The brutal truth about this top 4 b*llocks

[Bill]

its far too early to put any targets up, we'd expect top 4 but the place vacated by liverpool last year may not be up for grabs this time round, they will be much stronger with roy in charge.

we have got a fight on our hands but then so have the other contenders, if and its still a big if we start to gel sooner rather than later we will be there or there abouts. the money we have spent has only brought us in to the equasion(thats how far behind we were)it does not mean we will win a thing, its nice to be in with a chance i just hope we make the most of the oppotunity.

 

[gio's side step]

Re: The brutal truth about this top 4 bollocks

In what sense? The fact it was a late target or that most fans didn't beleive we could do it?

Both.

Top four was the target for the whole club last season. Read every interview by everyone connected with the club during the close season. This was after what Cook called our "accelerated aquisition process" upon identifying that the time was right to go for it.

That's why Mark Hughes was sacked when we were 6th. Do you really think we'd sack our manager if he was on target?You might not have believed we could finish in the top 4 but most City fans, and pundits, did.

So both of your points were incorrect in my opinion. But I have facts to back up my opinion.

Completely agree with this.

 

[sweep]

Re: The brutal truth about this top 4 bollocks

At the start of the season top 6 was the target but as the season panned out it became clear that a top 4 finish was possible and hence the target was changed to a top 4 - and in truth we fookin blew it

So taking into account where we did in reality finish, and that the teams around us havent spent significantly, how can anyone with a brain realistically accept, spending 100+ million on 5 new players, is to achieve a new target of 4th, when we virtually achieved that last season?

I suppose we could have done the bare minimum we hoped/guessed would get us 4th then next summer get the likes of Silva and Toure in and hope they'll compete in the champs league while at the same time getting used to the rigours of the premiership.

I prefer to think of what we've done as spending 100m+ to finish at least 4th and have a reasonable tilt at the cups competitions, especially the europa, while at the same time having given the new players a season in our league. It's called looking at the bigger picture.

 

[Impeccable]

Re: The brutal truth about this top 4 bollocks

Surely this 100+ mill has been spent, coupled with the previous hefty outlays, with the future in mind. All young, gifted players, some at the relative starts of their careers. The owners are thinking 'why spend 100+ mill over 2-3 seasons, when it can be put to use now'. There should be no real need to spend this amount in future transfer windows. The foundations have been laid. They just need to bed in. The vast majority of these players will gel, while one or two may not.

Of course a Champions League spot is the main aim, with possibly a domestic cup, possibly the Europa trophy. But it's obvious to me that our owners are dealing with the bigger picture.

 

[Project]

Re: The brutal truth about this top 4 bollocks

All of these factors and variables add up to the simple point that just a 4th place finish this year will be an excellent achievement.

You may think so but I'm not sure the man who matters will see it that way.

Last season the target was 4th.

This year it's higher.

Firstly, there is a difference between target and goal. The goal this year is to qualify for the CL. Which is why I said 4th will be on target.

Secondly, you are forgetting the important factor that last year we did not achieve that goal, despite a glorious (and unexpected) opportunity to do so with Liverpool's demise. That's why the goalposts were moved part way through the season. Nobody could have accounted for how strong Spurs finished though.

It is all well and good saying last year the target was x -we failed to reach it. Truth is we didn't have a good enough squad for it last year, so the target of 4th was actually a stretch. This year I feel we have the squad, so the goal should be CL football. Whether we make it or not is pretty much down to Mancini and his ability to get the most out of the players at his disposal. The level of investment and quality of player we now have suggests to me we have a very competitive chance.

Whether it is 3rd or 4th makes little difference in the grand scheme of things as we don't know how the league is going to play out. Some years there is a huge gap between the two, sometimes just a few points. The manner in which we qualify for the CL and how far off the others we are will be more important than which position out of the two it will be. So for me that's why I feel CL football is our utmost concern. That's the minimum requirement this year. Anything over and above that will be a bonus. Given the nature of the league, wanting 3rd (or even second) is an absurd target at this point in time. There will come a stage when we say the title is the target, or top 2 as a minimum requirement, but in the meantime its about making the CL.

 

[stumpy_mcfc]

Re: The brutal truth about this top 4 bollocks

I have to agree with Didsbury on this one to a degree. The target for any aspirational club at the start of a season SHOULD be champions. The minimum requirement this season is 4th. 4th is NOT the target and if it is the whole management team need to be axed! No club of any standing should be aiming for three other teams to be better than them at the start of a season. 'arry has said he's aiming for the top and rightly so, the Scum, Chelski, Arse, Red Dippers are also aiming for the top and so should we. If we fail to be champions then the higher placed we are the better obviously. Like I said the absolute minimum we should accept is 4th, otherwise why bother investing all this money in new players and aim lower? It makes no sense.

I agree wholeheartedly 1st is the target for us every year from now on. Now I don't know how many times the management team and players have to state that is the objective. Last week before the Spurs game Booby was asked is the title a possibility answer "Yes why not", The Toure bros same thing, Boteng and all the others. 4th is the minimum not the target.

 

[DenisLawBackHeel74]

Re: The brutal truth about this top 4 bollocks

In what sense? The fact it was a late target or that most fans didn't beleive we could do it?

Both.

Top four was the target for the whole club last season. Read every interview by everyone connected with the club during the close season. This was after what Cook called our "accelerated aquisition process" upon identifying that the time was right to go for it.

That's why Mark Hughes was sacked when we were 6th. Do you really think we'd sack our manager if he was on target?

You might not have believed we could finish in the top 4 but most City fans, and pundits, did.

So both of your points were incorrect in my opinion. But I have facts to back up my opinion.

1. 4th was the 'stretch' target after we saw how poor pool were, it was not the target before last season began.

2. Hughes was sacked because he had a target of 75 points and had acheived 9 draws, cue the trajectory speech by Cook. Admittedly the points target was probably 'stretched' after realising we could actually challenge for 4th.

2. Most city fans I know (me included) wished we could get 4th, but didn't believe it possible.

3. No you presented no facts, only opinion...and opinions are like arseholes...everyone has one and there all full of shit.....imo ;)

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Re: The brutal truth about this top 4 bollocks

Both.

Top four was the target for the whole club last season. Read every interview by everyone connected with the club during the close season. This was after what Cook called our "accelerated aquisition process" upon identifying that the time was right to go for it.

That's why Mark Hughes was sacked when we were 6th. Do you really think we'd sack our manager if he was on target?

You might not have believed we could finish in the top 4 but most City fans, and pundits, did.

So both of your points were incorrect in my opinion. But I have facts to back up my opinion.

1. 4th was the 'stretch' target after we saw how poor pool were, it was not the target before last season began.

2. Hughes was sacked because he had a target of 75 points and had acheived 9 draws, cue the trajectory speech by Cook. Admittedly the points target was probably 'stretched' after realising we could actually challenge for 4th.

2. Most city fans I know (me included) wished we could get 4th, but didn't believe it possible.

3. No you presented no facts, only opinion...and opinions are like arseholes...everyone has one and there all full of shit.....imo ;)

My facts to back up the fact that the top four was the club's target last year:

1) Mark Hughes was sacked when we were 6th
2) Every player interviewed last season said "The top four is where we are aiming"
3) Mancini stated the top four was his target repeatedly

There's a few facts for you. And I don't know which City fans you know, but everyone I know believed the top four was possible. Everyone. It was in our hands right up until the end of the season.

It would not have been an over-achievement to finish 4th. It was underachievement to finish 5th. That last bit is my opinion, but the rest are facts.

 

[Raymoz]

The money, for at least the time being, is irrelevant. The good sheikh will write of our capital outlay again. Platini has forced our hand in the transfer market so we have had to spend now. The target for ANY club at the start of the season should be to win the league until results dictate otherwise. Expectations are entirely different and that is what is important with regards to our owners. I hope that a top 4 finish and entry to the European cash league and a final appearance would be enough this year. With the age of the signings we've made, I personally expect us to be challenging on all fronts for the foreseeable future.

 

[Project]

Re: The brutal truth about this top 4 bollocks

1. 4th was the 'stretch' target after we saw how poor pool were, it was not the target before last season began.

2. Hughes was sacked because he had a target of 75 points and had acheived 9 draws, cue the trajectory speech by Cook. Admittedly the points target was probably 'stretched' after realising we could actually challenge for 4th.

2. Most city fans I know (me included) wished we could get 4th, but didn't believe it possible.

3. No you presented no facts, only opinion...and opinions are like arseholes...everyone has one and there all full of shit.....imo ;)

My facts to back up the fact that the top four was the club's target last year:

1) Mark Hughes was sacked when we were 6th
2) Every player interviewed last season said "The top four is where we are aiming"
3) Mancini stated the top four was his target repeatedly

There's a few facts for you. And I don't know which City fans you know, but everyone I know believed the top four was possible. Everyone. It was in our hands right up until the end of the season.

It would not have been an over-achievement to finish 4th. It was underachievement to finish 5th. That last bit is my opinion, but the rest are facts.

Before that run of draws we were in the top 4. Liverpool were faltering and so were we. We were beaten 3-0 in abject fashion - the "trajectory" genuinely looked worrying.