Progress and why Hughes should stay!

[dundeemcfcblue]

Scolari

 

[dctid]

I posted this a few weeks ago and I've decided I'm gonna keep bumping and updating this as much as I can to put across the point that thing's aren't all doom and gloom and that we are progressing nearly every game and that Hughes should definitely be staying for now.

I don't see the point in getting rid of a manager that keeps improving and that is still very much on way to reaching the owners and most fans targets.

As well as the obvious arguments of we have a game in hand over everyone above us bar Arsenal and that we have only lost one game all season in all comps, I have also got the results from last year, which compared to this year have all improved or been the same outcome bar one:

Blackburn (A) - 2-2 / 0-2 = improved.
Portsmouth (A) - 0-2 / 1-0 = improved.
Arsenal (H) - 3-0 / 4-2 = same.
Scum (A) - 0-2 / 3-4 = same.
West Ham (H) 3-0 / 3-1 = same.
Villa (A) - 2-4 / 1-1 = improved.
Wigan (A) - 1-2 / 1-1 = improved.
Fulham (H) - 1-3 / 2-2 = improved.
Liverpool (A) - 1-1 / 2-2 = same.
Hull (H) - 5-1 / 1-1 = worse.
Chelsea (H) - 1-3 / 2-1 = improved.
Bolton (A) - 0-2 / 3-3 = improved.

Add to that, that we're in the semi final of the Carling Cup, which we got knocked out of last year by Brighton in the second round and once again we have improved.

All the players he has brought in have improved us and the position they took over bar one, if you compare them to the players they replaced, we have improved yet again:

Tal Ben-Haim - shite = bad signing.
Vincent Kompany - better than Hamann = good signing.
Shaun Wright-Phillips - better than Ireland on right wing = good signing.
Glauber Berti - clearly wasn't a signing to improve us yet became a cult hero anyway = ok signing.
Pablo Zabaleta - better than Corluka = good signing.
Wayne Bridge - better than Garrido/Ball = good signing.
Craig Bellamy - better than Jo/Caicedo/Benjani = good signing.
Nigel de Jong - better than Fernandes = good signing.
Shay Given - better than Hart = good signing.
Gareth Barry - great player = good signing.
Roque Santa Cruz - target man we'll need in certain games = ok signing.
Stuart Taylor - Hart wasn't going to sit on the bench = ok signing.
Carlos Tevez - better than Jo/Caicedo/Benjani = good signing.
Emmanuel Adebayor - better than Jo/Caicedo/Benjani = good signing.
Kolo Toure - better than Dunne = good signing.
Sylvinho - better back-up than Garrido = good signing.
Joleon Lescott - better than Onuoha = good signing.

Also he put Ireland in the attacking midfield role, which was like a new signing - better than Elano. And he has got rid of the trouble makers holding us back.

Add all that to the fact that changing managers every five minutes has never worked and it just seems pointless to get rid of a manager who's improving in everything he does and is well on track to reach the target set.

I think the money has gone to fans heads tbh and a few are expecting too much, too soon. We just have to be patient and it will come, to get rid of yet another manager now who's doing nout wrong would just be daft and then we'd all have to wait even longer as the new manager rebuilds his team and starts all over again. As one of the younger fans, I'm desperate for some silverware, but we just have to be patient and support the team and manager.

Fella

Thats what i have been telling myself all season NUT dont mean that recent results against lesser teams are acceptable because they aint especially the home games.

If we don't finish in the top 6, then I'd agree he'd have to go but we have to give him this season yet to see what he can do.

 

[BlueTG]

Blackburn (A) - 2-2 / 0-2 = improved.
Portsmouth (A) - 0-2 / 1-0 = improved.
Arsenal (H) - 3-0 / 4-2 = same.
Scum (A) - 0-2 / 3-4 = same.
West Ham (H) 3-0 / 3-1 = same.
Villa (A) - 2-4 / 1-1 = improved.
Wigan (A) - 1-2 / 1-1 = improved.
Fulham (H) - 1-3 / 2-2 = improved.
Liverpool (A) - 1-1 / 2-2 = same.
Hull (H) - 5-1 / 1-1 = worse.
Chelsea (H) - 1-3 / 2-1 = improved.
Bolton (A) - 0-2 / 3-3 = improved.

Add to that, that we're in the semi final of the Carling Cup, which we got knocked out of last year by Brighton.

Thats how ive been looking at it overall, fair enough the manner of how we have dropped points isnt great, but the progress is there to be seen on some foots.

 

[Blue Mooner]

Anyone who wants to sack a manager who has lost ONE game all season seriously needs to get a reality check.

I've heard this well I'd rather win 4 and lose 5 than draw 8 and win 1 because the former is more points.

I'd go for the latter every time because the former is the old inconsistent City, the latter is a team that is now difficult to beat, has a strong mentality and as the season goes those draws will turn into wins.

We are three points off 4th - over achieving our target - with a game in hand which will take us level on points.

Anyone who has actually WATCHED the games will know that the quality of our football is a level above anything I have ever seen in my City watching life - beating Arsenal TWICE, beating Chelsea, drawing with Liverpool and taking the rags to what should have been a draw was inconceivable even 12 months ago.

FFS stop bleating and enjoy it !!

 

[smiles]

In all honesty I will be disappointed if we're not in the CL next season. Maybe that's an unrealistic expectation, but I look at our squad and our league position and think we should d*ck all the other top 4 contenders.

Our back 4 is still ropey as f*ck, IMO thats all that is between us and the best in europe. If MH's has any sense he will buy fullbacks and a CB.

bring on Subotic et al

 

[alera]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I was one of the people that thought getting rid of Dunne would improve our defence. How wrong I was. Its turned out to be the worst bit of business Hughes has done by far. He loving it at Villa just about their best defender, they also added collison for penies their defence is tighter than a knats chuff - proof a new line up can gel quickly with the right manager and players.

Otherwise with the exception of Lescott (who could still come good) and RSC (lets face it we all knew he would be an awful signing) The business we have done has been OK we have brought in some quality players many we have over paid OTT for but everthing is relative and the owners obviously dont care.

We have also moved out loads of shit players that simply were not good enough (Fernades, Ball, Bianci etc etc etc)

The real question is should we be doing better with the money we have spent over the last 2 seasons ? Considering the owners have tried to make up for 30 years of underinvestment in the first team in 2 seasons we are going in the right direction I am starting to think a quality, proven big name manager would get more out of the players we have and attract more quality when needed though.

I am sure Hughes will get to the end of the season. If he hasnt delivered a top 4 spot or top 6 and a cup win he will be out of a job and no one will be able to argue with the money he has been given and a couple of season. Its his team, his crew his setup with what he has been given these are not unrealistic expectations.

 

[EastStand110]

Think carefully about what you are saying with regards to improvement.

Blackburn (A) - 2-2 / 0-2 = improved. Good result agreed
Portsmouth (A) - 0-2 / 1-0 = improved. A quarter of the team they were last year plus our signings we should win
Arsenal (H) - 3-0 / 4-2 = same. Not the same -1 goal difference plus all our signings
Scum (A) - 0-2 / 3-4 = same. Not the same an improvement,did enough to earn a point
West Ham (H) 3-0 / 3-1 = same. Not the same.Weaker than last year and our squad has £200 million added since the same fixture
Villa (A) - 2-4 / 1-1 = improved.Agreed improved but with a little balls we could have won that
Wigan (A) - 1-2 / 1-1 = improved. Improved agreed but are you happy with only a point after the influx of players we have ?
Fulham (H) - 1-3 / 2-2 = improved.Again on the face of it yes an improvement but 2-0 up at home not happy with that
Liverpool (A) - 1-1 / 2-2 = same.Disagree - They are a lot weaker than last year and very fragile we have improved
Hull (H) - 5-1 / 1-1 = worse. Agreed
Chelsea (H) - 1-3 / 2-1 = improved.Agreed
Bolton (A) - 0-2 / 3-3 = improved.Getting a point is a better result but we have "improved" plus £200 million

Add to that, that we're in the semi final of the Carling Cup, which we got knocked out of last year by Brighton in the second round and once again we have improved.- This season we have played a full strength team in every round

All the players he has brought in have improved us and the position they took over bar one, if you compare them to the players they replaced, we have improved yet again:

Pablo Zabaleta - better than Corluka = good signing.= Not better than Corluka
Roque Santa Cruz - target man we'll need in certain games = ok signing.Too early to tell but looks poor, why sign an injured player
Kolo Toure - better than Dunne = good signing.Nowhere near as good as Dunne especially at net +£11 million
Joleon Lescott - better than Onuoha = good signing.Doubt he is better than Nedum but is left sided and is a good signing.

While I disagree with the way Hughes is doing things at times (Academy for example- why make so many changes to it when it is the envy of most clubs) I have backed him but lately my thoughts are changing and unfortunately I do not think he will get us to where we need to be in the time frame we need it. I genuinely believe that we need a Manager that has the respect of every opposing Manager, opposing players,opposing fans, officials and most importantly our players. I am not saying our players don't respect him but who would you respect more, someone who has done it all or someone who is trying to do it all. From the outside looking in would you as a player want to work with a Van Gaal, Hiddink, Mourinho, Ancellotti or Mark Hughes? I know who I wouldn't choose.

 

[True_Blue69]

Corluka is far better than Zabaletta. Take your blue tinted glasses off for that one pal, he did nothing wrong whilst he was with. Unfortunately the take over didnt happen during the summer as I believe he would definitely still be with us. He was gutted in his last game.

 

[whp.blue]

We are making progress. What I like about us most, is the fighting spirit that has now been instilled, we are now a tough team to beat, where as last season and the season before, we had a soft centre.

I think alot on here underestimate how competitive the league is now. Its almost probable the team who wins the league will win it with the fewest point total in years. Anyone who expects us to go and just hammer teams has very unrealistic thinking.

surely the point is that hughes has instilled a hard to beat mentality however having spent
£200 + a top manager would have instilled a winning mentality !!!!

 

[Wrighty Wrexham]

Anyone who wants to sack a manager who has lost ONE game all season seriously needs to get a reality check.

I've heard this well I'd rather win 4 and lose 5 than draw 8 and win 1 because the former is more points.

I'd go for the latter every time because the former is the old inconsistent City, the latter is a team that is now difficult to beat, has a strong mentality and as the season goes those draws will turn into wins.

We are three points off 4th - over achieving our target - with a game in hand which will take us level on points.

Anyone who has actually WATCHED the games will know that the quality of our football is a level above anything I have ever seen in my City watching life - beating Arsenal TWICE, beating Chelsea, drawing with Liverpool and taking the rags to what should have been a draw was inconceivable even 12 months ago.

FFS stop bleating and enjoy it !!

Good post!