Five home games to define the season

[dazby]

Well called John. That was a professional 3-0 win. 2 from 5. Going well.

[Green & Blue]

Well that's the first of, hopefully, 6 home wins in a row. Bring on Thursday night

Exactly. A few more of these 5-0's would do just nicely.

So for our last 6 home games, 'goals scored' is now:

4-1-4-4-3-5

Should be a good chance to rack up the goal tally now, although Aris may be tricky to break down.

It's interesting that in the same period we have had 7 away games without a win and a scoring record of 0-1-2-1-0-2-0.That needs to change or at least the no wins part.

Partly why I started this thread was because I felt 5 home games in a row (or would it be six with Kiev, help me out here?) with our current excellent home form would make a statement and give us the base and the confidence to get back our previously-good away form. This should allow us to push on our league form.

If we beat Villa it could actually be six or seven home games in a row, depending on this Kiev thing - were we first out the hat?

So come on the lads, nice professional 3-0 against Aris please.

Away in the first leg to Kiev, which would be my prefernce either way.Always nice to have the second leg at home.

[craigmcfc]

I'm glad you posted that G&B, I could've sworn that we were at home in the first leg but you're definitely right. Great news

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Well that's the first of, hopefully, 6 home wins in a row. Bring on Thursday night

Exactly. A few more of these 5-0's would do just nicely.

So for our last 6 home games, 'goals scored' is now:

4-1-4-4-3-5

Should be a good chance to rack up the goal tally now, although Aris may be tricky to break down.

It's interesting that in the same period we have had 7 away games without a win and a scoring record of 0-1-2-1-0-2-0.That needs to change or at least the no wins part.

Partly why I started this thread was because I felt 5 home games in a row (or would it be six with Kiev, help me out here?) with our current excellent home form would make a statement and give us the base and the confidence to get back our previously-good away form. This should allow us to push on our league form.

If we beat Villa it could actually be six or seven home games in a row, depending on this Kiev thing - were we first out the hat?

So come on the lads, nice professional 3-0 against Aris please.

so 3 down and 2 ( or 3) to go.We beat a league 2 side,thrashed a pub side and struggled to a draw against a poor Fulham.
I wonder what statement we have made?

[Ted Hughes]

This was one of the biggest games of the season. We now have a great big fucking problem.
Let's hope Chelsea & Spurs are as shite as us in their next games. If they're not, we may be in big trouble. Let's hope the rags can do us a favour on Tues.

[Blue Since 76]

look ok at home to lower league sides (not so good away, mind), rubbish against our own league. Not promising for Wednesday or longer term - 5 points from 5 games is relegation form and continually moaning about lots of matches is just giving the players a ready made excuse.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

This was one of the biggest games of the season. We now have a great big fucking problem.
Let's hope Chelsea & Spurs are as shite as us in their next games. If they're not, we may be in big trouble. Let's hope the rags can do us a favour on Tues.

It is looking our way into the top 4 might be down to another team struggling to get points more than us.That is unless we regain some real form and pick up some good results.Wins against WBA,County and Aris are one thing but prem wins against good opposition and awat from home are something else.

The benchmark for really doing well over a period is 2 points per game average and currently we are 6 points behind that with a few very tough games to come.I think another 20 points in the last 10 games may well be needed to get top 4. Will we get them? Chelsea/Liverpool/Everton away and Spurs at home? On current form we won't get close so it's time to stand up and be counted and get some real effort into the team.

I have just watched today's game again and lets face it we were awful. Lacking energy and desire from the start.

[Ted Hughes]

This was one of the biggest games of the season. We now have a great big fucking problem.
Let's hope Chelsea & Spurs are as shite as us in their next games. If they're not, we may be in big trouble. Let's hope the rags can do us a favour on Tues.

It is looking our way into the top 4 might be down to another team struggling to get points more than us.That is unless we regain some real form and pick up some good results.Wins against WBA,County and Aris are one thing but prem wins against good opposition and awat from home are something else.

The benchmark for really doing well over a period is 2 points per game average and currently we are 6 points behind that with a few very tough games to come.I think another 20 points in the last 10 games may well be needed to get top 4. Will we get them? Chelsea/Liverpool/Everton away and Spurs at home? On current form we won't get close so it's time to stand up and be counted and get some real effort into the team.

I have just watched today's game again and lets face it we were awful. Lacking energy and desire from the start.

To actually see most of the players Bob has wanted to have in the team all start, after he's been planning it for over a year & see Hughes, hardly a master organiser, put out a team of no marks who looked much better organised & actually passed the ball as well or better than we did was nothing short of soul destroying. We used to play like that v Fulham & £100m & 14 months later, we still do.

This coming on the day that Birmingham win a trophy that could have been ours (& now even Bob says that may have been the case if we hadn't rested players), well I didn't think I'd feel this low about City again once we were taken over but they've done it to me again. Please don't let it get any worse.

[gillie]

This was one of the biggest games of the season. We now have a great big fucking problem.
Let's hope Chelsea & Spurs are as shite as us in their next games. If they're not, we may be in big trouble. Let's hope the rags can do us a favour on Tues.

It is looking our way into the top 4 might be down to another team struggling to get points more than us.That is unless we regain some real form and pick up some good results.Wins against WBA,County and Aris are one thing but prem wins against good opposition and awat from home are something else.

The benchmark for really doing well over a period is 2 points per game average and currently we are 6 points behind that with a few very tough games to come.I think another 20 points in the last 10 games may well be needed to get top 4. Will we get them? Chelsea/Liverpool/Everton away and Spurs at home? On current form we won't get close so it's time to stand up and be counted and get some real effort into the team.

I have just watched today's game again and lets face it we were awful. Lacking energy and desire from the start.

To actually see most of the players Bob has wanted to have in the team all start, after he's been planning it for over a year & see Hughes, hardly a master organiser, put out a team of no marks who looked much better organised & actually passed the ball as well or better than we did was nothing short of soul destroying. We used to play like that v Fulham & £100m & 14 months later, we still do.

This coming on the day that Birmingham win a trophy that could have been ours (& now even Bob says that may have been the case if we hadn't rested players), well I didn't think I'd feel this low about City again once we were taken over but they've done it to me again. Please don't let it get any worse.

Ted i said to my lad after 10 mins that i felt uneasy about today as we were very lethargic to say the least but there dosent seem any fight in them.I actually did'nt watch the last 20 mins as i feared the sucker punch we were that bad.We have absolutely no pace in this team and i mean zero we are so pedestrian we should send them out with zimmer frames.

[marvin]

It's all very depressing.

We have had bigger setbacks this season, but the performance was horrible, yet understandable. But the explanation: Fatigue and injury makes me feel worse. The only cure is rest but fixtures come thick and fast.

The only solution is to gamble on a 2nd stringb against villa. The team, playing with this level of intensity will lose against Everton anyway.

It's a depressing evening, because I think Hughes has just signalled the beginning of the end of yet another City manager

[Douglas Higginbottom]

It's all very depressing.

We have had bigger setbacks this season, but the performance was horrible, yet understandable. But the explanation: Fatigue and injury makes me feel worse. The only cure is rest but fixtures come thick and fast.

The only solution is to gamble on a 2nd stringb against villa. The team, playing with this level of intensity will lose against Everton anyway.

It's a depressing evening, because I think Hughes has just signalled the beginning of the end of yet another City manager

It's not a drastic scenario of having to play a second string but maybe add one or tow to the team to freshen it up BUT even more tell the team to go out there with an attacking team philosphy rather than hope that 3 apparent superstars will just conjure it up on their own.

[Blue Since 76]

This was one of the biggest games of the season. We now have a great big fucking problem.
Let's hope Chelsea & Spurs are as shite as us in their next games. If they're not, we may be in big trouble. Let's hope the rags can do us a favour on Tues.

It is looking our way into the top 4 might be down to another team struggling to get points more than us.That is unless we regain some real form and pick up some good results.Wins against WBA,County and Aris are one thing but prem wins against good opposition and awat from home are something else.

The benchmark for really doing well over a period is 2 points per game average and currently we are 6 points behind that with a few very tough games to come.I think another 20 points in the last 10 games may well be needed to get top 4. Will we get them? Chelsea/Liverpool/Everton away and Spurs at home? On current form we won't get close so it's time to stand up and be counted and get some real effort into the team.

I have just watched today's game again and lets face it we were awful. Lacking energy and desire from the start.

To actually see most of the players Bob has wanted to have in the team all start, after he's been planning it for over a year & see Hughes, hardly a master organiser, put out a team of no marks who looked much better organised & actually passed the ball as well or better than we did was nothing short of soul destroying. We used to play like that v Fulham & £100m & 14 months later, we still do.

This coming on the day that Birmingham win a trophy that could have been ours (& now even Bob says that may have been the case if we hadn't rested players), well I didn't think I'd feel this low about City again once we were taken over but they've done it to me again. Please don't let it get any worse.

Ted i said to my lad after 10 mins that i felt uneasy about today as we were very lethargic to say the least but there dosent seem any fight in them.I actually did'nt watch the last 20 mins as i feared the sucker punch we were that bad.We have absolutely no pace in this team and i mean zero we are so pedestrian we should send them out with zimmer frames.

We were lethargic, but no more so than against notts or aris, just that they were much poorer sides.

If this was one game, I'd put it down as a blip and think villa would get the reaction, but we've been pretty poor since xmas, with some brief periods of good football getting us through. Bob now looks like sven - knows there's a problem but no idea how to solve it

[gary james]

Talking of the 5 home games....

I noticed the mention on the OS and in Summerbee's piece about the current run of 5 consecutive home games and that we have to go back to 1903 for a similar run and thought I'd add a few facts that may be of interest.

Assuming the next 2 home games go ahead as scheduled, our run of 5 consecutive home games will be a seasonal record. At no time during previous seasons have we had 5 consecutive competitive home first team fixtures.

Both the OS & Summerbee's piece referred back to 1903 but in 1903 we played 5 consecutive home League games but there was an away FA Cup tie which meant we only played a maximum of 3 consecutive home fixtures.

There have been several instances of playing 4 consecutive home games, but never 5 within one season.

The most consecutive competitive home games we have ever played stands at 6 in 1971 but this stretched over 2 seasons - 3 League & 1 ECWC s/f at the end of 1970-71 and 2 League at the start of 1971-2. So much changed in between the 4th and 5th games (including new wider Maine Road pitch) that it can't compare with this season's 5 home game sequence.

While we're all disappointed with the draw yesterday it's worth noting that the great side of 1971 could only manage 1 win and 1 draw in their 6 home game run (partly due to injuries and 'too many games' in April/May 71)!

[john68]

Cheers Gary...which brings to mind...and...
Picking up on your point of fixture congestion and injuries, our 1968 League winning run in bears studying.

With 11 games left towards the end of march, we never had a complete week's rest between any games, with the Easter weekend being particularly heavy.
Sat...Leeds.......(A)...L...0-2.
Wed..the rags....(A)...W..3-1....(Colin Bell injured during game)
Sat...Leicester...(A)...L...0-1....(Bell out with injury)
Fri...Chelsea.....(H)...W...1-0....(Bell out with injury)
Sat...WHU........(H)...W...3-0....(Bell out with injury
Tue...Chelsea....(A)...L...0-1....(Bell out with injury)
Sat...Wolves.....(A)...D...-0-0.
Thu...Sheff W...(H)...W...1-0.
Mon...Everton....(H)...W...2-0.
Sat...Spurs.......(A)...W...3-1.
Following that fixture overload, we did manage to get a week's recovery beween the Spurs game and the Final game at Newcastle.
We played Good friday, then the very next day and again three days later on the Tuesday.
The loss of Bell was at a crucial time.
It's also worth noting our away record before playin Spurs Pl 5, Won 1, drew 1, and Lost 3.

Not a lot changes in football.

[gary james]

Cheers Gary...which brings to mind...and...
Picking up on your point of fixture congestion and injuries, our 1968 League winning run in bears studying.
....

Following that fixture overload, we did manage to get a week's recovery beween the Spurs game and the Final game at Newcastle.
We played Good friday, then the very next day and again three days later on the Tuesday.
The loss of Bell was at a crucial time.
It's also worth noting our away record before playin Spurs Pl 5, Won 1, drew 1, and Lost 3.

Not a lot changes in football.

Joe Mercer was asked about the fixture congestion in 1968 and he said something along the lines of "footballers prefer to play than train. It gives them focus." He went on to say that Franny Lee didn't like training and that the games meant they were always on top form.

Of course, I'm sure Joe would have preferred a gap, but it does seem that back in the late 60s Lee and others loved playing more than training and, if rumours are true, then Tevez and others probably fit into that same category today. So, ignoring yesterday, it may be that so many games does help us get into our stride. We'll know in a few weeks!

[john68]

I am minded by a similar response by Fred Trueman after criticism of his cricket training regime...Along the lines of..."Running in at top speed to bowl 46 overs a day is enough training to keep anyone fit."


Gary...
Could you possibly PM me with any contact details of that Everton History Society you mentioned mate? I have tried to find them but up to now have failed. Thought it would be useful to look at their approach to it.
Thanks

[Ted Hughes]

I am minded by a similar response by Fred Trueman after criticism of his cricket training regime...Along the lines of..."Running in at top speed to bowl 46 overs a day is enough training to keep anyone fit."


Gary...
Could you possibly PM me with any contact details of that Everton History Society you mentioned mate? I have tried to find them but up to now have failed. Thought it would be useful to look at their approach to it.
Thanks

I remember when someone on 'Test Match Special' asked him if it was true that having a large backside was advantageous to a fast bowler, to which he replied "It takes a big hammer to drive a big nail ". Nowt to do with City but thought I'd mention it.

[john68]

I am minded by a similar response by Fred Trueman after criticism of his cricket training regime...Along the lines of..."Running in at top speed to bowl 46 overs a day is enough training to keep anyone fit."


Gary...
Could you possibly PM me with any contact details of that Everton History Society you mentioned mate? I have tried to find them but up to now have failed. Thought it would be useful to look at their approach to it.
Thanks

I remember when someone on 'Test Match Special' asked him if it was true that having a large backside was advantageous to a fast bowler, to which he replied "It takes a big hammer to drive a big nail ". Nowt to do with City but thought I'd mention it.

I had a 24 stone mate...he used to say the same to women...:-)

[john@staustell]

Well 4 down and one to go. Seems to have defined our season a bit:

League title now pretty much fantasy after Fulham, but always a chance.
Clinical demolition of Aris to go on in the WAFFA
Clinical demolitions of Notts Co and Villa, and avoiding a replay, to take us into the QF of the FA cup, home against Reading.

Cant see anything other than a City win against Wigan tbh, so if the Scum happen to lose at the Dippers, things will look even rosier.

[dazby]

4 wins and a draw. I think most of us expected 5 from 5 but to be fair it's not bad. If anything's been defined it's that we're still alive, still hanging in there.

Now for the new thread with the next lot of games to define our season.