The Final Say

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Feb 212010

I really wish Stoke would be relegated. Not because of the way they play, just because I am sick of the sight of them and the players must be too.

But I’m amazed that, given the problems that we had against them in the FA Cup tie that we weren’t more on the ball for the league game on Tuesday. At times, we were like a newly promoted side, watching them pass the ball and doing nothing about it. We learnt nothing about their style of play and to cap it all, Patrick Vieira gets himself suspended for a stupid reaction.

Then we go 1-0 down to ten men after Faye was sent off. What was all that about? We are the team chasing fourth in the league and we couldn’t take advantage of the extra man. I know that when a team loses a man, they can often up their game, but at that point we should have gone for the jugular but instead we concede a goal that really should have been kept out.

It was a bit of poor defending from new boy Adam Johnson but Given should really have done better. There have been a lot of calls this week saying that we shouldn’t lose Joe Hart and on some of Given’s recent performances, you can see why.

Bellamy Bust-Up?

No, surely not. Craig Bellamy involved in a bust-up with a manager? That’s not like him, is it? But apparently Bellamy’s City future has been thrown into doubt after he had a bit of a tiff with Roberto Mancini over training.

According to The Sun, Mancini told the Welsh striker to ‘get out and not come back for three months.’ On Wednesday, Bellers had been ordered to report to one of Mancini’s coaches the next day but he refused. Following this, he was then sent to headmaster Mancini’s office were they had a ‘heated’ discussion and Mancini gave his order.

Of course, Bellers stormed out of Carrington and was asked to apologise by Garry Cook and Brian Marwood. Amazingly, he refused. How about that?

Dour Draw Sees Blues Lose Pace

Another lacklustre performance has again seen the blues drop points. It seems weird talking like this after we have just drawn against Liverpool but this is the standard we are setting now. We have got to beat teams like this if we are to go that one step further. Draws are not going to help when team like Villa and Spurs are breathing down our necks waiting for us to slip.

It could have been worse though. If we’d lost today, we’d be in seventh now, considering Villa’s result against Burnley but we must seriously improve, if not for the FA Cup tie then for Chelsea next Saturday.

That’s going to be one of those games where we want to win but if we lose, it could go some way to United not winning the league. But I’d rather we win at Chelsea and beat United at Eastlands as well. The second we should pull off but the first? We’ll see next week.

Anyway, until next Sunday keep the faith and have a good week.

Posted by Pete at 23:49

Stalemate Puts Spurs Into Fourth

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Feb 212010

City and Liverpool played out a dour goalless draw at Eastlands and the result has allowed Spurs to steal in and take fourth place in the Premier League this evening.

Missing Carlos Tevez and Patrick Vieira, manager Roberto Mancini decided to play with Emmanuel Adebayor as the loan striker with former Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy on the bench, but they could have done with the Welshman and the Argentine on the field from the start as both teams laboured to a point that could prove vital in the end of season run-in.

There wasn’t much to keep the fans interest in the first half with both teams failing to get a decent shot on target. In fact, it was Liverpool’ Martin Skrtel who had the best chance of the half, heading Steven Gerrard’s corner wide from just six yards out.

In the second half, Adam Johnson bullet cross was met by the unfortunate head of Ryan Babel, who needed some time out to recover from the blow.

Adebayor had a good chance to give City the lead, but his shot was well saved by Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal. Craig Bellamy was thrown on after 68 minutes to a rapturous welcome, the home fans clearly pleased with seeing the Welshman in action following his alleged bust-up with Mancini. He was on in place of Shaun Wright-Phillips and eight minutes later Stephen Ireland was replaced by Abdisalam Ibrahim.

Adebayor could have wont he game for City with ten minutes remaining but for Skrtel’s challenge but both teams had to settle for a point in the end which wasn’t enough for either team to prove their top four ambitions.

Instead, Spurs take over form the two, pushing City into fifth and with Aston Villa’s 5-2 win over Burnley, just one point separates Spurs in fourth and Villa in seventh.

Posted by Pete at 23:15

Match Preview: No Mersey Double Please

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Feb 212010

City face Liverpool hoping to preserve their unbeaten home record and avoid making at a Merseyside double weekend.

United lost 3-1 at Everton on Saturday and Roberto Mancini will be hoping City fair better against the scousers and put some clear distance between the two as the race for fourth place hots up.

The City manager believes all the pressure will be on Rafa Benitez’ men as they attempt to leapfrog the blues and increase their Champions League qualification chances. “We want to win and so do they, so it will be difficult but more so for Liverpool,” explains the Italian.

“We are above them and they have to try to get past us. We have to be positive, if we can win, we will go further ahead of them so that’s what we must try to do.”

