Good call - I would say however that Mancini is putting pressure on HIMSELF by nailing his colours firmly to the mast over his priorities - now he´s done that he MUST deliver - there´s no out ball here friends!Chick Counterfly said:It's the League Cup, what matters this season is finishing top 4.
Top 4 is a minimum.
If that's the only goal, then I'm not sure Mancini's sums add up.
It only makes sense to me for us to prioritise the chelsea game if there is a real emphasis on finishing as close to the very top as possible.
I think that's the case. It's been hinted at several times. Staying within reach is a powerful motivator. Aim for that and take top four as a consolation if it doesn't happen.
The closer we finish to the very top, the more realistic it seems for us to start next season trying to win the damned thing.
Finish within 8 points and it would probably seem do-able, we'd have a settled side next time around, no false starts, and we'd be able to add to the squad. Finish 16 points off, and it maybe it all seems a bit far fetched.
So tomorrow really is a 6 pointer, even if we aren't really thinking about beating them to the league.
Right now Chelsea seem light years ahead, but they've had an absurdly easy start to the campaign, Blackpool, Wigan, West Ham, West Brom.... utter no hopers, and Stoke at home isn't much harder. It gets harder for them from here on.
Ancelotti has said we are their first real test. If we beat them, we cast real doubt in their mind, and give hope to every other team who faces them from now on. Crucial factors, if we are hoping to stay 'within reach'.
Beyond that, when (not if) we do challenge for the title, every Chelsea vs City game becomes crucial, so the psychological edge is worth fighting for, now.
Good call - I would say however that Mancini is putting pressure on HIMSELF by nailing his colours firmly to the mast over his priorities - now he´s done that he MUST deliver - there´s no out ball here friends!YourBirdCanSing said:HardyBarlow said:There are a set of supporters who have remembered for 35 years when we last won the league cup.
To treat the league cup like this is simply unfounded arrogance.
To be honest, I think the pressure's getting to Mancini.
At the beginning of the season he seemed pretty comfortable with all kinds of questions. But in the last few days, he's seemed very bothered by the number of games, the relentless press questions, and the fact that he's got so many players unavailable.
I think it all got to him a bit yesterday, and he went over the top with his selection. It almost seemed like he was trying to prove a point about how difficult his job is.
He's said from the beginning of the summer that we want to compete for everything, but the team he put out last night showed he believes that's not actually possible.
But the problem with throwing away the Carling Cup, as others have said, is that it's actually counter-productive, because just ends up heaping MORE pressure on us in the difficult and un-winnable competitions. (The league, Europa League etc..) The Carling Cup was a chance to help us find our feet as a winning side, and a trip to Wembley buys us (and him) some breathing space.
It reminds me a bit of O'Neill throwing away the Europa League 2 seasons ago for the same reason - and look what happened to Villa's league form after that ...
In the meantime, over the road, Ferguson hasn't got the squad to compete in ONE competition, never mind four. But he shuffles his tired old pack, and puts out patchwork teams that do just enough every time, and more importantly, shrugs off the pressure every time.
Mancini better steel himself for the realities of English football, and quickly. Because if Ferguson sees Mancini's feeling the pressure, and starts exploiting it like he did to Benitez, it'll be a slippery slope for him.
HUGE gamble to take at this stage. Didn't come off. Over to you Roberto ...
burlington bertie said:WE WILL WIN NOTHING WITH MANCINI. BORING BORING FOOTBALL. ONE UP FRONT IN NEARLY EVERY GAME, NO WIDTH, THE LIKES OF JOE, BELLMY OR JOE LAST NIGHT, I KNOW WHO I WOULD HAVE HAD, LAST SEASONS SEMI UTD ON THE ROPES, TAKES TEVEZ OFF. ITALIAN FOOTBALL SHOVE IT. HE WILL BE GONE BY JANUARY, -
Jordie said:burlington bertie said:WE WILL WIN NOTHING WITH MANCINI. BORING BORING FOOTBALL. ONE UP FRONT IN NEARLY EVERY GAME, NO WIDTH, THE LIKES OF JOE, BELLMY OR JOE LAST NIGHT, I KNOW WHO I WOULD HAVE HAD, LAST SEASONS SEMI UTD ON THE ROPES, TAKES TEVEZ OFF. ITALIAN FOOTBALL SHOVE IT. HE WILL BE GONE BY JANUARY, -
Rag
HardyBarlow - You are spot on......evn now we have City fans on talk sport with their arrogant attitude that we 'don't need' the Carling Cup......these deluded fans somehow think we have such a nailed on chance of winning the Europa league and pre that the CC doesn't matter..........for me it does........for most fans it does...........it mattered when denis Tueart scored that overhead kick in 76......I'd challenge any of these new glory hunters to look denis in the eye and say 'well denis, great goal but we are Man City, we are rich and the CC in fact means fuck all'..... Utter disgrace...........Mancini let us down last night, mis judged the mood of the fans..........and I would go as far to say that he disrespected each and every one of us...............Last night I think I made my feelings know about this and today on reflection I am even more livid.........HardyBarlow said:Saturday is more important????
Why the fuck is Saturday more important? The very real prospect of losing to Chelsea will not impact our seasons targets. A loss to Chelsea now will only serve to make Mancinci look a cock. Just like a win will not alter our sesaon that much either....it's not the results against the top sides that matter, if you beat everyone else (Sunderland and Balckburn, Roberto) you will be in the hunt.
Losing to WBA finishes our involvement in a cup competition we could have won. Mancini, do you not want to win trophies? If not, fuck off.
jamiegrimble said:"I don't regret making the changes. I have big problems at the moment and we couldn't take any risks.
"If I had more players available it would be a different team. But when you play like us and Chelsea, on Saturday at 12.45, the time to recover is very short.
"They would need minimum three days so to play tonight would have been dangerous."
"Saturday is more important, the FA Cup is more important. The Europa League is more important.
"I did not regard this as a necessary sacrifice. We wanted to win. That is why I had four senior players on the bench.
"But I knew there was a chance we could lose because we started with six young players.
"I am happy with these guys. We might have lost the game but they can improve. If they do not play tonight, when will they ever play?"
Hopefully all will work out for us this season. Our manager has clearly prioritised. I personally think we have blown a big chance this evening of silverware. Its not the end of the world of course, Liverpool can hang their heads in shame and Chelsea to. Yet I cant help but feel, we should be winning these games.
geek said: