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Have we really done so badly? Maybe there is still hope, but surely not a lot.

But the derby at Etihad. City had 20 minutes where United never touched the ball before a quick switch-off and the luckiest scuffed shot ever put them one up. A second came shortly after, with City still the better team. The usual storming come-back appeared and everything was set for a City victory, when a combination of Nasri, Hart and Mr Expensive-summer-signing gave the RAGs the win.

Who to blame? No-one in particular really over the 90. A combination of factors conspired against us that day and probably changed the course of the whole season. A City win would've left us 6 points behind (now) with a winnable game at OT to play. Neck and neck really.

Still that's football I'm afraid and while there's hope we'll fight.

Good post. Doesn't make me feel any better tho.

the 'rot' set in very early

liverpool away

we were totally outplayed us and that has shaped our season

That one game was a total gaffe by us, but to be honest try and think of the games where we have genuinely played well this season - at least for most of the game.

Not once in the Carling Cup or Champs League so they are out. FA Cup we've been OK though only Stoke has been a difficult tie, in the Prem - hmmm. Not too many games where we've put in really good showings - we've ground out a few results but last sundays win against Chelsea probably rivalled the Newcastle or Arsenal away showings. Yes we tonked Villa 5-0 but could you really say we were that good that day?

What we have done is become more skilled at grinding out results when we arent at our best - eg Southampton, Spurs, Reading, QPR at home; Fulham, Wigan, WBA away.

Overall its been pretty underwhelming stuff though we have the FA Cup left to salvage a major positive. Sadly it isnt a title race this season as one team, us, isnt really in the frame. Harsh but sadly true.

Goaters 103 wrote:That one game was a total gaffe by us, but to be honest try and think of the games where we have genuinely played well this season - at least for most of the game.

Not once in the Carling Cup or Champs League so they are out. FA Cup we've been OK though only Stoke has been a difficult tie, in the Prem - hmmm. Not too many games where we've put in really good showings - we've ground out a few results but last sundays win against Chelsea probably rivalled the Newcastle or Arsenal away showings. Yes we tonked Villa 5-0 but could you really say we were that good that day?

What we have done is become more skilled at grinding out results when we arent at our best - eg Southampton, Spurs, Reading, QPR at home; Fulham, Wigan, WBA away.

Overall its been pretty underwhelming stuff though we have the FA Cup left to salvage a major positive. Sadly it isnt a title race this season as one team, us, isnt really in the frame. Harsh but sadly true.

I was gonna try and list our good performances but I think you've named more than I can. I would add Sunderland at home to that list as there were spells in that game we the tempo was literally breath taking.

Would you class Norwich away as a good performance? yes we played with 10 men but we shipped 3?

WBA was mad ending Ajax a few day later I think was a shocker for all of us with a knock on we have never got over for me.

The Real Madrid away game loss was the real killer that set the tone for the season. The rag derby loss was just a repeat.

Good opening post, even a draw in that game would have been fine considering we were 2 down. Reason we lost that game though was because we failed to take our chances - we created twice as many as United yet they converted 3 and we only took 2.

In terms of really good performances and results that stand out this season:

Sunderland (H), Aston Villa (H), West Brom (A) - especially as we played with 10 men for 70mins and went a goal behind.

Newcastle (A), Arsenal (A), Chelsea (H).

spiny wrote:The Real Madrid away game loss was the real killer that set the tone for the season. The rag derby loss was just a repeat.

I do think back to that game, and if we had even drawn that match, the confidence we would have gained would have been huge for that group and our league form. A crazy five minutes away from our of best results.

We played well going forward v Utd but we defended really terribly. All 3 goals were absolutely shocking in more than one defensive instance.


We were much more solid at OT for the 6-1 then took our chances when they came. Had we been that solid v the rags this time, we would have won comfortably & hit their confidence.

This season we're shit at the back one game, shit in midfield the next game & shit up front the next game.

It's rare all 3 areas are good on the same day. Only happened once or twice all season.

Last season we probably played 20 games where the whole team was decent. Inbetween we mostly played for a spell like we have done this season & got knocked out of two cup competitions, blew our lead & dropped down to 2nd place.

