Our Game in Hand

[Lanolin]

Potentially. Players might be thinking though ‘I’ve got the CL final after this and then the euros, I’m not jumping into that tackle, I’m not running back to follow that runner, I’m not shooting from distance if my hamstring might go’

If there’s even a 1% drop off it could be good for us as City have shown recently they can lose when they’re not fully focussed. United didn’t win on Ferguson’s last game, the Munich air disaster memorial game, we didn’t win when Kendall died. Sometimes doing it for the fans isn’t enough.

That said City could put out multiple 11s good enough to beat us so it is a bit of a hope rather than expectation that they’re not at it.

Or players might be thinking 'do well here and I might play myself into the team for the CL final next week'. There's obviously no guarantees, but realistically I wouldn't expect that game to be your standard end of season dead rubber, there's a reason for City to care about it, in a way there isn't for most games of that type. You're also mixing up some different things there. We didn't win when Kendall died but nor would we really expect to, we were beaten by a much better team, the occasion had nothing to do with it. City are much better than us, they would expect to win that game, even if not really close to 100%.

 

[Mkjjones]

6 pages on a game In hand thread? Woah

 

[catcherintherye]

I it’s certainly interesting, the Arsenal game has changed quite a few perspectives. On paper the upcoming teams are all in poor form except West Ham and City. If we won those 4 I think we’d have a good chance at Europe league whereas only a week or so ago it looked like any Europe whatsoever was out of the question. It would be amazing though if we were right at the start of one of our streak runs of 3 or 4 wins on the spin.

The remaining games are sort of perfect. They are not only sides with little to play for, but sides who've had little to play for for some time. West Brom, Burnley, Brighton, Fulham etc may not have much to play for, but hadn't switched off weeks ago and will probably keep going until the last couple of games of the season. We have 3 or 4 games against sides who remind me of us last season, at the end of a long tricky season, the players just start thinking of the break.

Then West Ham and City. West Ham have a lot of injuries currently that is hurting them, and are a bit like us but where we were in January where you could see us throwing it away a bit. They are going to be very disappointed, and away from home, if we can sit in, I think we could nick a tight one.

City is the hardest game. There's ever chance they have half an eye on the CL or next season. I'm not going to say it's winnable, but if we go into the City game in contention for something, you just never know what can happen.

It's a really nice run in. I see 1 team with something to play for (West Ham) and the rest against sides who will be on the beach.

 

[catcherintherye]

Or players might be thinking 'do well here and I might play myself into the team for the CL final next week'. There's obviously no guarantees, but realistically I wouldn't expect that game to be your standard end of season dead rubber, there's a reason for City to care about it, in a way there isn't for most games of that type. You're also mixing up some different things there. We didn't win when Kendall died but nor would we really expect to, we were beaten by a much better team, the occasion had nothing to do with it. City are much better than us, they would expect to win that game, even if not really close to 100%.

There's no doubt the City game is a bonus, and if you play that game conventionally 10 times they would probably win 8-9. And of course if could go either way for them, but it's an end of season game, with nothing on it for them is a bit of a wildcard. It could go in their favour, nd they go from winning the game by 2 goals to maybe 4 goals. Or maybe it brings us into contention.

All we can do is go into it with a chance, and then see what happens.

 

[canuckblue]

Just make Saturdays match count for double points and save everyone's time.

Be careful what you wish fur.

 

[Lanolin]

There's no doubt the City game is a bonus, and if you play that game conventionally 10 times they would probably win 8-9. And of course if could go either way for them, but it's an end of season game, with nothing on it for them is a bit of a wildcard. It could go in their favour, nd they go from winning the game by 2 goals to maybe 4 goals. Or maybe it brings us into contention.

All we can do is go into it with a chance, and then see what happens.

Yeah I mean obviously any individual game is winnable, theres no reason why we can't turn City over in a one off game whatever the circumstances. Realistically though, as you say, they will expect to win that game 9 times out of 10. It's possible that they won't be at the races, but I think it's less likely than people were suggesting, because playing in front of their fans for the first time in 15 months is going to be something to focus their minds. The club as a whole is unlikely to accept the idea of fans waiting that long to see the team and then them sending out the reserves or the players having their flip flops on. We can still win the game, but I would be very surprised if it's not a hard game and it's not one I expect us to win. The issue isn't really our opponents, it's us. We should beat Sheffield United, Wolves and Villa at home, but we should have won lots of home games that we haven't. If we play well in those games we win them, it's just a question of whether we play well.

