The midfielder who has been City’s ‘Mr Consistent’ this term believes continued home rule could be the key to success for a squad he says has improved significantly from last term.
“We finished tenth last season and from 10th to 1st is an impossible target,” reckoned the former Villa man who says he will judge the success of his switch from the Midlands at the end of his five year contract and not based on what both clubs achieve this season. “Leaping from 10th to 4th would be a massive achievement.”
Barry and his teammates are at Fulham this afternoon bidding to keep pace with Spurs who currently occupy fourth spot after winning at Stoke City.
They know it will be no easy task after Roy Hodgson’s men knocked Juventus out of the Europa League on Thursday night.
“I was a little bit surprised they won so comfortably but fair play to them it was a great result for Fulham,” conceded Barry.
Bobby Zamora is the big danger man. He is the focal point and if he plays well then the rest of the team plays off him. We will have to play well to get anything from the game this afternoon
...Gareth Barry
“We are still in with a great shout of clinching fourth place and if we go the entire season unbeaten at home then I think we may end up in that position but we need to keep concentrating and improving.
“If we want to finish fourth then we have to be together all the time with everyone giving 100%. That is what we are doing.
“People have to remember this is the first season that we have spent together and we are still learning as a squad. And as I said we have improved a lot since last season.”
*Don’t forget to click onto our exclusive Match Day Centre for this afternoon’s visit to Fulham which is not being televised in this country.
In addition to reading a running text report, you can listen to radio commentary from Key 103, watch the statistics build during the game and view a big gallery of match photographs.
After the game there will be exclusive video interviews with the manager and a key player and of course tomorrow fans will be able to view the 60 second and extended highlights. It is all free of charge on mcfc.co.uk
