Mancini's machinations

Plenty of newspapers previewed this week's game with a discussion of City's (relative lack of) business in the transfer market this summer. Mention was made of the players we've apparently tried and failed to sign since winning the league in the final minute of last season - Hazard, De Rossi, Van Persie, Agger, Luiz(?!), Martinez - with justification ranging from players not wanting to sit out matches to City's hands being tied by FFP. Of course, City being City, it's never 'Club makes decision not to sign ageing and/or injury-prone player in late 20s' or 'Club with vast array of attacking talent decides not to spend £20-30m+ on another attacker' but instead it's 'City find life at the top is harder than they thought' or 'City in chaos as manager wants to sign a player but board won't give him the money'. We are in a situation where we're damned if we do and damned if we don't: spend and we are castigated for our vulgarity; don't spend and suffer implications of complacency/lack of ambition/not being a true 'big club' and therefore unworthy of signing good players.

Eden Hazard has admittedly looked class in the opening games, but Chelsea haven't really been tested yet (even Torres has been scoring!); Van Persie obviously banged them in last season; apart from them, I don't see those other players making much of a difference, and given the choice between not overspending and having either of aforementioned two, I'd go for the former. Frankly, I think the club have been wise not to pay over the odds for anyone - Rodwell has shown that he is going to be a big player for us, and if you weigh up the costs and benefits of paying silly money for an attacker who doesn't really improve our squad that much then we've done the right thing in refusing to get dragged into a bidding war with our nearest rivals for the league (Chelsea and United, in that order). What Rodwell has done is addressed one of the only major weaknesses in our first team squad - Nigel De Jong as our main cover at centre mid - and the other main problems are centre half (Kompany is outstanding, Lescott is pretty good, Toure and Savic are awful) and sub keeper. Therefore, I would say that the only player I'd really consider paying an inflated price for, that is, the only player whose improvement to the side would outweigh the potential issues with FFP, would be Thomas Vermaelen. He's a good age, he's a fantastic defender, he can play football, he scores goals, he's left-sided (and Belgian!) so he would fit well with Kompany - signing him would be perfect for us.

I have actually been wondering if Mancini's public grumbling over transfer policy isn't just a bit more Mancini mind games - trying to trick his competitors into thinking they can press home an advantage by splurging on overpriced, unproven gambles. Perhaps I'm being overgenerous by suggesting he is capable of being so Machiavellian, but he is ruthless, and he has a habit of claiming to believe something that is clearly at odds with his real opinion. However, this ruthless, contrary streak also led me to consider whether his team selection at Liverpool wasn't a message to Marwood - in selecting De Jong, Kolarov and Kolo Toure, he picked the three worst players in our first team squad to start at Anfield. I can't imagine that he can actually believe these are players capable or worthy of defending a league title, and can only conclude that he is making a point - either buy me some players, or I'll have to use this garbage on a regular basis. The only way our starting XI could have been weaker would have been to include Savic instead of Kompany (and Pants instead of Hart), a prospect that simply does not bear thinking about.

So, overall, the ideal situation would be De Jong sold (maybe back to Holland or Germany, or maybe Italy) and Kolo sold (someone Turkish perhaps?), with an experienced backup keeper brought in and the bulk of the budget spent on Vermaelen, with another Rodwell-style signing or two to keep the squad healthy. I don't think we need to panic, but to be serious about defending the title we could do with a few new faces. I'm sure Mancini knows what he wants, and I'm also pretty sure he knows how to get it.

City 3-2 Southampton

Of course, the scoreline and sequence of scoring was very similar to the last game of last season, but really I think the performance yesterday was very encouraging. I was naturally extremely worried when Aguero went down (not least because I had him as my captain in my fantasy team!), and with knee injuries you fear the worst, but he's apparently played it down on Twitter so hopefully he won't be out for too long.

As for the rest of the match, Tevez looked lean and bright, and it was only wayward finishing that prevented us from taking a considerable lead. Silva's pathetic penalty was frustrating, as you feel that Sergio would have buried it (as would Tevez), but when Tevez put us in front I felt that it would just be a case of how many we'd score. We missed several chances at 1-0, and played some great football - one interchange up the right was a joy to behold.

The major criticism was obviously the failure to make the chances count - Lambert's finish was great, and Davis did well, but when those goals went in we'd had 80% possession in the second half. Even after we'd scored the third goal Southampton were playing tidy football, and had us worried at times, and they look like Swansea's successors as a good footballing side up from the Championship. We showed good character though, and seemed to step up a gear when we needed to, something United and other recent winners of the league have been doing for years, so I'm not too worried with the performance overall. It's perhaps a bit tricky to play a promoted side - they are an unknown quantity to an extent, and have the adrenaline and so on from being back in the Prem (neither Reading nor West Ham lost) - but just like last year, we rode out the difficult parts of the match to come through and win.

My only slight concern is our defending - we conceded the fewest in the league last season, but the goals we've let in this season have been sloppy. Both Chelsea goals in the Community Shield came from poor clearances from our defenders (even before Pantimilon spilt it) which were then recycled and ended up in the net, and yesterday we had a couple of chances to clear the first, and the second came from Rodwell's poor pass (that aside, he actually looked quite assured). Hopefully this will just be early season rustiness, because we can't afford to give goals away - Mancini claims it's because all of the defenders were away with national sides so he's not had chance to work with them.

Overall though, I don't think there's any cause to panic - we still look confident and dangerous going forward, and are developing the knack of winning games from a losing position. Final word on Kompany - there aren't many centre-backs in the division who have the confidence to lash in a left foot shot first time from the edge of the box, and his quick reactions meant Saints didn't have time to regroup before Yaya squirmed it out to Dzeko. Class.

Midfielders

Gareth Barry
Apps: 47 (34 PL)
Goals: 1
Assists: 3
For a long time, I was convinced Barry was a duck egg - another classic example of a player who's supposedly in the team to win the ball back and ends up giving it away instead. His lack of pace was ruthlessly exposed by Mesut Ozil at the World Cup and he was even worse for City in the seasons before and after the tournament. Another overpriced Hughes signing! However, this season he was much improved - perhaps he had more of a rest or worked on his fitness, because although he is still quite bulky and sometimes has the turning circle of an articulated lorry he turned in some excellent performances and provides an important base for the more attack-minded players in our midfield. At 31 though he's not going to get any quicker and I'm not sure how long he'll be good enough. He should have another season or two in his legs, but he's one we need to think about replacing I feel.
Moment that defined his season:
Any of his blocks, tackles and interceptions in the Arsenal game at home - Nasri was given MOTM in a blatant attempt to rile the Arsenal fans, but it was Barry who was dominant that day.
Keep hold/get rid?
We need to hang on to him for another season or two, but I can't see him lasting longer than that - too slow and cumbersome.


