Can Mark Hughes take us into the Champions League?

[kinkylola]

10 points dropped in the last 5 games is not a great indicator. That being said, dropping lots of points won't necessarily stop you from getting 4th. It makes it harder, and it makes the end of the season run alot more important, but it doesn't make it impossible. It is definitely impossible to win the league now however, incase anyone was still clinging to that.

As much as I do blame hughes for the tactics he has been employing recently, I also spread some blame around to the players, because it cannot be down to tactics how bad our defense has been. The manager sets a team up in a formation to give the team a chacne to win, it has to be down to the players to perform, to some extent anyway. When you have players making errors like we have seen from lescott and barry, it's going to make winning any game hard ... even against a team like burnley. Yes they may be gash, but they are a team of professional athletes, and on their day they can compete. Just like every other team in this league.

What frightens me is that hughes may be too stubborn to adapt enough to get us back on track. But I voted yes, and I did because I have faith in the players, and I think that while yes we have dropped 10 points of a possible 15 now ... we could be losing a whole lot more, like we have done in just about every season I can remember. I also feel like a streak of draws is not as demoralizing as a streak of losses, it's more frustrating, and I think that frustration can be turned into motivation much more easily than the lack of self belief that accompanies losing streaks. When we finally break out of this slump and get back to winning ways, I think we'll be overflowing with confidence again, and having robbie come back into that atmosphere will be a big kick in the ass.

I'm not an optimist, but I do believe in what we can do.

[london blue 2]

I'm interested to see what the general consensus is regarding the managers ability in helping us achieve our goal of finishing in the top 4 this season. Views welcomed as always.

I think the question should be "Can" not will...

Edit: I also think that i got that back to front but i guess you know what i mean....

[Socrates]

In the real world though buddy we needed to get a clear early lead over at least one of the established top 4 to have any realistic hope of holding on over the closing games. Liverpool are supposedly shit yet will probably be ahead of us very soon. The ten points dropped in the last 5 games could prove to be the most expensive in the club's history.

This early lead stuff is because the old top 4 teams normally grind down the early starters due to their squad strengths - the shoe is clearly on the other foot and I have a high degree of confidence that we will finish ahead of Liverpool - others worry me more

Our squad is deep enough if you look at the price tags but in reality several of the big mone buys look bloody awful and what we already had before that simply wasn't collectively good enough (although some individuals clearly are). Sorry but just don't see this depth, not when it relies on the likes of RSC!

Why do you keep having a go at RSC? He was shit against Birmingham, surely you don't judge the calibur of a player on one game. He had another start you know... he scored and he was one of the best players on the pitch. Get off his back until its obvious he's a bad signing, there's two fucktards on this site that you can leave that up to mate....

I remember you had similar things to say about Bellamy... you should liver and learn.

On topic - Yes he can and will.

Sort the defence. Big mistake not keeping Dunne as back up because if we did, Lescott could sit this out and Dunne and Toure could have kept the clean sheet buzz we had going before he was fucked out.

Good point hidden in your post there fella, Bellamy has been our best player this season. But that is a very sad indictment on the rest of the squad as Bellamy is a couple of grades short of world class and most certainly shouldn't be the best player we have! As for RSC, he is clearly badly crocked but he does have a past record to judge him and it isn't very impressive. If he does ever get fit again then the only way I can see him playing well is if we play like Blackburn did under Hughes - basically the same way we set up against Birmingham. Do you really want to see us play like that?

[Original Dub]

No its not a poor reflection on our team that Bellamy has been our best attacker really... it is a credit to him, he has upped his game and at the moment looks world class. The difference is, odds are that he won't sustain this form over the course of two or three seasons and that's what makes you world class.

You hinted again that we could end up playing like Blackburn and we'd need to to see the best of RSC.

We must have watched different games mate, because when RSC had his excellent year for Blackburn, they played some lovely one touch passing... very different to their previous seasons when he was just making them hard to beat.

If you think that RSC depends on long balls and crosses in order to score, then fire away mate, but I saw really good player capable of scoring all kinds of goals when fully fit and whilst I agree that he isn't yet fully fit, I believe he will be an asset to have whereas others and now you it would seem, already have his cards marked... like you did with Bellamy... and no matter how you paint it up, you were wrong about Bellamy and you should be a bit more patient with RSC IMO.

[Socrates]

No its not a poor reflection on our team that Bellamy has been our best attacker really... it is a credit to him, he has upped his game and at the moment looks world class. The difference is, odds are that he won't sustain this form over the course of two or three seasons and that's what makes you world class.

You hinted again that we could end up playing like Blackburn and we'd need to to see the best of RSC.

We must have watched different games mate, because when RSC had his excellent year for Blackburn, they played some lovely one touch passing... very different to their previous seasons when he was just making them hard to beat.

If you think that RSC depends on long balls and crosses in order to score, then fire away mate, but I saw really good player capable of scoring all kinds of goals when fully fit and whilst I agree that he isn't yet fully fit, I believe he will be an asset to have whereas others and now you it would seem, already have his cards marked... like you did with Bellamy... and no matter how you paint it up, you were wrong about Bellamy and you should be a bit more patient with RSC IMO.

I didn't say it was long ball. It was a defensive unit of 8 who worked the ball wide and relied on crosses to RSC for goals.

[Original Dub]

No its not a poor reflection on our team that Bellamy has been our best attacker really... it is a credit to him, he has upped his game and at the moment looks world class. The difference is, odds are that he won't sustain this form over the course of two or three seasons and that's what makes you world class.

You hinted again that we could end up playing like Blackburn and we'd need to to see the best of RSC.

We must have watched different games mate, because when RSC had his excellent year for Blackburn, they played some lovely one touch passing... very different to their previous seasons when he was just making them hard to beat.

If you think that RSC depends on long balls and crosses in order to score, then fire away mate, but I saw really good player capable of scoring all kinds of goals when fully fit and whilst I agree that he isn't yet fully fit, I believe he will be an asset to have whereas others and now you it would seem, already have his cards marked... like you did with Bellamy... and no matter how you paint it up, you were wrong about Bellamy and you should be a bit more patient with RSC IMO.

I didn't say it was long ball. It was a defensive unit of 8 who worked the ball wide and relied on crosses to RSC for goals.

No he didn't rely on crosses. He scored a good few goals from crosses, but loads from other attacking styles.

Fuck this, just give him a chance to get a few games and get fully fit... that's all I'm saying... the RSC bashing is cringe worthy IMO. It took Torres quite a few games to get scoring last season after he was injured and that was only for 6 weeks, this guy's been out for six months! And he's started two and scored one!

[Socrates]

No its not a poor reflection on our team that Bellamy has been our best attacker really... it is a credit to him, he has upped his game and at the moment looks world class. The difference is, odds are that he won't sustain this form over the course of two or three seasons and that's what makes you world class.

You hinted again that we could end up playing like Blackburn and we'd need to to see the best of RSC.

We must have watched different games mate, because when RSC had his excellent year for Blackburn, they played some lovely one touch passing... very different to their previous seasons when he was just making them hard to beat.

If you think that RSC depends on long balls and crosses in order to score, then fire away mate, but I saw really good player capable of scoring all kinds of goals when fully fit and whilst I agree that he isn't yet fully fit, I believe he will be an asset to have whereas others and now you it would seem, already have his cards marked... like you did with Bellamy... and no matter how you paint it up, you were wrong about Bellamy and you should be a bit more patient with RSC IMO.

I didn't say it was long ball. It was a defensive unit of 8 who worked the ball wide and relied on crosses to RSC for goals.

No he didn't rely on crosses. He scored a good few goals from crosses, but loads from other attacking styles.

Fuck this, just give him a chance to get a few games and get fully fit... that's all I'm saying... the RSC bashing is cringe worthy IMO. It took Torres quite a few games to get scoring last season after he was injured and that was only for 6 weeks, this guy's been out for six months! And he's started two and scored one!

Just used RSC an example that our supposed strength in depth is based on artificial price tags rather than reality. Would you really want to rely on him to come in and keep our run of draws going if we got an injury crisis?

[Original Dub]

No its not a poor reflection on our team that Bellamy has been our best attacker really... it is a credit to him, he has upped his game and at the moment looks world class. The difference is, odds are that he won't sustain this form over the course of two or three seasons and that's what makes you world class.

You hinted again that we could end up playing like Blackburn and we'd need to to see the best of RSC.

We must have watched different games mate, because when RSC had his excellent year for Blackburn, they played some lovely one touch passing... very different to their previous seasons when he was just making them hard to beat.

If you think that RSC depends on long balls and crosses in order to score, then fire away mate, but I saw really good player capable of scoring all kinds of goals when fully fit and whilst I agree that he isn't yet fully fit, I believe he will be an asset to have whereas others and now you it would seem, already have his cards marked... like you did with Bellamy... and no matter how you paint it up, you were wrong about Bellamy and you should be a bit more patient with RSC IMO.

I didn't say it was long ball. It was a defensive unit of 8 who worked the ball wide and relied on crosses to RSC for goals.

No he didn't rely on crosses. He scored a good few goals from crosses, but loads from other attacking styles.

Fuck this, just give him a chance to get a few games and get fully fit... that's all I'm saying... the RSC bashing is cringe worthy IMO. It took Torres quite a few games to get scoring last season after he was injured and that was only for 6 weeks, this guy's been out for six months! And he's started two and scored one!

Just used RSC an example that our supposed strength in depth is based on artificial price tags rather than reality. Would you really want to rely on him to come in and keep our run of draws going if we got an injury crisis?

When he gets fully match fit?

Yes, he will be a very good asset when fully fit IMO. The world of football is paying artifical prices at the moment, we just have more money than most and were in greater need of strenghtening to try compete with the best teams in world football... that was the price and just like with bellamy (Hughes said it was more like £10m for him), it could look like money well spent by the time the season is over. I realise it could look like a waste of money too, but lets give it a chance, no?

[Socrates]

No he didn't rely on crosses. He scored a good few goals from crosses, but loads from other attacking styles.

Fuck this, just give him a chance to get a few games and get fully fit... that's all I'm saying... the RSC bashing is cringe worthy IMO. It took Torres quite a few games to get scoring last season after he was injured and that was only for 6 weeks, this guy's been out for six months! And he's started two and scored one!

Just used RSC an example that our supposed strength in depth is based on artificial price tags rather than reality. Would you really want to rely on him to come in and keep our run of draws going if we got an injury crisis?

When he gets fully match fit?

Yes, he will be a very good asset when fully fit IMO. The world of football is paying artifical prices at the moment, we just have more money than most and were in greater need of strenghtening to try compete with the best teams in world football... that was the price and just like with bellamy (Hughes said it was more like £10m for him), it could look like money well spent by the time the season is over. I realise it could look like a waste of money too, but lets give it a chance, no?

erm, I'd rather not thank you. Not when it means Hughes lining us up the same way as in the Birmingham game. Can't wait for us to sign bloody Bentley...

[Original Dub]

No he didn't rely on crosses. He scored a good few goals from crosses, but loads from other attacking styles.

Fuck this, just give him a chance to get a few games and get fully fit... that's all I'm saying... the RSC bashing is cringe worthy IMO. It took Torres quite a few games to get scoring last season after he was injured and that was only for 6 weeks, this guy's been out for six months! And he's started two and scored one!

Just used RSC an example that our supposed strength in depth is based on artificial price tags rather than reality. Would you really want to rely on him to come in and keep our run of draws going if we got an injury crisis?

When he gets fully match fit?

Yes, he will be a very good asset when fully fit IMO. The world of football is paying artifical prices at the moment, we just have more money than most and were in greater need of strenghtening to try compete with the best teams in world football... that was the price and just like with bellamy (Hughes said it was more like £10m for him), it could look like money well spent by the time the season is over. I realise it could look like a waste of money too, but lets give it a chance, no?

erm, I'd rather not thank you. Not when it means Hughes lining us up the same way as in the Birmingham game. Can't wait for us to sign bloody Bentley...

Ah, more 'fears' eh?

Have a coke and a smile and chill the fuck out FFS.

[Socrates]

No he didn't rely on crosses. He scored a good few goals from crosses, but loads from other attacking styles.

Fuck this, just give him a chance to get a few games and get fully fit... that's all I'm saying... the RSC bashing is cringe worthy IMO. It took Torres quite a few games to get scoring last season after he was injured and that was only for 6 weeks, this guy's been out for six months! And he's started two and scored one!

Just used RSC an example that our supposed strength in depth is based on artificial price tags rather than reality. Would you really want to rely on him to come in and keep our run of draws going if we got an injury crisis?

When he gets fully match fit?

Yes, he will be a very good asset when fully fit IMO. The world of football is paying artifical prices at the moment, we just have more money than most and were in greater need of strenghtening to try compete with the best teams in world football... that was the price and just like with bellamy (Hughes said it was more like £10m for him), it could look like money well spent by the time the season is over. I realise it could look like a waste of money too, but lets give it a chance, no?

erm, I'd rather not thank you. Not when it means Hughes lining us up the same way as in the Birmingham game. Can't wait for us to sign bloody Bentley...

Ah, more 'fears' eh?

Have a coke and a smile and chill the fuck out FFS.

You just don't get the urgency of getting into the top 4 this season do you?

[Original Dub]

I do mate, its very urgent. But not as urgent as for the likes of Liverpool. You think we're not going to be able to spend anything soon. It snot that straight forward. I don't want to get into this shit again anyway, because I think we will finish top four.

As for my post above, its because you were going on about bentley and being sarcastic so that you could illustrate your fears.

[saulman]

The question as asked can only be answered yes. Of course it's possible. Not very probable but definitely possible...

I disagree. I think it's very probable.

If we win our game in hand then we're top 4 with a quarter of the season gone. Considering that we have a team that hasn't clicked into gear yet and a manager that can only improve (because he can't get any worse can he?) then surely the only way is up.

Yeah, I'm not pushing the panic button yet. ..... and I think we'll see a massive difference when Robinho comes back.

You will still be hanging onto that for a while.....IF
my auntie had balls, she would be my uncle

We should have been beating the likes of Burnley, Wigan, Fulham and Birmingham, but we couldn't.

You mean your Aunty Dave?

Yeah, yeah, we should have beat Burnley. We never beat Wigan. We never beat Fulham and we should have beat Birmingham. However, we beat Blackburn (away), put the Arse to the sword and banged 3 in at the Swamp. We've been beaten once all season and we're a win from top 4.

Is the glass half full or half empty? I reckon there's a few teething problems and as the season progresses, we'll get better. I'm still very much on the half full camp anyway.

You keep on pushing the panic button if you wish but it's way too early IMO. Especially considering our league position. There will be many twists and turns along the way.

[mcfc1632]

I think Liverpool just might beg for our level of squad limitations

[nigelmcfc]

I am not one for sacking managers but i think there needs to be a chnage in the summer..

City are aiming to be one of the biggest in the world, the owners are recruiting the best available people in the world to make us a force..

We need a world class coach with top european experience and an outstanding track record of achievement to take us to the top level..


The current manager has no real euro experience and has had limited success at his previous posts..


It would not surprise me if the owners were using the current manager as a stop gap until they identify the person they would like to bring...

[Wonderwall]

Can I just say we have won fuckall for 33 years and we are acting like fucking premadonnas, it amazes me. I used to love city fans, but this money lark has me confused. I will never tell you lot if I win the lottery!

[Socrates]

Can I just say we have won fuckall for 33 years and we are acting like fucking premadonnas, it amazes me. I used to love city fans, but this money lark has me confused. I will never tell you lot if I win the lottery!

It would have to be one hell of a rollover to compare with our situation. I for one certainly don't expect us to win anything just yet but we absolutely HAVE to get that Champs League money onto the Trading Account very quickly or the oil trillions will be rendered useless by the UEFA officials that are in the cartel's pocket and the dream we are living will fade pretty damn fast. I just can't bear the thought of that scenario.

[Colin the King]

Can I just say we have won fuckall for 33 years and we are acting like fucking premadonnas, it amazes me. I used to love city fans, but this money lark has me confused. I will never tell you lot if I win the lottery!

Agree with that mate, lately at Eastlands I've been watching and listening to all these knobheads singing 'we are fucking loaded' and 'buy your club and burn it down', who also walk out on the team after 85 minutes and shout at our players when things aren't going well, and wonder where they all came from.

It seems that the 'laugh in the face of adversity' attitude is dying away and being replaced by a load of arrogant twats.

[Wonderwall]

Can I just say we have won fuckall for 33 years and we are acting like fucking premadonnas, it amazes me. I used to love city fans, but this money lark has me confused. I will never tell you lot if I win the lottery!

It would have to be one hell of a rollover to compare with our situation. I for one certainly don't expect us to win anything just yet but we absolutely HAVE to get that Champs League money onto the Trading Account very quickly or the oil trillions will be rendered useless by the UEFA officials that are in the cartel's pocket and the dream we are living will fade pretty damn fast. I just can't bear the thought of that scenario.

you keep harping on about this, but nothing is set in stone AND we have a major plus against the platini mob because we are sponsored by our owner! I am not worried.

[Socrates]

Can I just say we have won fuckall for 33 years and we are acting like fucking premadonnas, it amazes me. I used to love city fans, but this money lark has me confused. I will never tell you lot if I win the lottery!

It would have to be one hell of a rollover to compare with our situation. I for one certainly don't expect us to win anything just yet but we absolutely HAVE to get that Champs League money onto the Trading Account very quickly or the oil trillions will be rendered useless by the UEFA officials that are in the cartel's pocket and the dream we are living will fade pretty damn fast. I just can't bear the thought of that scenario.

you keep harping on about this, but nothing is set in stone AND we have a major plus against the platini mob because we are sponsored by our owner! I am not worried.

If you wait for something to be set in stone before you treat it as a threat then it's too late to act if the worst happens. The proposals first appeared nearly a year ago. By this summer they seemed to have firmed up quite seriously. If you think they won't exclude sponsorship by parties directly connected to owners then I think you will be disappointed. It's an easy loophole to close and the rules of UEFA competition are such that they can pretty much do what they damn well want.