*** official Wigan vs city match thread ***

[Cocacolajojo1]

Fair one mate, I just see it as not being so simplistic. When I look at how United have come out of the blocks and then compare them to us, playing wise, I'd normally be thinking we've not got a chance, but not this time.

The only thing I can put our game and their game down to is conditioning. At what peak were they at and where were we at the start of the season? Looking at theirs, and a few of Taggarts comments, I'm getting the feeling that Taggart has pushed his players to the max early in order to move away at the top. Last season, they started with a slower tempo but seemed to up it urgently due to the way we playing and getting results. That led to his team getting numerous injuries and putting them under even more pressure, a pressure that really told come the end of the season.

With us, I thought we had a bit of a hangover from winning the league, and probably true, but now I'm thinking a lot of our players won't peak for a while yet. We've had many players come back from WC duty who have had to adjust themselves back into the swing of things, bringing their levels up laterthan the rest.

Just an opinion mate, and probably too far for anybody to care. It does interest me though.

I deffo agree about that part. The only game I've managed to watch live this season was the first one against southampton. One memory stands out and that was when we had scored our third and retaken the lead (I think). All of the forward players, like Yaya and Nasri and Dzeko, were standing to the left of the circle and arguing about who was supposed to stand at the right side. The referee didn't care to wait for their argument to end and blew his whistle and wouldn't you know it, Southampton chose to move into our half at the right side. It worried me quite a bit as I interpreted as a clear sign of arrogance creeping in after last seasons league win.

I would love it if you were right about us not having peaked yet. We've gone into a slump every february-march under Mancini and it would be great if we could just drive through our opposition for a change.

[Beefymcfc]

What is wrong with using last season's results when making the point that in 2012 we have been poor away from home? I'd have thought it was essential.
Yes Norwich, Newcastle and Wolves were good results and we played some good football, but it only started once the title was fucked and we really had no choice but to play to win, we had nothing left to lose. Even Mancini couldn't be scared and negative any more. It's also worth pointing out those decent efforts were six months ago and very much atypical of our performances this year. The norm has become 'shite'.

OK mate, I'll leave you to wander in the mire. Me, I'm looking forward to weekend.

Enjoy.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

What is wrong with using last season's results when making the point that in 2012 we have been poor away from home? I'd have thought it was essential.
Yes Norwich, Newcastle and Wolves were good results and we played some good football, but it only started once the title was fucked and we really had no choice but to play to win, we had nothing left to lose. Even Mancini couldn't be scared and negative any more. It's also worth pointing out those decent efforts were six months ago and very much atypical of our performances this year. The norm has become 'shite'.

OK mate, I'll leave you to wander in the mire. Me, I'm looking forward to weekend.

Enjoy.

I will.

[Mase]

Check out the extended highlights on the OS and look at Milner and Silva after Mario scores. Pure man love!

[Swales4ever]

Any news on Jimmy Milner injury?
Cant find anything over the web right now but it's bit of concern, wondering of his body language when he was forced to withdraw...
any feedback much appreciated.
thanks

[phips]

Absolutely. Garcia is utter and complete shite in every single aspect of his game. Who the fuck scouted this twat? I groaned when I saw his name in the side, but perhaps after his latest shambles of a display, Mancini might finally realise that he is not good enough. For the Championship.

Wasn't de Jong shite for pretty much a whole season?

I have no recollection of NDJ being shite for a whole season. Garcia isn't fit to lace NDJ's boots. I would be as delighted as I would be totally astonsihed if Garcia turned our OK. Thus far, he's been horrendous.

Whoa...I guess I need to watch Garcia more closely to see how shite he really is.

[bobby brows]

The Karma did get me, I have to work til 8pm tomorrow night! :-(

[City64]

Solid 3 points last night. Isnt it just wonderfull to see world class superstars from all over the world who wear a Man City shirt chase and battle for everything on a bitterly cold winters night in............ WIGAN !

MCFC

[Cocacolajojo1]

Check out the extended highlights on the OS and look at Milner and Silva after Mario scores. Pure man love!

I noticed that as well. There about the same height as well. Match made in heaven.

[Dameerto]

Any news on Jimmy Milner injury?
Cant find anything over the web right now but it's bit of concern, wondering of his body language when he was forced to withdraw...
any feedback much appreciated.
thanks

I was wondering the same thing.

[Mark Garrett]

I went to the game last night and it was a solid win, we struggled to break them down for 60 mins but then the goal obviously changed that and a hugely important three points.

A few points from the discussion on this thread.

- Garcia was very poor and was rightly taken off. For me it is still too early to judge whether he is going to adapt to England as he missed the whole of pre-season, played 3 games then was out injured for 5-6 weeks. Since then he has had few opportunities to get to grips with the games and when he has, he has either been ok at best or very poor. He has to improve. I thought his debut against Stoke was very decent but that appears to have been a false dawn so far.

Mancini tactics v Wigan. 4-2-3-1 for the first 50 odd minutes, then Milner went wide right when he came on. I have to say when he brought Kolarov on for Aguero I was struggling to understand the reasoning. We went to three at the back with Maicon wide right, Milner and Barry centrally. On reflection Mancini did it to give us more width and allow Yaya, Silva to attack more centrally behind Balotelli and it worked with Silva influencing both goals in more central areas. The width allowed us more space in the middle.

Interesting comments from Neville, Quinn, Gray and a few journalists who all praised the tactics and changes of Mancini last night. Neville said that Mancini was taking more calculated risks in matches as he has the power and authority of a title win and that he is doing a very good job. Gray was full of praise for the bravery of Mancini in his formation changes and Quinn thinks that the side has more strings to it's bow with the ability to change to different formations and believes the players are improving at the 3-5-2 / 3-4-1-2, whichever you want to describe it.

On the poor away form stated by Piccs, in 2012 we have played 17 league matches away from home, won 8, drawn 5, lost 4. Hardly earth shatteringly poor. Goals wise I would admit we find it tougher to break through, having only scored 22 times but conversely only conceded 11 in 17 away league games. We have to maintain our toughness to concede but need to find the key to unlock defences away from home more.

Piccs- your comment calling Mancini a 'shithouse', whilst may be your opinion, I find hard to understand. Whether you like him or want him at the helm, the man has won us two trophies and it is his 3rd anniversary in charge next month. The progress we have made under him has been excellent, some of the football we have played and results obtained under him are outstanding and we are currently unbeaten in the league and making a very decent fist of retaining our title. Yes we have to improve in Europe but what's done is done in all probability for this season in Europe and we will learn and improve.
Perhaps just take stock and remember how far we have come under his management and that it is not always going to be a smooth road. Even Ferguson's team don't play well every week throughout the season, in some seasons they have not played well for two thirds of the season yet have won leagues.

Everton this weekend, very tough game against a solid side who are our bogey team. I fully expect them to finish in the top 6 and may get 4th. A very difficult match and one where we'll have to play very well to achieve 3 points.

[Swales4ever]

Great report Mark, thanks for bringing additional sense amongst some ears... ;)
Glad You enjoyed the short trip and please get my utmost compliments and praise - one for all - for the massive support always provided by all the travelling Blues.
Would be interesting if You could expand Your thoughts and feelings on Niall Quinn, who recently got few sticks on the board, being accused to turn out very cold towards City to say the least... I am too far away to understand, but I always loved the guy and his commentary on the last home derby is still a fond and amusing memory to me.

[Mark Garrett]

I've always found Niall Quinn either as a pundit in the studio or a co-commentator to be very complimetary, respectful and bordering on bias towards City. So any percieved negative comments, may be to try and redress the balance slightly to make himself appear more neutral.

He and Neville were both discussing City's form in the studio after the game from the highlights i've seen and they were suggesting this is the type of win you need to win leagues and Wigan have proved too good for a lot of good sides this calendar year-United, Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal, draw at home to Everton too so they were highlighting what a good win it was.

Overall I thought United could have opened up a good few points gap or more on us before Christmas a couple of weeks ago but if we can be level or within a couple of points of them going into the New Year, I will be happy. Obviously a 2 or 3 point lead for us going into 2013 would be very welcome.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

In all comps its won eight, drawn six, lost seven. And that isn't good enough. Even away from home.

[Ted Hughes]

Niall Quinn is just doing his job calling the game as he sees it & at least trying to appear neutral.

Mancini switching to 3 at the back v Wigan is exactly the time to try such tactics; when we are running out of ideas struggling for a goal v a vastly inferior opposition who don't have the tactical ability to exploit our lack of experience with the system. Another option would be if we were so far behind in a game that we had nothing to lose.

Changing it instantly against one of the most experienced tactical clubs in the world, away from home, just because we go a goal down from a set piece (Ajax) or starting with it v the 2nd best team in the world & Mourinho, is fucking ridiculous unless we have absolutely perfected it, & basically handing the initiative to the oppo.

[dazby]

Niall Quinn is just doing his job calling the game as he sees it & at least trying to appear neutral.

Mancini switching to 3 at the back v Wigan is exactly the time to try such tactics; when we are running out of ideas struggling for a goal v a vastly inferior opposition who don't have the tactical ability to exploit our lack of experience with the system. Another option would be if we were so far behind in a game that we had nothing to lose.

Changing it instantly against one of the most experienced tactical clubs in the world, away from home, just because we go a goal down from a set piece (Ajax) or starting with it v the 2nd best team in the world & Mourinho, is fucking ridiculous unless we have absolutely perfected it, & basically handing the initiative to the oppo.

Yes, and I'm glad you picked up on this Ted. Just note that Mancini wasn't game enough to switch to this against Chelsea. I believe that we wasn't prepared to lose against them as a loss would have made the title race a 3 horse battle instead of the two that it currently is.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

What is wrong with using last season's results when making the point that in 2012 we have been poor away from home? I'd have thought it was essential.
Yes Norwich, Newcastle and Wolves were good results and we played some good football, but it only started once the title was fucked and we really had no choice but to play to win, we had nothing left to lose. Even Mancini couldn't be scared and negative any more. It's also worth pointing out those decent efforts were six months ago and very much atypical of our performances this year. The norm has become 'shite'.

OK mate, I'll leave you to wander in the mire. Me, I'm looking forward to weekend.

Enjoy.

I will.

Hi Piccs,

I understand that your concerns for City are based upon a genuine and long standing love of the Club and your disaffection at some of the more recent results and performances have stemmed from the knowledge that, with the players we have, we could be doing so much better than appears at present.

However, this season, so far, has been a curious one for a number of diffuse and differing reasons and these are all against a backcloth of the fantastic, albeit roller coaster, ride we had last season. Some of the football we played in the early part of last season, especially, was unbelievable in its quality and we seemed to score at will so, when we fall short of that hallowed benchmark, it's bound to be a little frustrating for all of us.

I honestly believe that, after Xmas, we'll slowly get back to our best and most exciting form and finish the season in majestic style, which will more than succeed in helping us forget our current concerns. When we re-achieve that form, soon, we'll be untouchable.

Furthermore, to put everything in context, if I was an Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool fan, I'd be almost suicidal at the way that their seasons were disintegrating before their eyes and if I were a Scum supporter (shudder, shudder), I'd be really concerned that Van Pussy's goalscoring was merely papering over the (many) cracks and lying awake at night praying he wouldn't get injured.

On that basis, all I can say is hang on in there a little longer, strap yourself in and get ready for the turbos to go on full boost.