De Jong
Apps: 36 (21 PL)
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
A player who was brought in to do a very specific job at that point in time and chosen once Diarra chose to go to Madrid, the Lawnmower quickly gained a cult status among fans for his tackling and all-round energy (and fouling). He played a key role when he first arrived - Hughes (!) choosing to pay £16m at Christmas for a player we could have got on a free at the end of the season - but his star has waned. I'm afraid he's too negative for our team - there are times when the ball is loose on the edge of the box and you wish it had fallen to anyone else in the team apart from him. His passing is always sideways, and his tackling is not as effective as it should be if that's his only job in the team. Almost half of his appearances last season were as a sub and frankly I can't see that changing in the future. A shame because he's a warrior and prepared to sweat blood for the cause but our style of play has moved on and he just slows the play down too much.
Moment that defined his season:
When he was brought on for Nasri against Newcastle - it showed that his only real role in the team is to free up Yaya to play a more attacking role. Of course, this tactic worked but not really thanks to De Jong - he's another player who I really feel we can improve on.
Keep hold/get rid?
As I said, I think we can do better - he doesn't offer enough going forward, and we are too good to have a player only in the team to do one thing. I'd much rather see a Colin Bell/Steven Gerrard-type player, who can tackle and defend but also go forward. If only Michael Johnson hadn't drunk away his talent. I think we could probably get decent money for Nige so I say get rid and use the transfer fee to balance out the FFP.


Adam Johnson
Apps: 41 (23 PL)
Goals: 7
Assists: 4
A bit of a funny season for Johnson - he was mainly restricted to sub appearances and cup games (he only started 10 times in the league) but scored some excellent goals, set up a few and won the odd penalty by 'anticipating contact'. Publicly chastised by Mancini for his effort, the season ended on disappointment after he missed out on the Euro squad, which was largely put down to his lack of competitive football. It is a pity that he doesn't get to play more, as he is skilful and can be a joy to watch - it's a bit of a shame for the neutral (and the England fan) that we don't get to see a bit more of an exciting young English talent. I have to agree with Mancini though - he can go missing, and you do need every player to put a shift in at all times. Perhaps he also suffers from the style of play that Mancini uses, as we don't really play with wingers so the team can look unbalanced when he's playing. He's a good player to have in the squad, but is he going to be happy playing a bit part forever?
Moment that defined his season:
His public dressing-down by Mancini after the Wolves game. It must be a bit dispiriting for AJ to hear that after scoring or setting up a goal but Roberto knows what he's doing, and if he's underachieving then the manager is obliged to do it if it's necessary.
Keep hold/get rid?
I like him, even though he's a bit lightweight and can drift in and out of games. I feel like he's actually more effective when he starts matches, as he hasn't got the pace to make the impact of someone like Craig Bellamy coming off the bench. It might be better for him to go somewhere else but I would like him to stay - he gives us something a bit different, and his trademark goal curled into the top left corner from the right-hand side (like against Sunderland a couple of seasons ago or Blackburn the season just gone) is always a pleasure to see.


James Milner
Apps: 37 (26 PL)
Goals: 3
Assists: 6
Yet another player who was overpriced, Milner was not a signing to get pulses racing. The fact that he was picked at the Euro mainly because he was the most trustworthy defensively of our midfield options says a lot about him - he works hard and does a job for the team without having the flair or the pace to really give defenders problems. That said, I am a big fan - despite what we paid for him, I think he's been excellent. He's best playing more centrally, where his positional awareness and work rate are most effective, and it gives him the chance to make runs into the corners which are more likely to unsettle the defence than if it was him trying to go round a defender one on one. Did a good job when required, and his versatility and general commitment make him a valuable member of the squad.
Moment that defined his season:
Probably his assist for Balotelli's first against United at OT - it was a dominant display by Milner and this capped it.
Keep hold/get rid?
Definitely keep - he's not quite in the first choice XI but it's a squad game these days as they say.


Samir Nasri

Apps: 45 (30 PL)

Goals: 6

Assists: 9

His transfer was fractious to say the least, with City pulling off a bit of a coup by signing a player that United were after. Perhaps for that reason alone you could say that it was important - United showed they needed midfield playmaker and Nasri might have been the player to do it. He was inconsistent though - he had a bit of a tendency to go missing at times, and his attitude can be poor. When he's on form, though, he is a delight to watch, especially when combining with the likes of Silva and Aguero to bamboozle opposition defenders with their mesmerising, intricate passing and subtle movement. He started his City career with three assists in one game - more than he'd managed in the previous season for Arsenal - and he scored some very important goals, notably at home to Spurs and Chelsea and a nerve-settling second away at Wolves. He was involved in the goal at home to Arsenal, but the choice of him as MOTM was more to rile the Gooners than a true reflection of his performance. When he's good, he's very very good, but he needs to work on his consistency and application - I could have throttled him in the last game of the season when he let the ball go out of play when it was a QPR throw. We did win the ball back through Lescott and then go down the other end and score though, so I can't be too cross. 

Moment that defined his season:

Because his season involved a generous amount of antagonising Arsenal fans, and looked like it was going to be a disappointment but then delivered in the end, I'm going to go for his Twitter bet with Piers Morgan that he would win silverware before Arsenal did. It showed his confidence in City's 'project' as well as his confrontational personality.

Keep hold/get rid?

While he's not in the top echelon of players (Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva, Aguero) he is a great talent. Perhaps we should sign another attacking midfielder to keep him on his toes and stop him going missing quite so often. Mesut Ozil?

David Silva

Apps: 49 (36 PL)

Goals: 8

Assists: 19

At the start of the season, I felt that if we were going to win any sympathy from the neutral we would have to play attractive football, and City duly delivered thanks in no small part to Silva's artistry. His first season in English football was very good, but his performances last season, especially in the first half of the year, were masterful. A return of 19 assists is simply phenomenal, and the goals he was involved in were not only plentiful but crucial in many matches. His interplay with the other midfielders is hypnotic, and his touch and vision and his assuredness on the ball make him a frightening prospect for opposition defenders. His influence on the early form that led us to dominate the majority of our matches in the first half of the season cannot be understated, and although there was a part of the season, maybe the third quarter, where his performances dipped slightly and there were reports he was carrying an injury, he battled through, and provided assists from corners for two of the most important goals of the season in the last few games - Kompany at home to United and the Dzeko's on the last game of the season. He's the type of player that fans of other clubs love to watch, and is rightly idolised at the Blues. Scoring a goal in the final of the Euros must be satisfying as well. 

Moment that defined his season:

There were so many moments of skill, flair, imagination and invention that it is hard to choose just one, but his pass, volleyed 30 yards over his shoulder from the halfway line, that set up Dzeko for the sixth goal at Old Trafford takes some beating. It was a sumptuous, breathtaking piece of technique that helped to underline our superiority over our nearest rivals for the title, and Silva makes a significant contribution to that superiority. 

Keep hold/get rid?

Silva is in the group of players who are virtually irreplaceable - if, say, Barca or Real came in for him I couldn't imagine the starting bid being less than £50m, and City would probably view that as insultingly low. He is one of the players that I will be boring the grandchildren about in years to come, and it is a privilege to see him play for the team I support. 

