MANCHESTER City boss Mark Hughes has hailed his side's new look solidity after the Blues kept another clean sheet against Portsmouth.
As well as chalking up a third Premier League win on the bounce, City also made it five clean sheets on the trot, including the Joan Gamper Trophy win over Barcelona and Thursday's Carling Cup win over Crystal Palace which has earned them a home tie with Fulham in the next round.
Those are the kind of statistics of which managers dream and Hughes feels they give the team confidence as they head into a more testing phase of the season.
After a fortnight's break for international fixtures, City return to action with that Eastlands clash against Arsenal followed eight days later by the trip to face arch-rivals United at Old Trafford.
Hughes said: "The clean sheets augurs well and gives us a platform for our attack-minded players to prosper and that is what is happening at the moment.
"It's a always a real disappointment if you have a defeat before an international break because there is always something you want to address and you can't get the guys together for ten to 12 days."
City ended up having to dig in to secure the 1-0 win at Fratton Park but Hughes felt their case would have been helped but for some strange refereeing by Howard Webb and his assistants.
City had a legitimate Micah Richards goal disallowed, a strong penalty shout turned down after a foul on Shaun Wright-Phillips and saw a pull on Carlos Tevez go unpunished when the Argentine ace was in a dangerous position.
Hughes added: "I was a little bit bemused, to be perfectly honest. I'm a big admirer of Howard Webb but I thought he had one of those days when he got a number of decisions wrong, and his linesmen didn't help.
"We are just glad that didn't have a direct impact on the result. The goal that we scored was a valid goal, though the linesman probably thought Gareth Barry had finished it off, and he was in an offside position, but it was clear Micah came from two yards back.
"We also had a number of claims for a penalty, including a tackle on Shaun at the by-line. I was bemused because there was a similar challenge on Kanu by Pablo Zabaleta and Pablo got a booking for it."
RYAN McGivern has joined Leicester on loan until January. The 19-year-old has seen his chances at City restricted by the arrival of Sylvinho.
What do you think? Have your say.
Hughes salutes solid City
August 31, 2009
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If we include the Barca and palace games, that is 5 wins and 5 clean sheets in a row since the start of the seasons.
Not much mention of Elano, or "Hughes is out of his depth!" etc etc . . . . .
What seems to have been neglected somewhat in recent months is that on 4th June 2008 MCFC recruited the brightest young British mananger in the EPL. And maybe, just maybe, THIS will prove to be the best piece of business the club has ever done.
Lets keep it up for the next 2 games and then we can really shout about it!!!!!!
Yes, it was a good away performance of a kind we never saw last year. I usually go to the Pompey game (living in Bristol) and I have seen some dire performances by City there. This didn't look fluent but we never looked to do anything but win. Barry was magnificent. The defence looks much better though the middle two had one or two moments especially when Lescott passed to them half way in our half. MR still looks vulnerable and we looked tighter when Zab came on. Bridge looks a LOT better this season. Maybe he was carrying a bit of an injury last. The main worries going forward were SWP and Stephen - both seem to have lost a bit of the swagger and fluency they had. Stephen seemed to misplace passes and SWP ran down culs de sac. The forwards seemed to work alone (like on dribbling runs) or in pairs (e.g Tevez and Ade) but not as a fluid front six which we used to see last season. Maybe that mostly comes at home. De Jong looks v good - he makes us look v tight.
what a joke webs performance was just glad never cost us game did his best same ref gave utd pen againts spurs said was honest mistake cant wait for honest mistake at ot for the away team if we are going to get in top 4 this season or next it will be well earned usual top 4 get more dodgey decisions in a game than the rest of us get all season keep it going city.
I'm pleased for MH, I like many City fans was apprehensive when he got the manager's job, mainly because of his past with the dark side, but the team have made a dream start this season under his guidance, if we can get 4 points from the next 2 games I'll be well happy, mind you obviously I would prefer 6 points. Although a lot of the pundits are saying we can break into the top 4, realistically top 6 is more like it, still we can dream, and who knows we may even win some long overdue silverwear.
CTID
Next two games are season defining.
we need to keep it tight and get robby and adebayor to strut their stuff for the next two games. Stevie Ireland, despite brown's thuggery, should be fit and ready to show both arse and rags what a world class player really is.
Roll on the glorious 12th!!
Portsmouth was a vital win and a decent if unspectacular away performance. Hughes decision to play Bellamy instead of Robi was justified but there’s no doubt that City are less creative when Robinho is absent. There’s also no doubt in my mind that Hughes had a picture of the team he wanted and how he wanted it to play and there are signs that his picture may prove to be a masterpiece.
The team is looking more organised and was very composed for the first seventy odd minutes but thereafter needed to show a bit more intelligence in their choice of pass: they did not retain enough possession in the latter stages. I still think City need to move the ball more quickly more often and that they defend too deep upon occasion and leave the opposition with more space to play in than they should. City nearly blew it at the end when Brown was able to pick a pass and Nugent got the better of Zab but fortunately Given was in the right place. Richards still has plenty of detractors on here but I wonder if he would have got his head to the ball Brown played to Nugent?
Seeing some of Joe Hart’s performance yesterday emphasised just why Hughes was right to bring in Shay Given. Toure and Lescott look like they have the makings of a very good centre back pairing. Bridge looks to be in much better form than last season. Superman looks as though he is becoming more settled in his new role, which I think will only serve to make him a more complete player. Barry was my pick of the summer signings before a ball was kicked and I’ve seen nothing to change my mind although Adebayor looks like an absolute world-beater if he stays happy. Tevez needs to see more of the ball and SWP remains infuriatingly on the verge of greatness.
Clean sheets are a wonderful thing as is the new third choice kit.
How refreshing to read such intelligent and sensible comments from the fans - when oh when is Andy Gray going to get the boot, he comes up with so much dribble time and time again.....
For the first time in a long time I can watch a game and not think to myself "blow the final whistle". I didn't think for one minute that Portsmouth, Blackburn, Wolves or Palace were going to score, the ref's worry me more than anything (and idiots like Brown of course). I think the refs need to be held accountable for their actions, if their not good enough then they shouldn't be on the field. Brown laid the same tackle time after time, he could have easily broke Irelands foot (which I'm quite sure was his intention). Beer induced rant over.
CTID
I have been delighted with Mark Hughes' business in the transfer market, the new players he has brought in have been spot on (and I include Kompany, de Jong and Bellamy from previous windows). For me, Barry is the best of all of them, an outstanding performer all over the pitch. Some of his passing, those 40/50 yard diagonal balls, remind me so much of Glenn Hoddle. Bringing in Shay Given was also inspirational and could prove to be the best piece of business ever.
For all the attacking qualities in the team, success almost inevitably comes to teams that can defend, look at the records of Chelsea and them next door in Trafford in recent years. So those clean sheets up to now are very encouraging and evidence of the progress we are making.
Although we will face much more difficult challenges than Blackburn and Portsmouth away from home, we only took one point from those games last season, so again evidence of improvement.
Mark Hughes is clearly demonstrating that he knew exactly what was needed and has addressed the weaknesses from last season. It is vital we stick with him, especially if (when) we go through a difficult period, and support him all the way. I have nothing but total respect for the way he has handled everything, in particular the incredible media attention, and most recently the dignified way he dealt with the Lescott transfer and the lack of respect shown by Everton and David Moyes.
Finally, September 1, 2008 was one of the most amazing days in my football life. Happy Anniversary everyone. Happy Days Are Here Again.....
OB1:excellent analysis. I agree with everything you say. Good to see excellent articulate posts on here (in contrast to the red wind-up type).
Ob1, good post fella but i think Ireland needs to start closing players down and tackling instead of standing off a player as he too often does.
When he learns to be more commited and assertive in the tackle, is when he will be one step closer to being a complete all round midfielder as [hate to mention his name] Keane was. I think Ireland will develop that side of his game though as he matures. All in all it was a decent team performance but more importantly a good victory at pompey.
blue t of radcliffe, it's a bit early to be anointing Hughes a genius, time will tell. however, i'd agree it was more than a bit early to be calling for his head on the end of a pole last season. i'll have to admit that i was a bit skeptical last year, and felt maybe we should have moved for Rijkaard (i'm biased though as i saw Rijkaard play for Ajax). Hughes has bought well, and that alone has me cautiously optimistic that you may be right.
the next two matches will show just how far we've come (or how far we have yet to go) but it's worth reminding the (now-silent) boo birds that we've already matched our last year's total for away wins.
if Hughes delivers top 6, then we as City fans (including all former boo birds) should give him MUCH more slack in running the club. i am hoping we continue as we've been doing this season, but time will tell.
Yes, more solid tha last year but still a fair degree of luck. The gap that opened up for Daivid Nugent was reminiscent of Moses parting the Red Sea - if you're allowed to say 'red' on this site!
We need De Jong back for the Ars & Rags, as we need to stop their creative players playing. 4 pts from these games & I'll be a happy man. 6 pts will shake the Premiership to the bones.
Minden blue, Germany
Blue moon rising.
Just a quick observation about Stephen Ireland's closing down and tackling. I think him standing off players is partly to do with the different role he has been asked to play so far, which is a lot more about getting behind the ball, rather than putting pressure on the ball.
If you look at the OPTA stats for last season, I think he is in the top 3 midfielders for tackles attempted AND for successful tackles completed.