The Clarets v City

[Hesperus]

Oh dear, something has gone seriously wrong since Christmas. We are playing like Pellegini has lost the dressing room.

[Swiss]

We're playing like a bloody long ball team!

[Rowley Birkin QC]

This City team looks dead in the water. No drive, no urgency. Broken.

It speaks volumes when Boyd puts in a better showing than any of our players can manage across the 90 minutes - and he cost Burnley a rumoured 3 million from that power house of world football, Hull...

I can't add much to what silvablue said here -

Truth is we have been found out. Time and time again we have pissed around putting in half-hearted performances then panicked ans our class has saved us. Now teams know keep working hard, keep pressing us and we panic and crack. Our plan A is our only plan, play through them and walk the ball into the net.

But respectfully disagree with him here though -

I think players are working for each other...   

To my eyes that's exactly what isn't happening. Our movement off the ball is almost none existent and too often our players across the back and the middle have to opt for the safe, short, lateral pass or back pass - often repeating it with the same team-mate backwards and forwards - because there are simply no other options to pass forward available. Doesn't help with Yaya jogging everywhere. There were times last night that I thought Fernandinho looked poor because he was constantly having to cover for Yaya's lack of effort. You can always tell when our midfield is in trouble when you see Aguero dropping deep to look for the ball.

So - the question is - who's to blame? I think there's a raft of suspects, not just the increasingly bewildered looking Pellegrini.

[silvablue]

Yes I accept what you say Rowley Birkin QC. They are working nowhere near as hard as they should be and we are most times pedestrian up front.

I think some players have just given up as they know there is no point anymore in making telling runs unless it is Silva on the ball the pass will just not come. I guess what I was trying to say was I do not think it is a matter of players falling out with each other, more losing belief and confidence and poor leadership from the manager.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

It looks that way doesn't it? Some are still trying - Aguero and Silva - and whatever his other faults Navas puts a shift in. But you know something is not right when the likes of Zabaleta look flat. Fernandinho looks half the player he was last season.

My beef with the players is they are highly paid professional athletes and they shouldn't be just "giving up" - even if they're not happy with the system or the manager. That's not an excuse for not trying. If nothing else they should be doing their best for their teamates and personal pride... not to mention the fans...

But I agree with you, the self belief and confidence look to have disappeared - and that could well be down to poor (or perhaps confused?) leadership.

[goat]

I can't help but think that at some point the likes of aguero and Silva will think fuck this iv had enough and leave

i would be more worried about shakey having enough of the ballache and sacking it all off. he could easily buy a club in less of a shithole or sack football altogether. aye he spent a load tarting the place up but he could probably write that off

[KunDB]

After the Liverpool humiliation Lekos and Hesperus said in response to my fears on a top 4 place:

Lekos
I'd say league may well be done, dropping out of the top four is pushing it a bit. Can't see that happening.

Hesperus
I think we'll stumble through to the end of the season but will still finish in the top 4.

I wonder do they still feel that and how many on here have confidence we will finish top 4 never mind top 2. I for one have serious doubts now and even if we do 4th is our most likely finish on this form and we will probably lose the qualifier.

[Lekos]

No, I don't feel that now. I feel we're shite. I'm not as confident of top 4 (wouldn't bet my left testicle) but then I'm not a negative person. I think we'll finish top 3, but we'll be hating most of the 9 remaining games.

I'll be fucking fuming if we lose to that red shite who have been abysmal all season.

[KunDB]

No, I don't feel that now. I feel we're shite. I'm not as confident of top 4 (wouldn't bet my left testicle) but then I'm not a negative person. I think we'll finish top 3, but we'll be hating most of the 9 remaining games.

I'll be fucking fuming if we lose to that red shite who have been abysmal all season.

It is unforgiveable if this team underperforms a poor Utd team, yet again. Sack all the lazy ones in the team and fine them for being lazy and pathetic spoilt brats.

I am fuming at the thought as well.

[Ludo]

Watching that game yesterday made me realise that all of Yaya's exceptionally great moments in a City shirt are worth fuck all after a performance like that.

[Hesperus]

I still think we'll finish top 4 but it may be tight because we are not functioning as a team at the moment. if we do fall out of the top 4 at any point then Pellegini may be out sooner rather than later with Viera put in tempory charge.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

I don't think a top four finish is much in doubt (Liverpool have a bit too much catching up to do), but I could see us finishing fourth if our form continues on like this.

[Paul lakes knee]

We'll finish second.

[KunDB]

I don't think a top four finish is much in doubt (Liverpool have a bit too much catching up to do), but I could see us finishing fourth if our form continues on like this.

I would be really disappointed if we did not finish top 4, but a win tonight and Liverpool will be within 4 points of us which is too close for comfort.

Utd have a very challenging run in so they are the most likely to finish 5th and miss out, not Liverpool.

[silvablue]

The verdict of our tormentor George Boyd.

“City have some great players, there’s no doubt about that, they can cut you open in a second but if you press them and get in their faces they don’t really like it. If you tackle them hard and play a few long balls you find they are not used to it. We just played to our strengths, and they are unfamiliar with that sort of game. You saw it recently at Liverpool, they don’t track back as well as they should and we knew we could exploit that. Liverpool got behind them quite easily.”

[Ludo]

We can see that, other teams can see that; why the fuck can't Pellegrini see it?

[bluebrendan]

Boyd is more familiar with spitting in their faces.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

I don't think a top four finish is much in doubt (Liverpool have a bit too much catching up to do), but I could see us finishing fourth if our form continues on like this.

I would be really disappointed if we did not finish top 4, but a win tonight and Liverpool will be within 4 points of us which is too close for comfort.

Utd have a very challenging run in so they are the most likely to finish 5th and miss out, not Liverpool.

You keep talking Liverpool up if you like, but I am yet to be convinced. They've just scraped past Swansea on the back of a fortuitous goal. If they beat the rags next weekend, fair enough, they're in with a shout of top four - but we'll see...

[KunDB]

The next two games might find them out and bring their run to a shuttering stop. Utd and Arsenal home and away. The distraction of an FA Cup might also hinder them a bit.

That said I still feel the rags have a much harder run in than Liverpool. Our run in could be worse, all in all it is not too bad and a slight bit easier on paper than Arsenal's.