Yaya Toure

Apps: 44 (32 PL)

Goals: 9

Assists: 9

In terms of both physique and influence, Yaya is a colossus. He had already earned his place in the City pantheon of greats with his exploits in the 2011 FA Cup semi and final, but he did not rest on his laurels - the way he dominates the centre of the park is exhilarating, and his desire and athleticism must terrify both defenders and attackers when he lopes towards them. He is the perfect foil to our other attacking players, his physicality and energy perfectly complementing the wizardry of Silva and the industry of Aguero, and it was no coincidence that our least convincing period of the season came when he was away at the African Cup of Nations. It is a slight concern that there is another one this season, but even with the possibility that he will miss a month of next season I wouldn't swap him for any other midfielder in the world. He can always be relied upon to step up when the team most need him, and his goals secured vital points in key games - the winner away at QPR, the equaliser against Stoke, and of course the two goals away at Newcastle. His role in our Plan B has been well-documented, with De Jong being brought on the free him up to rampage forward in typical lungbursting style, and this is priceless for City when we need a goal. What a player.
Moment that defined his season:
As I said, he always seems to score important goals, and few were more important last season than the two away at Newcastle. We needed him and he delivered.
Keep hold/get rid?
I wouldn't swap him for anyone. Right foot, left foot, inside the box, outside the box, he can strike it from anywhere; no there player can dominate a game the way he does. Deserves to be considered alongside Vieira and Gerrard as the best ever midfielders in the Prem. 

Defenders

Gael Clichy
Apps: 37 (28 PL)
Goals: 0
Assists: 4
Of all the players we've bought from Arsenal in recent years, the cheapest and arrived with probably the least fanfare but has been the most successful in my view. Perhaps not the greatest start, as it was his misunderstanding with Kompany that allowed Nani to score an injury-time winner in the Community Shield, but consistently excellent since then. I find it hard to believe that in some quarters the France left-back position is considered a problem - Clichy's pace will always mean he is effective in defence, while his overlapping runs and crossing is important for our style of play because of our narrow midfield. The difference when he is playing and when he isn't is stark - it's no surprise that some of our worst performances last season, like Napoli at home, came when Clichy was rested for Kolarov. Probably the only left-back in the country who gets close to Ashley Cole, and perhaps the only blot on his copybook in the season proper was getting sent off against Chelsea.
Moment that defined his season:
As I said, one of our most consistent and effective performers, and the way he kept Nani quiet in the home derby was superb, but I'd probably go for his assists towards the end of the season - he provided a great pass for Aguero to score the first against Wolves in a nervy win straight after United's draw against Everton.
Keep hold/get rid?
Class, and young - hopefully he'll be a stalwart for years to come. Delighted he's ended our run of slow, dirty, hopeless left backs (Kolarov, Bridge, Ball, Thatcher...).


Aleksandar Kolarov
Apps: 30 (12 PL)
Goals: 4
Assists: 6
Probably my least favourite of the players that regularly played for the first team last season, Kolarov is just so frustrating to watch. The difference in City's style and overall effectiveness is so obvious when he is playing instead of Clichy - there's no width and much less movement. Kolarov also commits the unforgivable sin of giving the ball away and not tracking back to make up for it. The problem is, having him on the pitch means our team loses its shape, but often it's difficult to change it if we go behind because we have so many attacking options on the bench that swapping the left-back seems a waste. He is the type of player that people who don't really watch City very often think is decent because they see him hitting shots from distance, and on several occasions last season he disguised a poor performance with a goal from a free kick. He did actually get more assists than Clichy (and more goals obviously) but stats don't always tell the full story and anyway I'm certain that he was at fault for many more goals conceded.
Moment that defined his season:
I'm going to go for the goal he scored in the Champions League against Napoli - there's no denying he's got a hammer of a left foot, and it was a crucial goal, but I'm convinced we wouldn't have needed to score it if Clichy had started instead.
Keep hold/get rid?
I'm not a fan. We paid £16m for him, and it's unlikely we'd get anything near that if we sold him so perhaps we have to keep him for FFP reasons, but if we were offered anything even close to £10m I'd snap their hand off.

Vincent Kompany
Apps: 40 (31 PL)
Goals: 3
Assists: 1
What an absolute hero. Up there with Hart, Aguero and Yaya as our most important players, the spine of the team and the leaders. He is just an unbelievable performer, week in week out- solid, composed, quick, skilful, intelligent, reads the game well, great communicator, great in the air, and that's just a few of his attributes. He was a Champ Man legend a few years ago, so when we bought him I was excited (although slightly wary - they aren't always as good in real life!), but I could not have imagined how well he was going to do. There can't be a better signing in terms of value for money currently playing in the league (apart from Hart!). That Chelsea banner for Terry ('Captain, leader, legend') is so much more apt for our captain than for theirs. It was clear that our worst periods of the season coincided with the times when Kompany was out injured or suspended (that decision by Chris Foy to send him off against United in the FA Cup was nearly so costly).
Moment that defined his season:
It is very difficult to look past his goal in the home derby - although his defending has been exceptional all season, he stepped up when he was most needed at the other end, in the highest-pressure match of the season. His celebration showed how much it mattered as well. Special mention though goes to his assist for Johnson's goal at home to Norwich - he popped up on the left-hand side of their box, did a stepover and chipped it to the other corner of the box for Johnson to finish. A delight to watch, and a centre-back! Amazing.
Keep hold/get rid?
Absolutely, definitely, unequivocally keep hold. He is so important to the team, and he seems to have a genuine love for the club (he was recently quoted as saying he wants to stay at the club for beyond the duration of his contract). I want him as captain for the rest of his career, then as manager, then chairman.

Joleon Lescott
Apps: 42 (31 PL)
Goals: 3
Assists: 1
One of Mark Hughes' obsessions, I liked Lescott at Everton but struggled when he first arrived, and is still the only member of our team who doesn't really look comfortable with the ball at his feet. That said, he has improved dramatically this season, and has formed a great partnership with Kompany at the back. He is great in the air, and although he is a bit slow and cumbersome he makes some important blocks and tackles and scored some key goals. I do wonder if he might be a bit of a liability against the very best opposition, although of course he is an international, and managed to help prevent the likes of Balotelli, Benzema and Shevchenko from scoring in the Euro (although not Olaf Mellberg!). He would be the weak link in our first choice XI though.
Moment that defined his season:
It was so nearly his misjudgement against QPR that gifted Cisse his goal, but thankfully it didn't matter in the end so I'll go for his goal against Villa - in a tense, tricky away tie he scored the winner and of course every point in the end was crucial. His goal against Tottenham was funny too, as was his reaction ('I think I'll get Goal of the Month!').
Keep hold/get rid?
I'd definitely keep him, but I think a centre-back has to be top of our shopping list, even if it's just as cover for Lescott and Kompany. Long term, I'm afraid I think we can do better but he's not exactly a terrible player to have in the squad.

Micah Richards
Apps: 39 (29 PL)
Goals: 1
Assists: 6
Richards is a very important player for me being the only remaining Academy player who gets near the first team. While I would not complain about the oil money buying the likes of Yaya and Aguero, I do think it's important to remember the roots of the club as well and Richards is key in this regard. At the start of the season especially he had recovered his form of a few years ago, strong and athletic when defending and dangerous with his forward runs down the right. Like Clichy, his support going forward was crucial to how the team played due to our narrow midfield. Towards the end of the season, though, Mancini seemed to prefer Zabaleta, and of course he did not make the squad for the Euro. Some feel that although he makes some great blocks and uses his athleticism to get City out of trouble, it is his lack of concentration and positional awareness that caused the problem in the first place! I don't think he's as bad as he was a couple of seasons ago (when there was the rumour that he was more interested in doing weights than in training for matches) but there is still a sense that he hasn't quite yet heeded Vieira's advice ('How do you expect to improve when you're the last on the training pitch and the first off it?') and that Zab is more trustworthy in the biggest games. He stepped up at centre-back though when Kompany was suspended and Lescott injured, and I hope he will continue to improve to the extent that he is definitely our first choice right back. He still manages to go flying in with his arms above his head in the box and give away penalties though - another thing he needs to work on in training (if he ever turns up).
Moment that defined his season:
Made a trademark last ditch tackle away at Fulham to deny Dempsey, and a great block towards the end of the season to save a goal against Newcastle, but as it's his attacking that is really his forte, I'll go for his assist for Aguero's goal at Old Trafford - capping an amazing move with passes in all directions and angles with a penetrating run (Evra was nowhere) to set up a goal and put the game beyond United. Significant as well that this was in the first part of the season when he was in fantastic form.
Keep hold/get rid?
Definitely keep hold, there aren't many players who are as part of the club as him and his physique and pace are so useful going back and forwards. We just need to keep him improving and working on parts of his game, and hopefully see him reach the potential he's shown since scoring that header against Villa in the cup.

Stefan Savic
Apps: 23 (11 PL)
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
Probably the only player who you can really say had a bad season for City last year, and when Kompany and then Lescott were out through injury and suspension the lack of depth in our squad was horribly exposed, almost having fatal consequences for our title challenge. For a player so tall he looks nervous when defending high balls and his distribution is erratic. Not good enough.
Moment that defined his season:
Frequently gave the ball away in dangerous positions, and the most damaging time was Swansea away - he gave it away in the middle and then didn't get back in time to prevent the goal that seemed to have put paid to our chances of winning the league.
Keep hold/get rid?
Definitely get rid - he's just not good enough. Although we didn't pay loads for him (£5-6m) we will be lucky to find anyone to take him off us! I just can't help but think that Onuoha can do everything he can and better. I was very disappointed when Nedum left the club - Mancini didn't seem to rate him, which makes it all the more inexplicable that Savic is there instead. Definitely need a new centre back (or two).

Kolo Toure
Apps: 20 (14 PL)
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Another of Hughes' overpriced under-performers, Kolo has never looked good enough for City. When we bought him an Arsenal fan said to me 'Now you'll see why Arsenal let in so many from set pieces', and his positioning and reading of the game mean that he never plays well enough to justify a place in the first XI. Although I was glad of him when Kompany and Lescott were out, and he did ok in a makeshift pairing with Richards, his price tag and wages are too high for a player who is likely to be on the bench for most of next season. He's also the only player not to chip in at the other end.
Moment that defined his season:
Not really a moment, but his performances with Richards just about meant that his season was a success.
Keep hold/get rid?
I feel that he is too expensive to have on the bench - with FFP, we run the risk of not being able to sign other players while Toure is just backup. Again, I would rather have Onuoha - he's cheaper and (in my opinion) better. A moot point I know, but a shame. Get rid of Kolo, although he's yet another example of players in our squad (mostly signed by Hughes) who were signed for far too much and we've got no chance of getting anywhere near what we paid. The only reason I can really think of for keeping hold of him is if it influences Yaya to stay.

Pablo Zabaleta
Apps: 31 (21 PL)
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
At the beginning of the season Zab was used with Kolarov as what was really the second-choice full-back pairing with the problems for the style of play that I've already described. However, towards the end of the season he had displaced Richards, playing in all the crucial games at the end. I'm a bit of a late convert to Zab to be honest, although his effort and commitment will always win over fans, he's a bit workmanlike and I'm always worried that he's got a mistake or two in him, or perhaps more likely a red card when he goes flying in to challenges. His attacking game improved though in the second half of the season, he gave Evra a torrid time in the home derby and was involved in winning the corner that led to the goal, and he clearly loves the club, so he's won me round to an extent.
Moment that defined his season:
I know I've mainly gone for goals, but it's hard to look past his only goal of the season on the final day - demonstrating his desire by continuing his run, taking the pass from a half-fit Yaya and smashing it, even if it did get a bit of help from Kenny (had Silva injured him with his shot at the near post a bit earlier?).
Keep hold/get rid?
Definitely keep hold, he's valuable as a squad member although I'd prefer to see Micah at right back.

Kit

The new kit is officially launched, and it turns out the leaked photos were genuine. Not a lot more to add to what I said last time, I really like both especially the maroon away kit. Two City heroes modelling as well, I like how in the picture below Noel is clearly standing on a box. I can see us lifting the trophy again next season wearing this.

Fixtures

Next season's fixtures came out a couple of days ago. Not a lot to comment on really - at home for the first and last game of the season which is nice, and against a newly-promoted team to start with. Norwich on the last day so hopefully they shouldn't have anything to play for by then. There don't seem to be many real tricky patches - we seem to alternate between the matches that could go either way, and ones that we should win. In January and February we play Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in the space of 6 matches, but play QPR, Fulham and Southampton in between≥ The home derby is on 8th December, while we're at Old Trafford with 4 games to go, in what looks like it could well be another title decider.

England 1-0 Ukraine

Another match, another assist for Gerrard. No question who England's player of the tournament is - he's been consistently excellent with his delivery, disciplined in his positioning and has even managed to tone down the 'Hollywood ball' he's been so derided for in the past. With Lampard also having taken a more withdrawn role for Chelsea this season, perhaps this could have been the tournament when they finally learnt to play together - a bit of maturity perhaps is what they needed!

Not that this was the best performance of the tournament, at times it looked like England under Capello - disjointed and turgid, rather than the neat and efficient team they've been so far. The chief culprit had to be Rooney, who had missed two headers even before his simple chance from Young's cross. One of them just brushed the top of his lovely new hair, and I bet Carroll was looking at it thinking he'd have buried it. Rooney gave the ball away, ran off without the ball, passed it to the Ukrainians; it shows how finely tuned the players are, and how high a level international football actually is, if a player of his undoubted technique and experience takes that long to adjust to a game.

I'm loth to give him any credit for the goal - to be fair, he was in the right position, but the real work clearly came from Stevie G, and a couple of slightly fortuitous touches from various defenders. We'd weathered the storm a little in the first half, but I'm inclined to agree with Hodgson in that none of the shots were really too threatening, most of them coming from outside the box and not ever being in danger of hitting the target. It was noticeable that the team is well-drilled, and they kept their shape all match, clearly a major factor in the defensive solidity. Although the possession stats weren't great, it can be just as pleasurable watching a well-organised defence as watching a good attacking side, and there was always someone blocking the shots - Lescott, Terry, Parker's face.

