Hunger and Desire

Bluedub

Bluedub

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Where has it gone?

We seem to be just coasting through this season ( and last ) with no real intensity to our play save the odd game here and there and of course our CL campaign.

Is it a case of putting all of our eggs in the CL basket as a club directive and this mood is trickling down to the players?

Is it arrogance?

Thinking back to our two title wins and there was a real determination to get one over on the rags, is their lack of a challenge for the title affecting us?

That last one is probably a bit far fetched but I'm struggling to put my finger on why we look so flat in games over the past couple of years.

Thoughts?
 
A cracking subject BD, in fact I will use this subject matter on a VMC front page article. In the first instance though i'll allow others to add their comments and then i'll do likewise via the article.

Looking forward to what others have to say :031:
 
I think the Pep rumour followed by announcement has done us no favours, certain players know this is their last season and are coasting and the injuries have not helped.
 
I agree the pep factor has not helped but we have bought some players who are just not good enough
Bony Navas Fernando Not to mention the two centre half we got mugged with
Silva and Ya Ya are not at their best either
 
One player who I think we have missed greatly ( Although some will deny it) is Nasri.

For all his inconsistency , and infuriating lack of defensive work, he has something about him, an impishness, flair , and the ability to bring other players, particularly YaYa in to the game.

There is no doubt that injuries have disrupted our season , but the issue that infuriates me most, is MP's insistence on playing Bony ahead of KI, who's touch , work rate , and general skill and interchange work is of a far higher order than Wilf.

I believe Fernando has been underrated by many, left to shield the back four , he is solid without being spectacular, and if he stayed there , he would probably convince Otamendi to do his job properly.
 
Hunger and desire are, along with passion three of my most disliked words used in relation to football. All I want is for the players to do is turn up on time, wear something appropriate and do what they are paid to do. I don't need any interviews saying how they are up for it, goal scoring celebrations involving the corner flag or anything that involves kissing the badge or running to the manager and jumping on top of him.

Just put in a shift.



 
kennyclementstache - 13/3/2016 17:32

Hunger and desire are, along with passion three of my most disliked words used in relation to football. All I want is for the players to do is turn up on time, wear something appropriate and do what they are paid to do. I don't need any interviews saying how they are up for it, goal scoring celebrations involving the corner flag or anything that involves kissing the badge or running to the manager and jumping on top of him.

Just put in a shift.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree, putting in a shift is not enough if you have designs on winning trophies.
 
I should add, I don't care for them things you mention either KCT.

Where I see a lack of hunger is in simple things like throw ins. There were numerous examples yesterday when we had a throw in and no one would show for the ball immediately. This type of thing has become the norm with the team and suggests to me that real desire to win isn't there.
 
Great thread BD I think the announcement about Guardiola was too soon and has taken some light out of players who are bombarded each day with who Pep wants at City next season and I don't think those who are reaching the age where they are past their prime and are thinking of the future rather than the present.
 
I think the only hunger and desire our players have at the moment is to go spouting crap in the press about how we can still win the title. :017:

Stop it guys, it's not happening.
 
Where Is City’s Desire & Hunger?

http://www.manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=563604

The Holy Grail is the Champions League and with an important game against Dynamo Kiev tomorrow night we’ll see if the players can contradict their recent league performances with a positive reaction.

City have also collected their first trophy of the season and so it's not inconceivable to win another. The Premier League campaign is all but over and so hope rests on getting through to the CL semi-finals.

I for one would hate to see Pellers reign end like a damp squib and so heads up Blues, it's not all doom and gloom.
 
Hunger.

Try these results from potential CL QF rivals on for size....

Troyes 0 PSG 9

Bayern 5 Bremen 0

Barcelona 6 Getafe 0

Spot the difference between those results and this one....

Norwich 0 Manchester City 0

It isn't just the goals.....
 
Skoorb - 14/3/2016 09:24

Hunger.

Try these results from potential CL QF rivals on for size....

Troyes 0 PSG 9

Bayern 5 Bremen 0

Barcelona 6 Getafe 0

Spot the difference between those results and this one....

Norwich 0 Manchester City 0

It isn't just the goals.....
Click to expand...

Bloody hell...good point Skoorb. Just shows, we need to sort it and NOW!
 
Not sure if it is hunger and desire but I think there is numerous factors you need to look at and hindsight helps for us armchair critics.

It takes an incredible squad depth to compete across 4 comps plus a majority of our squad are also playing and travelling in the International breaks. The PL is also the toughest comp in my honest opinion so your players need rests. I just have not seen where Pellegrini has rotated his squad over the season and to me our side looks spent and they have looked like this for a number of weeks now.

Pellegrini this season (maybe due to the ridicuous injury lists we have had) has played strong teams across all comps and provided little rest for players. Draws have not helped. We got a PL side didnt we all through the FA cup rounds so we got tough games. How many games did Otamendi play in a row with Kompany and Mangala out as an example.

Tactics. I also think Pellegrini is very predictable in his starting 11s and tactics. He can mix it up but more often than not he is predictable especially at the start of games. He gets some things right some things wrong durng the game. I just think other managers have worked him out tactically.

Strikers and goals. We effectively have played with 1 striker all season. Bony has been useless and we rely heavily on attacking mids to score goals outside of Aguero. Crikey Kelechi should have started more games than Bony, so why hasn't he. I think we have been in 7 prem games this season where we have failed to score, thats 25% of our prem games we have not scored.

Pep announcement. Silly stuff this and can only assume the club had to release this due to speculation being so rife. I know how uncomfotable it feels when you have a new boss coming in and different people handle this in different ways and this must have some effect.

If we knock off Dynamo mid week and then follow-up with a derby victory and get a kind draw in the CL it might lift the spirits a bit.

 
Bluedub - 13/3/2016 18:39

kennyclementstache - 13/3/2016 17:32

Hunger and desire are, along with passion three of my most disliked words used in relation to football. All I want is for the players to do is turn up on time, wear something appropriate and do what they are paid to do. I don't need any interviews saying how they are up for it, goal scoring celebrations involving the corner flag or anything that involves kissing the badge or running to the manager and jumping on top of him.

Just put in a shift.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree, putting in a shift is not enough if you have designs on winning trophies.
Click to expand...

By 'putting in a shift' I mean being focused on the task in hand and working to the best of ones abilities. It's forgivable if one player isn't as talented as another, what isn't is when players/staff don't put in the effort - fans love a trier. It's generally agreed that we have the most talented squad in the division, if everyone was putting in a shift we would be top (injuries not withstanding of course).

 
kennyclementstache - 14/3/2016 10:57

Bluedub - 13/3/2016 18:39

kennyclementstache - 13/3/2016 17:32

Hunger and desire are, along with passion three of my most disliked words used in relation to football. All I want is for the players to do is turn up on time, wear something appropriate and do what they are paid to do. I don't need any interviews saying how they are up for it, goal scoring celebrations involving the corner flag or anything that involves kissing the badge or running to the manager and jumping on top of him.

Just put in a shift.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree, putting in a shift is not enough if you have designs on winning trophies.
Click to expand...

By 'putting in a shift' I mean being focused on the task in hand and working to the best of ones abilities. It's forgivable if one player isn't as talented as another, what isn't is when players/staff don't put in the effort - fans love a trier. It's generally agreed that we have the most talented squad in the division, if everyone was putting in a shift we would be top (injuries not withstanding of course).
Click to expand...

I'll try to convey what I mean by relating it to my own work. I come in everyday and put a shift in, I do enough to get the work done however I know I've more to give but without any reward forthcoming I couldn't be bothered breaking my back.

I see that in this squad, they're doing enough to get by but they're not pulling their tripe out to win them individual duals, to make that run into the area, to win them second balls, that desire to go the extra mile just ain't there.

Spurs this season remind me of us in 2012, there is a real noticeable hunger about them that I believe is going to be enough to get them over the line. I have seen us display that this season but only really in CL games and the odd game here and there in other comps.
 
So, this might end up being a roundabout point, but here goes:

What is the difference in TV money between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2? Or La Liga and Liga Adelante? Or even Serie A and Serie B, Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2? I ask because the difference in money between The Premier League and The Championship is astronomical, hence the reason Norwich put everyone behind the ball on Saturday to keep us from scoring so they could get a vital point. We'll see the same thing this evening with Newcastle and Leicester, and so on until the league places are decided.

I say that because you mention that PSG, Bayern, and Barca all won big this past weekend, but who did they play? Did they play teams that might never get another shot at making their top league if they get relegated? Or did they play teams that will just bounce right back after spending a season in the second division?

We have also been without Silva, Aguero, KDB, Nasri, Kompany, etc, for extended periods of time all year. Spurs have had no injuries, and neither have Leicester.

And speaking of Leicester, they forewent every other competition this year just to stay in the Premier League, which has worked out for them, but I don't see anyone complaining that they disrespected the FA Cup and League Cup - just that it's so great that they could win the title.

And I'm not being a bitter fan, just pointing out the facts of the matter, hoping beyond hope that the media would treat us fairly. They go on and on about the rags "Injured XI", but don't mention that four of our best players have spent a lot of time on the sidelines as well.

So, in conclusion, I feel that we've been unlucky at points this season while those around us have avoid major issues. I just wish that the media would present it like that instead of suggesting we're crap.
 
I am with you all the way on that Philly but am not going to hold my breath. Leicester's progress this season is being increasingly being referred to as a 'fairy story' with all the hype that goes with it - they have a fair media wind behind them who are keen to see this story reach a dramatic conclusion.

Fair play to Ranieri - I genuinely like the guy and he has shown that you can coach players and deliver results BUT there has been a tendency to shy away from the inconvenient facts such as Leicester leading the table in penalty awarded this season (10 to be exact - twice as many TWICE - as the next teams - http://www.myfootballfacts.com/Premier_League_Penalty_Statistics.html) , their focus solely on the league at the expense of other competitions (recently they had a 13 day break when we were playing every three/four days) and pretty amazing injury-free season.

The last part has tended to drive me a bit bonkers as there would be a constant narrative about"with the size of City's squad" which ignores the fact that EVERY Premier League team can only name a maximum of 25 (excluding U21's) players so our squad is no bigger than anyone else's :017: It isn't just how many players we have had injured it is WHO, for HOW LONG and the disruption that the frequency of injuries has caused especially t the defence. :054: there I go again :004:

If Leicester win the title :005: but the media had better not start complaining should they fail to escape from the group stages resulting in even more 'damage' to the EPL UEFA coefficient. Can't have it both ways guys. We have seen how long it has taken for City to progress beyond the group (still scarred by achieving 10 pos under Mancini and failing to get through :060: ) - it is a tough learning curve and rarely provides fortuitous breaks.
 
The most recent example of what Leicester is doing would be Montpellier in Ligue 1 before PSG went on a run of four titles in a row. They finished 14th in 2010/2011, won the title in 2011/2012, and haven't finished higher than 7th since. I've yet to see any comparison to this in the media yet, but I doubt I will.

One way or another, it IS an incredible story, no doubt about it.

And like you say, Skoorb, if they get bounced from the group stage next year the media will lose their minds with the threat of losing the 4th CL spot.
 
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