Atmosphere tonight

[tonea2003]

Yesterday was seriously embarrassing. I know some people are probably going to call me a rag or whatever for what I'm about to say next but if your not biased and are actually realistic, then you'll agree with it.

Although I don't like Scholes, he speaks the truth and unfortunately the truth hurts. The atmosphere was shit. Rio is just a mug and the he just wanted to have a dig, but Scholes was just speaking the truth whether you like it or not. I understand some people not liking the Champions League cause of what's happened with FFP or cause we keep getting tough groups, but that reason isn't good enough. Non of this nonsense that the groups are fixed either, yes the seeding could be better but it is what it is, how do you think Roma felt when they were seeded against us and Bayern? But they're managing just fine so far (and that was a really weakened team with the injuries last night).

We just keep coming up with excuses and it's lame cause it's just trying to find reasons for our failure. We have a really good team, I've got my personal opinions on them (such as we should have had a 5 man midfield last night and need players like a Hazard who can dribble and run rather than try to pass the ball into the net everytime like Arsenal) and I'm sure everyone else does too. The owners are doing their best, the manager is good but what about the fans?

We've been through a struggle for so long and now we're at the top but not making the most of it. Look at the atmosphere that other clubs get especially the german clubs, we need to make the stadium an intimidating place, a fortress, a place where the opposition know before a ball has even been kicked that they are in for a hell of a game.

A game isn't won by the fans, but the effect the fans have on the match can't be underestimated.

I also wish Pellegrini would get use used to another formation like a 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 . Yaya just isn't cutting it this season in CM alone with one other midfielder. Stick Milner or lampard or fernando (when he's back), or even Nasri with them and maybe stick Jovetic on the left wing, just something different.

i like this post a lot, well said mate

i would prefer someone other than scholes to have said what he said but he was right

i get the finance and travel issues but there are some who just couldn't be arsed

 

[bennyboy]

Amazes me that c### Scholes said nothing for years and all of a sudden he gets a job on TV giving his opinions on Manchester City.
You could not make this shit up.

 

[TheThirdDeano]

I was there last night and,oddly enough, I was actually surprised we'd got so many people in.

Obviously the few factors that lead me to expect a very low turnout is that the game was a Tuesday evening in October and that it's against Roma who, although they have Totti & De Rossi, aren't exactly a big draw team.

The first is obvious and doesn't really need to be discussed but it hit us more than usual tonight because it tied into a number of the other factors.
The second is the interesting one and is imperative to having high numbers on a European match and the fact of the matter is that outside of England City are not a big draw (Yet), even the day trippers that'll be there to watch City won't make it a high priority to come see us when we face Roma. But that's just a matter of time and will change as we grow as a global presence.

Let's move onto Atmosphere,
A lot of us, me included, absolutely loath the Champions league, whether it's because of how they've treated our team, how corrupt the leader and everyone else with any power in the organisation obviously is or just how some of our team never show up and we never seem to reach our potential year after year. So for a lot of people I guess they're just sick of the entire thing so they either don't attend out of protest/lack of funds or a combination of the two, and those that go won't get fired up because the entire thing is an absolute farce and it's hard to stand tall in such a position.

Then you have pre-match, half-time, and post entertainment all taking a very serious hit because of the rules and procedures you have to adhere to when participating in UEFA's competitions. Take the half-time against Sheffield Wednesday as an example, there was that game of football between the kids and Natalie and that guy doing commentary and entertaining the crowd, although it's only a seemingly small thing it does well to engage kids and adults and get their minds off the current result and in the end goes some way to getting us even that bit more pumped up before the second half. In contrast to this we had to stand there, muttering amongst ourselves with nothing to distract us from the disappointing performance in the first half and it had a chance to set in that we might be on course for yet another European Sucker Punch.
This also ties in to the fact kids that were allowed to attend may get bored very easily and then not want to come again in the future, further dwindling potential numbers.

Then there's the often trotted out factor that is Cost. both me and my dad attended last night at the cost of £50(Not Including Petrol, food or drinks.) Now, first things first, this isn't a bad price when compared to what a lot of the other teams are charging but it is still relatively high. as a few of us agreed for that £50 we could have stayed at home, watched it on the tele, ordered a pizza and bought a few beers in and still had change from that £50, and that goes to mention that the car wouldn't have broken down twice on the way there. Granted this wasn't anything to do with anything but it certainly didn't set us up for having a good night.
Now before people say 'Why didn't you just stay home then?' and the answer to that is simple, there's always something different and very enjoyable about going to the stadium to watch the game but there comes a point where it's just not viable any more and it's good to see multiple "Journalists" and fans pointing out that as a collective we just cannot go on affording to go to every match. But this is a much bigger issue for a different thread than this.