The main talking point for some though is the shot that crossed the line. Who knows if Ukraine would have managed to get another goal? They never really threatened, Hart's save aside, and I think it was a good save from Hart, it's just that Terry is forever running through treacle. Is it retribution for Lampard's at the World Cup? The cliche goes that decisions work out over time, but I actually think that this was a much tougher call - yes, the 5th official is only there to check that the ball goes over the line, but it was only fractionally over for a very brief period of time, much less clear than Lampard's and the post was in the way. Even if the goal had been allowed to stand, assuming Ukraine didn't score again, England would still have topped the group, so I think we can take heart from a very successful and satisfying group stage.

Just the small matter of Italy, then Germany in the semis and Spain in the final then. No worries. Come on England!

Sweden 2-3 England

After the dramatic, exhilarating storms in Donetsk, the England match was pretty exciting as well. I mentioned last time that I'm actually enjoying watching England at the moment, and this was no different, even when we went behind - there wasn't any of the drab, flat, walking pace football we have been used to under the past few managers, and while it's not the most talented squad and the players are prone to making mistakes there is always optimism, even when we go behind.

Sweden are no great shakes, but in Ibrahimovic they have the most talented, player of the two squads (and certainly the one who's had the most money spent on him). Winning the league 9 years in a row with 5 different teams is just a preposterous record and although he can be temperamental he is class - we've got no one to match him individually even including Rooney. However, we were good value for the win, starting brightly and deservedly going ahead through a great header from Carroll.

I'm not his biggest fan, but the power he put into it was evident from the way he lashed his body around on the follow-through. It was reminiscent of the first half of the season before last when he was getting on the end of Barton's free kicks at Newcastle - this time it was another Huyton native, Gerrard, who put in a ball that was practically identical to the one against France. He's a great player to have in the side, knows how to deliver on the big occasion and obviously a great crosser of the ball.

Some pretty ropey defending allowed Sweden to go in front with two horrible goals from set pieces. Unfortunately Milner - who started well and put in a few decent crosses in the first half - was tired by this point and committed a slightly desperate foul for the first free kick. I refuse to blame Hart though - he managed to save Mellberg's first shot before it ricocheted off Johnson and in. Perhaps he could have done more for the second, maybe taking control and punching it out, but he was hung out to dry by the defence, and he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't.

Clearly the introduction of Walcott changed things, and with that and the selection of Carroll you have to say Hodgson's decision-making was faultless. Although Walcott's goal was dodgy keeping (he was pretty bad when he played for us! Actually all three keepers from that season -Schmeichel, Isaksson, Hart - are at this tournament), Welbeck's came from a fantastic run from Theo and was a lovely finish. Maybe I can just about enjoy watching Welbeck play for England.

New kit (?)

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1581115_peek-a-blue-manchester-citys-secret-new-home-kit-revealed-after-it-goes-on-display-in-australian-shop

http://www.footballkitnews.com/5258/leaked-new-manchester-city-kits-2012-2013-umbro-man-city-jerseys-12-13-home-maroon-away/

I'm sure most fans have seen it by now, but I have to say I quite like it - since Umbro started making our shirt again I've liked all of the home kits and most of the away ones. I like how they understand the importance of the heritage, with them having produced versions of all of our classic away kits - red and black, the League Cup 'sash', and now (apparently) a pretty snazzy maroon away.

I'm a bit sad therefore that we have abandoned Umbro and are going with Nike from the season after next. I think it's important to have some sort of link with local businesses - before our deal with Kappa we had the longest-running kit deal in English history, Umbro having made our kit for over 80 years. Nike are a bit too much like global business sharks for my liking, even if Umbro is a bit stiggy.

It also shows that you can have the slickest commercial team in the league, but you can still come unstuck if there's an eagle-eyed Oldham fan around!

England 1-1 France

So, City draw one all in Donetsk. Very encouraging for England in my opinion - all the talk has been about them being well organised and (ahem) 'difficult to beat', and they did look very solid, but I also found them much less anaemic and stolid in possession than they have been in recent years. Thankfully, most of the players from the laughably nicknamed 'Golden Generation' are injured or retired or not selected, and the remaining members are the best of the group - Gerrard and Cole have always been class, and Terry, while I am not his biggest fan, did well tonight, dealing with pretty much everything that came his way in a mostly very impressive defensive line.

I like how the team contains young, hungry players who are willing to run for the side and have a positive attitude when something doesn't work properly, getting back in position and making amends rather than standing and remonstrating (a la Cristiano Ronaldo). Club rivalries aside, I would even put Danny Welbeck in that category - both he and the Ox looked bright at times, causing France problems with their running and skill. That said, and much as it pains me to say it, I do think we need Rooney back - at times we were lacking ideas going forward and his invention and power were missed a bit. We've got the most difficult match out of the way and earned a good point with the most enjoyable England performance for years.

Delighted that Lescott scored for us, he has popped up with a few crucial goals this season and he is always a threat from set pieces. I've always been a massive Gerrard fan and it was great to see one of my favourite payers provide the asset for a City player (the free kick was won by a City player against a United player as well which was nice to see). I also liked his smiling reaction to the goal, it's important to see the game played with the right attitude. I disagreed with the criticism of Hart for the goal though, it came through a crowd of bodies and Hart was right to say that the defence should have closed him down sooner. It was very interesting to hear Nasri suggest in the post-match interview that he tricked Hart by shooting near post rather than far post, knowing Hart would expect him to go for the latter - of course the players see each other in training every day and it;s amazing that he has the presence of mind to remember that in the heat of the moment. Hart did seem to take half a step to his left as well. Of course, he might just be saying that to make himself look clever (Nasri's a bit of a spoilt brat at times - was less impressed with his celebration).


So overall I'm cautiously optimistic about England, certainly that the matches won't be as eye-gougingly horrendous as the games at the last World Cup, and possibly that we might have a sneaky run if Rooney's in form and we get a bit of luck. It's going to be tricky match next of course (Spain or Italy or possibly Croatia) but you've got to play everyone at some point. Come on England!

I'm writing this just after Shevchenko has scored Ukaine's second, what a fairytale! Brings a tear to the eye. Ukraine have had a lot of stick this tournament, with people saying they are the weakest team to ever attend a tournament, as well as the problems with racism, but this was a moment to help you forget about the negatives and just enjoy the drama and joy that football creates. There will be some happy kids in Kiev tonight.

A bit late but...

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/the-best-commentary-to-sergio-agueros-title-winner-for-manchester-city-v-qpr/

Ferdinand and Terry

All eyes have been on the fans in Ukraine and Poland, with the shameful and barbaric racism directed towards players and fans rightly condemned all over the football world. I am always trying to explain to non-football fans that football is a force for good, that brings people together and exposes the population to new cultures, and while there have been disgraceful incidents in the past in this country they remain in the past, and football was actually instrumental in helping the general public in Britain understand and appreciate the pleasures of a multicultural society.

