Newsletter #1677

With City making hard work of the taking the three points at Blackpool on Sunday, we are now nestled into second place. We have match views and player reviews tonight together with opinion on expectations and the usual requests.

We also learned of the passing of Malcolm Allison at the weekend and there are a couple of tributes to the big man here tonight. R.I.P. Mal.

MATCH VIEW I: BFC 2 MCFC 3

Got out of jail…

Just watched the match versus Blackpool and I can honestly say that was the worst performance of the season. Blackpool dominated for long periods and looked far more threatening than some of our “highly overpaid” superstars. As I said in my last posting, what would we do without Tevez? He makes things happen up front, and more often than not, out of nothing.

What rankles me is the fact that City have everything they could want at their disposal to be a great team; we probably have the best training facilities around, a huge number of coaches, and yet, when we take the field against a team below the top 4, we go from a Jekyll to a Hyde, we give them time and space, and assume our collection of big names will get us out of trouble! Wrong! I read the report in News Of The World, where they compared Blackpool’s players and ours, and Charlie Adam quite rightly made an observation: “It does not matter whether City players get 10 times what we get, or their transfer fee was huge, the bottom line is, we are all human beings”! It’s just that Blackpool’s human beings work harder and play to a pattern, whilst we still look like a collection of individuals. Do we have any creativity in midfield, akin to Charlie Adam… absolutely no! Barry and de Jong sit so deep, no wonder they never score any goals from midfield.

I probably have said the following on numerous postings (shame City’s Coaching staff don’t read these); if you give any player time and space, they are capable of a lot, and when you give a talented player time and space, they can, and often will punish you! Just look at the time and space offered to Charlie Adam; he played like a quarter back and most of the good things from Blackpool originated from him. If I as an ordinary fan can see this, what are Mancini and his band of coaches watching? Look how badly we defended Blackpool’s 2nd goal (and we have so called international defenders in the team?). We must press teams a hell of a lot more than we do; we seem to play almost like it’s an international, allowing the opposition to have the ball in their own half – that will not work. The teams that play a pressing game, are far more likely to gain an advantage as this leads to mistakes. De Jong, who is normally excellent at this rôle, was like a Rottweiler minus his teeth! He was a shadow of himself.

Now to the crux of my posting. I want to vent my feelings on players who I do not feel are good enough for City. I am basing most of this on this match versus Blackpool.

Adebayor: absolutely cr*p; the sooner he is shipped out to any team that is daft enough to buy him, the better.
Bridge: he is not a Premier League quality left back; just imagine how good we could be, if we had the likes of Gibbs, Evra, Cole, or Bale.
Lescott: for all his size and stature, is no way as good as Kolo Toure.
Boateng: he must be all of 6ft 2″ but was beaten in the air nearly every time by Fletcher-Taylor, and secondly, he allowed the left winger so much time and space that more often than not he was skinned on that flank (is he better than Richards?)
Adam Johnson: plainly looks to be a better “impact” player, coming off the bench to create and make things happen, rather than start a match.

Now to my player ratings:
Hart: Had no chance with the 2 conceded goals, and generally kept well. 6
Bridge: Not a dynamic left back, gave away the free kick for their first goal, and nearly made amends with his probing run for our second. 5
Boateng: Not match fit and poor in the air, is not the player we saw playing for Germany. 4
Lescott: Was caught out too often when the ball was played over the top of our defence. Not commanding enough. 4
Kompany: Not one of his better games, but generally has been quite commanding. 6
De Jong: Was he playing? Worst performance in a City shirt – scared to tackle! 3
Barry: You always get a performance from him, but I feel he sits way too deep. 5
Milner: Always works hard but we need some end product; nearly scored when he hit the crossbar. 6
Johnson: only looked threatening in the first 15 minutes, and after that he was anonymous. 4
Tevez: our Duracell battery, scorer of 2 goals (I don’t care if they were dubious); he makes things happen. 9
Adebayor: I doubt Blackpool would give him a game, absolutely cr*p! 2

Subs:
Silva : a little genius, what a left foot; he was the catalyst we needed and scored a great goal. 9
Richards: looked a lot better than Boateng, and shows intensity and desire. 7
Vieira: not on long enough but looked assured on the ball.

I just hope we change personnel and tactics when we play Arsenal, or they will tear us to pieces. De Jong had better put his teeth back in. We need to press and harry all the Arsenal players; don’t give them time on the ball. Thankfully Wilshire will be missing but Fabregas will probably be back!

Come on City… keep fighting for the Title!

MATCH VIEW II: BFC 2 MCFC 3

The first half had no goals although both teams came close to scoring.

The second half produced five goals, the best coming from David Silva, his first in the Premier League and what a gem it was; he sold two dummies before scoring.

Blackpool give City a game that we all were expecting, they lived up to the name that they have made for themselves, they never gave up trying and made it tough for City. Manager Holloway gets the most out of his Blackpool players.

Tevez, who scored two goals, which now makes him the leading scorer in the Premier League with seven goals, was the man of the match. His non-stop running was a menace to the opposition.

When David Silva came on in place of Adebayor, it changed Tevez who played so much better with Silva. It is difficult for me to pick out something good about Adebayor, he ran around like a chicken with it’s head off; will some team come and get him during the transfer window please?

I hope that Mario is back in time from his injury for the game versus the Evil Empire. De Jong had a quieter game but still carried out his job.

Despite Blackpool scoring two goals, the City defence played a good game. We missed Yaya in midfield but after Roberto got the players together at half time, the team came out in the second half challenging for every ball.

It turned out to be a good game to watch; both teams deserved a compliment, and congratulations to City!

Come on you Blues!

OPINION: BIG MAL I

Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison, the names that conjure up attacking, attractive winning football for City.

With style and grace, with the likes of Bell, Lee, Summerbee and co I doubt whether we’ll ever see another side that would come close to that side of the 60’s and 70’s, and they had fun doing it.

And unlike City of today, signing a has-been 30 year old, Allison went and bought Tony Book, who like fine wine, got better with age.

So, thanks Malc, coaches of today are not worth even tying up your bootlaces.

OPINION: BIG MAL II

I was very lucky to have had the pleasure of meeting Big Mal; he was with Peter Swales (owner back then of City). It was outside the main entrance of Maine Road Stadium and Big Mal was wearing his famous fedora hat and his sheepskin coat.

Big Mal was larger than life with a great personality. He had many photos of himself with his players and trophies that he had won but I also remember one with some cute models in a large bath (yes, he lucky off the pitch too).

Big Mal was a brilliant coach; everyone said that he was a coach ahead of his time. I don’t think that there was ever a player who disliked him – he was loved by all his players, and he knew how to get that little extra out of a player.

City play Blackpool on Sunday, which brings back a memory: City were playing Blackpool in an FA Cup match, I was near the half way line, and City were losing at half time. Not far from me was Big Mal. The second half was about to start, with Big Mal signalling with his arms and shouting new instructions to some players. The game changed completely from that moment on, it was nothing but City.

At the time I had a bad cold and in my deep pockets of my overcoat I had a bottle of cough medicine. With the excitement of the game I kept taking a swig to help stop my coughing. City won, and as I walked out of the old Bloomfield Road Stadium there was no medicine left in the bottle – I had drunk it all. I say that it was because of what Big Mal said to his team, and they played some exciting football.

Yes, Big Mal played some great attacking football. Thanks Big Mal for some of the greatest football ever seen by City.

We City supporters shall never forget you, now Joe Mercer and Big Mal are together talking about the great football they created. Roy Clarke has just opened the bar, cheers!

Thank you Big Mal. R.I.P.

OPINION: OWN WORST ENEMY

I must come to the defence of James Gregson (Our Own Worst Enemy – MCIVTA 1674). He echoed many feelings I have had for a long time about some fans’ attitudes. Richard Edghill’s hounding was ungallant and distressing to witness as were scenes at Blackburn a couple of years ago. Fans baying for blood are not an edifying sight.

However, if Pete (Perspectives – MCIVTA 1675) cannot accept that other fans’ views may differ from his own as his petulant response suggests, then it is a pity about him.

On another tack, I hope some of you were able to catch Nicky Weaver’s magnificent performance for Sheffield Wednesday (his boyhood team) last week in the Johnson’s Paint Trophy match at Hillsborough. He saved 3 in a penalty shoot out and scored a blinder too, reminiscent of a certain afternoon in May 1999. It brought back memories for him also as his post match interview suggested. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9041933.stm

OPINION: NEW BOOK

Steve Worthington’s book sounds great. One thing I have to disagree with in the blurb though is the line:

“A first hand view of Sunday League football and its total lack of comparison to the professional game.”

I had a trial with Aston Villa 18 years ago and also played a lot of Sunday league football in pitches of mud and one of the problems with English football is the too close comparison between Sunday league football and the professional game, or I should say the professional England players. Too much the huff and puff, get stuck in, welly the ball up the field, no control, completely uncomfortable on the ball, can’t pass, can’t hold the ball. The training I did at my week at villa was exactly the same as the training, if any, you did for your Sunday league team. No skill or ball work, just fitness, shooting practice and a bit of five a side. we can say things are different now but that is kidding ourselves. The foreign players make a difference and the get stuck in English players can look good in teams with foreigners but put them in a team by themselves, namely the England team, and they play like a Sunday league team with no skills, no control, and they can’t hold the ball. The Adam Johnsons of this world offer hope but we need a change at school level – it’s still too much about win at all costs. We go on about the influx of foreigners ruining England national team but that is nonsense; we have been crap since the seventies. Apart from 1990 when we had Gazza and we started crap in that tournament and only luckily got past Cameroon but should have beaten Germany, we have been rubbish and getting worse.

Not much to do with City but it is my post World Cup blues coming out again.

REQUEST: KING OF THE KIPPAX

We’re pleased to announce that the latest issue of King Of The Kippax fanzine, number 182, should be in the outlets at Urbis and Aleef (corner of Cross street and Market street) some time on Friday. It will also be on sale at Blackpool and future games. This issue has Carlos on the front cover staring up at the Blue moon with a wistful concern about being standing ‘up front’ alone (last issue had Joe Hart on the front cover, a theme now taken up on the cover of the latest, and superb City mag, after their gaffe of having a Corrigan/Given head to head instead of the two Joe’s, as in KK 181!)!

This issue takes in the derby (on a ridiculous Wednesday night) and after being once rightly admonished in MCIVTA for not following up my reference to the despicable Man United on the radio, we’ve unearthed about 50 or so reasons why this is so. Not that you need reminding! This was also prompted by the dreadful Manchester Compendium book, which was full of sarcastic nasties about our loveable Blues. There is also a gentle reminder that they once went 37 years without a trophy, and where were they? Well crowds went down to an average of 11,000, so they were hardly there.

There’s also a brief review on Blue Moon Rising (anyone see the mealy mouthed one in WSC?), the Maine Road Magic show, Welsh connection, commentators, Salzburg, Nigel de Jong, and season 90/91 review, plus all the usual stuff, great cartoons etc., on all things Blue. It’s A4, 48 pages and can also be obtained from 25 Holdenbrook Close, Leigh, Lancs, WN7  2HL, for £3.20 including P&P, cheques to King Of The Kippax. Hope you can continue to support us.

REQUEST: PROGRAMME WANTED

If anyone is willing to sell me the Derby County vs. City league programme from the 1971/72 season, please get in touch.

RESULTS AND TABLE

17 October 2010

Everton               2 - 0  Liverpool             39,673
Blackpool             2 - 3  Manchester City       16,116

16 October 2010

Arsenal               2 - 1  Birmingham City       60,070
Bolton Wanderers      2 - 1  Stoke City            22,975
Fulham                1 - 2  Tottenham Hotspur     25,615
Manchester United     2 - 2  West Bromwich Albion  75,272
Newcastle United      2 - 2  Wigan Athletic        44,415
Wolverhampton Wndrs   1 - 1  West Ham United       28,582
Aston Villa           0 - 0  Chelsea               40,122

League table to 17 October 2010 inclusive

                             HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F   A   GD Pts
 1 Chelsea          8  4  0  0 14  0  2  1  1  9  2  6  1  1  23   2  21  19
 2 Manchester City  8  3  1  0  7  2  2  1  1  5  3  5  2  1  12   5   7  17
 3 Arsenal          8  3  0  1 14  5  1  2  1  4  5  4  2  2  18  10   8  14
 4 Manchester Utd   8  3  1  0 11  4  0  4  0  7  7  3  5  0  18  11   7  14
 5 Tottenham H.     8  2  1  1  5  3  2  1  1  5  4  4  2  2  10   7   3  14
 6 West Brom A.     8  2  2  0  6  3  1  1  2  5 11  3  3  2  11  14  -3  12
 7 Bolton Wndrs     8  1  3  0  6  5  1  2  1  6  7  2  5  1  12  12   0  11
 8 Aston Villa      8  2  2  0  5  1  1  0  3  4 11  3  2  3   9  12  -3  11
 9 Stoke City       8  2  1  1  5  4  1  0  3  4  7  3  1  4   9  11  -2  10
10 Blackpool        8  0  1  2  5  7  3  0  2  8 11  3  1  4  13  18  -5  10
11 Everton          8  1  2  1  6  5  1  1  2  2  2  2  3  3   8   7   1   9
12 Fulham           8  1  2  1  5  5  0  4  0  4  4  1  6  1   9   9   0   9
13 Wigan Athletic   8  1  1  3  3 13  1  2  0  3  2  2  3  3   6  15  -9   9
14 Newcastle Utd    8  1  1  2  9  6  1  1  2  3  6  2  2  4  12  12   0   8
15 Sunderland       7  1  3  0  4  3  0  2  1  3  4  1  5  1   7   7   0   8
16 Blackburn R.     7  1  1  1  3  3  1  1  2  4  5  2  2  3   7   8  -1   8
17 Birmingham City  8  1  2  1  2  3  0  2  2  6  9  1  4  3   8  12  -4   7
18 Wolves           8  1  2  1  5  5  0  1  3  3  8  1  3  4   8  13  -5   6
19 Liverpool        8  1  2  1  5  5  0  1  3  2  8  1  3  4   7  13  -6   6
20 West Ham United  8  1  1  2  4  7  0  2  2  2  8  1  3  4   6  15  -9   6

MCIVTA FAQ [v1011.01]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

Articles (Heidi Pickup)          : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org
News/rumour (Alex Rowen)         : news@mcivta.city-fan.org
Subscriptions (Madeleine Hawkins): subscriptions@mcivta.city-fan.org
Technical problems (Paul)        : paul@city-fan.org
FAQ (David Warburton)            : faq@mcivta.city-fan.org

[2] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?

Deadlines for issues are nominally 6pm, Monday and Thursday evenings by email. Unfortunately we cannot accept email attachments.

[3] MCIVTA Back Issues and Manchester City Supporters’ home page

http://www.mcivta.com/ is the unofficial Manchester City Supporters’ home page. Created in 1994, it is the longest running of the Manchester City related web sites. Back issues of MCIVTA are also hosted on the site. You can also follow on www.twitter.com/mcivta to get the latest updates.

[4] What is the club’s official web site?

The official club web site can be found at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/ and the official club Twitter page at www.twitter.com/mcfc. The club also has a facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mcfcofficial

[5] What supporters’ clubs are there?

The Official Supporters’ Club and the Centenary Supporters’ Association have merged to become the Manchester City Supporters’ Club (http://www.mcfcsupportersclub.com/). The club also recognise the Manchester City Disabled Supporters’ Association (http://www.mcdsa.co.uk/).

[6] Where can I find out about Points of Blue?

The committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. Points of Blue appears on the club website under the “Fans” heading (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/Fans).

[7] What match day broadcasts are available on the web?

Live match commentary can be found on the club website. The Radio Manchester pre- and post-match phone-in is available on the web at http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/manchester/hi/tv_and_radio/.

[8] Where can I find out if City are live on satellite TV?

http://www.satfootball.com/pl.html provides a listing of Premier League games being shown on UK domestic and foreign satellite channels. Useful sites for North American viewers are http://msn.foxsports.com/, http://www.soccertv.com/.

[9] Do we have a Usenet newsgroup?

Yes we do: uk.sport.football.clubs.man-city is our home on usenet. If you are not familiar with usenet, a basic explanation is available here: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,289893,sid9_gci213262,00.html

[10] Do any squad members have their own web pages?

There are a number available and direct links can be found at http://www.mcivta.com/players/

[11] Where can I find match statistics?

Statistics for the current season are available from the club site, but for a more in-depth analysis try http://www.mcfcstats.com/.

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.

Heidi Pickup, editor@mcivta.city-fan.org

Editor: