. It is unfortunate they have all come together. Added to Chelski away on the end and it will look bad.

But too many people have let this fill them with pessimism. We will pick off these other teams.

[CityFanFromRome]

2 away wins? Fucking doubtit 2 away draws and 1 away loss and a draw at home to brum and a win against wigan. My blur tinted glasses are well and truly gone. Time for the rest of you to get rid and pop down to specsavers.

Exactly, we wont be beating Burnely away, or fulham, prob not even a point there,

wont beat chelsea or spurs.

4th is still just about ours to lose, and lose it we will.

Fuck me, these posts take being pessimistic to a next level. ;)

We probably will lose at the Bridge, but I think we can beat Spurs at home. As for Fulham away, it's a tough match, which can go any way imho, but we definitely can win there, as we can win Sunderland away, and at home with Brum and Wigan. Really, if we can't win those two, we better forget about fourth not because we won't get it but because if we can't win those two we truly don't deserve to end fourth.

I'd say, to be on the cautious side, it could be like this:

Sunderland (A) - W
Fulham (A) - L
Wigan (H) - W
Burnley (A) - D
Birmingham (H) - W

[Beefymcfc]

DROPPED POINTS LEAGUE
Chelsea......dropped 20pts
the rags.....dropped 24pts
Arsenal......dropped 26pts
CITY.........dropped 32pts
Villa.........dropped 33pts
Spurs........dropped 35pts
L'Pool.......dropped 36pts

Im with Doug on this except for one detail of his post.
If we look below us, we are top of the chasing pack, we have the points and the others have to catch us. It doesn't matter how they play, what does matter is how we play and how many points we can get.

I am still amazed that nobody, either on here or at the club, seems to be llooking upwards at the clubs ahead of us. We seem to be either content to say that 4th is the best we can attain and we should just target that or that having attained 4th [osition at present, we should simply hold onto what we already have.

What about imroving what we already have? I thought the whole point of city was to evolve into something better. We are currently 6pts off Arsenal, 8pts off the rags and 12pts adrift of chelsea.

We still have 12 games left to play. In their last 7 games, Arsenal dropped 10pts. In their last 7 games the rags dropped 7pts and in their last 7 games even Chelsea managed to drop 4pts. With so much inconsistancy above us and so many games left to play. Should we only be looking at conserving what we already have or should we not be looking to improve and move onwards and upwards?

Nice mate, but in reality our form is not to be equated to the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal or the Rags. Currently we have dropped 10 points in the last 6 (not 7), that's us only gaining 8 points from a possible 18. We are currently mid-table in the form guide and if things don't change very soon, although it is getting better, then we will be out of the hunt this time next month in my opinion. Time is of the essence Mr Mancini!

[urlnp=http://www.premierleague.com/page/FormGuide]LINK TO CURRENT FORM GUIDE[/urlnp]

Hope that doesn't piss on anyone's chips!