Don't judge us after 3 games.. Wait no, don't judge us after 10 games.. 16 games? Don't judge us! **** that. 16 games gone and we're playing as good as any one else in the league, and that's with key players out. I do think the 19 game mark will be a good judge of our credentials, but for now we're right up there so let's make a right go of it and see where we end up. Who would of foreseen this at the start of the season eh?
That's exactly the point DD, you can only beat what's put in front of you. So far we've done that as well as the 5 teams everyone has stated are vastly superior to us. We all accept that man for man our squad isn't as good as others looking at their careers but that matters not in this season so far. United won the league last year with what only the most colourblinded manc wouldn't consider their weakest squad to win the PL, we all laugh and say "it was the rest of the league that was rubbish!" They merely have to say: "we won the league that year." And just to be clear to MITO I wasn't having a go earlier at you, I've found myself constantly picking holes in every performance. Doubting players constantly, reminding myself we''re not good enough here, here and here. I started it again yesterday, whinged about Johnson and Sakho giving the ball away. Instead I should have applauded how for the 2nd game runing Skerts kept moving over to cover GJ and it largely worked, or when I highlighted that we were passing to an ever deepening Skerts unlike before we responded by upping our level of performance in midfield and allowed him more space. That's the asked for improvement within the confines of the existing squad. We all except our squad isn't the best in the league so what's the point of continually pointing it out? Lets instead applaud them for matching those so far that are supposed to be better? That doesn't mean to not be critical of a poor performance or perceived lack of effort later in the season....
I think a lot of rivals are looking at our fixtures and expecting us to be 6 points worse off in a few games time. The problem is, football doesn't work this way. Many of us including myself expected Everton to slip down the table when they went away to both Man Utd and Arsenal, yet here they are, and then before you know it they've picked up 4 points out of 6, winning at Old Trafford for the first time in God knows how long. The same goes for the Chelsea and City games, it's a real possibility we'll lose both. But hey, who broke Chelsea's home PL record? We have as good a record as anyone in the league at Stamford Bridge. Many expected us to get spanked at the Etihad last season, and in reality we were unlucky not to come away with three points in both fixtures.
None of us are getting carried away, but you won't enjoy the ride if you keep waiting for the wheels to fall off.
We ought to be looking to beat the Chavs this time around. They aren't looking anything like the sides of the last few years and they're shorn of any effective forwards. Torres is still miles away from the player we had, Ba is ineffective and Eto'o is the carbon copy of Sheva (a man rapidly declining). At the back they're tidy, but Terry is even slower than previous seasons and relies on his partner to provide the pace cover. They are huffing and puffing to beat even the lowliest opposition (Palace at home 2-1, Stoke 3-2, Sunderland 4-3 away) and shipping goals all over the place. Its a good time to be meeting them and we have to be at least confident we have the ability and form to take them on and beat them at their place.
Oh and I'm putting yesterdays result down to me quoting the lyrics of the appalling Bryan Adams song "We''re gonna Win" on the match thread in sn attempt at deluded optimism pre match. I will post the video on the match thread next 3 weeks lol.....
The wheels have come off the parade bus? ****, I spent all night doing the Championship 2013/14 banner for it.
I think the cheslea game seems more winnable than the city one. they are inconsistent. it should be very interesting.
Even more entertaining is The Special One's assessment of his own strike force... http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/jose-mourinho-on-fernando-torres-hes-not-very-skillful-and-dont-expect-25-goals-9007377.html I don't think it unrealistic to be looking for 4/6 from the Chelsea and Citeh games. If Citeh had Aguero fit and playing, and Chelsea were settled and playing well, 2/6 might have been the target, but currently...
Seriously? They've only dropped 2 points at home in 16 games between them! City have put 6 past both Arsenal & Spurs, 7 past Norwich, 4 past United & Newcastle & 3 past us & yet you think that 4 out of 6 isn't unrealistic?
Under Mourinho Chelsea have not lost at home and City at home are what they are. But..... Chelsea look wobbly, something about that team, it just feels like we can get at them if we come with that right game plan. Palace was giving them more than they could handle at times and Chelsea barely scrapped that! City is different, they lost Aguero which is big but Negredo is hitting a good purple patch and Dzeko finds a way...... not to mention a certain Jovetic may come back and that is just another bit of quality they have over everyone! Think the battle there will be can we handle the pace, power, technique, positioning of Fernandinho and Yaya.
Personally i dont htink we should be talking about city or Chelsea yet. We need to beat Cardiff. This time next week we could be bemoaning a performance simialr to the one against Hull and be expecting a spanking when we turn up at the Etihad or the Bridge. Looking beyond Cardiff would be silly. They probably still feel they owe us something from the league cup final a couple of years ago and will be playing out of their skins to get a result against us.
I think we can do the Chavs. Citeh are very, very handy at home, but you never know. High scoring draw?
Chelsea aren't the best side in the league, but at home they're very strong & you'll do well to come away with a point imo. City have been simply incredible at home this season, they're the best side in the league by a street for me & now they appear to have overcome their travel sickness I fully expect them to power on & win the league. Best side we've faced by far mate, they seem to have another gear, you think you've got the measure of them & they just go up a notch & blow you away.
No one expects us to get victories Tobes but we are capable. We ended Chelsea's fantastic home run at Stamford Bridge, and I think we have the best record against them in the last 5 years, winning at SB 3 times. (4 if you count CC), so the statistics bode well for us in that regard, and as you say, Chelsea certainly aren't the best team in the league at the moment.. Many expected us to get battered last season away to City and we put in a fantastic performance and really should of won the game if it wasn't for that Aguero piece of magic. No aguero will be a big blow, both their keepers are looking far from convincing and if any one can trouble Kompany it will be Suarez. Like I said, no one is saying we'll go and win these games, but we might as well be positive eh? No one expected your lot to take 4 points from Utd and Arsenal but you proved every one wrong.
