That's a phenomenal run, right there.
The Manchester Title Race
- Thread starter charlenefan
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That's a phenomenal run, right there.
It feels like City play relegation candidates at home every weekend.
The only games I can see them dropping points in the run-in are Newcastle away, Stoke away, Arsenal away and of course United home. We won't win this title without winning at Eastlands.
The only games I can see them dropping points in the run-in are Newcastle away, Stoke away, Arsenal away and of course United home. We won't win this title without winning at Eastlands.
Wow, that's actually a brilliant run of results. Beaten Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool as well as Norwitch away. I knew we were in great form but I didn't expect that.
I guess the difference in the next lot of games is that they are actually easier and that City's fixtures relatively harder (not sure what theirs have been during the time those above matches were held).
Before those fixtures began, I thought we'd be doing well to get 14 points. We got 19! Remarkable.
It's almost pointless to think about.
Both sides will drop points unexpectedly.
Either way, it's going to take a bit of a bottle job on one side's part to not make the derby game huge (massive!).
Both sides will drop points unexpectedly.
Either way, it's going to take a bit of a bottle job on one side's part to not make the derby game huge (massive!).
That doesn't make sense. If they drop 3 or more points in those other three games you just listed we won't need to beat them at Eastlands.
Besides, Swansea away is just as tough a fixture as Stoke or Newcastle. Ditto Norwich.
Come to think of it, Stoke away would be one of their easier games.
Well, I assumed we'll drop some points, too, despite the easier run-in. 08/09-style finishes are quite rare.
Norwich away shouldn't be tough for City: they play some good stuff but they seemed seriously vulnerable at the back when we played there. And City, unfortunately, are quite clinical when it comes to punishing defensive mistakes, we have some bitter experience about that.
Swansea away... yeah, that's tough, we can definitely hope for a draw there. I forgot about that.
Really fecking annoying that Dyer got a red card and won't play. I guess we got our own lucky break with Parker getting sent off against Arsenal but still. Those feckers at City have had ridiculous amounts of luck this season. I don't think they've had a single long-term injury?
That's doing my head in. We lose a player in every single game while City seem to have no injuries at all. Ever. Their one long-term "loss" has been Tévez and I'd argue that's been beneficial for them on the whole.
That's a very encouraging breakdown.
We do it every single season we will drop points in a game, probably a home one where we really should win. Nothing made me sicker than when we drew 1-1 with middlesbrough at OT in 2006/2007 in the run in
Which team doesn't?
We were still in the CL, and I remember Fergie playing a lot of fringe players.
Chelsea at Home just got much tougher for City, IMO. The players no doubt would be eager to prove that it wasn't their fault(as it's been reported by the Media) for the AVB's sacking. All of them will have a point to prove.
Also it's a little bit childish, but our last 5 results are:
WDWWW
Also it's a little bit childish, but our last 5 results are:
WDWWW
feck me, our players have shown up over the last 1.5 months or so.
I literally would never have thought we'd take 19/21 points, considering the fixtures we've had.
I literally would never have thought we'd take 19/21 points, considering the fixtures we've had.
On MOTD on Sat night the pundits made a comment about how Mancini looked tired and stressed and generally dishevelled. Like maybe the pressure was getting to him.
Needless to say SAF looked his normal self on Sunday. Not exactly nonchalant, but I dont imagine he has any problem sleeping because of Man City. (Though I can imagine SAF having existed off about 3 hours a night for the last 20 years, and he probably snatches even that in a number of 30 minute power naps taken at his desk over a 24 hour period.)
After the game Mancini made that comment about how they were only 2 points ahead of us because we would get three points on the Sunday. That was a fairly transparent attempt to heap some pressure on us, a little foray into the world of mind games. Fair play to him. Didnt work tho.
I think he is definitely starting to feel it now. The whole City squad must be. Going into this hard run of fixtures they have now, the pressure on them must be as intense as anything any of them have experienced. Yes, these people have experience from former clubs and at international level. But now they are playing for the richest club in the world and are paid staggering sums of money to deliver the first title in most peoples' living memory. There is a massive expectation on them to deliver a return on that investment. And to cap it all off, the team that would deny them this is us, their most hated rivals. Mancini must be wondering whether he will retain the owners' faith if he fails to deliver.
Even if they dont win it this season they will be all the more experienced for it next season, but football fans - and owners - are not renowned for their patience.
Needless to say SAF looked his normal self on Sunday. Not exactly nonchalant, but I dont imagine he has any problem sleeping because of Man City. (Though I can imagine SAF having existed off about 3 hours a night for the last 20 years, and he probably snatches even that in a number of 30 minute power naps taken at his desk over a 24 hour period.)
After the game Mancini made that comment about how they were only 2 points ahead of us because we would get three points on the Sunday. That was a fairly transparent attempt to heap some pressure on us, a little foray into the world of mind games. Fair play to him. Didnt work tho.
I think he is definitely starting to feel it now. The whole City squad must be. Going into this hard run of fixtures they have now, the pressure on them must be as intense as anything any of them have experienced. Yes, these people have experience from former clubs and at international level. But now they are playing for the richest club in the world and are paid staggering sums of money to deliver the first title in most peoples' living memory. There is a massive expectation on them to deliver a return on that investment. And to cap it all off, the team that would deny them this is us, their most hated rivals. Mancini must be wondering whether he will retain the owners' faith if he fails to deliver.
Even if they dont win it this season they will be all the more experienced for it next season, but football fans - and owners - are not renowned for their patience.
City have got some run in. There's no reason, however, they couldn't have the same set of impressive results as we have.
I think what Heap says is right. Both teams will have an unexpected blip at some point.
I'm over the moon with results if not performances. To take a 19 point haul from a possible 21 in those fixtures is a great return. Stunning to be honest.
3 points at home on Sunday please. Let's see if City have the nerve.
I think what Heap says is right. Both teams will have an unexpected blip at some point.
I'm over the moon with results if not performances. To take a 19 point haul from a possible 21 in those fixtures is a great return. Stunning to be honest.
3 points at home on Sunday please. Let's see if City have the nerve.
Always extra pressure playing second and seems like that's happened a lot to us.
When do City next (hopefully!) have to play catch-up?
When do City next (hopefully!) have to play catch-up?
City are in that honeymoon period Chelsea were in during the period when they first started throwing money around. The difference is that City's mercenaries have ALREADY started acting up, whereas Chelsea managed a couple of titles under Mourinho before the cracks started to appear. Factor in FFP, the stability they would lose if Mancini does indeed crack up, and the sense of hollowness that characterises any club which has gone from middling to big spenders in such a short period of time, and you can almost see their trajectory over the next few years - I think they'll crash even faster than Chelsea have done
It works out that we play 1st 3 times and they play 1st 3 times then the rest are on at the same time I think so it works quite fairly really.
The picture of Neville's "tough games" from the paper is a decent way of looking at it, though you'd back City on form to win most them games. Of course there will be a slip up somewhere you'd imagine but I'd expect from both teams, I agree with what Neville said in that article that the game at Eastlands is potentially a "title winner" for both teams, I think it will be pretty much decided then.
It's inevitable City will win the league sooner rather than later. They've looked very good in fairness this season and have probably pushed us more than most other teams, it says a lot for them when I think this would be one of, if not the, most satisfying title to ever win, maybe just behind 06/07 for me personally.
The potential is there for both these 2 teams to dominate for years, Spurs threatened for a bit but the gap between 1st and 2nd and the rest is ridiculous really and they both look so much better than everyone else.
Actually, if I wasn't such a lazy twat I could have answered my own question by referring to the table above.
We travel to Wolves the day before the bitters take on Chelsea (with a point to prove to a new manager) We owe Wolves a battering and their recent form has been dreadful. Should be the perfect chance to put some real pressure on the gimps in light blue.
We travel to Wolves the day before the bitters take on Chelsea (with a point to prove to a new manager) We owe Wolves a battering and their recent form has been dreadful. Should be the perfect chance to put some real pressure on the gimps in light blue.
There's a chance that Chelsea game could potentially be rearranged cos they are still in the FA Cup and that will fall on the weekend they're due to play City (if they beat Birmingham in replay.) I think it can be moved to the Wednesday after that weekend but if they don't agree to that I think the next free date if the week after we play City which could be a bit of fixture congestion for them.
Chelsea cracked when Abramovich tried to throttle back on the cash he was spending. Theres little reason to think City will pull back on spending, unless the FFP turns out to be stronger than it seems.
I think we SHOULD win from this position and am surprised the bookies don't have us as favourites at the moment. Not that it's bad for us that the added pressure is with City.
There have been run ins in the past when we've relied on a home match against a title rival to make the difference only to come a cropper and I can see that happening with City this year.
There have been run ins in the past when we've relied on a home match against a title rival to make the difference only to come a cropper and I can see that happening with City this year.
Yep, Chelsea play Birmingham tomorrow, if they win that then the City game will be moved cos their game in the next round is on that Sunday at 2pm. I'd imagine it would just be moved to the Wednesday which would probably benefit City as they'd have a bit of a rest before the game but if Chelsea object to that for whatever reason it would be after our game with them I think.
League wise that's an amazing run but lets not forget about the defeats at home to Ajax and in the cup to Liverpool, sometimes though defeats in cup competitions can be a blessing is disguise, almost a case of getting a defeat out of the way. We really should of won away to Chelsea as well given how good we were on the day
Unlike others, I think if we can continue this impressive form, the title could be totally in our hands by the city match. Make no mistakes city will drop more than 4 points till then, its up to us now.We shouldn't drop silly points.
Last time city had really difficult fixtures, instead of gaining some points on them, we lost 1 point because we lost to blackburn at home followed by newcastle away whereas they lost to sunderland followed by a draw at anfied.
So nothing is certain but ideally we should gain more than 4 points on them.
Last time city had really difficult fixtures, instead of gaining some points on them, we lost 1 point because we lost to blackburn at home followed by newcastle away whereas they lost to sunderland followed by a draw at anfied.
So nothing is certain but ideally we should gain more than 4 points on them.
I think we all looked at the last two fixtures for both teams and thought to ourselves that if we're still 2 points behind, we'll have a great chance.
We all knew City would beat both Blackburn and Bolton, whereas we had two tough away fixtures at Norwich and Spurs.
I still stand by what I say, I think we'll win the league. More than ever this season now, I do think we'll win it because the momentum is building with us, and that's very important.
City haven't had this type of pressure before. The real squeaky bum time is starting, and with the fixtures they have, let's hope they start squeaking real soon.
We all knew City would beat both Blackburn and Bolton, whereas we had two tough away fixtures at Norwich and Spurs.
I still stand by what I say, I think we'll win the league. More than ever this season now, I do think we'll win it because the momentum is building with us, and that's very important.
City haven't had this type of pressure before. The real squeaky bum time is starting, and with the fixtures they have, let's hope they start squeaking real soon.
With our recent run of form, I would be very concerned if I was Manchester City. Our away form has been fantastic, barring the Chelsea draw which we should have won we would have been level with City.
I can see us slowly cranking up the pressure and by the time we play them in April we would be clear by 5 points.
I can see us slowly cranking up the pressure and by the time we play them in April we would be clear by 5 points.
I'm very confident.
I just fear we might feck up against teams we really should win against, and i also think that The city game might be more important than some of us think. But I'm still confident we will win the title
seems that almost every year we end with such a scenario. last year it was Arsenal and it ended up Chelsea being the team that got close. I typically do my own predictions and invariably get it all wrong, but we still won out.
we could do with city coming unstuck sooner or later. Time for United to overhaul them at the finishing line.
I think we need a four point cushion going to Eastlands at the end of April given City's home form - however, I doubt City will lose two in the next eight remaining matches.
Would be amazing if we could get 22-24 points in the next eight.
Would be amazing if we could get 22-24 points in the next eight.
Another interesting fact that could possibly point things in our favour;
We've dropped points in 7 games this season;
Stoke (A)
Liverpool (A)
City (H)
Newcastle (H)
Blackburn (H)
Newcastle (A)
Chelsea (A)
Of those 7 games 2 of which City have yet to play (Stoke & Newcastle away) and 2 of which were games they also dropped (more) points in (Liverpool & Chelsea away)
Conversely City have dropped points in 6 games this season
Fulham (A)
Chelsea (A)
Liverpool (A)
West Brom (A)
Sunderland (A)
Everton (A)
Of those 6 fixtures we've yet to play 1 (Sunderland away) and in 3 of the fixtures whilst City drew/lost we won and it's for these reasons I'm hopeful they'll find it tough away to the likes of Stoke, Swansea & Norwich but lets be honest if they do come out of those fixtures unscathed then they deserve to be top
We've dropped points in 7 games this season;
Stoke (A)
Liverpool (A)
City (H)
Newcastle (H)
Blackburn (H)
Newcastle (A)
Chelsea (A)
Of those 7 games 2 of which City have yet to play (Stoke & Newcastle away) and 2 of which were games they also dropped (more) points in (Liverpool & Chelsea away)
Conversely City have dropped points in 6 games this season
Fulham (A)
Chelsea (A)
Liverpool (A)
West Brom (A)
Sunderland (A)
Everton (A)
Of those 6 fixtures we've yet to play 1 (Sunderland away) and in 3 of the fixtures whilst City drew/lost we won and it's for these reasons I'm hopeful they'll find it tough away to the likes of Stoke, Swansea & Norwich but lets be honest if they do come out of those fixtures unscathed then they deserve to be top
We're gonna win the league.
Oh no we´re not.
I have a good feeling.
Oh no you dont....
Sorry, I thought it was panto season again for a minute there.
Sorry, I thought it was panto season again for a minute there.