by brite blu sky » Thu Apr 15, 2010 11:29 am
i agree with Barry. i think it is a difficult time for City fans both old and younger.. we so desperately want to know that we have shaken the typical tag.. we have had a kind of stuttering season with just glimpses and the odd 20mins of great football from the lads. Recent struggles against the likes of Stoke and the Toffees left a lot of people wondering if we are just not going to get it together. But in truth we have seen a defensive solidity develop very slowly and recently we have seen the team click in a way it hasn't yet done. Imo that is progress and at a time when it is the most important we appear to be gelling into a team. Just look at the top 6 sides.
Chelsea - definately the most solid out of the bunch, had a blip after we took the piss. Not amazing but still solid.
Arsenal - were ok when everyone was fit, but only ok. now they are going backwards if anything
Rags - proven 1 player team, dont look very good, short on ideas and skill and have struggled all season, now going backwards
City - mixed season lacking any coherence but very slowly improving, now coming into form and getting better and confidence.
Spurs - had an early form period and since have been more ticking over than anything, now looking weaker
Pool - dont really need to say anything here, they are not very good and havent improved at all.
Out of that lot there is only City that has got the traditional coming good at the business end of the season, Chelsea are secure enough but not improving or showing anything outstanding.
I would point out as well that for City it is not a matter of coming in and out of form, we havent had any form, we havent really had a team all season.. so for us this is the first time we have got to be a team. imo there is a big difference between that and say Chelsea struggling to recapture their form, having lost it. We never had it to lose, we have only just arrived there, so we wont just let it go.
Barry recognises this when he states that it is not only about this season.. and that city want to carry on and start next season in the same mood. City are not just looking at getting the coveted CL spot, they are looking to make sure that the other top teams know full well that City are here and they are as good as if not considerably better than them.
We will want to try and achieve a home record equivalent to the team that takes the title.. ie not losing whole seasons at a time. Our players know that we are capable of doing that and it has only been the gelling thing that has undermined their confidence so far. they know that if they start a season as a proper team and to some extent on form then there will be no stopping them and they will be challenging for top spot.
Someone started a thread a while back saying we may yet thank Everton.. and i think that is spot on, we got a footballing lesson from the Toffees and one we will not have forgotten even next season, that in my view is a good thing.
As for this Sat, the rags are bricking whole blocks of flats, already wondering about how they can offload Berbatov and scratching their heads about what they are going to do about a distinctly average midfield and being a one player team.
I know a lot of fans are worried about false dawns etc, or getting ahead of ourselves, i am thinking that this team knows this and that they have to perform as a team. Things have changed and although every game will be as tough as boots, we are up to the job.
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