I thought it was a great win. For sure we hung on a bit at the end, with the nerves showing in our play. At their own place it is always dangerous to let ManC back into the game... though credit where it's due, they were a lot better in the second half too.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<o></o>
I had a healthy dose of skepticism going into this match, and thought it a much sterner test of our improving form, than the prior two home games that everyone was eulogising.<o></o>
<o></o>
I'm delighted that we won, and as mentioned in the article, it should now be something we seek to leverage, and gain confidence on, so that we can build a bit of a platform on that win, to address our away form. Lets hope we can kick on from here, in this crucial part of the season.<o></o>
<o> </o>

It was a hugely important game, and we won. Magnificent. But the trip to Newcastle is a tougher test still, and this time I don't expect us to pass.

If somehow we were to win, I think the confidence would be sky high, and we're genuine top four contenders. But even if we don't, I think we have now shown that we can win away, and that makes us strong favourites for another top 6 spot.

That might not sound much, but until the last couple of weeks, we didn't even look assured of a top half finish. Now the class we have on paper is starting to look coherent on the pitch. Attitude and morale is up. Malbranque gives us balance, while Huddlestone is starting to look like a replacement for Carrick, and now that the midfield is working, the strikers have started scoring.

Good read

Good article with some good points, but I must admit I had a little bit of a giggle at "and may already be in the Uefa Cup’s last sixteen if Feyenoord are banned" which seemed a bit misplaced in an article talking about teh clubs work and effort!

A well written article...

I agree with Glory Glory, I'm not too hopeful about the weekend and if I were forced to bet on the outcome I'd go for a draw, but I think a loss or a win is as easily imaginable...

Top six has to be the aim, with fifth the most likely but fourth or even third not beyond us.

I can't agree with the article on its anlysis of what went wrong in the second half, or not entirely anyway... I think we did tire and we definitley got nervous, but i don't think we were trying to conserve energy.

One thing I noticed was the movement off the ball dried up in the second half and that's a mixture of team confidence and energy, but the poster failed to point out the change in City's formation which led us to being out-numbered in midfield. We didn't really have the subs to match them up and so things got a bit hairy.

I think we should probably rest Lennon for this game if he is declared fit and bring him off the bench if need be. We've got games coming thick and fast over Xmas period and need him fit. Next few games will be important to claim 3 points as we play teams around us in Villa (h), Liverpool (h) and Portsmouth (a). These points will prove so crucial at end of the season in our push for European places.

I reckon a champions league position will require 70points with 'Pool now going strong so 13wins out of the next 20 games would be a must with a few draws. A tall order but not impossible as long as we maintain the home form. Let's see if we can develop our away form after the city result.

Interesting to see that we've benefitted from midweek euro games as we're unbeaten in corresponding fixture.

Good stuff!

Another quick stat attack (I liked that btw!)

Our next three games only yielded 2 points last season.

We lost at Newcastle and drew both home games against Villa and Liverpool. We should be looking at a return of 5 points from these three games to take us level with our return of points against the same opposition from last season thus far. (We are only three points off last seasons haul on a team to team basis.)

COYS!! :grin:

yid army

good article, made a few good points about our away form. It was a good win on Sunday but I'm definitely not thinking that our away problems our finished with as I still think we sit back way too much away from home

feyenoord wont be banned against us they will just have to play behind closed doors or be given a fine

Our squad will be a major factor in us pushing on after Christmas. Bolton, Pompey and Villa will all start to level off whereas we will carry on the same. Expect to see us, Liverpool and Arsenal contesting 3rd to 5th.

As for all this 'we struggled in the second half', well of course we did, no team can dominate a game from start to finish.
You either start balls out and try to go 3-0 up when the game is safe or you sit back, soak up the pressure and then dominate the last half hour.
When we go away now home teams are playing as if they are away. They sit back and look to contain. Welcome to the world only previously known by the likes of Chelsea, United and Arsenal.

This away win will create confidence, something we seem to have an abundance of at WHL. We do not expect to draw let alone lose at home. Confidence breeds more confidence, I think we can pull off a result at the Geordie's playground.

The squad is good enough even against a steadily improving Barcode side. We will put them in their place. COYS!!