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and put them to the sword before we even consider playing 'pitty-patty'

With Spurs failing to beat West Brom yesterday we're now firmly in the driving seat, but that can all be undone by us causing Blackburn to believe that they can take points off us.
There are no more excuses about 'playing a game every three days' so there should be no more nonsense about 'resting' players, or squad rotation.
And whatever about Spurs, the way Liverpool have been quietly going about their business, and having been helped by us in building up a head of steam, they're quietly confident that they can steal that final Champions League place, at the death.

The more points we drop to eminently beatable teams like Blackburn, the more Mancini will get the jitters going into games against what he recognises as our 'bogey' teams, i.e., Everton and Spurs.

The media is trying to build up this notion that we've got the easier run-in, in the hope of assisting their beloved, 'Arry, so we mustn't grant them the opportunity to celebrate another 'typical' City.

However good a job Mancini has done to date, this next month is where he really gets to earn his corn.

We've got our first trophy in however many years in our grasp, and a deserved Champions League place for next season.

He may not be worried about his job, perhaps because he'll always have a job to fall back on in Italy, but he should ensure the players perform as if their careers depended on us achieving those goals.
In any event, if he fails, the Chairman needs to consider, long and hard, where we go from here.

In the meantime, a three goal victory over Blackburn will be a statement of intent!

I think I know what you mean and totally agree, but "from the get-go" makes no fuckin' sense whatsoever.

Blue in the face wrote:I think I know what you mean and totally agree, but "from the get-go" makes no fuckin' sense whatsoever.

its an expression of American origin: it means from the opening kick-off!

I don't know about going for the jugular but I would at least like to see us start awake and aware that Blackburn will come out to get stuck in and ruffle our feathers. Any ideas that we could just get hold of the ball,play it around and win when we feel like it need to have been left at Liverpool. Our away form is currently dire and needs changing NOW.

I went in the blackburn end right next to the city fans the other year when Sturridge equalised in injury time, and my stepson burst into tears when city equalised he was that scared of the noise and City fans celebrating - we need the fans and players to have that passion from the start, to ensure no post wembley hangover/malaise.

We've been due an away game like Burnley where we wipe the oppo out early doors for a while now, and having 7000 blues in the Darwen end is always a great spectacle and surely will spur the team on. (especially as most will have been on the piss in the sunshine most of the day)

Im_Spartacus wrote:We've been due an away game like Burnley where we wipe the oppo out early doors for a while now, and having 7000 blues in the Darwen end is always a great spectacle and surely will spur the team on. (especially as most will have been on the piss in the sunshine most of the day)

How Mancini approaches this one could serve to define the remainder of our season

We have been in the 'driving seat' for 90% of the season. I don't see how this changes. Win at Blackburn, wins against Stoke, West Ham and at least a point against Spurs and we're 4th min. I believe.

I didn't realise our away form is so horrible! D, L, D, L, L, L in the last six.
We have to step up tomorrow.

Moonchesteri wrote:I didn't realise our away form is so horrible! D, L, D, L, L, L in the last six.
We have to step up tomorrow.

It gets worse, look at our away form in ALL competitions since New Years.

Blackburn must be low on confidence and will be nervous and desperate for the points. We need to press them high up the pitch and really put the pressure on from the off. If we do that we'll win I've no doubt. It's ridiculous how much professional footballers allow themselves to be affected by being the away side. Let's shut up the crowd and impose ourselves on Blackburn throughout the match. Remember Fulham away? Thought not it's so long ago but that first half was arguably the best we played all season.

More of the same please.

With the Arse loosing today, and potentially next weekend too, we have the added incentive of 3rd being in reaching distance to dont we?

Twobob wrote:With the Arse loosing today, and potentially next weekend too, we have the added incentive of 3rd being in reaching distance to dont we?

Was thinking the exact same thing today myself 10p. Spuds could even make fourth if Arsenals current form keeps up.

blues2win wrote:Blackburn must be low on confidence and will be nervous and desperate for the points. We need to press them high up the pitch and really put the pressure on from the off. If we do that we'll win I've no doubt. It's ridiculous how much professional footballers allow themselves to be affected by being the away side. Let's shut up the crowd and impose ourselves on Blackburn throughout the match. Remember Fulham away? Thought not it's so long ago but that first half was arguably the best we played all season.

More of the same please.

All good points
But recalling even farther back: we saved Roy Hodgson's job, and probably his continuing career as a football manager, by giving his Fulham side too much respect under Sven's stewardship.
(and also, I seem to recall, against Gary Megson's horrible Bolton side)

You're correct about the concept of home and away being overrated.
You can take the home 'support' out of the equation, and, better still, make it work in your favour, by putting a few early goals past their goalkeeper

@ Moonchesteri & Slim,
Whilst the raw stats of our last 6 away League games are correct, they don't really give a balanced picture.
It should be noted that 3 of those games were against Arsenal (A), the Rags (A), Chelsea (A) and L'Pool (A) the current top 3 teams, Another was against a resurgent Liverpool in the week of our big Wembley derby, when we were obviously suffering from Wembley head.
Our only other loss away from home since the season's halfway point was at Kiev.

Our results aren't vastly different to most other clubs when they visit those grounds and I don't see them reflectingour form against the lower opposition we have yet to play.

john68 wrote:@ Moonchesteri & Slim,
Whilst the raw stats of our last 6 away League games are correct, they don't really give a balanced picture.
It should be noted that 3 of those games were against Arsenal (A), the Rags (A), Chelsea (A) and L'Pool (A) the current top 3 teams, Another was against a resurgent Liverpool in the week of our big Wembley derby, when we were obviously suffering from Wembley head.
Our only other loss away from home since the season's halfway point was at Kiev.

Our results aren't vastly different to most other clubs when they visit those grounds and I don't see them reflectingour form against the lower opposition we have yet to play.

Yeah, Aris, Leicester, Notts County.....top teams.

Slim wrote:

john68 wrote:@ Moonchesteri & Slim,
Whilst the raw stats of our last 6 away League games are correct, they don't really give a balanced picture.
It should be noted that 3 of those games were against Arsenal (A), the Rags (A), Chelsea (A) and L'Pool (A) the current top 3 teams, Another was against a resurgent Liverpool in the week of our big Wembley derby, when we were obviously suffering from Wembley head.
Our only other loss away from home since the season's halfway point was at Kiev.

Our results aren't vastly different to most other clubs when they visit those grounds and I don't see them reflectingour form against the lower opposition we have yet to play.

Yeah, Aris, Leicester, Notts County.....top teams.

Away from home, we've been absolutely shocking beyond any reasonable excuses for months & we either stop being shocking or we miss out. It really is that simple. I recon Wembley sort of counts as an away game & we did really well there, so that's proof we have it in us. That peformance would have been good enough to comfortably beat the so called 'resurgent' Liverpool & as I said at the time; would have pretty much nailed us on for 4th.

We have everything going for us today; fitness, confidence, happy manager, happy supporters. A proper team wins this game.

I know that the game at wembley was a big day and against the scum, but I believe that game will help to push our away form on. Im going for a good win today and relieve some nurves by putting the gap upto 4 points. I even think that 3rd is still with in reach, Arse are fucking things up as best they can and if we keep pushing who knows, we might just get it.

everyonehatesus wrote:I know that the game at wembley was a big day and against the scum, but I believe that game will help to push our away form on.

Well tonight should go some way towards proving was that game like a Cup Final for us that we can't repeat unless facing the right opposition!

Slim wrote:

john68 wrote:@ Moonchesteri & Slim,
Whilst the raw stats of our last 6 away League games are correct, they don't really give a balanced picture.
It should be noted that 3 of those games were against Arsenal (A), the Rags (A), Chelsea (A) and L'Pool (A) the current top 3 teams, Another was against a resurgent Liverpool in the week of our big Wembley derby, when we were obviously suffering from Wembley head.
Our only other loss away from home since the season's halfway point was at Kiev.

Our results aren't vastly different to most other clubs when they visit those grounds and I don't see them reflectingour form against the lower opposition we have yet to play.

Yeah, Aris, Leicester, Notts County.....top teams.

now yr just picking on an old man holding a calligraphy pen. Unfair. he's prollee still tired from his shift last night. Let him get his teeth in and have a bowl of gruel or something please.

cheers