Manchester City

[Bredbury Blue]

Err i think the gauge of being a 'massive club' is not what you win but the fan base and history, otherwise you'll be telling us next that Forest and Leicester are bigger than City and Newcastle...it just ain't so.

[Bredbury Blue]

See Dunney's been telling it how it really is - well done City's captain and player of the month.

So tonight are they going to spoil my week again, or, do the unexpected and perform for the first time in months...the joys of being a City fan eh!

[redrus]

Err i think the gauge of being a 'massive club' is not what you win but the fan base and history, otherwise you'll be telling us next that Forest and Leicester are bigger than City and Newcastle...it just ain't so.

:D

Well.................!

redrus

[Bredbury Blue]

Err i think the gauge of being a 'massive club' is not what you win but the fan base and history, otherwise you'll be telling us next that Forest and Leicester are bigger than City and Newcastle...it just ain't so.

:D

Well.................!

redrus

Sorry, your point went right over my head.

Edited March 12, 2007 by Bredbury Blue

[Bredbury Blue]

See Dunney's been telling it how it really is - well done City's captain and player of the month.

So tonight are they going to spoil my week again, or, do the unexpected and perform for the first time in months...the joys of being a City fan eh!

Didn't let us down did they...rubbish as usual, no cutting edge, senseless substitutions. I went to bed at halftime depressed (though i taped the rest). SP should be made to ensure minimum 2 points from the next two games or made to fall on his sword before its too late. Charlton vs Newcastle next up.

[nev]

so who do you city fans want to win on wednesday between you and chelsea,now lets be honest!!

a win too them you are closer to relegation or a win too you and almost safe from relegation(plus almost hand the league to united).

or a draw?

[Bredbury Blue]

so who do you city fans want to win on wednesday between you and chelsea,now lets be honest!!

a win too them you are closer to relegation or a win too you and almost safe from relegation(plus almost hand the league to united).

or a draw?

Are you sure you're not a blue, you think like one.

I would like us to win as we're desperate. But you need to score goals to win games and we don't seem to have that ability. So if we can hold out to a draw we've done well.

You lot won the Premiership weeks and weeks back; think there's even a posting on here somewhere from me conceeding that Utd were going to win it. Without taking too much away from your abilities, you do seem to be having the rub of the green lately, further indication that the Gods are with you.

If there was a footballing equivalent of Alcoholic Anonymous for suffering addicted football fans who'd like to kick the habit, i'd be joining them right now!!!

[nev]

so who do you city fans want to win on wednesday between you and chelsea,now lets be honest!!

a win too them you are closer to relegation or a win too you and almost safe from relegation(plus almost hand the league to united).

or a draw?

Are you sure you're not a blue, you think like one.

I would like us to win as we're desperate. But you need to score goals to win games and we don't seem to have that ability. So if we can hold out to a draw we've done well.

You lot won the Premiership weeks and weeks back; think there's even a posting on here somewhere from me conceeding that Utd were going to win it. Without taking too much away from your abilities, you do seem to be having the rub of the green lately, further indication that the Gods are with you.

If there was a footballing equivalent of Alcoholic Anonymous for suffering addicted football fans who'd like to kick the habit, i'd be joining them right now!!!

mate my heart bleeds for you city fans,wish you luck on wednesday against chelsea,they can be beaten spurs showed that.

yes we have had some luck lately but if other teams dont take there chances we will punish them.

i am glad you are confident we have won the league i am not taking anything for granted.

[bendix]

I feel sympathy for City (and that's rich coming from me, a Leeds fan).

You guys deserve MUCH MUCH better. Sadly, I agree with the fans last night who chanted that the current bunch of players are not fit to wear the shirt.

But you won't go down. You'll scrape one or two more wins and a couple of draws and that will be enough to save your necks and, likely, Pearce's job. Frankly, that won't be a good thing.

[mrbojangles]

Didn't let us down did they...rubbish as usual, no cutting edge, senseless substitutions. I went to bed at halftime depressed (though i taped the rest). SP should be made to ensure minimum 2 points from the next two games or made to fall on his sword before its too late.

Absolute and utter cr4p display. They didn't even look like they wanted to get to the next round.

If there was a footballing equivalent of Alcoholic Anonymous for suffering addicted football fans who'd like to kick the habit, i'd be joining them right now!!!

