Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Mind Games

Well, a top of the table to you everyone!

We only have a few days before the Chelsea match on Monday, but you can count on our friend Jose trying to play some head games between now and then.

We should have had a draw at Chelsea, and only a terrible mistake by Hart handed the match to Chelsea.  This time, we will be at home, where our form has been formidable.  Let the games begin!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Are we getting lucky?

Lescott kicks an attacker in the shins, knocking him over in the box.

Kolarov shoots right at the keeper from 30 yard.  An easy shot.  But somehow is squirrels in between his legs.

Would these incidents change the ultimate outcome of the game?  Who knows?!

There is an old saying:  I'd rather be lucky than good.  As far as City is concerned, I'd rather by lucky AND good.  Let's hope the luck continues to fall our way.

After the Spurs Match:  Again, I don't think it affected the final outcome, but Dzecko was not fouled in the box.  The replay showed it was a great defensive play, and he clearly got the ball from behind.  Rose should not have gotten a red card for that, and we should not have gotten the penalty.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

keep winning!

According to Wikipedia, Arsenal have the longest win streak in English football, winning 14 consecutive matches across two seasons between 2001 and 2003.

The way things are at the top of the Premier League this season, that record may fall.  Arsenal and Chelsea have each won 5 consecutive matches.  The one before that they played each other and drew.  City, Chelsea and Arsenal "control their own destiny".  If they win every match (including the one where they play each  other), they win the league.  But with 16 matches to go, that would require a record or two to be broken. 

City have already broken the record for fastest to 100 goals.  But we find our selves in second place due to some sloppy early away form.  100 goals isn't a 'record' as much as it is an amazing feat.  Why don't we celebrate fastest to 50 goals?  Or fastest to 58?  It's just a round number. 

But to be the champion this year, we'll have to keep extracting 3 points from every match.  Until someone falters.  I just hope it is not us!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

City Style

Do I dare say it:  Manchester City are playing the beautiful game that the Spanish prefer. Lots of passing and long balls to the front line.  This is leading to lots of goals!  The Italian defending style of Mancini is no more!

I don't know if Roberto has the time to watch any of our matches this season, but I'm pretty sure he's shocked if he is.

Obviously, there is nothing wrong with this style.  Particularly if it keeps extracting three points from every match!

And it increasingly looks like that is what is going to be required to win the Premier League this year, as Arsenal and Chelsea are keeping up with our fine form.

Extracting Revenge?

Well, we just beat Cardiff City. 

It was this person's fervent hope and desire that the MCFC scoring machine would extract revenge for loosing on the road early in the season.  But it was not to be.  The final score makes the casual viewer think we were in control the entire match, but we were not.  Noone gave our defense fits.  I think the announcer put it best: during the course of the match, he beat Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov and Clichy.  The only defender he didn't beat was Zabaletta, and I think that was only for the lack of opportunity.

I just looked him up on Wikipedia.  His overall stats do not look impressive.  Maybe yesterday was the match of his life.  But he looked good doing it!

Dzeko scored our 100th goal of the season.  He had some nice shots, but in my opinion, there is a certain "justice" to the fact that he did it on a muffed shot.  Overall, he had a great game yesterday.  He should have been awarded two penalties for clumsy tackles by Cardiff in the box, but none were given.

At heart, I am a defender.  But I wonder where the City defense was on the crosses and why Cardiff gives us such a hard time on them.  Their late goal was on a cross.  The City team seemed to want to give Cardiff the goal.  Demichelis is clearly clearing the way for the attacker, without trying to go for the ball himself.

On the bright side, Joe Hart continues his fine form and made some very nice saves.

Three points is three points!  :-)

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Police Report: 3 Points Stolen at Newcastle

Wow, just a little bit of controversy there, eh?

While Hart watched it sail by him, Newcastle had a leveling goal disallowed for offsides.  Clearly, 2 Newcastle players were offsides, but neither was affecting the play.  At least in my opinion. We got very, very lucky on that.

The controversy really fired up the home side.  Our forward play was terrible as we tried to push the ball too much instead of slowing it down.  The result was a number of giveaways that gave the opposition a lot of chances.  My man of the match is Kompany.  He must have cleared 20 crosses/passes into the box and very reliably.

As I write this, we don't know the condition of Samir Nasri.  I can't believe the Newcastle player was not given a red card.  He may not have been trying to injure, but the second kick was surely reckless and high.  Nasri has been playing great.  Let's hope that his injury is minor.

Newcastle deserved a draw (at least!) and we took the points.  If you are going to win championships, occasional thievery will be required.  We got one there.

Monday, January 6, 2014

A nice holiday

well, we got all the points from the holiday season.

Not a bad gift at all!

A quick look at the BBC color coded table tells us that our favorite club is the "hottest" team in the Premier League right now, dropping 5 points out of the possible 30 in the last 10 matches.

A little more worrying is our inconsistent play and the lack of goals in the last couple of games.  Sounds reminiscent of a season 2 years ago where January was very rough on us.  Well, we know how that turned out!

Hopefully, we keep taking those points!  It will be interesting to see what the transfer window brings, for us AND the competition.  For example Chelsea are one point behind us, having scored 19 fewer goals.  Personally, I wouldn't be surprised to see United spend 40-50M this January.  Hopefully, a case of too little, too late for them!