They weren't desperate at all at Stoke. It was Stoke who were playing for the win if anything.
The Manchester Title Race
- Thread starter charlenefan
- Start date
Am I alone in thinking that AFTER this coming weekend (and thus leaving aside the specific results of our games with Blackburn and QPR, as well as their's against Arsenal) that we actually have the harder fixtures all things considered?
Sunderland and Newcastle away are about equal in terms of difficulty, as are Wigan and Wolves away. But, for example, Swansea at home will be trickier than QPR at Eastlands (they could well be relegated by then), and Aston Villa at home is tougher than West Brom at home. Then an argument can be had about if Everton in their current form at Old Trafford is trickier than Norwich away in City's poor away form, but even so if they have come through Chelsea, Stoke away and Arsenal away then I'm not at all sure their run in will be any tougher than others after next weekend, certainly added to the home advantage of the derby.
Sunderland and Newcastle away are about equal in terms of difficulty, as are Wigan and Wolves away. But, for example, Swansea at home will be trickier than QPR at Eastlands (they could well be relegated by then), and Aston Villa at home is tougher than West Brom at home. Then an argument can be had about if Everton in their current form at Old Trafford is trickier than Norwich away in City's poor away form, but even so if they have come through Chelsea, Stoke away and Arsenal away then I'm not at all sure their run in will be any tougher than others after next weekend, certainly added to the home advantage of the derby.
Nah they still have the tougher fixtures or it is just about even. Newcastle away is most definitely tougher then Sunderland. They have Norwich away as well which is tougher than any other away we have bar Sunderland. We both have QPR at home. If Everton make the final then I can see our home against them being easy.
i'll buy you one .... if you succeed in my personal request/challenge to you!
No bribing.
Search is in motion
Reminds me a little of Chelsea in 2007. They won a load of games in the run-in without looking all that impressive, including an utterly infuriating last minute winner against Watford. Then we started to stumble, it looked like they might overhaul us, but in reality they weren't being relentless, they were just scraping by and it caught up with them.
As for the Sunderland match, I didn't watch it, but they equalised with eight minutes left (including injury time) and yet on Match of the Day the highlights ended right after the equaliser. Pretty shit if they didn't create a single chance with so much on the line. I think they're not up for it at all, and if we can take advantage and win the next two then they'll barely turn up at Arsenal, get beat 2-0, and it'll all be over.
Quite frankly im not interested in what Manchester City.
We have to go out and win tonight, if that it is a 1-0 win then so be it. Right now we must focus all our efforts on Manchester United. I am not averse to being confident,however we need to be professional in our approach to the game.
We have to go out and win tonight, if that it is a 1-0 win then so be it. Right now we must focus all our efforts on Manchester United. I am not averse to being confident,however we need to be professional in our approach to the game.
One of our biggest and toughest games of the season tonight
Yes, our fixture list is probably slightly tougher or equal at least after the weekend but we could well find ourselves 5 or even 7 or 8 points ahead then if we can do our job in which case who we play next won't really matter all that much. Win at Blackburn and beat QPR at home and City will feel out of it.
Yes. This must be our attitude.
No point in talking of their games. Its our games, easy or tough, that matter.
Mancini has said that 'if United win their next two games then the title is over' curious comments to say the least. It really is a desperate mind game as if we do win those games, what on earth will be going through the City players minds when they play Le Arse?
Our record at Ewood Park is not as bad as it looks - 1-1, 0-0, 2-0, 1-1, 1-0 with our last loss in February 2006 - however, the woeful match at Old Trafford on January 31st is still fresh, but I feel our form and momentum, as well as City's slip-up on Saturday, will carry our players tonight.
Mancini is certainly not playing 'the game' of saying all the right things bush blah blah. He's beginning to sound like AVB when he wanted out.
Looking for a 4-0 win tonight
Looking for a 4-0 win tonight
Mancini is of course right. We will slip-up at some point, it's inevitable.
But the later in the season it happens, the better.
I hope we beat Blackburn tonight, massive stepping stone towards the title if we do.
But the later in the season it happens, the better.
I hope we beat Blackburn tonight, massive stepping stone towards the title if we do.
I think Mancini's right - even if it's an odd thing for him to say publicly. If we win our next two it's hard to see them coming back, though a win at Arsenal would keep it interesting.
We must win tonight. I'm shitting it.
We must win tonight. I'm shitting it.
Really? Say we win our next two games and then City beat Le Arse, that is 5 points, then City can take 3 off us at Eastlands meaning that if we lose one of our remaining two games and they win both theirs then they take the title. It is hard to see them coming back but you can't throw in the towel like that so soon.
It is a very odd thing to say IMO, I think it is his attempt at some reverse psychology.
They have us, Norwich and Newcastle away. I don't think we have anything as difficult.
Yeah as I said if they beat Arsenal it's different. But if they're going into the Emirates game 8 points behind I think they will find it very hard to come out with 3 points.
It might be but his attempts at reverse psychology so far haven't been working very well. A few games back he said his players looked tired and they've been feeling tired ever since.
Anyway, what City do is irrelevant if we look after our own results now. There'll be a lot of Reds in Blackburn tonight, it's going to be a difficult game and anything could happen!
One game at a time...
When was the last time City did win a game without making it needlessly difficult for themselves?
I think they've been dead in the water for a while. Our biggest danger is ourselves I reckon. Can't remember the last time I've seen a United side look as nervous as they did last week, and there's still a fair few games where the opposition wont just roll over ala Wolves...in fact, this applies to pretty much any game that isn't against Wolves.
I think they've been dead in the water for a while. Our biggest danger is ourselves I reckon. Can't remember the last time I've seen a United side look as nervous as they did last week, and there's still a fair few games where the opposition wont just roll over ala Wolves...in fact, this applies to pretty much any game that isn't against Wolves.
My point is, they will find it even harder if their manager says that their challenge is futile by that point anyway.
True, Chin.
Yep, very odd thing to say. If they beat Arsenal, the title wont be over at all. Given their ability, am shocked he'd say we have the title in the bad if we win our next 2.
Mancini's far too open emotionally I think.
He tries to play the cool card but after games he just comes out and says things without thinking about the impact they might have on him or his team.
I still think he could have avoided a lot of hassle by keeping the Tevez thing in house, for example. As soon as he came out and declared open warfare, that's what he got...and he's ended up losing.
If it was Fergie you'd simply have not seen Tevez again, possibly without even finding out why until after he'd been shipped off.
He tries to play the cool card but after games he just comes out and says things without thinking about the impact they might have on him or his team.
I still think he could have avoided a lot of hassle by keeping the Tevez thing in house, for example. As soon as he came out and declared open warfare, that's what he got...and he's ended up losing.
If it was Fergie you'd simply have not seen Tevez again, possibly without even finding out why until after he'd been shipped off.
I like Mancini. He just seems like a decent bloke.
Or possibly literally no-one ever seeing him again
Or possibly literally no-one ever seeing him again
Quick update on this list of fixtures:
City:
Swansea 1 - 0 City
City 2 - 1 Chelsea
Stoke 1 - 1 City
City 3 - 3 Sunderland
FORM: LWDD
For: 6 Against: 6
Points: 5/12
United:
Tottenham - 1 - 3 United
United 2 - 0 WBA
United 5 - 0 Wolves
United 1 - 0 Fulham
FORM: WWWW
For: 11 Against: 1
Points 12/12
To Play:
City
7 Games.
3 Against the Top 5.
4 Against Bottom Half of the Table.
3 Home 4 Away.
United
8 Games
1 Against Top 5.
4 Against Bottom Half of the Table.
4 Home 4 Away
How soul destroying would it be for City fans if we got a guard of honour or won the Premiership at their home?
PS: Don't fret about the Sunderland game. We'll have O'Shea and Brown back playing for United.
PS: Don't fret about the Sunderland game. We'll have O'Shea and Brown back playing for United.
Typically Italian
Yep, still like Mancini. At some point he's going to be sacked and City will probably employ someone like Mourinho who is more of a cnut. Or maybe Vierra will get promoted.
Do you believe they'd do it for us? I'm really not sure.
You'd have to think that Tevez will be in the squad to play us.... it'd be hilarious to say the least.
Our record against Blackburn isn't great at their gaff, and I'm sure they'll really go for us as they need the points, but what an incentive for our guys !
He annoyed me when he had a go at Rooney for getting Kompany sent off, and then proceeded to spend the next three or four games shamelessly patrolling the touchline, trying to influence referees into sending opponents off. This was around the same time he started complaining about injuries and lack of resources, because he was missing about 2 players. I've lost my sympathy since then.
He strikes me as being weak. He comes out, he says something that makes him sound weak, and then he leaves. As a player, it's not what you need when the pressure's piling up and you're begining to doubt yourself or lose your nerve.
I'm sure he's a likable bloke, but that means diddly squat really. It wont stop people scrutinising him if even after spending more money than any other manager in history, he still finishes second behind a walking injury list.
He kind of needs to lose to Fergie to learn from him though, but it's whether City will be patient enough to give him the chance.
Yeah - he's come up with some right random shit, just for the sake of making up an excuse or having a moan. To be complaining about not having the players or having injuries when your main rival has a lot more players out, and have for the whole season is rediculous.
I think him bringing Tevez back and calling out his other strikers and trying to big Tevez up will come back to bite him. Tevez will score some goals, some important ones at that. But to sell your soul to get him back when you have exceptional forwards already in the team is just plain stupid and bad management.
It's a good job the players are just there for the money, as I think I'd want out if a mercenary was brought back like that. I hope it kick starts the bigger personalities to kick up some real fuss in the future. If they don't win the league I think there will be big problems at City at the end of the season.
I'm working myself into a nervous frenzy, we'll still be favourites if we don't win, but giving them any hope whatsoever would be awful. It's astonishing that this, of all the recent title races, might be the one we wrap up with little stress. Even when we effectively had a ten point lead over Liverpool, and were 1-0 up at home, we still managed to let them take us to the wire. To think that we might be almost there by the middle of April, and against a side which looked destined for a record points total...it's just absurd. We have to win tonight, we just have to.
Unbeaten in five, winning two and drawing three games. Last loss in February 2006, think it's not too bad, misterredmist.
If we win tonight and then QPR on Sunday we will be 8 clear when they play Arsenal.
Simply put they need to win or I think we will win it.
Simply put they need to win or I think we will win it.
I'd be more worried if it wasn't of such importance, as complacency tends to be our worst enemy in these kind of fixtures. That certainly won't be the case tonight.
Not too bad but not great, and pretty much every game's been hard fought. 2 wins in our last 11 against them, scoring 1 goal or less in 8 of those. 1-1 at 10/1 looks as good a bet as any.
Tonight will be a tough game and Blackburn will be up for it. We will need to be on top of our game to take anything.
If we go 8 clear before City play again then I think that'll be an incentive for them to beat Arsenal. The pressure will be off them to an extent and may well encourage them to just go for it.
Long way to go yet though.
If we go 8 clear before City play again then I think that'll be an incentive for them to beat Arsenal. The pressure will be off them to an extent and may well encourage them to just go for it.
Long way to go yet though.
Id take a 1-0 win in injury time tonight deflecting off someones backside and barely trickling over the line after being dominated for 90 minutes.
Results are all important at this stage. Performances are not, which is why the Fulham game didnt overly concern me.
One way or another we need to force home our advantage tonight.
Results are all important at this stage. Performances are not, which is why the Fulham game didnt overly concern me.
One way or another we need to force home our advantage tonight.