The way i'm feeling today, i think i would come as well.

"Hello my name is MrBoJangles and is upport Man City. Please get it out of my system"

I feel sympathy for City (and that's rich coming from me, a Leeds fan).

You guys deserve MUCH MUCH better. Sadly, I agree with the fans last night who chanted that the current bunch of players are not fit to wear the shirt.

Cheers for that Bendix and i too agree with what the fans where chanting.

[mrbojangles]

so who do you city fans want to win on wednesday between you and chelsea,now lets be honest!!

I'm beyond caring at the moment nev.

Instead of wasting my time watching them, i'm gonna start watching Dancing on Ice, the X Factor and Emerdale

[bendix]

You don't mean that. You're a City fan. That sentiment sounded like a red . . .

Actually, to pick up on an earlier debate on this thread, City to me are a massive club. Success isn't everything but City are rich in tradition and have a fan base that most so-called big clubs would die for - consistent, loyal, albeit long-suffering.

I will never forget living in Manchester in the late 90s and being amazed at them getting crowds of 30,000 plus in the old third division. That to me is the sign of a massive club. I simply can't imagine a club like Chelsea or - dare I say - United drawing crowds like that week in week out if the opposition was Macclesfield, Northhampton, Gillingham etc etc

I only hope Leeds - should they go down - will do the same. I think they might.

Edited March 12, 2007 by bendix

[mrbojangles]

You don't mean that. You're a City fan. That sentiment sounded like a red . . .

I feel like that after every match at the moment. But then time heals the pain

Actually, to pick up on an earlier debate on this thread, City to me are a massive club. Success isn't everything but City are rich in tradition and have a fan base that most so-called big clubs would die for - consistent, loyal, albeit long-suffering.

Absolutely, i think Redrus just likes to stir things up a bit. I'm sure he actually knows we are MASSIVE

As for Leeds, they have a good loyal fan base also

[bendix]

As for Leeds, they have a good loyal fan base also

And long suffering also.

Don't despair yet City. You are nowhere near reaching the rockbottom that we've proudly made our own. We are so sad these days that we've become a new noun. Clubs teetering on the brink of decline are now referred to as 'doing a Leeds.' We're the yardstick for failure. In boardrooms and dressing rooms up and down the country, those in authority motivate their players by saying 'if we don't buck up, we'll become the new Leeds."

And, conversely, we're used to make other clubs feel good. In program notes, fans are told that things could be worse, you could be a Leeds fan. Count your lucky stars

It makes us very, very proud.

You guys have got a long long way to go. You're just wannabe failures at the moment.

And long may it continue.

Edited March 12, 2007 by bendix

[redrus]

You don't mean that. You're a City fan. That sentiment sounded like a red . . .

I feel like that after every match at the moment. But then time heals the pain

Actually, to pick up on an earlier debate on this thread, City to me are a massive club. Success isn't everything but City are rich in tradition and have a fan base that most so-called big clubs would die for - consistent, loyal, albeit long-suffering.

Absolutely, i think Redrus just likes to stir things up a bit. I'm sure he actually knows we are MASSIVE[

As for Leeds, they have a good loyal fan base also

Who sir, me sir, noooooo sir...........

redrus

[JacknDanny]

You don't mean that. You're a City fan. That sentiment sounded like a red . . .

Actually, to pick up on an earlier debate on this thread, City to me are a massive club. Success isn't everything but City are rich in tradition and have a fan base that most so-called big clubs would die for - consistent, loyal, albeit long-suffering.

I will never forget living in Manchester in the late 90s and being amazed at them getting crowds of 30,000 plus in the old third division. That to me is the sign of a massive club. I simply can't imagine a club like Chelsea or - dare I say - United drawing crowds like that week in week out if the opposition was Macclesfield, Northhampton, Gillingham etc etc

I only hope Leeds - should they go down - will do the same. I think they might.

The fact is that for as long as I can remember we have always been inconsistent........I can live with that.

But I really cannot ever remember being so boring to watch and I am sure the fellow blues will support that fact.

Even when we were relegated we played better football than what we are right now.

Also what worries me is the fact that the players are no longer a unit. Prior to the game there were statements from Dunne and Barton to name 2, that were critical of other players. During the game I saw several times players having a whinge and a moan at each other, particularly when Corradi told Barton tp F#ckk Off.

Thirdly, the crowd last night were magnificent, they were cheering the team on up until a few minutes from the end. They were far more vociferous than the Blackburn fans, yet at the end they saw a team which didnt manage ONE SHOT on goal playing against 10 men for 20 minutes. Just a downright disgrace. If a semi final place cannot spur the team on, then I have no clue what will.

People say City wont go down. If they do not improve, I guarantee they will go down. There is just no passion there. West Ham, Watford and Charlton are all playing with more passion and better results of late.

I think right now our only hope is to play a few of the young kids, in particular Sturidge and Miller.

If I was in England right now, the last place I would be going would be to watch that shambles!!!

[mrbojangles]

You don't mean that. You're a City fan. That sentiment sounded like a red . . .

I feel like that after every match at the moment. But then time heals the pain

Actually, to pick up on an earlier debate on this thread, City to me are a massive club. Success isn't everything but City are rich in tradition and have a fan base that most so-called big clubs would die for - consistent, loyal, albeit long-suffering.

Absolutely, i think Redrus just likes to stir things up a bit. I'm sure he actually knows we are MASSIVE[

As for Leeds, they have a good loyal fan base also

Who sir, me sir, noooooo sir...........

Yes sir, you sir

[Bredbury Blue]

JacknDenny - i very definitely agree with all your comments, think you summed it up pretty well.

Could i add that it's the lack of spirit, the poor football we play (stop Ireland and you've stopped City), but also the poor management decisions during the games. We always start badly but for a change we had a good start, and with the 3-5-2 we we were in charge for 25 minutes or so until Bentley put one speculative cross in which we just about dealt with and a minute or two later another followed which we didn't deal with (granted that they got a bit of look with the deflection of Ireland). They then just sat back and passed the ball around at the back waiting for an opening and we were clueless. Second half i thought he'd start off by abandoning the 3-5-2 and go 4-4-2, dump the pedestrian Hamann (put Sun Jihai there or Micah) with Trabesli coming on, and Mpenza for Corradi, but nothing. Thereafter, particularly after they had the player sent off (their holding man) we failed to profit with our formation or substitutions - it was like school football just throwing forwards on with no thought for formation. Why didn't we in that period play with two wide men and two big men up front? We could have played until right now at 10.25 am Tuesday and we wouldn't have scored. So yeah i blame certain players for not showing the right spirit, but overall i have to blame SP and his assistants for yet again proving that they lack the nouce to react when required! Poor City, very poor!

[Bredbury Blue]

YOU'RE NOT FIT TO WEAR THE SHORTS

Stuart Pearce has two flag poles in his back garden: the Union Jack flies from one and, from the other, a RAF banner does an uncanny reconstruction of the last time Roy Carroll visited the bookies - by fluttering wildly. So it must be particularly galling for Psycho that the only flag his Manchester City side can be relied on to wave with any sort of regularity is as white as Joey Barton's butt-cheeks. It certainly riles City fans, thousands of whom called for Pearce to be put out of the club's misery after yesterday's FA Cup loss at Blackeye Rovers, the latest in an ongoing series of rank results.

But today the punk-loving manager issued a defiant riposte, effectively grabbing a banjaxed guitar, sticking a safety pin through his nose and tunelessly roaring: "Never mind the b0ll0cks, here's my contract ... and I'm staying." If you want to be literal about it, what he actually said, in that De Niro-esque calm but chilling way of his, was: "I will not shrink away from this situation ... there's not a great deal wrong at this football club and it's up to me to turn it around." In fairness, Pearce knows about not great deals. He's jizzed nearly £10m on Georgios Samaras, Bernardo Corradi and Darius Vassell - not great deals any of them; in fact, they're the main reasons City are the second-lowest scorers in the Premiership and freefalling towards the drop zone.

While it's true that Psycho himself has proved that changing manager at this point in the season can save a campaign - (City were knee-deep in dung when he took over from Kevin Keegan in 2005 and stopped them going down the pan) - it's only right to point out that not all Pearce's signings have been ill-conceived. His reserve team boss, for example, is Kenny Jackett, who was recently sacked as manager of Swansea City; and his first-team coach is Steve Wigley, who previously stunk up Southampton. With champs like that on standby, do City fans really want to get shot of Pearce?

From Guardian’s Fiver

Surprised the Guardian hasn't used The Clash's "Should i stay or should i go now" as a headline.

