Manchester City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[AV82EC]

Not one of our players ventured over the half way line at the final whistle
to acknowledge the travveling support,the vast majority of which had stayed
to the bitter end. Having said that if Warnock had come within reach I reckon
he would have been 'strung up' for his contribution to our demise (he wasn't
alone)

No doubt the players, and management overheard some of the 'gallows humour'
and stronger language thrown in the their direction - how they react will go along
way to determining the club's demise between now and May -

I'd like to believe it will give them the kick up the proverbial and prove to be positive
with players, management team and even Mr Lerner taking a long look in the mirror
and being able to say they are doing enough to reverse the slide downwards -

The possibility of relegation is real, unless all involved pull in the same direction it
will be a probability.

I've retained my Wigan ticket for the re-arranged match and will be starting off
on the annual road to Wembley at Bramall Lane full of optimism (but it's days like
yesterday that make you wonder if it's worth the heartache)           

Actually Pires and Delfuonso did venture over the half way line but were met with a barrage of boos and applause and didn't venture further than the centre circle.  The rest of them were probably too embarrased.

[AV82EC]

Amongst all the hysteria, hand wringing and gnashing of teeth, here is an alternative view.

Since GH joined us we have experienced what many have said is the worst injury situation in the club's history. Because we have also had some senior players who for reasons best known to themselves "can't be arsed" (Dunne, Carew, Ireland....) we have been forced to field players who have been largely untried reserves most of whom have come up through the youth system and in all fairness have performed brilliantly. But it is a big step up to the Premier League and for all their youthful skill and endeavours they are not the finished article and right now lack the experience needed to be sufficiently successful at this level. I'm sure that many of the current crop of youngsters will, in time,  progress to great things, but in the meantime, games have been lost, points dropped and the fabled bottom three has come into sight.

The injury situation has at last now eased, with the return of players such as Petrov and Delph, but players who have been sidelined through long term injuries take time to recover their form. It takes games. There is no alternative.

What has resulted from these circumstances is a loss of belief in themselves that was so evident yesterday. A soft penalty and it's "Oh no here we go again." and a ball cleared off the line given as a goal without even a token protest. Clearly, what is needed now is to rebuild the team's confidence. These are not bad players and neither is the manager a bad manager. It's a tough thing to do, but right now they desperately need all the support they can get. Isn't that what supporters are for?

Well said, thoroughly agree.  The role of supporters is to support. there appear to my eye anyway, be too many people who want to take the easy option and slag the team off ( not difficult after yesterdays disgrace) but we are the guardians of the spirit of the club and I'm pretty sure our forebears would have met disappointments with more gumption and spirit than the current behaviour we're displaying.  What was it John Gregory said to that supporter in a letter

"Stop moaning, get down the match and support the team"