8 points ahead of where we were last season.

[Trust in Pep]

I truly believe we are the only ones capable of catching Chelsea.

 

[nmc]

Its not the same players though. Its Sane and SterlingBravo/Willy Kolarov at Center back, John Stones, Nolito, Gundogan and Jesus. All adding to the talent pool and increasing competition across the board.

Ffs we spent 120 odd million on incoming alone. Pep has done well no doubt. But he had considerably more talent at his disposal.

Thats true but players like Silva were being written off as finished last year but Pep is getting far more out of the present squad.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Chalk and cheese this season and last. We havent been perfect this season and some of the signings haven't worked but Christ last season we were dross for most of the 2nd half of it and very lucky to finish top 4 in the end.

At least I have hope again now and can see where we are heading. I had none under Pellegrini.

 

[blueparrot]

Just seen this, surprised me and had to check.
"From conceding a fourth goal deep into injury time away to Everton in January and being roundly written from all quarters, City have now kept five successive clean sheets away from home - that's 450 minutes, or seven and a half hours without shipping a single goal on the road."

 

[TBooksbluearmy]

That's correct blueparrot they mentioned that during the commentary just after the game yesterday, that that was the 5 successive clean sheet in a row in away games. We just need to keep up the defensive part of the game, especially against both Chelsea and Arsenal, which come up after the international break.

 

[Silva2021]

there are games we should of had more than one point this season, efc, boro , ect

True, but all teams have them. It is rare that one of the other teams will come and have the better of the play. Indeed a lot is determined in the tactics before a ball is kicked for them to contain and hit on the break. So if given enough of the ball and we do not do enough with it that's on us for me.

 

[BlueMedic]

Though so far we're doing better away than at home in terms of points per game.

Next three away are Arsenal Chelsea & Southampton though. Think home is our best bet to be getting the points in the bag.

 

[BlueMedic]

Make or break, hopefully we can go in to those games with some distance between us and 4th. If we can go in to them looking to win as opposed to looking over our shoulder and thinking a point is a result then that could make the difference.

Agree. Had to win at Sunderland & have to beat Stoke. We've been doing well of late & a win against Stoke will put us in a good position heading into them games, rather than them being matches where we absolutely must get results.

 

[dadnlad]

are we still in crisis ?

will pep,s tactics ever work in the premier league ?

Pep gone before easter ?

there talkshite some topics for you to cover

 

[abellwillring]

It's that Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea trio of games next to each other which I think will trip us up

I think they might prevent us from winning the title, but they probably won't hurt too much in the end. If you look at the 7 scheduled league fixtures after Chelsea, you've got to think we have a great chance to win all 7 (with United being added somewhere in there as well). I think even if we say got 1-2 points out of the 9 in Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, we'd still have a very good chance to finish with nearly 80 points which should be good for 3rd at worst.

 

[BlueAnorak]

It's irrelevant really in that you're only as good as your last game.
We need to get as close to winning the league as we can to lay down a marker and to win the league we really have to win virtually every game and start putting a few more teams to the sword.
For us ro get level on points, Chelsea can feck up 3 times (a draw and 2 defeats) + additional point losses equivalent to those points we drop - so it's highly unlikely.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Its not the same players though. Its Sane and SterlingBravo/Willy Kolarov at Center back, John Stones, Nolito, Gundogan and Jesus. All adding to the talent pool and increasing competition across the board.

Ffs we spent 120 odd million on incoming alone. Pep has done well no doubt. But he had considerably more talent at his disposal.

I thought the same when I posted but Aguero, Kolarov, Sterling, Yaya, Ferny, KDB, etc etc have all improved under Pep. The team went backwards last few years in terms of playing together as a unit. We bought more players yes.

Not only that Pep has been buying that talent.... Under Pellers we bought Mangala, Bony and players like that who dont have the burning desire to win, passengers, and I think Agero is guilty of that too but Pep is turning him into maybe the worlds best

 

[Marvin]

It's irrelevant really in that you're only as good as your last game.
We need to get as close to winning the league as we can to lay down a marker and to win the league we really have to win virtually every game and start putting a few more teams to the sword.
For us ro get level on points, Chelsea can feck up 3 times (a draw and 2 defeats) + additional point losses equivalent to those points we drop - so it's highly unlikely.

It is unlikely for one big reason: Champions league. Chelsea not in it, and we are. Let's see what they do tonight

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

It's irrelevant really in that you're only as good as your last game.
We need to get as close to winning the league as we can to lay down a marker and to win the league we really have to win virtually every game and start putting a few more teams to the sword.
For us ro get level on points, Chelsea can feck up 3 times (a draw and 2 defeats) + additional point losses equivalent to those points we drop - so it's highly unlikely.

If one of those defeats is to us, it will be a bigger blow.

 

[Nelinho]

8 points better off after 26 games. Could be 12 by the end of the season. we'll see. Significant improvement although the point made elsewhere that we were under-performing last season is fair.

I think it was noteworthy that our gap to Chelsea reflects a particularly strong Chelsea team (helped by not being in the Champions League) and that in previous seasons, this team would be good enough to win the league. We keep being told that City can't win anything with our defence but the facts suggest that depending on the relative strength of our rivals, we could win the league with this team. Can't take that argument too far though or Sunderland could say the same.

Chelsea's absence from the CL league explains their 8 point lead. We have Stoke in midweek and we're likely to have to rest players, whereas every league game Chelsea play is their prime objective.

Absolutely, that is a massive advantage (and the reason Klop will be seriously questioned if he fails to get his team in the top 4, Liverpool already out of both Cups by the way). But it's not only that, my friend. The way Chelsea have been treated by refs this season is scandalous. Last week it was Swansea's turn to taste the goods, did anybody make an issue out of it? A fucking disgrace, still nobody seems to bother. For reasons beyond my understanding, Chelsea seem convenient for everybody winning the league, don't they? Even in this forum, people obviously hate a couple of teams more (to be accurate, much much more), and the London team simply gets away with it...

By the way, when we're discussing the City - Chelsea fixture, it's not just the particular 3 points of that match. It's not that simple. Particular defeats have serious consequences. I posted a piece earlier this season with 3 examples from different leagues / competitions, discussing the negative influence of a particular defeat to a club's campaign. If I remember correctly, I was highlighting the matches Monaco - PsG (3-1), Real Madrid - Sporting (2-1), MU - Man City (1-2). Paris losing at Monaco in the beginning of the season spread doubts about their true strength making it clear they weren't invincible -Monaco are still 3 points ahead as we speak, PSG are in 2nd place with Nice (let me repeat that: PSG, with all the money they've spent, even in January, share the same amount of points with L. Favre's Nice, as we speak...)! The way Sporting lost in the Bernabeu fucked their season for good, still haven't recovered. As for our win in the OT, we all know how it has influenced Mourinio and United, it took them months to recover (it still hurts Mourinio, he talked again about the Bravo - Rooney incident 2 days ago)...

What I'm trying to say is that the Chelsea match almost killed us. It's impossible to even conceive the Leicester fiasco by ignoring the psychology of the team after the way City lost at the Etihad. Not to mention, Guardiola had to cope without 2 key players of his for a while (who also needed time to recover their form again when they did actually came back, etc etc etc). By the way, how many have realised that City beat Arsenal at home, for example, coming from behind, playing with Fernando in midfield, without a striker throughout 90'? It's a miracle we have survived, the way we have, constantly improving, fighting on all fronts, but I don't expect Pep and his players getting any credit for that, do you? At the same time, one can only imagine what that win meant for Chelsea's morale. So, it's not just 3 fucking points (minus for us, plus for them), it's significantly more. Yet I don't expect "experts" such as Burley, Nikol and the rest of the media whores to get it, it's too complicated a concept for them...

 

[Marvin]

Absolutely, that is a massive advantage (and the reason Klop will be seriously questioned if he fails to get his team in the top 4, Liverpool already out of both Cups by the way). But it's not only that, my friend. The way Chelsea have been treated by refs this season is scandalous. Last week it was Swansea's turn to taste the goods, did anybody make an issue out of it? A fucking disgrace, still nobody seems to bother. For reasons beyond my understanding, Chelsea seem convenient for everybody winning the league, don't they? Even in this forum, people obviously hate a couple of teams more (to be accurate, much much more), and the London team simply gets away with it...

By the way, when we're discussing the City - Chelsea fixture, it's not just the particular 3 points of that match. It's not that simple. Particular defeats have serious consequences. I posted a piece earlier this season with 3 examples from different leagues / competitions, discussing the negative influence of a particular defeat to a club's campaign. If I remember correctly, I was highlighting the matches Monaco - PsG (3-1), Real Madrid - Sporting (2-1), MU - Man City (1-2). Paris losing at Monaco in the beginning of the season spread doubts about their true strength making it clear they weren't invicible -Monaco are still 3 points ahead as we speak, PSG are in 2nd place with Nice (let me repeat that: PSG, with all the money they've spent, even in January, share the same amount of points with L. Favre's Nice, as we speak...)! The way Sporting lost in the Bernabeu fucked their season for good, still haven't recovered. As for our win in the OT, we all know how it has influenced Mourinio and United, it took them months to recover (it still hurts Mourinio, he talked again about the Bravo - Rooney incident 2 days ago)...

What I'm trying to say is that the Chelsea match almost killed us. It's impossible to even conceive the Leicester fiasco by ignoring the psychology of the team after the way City lost at the Etihad. Not to mention, Guardiola had to cope without 2 key players of his for a while (who also needed time to recover their form again when they did actually came back, etc etc etc). By the way, how many have realised that City beat Arsenal at home, for example, coming from behind, playing with Fernando in midfield, without a striker throughout 90'? It's a miracle we have survived, the way we have, constantly improving, fighting on all fronts, but I don't expect Pep and his players getting any credit for that, do you? At the same time, one can only imagine what that win meant for Chelsea's morale. So, it's not just 3 fucking points (minus for us, plus for them), it's significantly more. Yet I don't expect "experts" such as Burley, Nikol and the rest of the media whores to get it, it's too complicated a concept for them...

That Chelsea defeat felt utterly devastating. As you say we have done remarkably well to recover from that game, and its consequences in terms of morale and suspensions. We are now the form team in the Premier league with 4 wins on the bounce. Guardiola has done a good job in managing a difficult period, and even though we were getting some bad results, the players stayed behind the manager which was a very good sign. I really like the way that players who are out of favour eg Toure or Aguero, for a while, come back stronger. That shows a good spirit at the club

 

[Dax777]

I thought the same when I posted but Aguero, Kolarov, Sterling, Yaya, Ferny, KDB, etc etc have all improved under Pep. The team went backwards last few years in terms of playing together as a unit. We bought more players yes.

Not only that Pep has been buying that talent.... Under Pellers we bought Mangala, Bony and players like that who dont have the burning desire to win, passengers, and I think Agero is guilty of that too but Pep is turning him into maybe the worlds best

Im going to have to disagree here. Aguero, Debryune and Dihno haven't been better. Yaya and Sterling have been better.

Kolarov has been better at CB, same at LB. Kudos to Pep for switching him. His key improvements have been Silva, Sterling and Yaya.

As for buying the talent, Pellars bought 4 players and won the league the first season he came in. Then got hampered by FFP. Pep without FFP shackles, bought the guys he wanted and so far seems like he might not win the league.

1st year to 1st year, I think Pellegrini's record holds up pretty favorably.

 

[RayCTID]

Although It might not be enough to win the league this season, and losing to them lot while being the holders isn't ideal but exiting the EFL cup has helped with the points total improvement at this stage of the season.

 

[vmsuhail]

It's that Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea trio of games next to each other which I think will trip us up

The 3 games that will decide whether we can go for the title or challenge for 4th. It's good in a way that we can set our priorities accordingly during the run in.

 

[Nelinho]

That Chelsea defeat felt utterly devastating. As you say we have done remarkably well to recover from that game, and its consequences in terms of morale and suspensions. We are now the form team in the Premier league with 4 wins on the bounce. Guardiola has done a good job in managing a difficult period, and even though we were getting some bad results, the players stayed behind the manager which was a very good sign. I really like the way that players who are out of favour eg Toure or Aguero, for a while, come back stronger. That shows a good spirit at the club

Completely agree, the unity and work ethic of the team is fantastic. The "togetherness", as I poster wrote in here, which was highlighted by Guardiola himself after the recent Cup match. I really like the sound of that phrase of yours, provides a very interesting perspective. If I'm being honest, I will say that I think players do have doubts regarding the overall ballance of our strategy on the pitch. Our defensive behaviour is not the best, and leaving aside refs' policy for a moment, only people who have played football can understand the frustration of dropping points in matches such as vs Everton, Boro, Spurs etc. You simply cannot accept those results, it bloody hurts. Or losing the match vs Chelsea on the break, when even a 3-0 scoreline would seem flattering for Conte's team, we were clearly better. But I also think players have realised 2 things:
1. The manager did not have the necessary time to fix everything in his 1st year at the club. There's a very interesting article on ESPN on that subject, the amount of time available to coaches managing clubs with European duties, with a lot of international players etc. It's based on an Anceloti interview -and notice that the guy works in a 18 team league, for Guardiola it's worse: 20 teams, 2 Cups! It may sound odd, but as far as I am concerned, pretty much everything is determined during preseason, in the process the team simply gets more and more familiar with concepts, ideas, patterns of play etc introduced in the summer. It's all down to the decisions you make at that period -and, of course, the quality of the training methodology to implement them. You make the wrong decisions then and / or you lack the necessary knowledge to make them reality, you're fucked for good, period. Check City's schedule and you'll understand what I mean, the training time available as the season progresses is extremely limited. And yes, I do believe that Guardiola put the emphasis on our attacking game, changing our style -which is understandable.
2. Our defensive weaknesses are seriously associated with personnel limitations to a degree. I'm not going to discuss names in this post, I respect all of our players as human beings, I really do. But I do believe this: Certain players in the squad already know they won't continue as City's players next season. I believe they know they lack what is needed to continue under Guardiola, even nothing has been said. They just know it -and simply accept reality...

Having said all that, I will repeat it again and again, players do enjoy the team's style of play, it gets the best out of them (how many players have shown significant improvement individually since last season?), I really believe they enjoy playing football under Guardiola. So, in the process they have accepted his strategy despite the high risk involved, it's worth it...

Finally, there's no doubt the manager has earned their respect with his personality and character. Players may not be intelectuals, still they do have eyes and ears, you know, and will appreciate honesty and decency in the process. They know how that scum managing United has behaved towards his players, for example. People have been victimised there, haven't they? I mean I thought I knew Mourinio, but I still cannot believe the way he treated Shaw, for example. It was shocking, it still is to me. The guy was publicly humiliated for failing to close down Amrabat. Let me repeat that: Shaw became the scapegoat in United's defeat vs Watford. Why? Because he did not advance 10y denying space to Amrabat, in the play leading to Watford's 2nd goal. That's it. Shaw took the whole blame. Publicly. Not to mention LVG's legacy, of course, the source of all negativity surrounding the club. I have never ever experienced anything like that, and I will never forget it. How low can a man be?

On the other hand, Guardiola has consistently been honest and decent. Never has he complained about a player of his, on the contrary he overprotects them in the media. Recently he has even said that perhaps he's not good enough for them. The guy loves his players, he loves working with them, as simple as that. One could perhaps argue that he respects them too much maybe, even behind the scenes, even in private. Not me, I completely understand him. Personally I feel the same, they are all good lads. Everybody. I mean I honestly cannot find one cynical bastard in that squad, just one. On the contrary, I think we are way too innocent, even naive at times, compared to Chelsea, for example. But it's OK with me. I want City to continue walking in that path, make a difference. I could never support a "dirty" team with an immoral / unethical approach of the game. Never have...

So the bottom line is that I do believe there is truth in that phrase of yours. Just that it wasn't as simple as it perhaps seems. Guardiola has earned it.