Manchester City News 24/7Writer: Wswilly3 
Date:Monday April 26 2010
Time: 10:30AM
UK time is: 00:56:26
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Why One Point Against Arsenal Was Not Enough
Wswilly3 sent Vital Manchester City the following:
So was the result against Arsenal a point gained or two points that we desperately needed lost, or more accurately, was it two points that we did not fully contest.
Unfortunately I have come to the latter conclusion and fear that we may well rue not having been more aggressive in a game that we might need to have won in order to have secured the elusive fourth spot.
Mathematically the one point gained on Saturday will in all probability only be of importance if we are to beat Tottenham by dint of a better goal difference. Otherwise I fear it could well be irrelevant, as I believe we have now put ourselves in the unenviable position of needing to win our last three games to take fourth spot. If this is indeed true then the one point we gained yesterday would indeed be irrelevant.
The logic for the above is based on the fact that I strongly believe that Spurs will beat both Bolton and Burnley handsomely and thus, without considering our home game against them, they will end up with 70 points and an improved goal difference. If they did this and in addition either drew or beat City, then we would have lost our chance for fourth and the weekend's point would be irrelevant. Conversely if we beat Spurs and Villa then a draw at West Ham would only get us to 70 points. In these circumstances the team with the best goal difference would take 4th spot and this would be the only situation in which the point at Arsenal would be key.
Other than this we would need to beat West Ham, as well as Villa and Spurs and thus would end up with 72 points, which would make Saturday's point irrelevant as 71 would have been enough anyway, to have more points than Spurs, Villa and Liverpool.
So my logic is that it has to be 9 points out of 9 and that surely must mean as attacking an outlook as we dare because more draws are of no use to us, unless we beat Spurs at home and believe we can achieve a better goal difference than them. However on the last day of the season they are at newly relegated Burnley, who we hit for six and I wouldn't like to bet on them not repeating this!
We now have a mountain to climb and whilst I still have not given up hope, it is clear that the Arsenal result has given us no room for manoeuvre, whatsoever. Let's hope it wasn't akin to a certain Alan Ball telling Stevie Lomas to hold the ball in the corner rather than attack against Liverpool.
Regrettably my reading of the situation is that Spurs now have a good chance of 4th place even if they lose to us, which is NOT good news!
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Your Comments
I think you must beat Villa and at least draw to us. And tbh i wouldnt bet against you doing this either.
HuddersfieldYiddo
I think we need to beat both AV and Spurs.With both games being at home we have a great chance of doing this,but we have to go into these games in the correct frame of mind eg... go for it!!
If we win both i think 4th is ours, as i do believe we can def get a draw or better if needed at WHU.
ps.. Dont write off Bolton gettin a result at the Spurs next week.. the Spuds always throw in a funny at home when you least expect it.
Belfastblue
"the Spuds always throw in a funny at home when you least expect it" - TRUE but clutching at straws non the less....
DazzaTHFC
Agree Dazza - we have to beat you and Villa and even West Ham to make it, as I don't see you slipping up and you should get a bucketful against a poor and disinterested Burnley. One slip up for us and it's all over - you are in the box seat.
Wswilly3
Mancini is very defensive against the top 3. And more attacking against the rest. We have had mixed results being so defensive (beating chelsea 4-2 / losing to rags and drawing with arsenal) We were not lucky like spurs to have a wonder goal in the 1st 10mins by rose to hold on to against arsenal and none of our forwards were on sparkling form like when we beat chelsea. I worry because tevez and bellamy are looking fatigued and johno is losing form. With the injuries arsenal had, city couldnt ask for a better chance to beat the gooners. Mancini should thrust his players more, allow the full backs to push forward, press higher up the field and runners from from midfield to support the attackers more, away from home. If Mancini continues his inferiority complex against villa and spurs - even at home. We can forget champions league, because both villa and spurs WILL beat or draw with a cautious city. Lets go at them like birmingham, blackburn and burnley. Its time to be brave and attack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I fear Mancini will play defensive and two boring home games (likely to end in draws) awaits us city fans.
Super City Slicker
Far too close to call even at this stage. City Villa and spurs are all capable of beating anyone on thier day but also very capable of loosing to anyone if they are not up for it. Got a feeling city villa and city spurs will both be dull draws and not the fast flowing goal fest we are all wantng to see......obviously with a different outcome ; )
hudderspur
I've still got a headache after having to cheer on the A***nal on Saturday. I'm glad they didn't beat you though, because it's still mathematically possible for us to overtake them for third. COYS
ParkLane67
Super City Slicker, I see what you're saying fella BUT if you "attack attack" against Spurs, you'll be leaving yourselves open to the VERY FAST counter of Lennon, Bale and Defoe. Mancini will know this and I reckon he'll set you up just the same as he did against Arse-anal and try to nullify our threat, rather than leave you open to it??
coopsieyid
City need to beat Spurs. If they don't, it's all over. But if they do, then 4 points from the Villa and West Ham fixtures would make you big favourites to take it on goal difference. You at this stage scored 6 more goals, meaning that Spurs would need to make up four goals on goal difference over two games. Assuming City get their 4 points by the narrowest of margins, Spurs would have to score at least 5 goals against Bolton and Burnley combined - without reply - to make up the goal difference. City HAVE to beat Spurs to stand a chance, but if they do, then in my view City are nailed on for 4th.
Albarnista
Albarnista I agree. If City beat us (Spurs) they will get 4th. I also believe the same if the reverse was to happen. All I know for sure is that it's been a hell of a season and it's a great advert for the Premier League that everything of importance at the top of the table seems to be going right down to the wire. Top stuff!!
coopsieyid
People seem to forget that actually we've not been in bad form of late, bar 12 seconds we would have been unbeaten against United at home and Arsenal away and romped the two teams before. We're not playing as bad as everyone thinks in my opinion and I'm not saying Villa is easy (far from it) but I've watched their last few games and let's say I think they're very beatable. Tottenham is tough obviously but I suppose our players can be asked 'How much do you want 4th?' and they can reply by beating our rivals and almost securing it, if they can't get up for these games they don't deserve 4th.
arthur7171
coopsieyid, it depends on whether villa beat city or not. If they do spurs can lose against city if they win against bolton and burnley..............we must not fail.
cheshireyid
I think the only thing we should realistically target and go for is 3 wins. Then there will be no alternative and it will be us, there 3 games were capable of winning so bring on fourth, here hoping
Once a Blue
Park Lane, you are living in fools paradise if you think Spurs will overtake Arsenal this season. For that to have happened you should have beaten United as well.
Deltaforce
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