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will be hoping for a similar performance to the one in last season’s fixture when his team came back from two goals down to win 3-2. Victory today will take the Merseysiders two points clear of the blues in fourth place, but defeat will increase the pressure on the Spaniard, whose job has been rumored to have been on the line for a good part of the season.

Team News

Patrick Vieira starts his three match ban and misses today’s game which may give Stephen Ireland the chance to impress. Craig Bellamy could also feature despite the rumoured bust up between him and manager Mancini in midweek. Martin Petrov will also miss the game with a knee injury which could keep him out for a month while Carlos Tevez is still in Argentina on family matters.

Fernando Torres is still out for Liverpool as is Glen Johnson who are both sidelined with knee injuries while Yossi Benayoun is still struggling with a rib injury.

Teams:

Manchester City (from): Given, Taylor, Richards, Zabaleta, Onuoha, Toure, Lescott, Boyata, Garrido, Sylvinho, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Barry, De Jong, Ibrahim, Johnson, Bellamy, Adebayor.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Skrtel, Agger, Carragher, Insua, Gerrard, Lucas, Aquilani, Rodriguez, Riera, Benayoun, Ngog, Kuyt, Cavalieri, Pacheco, Spearing, Babel, Aurelio, Degen.

League Form (Last Five)

City: LWLWD

Liverpool: WDWWL

Danger man: Steven Gerrard

Always a threat in the Liverpool engine room but has not been playing his bet lately

Over The Blue Moon Prediction: City 2-1 Liverpool

 

While both teams are not playing particularly well, I fancy the blues to nick it

Posted by Pete at 09:03

The Opposition: Liverpool

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Feb 212010

Liverpool visit Eastlands in a clash that may have a significant bearing in the race to finish fourth in the Premier League.

The Merseysiders are classed as one of the ‘big four’ but their supporters have endured a long and difficult season which has not been helped by constant speculation surrounding Rafa Benitez’ future and rumours regarding possible takeover bids which would take the club from their apparently warring American owners.

The off-field problems have seemed to take there toll on the pitch and the problems seemed to start following a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea in October. Following that game, they were beaten by a fifth minute beach ball goal at Sunderland, but since the beach ball wasn’t actually registered with the club, the credit was instead given to Darren Bent.

A 2-0 win over United at Anfield was a brief respite as hit self destruct. They were knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages and had to settle for the Europa League. A 2-0 defeat at bottom club Portsmouth increased the pressure on Benitez and it was soon followed by being knocked out of the FA Cup in the their round. After only managing a 1-1 draw at Reading, Liverpool should have hammered the struggling Championship club. But Reading took the tie to extra time and scored a remarkable 2-1 of the once feared team.

Following that shock defeat, Liverpool have picked up ten points from the last eighteen available and they now sit a point behind City in fifth place.

Manager – Rafa Benitez

The Spaniard has been in charge at Anfield since 2004 and enjoyed a very successful start and for a while, it seemed like the glory days were returning to Liverpool. His first season saw them lift the Champions League trophy, coming from 3-0 down to level at 3-3 with AC Milan, before winning the trophy on penalties.

The following season, he won the FA Cup and a 3rd place finish and the season after. Benitez took Liverpool to another Champions League Final against Milan but lost 2-0. Last season, Benitez took the club to second place and the closest they have ever some to winning the Premier League for the first time.

Ground – Anfield

Anfield was completed in 1884 but was originally the home of Everton. Liverpool moved their when Everton moved out in 1892 and has been their home ever since. Its current capacity is 45, 362

Posted by Pete at 00:19

Ireland May Get His Chance Following Vieira Ban

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Feb 182010

Stephen Ireland could get the chance to regain some of his form when City entertain Liverpool on Sunday.

Ireland was an unused sub for Tuesday’s clash with Stoke with Patrick Vieira getting the nod to play alongside Gareth Barry and Nigel de Jong. But the former Arsenal man is facing a three match suspension, Ireland may be in line for a start against the Merseysiders in a clash that could have a huge say on who gets fourth spot.

City currently lie one place ahead of Liverpool in the table and victory will move them four points clear of their North West rivals while defeat could see the blues slip as far as 7th in the league, depending on results elsewhere.

Ireland recently blamed former manager Mark Hughes for his lack of form, claiming the Welshman often played him out of position and his last league start for the blues came at Hull City when City were beaten 2-1. Ireland said he was rarely allowed to play in his best position meaning he struggled to make an impact.

Meanwhile, Liverpool laboured to a Europa League win on Thursday against Romanian unknowns Unirea Urzinceni. Despite fielding a strong team and almost being ahead within the first thirty seconds, Liverpool had to wit until the 81st minute to break the deadlock and take a slender 1-0 lead to Romania for the return leg.

Posted by Pete at 23:33
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