Jeremy Butler - News of the World

[TonyM]

I agree with that (well the 80% of me that hasn't completely lost any faith in Hughes). Last year was a disaster and I blamed Sven. I was glad to see him gone because he wasn't fixing the basic issues in our game, i.e. we had no style of play, at least not any that was effective. This year is as bad if not worse. My kneejerk reaction is to blame the manager but as said surely the more logical conclusion is that most of our players are simply not good enough.

If it was me unless someone is disruptive then I'd not sell anyone, I'd loan out most of the promising kids (as we don't have the luxury of blooding them) and I'd sign as many plyers as humanly possible. If that didn't work then a new manager should be brought in.

 

[city51]

Nothing wrong with that

 

[platts007]

if we are going to be offended what journalist and the media say about us every 5 mins then we will play right into their hands.
i think for once i agree with this article,i disagree with the three players out saying we still have so much quality at our disposal.thats just it we dont !
if we call elano -who was clearly thinking about italy and a move quality then where have people been since jan /feb 2008 when he went off the boil in a big way.

also we must drop the sentimental crap and wake up to the fact that our defence is also shocking and leaking goals for fun .even the avaerage premier teams can score two past us most games and yesterday well we will not mention that.

it seems that outsiders looking in from other teams can see we have so much imbalance in the team and the shakiest defence in ages.lets hope bridges makes a difference at left back.richards has lost form totally and dunne has had his better days for city behind him.i know people will not like my comments but judge hughes if and when he strengthens and in what positions.

 

[Mike D]

What an absoloute wanker, we know it but that is shit journalism to write that.

MANCHESTER CITY’S multi-million spending spree — and the future of Mark Hughes — was thrown into doubt after an FA Cup humiliation by Nottingham Forest.

The richest club in the world became a laughing stock as they were thumped 3-0 by the Championship strugglers.

David Villa’s agent was at Eastlands to discuss a possible £50million move .

But don’t be surprised if he’s already told his client there’s not enough money in the world — let alone in Sheikh Mansour’s coffers — to bring the Spanish hit-man to this pathetic shambles of a club.

Boss Hughes claimed he was entirely comfortable and secure that his position was not under any threat despite the humiliation of losing 3-0 to a side whose combined worth of £5.4m basically amounted to Wayne Bridge’s right leg.

And when the news filtered through to Abu Dhabi, you can rest assured the man who is bank-rolling City’s spending spree will not have shared Sparky’s comfort.

Trillionaires don’t sign up for FA Cup shocks. They don’t shrug their shoulders and simply move on. They demand to know why the club they bought for £230m has been humbled by a potless Forest side who won at a canter.

And they ask themselves whether this particular manager is the man to guide City to greatness.

Hughes fed the Arabs all the ammunition they needed when he admitted afterwards: “I am confident about my future because I know the situation and where we are at.

Performance

“We know where we need to go and we will aim to do that. It will not happen overnight. It will not happen in this window, it will not happen in two or three windows.

“We are bitterly disappointed with the level of performance we have produced today.

“Credit to Forest. I thought they worked extremely hard for each other and deserved to win. They showed more desire and more energy in their play and chased lost causes and forced us into errors.

“They took their chances when they presented themselves — and as a consequence we lost the game.

“We were never really in a position to win the game. Never really got a foothold in the game. Never really dictated for any length of time and as a consequence didn’t deserve to win.”

This is Nottingham Forest Hughes is talking about. A team battling to avoid relegation into League One, not some Premier League titan to whom City succumbed.

Hughes desperately scrabbled for excuses when, frankly, there should have been no need.

No matter that he was without Robinho and Stephen Ireland — or that Shaun Wright-Phillips limped off after just 24 minutes. There was enough talent at City’s disposal to see off a side staring the Championship drop squarely in the face.

Yet Hughes still clung to the fact his squad lacks depth and issued another warning City would spend more of the Sheikh’s millions to bolster his spineless squad.

The Welshman protested: “We were weakened by the loss of Robinho and Ireland and, within 20 minutes, Shaun Wright-Phillips.

“It just shows we have relied too much on those individuals anyway. When they are not available, we struggle to win those games.

“This has shown the strength in depth is not there. If we lose quality players it is difficult to address the quality and maybe we are not in a position to compete on all fronts.

“We are in the UEFA Cup as well and maybe we are unable to compete in that and the FA Cup as well as win important Premier League games.

“I wasn’t happy Forest had more desire. I am trying to be honest but it was something most people can see.

“I have known from day one the frailties. We have to play with the nucleus of maybe eight, nine or 10 players playing to the best of their ability or we struggle to win games.

“We play well when everyone is on the front foot and showing the same desire. But when we are just off the pace we can look a poor side.

Spark

“You need leaders out there. People that drive the game when certain players are missing that spark on the ball.

“We need more in this window. Wayne Bridge has come in but we probably need three, four or maybe five other players to complement the good players we have here.

“The frailties of the team have been there for a long time.

“I have highlighted areas we need to strengthen and that has been highlighted to the owners.

“They know where we are. It is not as if this has happened overnight. We are disappointed with the result and performance.”

‘Disappointed’ is probably a massive understatement. Outraged probably comes a lot closer . . . along with the myriad questions this rotten performance raised.

Despite the obvious pressures, Hughes remains steadfast. Although whether his employers feel the same is open to some debate.

“This has not shaken my faith in my ability,” he claimed. “I know exactly what is needed here.

“The work we do on a day-to-day basis makes players better.

“What they have to do on a Saturday is be brave enough to perform. Maybe today some of them did not do that.”

The Arab owners might argue it’s up to the manager to instil the kind of bravery that no amount of money can buy.

I'm sick and tired of hearing the pathetic excuses that we need to strengthen and its not my fault syndrome. When does become MH he has inherited a top 10 team spent £80mil has world class players at his disposal, most managers would give there right arm for the opportunity he's been given.

Forgive me if I am wrong isn't it the managers job to motivate his team and get the best out of his players whether he likes them or not. Surely playing people out of position alienating people is not perhaps the best tactic in getting the best out of your players and team. Isn't about time we had some real honesty from Hughes instead of this sanctimonious crap, he is the manager he picks the team and sometimes they get it. It takes a bigger man to stand up and say I got it wrong rather than blaming everyone else.

I think what this whole exercise has proven is money doesn't buy you success overnight but at the same time you need the right manager who is able put all this together. Although I do believe in Hughes ability to bring in players (excluding Ben Haim) but his imcompetances so far have proven this job is far to big for him and he's not the right man. What this rag top reporter is saying is largely the truth and its about time that we all stop dilluded ourselves imagining that signing all these superstar players is gonna somehow be the answer to problems. The manager is out of his depth and board needs stop being so niave to think that the more money you throw at this the sooner things will improve.

 

[Bill Walker]

great post Mike D, I agree 100%

Why was the same defence so effective under Sven ?

 

[BlueRockape]

great post Mike D, I agree 100%

Why was the same defence so effective under Sven ?

Becouse Sven was a football manager not a halfwit in charge of one of the most talented City sides ive seen for many a year.
This man is just not up to the task he has no
man management skils
no football skills
no personality and too much money take it off him before he turns us in to a bigger joke than we allready are.
Yesterday we probably blew the chance to have one the best players in the world come to OUR club how many more have and will we lose