Newsletter #1385

A point from the JJB in what was ultimately a disappointing game where City failed to capitalise on their chances and attacks. We have views on the game tonight and questions over one or two players’ abilities. Results mean we dip out of the top 4 although as they say, it’s a marathon not a sprint.

MATCH VIEW I: WAFC 1 MCFC 1

Very good to avoid defeat versus Wigan, yesterday. Two points lost, but I agree with Sven, at least City came away with just the one point, which is better than nothing at all. By any means this was never a well-rounded and fully competent display by our players; if we are really to be considered serious contenders to be any kind of a combative force in the Premier League, surely opponents as lowly as Wigan should be firmly disposed of? As it turned out, they very nearly bagged all three points for themselves. Certainly, any deserved top-three side should beat a side of Wigan’s calibre at every opportunity, home or away, and in this we failed.

Yet again, we do not dominate and control midfield and we continue to failin our attacking efforts in the final third of the pitch. “Pretty” football isall well and good but we must be much more decisive in our attackingefforts if we are to succeed at the very highest level.

Samaras has now had numerous chances to impress, yet he continues to fail. He should either be put out on loan, to gain whatever experience/confidence, albeit at a lower level, or he needs to move on in January. In Sven’s shoes, I would without doubt sell at the earliest opportunity. Bianchi is a much, much more likely character to play and I feel that, given ample chances to prove himself, he would be good for the side, at least infinitely more so than Samaras. I would not play Samaras again.

Liverpool are just three points behind us with two games in hand, the league table is now beginning to take shape in a more realistic fashion. Realistically, we are not yet a consistent top-three side; top-eight yes, but not top-three.

However, if Sven manages to bring in exactly the right players during January and they play to their full capabilities as they must, I feel we should achieve a final-season finish around 6th/7th, or possibly higher. And, in his first season in charge, that would be viewed as a marked success, in my opinion. As I have said before, he needs to buy a strong and creative midfielder, plus two quality strikers – without this, the side shall not be placed where it wants to be come the end of the season.

The club is certainly on an upswing but a huge amount of work by the players is still required. However, Sven is the man to do the job, no question in my mind about that.

MATCH VIEW II: WAFC 1 MCFC 1

Because of our recent results at the JJB, I guess that to come away with a point was good. We missed Elano, and we all knew before the game that we would miss him for he has been just magic.

Santa came early for City when in a Wigan shirt Bramble acted as Santa and gave Geovanni a great opportunity, and Geovanni obliged by calmly rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home the fastest goal in the Premier League this season in just 30 seconds, a brilliant start, but in the rest of the game there was never a spark when City attempted an attack.

A mistake by the City defence allowed Wigan to get the equalizer, which I think to be honest that they deserved.

In about the 70th minute the worst pass in the game came from Samaras, just outside the penalty box, sending a slow ball to Michael Ball who was surrounded by Wigan players that pounced on him; fortunately there was an infringement and City got a free kick.

After that pass I was wondering how much longer have we got to watch Samaras, who appeared to be trying his best, albeit all the huff and puff. Sorry to be negative but this player has to go, he has had all the chances to be a regular but has never proved himself.

There is an emergency for a very good striker with a killer instinct; thank God the transfer window opens soon, and Frank has already told Sven go out and get one; money is no problem, get the best.

About 10 minutes later Bianchi came on as a sub.; I don’t think that he received a pass worth mentioning.

This was a game I felt that City should have won, especially after the early goal, but in the end I felt we just about deserved a draw, repeat just about.

City did not show a lot of passion and desire to win this game; sorry but I was disappointed by the team’s effort.

It was not that Elano was missing, it was that the City spirit was missing, and of course a striker.

I see Micah has visited an American Native Indian for his latest haircut, a Mohawk, nice one! Samaras go and get one for Christmas and get that hair out of your eyes.

Come on you Blues!

OPINION: MISERABLE, ME?

So John Baines thinks I’m miserable for not falling for the political flannel from our new owner (MCIVTA 1379). Sorry John, I’m not miserable I’m just an old git who loves (loved) his club and is disappointed to see it being used as a puppet by someone hell bent on increasing his popularity and wrangle his way back into power.

And no, I wasn’t a paid up member of the Supporters’ Trust, something which came too late in the day that should have happened when Bernstein left and trusts were doing and achieving something. Who were some of those guys anyway?

It doesn’t mean, having my views, I don’t enjoy the matches or visits to the games, I just don’t like what happens off pitch when this club is being used for unsavoury gain and selfish reasons by a person I view, from what is read and heard about in his native country, as a wrongdoer. Sorry if you don’t have the same morals as me but there you go, life would be boring if we were all same.

OPINION: CAN’T SELL ALL YOUR TICKETS

Michael Seitler had a problem with 0870 numbers; try the link below:

http://www.saynoto0870.com/

It will produce a local number if registered on site. City’s can be found on it.

REQUEST: MINI ME

I know we don’t usually get these sort of “ads” in MCIVTA, but as the item was featured some time back in MCIVTA and the City Mag, I thought people might be interested!

After three fun years of driving the City mini, it’s time for a change. Check out the listing if you are interested:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MCFC-Mini-Cooper-S-C17Y-YY-Cherished-Plate-52-Reg_W0QQitemZ180188054295QQihZ008QQcategoryZ38708QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem or search Ebay under: MCFC Mini Cooper S.

It’s been a mini adventure!

Whatever you do, stay Blue.

BLUE HUMOUR

A City fan and a United fan at school were discussing their teams.

‘United are the best’ said the Red, ‘so why do you like City?’

‘Well’ said the young Blue, ‘My dad’s a City fan, my mum’s a City fan, and my grandads and grandmas are all City fans, so it’s natural that I’d follow City.’

‘So what?’ asked the Red. ‘What if your father was a smackhead, your mother was a whore, and your grandads and grandmas were all thieves?’

‘Oh, right, I see’ answered the Blue. ‘Then I’d have been a United fan.’

AND FINALLY…

Following my comments a few weeks back, I would just like to wish the King of Thailand a happy 80th birthday for 5th December. Long live the King!

RESULTS

2 December 2007

Liverpool             4 - 0  Bolton Wanderers      43,270
Tottenham Hotspur     2 - 3  Birmingham City       35,635

1 December 2007

Aston Villa           1 - 2  Arsenal               42,018
Blackburn Rovers      3 - 1  Newcastle United      27,477
Chelsea               1 - 0  West Ham United       41,830
Portsmouth            0 - 0  Everton               20,102
Reading               1 - 1  Middlesbrough         22,262
Sunderland            1 - 0  Derby County          42,380
Wigan Athletic        1 - 1  Manchester City       18,614

League table to 02 December 2007 inclusive

                             HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F   A   GD Pts
 1 Arsenal         14  7  1  0 20  6  4  2  0 11  5 11  3  0  31  11  20  36
 2 Chelsea         15  4  3  0 12  3  5  1  2 10  6  9  4  2  22   9  13  31
 3 Liverpool       14  3  4  0 16  4  5  2  0 10  2  8  6  0  26   6  20  30
 4 Manchester Utd  14  6  1  0 14  1  3  2  2  9  6  9  3  2  23   7  16  30
 5 Manchester City 15  8  0  0 13  3  1  3  3  6 12  9  3  3  19  15   4  30
 6 Portsmouth      15  2  5  0 11  6  5  1  2 14  7  7  6  2  25  13  12  27
 7 Aston Villa     15  5  0  3 12  9  3  3  1 14  7  8  3  4  26  16  10  27
 8 Blackburn R.    15  4  2  2 11 10  3  3  1  9  8  7  5  3  20  18   2  26
 9 Everton         15  4  1  2 16  7  3  2  3 10  9  7  3  5  26  16  10  24
10 West Ham United 14  2  3  2  9  7  3  1  3 10  5  5  4  5  19  12   7  19
11 Newcastle Utd   14  4  1  2 11 11  1  2  4  9 13  5  3  6  20  24  -4  18
12 Birmingham City 15  2  1  4  7 10  2  1  5  9 14  4  2  9  16  24  -8  14
13 Reading         15  4  1  3  9 11  0  1  6  9 21  4  2  9  18  32 -14  14
14 Fulham          14  2  4  2 14 14  0  3  3  4  8  2  7  5  18  22  -4  13
15 Sunderland      15  3  2  2  7  7  0  2  6  8 22  3  4  8  15  29 -14  13
16 Tottenham H.    15  2  1  4 17 15  0  5  3  9 13  2  6  7  26  28  -2  12
17 Bolton Wndrs    15  2  3  3  8  8  0  2  5  4 14  2  5  8  12  22 -10  11
18 Middlesbrough   15  1  3  3  8 12  1  2  5  5 15  2  5  8  13  27 -14  11
19 Wigan Athletic  15  2  2  3  6  7  0  1  7  5 19  2  3 10  11  26 -15   9
20 Derby County    15  1  2  4  5 14  0  1  7  0 20  1  3 11   5  34 -29   6

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[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.mcfcosc.com/); the “Centenary Supporters’ Association” (http://www.reddishblues.com/CSAWebsite/CSA.htm) and “The International Supporters’ Club”.

[6] Where can I find out about Points of Blue (formerly the Fans’ Committee)?

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

The Radio Manchester (née GMR) pre and post match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/sport/manchester_city/index.shtml.

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

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[11] Where can I find match statistics?

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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: