Are our rivals about to catch or overtake us?

[Chelsea forever1]

If Lampard scored today I will be veryyyy veryyyy disappointed !!!!!!!!

[cfcblue]

I was thinking the same. HT 0-0 ... Lamps comes on and breaks the deadlock ... hmmm ... hope not.

[enigma]

at the end of the day, one can watch and concern themselves over city as much as one likes, but fate will decide who wins the league.

[Pendergast]

Still waiting for our first ricochet. It's astonish how every top team has scored 2,3, 4 this type of goals and we are... -2... 

[axman2526]

In answer to the original question I would say yes they are. 4 easy Christmas fixtures vs 3 tricky away games and a stubborn London Derby for the home game.

Would say is probable we trail city at the turn of the year.

[coco]

We've played all our tough away games imo, all those in the N/E and N/W, the remaining away fixtures are not as tough as the ones we've already played. man c, man u, livp, eve, newc, sund.

 

spuds and le arse away will be competitive games, the kind of games we play best, when the opposition try to come on to us.

 

I think we are going to be even further ahead come 2015.

[JoeyN]

I expect us to go behind at some point, but we have a much easier 2nd half of the season.

 

To think we've played most of the big teams away. 

[CFCBlue12]

It's really sad to see them level with us already... despite being 8 points behind us just about 3 weeks ago.

[jack_super_class]

It's really sad to see them level with us already... despite being 8 points behind us just about 3 weeks ago.

 

Long way to go yet.

[CFCBlue12]

Yeah but it's sad to blow a 5 point lead in just a matter of a week.

[Jack Jack]

Got a feeling there going to catch us soon... Oh wait!

[jack_super_class]

Yeah but it's sad to blow a 5 point lead in just a matter of a week.

 

Thats football we weren't going to win every match. There is a long way to go yet plenty pf twists and turns. We could do the same to them during the season and open a big gap. Lets not forget they have the tougher fixtures in the second part of the season as they have to play us away Utd away Liverpool away Everton away and Tottenham away.

[Scott Harris]

City's form is really good, we need to have a winning streak like theirs. If we can manage that then it will really set us up nicely. It will be hard but if we want to be champions we have to go on these types of runs.

Edited December 21, 2014 by Scott Harris

[Barry Bridges]

I'd rather our hot streak/best periods of form come after New Years and I think they will.  Just got the feeling this team still hasn't found its highest level.  I'll happily let City fans celebrate top of the league Christmas/New Years Eve if we are doing the same on Easter 

[Cech_Hook]

You don't win the league if you cannot put 6 plus winning streak together. You can loss a title however if you go weeks without winning away.

[BushHunt]

It is a marathon not a sprint lads

[Blue Tony]

You don't win the league if you cannot put 6 plus winning streak together. You can loss a title however if you go weeks without winning away.

Yeah, our last away win in the league was Nov 8th at Anfield. Time to put that to bed tomorrow.

[mad_mac]

Instead of starting a new thread, I thought I'd mention here, and not sure how many of you feel the same, but we need to start showing less respect to the big teams and really go for the jugular. Don't get me wrong, it's great coming away with a point, but it's even better coming away with three. With the attacking force we have, we could easily go out and score goals against any one of Utd, city etc, but instead we ho into these games (or moreso mourinho does) very hesitant to concede, and it makes the games tight and nervy.

Anyway, enough rambling from me, what do you guys think about going away to bigger teams and being ruthless?

 

I can't remember if I said what I'm about to say on here already, or just back and forth with folks on twitter.

 

Anyway, the "respect" that we showed toward both City and United are far more damning to our cause, then the loss at ST Jame's.  Both the city and Utd games were ones where we gave away the lead.  Minutes away from leaving two of our biggest rival's home grounds with all three points, to only come away with one.  Quick mathematics, and you can see how different the table would be (take 1 points off both Utd and City, and add 4 onto us....)

 

It was the same with the first match at Old Trafford when Moyes was in charge... just too much respect.

 

Now, don't get me wrong.  I think any sane supporter would have, given the option prior to kick off, taken a point from those games.  It is, however, disappointing to have been winning, to have had opportunities to take maximum points, and to have let that slip.

 

Still a long way to go folks.  And it's not as if City, or us for that matter, are going the rest of the season undefeated.

[Itsintheblood89]

No is the answer you are looking for... Love how people set up these threads in preparation of a knee jerk just so they can say "I told you so" load of bollocks...

[Teritus]

Not bloody well yet they aren't.

[cfcblue]

Love how people set up these threads in preparation of a knee jerk just so they can say "I told you so" load of bollocks...

Not at all ... nothing would give me greater pleasure than to be totally wrong. I thought that was an awesome display from our Team last night, against perhaps the Premiership bullies ... As most have said on this thread, very sensibly ... It's a long way to go ...

[CFCBlue12]

Well the thing is we should not depend on City or other teams results...

 

We should try and win all of our games. I seriously think City won't be stopping as of now they are on a ridiculously good 8 game winning run which can very well extend to 11 games given their fixtures. They know how to continue a long winning streak.

 

Just like last season they were pretty sh*t earlier on the season but since December they won straight 11 games (we ended their run) and Liverpool as well they also went on for a 10 game winning run (also ended by us).

 

So I think for winning the league we should just concentrate on our results than others. We also need a similar sort of run atleast of 5-6 games on trot in the league which we failed to do so far.

[Cech_Hook]

We go marching on but sadly so do they.

I think people are starting to realise City are more than just Aguero. He only scores all their goals because quite frankly he is the best player on the pitch and it's his job to bang most of them.

Without him, they are still goal scoring threats with Silva, Yaya and unfortunately Lampard. They are just so unbelievably good at unlocking busses and their style of football is perfect for dominating the league, although it's their weakness in Europe.

They show almost no frustration in leaghe games and attack from the 1st - 90th minute with no emotion that doesn't allow the opposition to get under their skin.

I backed them to retain the league last season and as much as I hope I'm wrong, I just feel we are more susceptible to dropping points. It will be good to see if we can go on a 9 match winning run as they have just done, with no sign of stopping.

Edited December 27, 2014 by Cech_Hook

[cfcblue]

I think Man City definitely have the stronger squad. Yesterday, they won comfortably despite the absence of **Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic & Kompany**. And still their bench looks v. impressive, including Lamps.

Our first 11 match them, however, our depth is not as good IMHO.

However, so far this season it's been as good as it gets for us ... an incredible run ...

[Phillip]

For once, I am looking forward to the African Cup of Nations, which will hurt Citeh a lot but not us to any extent.