That was an amazing performance!!! Probably even tops West Brom! Forget that we should have had two penalties (Three appeals, but one was the corner resulting from the first) because we have just turned up to Etihad and played them off the park. It has to be said that Man City were terrible, Lescott was literally hopeless in fact, but that should not detract from a really, really comprehensive performance. Two weeks ago, people thought we were doomed to relegation and that Hughton could not motivate the players. Now we are finishing this season 11th (That is BETTER than Paul Lambert's season) so I will be the first to say. Well done Hughton, on what is in the scheme of things a fantastic season!!! The future under Hughton is not as bleak as Carrabuh would have you believe, that game was away from home against Man City, but we were sure not negative! I barely recall us ever hitting the ball long, we played it out of defence and counter-attacked superbly. With RVW and other new recruits in the summer, before I couldn't wait for the season to end; now I can't wait for the next one! Hughton got tactics, line-ups SPOT ON again today. Special mentions for Hoolahan and Holt today, but my man of the match is Jonny Howson by a mile. He started the season very poorly, was ok and gradually improving in the second half and these last two matches has been awesome. Yes, he scored a superb Gareth Bale-esq goal, but he was breaking up the play, charging up and down the pitch all game and demonstrated a sensational range of passing! Great game today Jonny! DM OTBC IHWT
As soon as he looks to take the ball forward from midfield Howson looks a different man he suddenly looks better than the guy we thought we'd signed at the end of last season. He's a proper box to box midfielder wouldn't be surprised to have the midfield build around him next year
Why couldn't they do this before? How has the team suddenly changed and started playing free flowing football? Is it that the last two games have been against teams already on holiday? I don't know what the answer is but I don't believe CH has suddenly got the balance right in the last two games, im thrilled we've won the last two games but im not ready to bang the Hughton drum just yet, sorry.
Great result..same as last week but let's keep things in perspective..two wins against teams on the beach. Let's hope for a good summer and more positive football next season.
It's impossible to play all 38 games like we have in our last 2 games and it's not like we've played badly all this year. Hopefully we can carry this form over to next season.
That hasn't been the case though. January we were awful, and the same for most of February except the Everton game. But we were very good against Sunderland, granted the Wigan game was poor, but since then, the Swansea, Arsenal, Reading and Villa games were all an improvement, and it's just clicked (or the opposition has been particularly poor) in the last two games. This hasn't been Hughton waving a magic wand, it's been hard work and he's turned it around. The tactics have been pretty much spot on since the beginning of April, and if a couple of decisions had gone our way, we'd have been a lot more comfortable. 3-4 decent signings this summer, and we're in a very, very good position for next season.
Well it would have been easy for us not to turn up as we were safe anyway, but we did and done a professional job. Man City have got world class players and ok they weren't at their best I think it's a little unfair to say we won because they were on the beach.
I didn't say that's why we won and I still credited the team. All I said was let's keep things in perspective..things may have clicked and we continue as the last two games or its because both WBA and City didn't fancy it. That's all.
ah ok, sorry for misreading your post. There's more encouraging signs to be more optimistic now. 11th in the table and 2 solid performances, the end of the season have pretty much left me in a positive/good mood
I'm afraid that's not the true picture, against Swansea we were awful until they scored and suddenly woke up, Arsenal missed numerous chances before we were robbed of a point by a poor ref descion, Reading was very nervous but the best of the four games you quoted and against Villa we never looked like scoring from open play and indeed it was a pen that gave us the goal, and it was a generous descion at that. Like I said im thrilled we've won and hope that the corner has been turned and its all roses ahead for next season, but after watching so much ****e football this season two wins against teams with nothing to play for hasn't convinced me yet that its happened.
Quote from Hughton after the game "The manner in which we achieved this win is most pleasing. You know they (Man City) are going to have the bulk of possession but we did really well with the ball Does this man not look at the stats?????
It would be easy to start off another 1000 post topic about tactics with neither side of the coin seeing eye to eye (sorry about the mixed metaphors). No lectures here. The fact is the last two games have absolutely delighted EVERYONE and that's all that counts.
Hmmmm.... I wonder who's changed their minds about Chris now "no ... but why doesn't he do that all the time?" will be the reply... and the answer to that is, it isn't bloody possible to play like that all the time.
Wow where did that come from? Am away for a break and just checked the result Well done boys, great to finish the season off with a couple of wins rather than negative results or performances People might say it didn't matter to city and they have no manager, but they are still a team of world class talent Otbc
Why come on here and stir it up? We have all agreed to a truce and didn't invite your comments. Most of us aren't interested.
On Canary Call yesterday a caller phoned in to say that a physio at the club had told him CH had taken a bollocking from the board in regards to his style of play and tactics. I must say the caller was quite convincing, of course I remain sceptical but there has been a notable change in our style of play since the Villa defeat. Does anyone think there could be any truth in this?
There does seem to have been quite a dramatic change in our approach to games in the last 2 matches and with the exception of JR in goal, the team's not that different. IMO, the main difference has been that Howson has been allowed to go and join in the attack. GH has been back to his old self as well.
