Etihad Atmosphere - 2021/22

[Blue and true]

As expected, his comments have caused a media frenzy. It was completely unavoidable as soon as the words left his mouth and it qualifies as a monumental f**k up on his part.

I said last night i don't buy into this idea that full capacity attendances and incessant shouting from the stands defines the merits of a fan base, or fan core: try telling an Oldham supporter they're not as passionate as a premier league "history boys" fan because they attend a three quarters empty stadium each week. And I will add, I couldn't care less what rivals think of our support; we don't need praise from the swathes of glory-hunters and tourists to validate our support as "proper".

But our manager shouldn't be adding fuel to the fire. His comments last night were unwarranted. They would have been received a little more favorably had we just played out a dour 1-1 draw or worse yet, lost the game. Yet we smashed in six against a very good European outfit. Forget the sad jibes about flat atmosphere; the mood was good when the final whistle blew because we'd just played more fluid, vibrant football. Bar a few defensive lapses (which given the Ake news earlier are now entirely understandable) we were back to our best.

I don't necessarily think he needs to apologize, but he does need to clarify his words.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

As expected, his comments have caused a media frenzy. It was completely unavoidable as soon as the words left his mouth and it qualifies as a monumental f**k up on his part.

I said last night i don't buy into this idea that full capacity attendances and incessant shouting from the stands defines the merits of a fan base, or fan core: try telling an Oldham supporter they're not as passionate as a premier league "history boys" fan because they attend a three quarters empty stadium each week. And I will add, I couldn't care less what rivals think of our support; we don't need praise from the swathes of glory-hunters and tourists to validate our support as "proper".

But our manager shouldn't be adding fuel to the fire. His comments last night were unwarranted. They would have been received a little more favorably had we just played out a dour 1-1 draw or worse yet, lost the game. Yet we smashed in six against a very good European outfit. Forget the sad jibes about flat atmosphere; the mood was good when the final whistle blew because we'd just played more fluid, vibrant football. Bar a few defensive lapses (which given the Ake news earlier are now entirely understandable) we were back to our best.

I don't necessarily think he needs to apologize, but he does need to clarify his words.

Could be the best thing Pep’s ever done.

He could have said nothing and we could just carry on coasting along as an apathetic fanbase… but now we might actually shape ourselves!

 

[jrb]

Could be the best thing Pep’s ever done.

He could have said nothing and we could just carry on coasting along as an apathetic fanbase… but now we might actually shape ourselves!

He said it before and it hasn't worked.

He should stick to what he does best, coaching players and winning trophies, bar the odd tinkering with the team f*ck up.(cough!)

 

[Octavian]

What the fuck is Pep and anyone else going on about????

 

[christened at st marks]

I was brought up in the old Kippax in the late 1960's, getting on the football specials from Belle Vue, at the age of 13,14 going to games by myself, as a kid you lived and died for it and a few times it was close, it is now a totally different experience, it has become a family thing it is safe to go to most away games displaying your colours, once Maine Rd died, it was never going to be the same, The Etihad is a a very similar place to The Emirates and not Highbury if you know what I mean.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

The man is the best football manager in the world for a reason, he plans everything, every single thing.

He brought the subject into a post match interview, he clearly planned it, for what reason, who knows!

But I do know, he has caused this club to have even more abuse aimed at it from one and all, you would have though we had lost last night in a empty , silent stadium.

Fair comment. Pep always something for a reason. He is very measured. He preceded his request for people to turn up at 3pm Saturday for the Southampton match by saying: "We have scored 16 goals in our last three home matches." I believe he was making a point. A bit like when he said we "couldn't afford" a striker. As a fanbase we are probably oversensitive to criticism but I think a lot of us are just totally sick of the relentless negative narrative about our club in the media.

 

[JGL07]

No disrespect intended to your team.

No it’s my job to slag off Hearts!

 

[JGL07]

As good as we are his style of football isn’t exactly one that inspires a great atmosphere either. Bayern (all German clubs) is different as they go through an orchestrated songbook every game

Yes the German fans must be bouncing at every game as Bayern head for ten titles in a row?

 

[He’stheleftbackremember]

Last night it looked empty when the players came out and it took a while to fill up, but I thought the crowd was good numbers 15 minutes into the game, very few gaps. But as usual loads went home early so by the final whistle it looked empty again. I enjoyed it though!

 

[Brendan110_0]

I a

Yes I know but it's wrong. It has to be. I was there and I've been going for 40 years and I know what a crowd is. I couldn't see EL3 from my seat but I could see the rest of the ground and the only significant empty seats were in the away end and that's 3k, and in the top tier of CB3 which looked 3/4 full. 48k would be my estimate.

I agree 38000 is bollocks.

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What the fuck is Pep and anyone else going on about????

Dunno, the red noses in work were perplexed when they saw my photos too