The Title is there for the taking...

[Skashion]

Really? I had heard otherwise, but I am happy to stand corrected.

I remember researching it at some point last season. If I can later I'll post the link where I found the stats/info but it definitely showed that the winners of the head to head mini league have won the league itself 9 years out of the previous 10.

No need to go hunting for it Billy. If you read it somewhere then fair enough. My assumption that it was the other way around was based on what I had learned over perhaps 30 years, so maybe it's not been true for a while.

Here's the trend up to 2008: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/3415595/History-suggests-mini-league-will-determine-Premier-League-champions-Football.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... tball.html</a>

 

[Mr. Aguia]

We've only played 3 games, but my thoughts so far (for what they're worth) are:

Good news:
- Navas gives us something we were missing under Mancini: speed / directness / willingness to cross
- Negredo gives us something we were missing under Mancini: someone who wants to (and can) get on the end of crosses and convert them [I know Dzeko should have been able to, but he rarely did]
- we are told by everyone that Pellegrini is an expert at happy dressing-rooms and getting the best out of every player (although little proof of that so far, Dzeko's performance against Newcastle apart)

Bad news:
- Is Kompany injury prone ? Because if he is, we have no adequate cover for him
- Is Joe Hart's form a blip from which he is about to recover ... or is it something worse ?
- There are some concerns over Pellegrini's "pruning" of City's squad (Keeping Garcia rather than Barry ... could/should more effort have been made to keep Tevez instead of Dzeko ... making a big effort to keep Kolarov even though Juventus and others were set to offer good money for him ?).

Looking at our rivals:

- Moyes is a big downgrade on Fergie (just doesn't have same authority or stature) and they haven't really strengthened, so I would be really surprised if Utd win the league ... however, what they do have is the same old gang of players that have known each other for years, are used to winning, and are determined to grind-out results even when they are rubbish. So no doubt they will be near the top.

- Mourinho will do what Mourinho always does - which is try to concede as few goals as possible .. hope to grab a goal then try to kill the game - never allow the oppostion a way back into the game. So Chelsea will rack up the points but win few friends, I would suggest

- Arsenal: surely it will take more than Ozil to make them title contenders, and instill that elusive "winning mentality" again ?

- Spurs: great squad, so they may not feel injuries and suspensions like some others ... but their 1st-eleven is arguably still less good than all the other contenders, including Arsenal.

- Liverpool: surely they don't have enough goals in their squad to win the title, even with Suarez back ?

City, Utd and Chelsea have better squads than the other 3, but they also all have new management, which means that a few bad results will be quickly seized upon (by fans and press), and a small blip could become a crisis more quickly than for established managers.

So I would say every team / set of supporters has its worries and unknowns this season ... it could be very interesting and rather close ! Fingers crossed it's City that come out on top.

This.

Which does support the threads bilief that none of our rivals can really be looked at as sure fire title winners or that they will finish ahead of us. I think this season is a great oppertunity to win back the title. I think we missed out last year. I don't think the rags were a great team last year. Just consistant, which we certainly were not. Can't afford to let these chances get away. I'm certain in after the title in '68 everyone expected City to win lots of trophies and several titles. But they didn't take advantage of it.

 

[Berkovic_blue]

Not been impressed with our play at all so far (barring Newcastle, they were very poor though).

However, having now watched all of our rivals a few times I'm inclined to agree. We have the squad to take it, just need Pellegrini to address the most pressing problems asap

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Chelsea will be the ones to beat. Mourinho is by far the best manager of the lot.

I think we will be a bit up and down this season as already shown. Top 3 yes but title may be difficult this year.

 

[Blankomania]

I'm really dissapointed that this thread isn't about a elaborate heist...

 

[Marvin]

Transfer window has thrown in some uknowns


Spurs:

So far they have not scored through open play and look vey powerful but very short of creativity. But we have yet to see Eriksen, and Lamela (bar a few minutes in N.London Derby)

Arsenal:

Ozil. Wonderful player, but they already had creativity in midfield from Wilshere and Cazorla. Will only help them though and will raise their morale and belief. I think they will fall short because they only have Giroud and Walcott up front.

Liverpool:

Dark horses for the title. Countinho, Suarez and Sturridge is a great forward line, and Henderson is coming of age. Good defence too. I don't really see a weakness

Chelsea:

Will sink or swim depending on Eto'o. Does he still have what it takes?

Utd:

The team to beat. Fellaini will add power to their midfield and they will be very dangerous at set pieces. But very reliant on RVP for goals.

City:

We have the best players. But can Pellegrini wield us into a team. I think we should have been more ruthless in the Summer and sold Dzeko. We also need to be more pragmatic and stop being so ridiculously open. Our starting 11 looks like a team who is 2-0 down with 15 minutes to go. Sometimes a team gets weaker by throwing on more forwards for midfielders and that's where we are.

This season of all seasons, it's almost impossible to predict.

 

[pee dubya]

I'm not sure how bothered i am by the title.

Obviously i want to win it, but i'd prefer just to enjoy watching us again, can't say last season was great to watch.

I want to see our players play to the best of their ability again, because so few of them have, after that whatever happens happens.

 

[Ducado]

I'm not sure how bothered i am by the title.

Obviously i want to win it, but i'd prefer just to enjoy watching us again, can't say last season was great to watch.

I want to see our players play to the best of their ability again, because so few of them have, after that whatever happens happens.

If they did that we would win the title at a canter!

As stated earlier I am a born optimist, my thinking on City goes something like this

If we the fans can see the problems (and some of the problems we can all agree on) then people who know a bit more about football namely the manager and the hierarchy of the club can see them as well and will be working to rectify them.

I put the last two games down to teething problems , which if we are realistic we knew they were going to happen, but Rome was not built in a day, nor was the title won or lost on the result of 3 games

 

[pee dubya]

I'm not sure how bothered i am by the title.

Obviously i want to win it, but i'd prefer just to enjoy watching us again, can't say last season was great to watch.

I want to see our players play to the best of their ability again, because so few of them have, after that whatever happens happens.

If they did that we would win the title at a canter!

As stated earlier I am a born optimist, my thinking on City goes something like this

If we the fans can see the problems (and some of the problems we can all agree on) then people who know a bit more about football namely the manager and the hierarchy of the club can see them as well and will be working to rectify them.

I put the last two games down to teething problems , which if we are realistic we knew they were going to happen, but Rome was not built in a day, nor was the title won or lost on the result of 3 games

You would hope so! But you never know.

It's funny how i've realised my attitude towards City has changed since we've become successful. I less emotionally involved and far more pragmatic about everything. It's like, no matter how badly things are going, we've still got it pretty good compared to almost everyone else. I only get the nerves for the really big matches. It feels so strange not to be surprised when we score and be confident that we'll get back into it if we concede.

Anyway, Cardiff was an aberration, performances will only improve as the players adjust.

 

[Ducado]

I'm not sure how bothered i am by the title.

Obviously i want to win it, but i'd prefer just to enjoy watching us again, can't say last season was great to watch.

I want to see our players play to the best of their ability again, because so few of them have, after that whatever happens happens.

If they did that we would win the title at a canter!

As stated earlier I am a born optimist, my thinking on City goes something like this

If we the fans can see the problems (and some of the problems we can all agree on) then people who know a bit more about football namely the manager and the hierarchy of the club can see them as well and will be working to rectify them.

I put the last two games down to teething problems , which if we are realistic we knew they were going to happen, but Rome was not built in a day, nor was the title won or lost on the result of 3 games

You would hope so! But you never know.

It's funny how i've realised my attitude towards City has changed since we've become successful. I less emotionally involved and far more pragmatic about everything. It's like, no matter how badly things are going, we've still got it pretty good compared to almost everyone else. I only get the nerves for the really big matches. It feels so strange not to be surprised when we score and be confident that we'll get back into it if we concede.

Anyway, Cardiff was an aberration, performances will only improve as the players adjust.

I think most of us are like that nowadays for home games anyway, we just expect to win