The most important 5 matches so far

[john@staustell]

So even the wise heads on Sunday Supplement think there is a good possibility we could be top after the holiday fixtures, with the other 3 having to play among themselves, so to speak, and Spuds. To quote one of the sage gentlemen:

"Top of the league with £100M to spend".
West Ham Away
Everton Home
Newcastle Away
Villa Home
Blackpool Home

To be honest I agree. The only potential banana skin should be Everton.

Am I getting too excited or is this a real possibility??

[DoomMerchant]

they are ALL banana skins. Every one of them.

There isn't a single match i go into "expecting" to win...i'm hopeful always and i don't expect us to get dicked over 2 or 3 to nil very often if ever, but i think we could easily drop points to Villa or Everton and who knows what the other matches hold?

i am excited for a December to Remember tho...

cheers

[Ted Hughes]

True, all the matches are banana skins now because teams try to raise their game when playing City. We are officially one of the 'big boys' now & each game is a cup tie for the oppo. Learning to win such games regularly will also teach us how to win cups though, so it's all good experience.

[Kladze]

If ....... if we can be top or very close to it come the end of December, the January transfer window could be verrrry interesting.

[Slim]

I think Newcastle away is a tough fixture, but we should be putting together a decent run of results, 11 from 15 should see us top.

[Chinners]

I'll be happy just to cement our place in the top 4 come Jan 2011 to be honest

[shortagain]

I think Newcastle away is a tough fixture, but we should be putting together a decent run of results, 11 from 15 should see us top.

15 might see us top, if we drop points against these, we won't have played well

[Beeks]

I'll be happy just to cement our place in the top 4 come Jan 2011 to be honest

I agree...call me typical city but i'm more worried about the spuds just behind us

[Douglas Higginbottom]

The NEXT 5 matches will always be the most important so far

[brite blu sky]

Personally i'm not bothered about us being top or anything at the moment of after xmas or whatever, it is the consistency that i want to see. Bob has only had the team he really wanted to put out once so far, and while that is a kind of poor argument in many ways, it is still an indication of the fact that we are still very much in development. We can win all these games and we can further develop the team play in the process. Balotelli looks like he is going to make a difference and with Tevez out for one game it is an opportunity for the rest to get it together... so when Carlos comes back there will be that little bit more understanding and cohesion.
We are so close to cracking off it is unbelievable. When we do we will be some force and confidence will soar both in the players and the team and the fans. We will rip some teams to sh*t and a lot of teams just wont be able to do anything about it. it will be like watching chocolate melt next to the fire.
I am expecting one or two indifferent games - possibly following a top win in typical fashion, but after that i fully expect this team to go completely nuts for the rest of the season and some of the top sides will get totally trashed on the way.

I'm not saying that there isn't a hell of a lot of work to do as yet but the team will just get addicted to that level of work, intensity and the reward that comes from it. We are in for a total feast, believe it.

[mr_nool]

I was travelling this weekend and missed the game. Why is Tevez out? Is he injured or did he pick up a yellow too many?

[Kladze]

I was travelling this weekend and missed the game. Why is Tevez out? Is he injured or did he pick up a yellow too many?

5 yellows




Not all on Saturday ........

[mr_nool]

I was travelling this weekend and missed the game. Why is Tevez out? Is he injured or did he pick up a yellow too many?

5 yellows




Not all on Saturday ........

Cheers mate!

[DoomMerchant]

I was travelling this weekend and missed the game. Why is Tevez out? Is he injured or did he pick up a yellow too many?

can't believe you missed the game. Were you pretending to have a romantic weekend away or something ambitious like that?

cheers

[blues2win]

Worth remembering we have a lot of tough away matches in the second half of the season; Rags, Arse, Chelski, Blue and Red Dippers, Villa... We really need to rack up points now to give us a cushion later on. The only top team we've played away is the Spuds. I know that some will argue that the blue and red dippers and Villa aren't top teams but away from home we won't find it easy against them.

[john@staustell]

Worth remembering we have a lot of tough away matches in the second half of the season; Rags, Arse, Chelski, Blue and Red Dippers, Villa... We really need to rack up points now to give us a cushion later on. The only top team we've played away is the Spuds. I know that some will argue that the blue and red dippers and Villa aren't top teams but away from home we won't find it easy against them.

Strangely I feel more confident of at least a draw at these places. It's the 'park the bus' teams we seem to have trouble with. If it all comes together we could be in for something very special. Keeping out those top teams and hitting them like lightning should be a good formula, referees permitting.

Bobby is right to say he is now working on 'selfishness' (finishing). On play we should've buried Bolton, Brum and Blackburn. If we can start racking up the goals now and keep a tight defence we will be in an excellent position.

[Goaters 103]

Way too far ahead of yourself John. This is City, and without Tevez we will struggle to beat West Ham -a defeat there and we would be in crisis again no doubt!

Everton is a bogey team for us, and Newcastle will probably have the new manager effect in place making them tougher than they would have been. Trying to predict City results is pointless, such is the unpredictable nature of our club. One game at a time, and the seasons most important game is West Ham away on saturday, as its the next game.

[brite blu sky]

Way too far ahead of yourself John. This is City, and without Tevez we will struggle to beat West Ham -a defeat there and we would be in crisis again no doubt!

Everton is a bogey team for us, and Newcastle will probably have the new manager effect in place making them tougher than they would have been. Trying to predict City results is pointless, such is the unpredictable nature of our club. One game at a time, and the seasons most important game is West Ham away on saturday, as its the next game.

We are getting better though, we can all see that. While everyone agrees with the next game mentality, the idea that we are better and improving starts to put us on a footing comparable to the teams expecting to fight for the title. In addition to that we can see patterns emerging as in our away form v home form. Away games are set up for us better than home ones, unless the opposition try to play like Bolton.
The unpredictable nature as you call it, has to be changed.. and basically it will be in the games like Toon and WH and really tough ones like Everton might prove that give us the sense of being able to judge our team.

When we get towards the end of the season this board will be full of the permutations of the last 5 games, we can win this one, we can win that one etc etc.

As for WHU without Tevez, i simply do not agree we are destined to struggle to beat them. The team will approach the game knowing that without the extra umph of Tevez that they will have to step it up some and fill his boots, imo that is a good thing for this team and both an away game and that it isn't one of the best teams in the league are positive angles. WHU are desperate for points and to turn around their form, they have to try and play and that will leave them vunerable at a time when they are really struggling to play football.
If City dont turn up against WH, then they know there will be serious questions asked of the players desire to win the title and there will be serious allegations that they are a one man team.
It's football anything can happen i know, but there are less reasons to be pessimistic than there are to be optimistic.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

Unlikely to win all 5. Newcastle away will be a toughie, Villa certainly won't roll over and we very rarely seem to get the better of Everton.

[Beefymcfc]

Can I say it?

One game at a time.

There's no must win games.

;-)