[ThaiPauly]

I do not think you will go down, I think you will escape by the skin of your teeth.

PASSION and COMMITMENT is what you need to see from your players. SP USED to be the most passionate Manager on the touchline when he first arrived. It was like having him on the pitch....but I do not see that same annimation any more..what happened?? Or have I just noot seen enough games?

You HAVE to get something out of your games in hand, but the players need it spelled out to them just what Championship Football would be like..unthinkable..most of the team maybee JB and Ireland being the exceptions would not be wanted by Prem teams so the likes of Corradi and Samras would be stuck down there and they would deserve to be.

If Billy Davis does not manage to get Derby up then he would be the man for you I reckon.

Good Luck

TP

[Bredbury Blue]

ThaiPauly - i also don't think we will go down but at the moment that will be more by Charlton's (or one of the other bottom 3) failure rather than by our achievement, as simply put, the wheels have fallen off - we don't create, we don't score, heads have dropped, everybody senses the panic.

You are spot on about what we need - PASSION, GRIT, FIGHT. If you can't win games you need to scrap - Joe Royle's dogs of war mentality at Everton. There are a handful of players with that trait - Micah, Dunney definitely, Barton and Vassell are the obvious candidates.

I disagree with your assessment of which players would be wanted if we went down, i'd say, for sure, these players WOULD BE WANTED: Isaakson, Micah, Dunne, Distin, Ball, Barton, Ireland, Vassell (those are the 'bankers', there would be others).

City, i reckon, would play safe if they got shot of SP (think he'll go but once we're safe or relegated as there's no immediate candidate to take over to my knowledge) with Jewel or Big Sam, and possibly Billy Davis and Paul Simpson in the mix.

The papers have all got the noose around SP's neck already with him dangling if we don't perform in the next two against Chelski (H) and M'boro (A), but truth is, if we were safe in mid-table we wouldn't expect anything out of those games (we never get anything up on Teesside).

Personally i think we should stop panicking, get together as a club (most important of all – see article that follows) and pick off some results where we'd expect to get them, i.e.

April

7 Charlton (H)

9 Fulham (A)

21 Watford (A)

28 Aston Villa (H)

That should be a minimum 4 points, but 2 wins and 2 draws should be possible giving us 38 points (plus goal difference advantage currently worth a point on Charlton’s if level on points) meaning Charlton would need to pick up a minimum 14 points in 9 games - they've only got 24 points in 29 games however slightly worrying is that they have picked 11 points in their last 9 games.

So yes its going to be close but Sheff U, Wigan, Fulham, Villa are all within 3 points of City so they're all in the mix also.

Could do without this!

[Bredbury Blue]

Very interesting opinion about City but applies to all teams.

MAN CITY INFO VIA THE ALPS "McVittee!" (1307)

DATE 5 March 2007

---------------------------------------------------------------------

OPINION : THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING

I'm hoping MCIVTA subscribers might be interested in the following piece I've

unearthed from a book I give immense credence to. It's written by Gary

Leboff, one of the country's leading sports psychologists, a man who has

worked his magic on numerous Premiership players you've seen improve in leaps

and bounds over the last five years...

'The power of thought in action'

Football supporters exert a massive influence on the games they attend. If

fans want their team to win more often - and they keep telling me that they

do - they will have to learn a new way to support them. Two historic games

drive the point home.

In 2004, England met France in a group match at the European Championships.

This was a true clash of the titans; arguably the strongest teams in the

entire tournament had been drawn to play each other in the very first game.

England took the lead just before half-time. With one minute of normal time

remaining, they were still ahead.

England lost. France equalised in the 90th minute and added a penalty in time

added on. England had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. A nation was

stunned. How on earth had it happened?

I was intrigued. France had hardly ever looked like scoring, yet the match

was turned on its head in an instant. Could this be about more than 22 men

kicking a ball?

I spent several days afterwards talking to people who had been at, or were

watching the game at the game at home. Many of them observed a 'strange thing

happening but weren't too sure how to explain it'. (Always one of my

favourite sentences!)

I started piecing the facts together. The atmosphere in the stadium had

changed once England scored. An initial sense of anxiety among England fans

(France were the tournament favourites) was replaced by growing levels of

confidence that were transmitted to the players on the pitch.

With five minutes to go, tension re-emerged after David Beckham missed a

penalty. All over the ground, the thinking changed from 'We might actually

win' to 'Please, please hang on'. Anyone thinking about 'hanging on' is

focused on what they don't want to happen (eg. losing). That focus was

transmitted to the players. England lost.

Twelve months later, Liverpool played AC Milan in the final of the Champions

League. At half-time, Liverpool were 3-0 down and the game was all but over.

Here is an extract from a report in The Times the next day, filed by a writer

standing on the terraces:

'There was a moment at half-time when everything changed. Someone started to

sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" and we rose as one from our disappointment and

pledged allegiance. It didn't matter that we were three down... and, as the

song finished, we began to chant another: "We're gonna win 4-3".'

The focus of the fans had switched from 'What we don't want' (losing) to

'What we do' (getting back in the game). That attitude was transmitted to the

players on the pitch.

When Liverpool's captain, Steven Gerrard, scored to make it 3-1, the

atmosphere changed again. Now the focus was on opportunity. Liverpool went on

to equalise and win on penalties - arguably the greatest comeback in the

history of the game.

After the match, Steven Gerrard would pay tribute to his side's 'twelfth man'

on the terraces. Quite right, too. While prime responsibility was clearly

down to the players, Gerrard recognised the very real link between what

happened on the terraces and the result. It was greater than he could

possibly have appreciated.

On that night in Istanbul, the collective desire of Liverpool supporters

transformed the performance of their side. England, by contrast, had been

brought down by the fear of their travelling fans.

Pragmatists may scoff (and football is full of them) but supporters play a

fundamental role in determining the fate of their teams. I call it 'The

Golden Triangle'; it links a team, a city (or country) and its fans. If they

are serious about getting what they want, teams and their supporters need to

learn how to win."

So what relevance does this have to City fans? Well, ever since we lost

against West Ham in the FA Cup 12 months ago, negativity has spread through

our support like a disease and I'm afraid to say this excellent publication

has been a major breeding ground for this negativity. It's now the early

hours of Sunday morning and after yesterday's thoroughly demoralising defeat

to Wigan, I refuse to bite my tongue any longer. I have to make my voice

heard. [if you think McV has been negative, you want to see some of the

websites! – Ed]

Over the last few hours, I've received four text messages from different

mates – all of them proclaiming their undying love for City in one amusing

way or another, the authors obviously steaming drunk from drowning their

sorrows all night. At the same time, I've also heard two different groups of

lads in a similar state walking past my flat in Fallowfield singing City

songs with admirable passion. It doesn't seem to matter that I didn't hear a

single song that loud at the match earlier.

My point is this: are we all happy now? Everyone has been predicting all

season that we're destined to end up in a relegation battle, so is everybody

finally satisfied that we're fourth from bottom? Does it feel good to have

been right all along?

It seems to me that many City fans are in their element at the moment. We can

now re-assume the role of long-suffering supporters who nail their colours to

the mast, despite living in the shadows of United. We're never happier than

in moments of serious adversity. United are going to win the league and we're

fighting for our lives to stay in the top flight – just the way we like it.

Saturday was the perfect day. Suddenly it's all about us again. Pretty

selfish, if you ask me.

Has it not occurred to anyone that maybe the players need a bit of support

when they're low on confidence and struggling for form? I know the Wigan

performance was pretty abysmal and the football has hardly been riveting for

most of the season – but how many City fans can honestly look at themselves

in the mirror and say they've been a model supporter this season? Can you

honestly say you've done as well as you possibly could when it comes to being

positive and getting behind the team? Who would you compare yourselves with:

Corradi or Samaras, maybe?

Of course, you'll say we all pay good money and it's the players' duty to

make us excited enough to get up from our seats – but what happens when those

players are low on confidence and struggling for form? Who motivates the

motivator?

At this point, I'm sure you're all screaming back the words 'Stuart Pearce"

at me. But there's only so much he can possibly do before the players cross

the white line, then it's down to those 11 men and the 36,000 critics who sit

back waiting to pounce on the first mistake and give their opinion on

everything that's going wrong. Besides, anyone who tells me that Pearce isn't

up to scratch when it comes to motivating a dressing room at five-to-three

obviously knows nothing about the man and his career.