It is with a sinking feeling, then, that I read the claims that England have left a player out of the squad because of his race, or rather, the fact that his brother was involved in a race row. I can't believe that this is the case, but I do find it very difficult to support a team with John Terry in it. The two high-profile incidents of on-pitch racism have of course blighted this season, and I fear perspective was lost in favour of club tribalism - Dalglish's t-shirt, Suarez refusing to shake hands, Liverpool fans booing Evra for the dreadful crime of being racially abused!

If the millions of amateur lip readers are correct and Terry did indeed manage to cram racism, sexism and profanity into one neat two-word phrase then I'm amazed that he has been selected. Not only because there are black players in the England squad, but more to the point because racism is not acceptable whatever the ethnicity of the people involved. Likewise, if Ferdinand has not been selected in an attempt to avoid possible clashes between the two, meaning England have given support to the player who racially abused another and in doing so refused support to the victim and his family then we should all be ashamed that this has been allowed to happen.

I'm not sure it has though - I agree with Hodgson that Ferdinand should have been left at home 'for football reasons'. Although he has definitely been an outstanding player - anyone who's read my Vincent Kompany adulation knows my weakness for a ball-playing centre-half - he is now too old, and his back wouldn't be up to it. I'm also not sure if his fabled 'influence' would be all that valuable - he is the epitome of the arrogant, 'Golden Generation', Manchester United-inspired expectation of success that has typified England at the last few tournaments.

For footballing reasons, and plenty of other reasons, I wouldn't have taken Terry either. He got schooled at Liverpool, embarrassed himself against Barcelona and again in the Champions League final, and is just as injury-prone as Ferdinand. Lescott and Jags will do me at the back, although it is a shame Cahill got injured. I think Hodgson's main mistake has not been leaving out Ferdinand, but in taking Terry. If he'd left him out as well he could have avoided the unsavoury furore, not left himself open to claims of racism enabler, and the team would have been better as well.

Cardiff

I know there are plenty of other issues to discuss at the moment but I wanted to quickly say something about the situation at Cardiff. It has been announced that Cardiff will be changing their shirt colour from blue to red, at the behest of their multimillionaire Malaysian backers. The expectation will now be that the club gain promotion to the Prem, with success to follow for the 'project'. This has led to much hand-wringing and suggestions that it is the latest example of a club being willing to sell their soul for money.

Now, apart from the fact that City have shown that the amount being suggested (I've seen around £100m) would be nowhere near enough to get you to the top of the division, I'm not so sure that this is quite such a clear example of modern clubs' greed as it might appear. In the 60s, Don Revie changed the colour of the Leeds strip to a Real Madrid-aping all white in an attempt to inspire his players to hit new heights. Admittedly, this was not because a rich man from distant shores ordered it, but ultimately the aim was the same: success. I wonder how we would have felt about sky blue if Allison had decided to introduce red and white stripes as the home shirt instead of away.

As a City fan I understand the connotations of changing from blue to red (I'm sure I'm not alone in refusing to have red clothes in my wardrobe), and of course the Cardiff fans are going to have to endure some less than friendly chants and comments in the press about the change. Perhaps the emotions aren't quite the same - red is the Welsh colours after all, and perhaps white would be more abhorrent to Cardiff fans, being the colour of Swansea and England - but this is still a massive change and one many fans would feel an instinctive aversion to.

Will it be worth it though? What sort of prize justifies a change of this magnitude? If one of the terms of the takeover by ADU had involved changing our shirts to white, would City fans have accepted it? I'm tempted to say no - I love the colour of our shirts (although is that because of the associations with the club? These traditions have to start somewhere!), and when we play on a sunny day, with the shirts against the blue sky, it's beautiful. Also, imagine the comments from the United fans and elsewhere - it would be unbearable.

I don't think the two situations are comparable though. Without wishing to be patronising to Cardiff, we were already an established Premier League team (albeit mid-table. Alright, lower mid table), whereas Cardiff haven't played in the top division for decades. Generally, I think that the worst possible game to lose is the playoff final - whilst the losers in the FA Cup, Champions League, World Cup etc. miss the chance to get their names on a trophy, the tangible effects for the future are less severe, whereas missing out on promotion means another season of worse players, worse opposition, dwindling gates, etc., etc.

Similarly, if Cardiff can get themselves into the Prem (and I'm sure Swansea's success makes this even more of a desire) then I think many fans would be delighted, and they'd get used to the shirt colour. After all, why do we watch football? It's entertainment - yes, there is an important sense of belonging and wanting to support your local side or your family team, and of course the pride and satisfaction is increased when your club does well. But if those fans are able to go to the classic grounds of English football, as well as the homes of the new powerhouses, and watch the best players in the country, won't they be happy?

I'm sure there will be a pang of regret for the shirt colour, but then what is a football club? It can't be the players, the manager or even the board - they change very regularly. The colours of the shirt and the badge are important, but not essential - they change quite often, and although traditionalists prefer the old ones (the round City badge!), the club is still the same. So it must be the fans, which is why MK Dons will never be Wimbledon, whereas a red Cardiff will still be Cardiff.

Hazard warning (guffaw).

Just a little comment on Eden Hazard's 'I've made up my mind' shenanigans. When it first emerged that City were in a position to sign him, then of course I was excited. Not really having seen much of him apart from a few YouTube compilations and hearing about his exploits (hat-trick on his final appearance for Lille, Joe Cole says he's good...) I couldn't give a comprehensive scouting report, but it's always exciting to hear City being linked with the best available players.

He looks quick, confident and skilful and has obviously scored a lot of goals. I lived in France for a year, though, and the French league is not necessarily the best test of a player - atrocious defending is rife and goals often come from mistakes rather than skill from the strikers. This is not to say he is a bad player, just a note of caution about imports - remember Samaras was banging them in in the Dutch league!

I'm not sure I like this party boy attitude he seems to have though. Watching the various post-victory interviews etc. it was apparent how many actually likeable players City have, a rare thing in this day and age and especially so in a successful side. The worst we have are Tevez and Balotelli who divide opinion rather than being universally hated. Looking a pictures like this reminds me how much more satisfying it is to support a club whose players seem like decent individuals to go for a pint with - can Real Madrid fans really enjoy watching Ronaldo roll up his shorts to reveal his thigh when he scores an admittedly impressive 30-yard strike, or are they thinking 'what a wally'?

I'm just slightly concerned that Hazard might rock the boat - I've heard some dark mutterings about his attitude. It is also slightly galling to see him openly court the club like this - doesn't he realise he's messing with the Champions of England?! We're not some trophyless has-beens like, ooh I don't know, other clubs he's being courted by... Petty smugness aside, I suppose he is treating the other two clubs in the same way, and of course you always want to get an advantage over your rivals, I just hope Vincent has a word in his ear and explains that we expect a certain standard of soundness from our players.

Looking forward to seeing him for Belgium on Saturday though - travesty they didn't qualify.