And the worst factor for all us City fans: A very limited amount of beer if any is allowed to be sold at Champions League matches so the majority of fans can't even drink to numb the pain that is only experienced following City. Nor can we have a very drinks to lubricate our vocal chords and get fully into the football mood.

You can argue that this was a huge game for us and people should have been more up for it but again there are many things that stop this being realised.

All in all this adds to a terrible cauldron filled with a mixture of stunted belief and myriad of factors that make an atmosphere hard to come by especially on a night like last night.


Sorry for the very long post I just felt it important to lay down my views on it all.

 

[mancitypj]

I was in my usual seat in 119. There were very few people that I knew and the one's that were in their seats, were taking photos and videos all the time. I was told to sit down at the start of the match to which I told them to go away.... they probably won't go to another City match again anyway, whereas I am always there (home and away). The atmosphere was terrible, it was hard to get anything going but we need to put the away fans on level 3 and not behind the goal where it splits the 2 singing sections up. For me, I would much rather go to a premiership game than a champion's league match and I think some people are getting sick to death of corruption that is in the modern game. Purely my view though.

 

[Tbilisi]

I think our support has changed for ever now.

I think the club are now trying to focus and build up a united / Liverpool type support that will take a few years but will happen with success.Liverpool had sustained success and so did united,why else do they travel from Kent to watch them now?

Unfortunately our traditional support will be priced out.I took 3 kids with me yest(2 over 16) at a cost of £100 for tickets,£10 car park plus chips on way home(the club can fcuk off with a £5 burger)along with fuel.So little change out of £120...£120 FFs.

Wio going on about united obviously cant recall the reds getting 21000 / 23000 on a couple of special nights in the 90s.

 

[Tbilisi]

I was in my usual seat in 119. There were very few people that I knew and the one's that were in their seats, were taking photos and videos all the time. I was told to sit down at the start of the match to which I told them to go away.... they probably won't go to another City match again anyway, whereas I am always there (home and away). The atmosphere was terrible, it was hard to get anything going but we need to put the away fans on level 3 and not behind the goal where it splits the 2 singing sections up. For me, I would much rather go to a premiership game than a champion's league match and I think some people are getting sick to death of corruption that is in the modern game. Purely my view though.

All correct...away fans must go in Upper Third Tier if we can but unfortunately its not a priority for the club

 

[the originalkippaxman]

I was in my usual seat in 119. There were very few people that I knew and the one's that were in their seats, were taking photos and videos all the time. I was told to sit down at the start of the match to which I told them to go away.... they probably won't go to another City match again anyway, whereas I am always there (home and away). The atmosphere was terrible, it was hard to get anything going but we need to put the away fans on level 3 and not behind the goal where it splits the 2 singing sections up. For me, I would much rather go to a premiership game than a champion's league match and I think some people are getting sick to death of corruption that is in the modern game. Purely my view though.

Think we have covered moving the away fans. It is not financial astute to move the fans on too the third tier. The best option is to swap them along to the south stand corner and move the two singing sections together. However I do have to say that the singing corner next to the away fans is a lot more vocal than the south stand and this could be detrimental too atmosphere. I always think there is a good atmosphere when the singing corner but then again if fans cant be arsed turning up it doesn't matter what section you give the away fans.

 

[the originalkippaxman]

I think our support has changed for ever now.

I think the club are now trying to focus and build up a united / Liverpool type support that will take a few years but will happen with success.Liverpool had sustained success and so did united,why else do they travel from Kent to watch them now?

Unfortunately our traditional support will be priced out.I took 3 kids with me yest(2 over 16) at a cost of £100 for tickets,£10 car park plus chips on way home(the club can fcuk off with a £5 burger)along with fuel.So little change out of £120...£120 FFs.

Wio going on about united obviously cant recall the reds getting 21000 / 23000 on a couple of special nights in the 90s.

Fucking bollocks £100 for three champions league games is a bargain. Liverpool are charging £50+ a game. United would not be anybody without that fucking plane crash and they market the fuck out of it every year and now those cunts in Liverpool are doing the fucking same about Hillsborough where they tried to get in with no tickets.

I acknowledge the fact that you took 3 kids with you and admire the money that it would have cost. But not everyone takes kids to the game so where the fuck were they and what was there bollocks excuse.

 

[wythenshaweblue£££]

Maybe starting a petition or something or contacting the person who sorted out the singing section in the east stand surely this is possible.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Having European away fans who sing all night means that the two singing area never sing in unison so the rest of the ground don't join in enough.

The problem is a lot easier to solve than most imagine. Double the number of singers who start songs by pushing them together. There are tens of thousands of "casual" singers who need to take a lead.