We all know what the problem is, there's no fluidity through midfield, we

don't get players forward quick enough, there's not enough movement up front

and we don't score enough goals. So what do people want when they burst a

blood vessel to remind us all… a prize? You're not telling me that Pearce

himself doesn't realise where our problems lie, but what can he possibly

achieve by coming out and saying it? What would public remarks of that nature

do to the confidence levels of the players he must rely on between now and

the end of the season?

Why can't we just focus on the positives?

We're through to the last eight of the FA Cup for the second season running.

When was the last time that happened? I'm 31 and it's never happened in my

lifetime. You don't manage that two seasons running unless you've got plenty

of heart and courage in the team. The goalkeeper, back four and central

midfielder (as a unit) are the strongest we've had at the club for many

years. In fact, it seems we're about to set a club record for the number

clean sheets in a top flight season. And I'd also go as far to say that this

is one of the most dangerous City teams I've ever seen on set-plays.

You can look at the situation in one of two ways. You can remain negative and

pessimistic or you can accept our shortcomings (for the time being at least),

start being positive and get behind the team. They say that a pessimist is

never disappointed, but an optimist has a much happier life.

If you read the article at the top once again, I'm sure you can all come up

with equivalent City games that support the points Leboff is making. The

obvious one that springs to my mind is the Stoke match over Christmas when we

were in the second division. Anyone who was there that day knows something

very special happened at the start of that second half and we were all part

of it. I'd give anything for the general attitude to change right now and re-

create that same kind of magic again. You never know, you might just be

surprised at the results.

Mike Holden

[ThaiPauly]

You are correct in your assesment of what the fans mean to the team.

My team's supporters are accorded the "Number 13" shirt on the team sheet..and boy we make noise..at home especially, but also away.

we are a team of nobodys...but tightly knit nobodys..everyone playing for each other.

when we were playing United at home and were 3-0 down after six minutes...still the crowd spurred the team on and we nearly nicked a last minute equaliser.

I was on the phone to my Son when they were about to bring Ronaldo on..and we joked that he was not only worth more than all our players put together...but the stadium as well !!!

But we still gave them a run for their money BECAUSE we have SPIRIT...and you can't buy that for any amount.

Good Luck with your rallying cry to your supporters

[totlanh]

Ive being saying for over 6 months now that SP is a waste of space.I note that Bredbury and jackndenny now agree.A bit like the board a bit too late to realize this now.If they had seen this 6 months ago(the board that is )when it was JUST AS OBVIOUS we would not now be in the unholy mess we find ourselves in!!With reference to the cup,well,WHAT A PILE OF CRAP!!!I agree with Mr Bo after that performance ive almost(not quite!!)lost interest,but i do rue the fateful day 30 years past that i decided to start following City

Edited March 14, 2007 by totlanh

[Bredbury Blue]

Ive being saying for over 6 months now that SP is a waste of space.I note that Bredbury and jackndenny now agree.A bit like the board a bit too late to realize this now.If they had seen this 6 months ago(the board that is )when it was JUST AS OBVIOUS we would not now be in the unholy mess we find ourselves in!!With reference to the cup,well,WHAT A PILE OF CRAP!!!I agree with Mr Bo after that performance ive almost(not quite!!)lost interest,but i do rue the fateful day 30 years past that i decided to start following City

First of all i'd say that hindsight is a wonderful thing. Six months ago however i don't recall any need to get rid of him - we were sailing along in mid-table, a win every 3 games, playing well from time to time.

Secondly i'd say whats to stop a remarkable change in fortune - it happens - but yeah it probably won't.

I don't think SP has the tactical nouce during games and it sounds like he's lost the respect of the players.

I'm sure that if you check back that i said any change should be close season, and i still believe that unless they have some one remarkable in the wings ready now to take over.

I just wish that Pearce and all the players would button it, no more talk to the media and sort it out - SP needs to be really strong now on who he selects if this rumour of infighting is true.

Overall I think we will be alright...just.

I unfortunatly did not have a choice in who i suported - it was bred in to me.

See you tomorrow morning hopefully with a point under our belts. 2.55 am on Star.

Over to you JacknDenny.

PS. I hope we get rid of Barton soon - he's not that good and he's an embarrasment!

[totlanh]

PS. I hope we get rid of Barton soon - he's not that good and he's an embarrasment!

