Newsletter #1922

Five games in and already it’s a roller-coaster! Last night’s splendid performance, goals and result bringing us back to the highs of the opening day defeat of Newcastle.

It puts us back on the front foot after three disappointing/mediocre performances in between. Let’s just hope we can string two good performances together, bearing in mind who arrives at the Etihad next!

Having seen the highlights of the other games last night too, a certain Vlad Weiss scored a wonder-goal for Olympiacos, which is well worth checking out. Always thought he was one that got away.

First up today is Phil Lines with a previously submitted article, which sadly I managed to misplace; still a good read though. Do send in your thoughts ahead of the derby and I’ll get a pre-game issue out.

WE WERE ON A BREAK

Said Ross (from Friends) for about 17 episodes in a tiresome manner to extend the weakening plot.

Anyway whilst on an international break, a quick review and a question for the stattos:

Well, 6 points from 9. One good performance and we murdered them (Toon). Two poor performances and we win one, lose one. Still finding our feet and Manuel is still bedding in so nothing to panic about in my view.

Got to laugh at Moyes’ transfer campaign, which was akin to a drunken 2AM trawl of the dance floor as the inebriated bloke desperately searches for a dance and a clumsy snog with the scrag end of the females still bopping around in their ill-fitting mini-skirts shuffling their handbags in front of them at Placemate 7 or Rotters nightclub.

Clearly Gollum does not have the pulling power of old Whiskey Nose and certainly his old paymaster (Kenwright) played hard ball with him over Baines (no sale) and Fellaini (at least £4 million over the odds).

Anyway, the win against Hull. What did we learn?

• Savage on MOTD was right, we were a bit arrogant: “City were in themood for just turning up and winning” (I dont think he was too far wrongto be honest)
• Had Wigan had someone clinical up front they may have been 0-2 up within30 minutes and could have won
• Sluggish, slow performance from City, not at the races initially
• Dzeko is still a bit Jekyll and Hyde; he was the latter on Saturday
• We still find it hard to break down two well-organised banks of 4defenders; we need to get used to this like at Stoke

Two moments of magic, after we had finally worn them down, secured the points.

• Zabaleta’s cross must go down as a candidate for “assist of the season”;it was delicious
• Ditto Yaya’s free kick, laser-precision accurate finishing, just underthe bar

Question for the statmasters:

Correct me if I’m wrong, but was this our first ever win at the Etihad against a Steve Bruce side?

If I recall we could neverR beat Wigan (with the Steve Bruce flat back 9) and it was only until Martinez arrived when we finally registered a win against the Pie Men. Then when he managed Sunderland, didn’t they get 4 points off us when we had to rescue a 3-3 home draw and then the South Korean chap (Ji) scored an injury time goal that was only 2.7 metres offside? I think that is Steve Bruce’s first defeat against City at the Etihad. Extinguisher at the ready and I’m ready to be flamed if the stattos out there can prove me wrong.

Bring on the old boys at Stoke – Hughes and Ireland. We need to learn to get past the likes of Shawcross and the Berlin Wall (Huth). I hope Milner has his best week in football, i.e. man of the match for England and out-muscles Stoke on Saturday.

STATE OF PLAY

Five players are out of this Saturday’s game at Stoke: Vincent Kompany (groin – “two or three” days away according to Manuel Pellegrini), David Silva (thigh strain picked up in Spanish training), Micah Richards (hamstring), Gael Clichy (knock picked up playing for France) and Martin Demichelis (knee ligament strain that will keep him out 6 weeks).

Hopefully our injury problems will soon ease, especially as the Champions’ League and League Cup will soon add to our squad’s workload. We have to pick up points with what players we have, and there can be no excuses. I’d like to see a side of Hart, Zabaleta, Yaya, Nastasic, Kolarov; Navas, Fernandinho, Milner, Nasri; Agüero and Negredo go out and bag the points. It’s a pity that Micah Richards hasn’t made it so I’d like to see Yaya in the back four to give us extra authority that we lacked against Hull and Cardiff. James Milner is fit enough to follow up his steady showing for England, and it would be good to see him in central midfield. Whether Manuel Pellegrini will play him there is another matter altogether, and he may continue with the unconvincing pairing of the two left footers, Nastasic and Lescott, at the heart of our defence with Yaya and Fernandinho continuing in midfield. David Silva will be missed and hopefully he can make the trip to Victoria Plzen next week, but for now, this is a chance for Samir Nasri to stake his claim. He has looked good when coming on as a sub and hopefully he will play like a man with a point to prove.

Stoke have started well enough with 6 points but are in transition, with Mark Hughes attempting to refine their style, and we should hopefully have too much quality for them. As ever we will have to watch at set pieces, and hopefully our man-to-man system will not fall victim to Stoke’s tactics of blocking players off at set pieces. We must remain vigilant, and of course it would be better if we don’t give away corners and free kicks.

Any sort of win will do. We need to win to make sure Chelsea don’t get away.

Come on City.

CAN WE HAVE JUSTICE FOR THE 96?

It still brings a tear to the eye that 96 people died as a result of criminal negligence at Hillsborough. It should never have been allowed to happen. For it to have been covered up at all, let alone covered up so long, is an outrage and a source of national shame. The families of victims should not have had to wait for the truth to come out and justice to be done, and their tenacity and persistence in pursuing truth and justice is truly admirable.

This week it was reported that 74 more police statements of the events at Hillsborough on 15th April 1989 were doctored, which means that the statements of 238 police officers have been altered. We also learn this week that, even more sickeningly, witness statements of fans had “some significant amendments” when turned into statements by the police. I hope and pray that the families of the victims get the justice that they deserve and that the full truth is made public. There was a massive cover up by the Thatcher government, South Yorkshire and West Midlands Police and others. They are responsible for a gross perversion of justice. It must all be uncovered in order that justice can finally run its full course.

Justice for the 96.

DERBY TICKET REQUEST

I am travelling over from Ireland for the derby on 22 September with a friend, both of us long-time City fans. We have managed to secure one ticket but I didn’t have enough points on my Blue Card to buy a second ticket.

I’ve sorted people out with tickets and travel advice before through MCIVTA and would really appreciate if anyone out there could assist me in getting another ticket for this game.

VILLA TICKET REQUEST

I’m looking for one ticket for the away game at Aston Villa on the 28th September if any subscriber has a spare.

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