I wouldn't defend it, because it's indefensible. We are disappointed with the performance.As I wrote last month, Hughes has chosen to define himself in opposition to the Eriksson era, and his inherited squad in particular.
We know where we are in development terms and we know where we need to go. We know the areas of the squad we have to strengthen and we will try to do that...I have known the frailties in the team from day one.The distinction drawn between those players he likes (Kompany, Ireland, SWP, Robinho, Zabaleta and presumably now Bridge, but no one else) and those who does not is also clear:
I'm concerned with the collective showing of the team. Without the shining lights of the season so far, like Robinho, Shaun and Stephen, we looked lacking. We've possibly relied too much on those players and allowed them to carry the team and without them we weren't good enough...We have shown that throughout the season.And a very strong implicit criticism of Richard Dunne:
You need leaders, people who drive the game and affect it in a positive wayI think there may be as many going out as coming in this month, and maybe even some big names. Beyond the core of six mentioned above, no one is safe.
Different words, same message in his quotes for the official site:
I think people have to be honest and accept that today we didn’t perform. We’re not good enough to be able to carry players when we play games, irrespective of the opposition, if we’ve got three, four or five players not at the level we know they’re capable of then it compromises the team. That was evident today we had too many players nowhere near that level and as a consequence we lost the game.
5 comments:
I think you could be right. No one is safe. It can only be hoped that this does not refer to Hughes himself. Given the frenzy of media hacks attempting to conjure another crisis and prepare another managerial head for the offering as I write (if such were needed after the debacle that was today) it cannot be guaranteed. If I try to distil the facts from the hysteria and my own natural despondency then I have to admit that there is more than credence to Hughes implied argument that his men are the ones performing. Uncertainty for the journeymen (very well paid artisans too) can produce either a rise to the challenge or a falling away, and a desire to be elsewhere. It appears that without exception they have chosen to fall and so are they really of any use in the short or the long term? Patience is not a commodity much about in these hedonistic times. It is however, a necessary one for a Manchester City supporter. I should know. How much of it the men who hold the purse strings have will be revealed in the next few days,possibly hours. Either Hughes is desperate or he knows more than he says in his rebuke of the collective shortcomings of those under his charge. I don't want to level the blame at Sven; if I remember he assembled his squad in a hurry forced on him by similar indulgent desires of the pleasure me quickly variety. By the end of January we will know who the Hughes men are. By the merry(or otherwise) month of May we can pass our judgements and decide whether Hughes is capable of building a team in his own image.
I for one am not surprised that Mark Hughes has finally let slip his frustrations with the shambolic outfit he inherited. For the most part the squad consists of Sven and Pearces' buys. However, Richard Dunne was purchased back in the Joe Royle 2nd division days! To the detriment of the team, RD has chosen to resume playing to a 2nd division standard at the moment, and far too many others have not shown they are worthy of a premiership squad, let alone a first team. Unfortunately for Mark Hughes, the knees of many fans are jerking in rhythm to the beat of the tabloids' own "Hughes Out" chants. It is perhaps worth remembering that only a few months ago many City fans were worried that MH would resign over lack of funds, forced sale of players etc.. I can only hope that the ADUG powers that be will hold firm and allow Hughes a chance to mould his own squad, because I fear for this club if we sack yet another manager before he has the chance to prove himself.
This is nonsense, our team last season wasnt crap or we wouldnt of reached top 4 by christmas, the uncertianty over the manager and board meant the club struggled in exceptional cirmcustances last season.
WE have good players, dunne, micah, hart, elano, sturridge, would all get into pretty much most of the premier league teams/squads.
You have to ask why hughes has failed to get them playing. We all know premier league footballer are a waste of space in the modern game, but their response to managment is often all to clear to see on the pitch.
He has failed to bring a decent squad together, one that is certianly good enough to beat nottingham forest. That is a failure, and a worrying failure that he appears he has lost controll of most the squad.
Today Hughes got it wrong on the pitch, playing people out of position and, negative approach and had continued to reinforce a failing side with the same culprits.
There is a well deserved blame on the players, but Hughes has yet to acknowledge that he has any part in it.
It's a good job Hughes can buy himself out of his own mess!
Whatever happened to "The buck stops here"?
Abrogating responsibility is all very well, but when you've thrown your scapegoats to the dogs you have to come up with something really good - or all those people watching will know what you really are.
So now I'm demanding something really exceptional - as are we all, but I'm pretty certain we aren't going to get it from the guy who consistently prefers Darius Vassell on the right wing to SWP.
All very well for him to blame the inherited players, but consider for a moment where those same inherited players were this time last season - and he's brought in several of his own players since then - with Robinho thrown in for good measure.
Without the transfer window, there was a real danger of relegation. I'm not sure that there still won't be. I would feel a lot more confident if it were Sven spending the £60 million...
gotta agree with tommy, hughes is a joke. really, what has he won or achieved in management? a few big games here or there for blackburn - well done mark, brilliant. Tactically inept, transfer guile of keegan, and NO BALLS! seriously, i want to see city improve, not become another blackburn, hughes is linked with overpriced turkeys like parker and bellamy, and (sorry everyone) Santa cruz is NOT WORTH 18m. If hughes knew anything about football or manchester city, his first signing would have been a left back, yes, we have bridge now, but seriously, that problem shouldve been addressed in the summer. Oh, and another problem that shouldve been addressed is Darius Vassell. the man is not a footballer. no cross, cant shoot, cant tackle, no pace, no position, no hope, waste of space. not even a championship player.
On the pitch, we look either brilliant or retarded, im interested to know which one is hughes' tactics. playing swp in the hole? ben haim at left back? richard dunne at centre half? hughes is there to build a team and he's created a circus. whats most annoying is that it takes a 3 - 0 home defeat against an impotent championship side to get hughes to slate his players... i dont know whether sacking hughes is the right thing to do. but, really, what has the welsh twat done so far? our best players playing bad, our worst players playing at all, and were being linked with lame, injury-prone, overpriced, bad-attitude, underachievers to solve the crisis. errr, actually, sack the prick.
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