Why do we still think Man City will fail?

[gene hughes]

After all the money they've spent, it seems from the various predictions going around that a lot of people still don't fancy them to finish in the top 4.

Why is that?

Signings not good enough? Hughes not good enough? Is it a castle in the sand? Or are people just counting on Man City to continue making a pig's ear of everything?

 

[Markeh]

mark hughes has no experience keeping a squad of big players happy, and its a big squad
he's under a lot of pressure, if he fcuks up then it'll be a new manager and the club lose any momentum they have gained

plus their squad looks like a 12yr old put it together, how many strikers?

 

[Ryan]

To reasons for me:

You can't just assemble a squad togethor, throw them onto a pitch and expect them to gel. It judt doesn't happen. It's gonna be one of those situations were they look brilliant one week, and dreadful the next. They'll be wonderfully inconsistent.

And secondly, I still don''t think they've got a quality enough central midfielder or defender. They've got good players in both positions, but not great ones. And they're the two positions you probably need 'world-class' the most.

All that said, i don't think they'll necessarily "fail" Gene. They're a solid chance to make the Top 4.

 

[Terrier]

1) Hughes: he's simply not good enough. They should've broken then bank and got Maureen in.

2) Lack of a defensive general will be a big negative for them.

 

[keniget]

I think they have a very good squad and certainly have the potential to make it into the top four but generally it takes time to put a team together so for now the 'big four' remain the safest bet.

 

[localny]

1. Hughes

2. Top 4 is so hard to break. Last time was Everton in 2005, right? ONly because we were so poor in the league that season, Don't see anyone in the top 4 being that bad again..

 

[Avmenon]

For the same reason that possibly even Real will take time to stamp their mark; too many players, too little time to gel.

 

[Frogfish]

I don't think they will fail. For most posters on here it is wishful thinking they won't come good !

Top 4 - probably 4th.

We have precedent that throwing money at the league brings titles :
Blackburn & Chelsea.

If Citeh need too they could easily blow another 150M on transfers in January.

 

[Avmenon]

When I say 'fail' I'm talking about about being real challengers.

I think 4th is still a bit iffy, but top 6 is deffo.

 

[Y1]

Gene, good question.

We as fans of LFC wish Citeh to fail no matter what even though they are buying the best money can buy.

At the same time we fans also wish we throw money and buy anyone that is considered good and hope he will fit in with our system.

 

[SaRed]

[quote author=localny link=topic=35194.msg922812#msg922812 date=1250034070]
1. Hughes

2. Top 4 is so hard to break. Last time was Everton in 2005, right? ONly because we were so poor in the league that season, Don't see anyone in the top 4 being that bad again..
[/quote]

I don't think it'll be that hard.

2005 was Everton.
2006 Spurs lost out on the last day
Last season Villa fell away because they didn't have the squad.

City have a really good squad with some excellent players.
The players they've being buying this summer are, for the most part, consistently good premiership performers.

Spurs too have a relatively good team.

Villa and Everton have been fighting it out for that 5th spot the past few years, while aiming for the champion's league places.
If they manage to hold on to their key players (excluding Barry of course 😛) and add a few more, then the race for that spot should be quite interesting this season.

I think Arsenal are the 'Big 4' team in most trouble of losing out this coming season. IMO too much is being made of their young team coming of age to take the Premiership by storm.
I like Arshavin but I don't think he's got enough to be their saviour and if they lose Fabregas to Barca then they'll be lucky to get 6th.

 

[Modo]

Don't rate Mark Hughes.

 

[SaRed]

I don't think he's that bad, I'm just not sure how he's going to handle all those egos.

I think he's got enough quality (in him and the squad) to at least make the top 6.

 

[jexykrodic]

In this first season of transformation due to all the new signings they will have problems with consistency.

I expect them to replace Everton in fifth place this time out.

In coming years they will replace Arsenal and then us and so on with Man U, Chelsea.

It's simply a matter of time and resources.

 

[SaRed]

I think Hughes is a top 6 manager I just don't think he has enough about him to challenge for the title.

He may consolidate a top 4 place over the next few years (depending on how much more they spend) but if they want to win the big prizes he'll have to be replaced.

 

[Pesam]

I don't think City will win the league this season BUT THEY COULD. If Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard for example picked up injuries it would put City within catching distance of the Big 4 and if they are within 6 or 7 points of the lead by January they will go out and spend another £150m.

Anyone who thinks they won't finish top 6 is crazy, they will finish 5th at worst, probably 4th and maybe even 3rd - and as mentioned if the the top teams run into injury problems then the unthinkable COULD happen.

 

[doctor_mac]

[quote author=Pesam link=topic=35194.msg922871#msg922871 date=1250060511]
I don't think City will win the league this season BUT THEY COULD. If Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard for example picked up injuries it would put City within catching distance of the Big 4 and if they are within 6 or 7 points of the lead by January they will go out and spend another £150m.

Anyone who thinks they won't finish top 6 is crazy, they will finish 5th at worst, probably 4th and maybe even 3rd - and as mentioned if the the top teams run into injury problems then the unthinkable COULD happen.
[/quote]

That's a scary thought. I reckoned they have a great chance of taking Arsenal's spot in the top 4 this season, but I change my mind about them all the time. If they buy a few top class defenders (like Haageland) then they could definitely do it.

 

[Pesam]

[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=35194.msg922873#msg922873 date=1250060830]
[quote author=Pesam link=topic=35194.msg922871#msg922871 date=1250060511]
I don't think City will win the league this season BUT THEY COULD. If Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard for example picked up injuries it would put City within catching distance of the Big 4 and if they are within 6 or 7 points of the lead by January they will go out and spend another £150m.

Anyone who thinks they won't finish top 6 is crazy, they will finish 5th at worst, probably 4th and maybe even 3rd - and as mentioned if the the top teams run into injury problems then the unthinkable COULD happen.
[/quote]

That's a scary thought. I reckoned they have a great chance of taking Arsenal's spot in the top 4 this season, but I change my mind about them all the time. If they buy a few top class defenders (like Haageland) then they could definitely do it.
[/quote]

They're strength in depth in midfield and up front is scary - they could withstand injuries to top players far better than the Big 4 could. Defensively they still need "something" but they are not too far off challenging for the crown.

 

[rage]

it depends what you mean by fail. its clear that the arabs are building for the long term so i don't think even they expect to win the league just yet.

yes hughes isn't a proven manager but he is learning and growing the same way as his team. he has proven he is no mug though.

the thing with the league is that i think you have to get momentum going so more often than not you have to come close, get used to the pressure etc and then go on to win it next season.

i think city will be close next season and mount a serious title challenge the season after. they'll do well this season to gel as a team

 

[keniget]

[quote author=Pesam link=topic=35194.msg922875#msg922875 date=1250061372]
They're strength in depth in midfield and up front is scary - they could withstand injuries to top players far better than the Big 4 could. Defensively they still need "something" but they are not too far off challenging for the crown.
[/quote]

Having the players is one thing, building a team is another. I actually rate Hughes as a manager but last year he made a lot of bad and weird decisions and they should've done better than they did - what was it, one away win all season or something stupid like that?

I expect him to do a lot better this year (aided by much better players of course) but to start talking about them as title challengers is very premature - we could be saying again that they should've done better than they did next summer.

 

[madmax]

I'm not overly intimidated by City spending way over the top for average to good players. All said and done, they can only field 11 players at a time. Their first team does not intimidate me, their reserve strength is certainly not going to do it either.

For teams that already have a good first team and looking to strengthen the squad, City will provide a great opportunity in January and in the Summer to pick at the carcass. With a squad size that big, something has to give....they can't just buy players ad-infinitum.

That said, if they keep up the spending they will be fighting for the top spot pretty soon, but it will not be easy for them just because they have outspent everyone at the ratio of ten to one.

 

[Frogfish]

[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=35194.msg922834#msg922834 date=1250046678]
I don't think they will fail. For most posters on here it is wishful thinking they won't come good !

Top 4 - probably 4th.

We have precedent that throwing money at the league brings titles :
Blackburn & Chelsea.

If Citeh need too they could easily blow another 150M on transfers in January.
[/quote]

Within 3 years they'll win the title. United move over.

 

[Piedro]

I wonder how long it will take Liverpool fans to start hating Man City as much as they do Chelsea, etc.

We seem to hate every team that puts in a challenge, no matter who they are.

 

[darkstarexodus]

I think it will take at least one more season before City are ready to challenge for honours and a Champions League spot right to the end of the season. There will be a certain period of time required for the players to gel together. And if, as someone suggested, they are competing through to the January transfer window and are looking to add reinforcements, there will be further time required to integrate the team.

While City has a lot of resources at their disposal, they are still a very unstable club in terms of personnel. Throwing money at the problem blindly won't get them to where they want to be; it still will require astute purchases and management, not to mention the players on the pitch showing a lot of character.

 

[Judge Jules]

Hughes has done well for Wales and at Blackburn in the past, but the essence of what he had to do in both cases was to make the best of fairly limited resources. The Citeh job is at the other end of the scale altogether, and Hughes' performance last season strongly suggests he's not as well suited to it as he was to his previous jobs.

Besides that, as others have pointed out, Real have been down this road before without pulling up any trees. They did win some things, but by no means everything. Big money always helps, but making it count in terms of results is not as easy-peasy as some folk - e.g.those who try to talk down Mourinho's achievements at Chelsea - seem to think.

Those are the reasons why I take Citeh - just - to finish outside the CL spots this season. It's by no means a sure thing and I wouldn't be surprised to be wrong, but that's how I see the balance of probabilities at the moment.

 

[gkmacca]

I wish they'd throw some money on sorting out Mark Hughes' asthma. He gulps down air every two words when he's interviewed. It's getting to be ridiculous. Dull and wheezy - what a combination.

 

[Richey]

[quote author=Piedro link=topic=35194.msg922891#msg922891 date=1250064201]
I wonder how long it will take Liverpool fans to start hating Man City as much as they do Chelsea, etc.

We seem to hate every team that puts in a challenge, no matter who they are.
[/quote]

We do now yeah! I don't remember hating Leeds (in 92), Blackburn and even Newcastle (at that time) though. I think I just wanted anyone other than United to win and it was obvious we had no chance.

 

[Richey]

City will achieve what they want eventually. However, throwing money at something doesn't INSTANTLY bring results. It didn't at Blackburn and it didn't at Chelsea.

The manager is another problem. I actually do rate Hughes quite highly but just wonder how much time he will be given and how much the owners will interfere if things don't go right.
There were stories last season of Robinho being treated like a superstar and allowed to get away with anything there, basically because Hughes had no power over him. Will there be other situations like that?

 

[Akakabooto]

[quote author=Piedro link=topic=35194.msg922891#msg922891 date=1250064201]
I wonder how long it will take Liverpool fans to start hating Man City as much as they do Chelsea, etc.

We seem to hate every team that puts in a challenge, no matter who they are.
[/quote]

It's so easy to start hating teams buying success. I don't think Man City will be as much hated as Chelsea though unless they start acting as arrogant as Chelsea were at the time of their rise. Also with City we have a mutual enemy in Utd.

 

[Y1]

It was easy not to hate other teams when we dominated. Now that we have so little success, we sneer at all competitors