Totally agree and when we had our best spell over Christmas guess who was,nt playing.Mind you its not just Barton i want to go i would also happily pack the bags of:Trablesi,Corradi,Samaras,Hamann,Dabo myself!!TBH I think City will be ok just mind you i think we need to pick up at least a point against Boro on Saturday and it goes with-out saying we need to beat Charlton on Good Friday........

[JacknDanny]

Ive being saying for over 6 months now that SP is a waste of space.I note that Bredbury and jackndenny now agree.A bit like the board a bit too late to realize this now.If they had seen this 6 months ago(the board that is )when it was JUST AS OBVIOUS we would not now be in the unholy mess we find ourselves in!!With reference to the cup,well,WHAT A PILE OF CRAP!!!I agree with Mr Bo after that performance ive almost(not quite!!)lost interest,but i do rue the fateful day 30 years past that i decided to start following City

First of all i'd say that hindsight is a wonderful thing. Six months ago however i don't recall any need to get rid of him - we were sailing along in mid-table, a win every 3 games, playing well from time to time.

Secondly i'd say whats to stop a remarkable change in fortune - it happens - but yeah it probably won't.

I don't think SP has the tactical nouce during games and it sounds like he's lost the respect of the players.

I'm sure that if you check back that i said any change should be close season, and i still believe that unless they have some one remarkable in the wings ready now to take over.

I just wish that Pearce and all the players would button it, no more talk to the media and sort it out - SP needs to be really strong now on who he selects if this rumour of infighting is true.

Overall I think we will be alright...just.

I unfortunatly did not have a choice in who i suported - it was bred in to me.

See you tomorrow morning hopefully with a point under our belts. 2.55 am on Star.

Over to you JacknDenny.

PS. I hope we get rid of Barton soon - he's not that good and he's an embarrasment!

All I can say, is that for as long as I can remember I will NOT be staying up watching the game tonight.

I would suggest that anyone suffering from insomnia might well be advised to watch the game.

0-1 or 0-2

[Seapok]

Unlucky son, it was a close game, I love watching Psycho on the touchline, he can never stay in his area!

Man City 0-1 Chelsea

Chelsea reduced Manchester United's lead at the Premiership summit to six points and piled the pressure on Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce.

Frank Lampard's 28th minute penalty, scored after Micah Richards' foul on Salomon Kalou, leaves City facing a desperate battle against relegation.

Richards also cleared off the line from Lampard and Shaun Wright-Phillips hit the bar for Chelsea in the second half.

City, in contrast, failed to carve out a single serious chance in the match.

Chelsea were able to recall captain John Terry after the head injury he sustained in the Carling Cup final against Arsenal.

And he was up against Emile Mpenza, who was handed his first start up front as City attempted to revamp their strike force in a bid to cure their chronic goal shortage.

But it was a piece of naive defending by highly-rated youngster Richards, a reported transfer window target for Chelsea in January, that set City back on their heels after 28 minutes.

Richards unwisely threw himself into a challenge on Kalou, leaving referee Alan Wiley with no option but to point to the spot.

Lampard coolly sent Andreas Isaksson, preferred to Nicky Weaver in goal, the wrong way with his penalty.

City, for all their endeavour, posed little threat, and they were reduced to a shot from 18 yards by Joey Barton that flew well wide.

Chelsea suffered a scare after the break when Terry started limping heavily after a challenge, and even though he carried on with what appeared to be an ankle injury, he still looked uncomfortable.

Richards made some amends for his earlier mistake after 56 minutes, clearing off the line after Lampard had lifted the ball over Isaksson towards the empty net.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho sent on City old boy Wright-Phillips for the subdued Arjen Robben with 13 minutes left, and he almost doubled Chelsea's lead within seconds of his arrival, hitting the bar with a rising 20-yard drive.

City's lack of invention was almost embarrassing, but Barton threatened an unlikely equaliser after 80 minutes - however, he shot wastefully wide.

Chelsea had hardly been peppering City's goal either, but Didier Drogba brought a block from Isaksson as time ran out.

And Isaksson then saved from Michael Ballack in injury time as Chelsea claimed the three points.

[JacknDanny]

City, in contrast, failed to carve out a single serious chance in the match.

And the chances of City scoring against Boro on Saturday are..................................

Slim and none..................... and Mr Slim has just left town

[bendix]

Am I wrong, or was the Chelsea loss Citeh's SIXTEENTH competitive game that they've failed to score iin this season?