Where has all this awesomeness come from?

Not to throw a wet blanket on the euphoria, let's not pass over the fact that West Brom and Chelsea had terrible game plans for us that let Silva run riot for the first half. I think teams will set up to make life much harder for us as we go on this season. For me, the most encouraging result was Everton. They knew what to expect, had Barry explicitly set up to break up our midfield, and still couldn't really stop us.

My opinion on Pellegrini has gone up ten notches. He's getting the most out of players and is making great tactical choices. All while playing very positive and entertaining football. It's just like watching Brazil.
 
AustinBlue said:
Not to throw a wet blanket on the euphoria, let's not pass over the fact that West Brom and Chelsea had terrible game plans for us that let Silva run riot for the first half. I think teams will set up to make life much harder for us as we go on this season. For me, the most encouraging result was Everton. They knew what to expect, had Barry explicitly set up to break up our midfield, and still couldn't really stop us.

My opinion on Pellegrini has gone up ten notches. He's getting the most out of players and is making great tactical choices. All while playing very positive and entertaining football. It's just like watching Brazil.
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Mourinho set up the team to try and neutralise Kolarov-Sterling down the left by putting Ramires on the right. He could have played ramires next to silva to stop him, but then we would have been rampant down the left.

Martinez was a bit better, but at the expense of leaving the right completely open for Navas, who, if he could come up with an end product, would have scored a few and then killed off the game within 30 mins.

The whole point is that we have multiple threats now. Stopping Yaya, or Silva isn't enough. No one can contain every threat.
 
1 Sheikh Mansour deciding not to challenge FFP in court but to keep a clean nose for one season then spend big again.
2.Manuel Pellegrini changing from 4-4-2 to a fluid formation with one striker after losing at the swamp.
3.MP,round about the same time, probably getting an assurance from Khaldoun(who came to the Etihad more than once during the final 6 games unbeaten) that his job was secure.
4.' Hunger' is an oversimpification.But the squad know there's a new buzz about the place due to big signings, MP's contract extension and the south stand revamp.So each player can think" we're really going places and I want to be part of that".
5. Rest-Silva had a well-deserved holiday from big tournaments and Yaya had two months' rest from having his ear bent by dodgy agent, dmitri seljuk.
6. Activity-Vincent Kompany revitalised in the gym.
7. Down the left flank, even before sterling arrived, Kolarov's speed and crossses were a big factor during the 6 games unbeaten.
8. Pellers telling the lads " it's cool Pam thinks we're awesome but let's keep our feet on the ground till we've got the title back and won the champs league".
 
hgblue said:
Yep, Sterling is settling in nicely and there's more to come from him, and Aguero isn't at 100% yet. When everything clicks into place someone is going to get a hammering.
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I think it's going to come together on 25th October!
 
KippaxCitizen said:
I think it's going to come together on 25th October!
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I wish they hadn't changed the date of the Derby; the 24th would have, fittingly, been the anniversary of the 1-6!
Big differences this year:
Yaya focused (No AFCON)
Vinnie fit,
Mangala looking competent,
Dino looking the real deal as DM.
Spanish Dave as good as ever,
Oh, and Sterling occupying a few minds.
 
domalino said:
The whole point is that we have multiple threats now. Stopping Yaya, or Silva isn't enough. No one can contain every threat.
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I think you're right, stopping all our threats now is going to be tough, our plan B upfront when we bring on Bony will also take some stopping, especially if we can get lots of crosses into the box.

We have some great options for different games.
 
grahamgor said:
1 Sheikh Mansour deciding not to challenge FFP in court but to keep a clean nose for one season then spend big again.
2.Manuel Pellegrini changing from 4-4-2 to a fluid formation with one striker after losing at the swamp.
3.MP,round about the same time, probably getting an assurance from Khaldoun(who came to the Etihad more than once during the final 6 games unbeaten) that his job was secure.
4.' Hunger' is an oversimpification.But the squad know there's a new buzz about the place due to big signings, MP's contract extension and the south stand revamp.So each player can think" we're really going places and I want to be part of that".
5. Rest-Silva had a well-deserved holiday from big tournaments and Yaya had two months' rest from having his ear bent by dodgy agent, dmitri seljuk.
6. Activity-Vincent Kompany revitalised in the gym.
7. Down the left flank, even before sterling arrived, Kolarov's speed and crossses were a big factor during the 6 games unbeaten.
8. Pellers telling the lads " it's cool Pam thinks we're awesome but let's keep our feet on the ground till we've got the title back and won the champs league".
Click to expand...

Great list. Add in the impact of Sterling and the form of Mangala and Sagna, and you've cracked it.
 
The same thing was being said after 2 games last year then we lost to Stoke.

We were top of the league with Stuart Pearce too after 3 games in 2005/06, and Keegan in 2003/04.

Daft to get carried away.
 
EddieR said:
I wish they hadn't changed the date of the Derby; the 24th would have, fittingly, been the anniversary of the 1-6!
Big differences this year:
Yaya focused (No AFCON)
Vinnie fit,
Mangala looking competent,
Dino looking the real deal as DM.
Spanish Dave as good as ever,
Oh, and Sterling occupying a few minds.
Click to expand...

1-6 was the 23rd.
 
Lack of injuries and most of the team having the summer off. The ones who haven't, haven't been needed so much (Demi and Zabaleta) due to Sagna and Mangala looking great. Kun is still not 100% sharp but takes him a while to get to his level sometimes. He's still better than the rest even at 75% anyway. Fernandinho has the engine of two players, which helps Toure.

Most important thought is moving Silva. He is constantly pulling the strings now. Him and Toure just do what they want with the ball. And Sterling coming in has given Kolarov and even Navas more space now. We have proper width on both flanks so teams can't be as compact against us, which means Silva has more gaps to pick the ball up in.

It's still a long season. I think we are seeing a bit of a transition as well. Even though he scored a very good goal, i felt that when Nasri came on, it almost felt like he doesn't really fit anymore. He's less interested in performing his team duties when we don't have the ball. He's still a very good player and i hope he stays and battles, but i feel like he's got a choice to make now. The team are really starting to press off the ball, and Sterling and Navas will do this with pace. Nasri won't. He doesn't look as hungry as the players who have started. I also think Bony is an upgrade on Dzeko. He does everything i wanted to Dzeko to do.

So to summarise, it's pace and hunger. And Silva.
 
ono said:
Lack of injuries and most of the team having the summer off. The ones who haven't, haven't been needed so much (Demi and Zabaleta) due to Sagna and Mangala looking great. Kun is still not 100% sharp but takes him a while to get to his level sometimes. He's still better than the rest even at 75% anyway. Fernandinho has the engine of two players, which helps Toure.

Most important thought is moving Silva. He is constantly pulling the strings now. Him and Toure just do what they want with the ball. And Sterling coming in has given Kolarov and even Navas more space now. We have proper width on both flanks so teams can't be as compact against us, which means Silva has more gaps to pick the ball up in.

It's still a long season. I think we are seeing a bit of a transition as well. Even though he scored a very good goal, i felt that when Nasri came on, it almost felt like he doesn't really fit anymore. He's less interested in performing his team duties when we don't have the ball. He's still a very good player and i hope he stays and battles, but i feel like he's got a choice to make now. The team are really starting to press off the ball, and Sterling and Navas will do this with pace. Nasri won't. He doesn't look as hungry as the players who have started. I also think Bony is an upgrade on Dzeko. He does everything i wanted to Dzeko to do.

So to summarise, it's pace and hunger. And Silva.
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Nasri is as wasted/useful out wide as Silva is. They're both best at No 10 and this season has already proved that with Silva but yet we persist in shoving Nasri out wide when he has a tendency to go inside just as Silva does.

Again its a case of square pegs in round holes. I still think we need adequate cover/competition for Sterling on the left because without a like for like replacement for him, one of the glaring issues we had last season will only resurface in his absence. To illustrate this, look where Nasri came from for his goal, he was suppose to be Sterling's replacement.
 
Genuine pace and real wingers instead of no 10s forced out wide. We looked way too narrow and lethargic against teams last season and just seemed to run out of ideas. The signing of Sterling and change of formation have revitalised the team and the whole squad looks fitter. It's great to see us counterattack on a regular basis once again because that is when Aguero is most clinical
 
There is a steely determination to succeed coming from all levels at City, especially from the manager and players. A noticeable change in mentality with a point to prove. We are seeing a different style of play to other English teams. One designed to win games and penetrate packed defences whilst remaining defensively strong.

Premier League Champions appears to be the minimum target. This season we have a great chance to be Champions League winners with RM, BM and Barca all weaker. In contrast our key players are at their peak, we have massively reinforced in terms of quality and are not restricted by squad size so have plenty of options and competition for places.

Other contributory factors are players are rested and fully fit. There are no international competitions like ACON. Things are settled off field with the move to the CFA and all its improved facilities. Better atmosphere at the ground with the South Stand Extension.

It is hard not to be optimistic.
 
All down to the manager. Ultimately he is the one who takes the criticism when things are disappointing as they were last season, so equally when the team come out flying, look defensively organised, balanced, and hungry to attack and score goals, then that also is down to the manager.

Personally I think way too much was made of last season's disappointments, and too many players were written off too quickly. In particular Vinny and Yaya and to a lesser extent Mangala. Those three have shown their levels in the last few weeks, which lets face it aren't that dissimilar to the levels they showed at times last season too. There just wasn't the consistency of the last 9 games. If we can keep that up it's difficult to see anyone in the league living with us, and in the CL there's only maybe two or three sides that could handle us in full flight and at the top of our game.
 
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