The most disappointing thing about the 0-3 defeat at White Hart Lane last night was that Spurs didn't need to even play to their maximum, they sailed past us whilst playing in third gear. Everything about the performance was wrong, barring odd little passing exchanges that got us nowhere fast. Sylvinho was out of his depth, the midfield far too narrow, and the strikers completely absent. The fact that it's the first time we've been well beaten this season is irrelevant, it wasn't good enough.Losing Joleon Lescott obviously didn't help, and just has he'd been showing encouraging signs. SWP's absence was also a blow, as was that of Craig Bellamy due to his silly red card at Bolton on Saturday. He's the sort of player you feel could've given us a fighting chance last night, but all sides get injuries, and we were beaten by a better side, simple as that.
Something i've been quite vocal about in the past, however, is that the manager must be judged on the targets he was given pre-season. We must let him get on with it to the best of his ability and if he doesn't meet expectations come May then those who make the decisions can have a think about where we're going, but until then we pick ourselves up and go in to the next game together; manager, players, fans.
Every club is beaten handsomely now and again; Chelsea were at Wigan, United at Anfield, Arsenal here, Liverpool every second week, it happens. The fact that we've spent fortunes shouldn't put us in some non-existent and exclusive club of untouchables. That's not to say it wasn't fucking disappointing, we were awful, and we've rarely played well this season, yet we are where we are.
I don't intentionally try and take a fence-sitting position on all matters City, but i'm not that disappointed with our current position. Hughes was told his targets in the summer, sixth officially, top four off the record, and until we're not looking on course to achieve those i won't be getting too animated, and the manager has my 100% support.
Given what's at stake in modern top-level football it's perhaps not surprising that opinions change like the weather, but we have to remember that targets are set for the season, not for half of it. This squad probably should be doing, and more importantly, playing better than they are, but flinging players together in such a fashion as we have there's always a chance it might not gel immediately.
Only a matter of days ago, though, we were waxing lyrical about this set of players having watched them outplay Chelsea and dismantle Arsenal in the League Cup, now after two tough away games some elements of our support have Hughes as not the man for the job again. Should we beat Sunderland and Stoke they'll all probably be patting him on the back once more.
Bottom line is one win in ten isn't good enough, especially given some of the sides played on that run, but losing just one of those means it isn't a disaster, providing at some point it picks up. Spurs didn't win in four before beating us, Villa will have another bad run soon enough, we might win a couple and within a fortnight find ourselves above both. Either way, the silly 'In, Out, In, Out' nonsense doesn't do anyone any favours. The owners have been good enough to stick with their man, let's judge him over the entire campaign and not before.
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I think this rather papers over the cracks rather than deals with the real issues. City have been pretty awful this season. And yes the chelsea result was enjoyable, but i predicted and bored many with the details before the arsenal game. It's the same issue we have been struggling with for years. Raising our games for the odd big game, and lossing all progression and momentum. We have been drowned in rhetoric from the management and players this season about development and mentality change, but i have yet to see any evidence of this. Despite the aquistions of 'proven winner's ' into the squad, we still struggle with old small club mentality.
ReplyDeleteAre we a good team, no, we have good players, some great but we dont play together well. Too mant individvuulas and egos with no element of controll of disicpline. I think this is highlighted by Hughes policy of letting the player fight amongst themselves. It think it allows Hughes to avoid a job he isnt very good at. I think we lack the team ethic that spurs showed. They lost a games they shouldnt have and bounced back. I am sceptical that we are capable of doing that!
Hughes compared himself with 'arry' before the games, claiming he too had spent alott of money, which he has. But it relfects rather unflatteringly on Hughes as Arry and assembled a team although not as glamarous as citys with or technically as good, but a team thats better organised, more motivated and performing in an adequate manner to justisfy the changes.
I firmly belive that the owners look to have the best possible candiate in charge in off whatever repsective business they control. If they see an opportunity to sign a 'bigger profile' target they wont hesitate to make the change. But they wont sack Hughes for the sake of sacking him, without having an manager in line!
Mark Hughes is to blame for allowing it to happen, for not substituting Sylvinho the second he showed he could not handle Lennon, putting Onuoha on the left would have solved that giving Kompany a chance and taking off Robinho replaced with Sanata Cruz, Weiss or Zabaleta early in the first half.
ReplyDeleteComplete confidence in Hughes gone, if he cannot motivate or scream his balls off to get the players going then hes not the right man for City.
I agree with Norfstander, Hughes must be given this season at least. If Gary Cooke HAS approached Hiddink's agent, then he has some explaining to do, expect fireworks and a thumping for Sunderland
ReplyDeleteagree there is always too much over-reaction one way or another after a win, draw or loss, but i'm tempted to agree that if you take the players purely on their ability alone they should be higher up the league table and we should have played better in almost every game we have played. teams should be able to gel quicker than this, and hughes should be able to adapt tactics and formation better than this. when i see the team rise to the occasion, as they did in coming back to go ahead at liverpool, for example, i see where we're going and the worries fade. but we don't impose ourselves like this in enough games or for long enough periods. to have the fans' consistent patience and backing we need to see more
ReplyDeleteI pretty much agree with everything in this article.
ReplyDeleteThe Spurs game needs to be seen in context - a tough game away from home against a team playing very well. But regardless of how much better than us Spurs are supposed to be, they are still only four points ahead of us having played one more game.
Ok, we're in 8th place at the moment which isn't as good at it could be. But again, we've played one less game than everyone and are still only 6 points off a champions league place. I don't think that's a bad position to be in.
I'm still faily confident that Hughes is the right man for us just now. He needs to be given time - he's only been here 18 months and we are already a significantly better side than we were when he took over.