nd for City will still be improvement. Or to put it another way, we're getting closer. Closer to the top prize in what many regard to be the best league in the world. I have no doubt that, even if we fail this season, it will only be a matter of time.
_________
ripley
do you see city spending big though this summer. i honestly thought you would win it this year, you stil might. your squad is miles better than anyone elses
if you dont win it this season - i just see it getting harder for you to win because the chasing pack will spend this summer to improve thier teams whereas your team is pretty much nearing perfection isnt it?
This is the stage of the season where United step it up a gear. Admittedly we haven't quite achieved our top form yet, but we're getting results. At the same time, City appear to be wobbling. Not slipping up, but wobbling.
Squeaky bum time is near, it will be interesting to see if City will be able to cope. It may take time for the squad to fully gel and unite (excuse the pun), so my prediction is for United to win the league.
On a side note, I often think the outcome of the Community Shield is a good tell-tale sign of the outcome of the season. We saw it last season with United's 3-1 beating of Chelsea, who they eventually outclassed to win the league. This season, there was a fightback and a brilliant ending to the match. The Community Shield was won this year through team spirit and experience. City will have to learn these quickly if they are to triumph.
City's money has been good for the league, though. If it weren't for that then there wouldn't be a title race.
There's still a lot to play for this season, and there's bound to be another twist or two along the way. We definitely don't want to go to the Etihad needing a result as well.
I think Chelsea have the resources to challenge if Abramovich opens his chequebook again, but you get the feeling that he has spent all that he's willing to. Tottenham need to improve for a couple of years as do Arsenal and Liverpool before they have even secured a top 4 spot, never mind a title challenge.
It's likely to be a Manchester top two for a few years now, and it's going to be very interesting.
Call me a fool then but I dont see city winning the prem and in the back of city fans fans heads they think that way too.Why? Because as long as there is a UNITED they will always be city.
Ripley is only writing this article to make himself look good.
Deep down he has a feeling City will pinch it at the Etihad, i'm confident they will beat us there.
Its harsh how you talk about Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal though seeing as a couple of seasons ago you sat in the Championship
City robbed Spurs of a point at White hart lane, you also robbed Arsenal of a point at Etihad.
Disrespectful!
We only won the double two years ago Ripley, we're more than capable of challenging again !
Mr Chelsea (U3579)
Chelsea won't be challenging anytime soon I'm afraid.
Out of the big teams their in the worst position in terms of long term planning and player development. Chelsea need rebuilding the most, major rebuilding.
It doesn't help when there is no real STABILITY at your club, and no real long term plan.
do you see city spending big though this summer. i honestly thought you would win it this year, you stil might. your squad is miles better than anyone elses
---------------------
I don't see City spending big in the summer. Simply because we don't need to. What is hampering City this season is the fact that, as a collective we are inexperienced when it comes to the Premier League. From the manager (his 2nd full season in his job), to the players (many of whom are in their 1st full season in the premier league). I said that very thing last season - that experience counts for one hell of a lot.
City are up against a manager who has over 25 years experience of managing a club in England's top flight. He is managing many players who themselves have more collective experience in what it takes to win the league than any other club in the country. That's a huge obstacle for anyone to overcome. (Which is a fact that makes the poster "Lucas the destroyer" look like an idiot for submitting the comment that (s)he did.)
Talent-wise - City's squad is miles better than any other club in this country. But that's a comment that only actually means anything on paper - a place where football is never played. City have remained at the top of the table for months, and have had to cope with United on their tails for the same amount of time. Now it's changed. United have the bit between their teeth and I don't expect them to let it go. So I do feel that United will go on and win the title this season. But only two teams will contest the title over the next few years - both being the Manchester clubs, and I have absolutely no doubt that it will interchange. Put simply, both clubs are miles ahead of anyone else, meaning that everyone else will struggle to compete. Liverpool, London, teams from those cities will just have to put up with scraps that the Manchester clubs leave behind.
All those having ago at RC, remember he is one of the better City fans.
Good, honest poster.
bossman i cant disagree with you. we're a shambles at the moment. any talk of youth team development, rebuilding, projects is absurd while roman is there as one chelsea fan put it but all our squad needs is some names to be shipped out and some new ones to be brought in. not saying we're looking nice and cushty now for a league title but we can easily challenge with romans money. before it was only us with the money. now its us, united have money and so do city. thats why winning the league this year is important for city as next year i dont see it getting any easier for them.
7 out of 8 "Sky Sports experts" gave city the title this season !!!
Ripley is only writing this article to make himself look good.
Deep down he has a feeling City will pinch it at the Etihad, i'm confident they will beat us there.
-----------------------------
If deep down I had the feeling (or in other words the belief) that City would beat United at the Etihad and thus go on to win the league - if my "feeling" really was what is what will happen - then I have absolutely no reason to create this thread.
Your comment in this respect makes no sense whatsoever.
And it's not harsh how I talk about Spurs, or Arsenal, or Chelsea. A couple of seasons ago we (City) were not in the championship, so I'm not at all sure why you make such a ridiculous comment. Nor do I understand your comment about robbing Spurs and Arsenal of a point at their home grounds. This season we beat Spurs 5-1 at WLH, and we've yet to play Arsenal at their stadium.
In short, I'm not at all sure that you have any clue what you're on about.
You create threads like this so you gain respect off others and not look like a complete plonker like most City fans if you were not to win the title this season.
I meant to say you robbed spurs of a point at Etihad.
By a couple i didnt mean exactly 2 seasons ago, it wasnt that long ago though was it?
In my opinion i believe it is harsh how you talk about those clubs, i mean... who are City to judge anybody?
Spurs, Chelsea Arsenal and Liverpool are all far more respectable clubs, Liverpool not so much recently.
GregUnited
I create threads like this so I can express my own opinion. If others respect me for my threads, or if people ridicule me for expressing the opinion that I do, it's all the same to me. I certainly don't create threads in order to garner respect, or to save face in any way. Sorry, but I don't work that way. That you think I do says more about your own cynical attitude than it does about myself.
Anyway, we didn't rob Spurs of a point. We won the game fair and square. Whether the winner was scored in the 1st minute or the 90th, it amounts to the same. It was a penatly - no contentious decision there, so how you can say we "robbed" Spurs of a a point is competely beyond me.
Maybe you are referring to the incident in which Balotelli should have been sent off. Well I would say he should have been. But even if he was, no one knows what the outcome of the game would then have been. I could just as easily say that City would still have won the game than you can say that Spurs would have got a point. And nothing that you say can disprove any of that.
In your opinion you feel I am being harsh of how I talk about "those clubs". I can respect that. In my opinion I don't think I am being harsh. Again, that comes down to nothing but opinion - opinion which you are entitled to express and I am also. I am not of the opinion that the likes of Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool are far more respectable clubs than City, simply because saying they are doesn't have any validity to it. What, they didn't have owners who were prepared (or in a position) to put their money where their mouth was? Nothing to be respected (or disrespected about that).
All said and done, I'm not at all sure what your point is (or indeed whether you actually have any point worth making).
this article lost any credibility when you claimed that people regard the premier league to be the best in the world? who exactly are these people? sky sports? and they only reason they say it is to boost subscription numbers. the facts are this league is there for the taking, city should have won it last season and they should have walked it this time. they have far and away the best team in the country, player for player, unlimited funds and a team that is the finished article at a time when there isn't a single outstanding team in the division. when united were last in transition in 2005, chelsea were at the same stage as city are now and pizzed the league, losing just once. that's how easy it should have been for city this year. they are now inexplicably not even top of the league. if mancini does fail to win the league this year he should be publicly horsewhipped in marple town centre.
cant help but agree with ole1999's harshly worded post this was the year for you to win the league, next year, i see ourselves challenging along with maybe utd and arsenal if arsene opens his wallet
not maybe utd - utd will challenge, the maybe is for chelsea and arsenal
It never fails to amaze me the lengths posters will go to in order to discredit anything that another poster says on sites such as this.
Many people have regarded the PL to be the best league in the world. Saying the article loses any credibility in pointing that out doesn't change that fact. And it's such an inconsequential point that I'm quite frankly surprised that another poster would focus on it in order to try and score some brownie points.
Whether the PL is the best league in the world or not is obviously up for debate. Hopefully a debate best saved for another time and place (that is, when it is actually relevant). That wasn't the point being made. People do regard it as being the best league - if they are wrong to do so, then so be it. It doesn't change the fact that that is how they think - which renders the comment made in my original post factually correct.
Now, instead of picking up on such an insignificant point, how about addressing the actual point of my article...
this was the year for you to win the league
------------------
My opinion? That is bull. City will only get stronger. This is our first real attempt at winning the league. City's challenge will only get stronger.
Yes - Chelsea etc will get stronger in the seasons to come, but so too will City (and indeed United).
the premier league is barely the best league in britain. and with their squad city should have had it won by christmas at the latest. i'm genuinely embarrassed for them that they haven't. and if they do go onto finish second then it will be a bigger stumble than devon loch.
thats what im saying. chelsea are pretty much a shambles at the moment. we can only get better, united will need to sign a couple of midfielders whereas your squad looked adequate enough to win it this year. thats why i said next year just might be a little bit harder
590 million on players
1.2 billion for their new "life long city fan owners" to win an FA cup
And despite it being pointed out that it was such an inconsequential point to my post, ole_1999 still wants to labour it.
So you're genuinely embarrassed that City hadn't won the league by Christmas. Despite it being a fact that no team has ever won the league at that time.
The reason why being quite obvious - it's mathematically impossible for any team to have won the league at such a time.
Ole_1999, please, at least make an attempt to talk a bit of sense.
chelsea are pretty much a shambles at the moment. we can only get better
-------------
It is more than possible for you to get worse.
Winning the league may get harder for City. But not from the challenge of the likes of Chelsea. Well, not unless you get Mourinho back in charge. The biggest mistake Chelsea ever made. If he had remained in charge, you'd have many more league titles and probably at least one Champions League title under your belt by now.
As it stands, Chelsea are a spent force - trying to reclaim what they always threatened to do. As it stands, City have surpassed Chelsea - I probably sound harsh in saying that we have bigger things to overcome, but it's nevertheless true.
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So for the first time since October...
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posted on 11/3/12
nd for City will still be improvement. Or to put it another way, we're getting closer. Closer to the top prize in what many regard to be the best league in the world. I have no doubt that, even if we fail this season, it will only be a matter of time.
_________
ripley
do you see city spending big though this summer. i honestly thought you would win it this year, you stil might. your squad is miles better than anyone elses
if you dont win it this season - i just see it getting harder for you to win because the chasing pack will spend this summer to improve thier teams whereas your team is pretty much nearing perfection isnt it?
posted on 11/3/12
oh dear city, bottlers.
posted on 11/3/12
This is the stage of the season where United step it up a gear. Admittedly we haven't quite achieved our top form yet, but we're getting results. At the same time, City appear to be wobbling. Not slipping up, but wobbling.
Squeaky bum time is near, it will be interesting to see if City will be able to cope. It may take time for the squad to fully gel and unite (excuse the pun), so my prediction is for United to win the league.
On a side note, I often think the outcome of the Community Shield is a good tell-tale sign of the outcome of the season. We saw it last season with United's 3-1 beating of Chelsea, who they eventually outclassed to win the league. This season, there was a fightback and a brilliant ending to the match. The Community Shield was won this year through team spirit and experience. City will have to learn these quickly if they are to triumph.
posted on 11/3/12
City's money has been good for the league, though. If it weren't for that then there wouldn't be a title race.
There's still a lot to play for this season, and there's bound to be another twist or two along the way. We definitely don't want to go to the Etihad needing a result as well.
I think Chelsea have the resources to challenge if Abramovich opens his chequebook again, but you get the feeling that he has spent all that he's willing to. Tottenham need to improve for a couple of years as do Arsenal and Liverpool before they have even secured a top 4 spot, never mind a title challenge.
It's likely to be a Manchester top two for a few years now, and it's going to be very interesting.
posted on 11/3/12
Call me a fool then but I dont see city winning the prem and in the back of city fans fans heads they think that way too.Why? Because as long as there is a UNITED they will always be city.
posted on 11/3/12
Ripley is only writing this article to make himself look good.
Deep down he has a feeling City will pinch it at the Etihad, i'm confident they will beat us there.
Its harsh how you talk about Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal though seeing as a couple of seasons ago you sat in the Championship
City robbed Spurs of a point at White hart lane, you also robbed Arsenal of a point at Etihad.
Disrespectful!
posted on 11/3/12
We only won the double two years ago Ripley, we're more than capable of challenging again !
posted on 11/3/12
Mr Chelsea (U3579)
Chelsea won't be challenging anytime soon I'm afraid.
Out of the big teams their in the worst position in terms of long term planning and player development. Chelsea need rebuilding the most, major rebuilding.
It doesn't help when there is no real STABILITY at your club, and no real long term plan.
posted on 11/3/12
do you see city spending big though this summer. i honestly thought you would win it this year, you stil might. your squad is miles better than anyone elses
---------------------
I don't see City spending big in the summer. Simply because we don't need to. What is hampering City this season is the fact that, as a collective we are inexperienced when it comes to the Premier League. From the manager (his 2nd full season in his job), to the players (many of whom are in their 1st full season in the premier league). I said that very thing last season - that experience counts for one hell of a lot.
City are up against a manager who has over 25 years experience of managing a club in England's top flight. He is managing many players who themselves have more collective experience in what it takes to win the league than any other club in the country. That's a huge obstacle for anyone to overcome. (Which is a fact that makes the poster "Lucas the destroyer" look like an idiot for submitting the comment that (s)he did.)
Talent-wise - City's squad is miles better than any other club in this country. But that's a comment that only actually means anything on paper - a place where football is never played. City have remained at the top of the table for months, and have had to cope with United on their tails for the same amount of time. Now it's changed. United have the bit between their teeth and I don't expect them to let it go. So I do feel that United will go on and win the title this season. But only two teams will contest the title over the next few years - both being the Manchester clubs, and I have absolutely no doubt that it will interchange. Put simply, both clubs are miles ahead of anyone else, meaning that everyone else will struggle to compete. Liverpool, London, teams from those cities will just have to put up with scraps that the Manchester clubs leave behind.
posted on 11/3/12
All those having ago at RC, remember he is one of the better City fans.
Good, honest poster.
posted on 11/3/12
bossman i cant disagree with you. we're a shambles at the moment. any talk of youth team development, rebuilding, projects is absurd while roman is there as one chelsea fan put it but all our squad needs is some names to be shipped out and some new ones to be brought in. not saying we're looking nice and cushty now for a league title but we can easily challenge with romans money. before it was only us with the money. now its us, united have money and so do city. thats why winning the league this year is important for city as next year i dont see it getting any easier for them.
posted on 11/3/12
7 out of 8 "Sky Sports experts" gave city the title this season !!!
posted on 11/3/12
Ripley is only writing this article to make himself look good.
Deep down he has a feeling City will pinch it at the Etihad, i'm confident they will beat us there.
-----------------------------
If deep down I had the feeling (or in other words the belief) that City would beat United at the Etihad and thus go on to win the league - if my "feeling" really was what is what will happen - then I have absolutely no reason to create this thread.
Your comment in this respect makes no sense whatsoever.
And it's not harsh how I talk about Spurs, or Arsenal, or Chelsea. A couple of seasons ago we (City) were not in the championship, so I'm not at all sure why you make such a ridiculous comment. Nor do I understand your comment about robbing Spurs and Arsenal of a point at their home grounds. This season we beat Spurs 5-1 at WLH, and we've yet to play Arsenal at their stadium.
In short, I'm not at all sure that you have any clue what you're on about.
posted on 11/3/12
You create threads like this so you gain respect off others and not look like a complete plonker like most City fans if you were not to win the title this season.
I meant to say you robbed spurs of a point at Etihad.
By a couple i didnt mean exactly 2 seasons ago, it wasnt that long ago though was it?
In my opinion i believe it is harsh how you talk about those clubs, i mean... who are City to judge anybody?
Spurs, Chelsea Arsenal and Liverpool are all far more respectable clubs, Liverpool not so much recently.
posted on 11/3/12
GregUnited
I create threads like this so I can express my own opinion. If others respect me for my threads, or if people ridicule me for expressing the opinion that I do, it's all the same to me. I certainly don't create threads in order to garner respect, or to save face in any way. Sorry, but I don't work that way. That you think I do says more about your own cynical attitude than it does about myself.
Anyway, we didn't rob Spurs of a point. We won the game fair and square. Whether the winner was scored in the 1st minute or the 90th, it amounts to the same. It was a penatly - no contentious decision there, so how you can say we "robbed" Spurs of a a point is competely beyond me.
Maybe you are referring to the incident in which Balotelli should have been sent off. Well I would say he should have been. But even if he was, no one knows what the outcome of the game would then have been. I could just as easily say that City would still have won the game than you can say that Spurs would have got a point. And nothing that you say can disprove any of that.
In your opinion you feel I am being harsh of how I talk about "those clubs". I can respect that. In my opinion I don't think I am being harsh. Again, that comes down to nothing but opinion - opinion which you are entitled to express and I am also. I am not of the opinion that the likes of Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool are far more respectable clubs than City, simply because saying they are doesn't have any validity to it. What, they didn't have owners who were prepared (or in a position) to put their money where their mouth was? Nothing to be respected (or disrespected about that).
All said and done, I'm not at all sure what your point is (or indeed whether you actually have any point worth making).
posted on 11/3/12
this article lost any credibility when you claimed that people regard the premier league to be the best in the world? who exactly are these people? sky sports? and they only reason they say it is to boost subscription numbers. the facts are this league is there for the taking, city should have won it last season and they should have walked it this time. they have far and away the best team in the country, player for player, unlimited funds and a team that is the finished article at a time when there isn't a single outstanding team in the division. when united were last in transition in 2005, chelsea were at the same stage as city are now and pizzed the league, losing just once. that's how easy it should have been for city this year. they are now inexplicably not even top of the league. if mancini does fail to win the league this year he should be publicly horsewhipped in marple town centre.
posted on 11/3/12
cant help but agree with ole1999's harshly worded post this was the year for you to win the league, next year, i see ourselves challenging along with maybe utd and arsenal if arsene opens his wallet
posted on 11/3/12
not maybe utd - utd will challenge, the maybe is for chelsea and arsenal
posted on 11/3/12
It never fails to amaze me the lengths posters will go to in order to discredit anything that another poster says on sites such as this.
Many people have regarded the PL to be the best league in the world. Saying the article loses any credibility in pointing that out doesn't change that fact. And it's such an inconsequential point that I'm quite frankly surprised that another poster would focus on it in order to try and score some brownie points.
Whether the PL is the best league in the world or not is obviously up for debate. Hopefully a debate best saved for another time and place (that is, when it is actually relevant). That wasn't the point being made. People do regard it as being the best league - if they are wrong to do so, then so be it. It doesn't change the fact that that is how they think - which renders the comment made in my original post factually correct.
Now, instead of picking up on such an insignificant point, how about addressing the actual point of my article...
posted on 11/3/12
this was the year for you to win the league
------------------
My opinion? That is bull. City will only get stronger. This is our first real attempt at winning the league. City's challenge will only get stronger.
Yes - Chelsea etc will get stronger in the seasons to come, but so too will City (and indeed United).
posted on 11/3/12
the premier league is barely the best league in britain. and with their squad city should have had it won by christmas at the latest. i'm genuinely embarrassed for them that they haven't. and if they do go onto finish second then it will be a bigger stumble than devon loch.
posted on 11/3/12
thats what im saying. chelsea are pretty much a shambles at the moment. we can only get better, united will need to sign a couple of midfielders whereas your squad looked adequate enough to win it this year. thats why i said next year just might be a little bit harder
posted on 11/3/12
590 million on players
1.2 billion for their new "life long city fan owners" to win an FA cup
posted on 11/3/12
And despite it being pointed out that it was such an inconsequential point to my post, ole_1999 still wants to labour it.
So you're genuinely embarrassed that City hadn't won the league by Christmas. Despite it being a fact that no team has ever won the league at that time.
The reason why being quite obvious - it's mathematically impossible for any team to have won the league at such a time.
Ole_1999, please, at least make an attempt to talk a bit of sense.
posted on 11/3/12
chelsea are pretty much a shambles at the moment. we can only get better
-------------
It is more than possible for you to get worse.
Winning the league may get harder for City. But not from the challenge of the likes of Chelsea. Well, not unless you get Mourinho back in charge. The biggest mistake Chelsea ever made. If he had remained in charge, you'd have many more league titles and probably at least one Champions League title under your belt by now.
As it stands, Chelsea are a spent force - trying to reclaim what they always threatened to do. As it stands, City have surpassed Chelsea - I probably sound harsh in saying that we have bigger things to overcome, but it's nevertheless true.
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