Don't get me wrong I'm not saying it's been a great start it hasn't. It's been an ok-ish start but not the end of the world as the OP seemed to be saying. It's been made more frustrating by the times we've gone ahead then conceded. We could indeed still be on six points after 12 EPL games but if we beat Palace at home and Burnley away we could be on 12 points. Although I think we'll be on 9 or 10 which will be very close to the bottom of the table.
I have been using this forum to keep up to date with City and the views of the fans. Having lived in Australia for nearly 40 years and only being back home to watch one game in all that time I was reluctant to comment on a forum used by "Genuine" fans. I was born in Hull and lived there for more than 20 years so still consider myself a City supporter and want the team to do well. The aim of my original post was to offer an observation on where I think City are at the moment. It's really interesting that my observations result in different interpretations of what I said. In ignoring the usual foul-mouthed wind up merchants I wonder why some saw my comments as doom and gloom. Steve Bruce has done well at City. We do have the potenially strongest squad ever. All I was saying is that Steve Bruce has been in this position before with other clubs and failed to cut the mustard. To me it's not how many points we have at this early stage of the season it's more about how we have been playing. A manager buys players who he thinks will fit into his tactical format. On this basis I say that you can't say that players need time to fit in. If you buy the right players and your tactics are right then they should hit the ground running. The last half of last season showed deficiences in Steve's managerial capabilities and I believe they are being continued this season. Throw into the mix the possible disharmony because of new players replacing previously established players then you need a manager who can get it right under pressure. I hope Steve is the man for the job but history says different.
I was not trying to wind anyone up or start an argument with you or anyone else and I do not consider myself a 'foul-mouthed wind up merchant' I have reread this thread and think my replies were fair and realistic if not a little sarcastic to highlight the absurdity of some comments. However our signings do need time as they are not going necessarily going to slot into the way we play and SB has been trying 4-4-2 with diamond mid etc. Ben Arfa hasnt had a preseason, Gaston spent most of last year warming the bench and Hernandez does not speak the lingo and has to adapt to a much quicker league. Diame is familiar with the league and the pace, is fit and his performances so far have reflected this. So everyone needs time to learn eachothers games. I find it astonishing that after where we have come from and where we are currently that anyone would see things this way. I understand your point on SB's history at other clubs, but I look at his history and achievements with us, after all thats all that really matters and any mistakes made at former employers he will have learnt from and will benfit us - hence buying British if possible. I think the view is very pessimistic and believe SB has been the making of us and I will continue to back him. But I will leave it at that as I guess its a 'glass is half empty' kind of situation for you? UTT
It's a bit too early in the season to make proper judgements as to whats what but that won't stop the knee-jerkers spouting their doom-mongery at this point of the year every year forevermore. What makes me laugh is people writing off players who have just moved based on a few games when they are settling in, not so much the team performances.
Well from the bits I've seen on MOTD & the Wet Spam game, it seems to be changing players & not understanding each other, the defence has been surprisingly poor this season, Davies seems lost with Dawson alongside him. McG just seems lost, conceding soft goals. The midfield has way too many options & it looks like a typical football manager game, look at the likes of Ince, signed him but now how much time is he going to play? I can see the criticism but I think SB will need to manage his men as it seems he is good at & bring the best out of them. I think he will manage them & once he gets into a month of being with these players then we should be seeing the best of what he can do & the players can do, after all it has only been 2 weeks since they've been back from the international break & with another one coming up soon, it shouldn't disrupt as much. As for the OP, who do you think would come in, or who does anyone think?
Don't panic mr mainwaring .. we won't have a naive young lad come on in defence for last five this time .. in bruce we trust
We've played five league games and only lost one by the odd goal. 'A manager buys players who he thinks will fit into his tactical format' you say. Perhaps when the players he has signed have the opportunity when match fit Bruce might get a fair hearing? Up to now they have weighed in with three goals, and looked better then the players we had. To me it's not about how many points we have at this time of the season or how we have been playing ( who has overrun us so far?) Its how many points we finished up with at the end of April/early May. As for 'wind-up-merchants' your post takes the biscuit.
We're not even six weeks into the season and we're already out of our first Europa League and a winnable League Cup, in no small part thanks to poor team selection, poor substitutions and terrible tactics. In our last 11 competitive games, this has seen us become only the second team ever to lose a Wembley Cup final after going two-goals ahead, throw away six points in the league (quite something after five matches), and contrive to get ourselves beaten by a mid-table Belgian side. Bruce has signed a plethora of attacking players, such as Ince, Ramirez, Ben Arfa and Hernandez, yet he persists in sitting back on one-goal leads. It is infuriating.
Can I claim a some kind of record to being the only person to attend on both these occasions? This year and the Everton v Sheffield Wed game in 1966? The only 2 FA Cup Finals I have been to.
Points taken and I hope you are right. I would love for Steve to take us to the promised land of the top half of the table and keep us there for years to come. The long suffering supporters of City deserve a "permanent" premiership side. As for being a glass half full person you may be right but I prefer to consider myself as a "hope for the best, prepare for the worst and accept whatever comes" type. I predict plenty of goals at the KC today and I hope we score the majority of them. Go the Tigers.