The players: Goalkeepers

Joe Hart
Apps: 51 (38 PL)
Clean sheets: 17 (most in division)
Every great side has to have a great goalkeeper, and Joe Hart ('Tranmere reject' according to my mate's dad) is showing all the signs of becoming just that. He's got everything - he's tall, athletic, great shotstopper, and although there are occasionally question marks over how he deals with crosses, this is clearly something that can be learnt, plus I think this might just be something people in the football media say to appear learned rather than something based in fact (I think he deals very well with most things that come high into the box - he'll often get a crucial fingertip to it that just nicks it from the head of the striker). His attitude is another important aspect of his contribution to the side - not only is he cheerful and positive, exactly what you'd want in a player on your team, but he also takes it upon himself to gee the other players up, and is always great for a quote (ITV reporter: "What do you think they're saying at Old Trafford?" Hart: "I couldn't care less what they're saying at Old Trafford!"). Indisputably one of the players of the season, both for City and the Prem, and barring injury or something disastrous (ADU get bored?!) looks set to be a City stalwart for years to come.
Moment that defined his season:
After a season of sustained excellence in net it seems strange not to go for one of the many late saves he made which ensured we won games: away at Newcastle, Villa, Wigan spring to mind. However, what really summed him up for me was the later stages of the QPR game on the last day of the season - he was desperate to contribute, despite the ball only coming into our half twice (both goals!), and was barely in his area, sprinting out to collect and return long balls, even taking a couple of throw-ins. This single-mindedness, this desire to inspire his teammates and have an influence on games is what I think sets him apart from other talented keepers.
Keep hold/get rid?
We might as well build the statue now. I hope he spends his entire career at City, and leads us and England to success after success. He's got the ability and the temperament, I just hope he gets the luck as well.


Costel Pantimilon
Apps: 5 (0 PL)
Clean sheets: 2
The Romanian goalkeeper of the year 2010 is in a bit of a funny position, understudy to the best keeper in the league. So far though he doesn't seem to mind, and has taken his opportunity in the cup competitions to reasonable effect. It's the ideal arrangement really - you don't want to see someone like Given sat on the bench, we don't want to be hoarding players and it would be a shame to see a truly great keeper wasting his time on the bench. If Pantimilon is happy doing what he's doing, then I'm happy, Mancini's happy, everyone's happy.
Moment that defined his season:
Going to be negative I'm afraid but the most high-profile match he played in was the FA Cup match at home to United, and it was his mistake that led to their second goal - his weak goal kick was collected easily in the middle of the park and spread out to Valencia who went down in the box for the pen. To be fair, he saved it, but couldn't reach the rebound. I was annoyed at the time because I felt it was an avoidable, sloppy goal at a time we needed to keep it tight (and obviously would have meant we drew after our fightback in the second half), and I was worried that match might hand the impetus to United in the league as well. Harsh to blame all this on Costel, but even as sub keeper you need to be 100% switched on at all times.
Keep hold/get rid?
Seems no reason to change things at the moment - touch wood, Hart seems to be ok injury-wise and if he does get crocked or sent off, we've got 6ft8-odd of Romanian to throw on.

England squad - Downing?!

Well, he didn't have much to work with did he. For the most part, I think he's done as well as could be expected. although there are a couple of disappointments. Here are my thoughts... 


Goalkeepers - Joe Hart, Robert Green, John Ruddy.


It is, I suppose, slightly worrying that our talent pool is so low, we'll just have to hope for City's sake and for England's that Hart stays free of injury. Assuming he does (and he seems to be made of stern stuff) then I think goalkeeper is one of the few parts of the England team that is truly world class. His attitude is second to none as well, and exactly the sort of player I would always want in my team. Always great to see a City player in there as well. So far so good...

Defenders - Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Joleon Lescott, John Terry.


Terry and Johnson shouldn't be going. The other players are going into the tournament off the back of excellent seasons - Lescott has been (mostly) great for us, Cahill has looked fantastic for Chelsea having been questioned at times for Bolton, while Cole, although he does not always come across as the most approachable person, is one of the best in the world at left-back. Leighton Baines has had another good season for Everton and is reliable backup, and I suppose Jones can play in a few positions. Terry, though, is not only a divisive (and racist!) presence in the dressing-room, but is also experiencing his limited ability coming to an end - he was absolutely schooled by Liverpool the other night. Johnson is a liability, and has played in a shocking team this year. Jagielka and Richards to replace them in my book.

Midfielders - Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young.


Gerrard is the right choice for captain, he's a leader and not quite over the hill. Milner and Barry have done a good, if unspectacular (mostly- Barry at home to Arsenal and Milner at OT were pretty spectacular) job for us, and Young is dangerous if inconsistent. Parker does a good spoiling job although I'm not sure he's world class. The Ox should definitely go, he's fantastic going forward and would be good to bring off the bench when you need something different. Walcott I don't rate, I just don't think he's a footballer. He can run really fast but he's got no brain and makes the wrong decision too often. I would leave Walcott and Downing (no goals and no assists - enough said) and take Lennon and Adam Johnson, both more dangerous and productive than the two Hodgson has picked.


Strikers - Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck.


This is really the worst part of the squad. What is it about the English condition that we can't produce strikers? How was Sergio Aguero's upbringing so different to Andy Carroll's? What a big lump he is. I might just about be tempted to take him because he 'offers something different' (yawn), but actually I'd rather have Sturridge - go for the youth and the footballing ability rather than height and 10 half-decent minutes in the FA Cup Final.


Standby - Jack Butland, Phil Jagielka, Jordan Henderson, Adam Johnson, Daniel Sturridge.


Bloody Henderson, useless.


My starting XI: Hart, Richards, Cahill, Lescott, Cole, Parker, Barry, Gerrard, Young, Lennon, Welbeck/Sturridge (Rooney when he's not suspended)

The spirit of '99 (or Sporting)

What utter madness. Is it going over the top to say the most dramatic end to a title race ever? I'd have to look it up, but I'm not sure if two goals in injury time have ever won it before, although of course Mickey Thomas in '89 springs to mind. I can't claim I was confident. When Cisse scored, I was worried. When Mackie scored, I was shellshocked. And when 90 minutes came and we were still behind I couldn't believe it was true. Although before the match my head said we'd steamroller them, my heart had been reminding me that this was still City and we have made a point in my 27 years of idiotic wastefulness. My mind went back to '96 - would we do something equally hilarious? Instead, though, it was the playoff final that the players managed to conjure up.

That said, I think it was this season's match against Sporting that really set the tone - 1-0 down from the first leg, 2-0 down on the night, at half-time it looked like we were set to lose embarrassingly, giving up our chance for European success for another season and putting all our eggs in the Premier League basket. However, two goals from Aguero and a penalty from Balotelli (won by Aguero) brought us back level, then Hart's header right at the end nearly put us through. This was then followed by games against Chelsea, Stoke and Sunderland. In all of these games we went behind but came back to get something from the game. Although Stoke and Sunderland looked like points dropped at the time, of course every point was vital in a league won on goal difference!













Anyway, Sunday. In many ways I think it was our season in a nutshell - dominate for the first half without managing to get convincing ahead of the opposition, have a suspect third quarter in which we nearly throw it away, undoing all the good work, and then pull it back right at the end. The very end. But what a match. So much drama, so many talking points, all discussed ad infinitum in the days since the match (I'm not exactly bang up to date with my writing). I just want to mention a few players though.

First, Sergio. Just unbelievable all season, since scoring that belter against Swansea and continuing to score since. He's got such pace, skill, nerve, ability, temperament...a friend of a friend was involved in the medical at City and apparently he's a lovely bloke into the bargain. The cool head with which he dropped his shoulder to go round the defender and then smash it in was worth the price we paid (incidentally, just £3m more than Carrol and £12m less than Torres!), and I was also impressed with how adeptly he wheeled his shirt around afterwards. Great celebrating.

I think Lescott must be the most relieved man in the country, and there are a lot of relieved Blues out there. He must have been feeling that he had let one slip-up define a season in which he has been largely excellent, even if he is the only member of the squad who is more comfortable with his head than with his feet. However, it wasn't Lescott who I was most angry with when we were losing. I can forgive ineptitude (I have supported City for 20-odd years) and even lack of concentration, but what I can't abide is laziness on the pitch. For that reason, it was Nasri who I was ready to blame if we didn't manage to win the title. The way he jogged back for the second goal, leaving Mackie completely on his own, was terrible. I couldn't believe the lack of desire, in a match of that importance! I was also furious when he let the ball go out for a throw-in after our second, wasting precious time giving the ball to the opposition. I think he's the only player who you could really say has under-achieved this season, although he has scored a couple of important goals against Tottenham and Chelsea. I also enjoyed how he was named man of the match at home to Arsenal (slightly generous but I love a bit of goading), and anyone who manages to embarrass Piers Morgan is a good lad in my book. I also loved it when he celebrated with Cisse at the end, but I think he needs to improve next year.

I was delighted that Dzeko scored the equaliser. I thought he helped to change the game when he came on, just as he had against Sporting, but the one who really made the difference was Super Mario. Sometimes I think he can be a passenger, sulking when he hasn't got the ball and then fouling when it comes to him and he inevitably gives it away. On Sunday though he was excellent, full of energy and running, getting into dangerous positions and of course setting up the winner.

But what a day. It was a long time coming, but it was worth it when it did. Champions League next season?

More Kompany love

As if I wasn't fawning enough in the last post, I'd just like to reproduce the great man's tweeted response to being voted Premier League player of the year (there is no one near him in all honesty):


"I'm really grateful but I must say straight away that I wish I could share this award in particular with my defensive partners... they are all incredible - Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy, Joleon Lescott - and those not on Twitter. The prize is theirs!"


Class and humility, in this day and age. It brings a tear to the eye. 

Pole position?

The build-up for the derby was so hyperbolic and all-pervading that it almost felt like a cup final rather than a league match, and that's how it played out. The play was tight, with neither team willing to over-commit and few chances. We were clearly the more nervous at the beginning of the game, and I was worried we were in for a tough time. However, we remembered quite early on that we are, and have been all season, the best team in the country, and began to put them to the sword.

That the goal would come from a (slight) mistake and a set piece was not surprising though, and what a header. If there is a captain more inspiring, intelligent and consistently excellent I'm yet to see him play. I just can't speak highly enough of Kompany. He is a credit to the club and his defending is as thrilling as Sergio's attacking. To hear him speaking articulately in his press conferences is a delight and makes me proud to support the club that he leads. The fact that he's triple hard is just another reason to love him.

But what an achievement to prevent United from even having an attempt on target. There was no doubt that the better team took the spoils, we outplayed them in every department and thoroughly deserved to go level on points. In the run-up to the game it was mentioned a few times that we hadn't scored at home against them in the league for nearly five years, since Geovanni's deflected winner at the start of the madness of the Thaksin/Sven era (as an aside, remember Ferguson's expression when it looked like Tevez had scored but then he hadn't? Heh heh...). I think the reason for that became clear last Monday - Ferguson has been worried about us for a few years now, and has gone defensive for the last few occasions we've played them. The difference is that now we have the players to score when they park their big red bus. We've scored the most goals from corners now apparently, a far cry from a few seasons ago when we didn't score from a corner until Onuoha at Tottenham in about April.
















My dad was saying after Wolves game that Newcastle away was a much harder challenge than United at home and that was certainly how it felt in the week up to the game. It would be 'typical City', surely, to beat United home and away and then contrive to lose to Newcastle or QPR (or both). It was a nail-biting 70 minutes but when you've got Yaya you've always got a chance. He's got the ability to impose himself on the game through his physicality, technique and desire that effectively won us the FA Cup last season, and his two goals have put us in the position where we can at last admit that we are (just) favourites for the league.

Of course, if we won 1-0 but United won 10-0 I wouldn't be entirely surprised. City are still City in my mind, even if we now look like a 'proper' team on the pitch. I would be disappointed if we relegate QPR on Sunday - I don't care about Hughes, I was never convinced (especially with him being an ex-Rag), and I am always shocked to remember we've still got some of his dreadful signings on our wage bill (Santa Cruz, Bridge, Adebayor), but Shauny, Nedum and even Joey Barton are three of my favourite players of all time, and great examples of graduates from our academy.

So, we've got a good chance. If we keep the attacking side we've had in the last few weeks, and don't do anything silly, then who knows. Just hope Wes Brown and John O'Shea haven't planned to knock in 5 own goals each.

The big one

Oof. A tsunami of hyperbole is already buffeting all of football, and it hardly needs saying, but good grief. Tomorrow night is pretty huge. United fans I've been speaking to have been trying the usual dismissive arrogance ('It's never mattered before...') but their hearts aren't in it. I just heard the derby described as 'the biggest in living memory', which is a bit over the top, but it is a match to make the mouth water.

Now, I don't want to enrage the football gods, so I'm not going to make any definite predictions, but I think it's clear from how United fans and management are talking that they are worried. I've also had a few comments along the lines of 'We've thrown it away' from Reds I've spoken to - I know they've got short memories, so I'm not even going to bother taking the bait.

City have got to name an unchanged side (actually, mostly unchanged, but with Richards in for Zab) - I'm slightly worried by Mancini's hints about bringing back Super Mario, partly because I can easily see the red mist descending again, but more because Tevez and Aguero are such an exhilarating combination. Jonny Evans must be waking up sweating from night terrors of two grinning Argentines, and Rio's creaky legs will need a lot of magic sponge and WD40.

In fact, on paper I fancy us to win every key battle (attack/defence, midfield), but that's the key - will we live up to our potential? We need everyone to step up, so I think performance from people like Nasri (not enough all season), Silva (needs a winter break?) and even Yaya (it's not quite coming off for him at the moment) will make the difference.

If we can avoid getting our captain sent off for a perfectly timed challenge, and the attack do their job, I think we've got a decent chance. It is exciting though isn't it! Come on the blues!