The picture taken in the dressing room last night was just amazing. It was one of the best team photos I have ever seen. Young men who are having the time of their lives and genuinely buzzing about this success.
Mercenaries? I don’t see any - I just see decent lads. No one in our team who offends me.
Wholeheartedly agree! That was the picture that you only usually see at Wembley with a silver trophy on the front row...not a 2-1 win against Soton at home!!!
No, this team knows that they are capable of something special. Records are falling every week, even the most cynic of pundits is praising them and they are approaching the Christmas season 8 pts clear of United (with the chance of making that 11 this weekend, with their game against Arsenal and 14 by nightfall on Dec 10th. Behind them, the next chasers are 11 and 12 pts behind. In short, TODAY we are 13 pts from NOT qualifiying for the CL next year and would have to lose 5 more games than the other Top 5 teams to not be in Europe next season....IF THEY ALL MATCH US FOR EVERY OTHER GAME FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON!!!
Sure, we want to WIN the PL, not just get into Europe, but it astounding that with two wins in our next two games, we would be at least 11 pts clear of our nearest rivals before Christmas! I think THAT is what is exciting this team and bringing it so close together...Pep is letting them understand not only what they are doing week in and week out, but what they are capable of doing. In fact, every 90 minutes is a new “US vs THEM” competition, where THEM is everyone in football trying to say they are mercenaries, are flattering to deceive, and are incapable of winning every week. Those players are fighting to the last moment to prove they ARE the best, they ARE the arrest working, and they ARE capable of beating anyone...no matter what it takes.
I remember when Pep came to City there was a talk about whether players were good enough or had the belief needed to give up themselves to Pep and trust in him. Last season there were doubters in the pundit booth, doubters in the press and more than a few doubters even on this very Forum. I think what Pep has done in the first 1/3 of this season is prove all those doubters wrong and done his homework during the off-season to not only understand what is needed to win games against different types of opposition in different weather conditions and under different circumstances, but also WHO he needed to help make that happen. This year, he has taken a massive step towards fulfilling the first part...belief in his ability to adapt to the English game...but I think he is one, possibly two transfer windows from having the U25 personnel he needs to finish the First Team project.
We are living through a ridiculously exciting time to be a City fan. For those of us who have lived through the days of turmoil since the 60’s, long may these new days continue.