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I am not sure we will win the league. Both the rags and arse, though having inferior squads and strongest XIs, seem to be able to get results when playing poorly. We have won only three of eight league games, hardly title winning form, against sides we should have beat. The club, from the very top, wants to do well in the Champions League and this is filtered down accordingly. Thus, we get situations before Champions League games where we adjust the side accordingly, which is often to the detriment of the league game and more importantly, the flow of the team which gets chopped and changed.

If we assume that the Champions League will get priority, then management have to learn very quickly how to grind out results. We can't and won't win every home game by three or four goals, as seems to be the expectation. We can't go gung-ho against every side. Yesterday was the case in point, yet I am fearfull we won't learn from those glaring errors and games like yesterday will be repeated against Arsenal and rags and spuds, which may ultimately cost us silverware.

I really like Pellegrini, but I also hope his apparent lack of tactical nous in adapting to differing situations doesn't hold us back. When we are good, we are unstoppable. But when we are set up badly, like yesterday or against the rags, or Villa for example, we are average and pedestrian. Not qualities one expects of champions.

The season is still early and there is a long way to go but the signs are showing we are not the side we were after the first five games. MDM is shot now and should be nowhere near the starting eleven for big games. Kompany's injuries are well documented. Yaya as one of a midfield two is just laughable and straight away hands the opponents a big bonus. KDB and Sterling, though both brilliant players, are still adapting to a new club and it's environment and can't be relied upon to perform in every game at this stage.

In short, though we are still probably favourites for the league, the odds are lengthening for my money as I can see the arse going on a run of six or seven winning games, gaining confidence along the way, while we have these setbacks. Anyone agree, or am I just talking utter shite?

Teams that win leagues don't concede goals like we do. It's worrying. We started off so well at the back and now have fallen of a cliff. If Kompany can not stay fit for more that 3 or 4 games then we seriously need to replace him. You can say all you like about the rags but they are solid at the back and seem to be nicking wins, something we are not doing. Yesterday was a shocker of the highest order.

Won't be writing us off yet. Injuries have had a huge impact so far.
Having said that we took our eye off the ball tactically yesterday and got caught big time. Hope we learn from it.

Silva will be back, he is a massive loss, serg will sharpen, and thankfully there is no international football till March.

If we avoid excessive injuries we should not be too far away.

Haven't change my opinion since the season started, we will be in the mix come the run in along with the rags and the tarquins. The only thing that's changed for me is that Chelsea who I expected also to be there won't be.

I remember one season when the rags lost a game at home 6-1 and still got 89 points and only lost the league on goal difference and in the last seconds of the season. Still a long way to go and with Silva to come back and Aguero getting into his stride am very confident.

The two 4-1 defeats along with Mangala and Sagna after the recent terrorist attacks are concerning but I am remaining positive. There are bound to be more twists and turns during the run in.

Ray78 wrote:The two 4-1 defeats along with Mangala and Sagna are concerning but I am remaining positive. There are bound to be more twists and turns during the run in.

Sagna? Along with Fernandinho our most consistent performer this season, granted he had a mare yesterday ( was fouled for their first though ).

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

Ray78 wrote:The two 4-1 defeats along with Mangala and Sagna are concerning but I am remaining positive. There are bound to be more twists and turns during the run in.

Sagna? Along with Fernandinho our most consistent performer this season, granted he had a mare yesterday ( was fouled for their first though ).

We don't fully know how badly the recent terrorist attacks has effected Sagna. Zaba returning may take some pressure off.

Ray78 wrote:

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

Ray78 wrote:The two 4-1 defeats along with Mangala and Sagna are concerning but I am remaining positive. There are bound to be more twists and turns during the run in.

Sagna? Along with Fernandinho our most consistent performer this season, granted he had a mare yesterday ( was fouled for their first though ).

We don't fully know how badly the recent terrorist attacks has effected Sagna. Zaba returning may take some pressure off.

That's true, it did cross my mind when I saw him struggling was it to do with the attacks. in regards Zaba, it may, but there again he hasn't looked great between last season and what we've seen this.

I honestly think we won't win anything this season. And that's not just going off yesterday's performance. I just think we can't do the basics against lesser teams and the rags keep getting scrappy results even though they're turd.

I think Pellers is too stubborn and won't learn from his mistakes, and ultimately that's the reason he'll be canned in the summer.

Mase wrote:I honestly think we won't win anything this season. And that's not just going off yesterday's performance. I just think we can't do the basics against lesser teams and the rags keep getting scrappy results even though they're turd.

I think Pellers is too stubborn and won't learn from his mistakes, and ultimately that's the reason he'll be canned in the summer.

I go with this, he knew Klopp would press why go with the perfect formation for him to do this. 4-1 flattered us.

I don't think MP would be forgiven for putting that side out against the Rags so I won't be forgiving him for doing it against the more repulsive dippers. Shit happens though and we need to move on. What worries me most is who is doing our transfers? Mangala was not highly rated at Porto and was not always in favour. Wtf?? Daft Martin improved but his first 6 months cost us (Wigan FA cup at home eg) and recently at Spurs/dippers. Big Willy? I saw him play in Spain, a maverick. I won't even get onto sterling, a flash on the pan no one else bid for. We play a possession game but retaining the ball is his main weakness.Fucking great big holes in the centre of the park and dodgy defending on our left side. Buying Bony hardly fixed that.

South Stand Balti wrote:I don't think MP would be forgiven for putting that side out against the Rags so I won't be forgiving him for doing it against the more repulsive dippers. Shit happens though and we need to move on. What worries me most is who is doing our transfers? Mangala was not highly rated at Porto and was not always in favour. Wtf?? Daft Martin improved but his first 6 months cost us (Wigan FA cup at home eg) and recently at Spurs/dippers. Big Willy? I saw him play in Spain, a maverick. I won't even get onto sterling, a flash on the pan no one else bid for. We play a possession game but retaining the ball is his main weakness.Fucking great big holes in the centre of the park and dodgy defending on our left side. Buying Bony hardly fixed that.

Our much esteemed and vastly over rated DoF is the cause of the above problems sir.
Him and the Chilean are both bang average at best.

Sterling is not a brilliant player

Arse get results when playing poorly? Didn't happen yesterday did it?

Hutch's Shoulder wrote:Arse get results when playing poorly? Didn't happen yesterday did it?

But for a missed penalty. They just seem to have clicked as a unit better than us the last two months somehow. As I said in the OP, it's a long season and we have plenty of time to rediscover our mojo. But there are warning signs there.

nottsblue wrote:

Hutch's Shoulder wrote:Arse get results when playing poorly? Didn't happen yesterday did it?

But for a missed penalty. They just seem to have clicked as a unit better than us the last two months somehow. As I said in the OP, it's a long season and we have plenty of time to rediscover our mojo. But there are warning signs there.

Unconvinced

TGR wrote:

South Stand Balti wrote:I don't think MP would be forgiven for putting that side out against the Rags so I won't be forgiving him for doing it against the more repulsive dippers. Shit happens though and we need to move on. What worries me most is who is doing our transfers? Mangala was not highly rated at Porto and was not always in favour. Wtf?? Daft Martin improved but his first 6 months cost us (Wigan FA cup at home eg) and recently at Spurs/dippers. Big Willy? I saw him play in Spain, a maverick. I won't even get onto sterling, a flash on the pan no one else bid for. We play a possession game but retaining the ball is his main weakness.Fucking great big holes in the centre of the park and dodgy defending on our left side. Buying Bony hardly fixed that.

Our much esteemed and vastly over rated DoF is the cause of the above problems sir.
Him and the Chilean are both bang average at best.

Hmmmm. .. my spidey senses are beginning to tingle.

There is a familiar feel to this one's posts...

The good news is that there is no outstanding other team. We can and should win it, especially if we get Dave and Vinny back.

Dave is our big loss. He creates the space for the others to cause havoc. And whilst it's covered in another thread I think that Nasri being out at the same time has compounded the blow.

Keep the faith. We have a better team than the competition, a better manager - I'm sure we can do it.

Silva - 6 games, 6 assists
Agüero - 8 games, 7 goals
Kompany - 8 games, 7 clean sheets

We will surely get 20 more games out of each of these before the end of the season - and while they're out we're still in contention. Patience.