The QPR away game. Rags had given away a last minute lead to Spurs, we had been playing well and just won a tough game at Stoke. Gap was cut to 5 and the momentum was with us. Then we drew and handed the momentum back to them.

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:The QPR away game. Rags gad given away a last minute lead to Spurs, we had been playing well and just won a tough game at Stoke. Gap was cut to 5 and the momentum was with us. Then we drew and handed the momentum back to them.

This exactly ... whenever they have given us initiative we have not capitalised on it and whenever we have let them any, they have jumped on it (see how yet switched to a full strength side against Everton cuz we had lost to Saints, even though their eye was on Real Madrid away a few days later but they just wanted to make sure they capitalise on our slip up). We on the other hand whenever they've dropped any points, instead of closing the gap, we've gone and matched them by dropping the same (or more) if not in the same very gameweek than in a week later, no more.

john@staustell wrote:Have we really done so badly? Maybe there is still hope, but surely not a lot.

But the derby at Etihad. City had 20 minutes where United never touched the ball before a quick switch-off and the luckiest scuffed shot ever put them one up. A second came shortly after, with City still the better team. The usual storming come-back appeared and everything was set for a City victory, when a combination of Nasri, Hart and Mr Expensive-summer-signing gave the RAGs the win.

Who to blame? No-one in particular really over the 90. A combination of factors conspired against us that day and probably changed the course of the whole season. A City win would've left us 6 points behind (now) with a winnable game at OT to play. Neck and neck really.

Still that's football I'm afraid and while there's hope we'll fight.

The result has gone now and all we have to do is keep getting our wins but I doubt we'd have got back into the derby if Youngs goal wasn't given off-side.

spiny wrote:The Real Madrid away game loss was the real killer that set the tone for the season. The rag derby loss was just a repeat.

Totally agree with you, mate! Even a draw there should have changed everything of this season but ...

I don't think we'll be able to flog the "one game changed our season" horse come may unless it's a real last kick of the season nail biter for the title again - I think we'll still be a good 9 points off the race

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:The QPR away game. Rags had given away a last minute lead to Spurs, we had been playing well and just won a tough game at Stoke. Gap was cut to 5 and the momentum was with us. Then we drew and handed the momentum back to them.

Agreed.

Nigels Tackle wrote:the 'rot' set in very early

liverpool away

we were totally outplayed us and that has shaped our season

Twice outplayed in my opinion. Starting Balotelli over Tevez in the derby was a very poor choice. They got lucky. Probably a 12 pointer that one, as it were.

Plenty more twists and turns to come yet this season plus hopefully at least one trip to wembley.

Strangest thing of all despite all the moaning on Bluemoan and a few on here is the startling fact that rag fans in manc are still very nervous despite being 12 points clear!!!!!

City64 wrote:Plenty more twists and turns to come yet this season plus hopefully at least one trip to wembley.

Strangest thing of all despite all the moaning on Bluemoan and a few on here is the startling fact that rag fans in manc are still very nervous despite being 12 points clear!!!!!

That's because they know they're not that good. Most of the rags I know are laughing their balls off because they can't defend for shit & know that any kind of decent effort from us could have fucked them up.

We have done exactly what Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool etc have done countless times in the past; vastly underperformed, taken points off each other & handed those cunts the title.

I have no respect for those clubs' efforts in the past & I've no respect for our efforts this season. Even if we won it now, we would be the better of two shites.

It really fucking winds me up. Not coming 2nd but being so fucking average in so many games.

Ted Hughes wrote:

City64 wrote:Plenty more twists and turns to come yet this season plus hopefully at least one trip to wembley.

Strangest thing of all despite all the moaning on Bluemoan and a few on here is the startling fact that rag fans in manc are still very nervous despite being 12 points clear!!!!!

That's because they know they're not that good. Most of the rags I know are laughing their balls off because they can't defend for shit & know that any kind of decent effort from us could have fucked them up.

We have done exactly what Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool etc have done countless times in the past; vastly underperformed, taken points off each other & handed those cunts the title.

I have no respect for those clubs' efforts in the past & I've no respect for our efforts this season. Even if we won it now, we would be the better of two shites.

It really fucking winds me up. Not coming 2nd but being so fucking average in so many games.

But yet we could end up with exactly the same points as last season!