 

[catcherintherye]

Yeah I mean obviously any individual game is winnable, theres no reason why we can't turn City over in a one off game whatever the circumstances. Realistically though, as you say, they will expect to win that game 9 times out of 10. It's possible that they won't be at the races, but I think it's less likely than people were suggesting, because playing in front of their fans for the first time in 15 months is going to be something to focus their minds. The club as a whole is unlikely to accept the idea of fans waiting that long to see the team and then them sending out the reserves or the players having their flip flops on. We can still win the game, but I would be very surprised if it's not a hard game and it's not one I expect us to win. The issue isn't really our opponents, it's us. We should beat Sheffield United, Wolves and Villa at home, but we should have won lots of home games that we haven't. If we play well in those games we win them, it's just a question of whether we play well.

I think the fans get us through against Wolves, and lets be fair here we have to be beating Sheffield United at home. You're left at the two Villa games and West Ham really, where a minimum of 2 wins are needed. As you say, if we can win 4 of those 5, it's hard to see us not finishing in the top 6, and having an outside chance of the top 4. I suppose if you said to me, you have 65 and City away on the final game in a shot to nothing, I'm quite happy with that scenario as of today!

There's a lot of its and buts though. and we do need to put away some sides in between first.

 

[mightymoyes]

6 pages on a game In hand thread? Woah

a lot seems to be something about cats though

 

[barneygumble]

City will be getting the trophy in front of their fans, the first time they've played in front of their fans for 15 months. They won't be putting a reserve side out and they won't be rolling over.

They will if they’ve got a champions league final to prepare for.

Equally their reserves consist of Fernandinho, Aguero, Jesus, Ferran Torres, Zinchenko, Laporte, Ake, Mendy, Bernardo Silva/Rodri, it’s not like it’ll be a walk in the park.

But I’m imagining if you’re a player and you’ve got a Champions League final a week later, and you’ve got a dead rubber, the last thing you’ll want to do is get an Injury.

 

[Saint Domingo]

They will if they’ve got a champions league final to prepare for.

Equally their reserves consist of Fernandinho, Aguero, Jesus, Ferran Torres, Zinchenko, Laporte, Ake, Mendy, Bernardo Silva/Rodri, it’s not like it’ll be a walk in the park.

But I’m imagining if you’re a player and you’ve got a Champions League final a week later, and you’ve got a dead rubber, the last thing you’ll want to do is get an Injury.

Players will also have the euros. It’s a natural instinct that if there’s nothing on the game you’re not going to go full blooded into a 50:50 with Allan if you’re eyeing up starting for your country a few weeks later.

 

[Lanolin]

They will if they’ve got a champions league final to prepare for.

Equally their reserves consist of Fernandinho, Aguero, Jesus, Ferran Torres, Zinchenko, Laporte, Ake, Mendy, Bernardo Silva/Rodri, it’s not like it’ll be a walk in the park.

But I’m imagining if you’re a player and you’ve got a Champions League final a week later, and you’ve got a dead rubber, the last thing you’ll want to do is get an Injury.

Yeah that's kind of what i'm getting at. Those players aren't 'reserves'. They might not be in their Champions League final starting eleven, but they're players who've played a significant part in them being top of the league and in the latter stages of the Champions League. It's Aguero's last game, and they're going to be presented with the PL trophy in front of fans who haven't seen them for over a year. There's a possibility they won't be playing all their big guns and going all out to hammer us, but it's not your typical 'already got the league sewn up so not really not arsed' kind of game either. As i've said a few times, i'm not trying to say we should write it off, just that I think people are in for a shock if they're expecting City to roll over in that game (which the posts I was replying to were insinuating they would).

 

[barneygumble]

We are all in agreement that we've got Villa twice in a fortnight though, right?

I'm assuming they're waiting for clarity of whether we'll be able to push the Wolves game to midweek, otherwise we could be facing prospect of Villa and City away in final week both with 10,000 fans in attendance.

 

[mightymoyes]

We are all in agreement that we've got Villa twice in a fortnight though, right?

I'm assuming they're waiting for clarity of whether we'll be able to push the Wolves game to midweek, otherwise we could be facing prospect of Villa and City away in final week both with 10,000 fans in attendance.

they should just give us the 3 points from the villa game at this stage

 

[ForeverBlue92]

We are all in agreement that we've got Villa twice in a fortnight though, right?

I'm assuming they're waiting for clarity of whether we'll be able to push the Wolves game to midweek, otherwise we could be facing prospect of Villa and City away in final week both with 10,000 fans in attendance.

Our own fault for being such a cowardly club. Bet we haven't even asked chased the PL up on this yet.

 

[Wat Tyler]

Looking at the fixtures it is either going to be moved to next midweek (about 4.5.21), or the midweek before the City game: which would mean Villa get two games with fans in, and we get none.