Newsletter #1068

A point earned at OT as the team valiantly stifled the Rags, leading to yet more petulant comments from Sir Taggart.

We have a few match views tonight, opinion on Sour Alex, views from other fans, news that Kev has been visiting the Netherlands, and a book review.

MATCH VIEW ‘TV’: MUFC 0 MCFC 0

Well City decided to give 75% of the pitch to the Rags and play in the remaining quarter. With some luck and bags of determination it worked and kept the smile off Taggart’s face. The back four, even including Mills who I haven’t rated so far, performed heroics. James fumbled and blocked most things, if not convincingly, at least effectively. Special mention for Jordan who was first class and was unlucky to be booked – mainly I think for the reaction of Smith, who was properly sent off towards the end. Even McManaman who did little overall was worth his place for an instinctive goaline clearance that kept us in the game. Flood and SWeeP grafted without threatening much going forward. So, on balance, a bit lucky but deserved on sheer effort – not often we can say that! On the other side the Rags were pretty clueless despite loads of possession and territory.

A word about Graham Poll – not one of my favourites – but he refused to be bullied by the Old Trafford mafia. One penalty would have been given by the Swamp’s resident referee (and by the Rags’ apologists who commentated!) but wouldn’t have been given for City anywhere. So not bad.

MATCH VIEW ‘TV’: MUFC 0 MCFC 0

Well we used our ‘get out of jail’ card today didn’t we?

If I was honest 0-2 would have flattered us. But then it was against the ‘evil empire’ so who cares? What I did like about our ten man defence is that we gave it everything from the first minute until the last of the four minutes added on. Gee, if we show that much commitment each game we’ll all be happy.

What more can be said about Richard Dunne? You can’t but admire how he’s turned himself around from a couple of years ago. He was my man of the match, a towering performance. Distin wasn’t half bad either. I thought Stephen Jordan was great, ran himself into the ground, made some mistakes but came back at ’em again and again. Could have unearthed a gem there.

We gave a lot of ball away, and I was glad to see the United strikers were just as bad.

Well it’s 7.30 in the morning in Christchurch, the blue shirt’s going to get worn around town today, that’s for sure, the sun’s shining, the birds are singing, the only thing better would have been three points, but I’m not greedy, a point will do.

Well done, you just gotta luv City.

P.S. Dave Lamb you still there?

MATCH VIEW ‘TV’: MUFC 0 MCFC 0

We nearly stole the game at Old Trafford, but with the players that KK had available, they all performed with discipline the task given to them on the day.

How Sir Redface was fooled by the tactics that Kevin Keegan had for the game, something that KK does hardly ever do: go defensive, with the hope of a breakaway goal.

After hearing all the pre-match hype from United supporters how they were going to slaughter City, a draw under the circumstances was almost as good as a victory; well it is a moral victory playing at the Swamp.

Kevin Keegan has answered his critics that he can’t use tactics today; just brilliant! It’s just that like most of us Kevin Keegan loves attacking football, but sometimes when the odds are against you, it pays to surprise the other side.

Stats mean nothing, it’s the score at the end of a game.

Well done you Blues.

OPINION: THE GAME

Our defensive display was excellent, and we were rewarded by showing what can be achieved when all pulling in the same direction, but as Taggart once said, we are able to switch on when facing the Rags, but switch off with other opponents.

If we continue to show the same desire and commitment for every game, we have a real chance of being able to carry the young talent that is evidently waiting to join the first team.

Jordan was brilliant, and was not fazed by anything, then again Jordan’s always managed to handle big t*ts, so nothing new there then.

OPINION: VIEW OF OT FROM A TOON

City has proved all along the thugs of Old Trafford and their master likes them to play that way. Van Nistelrooy, the worst of the worst. Smith an utter natural thug. Couldn’t keep his boffer boots to himself for two minutes with City. The bloke who cried when Leeds were knackered. Now they have Rooney in training for the thug’s rôle, and he is picking it up well.

Just watch the points start up again when the Dutch thug comes back again. At least he has been exposed for the cheat he is.

Keep up the good work City, Kev won’t let you down, you have a great manager here. No, I am not a City supporter, but I do admire your guts and way you play. Good luck to you; The Real Newcastle United Forum is where I hang out, but that is another story, credit where credit is due. You did really well! OK, the game you had with us is a question, but that is the lousy way it goes at times. We have to see you another day at another place!

OPINION: SOUR GRAPES

Football can be a strangely divisive beast sometimes, as yesterday’s derby proved. My brothers are both Rags so it was a fraught day for all concerned, but we managed to get through it without bloodshed, or even for that matter, too many crossed words. I’m delighted with the result, and I thought every single player in a blue shirt stood up to be counted. It unquestionably showed certain sections of the media that Keegan’s team may not be as brittle as had been suggested in practically all of the pre-match build up. I digress, as this is not the reason I’m writing in this morning.

