Newsletter #132

It seems like ages since I was last able to write a positive introduction to MCIVTA, one actually based on some hard facts, like a win for instance! Last night’s performance was a joy to behold after recent events and I only wished I could have stayed to the end to applaud them off but my mate was already 30 minutes late for his night shift as it was! I stayed up to watch a miserly 2 mins on TV later on and it ended with an interview with Bally who has obviously ‘had it’ with the press and this was clear to see in his interview manner (see Ken Foster’s piece):

Interviewer: Is Uwe Rösler for sale?

Bally: No

Interviewer: At any price?

Bally: No!

He had a look of suppressed anger on his face and who can blame him after the way the press has hounded him in the last two weeks. Let us hope that Uwe is indeed not for sale. He was also interviewed and said quite categorically that he was only interested in playing for Manchester City and no one else but if City wanted to sell him then he would have little choice in the matter. He also looked less than delighted with the interviewer’s question and tersely added that this was exactly what he had told them last time. All I can say is that we should thank our respective Gods that we have a player of such loyalty in this day and age.

Ken Foster has kindly offered to do a ‘Player of the Month Poll’, the results of which will be collated and published in MCIVTA, see below.

Next game, Manchester United away, Saturday 14th October 1995.

MATCH REPORT ‘LIVE’

MANCHESTER CITY vs. WYCOMBE WANDERERS, CCCup 2nd round 2nd leg, Wednesday 4th October 1995.

As yet I haven’t received a match report for this game so I’ve had a bash myself but it’s without the aid of notes or of even knowing in advance that I would be doing a match report so you’ll have to forgive any overt errors (timings) etc. If anyone can still do a match report then send them in and I’ll paste them into Monday’s issue.

After a mad dash from work we ended up outside the Kippax at 6.50pm so managed to get a few jars in in the social club beforehand. On arriving at my seat which is in AA of the upper tier I was relieved to see that the barrackers from the Boro’ game hadn’t bothered to turn up! Problem was, neither had anybody else, though things did fill up 10 minutes into the game. We were all fairly apprehensive and City started a little nervously, attacking the North Stand end. Despite this, City strung together some good moves but were let off the hook after 10 minutes when DeSouza was allowed room and beat Immel only for his shot to bounce back off the upright and along the line for what seemed an age before Immel was able to gather it. City started to play a neat passing game which was only interrupted by Brightwell who was playing at right back (where is Foster?) who was a model of consistency in passing the ball to Wycombe players!

Kinky was having a stormer, wriggling through players and spraying the ball all over the park (to our players!). He really showed what a class player he is and my feeling is that he will make the adjustment to Premier League footie. City controlled the midfield and regularly attacked down each flank and through the middle where Quinn was his old self, winning every ball put into him, controlling it neatly and making good lay-offs, particularly to Uwe. After about 20 minutes it seemed we must score when the ball was crossed from the left by Beagrie(?) only for a Wycombe player to hit the ball goalward from about 3 yards out. A goal seemed a foregone conclusion but the goalie pulled off a truly stunning save to keep the ball out.

We began to get a little nervous as, despite virtually constant pressure and deft little flicks from Niall, the ball just didn’t seem to fall right. Our luck finally turned on about the half hour mark when an almost identical situation to the first goal chance reappeared but this time the ball bobbled up to Uwe who had the simplest of tap-ins to put us one up.

Two minutes later we were two up and everyone had broken out into a chorus of ‘You’re going out with United’! Kinky wriggled through the middle and played a beautiful ball through the Wycombe defence where Uwe had timed his run to perfection to slot the ball home. My mate said that Flipper was offside and we were dead level with it but what the hell, it’s about time some decisions went our way. Uwe and Kinky were ecstatic (weren’t we all?) and hugged each other frenziedly. The lads were applauded off at half time with some degree of relief after Kinky had been chopped and looked for a few minutes to have been seriously injured. We met Paul at half time for a natter and were disturbed by celebrity Blue Curly Watts from Coronation Street (a soap for those non English subscribers) on his way for a leak!

The second half was a bit subdued but came to light with a delightful move which involved 8 City players before finally ending up with the ball in the net; Reid and Ellis would have had apoplexy! It was one of those goals that you just knew was coming almost from the moment the move began. The ball eventually found its way over to the right where Uwe crossed for Quinny to belt the ball past the bemused Wycombe goalie and defence, a really well worked goal. A few minutes later and it was four as Kinky raced into the area with one of the big Wycombe lads leaning all over him; it was just a matter of where he would fall over really. Curle despatched the ball to some booing as many thought Uwe should have got his hat trick but… Curley is our penalty taker!

City stepped off the gas a little and substituted both Flipper and Kinky for Brown and Summerbee. Edghill looked to have pulled a hamstring muscle as he blasted a good chance into a low geo-stationary orbit and was replaced by Martyn Margetson who raced around the field to much merriment and cheering. Wycombe had a good chance in the last 5 minutes but really City were just having fun by this time and who can blame them?

Overall this was a very good performance and one we should hopefully build on. Uwe and Niall looked to have real understanding up front and should be kept together. In midfield, Flipper played in an offensive role for the first time in about a year but didn’t look in form and was booked for a ludicrous challenge from behind when we were 4-0 up! Lomas was reasonably effective and Beagrie looks to be almost back to fitness but still has his perennial problem which is never crossing when he can make a monkey out of the defender for a second time! Kinky was supreme, especially in the first half. He looked easily the best player to have graced Maine Road for many a long year; mazy dribbles, great vision and brilliant passing. Symons and Curle looked OK but let the big Wycombe strikers have a couple of free headers in the first half. Edghill looked much better at left back than he has done at right back all season but Brightwell was a liability. His defending was good but his passing was abysmal and moves up the right wing broke down several times due to atrocious passing on his part. He also got booked and was very lucky to escape a sending off when he went right through the back of a Wycombe player on the touchline. Immel was his usual self: looks a little dodgy kicking but safe as houses when called upon to make a save.

Lastly, the referee was excellent as was one of the linesman; the other was a little dodgy but still good when compared to some of the idiots we’ve seen this season.

Final score: 4-0

PLAYER POLL

After putting out a couple of feelers regarding a City ‘Player of the Month’ poll, the initial reaction was favourable and so we’ll give it a go. September is the first ‘real’ month of the season so let’s have your votes for City’s best player during the month. As we didn’t have an August vote we might as well include all the games from Spurs to Forest. If you could E-mail me your votes here by 11th Oct., I will then pass on the result to Ashley for inclusion in the newsletter.

It may be more interesting to vote for 3 players and I will give 3 points for your first choice, 2 for 2nd, etc. So get your votes in! Even if you only saw the Arsenal match.

MATCH VIEW I

Hurrah! Splendid! Bloody smashing! Wonderful! Fantastic! Ace! Really jolly good!

OK, I know Wycombe are in the 2nd division, and that the game could have been very different had DeSouza’s shot come back off the post and gone in, rather than considerately tracing the goal line back into Immel’s arms, but we won a match! And we did it in some style.

I sat in the upper tier of the Kippax for the first time (I looked out for any MCIVTA T-shirts, but didn’t see any; hello Ken if you are reading this!) and had an excellent, if slightly vertigo-inducing view.

Individual Performances:

Rösler 9

Ran all night, won the ball in tight corners and laid it off well,made one goal and scored two. Exceptional. We cannot let this mango, Mr Ball. I hope that your firm (if squeaky) ‘no’ in response toa question after the match as to whether he was for sale was atruthful one, and not part of a manipulative plan to push up hisprice and provoke lucrative competition for his services. I mightjust bomb your house if you sell him.

Quinn 9

Just the one goal, but showed (yet again) that he is no slouch whenit comes to skilful play on the ground. Time and again hecontrolled Immel’s good kicks with his chest, turned away from anumber of tackles and made a good pass. Don’t drop him unless he hasa series of poor matches – he deserves a run in the team.

Beagrie 8

Looking more like his old self, and obviously fitter than in recentweeks. Roved around, took people on and got crosses in (usually). Ican’t wait for the next backflip.

Kinkladze 9

As ever, showed good skill and hit some exceptional passes (Iespecially liked the cheeky lob over a Wycombe player to Brightwell,stationed on the touchline). His strength on the ball and willingnessto run at defenders won us a penalty. He proved what we havesuspected all along – that he is a very good player, so long as thosearound him are playing well and moving for him. Subbed for…

Summerbee 8 (last ten minutes or so)

Do we have a supersub in the making? He looked faster and hungrierthan usual (as he has done since his demotion to the subs bench -could be on the road to a confidence recovery), took on his man andeither got a dangerous cross in or won a corner.

Flitcroft 8

Got forward more than he has recently (and actually had the ball inthe back of the net at one point, only for the goal to be ruled outfor offside); tackled and passed well. Subbed for…

Brown 7 (last fifteen minutes or so)

Played fairly well and had one good run on goal, but isn’t reallystrong enough to take Flitcroft’s place in the centre of the park.

Lomas 5

Sorry to spoil the party, but Lomas had a stinker. I have neverreally rated him: although he does possess a bit of skill, lovesto get in his tackles and certainly doesn’t lack commitment orcourage, his distribution is appalling. He should be Flitcroft’sunderstudy: we need a new face to partner Flipflop in midfield.

Edghill 5

His distribution wasn’t too good (again) and he dispatched a woefulshot towards the moon, but he looked a little better than normal.Coped fairly well with the switch to left-back. Has a long way to gobefore City hearts won’t be in their mouths every time he has to berelied upon to deal with danger. Was Phelan injured? Subbed for …

Margetson 10! (last ten minutes or so)

How could he get anything else? Edghill was injured and thegoalkeeper came on as an outfield player to a huge cheer – which wasrepeated every time he touched the ball! He even made a bit of anuisance of himself in the Wycombe penalty area. Fairytale stuff!

Brightwell 6

He made some mistakes and looked a little uneasy for the first 20minutes or so but once City found their stride he was a lot better.I think right-back is his best position, and the longer he playsthere the more comfortable with it he will get.

Symons 8

Solid, intelligent defending, and obviously getting more used toplaying alongside Curle. He has even adopted the latter’s habit ofthe occassional foray into the opposition’s half.

Curle 8

A classy display, which he seemed to enjoy – although not the booinghe received for taking the penalty instead of allowing our Germanhero the chance to complete a hat-trick. -1 point for not lettingUwe take the spot-kick.

Immel 9

Made some good saves when called upon and was quick to race off hisline to sweep up any potentially threatening balls in behind ourdefence.

Talking points:

Rösler and Quinn showed a level of understanding that has long been absent from City striking partnerships. Both had very good games, and Quinn especially showed some excellent skill. On this evidence, he should have secured himself a run in the team – by comparison, Creaney has all the skill of a sack of potatoes (mind you, even I make Creaney look like a sack of potatoes). Don’t sell Rösler!

Flitcroft had an assured game, and showed some of his old willingness to get forward. It was noticeable that the wind went out of City’s sails a little when he went off. I don’t care how poor we are, we cannot afford to let him go. Don’t sell Flitcroft!

OK, I know this was a fairly glowing report and that had the first awful ten minutes allowed Wycombe to get ahead (which they were only half an inch away from being) it could all have been very different, but a team in City’s position need a boost to their confidence to kick-start a season. I feel that this was almost our best line-up, and these players should be the benchmark against which we measure new acquisitions. If we could get a couple more players of this calibre to strengthen the squad, and offload a few others, we might be in with a shout of staying up. Let’s hope the new-found confidence survives the ten days without a match and the splitting up of the team that international duty brings!

PS:

A colleague of mine at work (a rag) has just read this, and suggested that I make reference to the trouncing that is going to take place at Old Trafford. Well, OK, but I think we’ll probably only win by one goal.

Only if it’s an own goal!!

That was him – I’ve broken his typing fingers, so he won’t be back.

NEWS – CC CUP 3RD ROUND DRAW

Stoke          vs.        Newcastle
Watford        vs.        Blackburn
Reading        vs.        Bury
QPR            vs.        York
Coventry       vs.        Tottenham
Southampton    vs.        West Ham
Derby          vs.        Leeds
Millwall       vs.        Sheffield Wed
Birmingham     vs.        Tranmere
Wolves         vs.        Charlton
Bolton         vs.        Leicester
Crystal P      vs.        Middlesborough
Norwich        vs.        Bradford
Barnsley       vs.        Arsenal
Aston Villa    vs.        Stockport
Liverpool      vs.        Man City

Ties to be played on 24th/25th October.

NEWS

According to GMR at 7.25am (Weds) Sheffield Wednesday have offered Bright and Hyde for Uwe Uwe.

AB rejected the bid.

SUNDERLAND 0 LIVERPOOL 1 REED 10!

Mike Reed followed on his dismal display at the City ground in Nottingham on Saturday by exercising his arm in the Sunderland- Liverpool Coca Cola Cup tie last night. Both Michael Gray and Rob Jones were dismissed and there were a bucketful of cautions. Perhaps referees are being paid on their performance?

CITY ON THE UP?

Having listened to Stretford crash to mighty York last night, in addition to them failing to get through the first round of Europe’s easiest competition, against a second rate Russian team, methinks it may not be a bad year for City. Just a thought.

P.S. Did you know that Stretford sold £23.5m of replica kit and ‘memorabilia’ last year? Does anyone have a copy of City’s accounts that I could have a look at?

OPINION – OUR WOES

Oh lads, what’s going on? Being deprived of footy (except for the mexi channels and the drunken Diego drug show) here in Chicago, my only solace is MCIVTA and the odd VHS tape. I hear through the grapevine that Gordon the Gopher wants to sell Herman the German and buy a couple of waiters for FL’s next project. Alledgedly, Kinky could make way for a bartender and a new dishwasher.

I look at the team line-ups each week and am still trying to figure out who does the tackling in midfield and wins some ball? Has anybody done one of those tackle count things? … and does Peter Barnes still have some boots?

After being offline for two weeks, I was surprised by the defeats awaiting me. It’s time for some Euro imports Franny… try Red Star (Belgrade not BR) reserves. There’s some talented Euro refugees playing park footy here in the US who could make it. If brass is tight, the gopher could stay with me.

It can’t be all that bad lads… can it? Ok, we’ll go 11 league games without a win… there’s time to climb above the others from November on, as they’ll all still be in cups and stuff like that. City need some confidence and support. That’s where we come in. It could be worse; we haven’t lost to York yet, or lost in Europe this season.

Give them a big shout for me against the theatre of queens’ slappers this week… and then give them another for yourselves.

I’ll be watching you.
Tomski

OPINIONS (OR…RAMBLINGS, OR…GIBBERINGS)

What a great start to the season. Compounded by the French resuming Nuclear Testing at the Swamp last Sunday. Well done the ‘Pool , I say – although I suspect the Rags would have got a draw even had they been 5 down with 5 minutes to play. Say no more, except that the skill that the Sardine man showed in scoring that penalty was out of this world – I can’t see how any other player on the planet could have got that penalty (ps – did you know that apparently EC thinks that Jim Morrison was a philosopher? Fine Rock & Roller without a question, but philosopher – sorry Eric).

This morning’s Guardian reports that we are keeping an eye on Jan Molby; if I was in charge, I would be casting an eye over an up and coming young midfielder playing in Div 2. He plays for Swindon, and is called Steve McMahon. We West Country Blues have been keeping an eye on him on the inimitable Sunday afternoon “West Match Plus” (last season it was just “The West Match” – we think that the “Plus” is to indicate that there is even more shit in it this season), and he is playing out of his skin. Buy this man!

I was trying to work out how to keep an even keel during the rest of the season. It doesn’t take a mathematician to work out that we are currently on course to end the season with 5 points. Any ideas how to cope with this without resorting to liquor, violence or whatever? I realised that one way to approach it might be to actually hope to break a few records, and start to enjoy it; after all, we already have a fine record of bizarre things that could only happen to us; I believe that we are the only club to have scored and let in over 100 goals in a (real) 1st division season – perhaps we shall just have to treat this season as another record breaking 9 months in the ongoing saga of MCFC.

(Then again, maybe not)

OPINION – BALL AND THE PRESS

I was amazed at the amount of criticism on A.B. after the Forest match. Every section of the media was playing the ‘Last Post’ for him. On arrival at work this morning (Mon 2nd) my normally sympathetic workmates were drooling over his impending dismissal. Comments like “Who do you think will be City’s manager come Thursday night?” and “Why is Rösler leaving?” After telling them that AB would probably still be manager even if we don’t win another point and that Uwe is committed to City, they calmed down a bit. Isn’t it amazing how the press can snowball a ‘non story’ into a life and death situation?

I scanned the Guardian, Mail, and Express who all thought Ball would be lucky to survive a defeat against Wycombe. The Express even christened him ‘Alibi Alan’ which I thought was quite amusing for such a crap paper. On David (Horton’s doing well at Plymouth) Mellor’s 606 show, a couple of City fans who had been to the Forest game phoned. The first wanted both Ball and Lee out (this will achieve nothing except an express ticket to Conferenceland). The second said that none of the City players were trying except for Rösler and Curle (admittedly I have only been to the home games, but all I have seen is 100% effort). Why the discrepancy of views? At least we are attempting to play football now and in Kinky we have the biggest potential since Colin Bell. I don’t think there’s much wrong with City that a win wouldn’t put right. Confidence can be a tremendous morale booster, so let’s hope we can start the ball rolling on Oct 14th.

BLUE HUMOUR

As we all know City fans have to have a good sense of humour; well here’s some for the current plight (and yes you will have already heard most of them):

Q.

What the Titanic and Alan Ball got in common?

A.

They both left Southampton and sank without trace.

Q.

What’s the difference between a cocktail stick a Man City?

A.

A cocktail stick has 2 points

Q.

What’s the difference between a lift and City?

A.

A lift doesn’t take 9 months to go down

Q.

What happens when the opposition cross the halfway line at Maine Road?

A.

They score

City have sacked AB and employed a new Chinese manager.
His name, Win One Soon

Hope these can bring a smile to our faces.

P.S. A Rag joke while I’m on the subject.

Q.

What have a three pin plug and Man U got in common?

A.

They’re both useless in Europe.

RESULTS

Monday, October 2 1995

SOUTHAMPTON           0-0    WEST HAM UNITED

Tuesday, October 3 1995

Team                Played   Won Drawn Lost   For Against   Points
Newcastle United       8      7    0    1     17     4        21
Aston Villa            8      5    2    1     12     5        17
Manchester United      8      5    2    1     16    10        17
Liverpool              8      5    1    2     15     7        16
Leeds United           8      5    1    2     14     9        16
Arsenal                8      4    3    1     10     5        15
Middlesbrough          8      4    3    1      9     4        15
Nottingham Forest      8      3    5    0     14     9        14
Tottenham Hotspur      8      4    2    2     14    11        14
Chelsea                8      3    3    2      9     7        12
Wimbledon              8      3    1    4     13    16        10
Queens Park Rangers    8      3    0    5      7    12         9
Sheffield Wednesday    8      2    2    4      8    11         8
Blackburn Rovers       8      2    1    5     10    13         7
Everton                8      2    1    5     10    13         7
Coventry City          8      1    3    4      7    17         6
West Ham United        8      1    3    4      7    11         6
Southampton            8      1    3    4      7    14         6
Bolton Wanderers       8      1    1    6      8    18         4
Manchester City        8      0    1    7      3    14         1

WWW MANCHESTER CITY SUPPORTERS’ HOME PAGE:
http://www.uit.no/mancity/

MCIVTA ADDRESSES:
Contributions: mcivta@tollbar.u-net.com
Subscriptions: Adam.Houghton@sheffield.ac.uk

Thanks to Jeremy, Martin (x2), Huw, Ken, Tony, Paul, Matt & Rob.

DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in MCIVTA are entirely those of the subscribersand there is no intention to represent these opinions as being thoseof Manchester City Football Club, nor of any of the companies anduniversities by whom the subscribers are employed. It is not inany way whatsoever connected to the club or any other relatedorganisation and is simply a group of supporters using this mediumas a means of disseminating news and exchanging opinions.

Editor: