There is far too much pressure and expectation on this squad

[Guest Col city fan]

And I would spin that around and suggest that if the same fans supported rather than attacked the same players they would have a much better chance to provide the level of performance those fans require.

I think the culture in football has totally changed. Everyone is an expert, everyone knows better. I think it's born both from the Football Manager generation and the general culture that seems to prevail recently in that many people think everyone else in inferior to them and they always know better.

As a fan of course not everything is rosy in the garden all the time but surely we all want the same thing? Owners, Manager, Players, Fans.. we all want success, so why do fans think that goal is best served by attacking the only people that can provide it... the players.

Are you really saying that football fans, for as long as I can remember, havent thought they've known better?. I can remember having arguments in my mates in the pub when I was what? 16/17 suggesting that we shouldnt have signed Phil fookin Gee and Bobby Davison!!

Nothing's changed... its always been there

I remember the absolute pelting that Spider Kalac got when he was constantly missing crosses..I think it was at home to Leeds if my memory serves me rightly. He was utterly mauled by our own fans!!!

I'd go far as to say that fans 'back in the day' were more vitriolic than any of us are these days. Some of the fookin ribbin that opposition players used to get from Pen 1 at filbo would just not happen anymore.

[accessory]

And I would spin that around and suggest that if the same fans supported rather than attacked the same players they would have a much better chance to provide the level of performance those fans require.

I think the culture in football has totally changed. Everyone is an expert, everyone knows better. I think it's born both from the Football Manager generation and the general culture that seems to prevail recently in that many people think everyone else in inferior to them and they always know better.

As a fan of course not everything is rosy in the garden all the time but surely we all want the same thing? Owners, Manager, Players, Fans.. we all want success, so why do fans think that goal is best served by attacking the only people that can provide it... the players.

Because some of them feel they are bigger than the manager and/or the club.

With the tough times many folk are going through, struggling to keep their jobs and support their families, is it any wonder that some feel betrayed and cheated by a bunch of under-achieving millionaires whose loyalty to the club extends only as far as their salary cheques?

[Yojoe36]

Pressure? More like overconfidence.

[Guest Col city fan]

Because some of them feel they are bigger than the manager and/or the club.

With the tough times many folk are going through, struggling to keep their jobs and support their families, is it any wonder that some feel betrayed and cheated by a bunch of under-achieving millionaires whose loyalty to the club extends only as far as their salary cheques?

Good post mate... does 'Mack the Knife' really think that many of the players actually give much of a toss what any of us think of them?

I'd wager they are not in the least bothered.

I don't feel cheated by them though... I just expect them to justify their salaries... Beckford's (yes... I know I keep going on about him) wage should justify more than a player who has scored 3 goals in what? 13/14 appearances. And what I don't want to see is our best paid player constantly moaning at the ref and falling on his arse.

[Mack]

Are you really saying that football fans, for as long as I can remember, havent thought they've known better?. I can remember having arguments in my mates in the pub when I was what? 16/17 suggesting that we shouldnt have signed Phil fookin Gee and Bobby Davison!!

Nothing's changed... its always been there

I remember the absolute pelting that Spider Kalac got when he was constantly missing crosses..I think it was at home to Leeds if my memory serves me rightly. He was utterly mauled by our own fans!!!

I'd go far as to say that fans 'back in the day' were more vitriolic than any of us are these days. Some of the fookin ribbin that opposition players used to get from Pen 1 at filbo would just not happen anymore.

Maybe you are right there has been an element in the past.

But this is something different.

It's like the whole stadium is sitting their arms folded expecting to be entertained whilst a convincing victory is achieved and anything less is met with disgust.

Some of the comments I overheard from other 'fans' as I left were disgraceful.

I think the price for a ticket is also a factor in that "I've paid 30 quid now entertain me" manner.

This is sport not a concert, nothing is guaranteed.

[Happy Fox]

Maybe you are right there has been an element in the past.

But this is something different.

It's like the whole stadium is sitting their arms folded expecting to be entertained whilst a convincing victory is achieved and anything less is met with disgust.

Some of the comments I overheard from other 'fans' as I left were disgraceful.

I think the price for a ticket is also a factor in that "I've paid 30 quid now entertain me" manner.

This is sport not a concert, nothing is guaranteed.

What the hell are you on about what fans want to see is winning football and commitment to the promotion cause from the players even when things aren't going right did we win on Saturday nope.

[accessory]

Maybe you are right there has been an element in the past.

But this is something different.

It's like the whole stadium is sitting their arms folded expecting to be entertained whilst a convincing victory is achieved and anything less is met with disgust.

Some of the comments I overheard from other 'fans' as I left were disgraceful.

I think the price for a ticket is also a factor in that "I've paid 30 quid now entertain me" manner.

This is sport not a concert, nothing is guaranteed.

Fans in Manchester pay a lot more and turn up in bigger numbers. Yet the players there deal with the situation.

The attitude, mentality and character of our squad has been under question for some time now. And more fans are beginning to wonder whether drastic action is needed to deal with these longstanding issues.

[Guest Col city fan]

Maybe you are right there has been an element in the past.

But this is something different.

It's like the whole stadium is sitting their arms folded expecting to be entertained whilst a convincing victory is achieved and anything less is met with disgust.

Some of the comments I overheard from other 'fans' as I left were disgraceful.

I think the price for a ticket is also a factor in that "I've paid 30 quid now entertain me" manner.

This is sport not a concert, nothing is guaranteed.

Now THAT i fully agree with

I think its endemic of a bigger picture Mack, like you say.

People now expect 'value for money' in everything and are more than happy to complain if they don't get it.

However, exactly as you say, Football is a sport, not a commodity nor a concert.

People should be willing to pay good money to watch football and to NOT expect to be entertained week in, week out.

If people arent willing to accept this, dont come to football.

I dont think this will change though mate... some of the people I sit near (and its usually older blokes actually)..use the matches as a slagging off session. On more than one occasion I've told em to shut up or fook off. However, this is usually aimed at the little blokes...

[Corky]

Our fans, and players, are usually at their best when we're the underdogs. That's why we did well against the big sides in the Premier League and also against Man City at home last year.

The crowd don't expect a win so will push the players on and see what happens. You aren't going to get that against Peterborough, because we are favourites to win.

It will be the case for most of the home games until the end of the season.

[accessory]

Those older blokes will probably have seen some decent city players in their time - not only under MON but Bloomfield and Milne too.

So they know just how short of the mark most of the current squad fall. They have every reason to express discontent.

[Guest Col city fan]

Those older blokes will probably have seen some decent city players in their time - not only under MON but Bloomfield and Milne too.

So they know just how short of the mark most of the current squad fall. They have every reason to express discontent.

So have I...but I still try to get behind the team at the games in the faint hope that such days will be resurrected. IMO there is no point in slagging off the players during the game, and I don't boo after..but thats just my way.

Forums such as this provide the opportunity to vent..and as such are worth their weight in gold.

I don't like Beckford, but i'd never call him a twat during a match.

I always have the feeling that the blokes who attend matches and who constantly bleat on about something or other either have boring jobs or dont get enough sex....

[Head Honcho]

Playing football for a living is not...................and I repeat not pressure!

[Legend_in_blue]

The owners have put us in this situation. Splashing the cash, harping on about winning the league, promotion is a must... etc etc.

Fact of the matter is this. We now have a back four which we can call our own, we still have limited options in midfield despite the influx of players - not helped by bringing in players who all play in the same position and arguably none of them better than what we have already, and limitations in forward play - Nugent, Beckford and not a lot else.

Despite our "large" squad and the "variety of options" available we flatter to deceive.

We need a decent midfield, decent wide men and an effective, mobile unit in the middle of the park. All we have are oddments and that's it.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Only weak people feel pressure.

Or deep sea divers

[Happy Fox]

The owners have put us in this situation. Splashing the cash, harping on about winning the league, promotion is a must... etc etc.

Fact of the matter is this. We now have a back four which we can call our own, we still have limited options in midfield despite the influx of players - not helped by bringing in players who all play in the same position and arguably none of them better than what we have already, and limitations in forward play - Nugent, Beckford and not a lot else.

Despite our "large" squad and the "variety of options" available we flatter to deceive.

You cannot blame the owners for poor results on the pitch that is ultimately down to the players most clubs in this division would kill to have owners like ours in terms of finance etc.

We need a decent midfield, decent wide men and an effective, mobile unit in the middle of the park. All we have are oddments and that's it.

You cannot blame the owners for results on the pitch that is ultimately down to the players. Most clubs in this division would kill to have owners like ours in terms of finance.

[dave the caveman]

I agree that the players are playing without freedom. Much like England in the last world cup, they're not in the right frame of mind. But that's up to the coaching staff and the players themselves to sort out. As fans we have little to no influence. I would argue we have zero influence. As much as some fans are desperate to buy into the fairy tale that someone like Jermaine Beckford just needs a bit of support from the fans and he'll come good, it simply isn't true. Infact it's dangerously naive. Frankly I can't imagine how somebody who entertains such whimsical nonsense even survives in real life.

[He's not bald]

We simply can't keep going round and round in circles, I'm a Pearson fan, always have been and was gutted when he went,glad he's back but what most on here seem to forget is that the squad he has now is already better than Hull yet they have just put together a hatrick of wins against arguably trickier opposition so it's not so much about who else we actually need (throwing enough mud to stick) but more about sorting out what we have!

[MC Prussian]

How much longer do the players need to cope with the pressure? The pressure has been on this team for ages, the expectations from the fans' perspective are also not to be ignored.

The issue is not the missing quality within the squad, it's the fact that too often, only a fraction of the team shows up during a game.

And that our midfield can't or doesn't want to take responsibility to create anything productive on a more constant basis.

This team has to learn how to play on a consistent level from start to finish.

And this is where Nigel Pearson comes in.

[Master Fox]

Man City players don't seem to have any trouble in dealing with 'the pressure'. Poor excuse. You're either good at football or you're not. Stop fvcking whinging and win some games you bunch of tossers.

[ChippingFox]

Not sure an aggressive stance with little understanding/support is the right approach.

City have never been a team that wins all the time, we always do things the hard way and this season will be no different!

If players give 100% effort I say that the fans should back them through thick & thin.

If not, go and 'support' Man Utd or similar....

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Give me 20k a week and i'll deal with the pressure

[ChippingFox]

• Bet you couldn't & perform...
  

[ibbosuk]

Load of cac, the truth is the squad has not been good enough to win 2 games on the bounce, MAJOR changes are once again needed.

[Mack]

I think a lot of the posts put on this thread since I last looked yesterday sum up my point..

'You get paid a ****ing fortune now get the **** on with it' is exactly what I am trying to say is the problem.

So you have a job of work, whether you get paid 10k a year or 1,000,000 a year can you do any better or worse than your absolute best?

Does being paid a lot of money automatically mean all your emotions or ability to feel the weight of expectation or pressure disappears?

I know it wont change because the general consensus amongst the masses is that footballers are overpaid and do little for their money.

But this IS the reason why we are struggling for me, too many people are pointing the finger and expecting miracles week in week out, and when they don't happen places like this forum are full of poisonous vitriol.

[MC Prussian]

Load of cac, the truth is the squad has not been good enough to win 2 games on the bounce, MAJOR changes are once again needed.

Yeah right, let's chop and change again and again and again, that trick does wonders to consistency...