The battle for 4th place

[Balti]

Well the margin for error is minimal now.
The fact that were in this position and the fact that this thread exists is unbelievable if were honest.
Too many shit performances, injuries and abysmal games vs the teams at the top mean that our hopes hang by a thread.
Tomorrow is more important than Wednesday but I fear MP will ride roughshot with his team tomorrow and by next Sunday we could be staring down the proverbial barrel

agreed

we have to commit fully on both fronts

and then what will be will be

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

If we win the CL then Pellegrini leaves us as arguably our most successful manager ever regardless of league position.

If we lose in Madrid. or Milan but make the top 4 Pellegrini can leave with his head held high. 3 trophies including a PL title and the club set up well for Pep. A reasonably successful 3 years and his CV enhanced.

If we lose in Madrid, or Milan and don't make the top 4 he's a c****and he has put us right back to where Mark Hughes left us.

Tomorrow is much more important than Wednesday. We'll win the CL sooner rather than later if we keep playing in it. If we fail to qualify then we risk turning into Liverpool or Spurs. Finishing top 4 is as much about future domestic success as winning the CL. 10 years ago given the choice of winning the FA Cup but getting relegated versus just staying up I'd have chosen winning the FA Cup. We're a far more ambitious club these days. Finishing outside the top 4 is unthinkable.

 

[almir]

yep, top 4 is extremely important but youjust don't put second leg of CL semifinal as less important to anything. We shouldn't be in this situation but we are so let's fight it. Time for players to give all they shit finally.

 

[eversince 76]

Whatever starting 11 Pellegrini puts out tomorrow and Wednesday, probably even next Sunday, if results are going for us he is a hero. If it doesn't he is ...how has this been put on here with respect to the charming man ...a senile old fool.

All remaining games are probably the most important of the season so far. Maybe Swansea away isn't when things are decided. So as Southampton is the first most important game coming up Pellegrini needs to field his best team. That doesn't necessarily mean the 11 best players.

Despite our inconsistencies we are in fact having a decent run. That'll do for me to expect a result. Maybe not a decent display but that is the least important.

 

[jrb]

Never slated Peller's, but it could be hero to zero, or vice versa, in the space of a week.

It's sad to think his 3 years at City could boil down to 1week.

I'd hate to think his final home game could culminate in a half empty stadium during his final lap of honour in-front of the City fans. Win the next 3 and the Etihad will be rammed during his goodbye.

 

[Ric]

Bookies stil have it as us at 1/5 and United at 7/2 for top four, but I think it's much closer than that. Maybe it's because I'm eternally pessimistic when it comes to City.

Wins for Leicester and us tomorrow and it's pretty much over, but I have an ominous feeling we'll see a point swing in the opposite direction. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Hoghead]

Win the next 3 and the Etihad will be rammed during his goodbye.

Don't you mean win the next 2 due to the 3rd game being at the Etihad?

 

[lastmanback]

Top 4 very important.
So we can get into champions league "NEXT YEAR".
We are in it this year, the fucking semi final.
We might never get a better chance of winning it again.
Could be in Bad group next year, bad draw in last 16 last 8.
Tomorrow we should rest all our best players.

 

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

Bookies stil have it as us at 1/5 and United at 7/2 for top four, but I think it's much closer than that. Maybe it's because I'm eternally pessimistic when it comes to City.

Wins for Leicester and us tomorrow and it's pretty much over, but I have an ominous feeling we'll see a point swing in the opposite direction. Hope I'm wrong.

We must get something at Southampton tomorrow, if we don't well, we have goal difference to fall back on and the joker in the pack that we still have to play Arsenal on our own midden.

Three points tomorrow would be absolutely fantastic, as others have said this is a pivitol week in the season. Come on City!!

 

[mike1923]

Don't you mean win the next 2 due to the 3rd game being at the Etihad?

But he will be saying his goodbyes AFTER the third game.

Lose and the place will be empty for the lap of honour

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

Never slated Peller's, but it could be hero to zero, or vice versa, in the space of a week.

It's sad to think his 3 years at City could boil down to 1week.

I'd hate to think his final home game could culminate in a half empty stadium during his final lap of honour in-front of the City fans. Win the next 3 and the Etihad will be rammed during his goodbye.

Its entirely his own fault, or given injuries you could say mainly his fault, that it all comes down to one week

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Its entirely his own fault, or given injuries you could say mainly his fault, that it all comes down to one week

It's exciting though, isn't it?

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

It's exciting though, isn't it?

Wouldnt want it any other way

 

[dw7]

We'll win one and lose 2 out of our next 3 games my bet is on us beating Arsenal out of the 3 games

 

[blueplan]

Just prioritize CL. RM is beatable.

 

[SWP's back]

Top 4 very important.
So we can get into champions league "NEXT YEAR".
We are in it this year, the fucking semi final.
We might never get a better chance of winning it again.
Could be in Bad group next year, bad draw in last 16 last 8.
Tomorrow we should rest all our best players.

That's so short sighted. We miss out on CL for next year and lose £40m+ and then don't get the top targets that Pep wants to bring in. It will set us back 12-18 months.

 

[cibaman]

I don't really see it as being such a stark choice. CL v PL. Most of the changes he will make today would be completely justifiable even if we weren't playing Real Madrid on Wednesday. He needs fresh legs, some rotation is essential, needs to replace Silva. He could make 5 or 6 changes which could all be justified on the grounds of playing our strongest team for this game.

The two difficult selection choices are Aguero and De Bruyne. If they both play 90 mins then he's prioritising the PL. Dont play at all, he's prioritising CL. I expect both will play but not for 90 mins.

 

[SWP's back]

It's exciting though, isn't it?

You'd see the upside of a blow job you.

 

[FantasyIreland]

That's so short sighted. We miss out on CL for next year and lose £40m+ and then don't get the top targets that Pep wants to bring in. It will set us back 12-18 months.

I'm not convinced it will affect his targets,they will still receive the pay packet and,to quote the chairman,will probably be content to take the pinch......in favour of the bigger picture.I suspect the majority of deals are all but done anyway.

 

[SWP's back]

I'm not convinced it will affect his targets,they will still receive the pay packet and,to quote the chairman,will probably be content to take the pinch......in favour of the bigger picture.I suspect the majority of deals are all but done anyway.

I suspect at least one big one that would most piss off the Reds is very much CL dependent.