The turning point....

[mcfc_brazil]

Got to be Sunderland away for me, just seemed to have a huge negative effect on both the team and the fans. Sort of like the first time this season it was a painful defeat.

 

[levets]

Reading this thread had me thinking about it and there are many, many reasons that have turned our season...

The ongoing Tevez debacle, which we still haven't really sorted.

The loss of Yaya and Kolo during ACON, we knew this was coming and we did nothing about it.

Compounded by the loss of Vinnie for 4 games after the derby sending off, cost us progression in both the cups, and Savic was not up to the job, we didn't add to the centre half spot when guys like Cahill and Samba were available, and that's caught us again over the last few games with Vinnie and Lescott being out.

Not correcting the away form since christmas, weather it be by adding players in January or changing the way we played and being more defensive.

Having absolutely no idea how to cope with teams putting 10 players behind the ball, Sunderland, WBA, Liverpool and Everton all did it in January, and that's when it all started to go wrong.

Not realising early enough that Silva, brilliant as he has been, may be playing with injury and was off form and actually dropping him for a few games, allowing Nasri to flourish in the free roll.

The consistent media circus around Mario, has never been dealt with, love him or not, and brilliant player as he can be, it clearly effects players and the club. He has been managed poorly and allowed to continue with the regular antic on and off the pitch.


And if I had more time I'm sure I could come up with a few more, we've been in 6 competitions this season, that's six chances of silverware, Charity Shield, Carling Cup, FA Cup
Champions League, Europa League and Premier League, it is very disappointing that we're not going to have anything at the end of the season.

And I'm afraid that only one man has been involved with all this and that's Mancini, I'm NOT looking to get rid of him, but I really hope he learns from this season.

The loss of Yaya and Kolo during ACON, we knew this was coming and we did nothing about it.
====
And will be repeated next january!

 

[Rammy Blue]

Twattenbung not giving the stonewall pen on Silva in the Chelsea game, we'd have strolled that game and kept our unbeaten record going.

 

[jonmcity]

Hopefully Sunday against Arsenal.

 

[bert's broken neck]

Hopefully Sunday against Arsenal.

Ah, the power of positive thinking - bring it on (especially if a minor miracle occurs at the swamp and God punishes the scum for playing on Easter Sunday!)

 

[nmc]

One up at Chelsea - stonewall pen not given. For me that was the turning point. Thanks to Mark Clattenburg - as ever!

 

[Revolver]

The performance and the last minute against an ordinary Sunderland team (on New Years Day) suggested that there may be trouble ahead. Utd's last minute winner against Norwich confirmed that we were in trouble.

 

[niall'sdiscoshorts]

think it's more to do with a never say die attitude drilled in at the swamp,

so for me chelsea 3 nil up and only getting a draw.

that was all the confidence they needed to gun us down.

now we need to dig in against arsenal and carry on from there, hoping they fuck
up somewhere.

 

[blueprint]

The turning point was restoring NDJ in the starting lineup

<a class="postlink-local" href="http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=241984&hilit=starting+lineup" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">viewtopic.php?f=1&t=241984&hilit=starting+lineup</a>

when I forewarned last December which I quote here

NO!
We should never revert to the tactics and strategy of Hughes era or pre 2011-2012 season.

Why do you think Hughes was sacked?

You guys still have no CLUE?

Seven draws with more or less dJ in the starting lineup. Those 7 points were relegation performances especially those 1-pointers at home.

Let me clarify. Reviewing the 'anatomy' of the 7 draws managed by Hughes!
When we were down or still struggling for a win (especially at home) we subbed out dJ (usually after 60 mins or so). WHY?

Hughes last game as City manager, against Sunderland, it probably dawned on him that we need to be more offensive-minded in the first place. Mind you our detractors (media et al) then were vilifying us for our draw mentality claiming that we shouldn't since we have a surfeit of strikers. Was Nigel in the starting lineup or played at all?
What was the result?




Dzeko should have subbed Silva. Remember the assist from our box he made for Aguero via AJ to score ?. That was rapid & productive.

He would have been the right sub. Any semblance of offensive or counterattack threat , even with 10 guys, were negated or eliminated when dJ comes on. dJ offers nothing going forward or threat IMO.

Rather just like our opponents are sussed to Lescott limited ability to make WC play so is dJ limited offensive ability. What it takes then is for our opponents to channelled or funneled, when dJ has the ball, to the other skilful City players like Silva, Yaya et al which adds more pressure or likelihood of them "being picked off".

Care to discuss?

The BEST Defense is OFFENSE especially when we have WC players in Balo, Aguero, Dzeko, Silva, Yaya, Barry, Milner, Nasri et al.

Why yoked them down with Nigel?

Its a misnomer that Nigel has pace. That was very evident when he was taken to the cleaners by Arteta if you can recall. One doesn't have to lunge if one has pace. No?

 

[andypandy]

Not really into turning points - there's usually a chance to rectify a mistake / poor result etc.

Collective away results and performances at Everton, WBA, Swansea, Sunderland & Stoke

2 points from 15, says it all

Reasonable return of 8/9 points from these 5 fixtures and we would still be sitting pretty.

This season was a proper learning curve - hopefully things will have been learnt for next year - its still been a great season, we have played some of the best football a City team has ever produced. I am sure that if we dont do it this year we will come back stroner and more importantly wiser for next.