“Maybe European matches are big games and the mundane challenge of the Premiership is not the same”, said Taggart.

Like most of us, I expected our ungracious hosts to be nothing but bitter in their post-match comments, but Taggart’s outbursts genuinely sounded like a man on the very edge of sanity. This f**kwit, who is still lauded by some of the most respected sports journalists in this country, opined that maybe the challenge of playing in a derby match was simply too mundane for some of his world class wasters. It is comments like these that make his club the most hated amongst neutral football fans the world over. How can a man whose team are playing in the Champions’ League after finishing 3rd in their domestic league, and who are currently in a group with Sparta Prague, Lyon, and one other sexy European club whose name escapes me, talk about the Premiership being mundane? Playing against second rate European opposition who gift you goals is mundane. Relying on horseface to stick out his chin and get on the end of long balls as your only means of scoring is mundane. Not playing for the rights to the City you’re in. I have never felt as much revulsion towards a football man in my life.

I was also fascinated to hear that all referees have a new edict. Don’t give United a penalty unless one of their players ends up with an axe in his head. As beautiful as that image is, and as much as I wish it were true, it is yet another example of whiskey breath losing it. I only wonder whether if KK had made similar post-match comments, it would be so quickly swept under the carpet. Or would we this morning be reading headlines about KK’s on screen meltdown?

Funny, we managed to finish the match with 11 men and our manager was gracious enough to make no mention of the inbred, peroxide blonde, badge kissing, Yorkshire c*$t, who continued the Rags’ tradition of stamping on any team who refuses to lie down for them.

All joking aside, I hope the FA, and the rest of the Premiership heard Taggart’s post match comments loud and clear. There’s still hope that if everyone else in the “mundane” Premiership plays with the heart that we played with at the Swamp, they could yet be relegated to the Coca Cola Championship they belong in. Then we can chat about “big matches” and “mundane” ones.

OPINION: FIZZING

Congratulations to Mr Keegan and his players. Strong and brave.

When they gave Dunnie that big bottle of Champagne, I hope someone was just off-camera to take it off him again.

OPINION: MACCA

Just one thing, Macca needs to go. I watched him against Norwich and he was terrible. I Hope KK gets rid ASAP. Little Flood played fantastic, but he should stop giving interviews; I didn’t understand a word.

OPINION: KK GOING DUTCH?

Kevin Keegan attended the AZ Alkmaar vs. Auxerre match in the second round of the UEFA Cup on Thursday in Holland; does anyone know why?

Having lived in Holland for the last 25 years, I watch AZ as a weekly dose of football because I can’t get to see City.

AZ had a lot in common with City; they last won a real trophy 30 odd years ago and have drifted in and out of the top flight since.

But now they have got a manager who has made a very strong collective out of a team without any really brilliant individuals; when Keegan leaves City, Co Ardrianse is the man for City.

A controversial chap, he believes in playing with 4 attackers all of whom have to defend when the opponents have the ball and he gets even lazy beggers to track back and help or they get long periods on the bench. When the ball is with AZ, the 4 front men, supported by at least one of the full backs and half the midfield pour forward with position changes and make sure the opposition think twice about attacking too wholeheartedly.

To get to the point, AZ are strong as a collective but I can’t see anyone really setting the Premiership on fire and Auxerre were terrible, no spirit, nothing, so why was Kevin there?

BOOK REVIEW

MORE THAN GOALS: Claudio Reyna with Mike Woitalla
ISBN 0-7360-5171-6 £11.95 / US$17.95

This book (part auto-biographical, part training manual) covers the journey from a New Jersey suburb to World Cup and European football of ‘Captain America’. Although aimed mainly at the USA market, it’s full of anecdotes and a good insight to the workings of both the amateur and professional game on both sides of the pond. Growing up in a football loving family, Reyna’s earliest memories are of football with his father, who played for Independiente. Despite America’s obsession with their own version of ‘football’, Reyna persevered and enjoyed success at college level where he was coached by Bruce Arena. He went on at 19 to become the youngest member of the US Olympic team in 1992 when he was approached by Barcelona. His international career led to a move to the Bundesliga, where he played for Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg before he signed for Rangers, Sunderland and finally City. You can’t help but feel that we have not seen the “real” Claudio since his cruciate ligament injury at Sunderland and subsequent injuries with City, but for anybody who enjoys football and is involved in coaching youngsters, this book is packed with tips, techniques and some eye-opening tales about some of the big names in football.

REQUEST: LONDON BLUES VIEWING

I heard a rumour that the City pub in Herne Hill, London has been turned into a bistro?! Is this true and if so do the Herne Hill City fans of South London have a new venue?

RESULTS

7 November 2004

Middlesbrough         1 - 1  Bolton Wanderers      29,656
Newcastle United      1 - 4  Fulham                51,118
Manchester United     0 - 0  Manchester City       67,863

6 November 2004

Aston Villa           3 - 0  Portsmouth            32,633
Chelsea               1 - 0  Everton               41,965
Liverpool             0 - 1  Birmingham City       42,669
Norwich City          1 - 1  Blackburn Rovers      23,834
Southampton           2 - 2  West Bromwich Albion  31,057
Tottenham Hotspur     2 - 3  Charlton Athletic     35,423
Crystal Palace        1 - 1  Arsenal               26,193

League table to 07 November 2004 inclusive

                             HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F   A   GD Pts
 1 Chelsea         12  5  1  0  9  1  4  1  1  8  2  9  2  1  17   3  14  29
 2 Arsenal         12  4  2  0 19  8  4  1  1 13  5  8  3  1  32  13  19  27
 3 Everton         12  3  1  2  6  7  4  1  1  8  4  7  2  3  14  11   3  23
 4 Bolton Wndrs    12  4  2  0 11  5  2  2  2  8  9  6  4  2  19  14   5  22
 5 Middlesbrough   12  2  3  1  8  7  3  1  2 12  8  5  4  3  20  15   5  19
 6 Aston Villa     12  4  2  0 12  3  0  4  2  5 10  4  6  2  17  13   4  18
 7 Manchester Utd  12  3  3  0  7  3  1  3  2  4  6  4  6  2  11   9   2  18
 8 Liverpool       11  4  0  1 10  2  1  2  3  8  9  5  2  4  18  11   7  17
 9 Newcastle Utd   12  3  1  2 13 11  1  3  2 10 12  4  4  4  23  23   0  16
10 Portsmouth      11  4  1  1 11  6  0  2  3  4  9  4  3  4  15  15   0  15
11 Charlton Ath.   12  3  2  1  8  4  1  1  4  5 17  4  3  5  13  21  -8  15
12 Fulham          12  3  0  3  7  9  1  2  3  9 11  4  2  6  16  20  -4  14
13 Manchester City 12  2  2  2  7  4  1  2  3  6  8  3  4  5  13  12   1  13
14 Tottenham H.    12  1  2  3  5  7  2  2  2  3  4  3  4  5   8  11  -3  13
15 Birmingham City 12  1  3  2  4  5  1  3  2  4  5  2  6  4   8  10  -2  12
16 Crystal Palace  12  2  1  3  8  8  1  2  3  5  8  3  3  6  13  16  -3  12
17 West Brom A.    12  1  4  1  6  8  0  2  4  5 14  1  6  5  11  22 -11   9
18 Southampton     12  1  3  2  7  8  0  2  4  3  8  1  5  6  10  16  -6   8
19 Norwich City    12  0  4  2  7 11  0  4  2  4  8  0  8  4  11  19  -8   8
20 Blackburn R.    12  1  4  1  7 10  0  1  5  3 15  1  5  6  10  25 -15   8

MCIVTA FAQ [v0405.01]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

Articles (Heidi Pickup)          : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org
News/rumour (Don Barrie)         : 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 bu email. Unfortunately we cannot accept email attachments.

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

http://www.uit.no/mancity/ 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.

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

The official club web site can be found at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/

[5] What supporters’ clubs are there?

Manchester City FC recognises three supporters’ clubs: The “Official Supporters Club” (http://www.mancity.net/osc/); the “Centenary Supporters’ Association” (http://www.reddishblues.com/CSAWebsite/CSA.htm) and “The International Supporters’ Club” (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=111845&Title=International+Supporters+Club&lid=Membership).

[6] Where can I find out about the fans’ committee?

The Fans’ Committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. It has its own website, http://www.mcfc-fans.com/ containing info about forthcoming meetings as well as minutes from previous gatherings.

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

The GMR pre and post match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/gmr/sport_intro.shtml.

Live match commentaries and archives of games, reports and interviews can be found at http://www.mcfctv.com/.

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

http://www.satfootball.com/pl.html provides a listing of Premiership games being shown on UK domestic and foreign satellite channels. Useful sites for North American viewers are http://canadatvsoccer.tripod.com/Fixtures.htm, http://www.foxsportsworld.com/named/FSW/Index/Soccer, and 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.uit.no/mancity/players/

[11] Can I buy shares in the club?

Yes you can: Shares in Manchester City PLC are traded on OFEX. The latest prices can be on found the OFEX web site http://www.ofex.com/ (registration required) or in the business section of the Manchester Evening News.

[12] 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/.

[13] Where can I find a list of City-related websites?

Try Wookie’s Lair: http://www.wookieslair.com/modules.php?name=Web_Links

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: