Newsletter #1789

Well if you haven’t seen the news, it’s a trip to Portugal and the glamour-tie of the round against current holders, Porto. We have the benefit of playing the first game away from home and the same will apply if we successfully negotiate our way through. Where we would meet Sporting Lisbon or Legia Warsaw… a name that will conjure up memories of Kaziu Deyna and UEFA cup elimination in 1977 – Willie Donachie own goal/sending off* as I recall, though do correct me if my grey matter is misleading me. (*delete as appropriate)

Another bumper issue tonight, our first league defeat having sparked some lively discussion and some ticket requests for the festive period ahead.

MATCHVIEW: CHELSEA 2 CITY 1

Just to put the opposite view to the certain die-hard City fans, I would certainly agree that City fans all around me at the Shed End were ready to lynch referee Clattenburg and I would also agree that the slow motion replay of the Silva penalty incident that I saw the next day makes it look like a certain foul and therefore a penalty.

However, from the alternative normal speed video view, from the stance of the ref, it didn’t look anywhere near as certain and I can understand why he didn’t give it. It actually looked as though Silva dived. For the rest of Clattenburg’s performance – not bad at all.

He didn’t send Yaya off thank goodness, but other referees certainly would have, and in the second half too many City players were committing petty fouls for which he justly gave free kicks – just as any other ref would have done. We were very lucky not to have been given more yellows.

Sorry, but it is utter garbage to have a go at Clattenburg – the fault for the defeat, if we have to lay blame, is City’s. Chelsea were poor in the first third of the game and we created enough chances without the Silva penalty to see the game out to victory.

City need to stay calmer under pressure and understand that not all decisions will go their way even when they are right and the ref is wrong. Panic and indiscipline are the enemies, not the referee.

MATCHVIEW: CHELSEA 2 CITY 1

Have to agree with the majority of the comments; we should have had the game wrapped up in the first 20 minutes and deserved a point at least. However, in the end that’s football and sometimes you don’t always get the rub of the green.

Unlike City of old, I’m confident the boys will bounce back and Roberto will get things sorted out at the back and with the tactics… how good is it to go into games expecting to win (and win well) compared to the many years of hoping we may pick up a point away from home and struggle to a win at home. Chelsea didn’t really threaten (other than old boy Sturridge) and it was almost inevitable that we would concede once we went ultra-defensive… I think Roberto got it wrong in this instance.

One thing: I agree 100% with Martin Hunt about Lescott… whilst this bloke remains at the back we are always vulnerable to a dodgy goal or penalty! I’ve never seen such an awkward player when the ball goes onto his non-preferred right foot (how a pro footballer can get away with being so one footed is beyond me!).

I have to say I’m not a big fan of Kolo at the back either. For me, Roberto needs to buy another top quality centre half to partner Kompany to stop us leaking these daft goals that have cost us both the Liverpool and now Chelsea games.

If/when we get rid of Liverpool and United in the next round of the cups, I will really start to think that we are on the path to greatness!

ARTICLE: WILKINS

Glad I wasn’t the only one who found the ex-United and Chelsea player’s “commentary” the other night as hard to stomach as the defeat. His praise for a Chelsea team that was able to dominate a 10-man City while refusing to even comment on the blatant penalty denied us in the first half coupled with his gushing praise for Lampard (one penalty Ray, that’s all he did in his cameo) had me wishing I hadn’t bought the Samsung telly I was watching the game on in the first place.

I will confess though that I am enjoying Gary Neville’s analysis on Sky so far this season: insightful, informative and so far no real bias – his comments the other week about defenders charging out to block shots and how Schmeichel always told the Rags to jump out forward, facing the attacker, rather than side-on to minimise the chance of:

• a telling deflection towards goal, and
• the likelihood of the official giving a penalty for handball when the ball plays against you

are comments that Lescott could have done with viewing before the game at Stamford Bridge.

Faint praise for a former United captain’s media work? I think I am mellowing with age North of the border.

ARTICLE: WILKINS AND THE MEDIA

I am sorry British people but you really do have the crappiest level of journalism. Just read the Daily Express raging that Chelsea ‘smashed’ City’s unbeaten record with other London-based papers jumping on the bandwagon to joyfully bury the Blues.

Not the game I saw!

I saw City totally blitz Chelsea in the first 20 minutes, go up a quick goal from Balotelli and were only denied an obvious penalty by a bottled call from Clattenburg.

Which reminds me of a joke: Mark Clattenburg received a cheese grater as a Christmas present… says it’s the most violent book he’s ever read!

But seriously, Chelsea tied the game with their only serious attack of the half, played the last 30 minutes with a man advantage and still only won it on a ropey penalty decision.

I appreciate that City’s new found success this season has drawn out the knives, but whether it’s that comedic goalie Jens Lehmann or Ray Wilkins frothing at the gob, all City can do is stick it to Arsenal and tell the paper critics to stuff it.

Getting really sick of the lack of respect we are receiving.

3-0 against Arsenal should put things right at the top… and come on QPR!

NEWS: KING OF THE KIPPAX

Pleased to say that King Of the Kippax fanzine number 193 (24th year), Fifth one of the season is now at the printers. Every new issue I wonder how we’re going to fill the next one and yet again our contributors inevitably come up trumps.

It’s A4, 48 pages with a colour front and back cover showing what a wonderful year 2011 has been for us.

This issue includes stuff on the record debt and FFP (don’t worry), late goals, Gary Speed, Napoli, 92/93 season review, Max Woosnam story, tributes to Blues Dot Hill and Colin Brinkley RIP, Us and Them book advert, 35 year book advert, and all the usual magnificent regulars.

It sells at just £2.50 (unbeatable value) is on sale at Aleef (corner of Cross Street/Market street) from Friday afternoon, and can also be purchased for £3.50 from (cheques to) King Of The Kippax, 25, Holdenbrook Close, Leigh, Lancs, WN7 2HL.

With regard to the Us and Them book, they can’t get it into the City store before Christmas (even though I know for a fact that an Everton fan’s book has got into their store within a couple of days – same company – read into that what you will!).

Still, it’s in the ‘range plan’ for Feb/March as a possibility!). However, it should be in Waterstones by the end of the week, I’ll have a few with me on Sunday (yours too Phil!) and Karl’s stall behind the store is kindly stocking it for me too.

Or you can get it direct from KOTK for £18 including P&P within UK. Contact us for Europe/rest of world.

Anyway, Merry Christmas and all that to all at MCIVTA – compulsive and informed reading.

NOTICE: CABARET NIGHT

Manchester City supporters are organising a cabaret night at the Embassy Club on Friday February 3rd.

The compère is James H Reeve, the comedian is Frankie Allan and guests include Andy Morrison and Tommy Booth. The FA Cup is on display for you to have your photos with and the event is to support two City fans who both have been seriously ill – we will be presenting both with a cheque on the evening.

The event is from 7pm till late and there will be raffles and auctions on the night. Tickets are only £7, but buy in December and get one free.

For more information or for tickets please email:

REPEAT REQUEST: WEST BROM TICKET REQUEST

I’m looking for tickets for West Brom away on Boxing Day. Four would be ideal, but failing that, I would happily buy two or three. Can collect in and around Manchester area.

TICKET REQUEST: GO ON MAKE MY CHRISTMAS – DESPERATE PLEA FOR WEST BROM

This is a desperately optimistic plea for a West Brom ticket on Boxing Day.

I’m a genuine City fan (ball boy in 79/80, season ticket throughout the dark days 1979-2007) but now living in Singapore.

I’m back for Christmas and would love to go to WBA Boxing Day if anybody has a spare. I fly back to Singapore on the 27th.

Can be contactable right to the last minute should any relatives choke on a bit of turkey… I will be truly sorry for your loss but can I please be considered for their ticket! (Ed – You are all heart Dickie!)

AND FINALLY… BLUE CONFESSIONS

Before I begin with my Blue Confession – I have a request: is there a die-hard Blue pub in the vicinity of the Preston area? If so please let me know as I need to find it, especially if it is choc with fanatical Blues and only a few if any neutrals!

The background to my request is my Blue Confession and I wonder if I’m the only one with this problem?

Remember back in the good old days? No ‘ends’ at grounds. Happy, smiling footy fans discussing the merits of each side, applauding each other’s team’s goals. Umm, maybe this used to happen but not any more, not on the terraces (physically impossible) and now it seems, no longer in the pubs too.

So here it is, my Blue Confession: I am really struggling to cope with watching City in away games on the TV in ‘neutral’ pubs. It’s getting so bad that I’m beginning to think it might be best to sit it out and listen on the radio, hence my desire to find a Blue pub as near as possible, and of course scattered throughout the land as I work away from home a lot.

It hasn’t always been this way, up and until a few years ago, City on TV in the pub was actually quite relaxed and cool: albeit a bit nervy since it was City, but with good banter from the neutrals.

Not any longer. I now find that I’m totally tensed up, with my mouth kept shut (we’ve all learned never to tempt fate haven’t we?) but I’m finding I can now hear every adverse comment on City, some muttered under breath (fair enough) but some loud enough and deliberately enough to be heard – very irritating. I don’t respond, and when we win, I don’t have to, but for sure, the tensions during the Liverpool and Chelsea game were pretty strong and my head was totally buzzing at the end.

Is it just me, but have City now had two players sent off in two key away games for essentially two fouls, whilst the opposition could kick what they wanted with no possibility of a sending off? Kompany has now been forced to walk a tightrope at both Anfield and Stamford Bridge and he’s been brilliant, but it’s an unnecessary call to have to make, and he only needs to be unlucky with the ref once.

Ditto Clichy and Balotelli, fair enough two fouls and they should have known better, but in which case, let’s see everyone sent off after two fouls – especially players from the home side (as if).

It’s the same thing with the penalty: why was Silva not booked for diving?

It was either a penalty or it was simulation: as a previous poster said, the ref bottled it totally. The same can be said about the handball; okay, let’s have a penalty whenever there is ball-to-hand in the box; at least that way we all know where to stand. But whilst everyone in the pub on Monday (this time I was working in the Midlands area) was running around punching the air when the penalty was awarded, followed by world’s largest yes when it went it, I was angry and fuming that the referee had found it so ‘easy’ to award it: no consideration, no mulling over, was it ball-to-hand, intentional handball, etc; he leapt at the chance to point to the spot, quick as a fiddle. Had this incident happened at the City end – then guaranteed we would have seen a shake of the head and a ‘play on’ wave.

It’s annoying, and yes, it’s a rant, but this is the measure of how tough a dose of ‘cityitis’ can be. Thanks goodness though we have Mancini: cool, calm, resolved and collected and having the strength and wisdom not to tell it as it is: we City fans and hopefully the players can draw our strength from this as we move into a difficult, perhaps defining phase of the season.

For me though, watching these games other than totally surrounded by fellow Blues is just getting tougher and tougher: anyone else going through this!

RESULTS AND TABLE

12 December 2011

Chelsea           2 - 1 Manchester City     41,730

League table to 14 December 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 City 15  7  0  0 24  4  5  2  1 25 11 12  2  1 49 15  34 38
 2 Manchester Utd  15  6  1  1 23 11  5  2  0 12  3 11  3  1 35 14  21 36
 3 Chelsea         15  6  0  2 21 12  4  1  2 12  6 10  1  4 33 18  15 31
 4 Tottenham H.    14  5  0  1 15  7  5  1  2 15 11 10  1  3 30 18  12 31
 5 Arsenal         15  6  1  1 14  5  3  1  3 17 18  9  2  4 31 23   8 29
 6 Liverpool       15  3  5  0 10  6  4  0  3  8  7  7  5  3 18 13   5 26
 7 Newcastle Utd   15  4  2  1 10  8  3  3  2 11 11  7  5  3 21 19   2 26
 8 Stoke City      15  4  2  2 12  9  2  1  4  4 15  6  3  6 16 24  -8 21
 9 Aston Villa     15  3  2  2 10  7  1  5  2  8 12  4  7  4 18 19  -1 19
10 Norwich City    15  4  2  2 16 12  1  2  4  8 16  5  4  6 24 28  -4 19
11 Swansea City    15  4  3  1 10  2  0  2  5  6 18  4  5  6 16 20  -4 17
12 Everton         14  2  1  4  7  9  3  0  4  8  9  5  1  8 15 18  -3 16
13 QPR             15  1  4  2  6 10  3  0  5  9 16  4  4  7 15 26 -11 16
14 Fulham          15  2  3  2 12  9  1  3  4  4  9  3  6  6 16 18  -2 15
15 West Brom A.    15  2  1  5  7 11  2  2  3  7 12  4  3  8 14 23  -9 15
16 Sunderland      15  2  3  3 12 10  1  2  4  6  8  3  5  7 18 18   0 14
17 Wolves          15  3  1  3 10 11  1  1  6  6 17  4  2  9 16 28 -12 14
18 Wigan Athletic  15  1  2  4  8 15  2  1  5  6 14  3  3  9 14 29 -15 12
19 Blackburn R.    15  2  0  5 10 15  0  4  4 12 19  2  4  9 22 34 -12 10
20 Bolton Wndrs    15  1  0  7 10 21  2  0  5 10 15  3  0 12 20 36 -16  9

MCIVTA FAQ [v1112.01]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

Articles (Philip Alcock)         : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org
News/rumour                      : 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/Twitter

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://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/manchester/.

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

http://www.satfootball.com/ provides a listing of Premier League games being shown on UK domestic and foreign satellite channels. A useful site for North American viewers is http://msn.foxsports.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://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/Usenet

[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] Do any squad members have their own Twitter accounts?

A list of genuine player accounts is maintained at http://twitter.com/#!/MCFC/players

[12] Where can I find match statistics?

Statistics for the current season are available from the club site, but for a more in-depth historical 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.

Philip Alcock, editor@mcivta.city-fan.org

Editor: