Newsletter #1727

After snatching defeat from the jaws of victory at Goodison we are clinging onto that fourth spot as we go into the last couple of games of the season with close rivals Spurs up tomorrow night.

We have match view and opinion on the Everton game tonight, together with last minute Wembley ticket and pub requests and another look at the chanting and plea for those Blues travelling to the Cup Final.

Jim Walsh has very kindly offered to step in for the pre-Wembley issue 1728 so keep those articles coming in to the regular address.

MATCH VIEW: EFC 2 MCFC 1

Typical City, they always promise a lot and then fail to deliver! We played really well in the first half and scored a good goal but really needed the second goal to be secure. Vieira had the best chance to score the opening goal, and missed a sitter. Touré had a great one on one, and should really have rounded the ‘keeper but instead shot straight at him. Silva was the catalyst for everything good about City, he keeps possession so well and brings players other players into the game. In the 2nd half, Everton came out with a game plan of closing down every City player in possession and guess what? We crumbled! For a supposedly big side, we get very easily roughed up, and our players cannot hack it. Dzeko should have done better with a left foot shot that would really have calmed the whole team. Kolarov is a very poor left back when defending and he allowed Neville way too much time on the ball. Our midfield were being over-run (Vieira is so ponderous!) and our defence were being pushed further and further back. It was inevitable that Everton were going to equalize, and they duly did so via our ex-player. Then to add insult to injury, one of their smallest players scores the winner with a header, just unbelievable? I was not amused with the very biased referee, who gave Everton virtually every decision in the 2nd half, and a couple of Everton players could have been red carded for their over the top challenges (Neville being one of them).

This forum allows us fans to vent our feelings, and I am going to say exactly what I feel, as I am so frustrated and annoyed. I honestly do not believe Mancini is the right manager for us.

Can you honestly say that he understands the questions put to him at the post match interview? His replies are as so vacuous and predictable… a bit like Capello’s. I am sure half the team don’t understand his instructions! What do our players do in training? I have never seen so many inept corners and free kicks. Too often, our 2nd choice team are just not good enough (compare this with what Man U put out, when they rest their best players) or there is no balance in the team. Why for example is SWP never played, even when Johnson is rested? We need to have 2 wingers to supply the crosses for Dzeko, who was totally isolated up front. What was Milner brought into the team to do; sometimes I just wonder? He seems to be another expensive flop. I would far rather have Ancelloti in charge. Anyway, I can keep ranting on, but what good would that do?

These are my player ratings:
Hart: 6 – possibly should have done better with their equalizer, but had no chance with the winner.
Zabaleta: 6 – seen him play better, always puts in a shift, but did not have a great 2nd half.
Kolarov: 5 – when we are on the attack he gallops forward, but is found wanting in defence.
Kompany: 6 – had a poor 2nd half and was beaten in the air by a guy a lot smaller than him.
Lescott: 7 – was booed a lot but I thought he had a reasonably good match.
de Jong: 5 – this was one of his poorer matches, especially in the 2nd half where he was anonymous
Vieira: 5 – had a great chance to open the scoring; he really is very slow and lumbersome in midfield
Milner: 5 – plenty of huff and puff but rarely do you see any end result.
Touré: 7 – scored a good goal and had another great chance, but did not do enough in the 2nd half
Silva: 7 – he is the vital cog in our team, and makes us tick; we need 2 more players like him!
Dzeko: 5 – does not do enough, considering we paid so much for him; needs to get a lot better (Mancini still rates Balotelli higher?)

Best opponent: Leon Osman – tremendous energy, quality in attack and got back to put Touré off when he was one on one with their ‘keeper.

Referee: 3 – absolutely biased!

Come on City!

OPINION: WEMBLEY BLUES

This message is to all City fans lucky enough to be attending Wembley next week and to all expatriate/overseas Blues unable to attend. Well, we finally made it to an important Final and brushed aside “The Devil” in the process. Now let’s all savour the moment.

Win or lose, let’s enjoy the build up (what might the team be eating for breakfast?), the match and hopefully the aftermath; we deserve this.

It’s 10 years now since leaving sunny Manchester for Australia, and although the first thing I do in the morning is check all things Blue on the Internet I’ve never felt so detached from home and City. My sky blue car is adorned with City stickers, my cupboard is full of souvenir shop clothing, my bedside cabinet is full of the latest programmes and City magazines, but oh that famous line of “even if we play a million miles away” is repeating itself over and over in my head.

I looked my daughter in the eyes just after her birth and told her: “You will only know the good times”, at which point her mother laughe; we’ve endured being laughed at over the years, but I meant it.

We are on the brink of finally achieving success, and yes I am jealous of the lucky few attending Wembley to cheer the boys on, but cheer loud and joyfully. If you are going to the match, please give a thought to the many Blues in all corners of the globe, and give an extra few decibels during Abide with Me or Blue Moon for us.

All expatriate/overseas Blues remember: whatever the time of the game, wherever you are, you’re not alone. Across the world, Blues will be going through the same ritual as the semi final: “OK socks with holes in: check, scarf tied this way: check, first beer 7pm: check”, making sure all our lucky omens are in exactly the same place.

As the Australians like to say: “We are One, We are Many”, so just before 3pm BST, all Blues spare a thought for all your fellow City fans, wherever they may be and let’s enjoy this day together.

OPINION: MUNICH CHANTING

Regarding Ernie Barrow’s excellent comments about the Munich chanting, which seems to be either back on the ascendancy these days, or else it’s just caught the attention of the sporting nation at large once more:

Fully agreed with his negative comments about this sickening chant, and whilst my main issue with those who hatefully scream it is a moral one, for those who choose to live outside of their conscience (to whatever degree it exists), do they not remember that the late great Frank Swift was also involved in that awful disaster? They are celebrating the loss of one of our all-time finest. The fact that he was by then retired should mean nothing: he was and still is a legend of a man to our club.

And how much more glory would England have possibly seen had Duncan Edwards survived?

Cheers and on a more upbeat note: fingers, toes, nostril hairs and everything else xxxxable crossed for Saturday!

REQUEST: WEMBLEY PUBS

I will be flying in from Denver USA to meet with my son and watch the game. Been a City fan all my life, but cannot get tickets. Please note that I will buy if two are on offer.

Does anyone know of a good place to watch the game? Near Wembley or in London area.

REQUEST: WEMBLEY PUBS

Just wondered if you could give me some info. My son and I live in Brighton so obviously could not get any tickets for the game but we are still going to travel to Wembley in order to savour the atmosphere. Can you advise me if there are any pubs nearby where similar City fans may be congregating to watch the game on the TV?

REQUEST: WEMBLEY TICKETS I

I know that I’m one of many. But I’m making a plea on behalf of my husband. He is the only one in the family of 6 unable to get a Cup Final ticket. What is galling is he wasn’t in the cup scheme (although he went to all the cup games) and if he had been he would have got a ticket on Tuesday. He has 3,100 loyalty points. What is also annoying is that we know someone with less points than him, but because he was in the cup scheme was able to “jump the queue”. So even those who are new season card holders this season would have got one if they are in the scheme. It doesn’t really seem fair does it?

So if anyone out there has a ticket (anywhere in the ground) we would be extremely grateful.

REQUEST: WEMBLEY TICKETS II

Desperately seeking, along with many others, two tickets for Cup final. Blue living in Australia, will arrive in England on the 12th May.

Highlights of supporting City: Being at the 1969 FA Cup Final and watching Neil Young’s sweet left foot volley hit the back of the net when we beat Leicester City 1-0. Being at the 1970 League Cup Final when we beat West Brom 2-1.

Desperately want to add 2011 FA Cup Final to the list and maintain my 100% record of watching City win at Wembley.

Please email if you can help.

RESULTS AND TABLE

8 May 2011

Wolverhampton Wndrs   3 - 1  West Bromwich Albion  28,510
Stoke City            3 - 1  Arsenal               27,478
Manchester United     2 - 1  Chelsea               75,445

7 May 2011

Aston Villa           1 - 1  Wigan Athletic        36,293
Bolton Wanderers      1 - 2  Sunderland            22,597
Everton               2 - 1  Manchester City       37,351
Newcastle United      2 - 1  Birmingham City       47,409
West Ham United       1 - 1  Blackburn Rovers      33,789
Tottenham Hotspur     1 - 1  Blackpool             35,585

League table to 08 May 2011 inclusive

                            HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L   F   A  GD Pts
 1 Manchester Utd  36 17  1  0 45 10  5  9  4 28 24 22 10  4  73  34  39  76
 2 Chelsea         36 14  2  2 37 11  7  5  6 30 19 21  7  8  67  30  37  70
 3 Arsenal         36 11  4  3 32 13  8  6  4 37 26 19 10  7  69  39  30  67
 4 Manchester City 35 11  4  2 30 12  7  4  7 24 21 18  8  9  54  33  21  62
 5 Tottenham H.    35  8  9  1 28 18  6  5  6 23 26 14 14  7  51  44   7  56
 6 Liverpool       35 12  4  2 37 12  4  3 10 17 27 16  7 12  54  39  15  55
 7 Everton         36  8  7  3 30 23  4  8  6 20 21 12 15  9  50  44   6  51
 8 Stoke City      36 10  4  4 31 17  3  3 12 15 27 13  7 16  46  44   2  46
 9 Bolton Wndrs    36 10  5  3 34 22  2  5 11 15 28 12 10 14  49  50  -1  46
10 Fulham          35  8  6  3 26 16  2  9  7 17 20 10 15 10  43  36   7  45
11 Newcastle Utd   36  6  7  5 38 24  5  4  9 13 28 11 11 14  51  52  -1  44
12 Sunderland      36  7  5  6 25 24  4  6  8 17 29 11 11 14  42  53 -11  44
13 West Brom A.    36  7  6  5 29 30  4  4 10 23 38 11 10 15  52  68 -16  43
14 Aston Villa     36  7  7  4 25 19  3  5 10 20 39 10 12 14  45  58 -13  42
15 Blackburn R.    36  7  6  5 21 15  3  3 12 21 41 10  9 17  42  56 -14  39
16 Birmingham City 36  6  8  4 19 20  2  7  9 17 34  8 15 13  36  54 -18  39
17 Wolves          36  8  4  6 28 27  2  3 13 13 35 10  7 19  41  62 -21  37
18 Blackpool       36  4  5  9 26 34  5  4  9 23 37  9  9 18  49  71 -22  36
19 Wigan Athletic  36  4  8  6 19 32  3  7  8 17 28  7 15 14  36  60 -24  36
20 West Ham United 36  5  5  8 24 28  2  7  9 17 36  7 12 17  41  64 -23  33

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