The Fighting back spirit

[Dubaimancityfan]

We don't have it. Simple as that.
We either score first and then hang on to win either by the one goal or more or if we fall behind or the other team draws, we can never fight back and win.
We've seen it so many times and the best example was the Community Shield match and today's. It's happened so many times against Fulham, it's not even funny anymore. They did the same in our last match against them which was at home. Balo scored in the 1st half and then Duff scored 2 minutes into the 2nd half and with all of the 2nd half in front of us we could not find the winner. And this after we had demolished them in the away match !
No matter who is on the field, this "giving up" mentality prevails and we have no leaders to rally the team.
The last good fight back that I can remember was in Hughes' first season away at Blackburn (if memory serves) when scored 2 goals late on to salvage a draw after Blackburn were 2-0 up with Robinho scoring in injury time. That's a very long time ago.
One might say we did it against Napoli but I think we got lucky there with Alex's goal and we should have gone on to win that one but again fell short.

[Chinners]

So when we do come back from a goal down we are lucky like against Napoli and when we score first then we hang on to win like against Swansea, Bolton, Spurs and Wigan ... hmmm

[guv111]

I can't remember us fighting back against anyone for years. Other teams do it against us all the time, though, and every week people are still saying on here how they can't relax till we are three or four goals up. Same here.

[trueblue64]

So when we do come back from a goal down we are lucky like against Napoli and when we score first then we hang on to win like against Swansea, Bolton, Spurs and Wigan ... hmmm

Agree, the only thing I have noticed is we are guilty of trying to walk the ball in the net other than that things are ok.

[DoomMerchant]

So when we do come back from a goal down we are lucky like against Napoli and when we score first then we hang on to win like against Swansea, Bolton, Spurs and Wigan ... hmmm

Agree, the only thing I have noticed is we are guilty of trying to walk the ball in the net other than that things are ok.

i think we're just actually "too" confident at times since creating chances comes so early and often. Then when it dries up or we're under pressure we get a bit panicky. Guilty of "Arsenalish" behavior at times, i'd agree. No, i mean the old Arsenal, under Wenger.

cheers

[david yearsley]

TBF we were clearly the only side going for the win last 10. Just had the wrong personnel at the end to take advantage

[Blue Blood]

Fucking hell... Someone give me some rope.

Second in the league, playing the best football in years and after two draws, one against a fine napoli side, we are apparently a side in disarray.

Oh the horror, oh the horror! Give me a break!

[DoomMerchant]

Fucking hell... Someone give me some rope.

Second in the league, playing the best football in years and after two draws, one against a fine napoli side, we are apparently a side in disarray.

Oh the horror, oh the horror! Give me a break!

Napoli v Milan on now for some balance...a cracking match. Both goals from either side featured amazing crosses from Lavezzi for Naples and i dunno fuclin who from Milan. Aqualani's header for Milan was a cracker as well. 1-1. And loads of fun.

If it ends 1-1 i expect the Rossoneri to commit mass suicide. Only reasonable action from them i think.

cheers

[Blue Blood]

Fucking hell... Someone give me some rope.

Second in the league, playing the best football in years and after two draws, one against a fine napoli side, we are apparently a side in disarray.

Oh the horror, oh the horror! Give me a break!

Napoli v Milan on now for some balance...a cracking match. Both goals from either side featured amazing crosses from Lavezzi for Naples and i dunno fuclin who from Milan. Aqualani's header for Milan was a cracker as well. 1-1. And loads of fun.

If it ends 1-1 i expect the Rossoneri to commit mass suicide. Only reasonable action from them i think.

cheers

Haha. Not wrong.

What has changed this season to make some people believe that the "top" teams are now unbeatable and all "lesser" teams are cakewalks.

Nothing is a given in football, as long as the clock is running it's all to play for, regardless of the score, regardless of club stature.

That's why we watch isn't it...???

[PeterParker]

Fucking hell... Someone give me some rope.

Second in the league, playing the best football in years and after two draws, one against a fine napoli side, we are apparently a side in disarray.

Oh the horror, oh the horror! Give me a break!

for Naples and i dunno fuclin who from Milan. Aqualani's header for Milan was a cracker as well. 1-1. And loads of fun.

cheers

Cassano.

I am watching the game two and if Napoli will open with us, the way they opened so far we will have almost no problems in Italy. I am almost certain that our counter will be devastating for them.

[DoomMerchant]

Fucking hell... Someone give me some rope.

Second in the league, playing the best football in years and after two draws, one against a fine napoli side, we are apparently a side in disarray.

Oh the horror, oh the horror! Give me a break!

for Naples and i dunno fuclin who from Milan. Aqualani's header for Milan was a cracker as well. 1-1. And loads of fun.

cheers

Cassano.

I am watching the game two and if Napoli will open with us, the way they opened so far we will have almost no problems in Italy. I am almost certain that our counter will be devastating for them.

"our" counter? did you see the break that Cavani just finished off with an amazing strike? jesus fucl. 2-1 Naples now...their counterattacking abilities dwarf ours by miles and miles. Without the ball we have issues.

I wonder how Tevez would fare instead of YYT in the midfield while Nigel and James are out. I'd be interested to see that.

[Dubaimancityfan]

Fucking hell... Someone give me some rope.

Second in the league, playing the best football in years and after two draws, one against a fine napoli side, we are apparently a side in disarray.

Oh the horror, oh the horror! Give me a break!

No one is giving up and no one said the side is in disarray (although you can have a good argument about our defence today) but I think we are entitled to be a bit disappointed at the result of today and not only in how it ended but in the manner that it happened.
You can say we've been spoiled by the results we've had not only for the start of this season but also those at the end of the last one including the FA Cup win.
What I am hoping for is that soon we will find that fighting spirit, that belief that we can beat any side no matter what. I guess the squad needs more time for that.
The worst effect of today's result is that we have lost our perceived invincibilty. Other teams will not be so afraid of us after they saw the fight back by Fulham. That can cost us a lot.

[Blue Blood]

Fucking hell... Someone give me some rope.

Second in the league, playing the best football in years and after two draws, one against a fine napoli side, we are apparently a side in disarray.

Oh the horror, oh the horror! Give me a break!

No one is giving up and no one said the side is in disarray (although you can have a good argument about our defence today) but I think we are entitled to be a bit disappointed at the result of today and not only in how it ended but in the manner that it happened.
You can say we've been spoiled by the results we've had not only for the start of this season but also those at the end of the last one including the FA Cup win.
What I am hoping for is that soon we will find that fighting spirit, that belief that we can beat any side no matter what. I guess the squad needs more time for that.
The worst effect of today's result is that we have lost our perceived invincibilty. Other teams will not be so afraid of us after they saw the fight back by Fulham. That can cost us a lot.

Don't be daft. We have teams shit scared.

Our error is we aren't ruthless enough, we had them beat and we took our foot off the pedal.

It was a fuck up and cost us two points but you live and learn, this team has the spirit, in fact it has all the tools to go all the way but today was a lesson in humility, treat every team like playing a united or face comebacks like that.

You can't think you have it sown up even when you are winning. 100% of your efforts 100% of the game, not 60% of it. Eeezz Vital.

[PeterParker]

Fucking hell... Someone give me some rope.

Second in the league, playing the best football in years and after two draws, one against a fine napoli side, we are apparently a side in disarray.

Oh the horror, oh the horror! Give me a break!

for Naples and i dunno fuclin who from Milan. Aqualani's header for Milan was a cracker as well. 1-1. And loads of fun.

cheers

Cassano.

I am watching the game two and if Napoli will open with us, the way they opened so far we will have almost no problems in Italy. I am almost certain that our counter will be devastating for them.

"our" counter? did you see the break that Cavani just finished off with an amazing strike? jesus fucl. 2-1 Naples now...their counterattacking abilities dwarf ours by miles and miles. Without the ball we have issues.

I wonder how Tevez would fare instead of YYT in the midfield while Nigel and James are out. I'd be interested to see that.

Haven't watched the second goal, but Napoli looked in the first 20 minutes more open that usual. At home they don't defend the way they did last week, when they played with us. Saw them last year, when they played in Bucharest with Steaua, they opened and Steaua had 3-0 in the first 35 minutes, then they defended and Napoli drew in the last minute.

Imo, if we will be above them in the table when we play in Italy, they will open more that usual and we can hit them there.

[Kladze]

3-1 now - Cavani hat trick. He is fucking lethal.

[Blue Blood]

3-1 now - Cavani hat trick. He is fucking lethal.

Milan are a joke.

Tin pot club, never win anything, rolled over by a team they should beat.

Blah blah, pass the gun.

[Chinners]

Sorry BB, mines got no bullets left after the Napoli game.

[Blue Blood]

Sorry BB, mines got no bullets left after the Napoli game.

Fair do's.

I'll have to make do with the rusty spoon.

This may take awhile.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

The OP makes a valid point and everyone else seems to be avoiding that, making out it doesn't exist.

Whenever another team takes the lead vs us or pegs us back we usually crumble.
Look at today, or Everton away last season, or Liverpool or Chelsea away or many others.

Where was the player today popping up with a last minute bullet header? Just look at how many late goals Chelsea, United and heck even Arsenal have got over the years.

[Dubaimancityfan]

The OP makes a valid point and everyone else seems to be avoiding that, making out it doesn't exist.

Whenever another team takes the lead vs us or pegs us back we usually crumble.
Look at today, or Everton away last season, or Liverpool or Chelsea away or many others.

Where was the player today popping up with a last minute bullet header? Just look at how many late goals Chelsea, United and heck even Arsenal have got over the years.

Thanks for backing my point. The teams you mentioned win so many matches or draw level in the last 10,5 minutes or even in injury time and that's something that we lack and has to be worked on. Its a mental thing and I think the manager has a big role to play in fixing it.
Someone mentioned that we were the team attacking in the last 10 mins against Fulham. Correct, but the way we attacked was rushed and panicky without any good build-up and taking long range shots that had no chance in hell of being successful like the 2 taken by Zabba (that has to be banned by the manager !).