Don't misunderestimate Man City

[Swale_Gooner1985]

I'll say it again,


The stark realities of what really happened last season are lost on you two.

and i will say this again shall i?

THE REALITY OF LAST SEASON IS THAT WE FINISHED FOURTH, QUITE EASILY IN THE END!

[yourshighburylly]

Whilst it is true that we actually compiled a fantastic league run- incl v manure,the Pool etc except v CFC( mind, they are bad 4 the atmosphere! ), it is a fact that,like the bottom teams, the Villa went on an unbelievably crap run from the moment they de-valued the europe run( thank our lucky stars). I dont get how the press/media have seemingly let O'Neil "get off scot-free" so to speak.
AW gets so much flak, yet Also-Rans UTD ie Villa & the Toffees are a country mile behind us, yet Moyes gets plaudits too!
The Premiership has been an interesting beast this year- yet if you look @ the points totals of the top 4, it suggests that somewhere along the way(based on the UCL performances of our top 4) that it MUST be quite strong!
It's a funny old game

[Bendtners Drinking Buddy]

Im not saying we should be happy with 4th, but I think losing a few players hit us hard. Yes we had a shocking start, but you have to give credit to the way we turned things round.

It shows spirit and character in the squad and with decent adittions we have everything to be positive about, not looking down on what midtable clubs are doing.

[Gunnersaurus]

From football365 s mailbox :-


It's not as if City have stopped shopping. If they're in for Tevez they may get him, they may not, but we can be sure they've got 25 million to spend on a striker. We can assume they've got a bit of cash for a centre-back too if the rumours of a pursuit of Lescott are to be believed. Who knows how much more they've got. Even If these two signings (or similar) come off they'll be able to field this team:

GK - Given
RB - Richards
CB - Lescott
CB - Kompany
LB - Bridge
DM - De Jong
DM - Barry
AM - Ireland
RF - Wright-Phillips
LF - Robinho
CF - Tevez

That's quite a bit better than Arsenal if I'm not very much mistaken.
Rob Michael-Phillips, LFC

That doesn't look too shabby to me, if they get Eto'o aswell then it would be even stronger.

yes but its all things that havent happened!! if Pele and Maradonna suddenly were in their prime again and played for us we would be a better team! but it hasnt happened!

Only 2 players on that list havem't been signed....yet so your Maradonna and Pele comment is wasted.

[Gunnersaurus]

From football365 s mailbox :-


It's not as if City have stopped shopping. If they're in for Tevez they may get him, they may not, but we can be sure they've got 25 million to spend on a striker. We can assume they've got a bit of cash for a centre-back too if the rumours of a pursuit of Lescott are to be believed. Who knows how much more they've got. Even If these two signings (or similar) come off they'll be able to field this team:

GK - Given
RB - Richards
CB - Lescott
CB - Kompany
LB - Bridge
DM - De Jong
DM - Barry
AM - Ireland
RF - Wright-Phillips
LF - Robinho
CF - Tevez

That's quite a bit better than Arsenal if I'm not very much mistaken.
Rob Michael-Phillips, LFC

That doesn't look too shabby to me, if they get Eto'o aswell then it would be even stronger.

yes but its all things that havent happened!! if Pele and Maradonna suddenly were in their prime again and played for us we would be a better team! but it hasnt happened!

Only 2 players on that list havem't been signed....yet so your Maradonna and Pele comment is wasted.

[Bendtners Drinking Buddy]

Yes and most of that team listed finished nowhere this season, so what makes you think signing a midfielder and a defender from outside the top 4, and a sub from the top 4 changes that to the extent they finish in the top 4?

[Andrey's Tongue]

I don't understand all this about Villa. The only truth is that we got far more points than them over 38 games so we came 4th (and them 6th). The reason they collapsed is because they wasn't good enough, its not a freak run of results, they just weren't good enough. Also, if its such a freak run of results that led them to fall apart then why don't people remember the games they were very fortunate to win. They were never going to keep up that run.

It seems to me that there is actually a lot of sour grapes on here that we got 4th easily because it proved some people wrong. I remember reading on here all the boo boys saying how it was never going to happen. When it did it was apparently because Villa were shit when in fact they just weren't as good as us.

And all this about Man City, I would be prepared to have a sizable bet with someone that we finish above them. Just because they are buying a few money grabbers doesn't bother me. They might be a force in the future but it isn't going to happen overnight.

[Gunnersaurus]

Yes and most of that team listed finished nowhere this season, so what makes you think signing a midfielder and a defender from outside the top 4, and a sub from the top 4 changes that to the extent they finish in the top 4?

Last year is history, all teams start with clean slates and zero points, number 5 was definatly right, if you think finishing 4th last season was a show of strength then you are deluded and I like to think of myself as one of the positive fans.

It's painfull to read.

[Rob]

You and Swale miss the point.

The point is City now have unlimited money just like Chelsea. I had this same argument with Arsenal fans five years ago.

Chelsea - said they - will never finish above Arsenal ( they based this on the fact that it had happened yet !). True it hadn't but if you have an unlimited spend sooner or later - and it tends to be sooner - you acquire the sort of players who do make up the ground on the teams above you. Now Chelsea are clearly above us and on a regular season by season basis.

As I said above 5 into 4 won't go.

We may well strengthen very soon. I certainly hope so !!!! And that will assist our cause. But City can now outspend us by £100 to every £1 we spend.

So the fight is really on.

[Bendtners Drinking Buddy]

Great post Arshavin, i remember when Villa kept getting battered all game and won 1-0, the luck soon runs out and over a course of a season you finish where you deserve to be, and they didnt deserve to be in the top 4.

I agree too about people convinved we wouldnt finish 4th and are now upset we grew as a team and as a squad - people forget the amount of injuries we have had over the past two years, some of those at key key times - its going to have an effect. That bunch of players had the media, the press and some fans on their back but they rose above it - partiularly the players used as scapegoats - Bendtner, Eboue who were performing on a more consistent basis than some of the "fans favourites" at times.

I accept people are critical of the team, I am at times, but you have to give credit where it is due as well.

[Bendtners Drinking Buddy]

Yes and most of that team listed finished nowhere this season, so what makes you think signing a midfielder and a defender from outside the top 4, and a sub from the top 4 changes that to the extent they finish in the top 4?

Last year is history, all teams start with clean slates and zero points, number 5 was definatly right, if you think finishing 4th last season was a show of strength then you are deluded and I like to think of myself as one of the positive fans.

It's painfull to read.

So why so quick to assume we cant progress then?? Whats to say some of our own players already moulded into a good squad and with a good manager cant progress into excellent players themselves?

[Gunnersaurus]

You and Swale miss the point.

The point is City now have unlimited money just like Chelsea. I had this same argument with Arsenal fans five years ago.

Chelsea - said they - will never finish above Arsenal ( they based this on the fact that it had happened yet !). True it hadn't but if you have an unlimited spend sooner or later - and it tends to be sooner - you acquire the sort of players who do make up the ground on the teams above you. Now Chelsea are clearly above us and on a regular season by season basis.

As I said above 5 into 4 won't go.

We may well strengthen very soon. I certainly hope so !!!! And that will assist our cause. But City can now outspend us by £100 to every £1 we spend.

So the fight is really on.

This is exactly it, every year teams catch up, with that sort of spending power they are gonna catch up and maintain it quicker then the Fulhams, Villas and Evertons in the league.

For them it's not about buying the Kaka's of the world, it's about buying the Barry's, Given's and Bellamy's that know the drill, they are doing that and to think that they will be mid table because they were last year or the year before is just foolish.

Had Villa had City's spending power and bought in Jan then we would be looking at the Europa now.

[Andrey's Tongue]

You and Swale miss the point.

The point is City now have unlimited money just like Chelsea. I had this same argument with Arsenal fans five years ago.

Chelsea - said they - will never finish above Arsenal ( they based this on the fact that it had happened yet !). True it hadn't but if you have an unlimited spend sooner or later - and it tends to be sooner - you acquire the sort of players who do make up the ground on the teams above you. Now Chelsea are clearly above us and on a regular season by season basis.

As I said above 5 into 4 won't go.

We may well strengthen very soon. I certainly hope so !!!! And that will assist our cause. But City can now outspend us by £100 to every £1 we spend.

So the fight is really on.

Then surely this a reason to be even more behind Wenger's vision. If you think that money is the most important factor then we should be thankful that he has put in place a structure throughout the club that we can (hopefully) start producing large numbers of our own players from the youth sides.

[Number 5]

THE STARK REALITY IS WE FINISHED ABOVE VILLA

That is the blind luck of last season.

And it's that kind of blinkered statement that cannot allow you to see past the failings of the club right now. Given a similar situation next year I imagine with 25 games gone and if we lie in fifth you'll be on here spouting how it's a 38 games season and what not.

My man, it is not a good thing to be in that kind of position no matter what the final outcome. Will you only see that if we come in fifth one year? Cos it'll be to bloody late by then pal.

[Andrey's Tongue]

This is exactly it, every year teams catch up, with that sort of spending power they are gonna catch up and maintain it quicker then the Fulhams, Villas and Evertons in the league.

For them it's not about buying the Kaka's of the world, it's about buying the Barry's, Given's and Bellamy's that know the drill, they are doing that and to think that they will be mid table because they were last year or the year before is just foolish.

Had Villa had City's spending power and bought in Jan then we would be looking at the Europa now.

Its hypothetical again though isn't it, if we had won every game 10-0 we would have won the league. It didn't happen though did it.