Top four

[Gosford Blue]

Top four are getting twitchy so says Hughes.

Big four are starting to crack: Man City´s Hughes.

AFP - 19 October 2009
Manchester City´s forward Carlos Tevez passes the ball during the English Premier League football match against Wigan Athletic at The DW Stadium in Wigan. Manchester City´s 10 men held on for a 1-1 draw at Wigan.

WIGAN, England (AFP) - Mark Hughes believes Manchester City's impressive start to the season proves the Premier League's big-four are no longer invincible.

City are showing signs of being able to compete with the best in England and they are now in fifth place, five points behind leaders Manchester United with a game in hand, after grinding out a 1-1 draw with 10 men at Wigan on Sunday.

Hughes's 120-million-pounds spending spree during the close-season has laid the foundations for City to break the monopoly on the Champions League places enjoyed for so long by United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

With Tottenham and Aston Villa also strong and Liverpool and Chelsea both losing this weekend, Hughes senses the Premier League's elite are starting to get twitchy.

"There are some good teams in the Premier League this year," the Manchester City boss said. "There is a focus on ourselves because we have the ambition to have a good season.

"But the fact there is a threat to the teams who have had those top four places is adding extra pressure.

"You just sense maybe that feeling of invincibility is no longer there. Other teams think they can take points off them.

"There are two or three teams who quietly think they can get into the top four.

"They don't broadcast it so they keep themselves under the radar. We can't help but be one of the teams people think should be in the top four.

"We have to deal with that anyway. I just think this year has the potential to be as open as it has ever been because the top four teams will drop points.

"That has been evident at the beginning of the season and I think it will continue. It is good for the Premier League."

But for City defender Pablo Zabaleta's second half dismissal it is likely Hughes's side would have taken three points at the DW Stadium.

Hughes felt Zabaleta's first-half caution for a foul on Maynor Figueroa was harsh. However, his second tackle on Jason Scotland left referee Alan Wiley with little alternative other than to show the red card.

It was Wiley's first appearance since Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's attack on his fitness, for which the Scot has since apologised.

Hughes didn't complain about the dismissal but he did claim that Figueroa's tackle on Shaun Wright-Phillips in the closing stages should have been a penalty.

]He was in an excellent position - he had kept up with play very well," Hughes said.

"He made a wrong call but his positioning was excellent. Well done Mr Wiley."

Charles N'Zogbia had given Wigan the lead in first half stoppage time before Martin Petrov lashed City level two minutes into the second half.

Latics boss Roberto Martinez took heart from the way his side out-played City in the first half and said: "I would say the performance was well worth a victory.



"Manchester City are an outstanding team with a fabulous group of players but our performance deserved the three points."

 

[cityexile]

It's definately possible, we just have to keep our heads & composure & we could do it..

Chelsea will finish above us, as witll the Rags, Arsenal probably will but not for sure & Liverpool with Gerrard & Torres don't look too clever but when they play without them they are average, at best & we have a better first 11 & better squad than them too, i honestly believe that..

We could definately finish above Liverpool in my very honest opinion, possibly Arsenal too..

 

[GoForGlory]

My prediction for how the table will look by the end of 2009 is:

Arsenal or Chelsea first
United 3rd
City 4th

followed closely by Spurs (on goal difference actually, but I have them winning against us as well so we'll be even better off if we can get something from them) then Villa and Pool. At this point we'll be the only ones up there with a game in hand as well.

Birmingham and Portsmouth will hold the bottom two positions. Save this message and have a look in a couple of months. :)

 

[citoeast]

Get a grip lads, this is Hughes doing a Fergie by distracting attention away from a dreadful performance. That is the managers performance.

Martinez outsmarted Hughes second half, who could not respond, seemingly not up to the tactical challegne.

We let in a patgetic goal, Richards fault. We have a defence as leaky as a sieve. injuryies no excuse with our resources and anyway was leaky when at full strength.

The sending off just hide the fact that Wigan (new players galore just gelling) took over the game second half, despite our early goal reposte. We had our ass kicked by an inferior team, and were lucky, very lucky to get a draw and Hughes celebrates this, pathetic.

Hughes should have taken Zabableta off earlier, it was obvious he was going to get sent off. Hughes should have made tactical changes and substitues earlier.

I am not saying he definitively is not up to the task, because in every box other than tactical, I rate him very highly, but the questions over his tactical ability, and therefore ability to win major honours, remain.

I think this serious weakness will be exposed in the coming Cup matches (No not Scunthorpe) and second half of the season, we will get dumped out of both Cups when up against decent opposition, imho, given Hughes lack of tactical nous.

Who evaluates the manager for Khaldoon Al Mubarak?

 

[JULES]

Get a grip lads, this is Hughes doing a Fergie by distracting attention away from a dreadful performance. That is the managers performance.

Martinez outsmarted Hughes second half, who could not respond, seemingly not up to the tactical challegne.

We let in a patgetic goal, Richards fault. We have a defence as leaky as a sieve. injuryies no excuse with our resources and anyway was leaky when at full strength.

The sending off just hide the fact that Wigan (new players galore just gelling) took over the game second half, despite our early goal reposte. We had our ass kicked by an inferior team, and were lucky, very lucky to get a draw and Hughes celebrates this, pathetic.

Hughes should have taken Zabableta off earlier, it was obvious he was going to get sent off. Hughes should have made tactical changes and substitues earlier.

I am not saying he definitively is not up to the task, because in every box other than tactical, I rate him very highly, but the questions over his tactical ability, and therefore ability to win major honours, remain.

I think this serious weakness will be exposed in the coming Cup matches (No not Scunthorpe) and second half of the season, we will get dumped out of both Cups when up against decent opposition, imho, given Hughes lack of tactical nous.

Who evaluates the manager for Khaldoon Al Mubarak?

I would suggest that our results so far do not agree with your viewpoint

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Get a grip lads, this is Hughes doing a Fergie by distracting attention away from a dreadful performance. That is the managers performance.

Martinez outsmarted Hughes second half, who could not respond, seemingly not up to the tactical challegne.

We let in a patgetic goal, Richards fault. We have a defence as leaky as a sieve. injuryies no excuse with our resources and anyway was leaky when at full strength.

The sending off just hide the fact that Wigan (new players galore just gelling) took over the game second half, despite our early goal reposte. We had our ass kicked by an inferior team, and were lucky, very lucky to get a draw and Hughes celebrates this, pathetic.

Hughes should have taken Zabableta off earlier, it was obvious he was going to get sent off. Hughes should have made tactical changes and substitues earlier.

I am not saying he definitively is not up to the task, because in every box other than tactical, I rate him very highly, but the questions over his tactical ability, and therefore ability to win major honours, remain.

I think this serious weakness will be exposed in the coming Cup matches (No not Scunthorpe) and second half of the season, we will get dumped out of both Cups when up against decent opposition, imho, given Hughes lack of tactical nous.

Who evaluates the manager for Khaldoon Al Mubarak?

Have I just read this in another post or am I seeing double. I've got a sight test coming up but I am convinced this is on another thread.