I think we agree that a big chunk of the crowd aren't happy recently and that's a main reason the ground has been quieter. I don't accept that it's just a recent issue though. Those Luton, Stoke, Birmingham home games were awful and we're miles better to watch than that now. The question is what you do about it. I think you have to be realistic. Yes it'd be nice to score 4 every home game but we've hardly ever been a high scoring side. Our home form over the last 3-4 years has been atrocious, so I don't know where this expectation has come from that we go to every game waiting to be entertained. Live in the real world: football is a low-scoring sport and we're a team that's decent but not quite there yet at the attacking end.
No we don’t agree you just said I set my stall out as tho I’m complaining for the sake of it again it’s not about goals as such it’s about playing with intent and with intensity an away side thinks great they’re playing it around at the back let’s push on to them The last thing an away side wants is the home side going for them and getting the crowd going How many times have you heard the great or good sides say quieten the crowd down ? We do it for them
We have absolutely no chance of scoring 4 every game because we simply don't have enough shots on target and are not likely to get them, the way we are playing..
It absolutely is about goals. If we get a lucky couple of goals and win 2-0 people are happy. If we play alright but struggle to create against an organised defence then people get frustrated and they trot out these buzzwords like intent and intensity like you're doing, as if our problem is that we just don't intend to win.
You’re talking absolute **** as usual Buzz words They’re words to describe how I want to see my team play
I'm one of life's footballing pessimists; there is no time - deep into injury time or otherwise - that a two nil lead feels enough. As the ref lifts his whistle to his lips to give 3 toots I still fully expect the final result to be a draw. Going into 5 minutes of injury time with a three goal lead, I'm generally ok but that doesn't happen to us very often.
I know it all turned to **** in the end and we got relegated anyway, but are you really saying that Marco Silva didn’t deliver spells of decent football?
I'd imagine the team talk in the away dressing room would be something like 'Get the early goal, then spoil and frustrate them, crowd will soon get on their backs, they'll start rushing and panicking, then we hit them on the break' We score first and the crowd are up for it and the visiting team have to come out and make a game of it. It's a simple as that and always has been. Making an issue of a poor atmosphere and our poor home form because of it is as damaging as the constant referring to the 'toxic atmosphere' at home under the Allams.
For me it is a cultural/generational thing. Anyone under the age of 30 is now used to being able to have anything they want, when they want it, for most of their adult life and because of it have become impatient. In some cases impatient arseholes. If my 7 year old and I sit down to watch a game on TV, even two big teams and potential cracker of a match, after about 15 mins at 0-0 he is bored and reaches for the nintendo switch so he can play Fifa23 whilst the game is on so he can just watch any goals that go in on the tv. I make him put it back and watch the game but its a great example of the 'on-demand' culture we have. He just wants highlights, goals, updated league tables etc. Kids rarely want to sit through full games because it is hard to keep their attention and I genuinely think some adults are becoming the same because of the way they can have anything they like on-demand in life. People can now click a button to watch tv whenever they want it instead of having to rush home from work to catch their favourite show. If they dont like what is on the radio they literally have the choice of anything in the world at the fingertips via spotify. If they cant be arsed to go to a shop they can have something delivered, usually within 24 hours. So when it comes to watching sport they're becoming, in my opinion, less tolerant of 'boring' football or losing and this goes right to the top where the Man City fans have become used to success. People who know me know that as well as the family being members at City I also attend a lot of Man City and Man Utd games (Daughter supports Blue, Son supports Red) and despite the 3 clubs being worlds apart recently in terms of achievment the theme in the crowd is exactly the same. Most of the moaning and negative shouting is coming from people I would place under 40. The old men who sit behind us at Man City most of the time never grumble, they laugh and joke all the way through, however the obvious tourists and casuals, who spend half the game taking selfies and filming every corner or attacking play, are the ones who shout the negative stuff and leave 10 minutes before the end. I think many of the older fans are used to the way it works, you have good times and bad times and sometimes the players we have are not up to the level, either way you have a pint, catch up with mates and kick the dog when you get home. We cannot change it so for years have just supported the club and accepted it as 'football' but maybe the new generations are becoming less tolerant. I accept that there are loads of good young people who do not fit the stereotype above but they're in a minorty now. I also know there are miserable old blokes shouting 'forrrrrrrwarrrrd' every two minutes at City but there will always be exceptions.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again and again, we need a ****house Captain in our side, someone who will get a crunch tackle in early someone, who gets in the refs ear, someone who winds up the other team at every opportunity, this current crop of players are soft, there’s never anyone appealing fouls, corners free kicks. Every team knows this and exploits it, that’s why we are dogshit at home, Seri is talking bollocks to appease the manager, another crap loss or draw tomorrow will lead to rightfully complaining in the stands.
Wonder as well if our 'away fans' (generally) are more 'invested' in having a good time despite the game itself - therefore creating a better atmosphere
Yup, if you're suggesting that cheap and free tickets cause atmosphere issues you're right. Although that wouldn't explain the lack of atmosphere at either Manchester club, it costs enough to get in there!!!
It’s not surprising, given the stick Longman gets. Whatever he does, a large section are on his back. As someone described earlier, to the point were they are frothing at the mouth. I can’t recall a young City player receiving as much stick. I really have no idea why and definitely has an impact on his confidence.
