'We Still Have Ten Days...'

Roberto Mancini's reaction was far from conclusive when asked whether our dealings in the transfer market were done. The acquisition of Edin Dzeko seemed enough to satisfy most of the success hungry City fans. Now with rumours circulating and our managers refusal to rule out any more transfers there is a momentum of expectancy beginning to gather.

It seems inevitable that Shaun Wright-Phillips' future lies elsewhere with Bolton and Fulham looking most likely to sign him. Adebayor has sealed his loan switch to Real Madrid with an option to buy at the end of the season and there are prayers rumours that Jo could also move on to pastures new.

There has been a Cruyff-fueled rumour that Dani Alves wants to leave Barcelona with City being one of his preferred suitors. But would he adapt to the premier league? There is certainly no doubting the Brazilians attacking talents but there seems to be a shroud of uncertainty surrounding his defensive capabilities. I could see him emulating Kolarov's role in the team, providing width high up the pitch but looking slightly vulnerable in more defensive situations. Vulnerability can be forgiven where Kolarov is concerned, he is young and new to a very quick league, Alves on the other hand is 28 and is not in a position to benefit so much from the experience of the EPL.

Another name linked to City, although a little more remote, is Sergio Ramos. Apparently he has had a falling out with Jose Mourinho and Madrid would be willing to let him go. Ramos is a much better defender than Alves and boasts some attacking flair of his own. If it was possible to get Ramos I think it would be a great bit of business, although I can't quite see it materializing.

Villa 1 - 0 City (22/01/11)

Possibly the most frustrating 90 minutes I have ever endured. Even more so than back in the day when watching an average team put in a lack-lustre display was the norm. Today is different, with the talent and class at our disposal, going into any game and failing to score is a huge disappointment.

We totally dominated the game in terms of possession although there was no clear cut chances to score, apart from a corner that went through Tevez' legs but the ball came at him quick and he couldn't adjust.
Alexander Kolorov had by far his best game for City, he looked our biggest threat on several occasions from open play and set pieces. I think Kolarov possibly had more touches than anyone in a City shirt and looked quick, bright and incisive. It looked like only a matter of time before we broke the deadlock.

Jerome Boateng started on the other side and looked comfortable on the ball and showed surprising technical ability with a controlled volley. His display was encouraging and this was certainly one of his better performances, although he does lack the raw pace and power provided by Micah Richards.

After Darren Bent's inevitable goal, we looked even more dominant. It was almost like being an Arsenal fan when we played at the Emirates. We had all the possession and came forward with wave after wave of attack only to be thwarted by a very strong and disciplined defence ( including our beloved Richard Dunne). Despite all of our possession we had nothing to show for it, each attack was predictable and looked very easy to defend against. We had no real width despite the best efforts from Kolarov.

We had too many players who didn't look anywhere near their best, David Silva looked a yard of the pace, Yaya lacked ambition and Tevez work rate was not matched with the class we've consistently seen this season. Most disappointingly Gareth Barry once again couldn't silence his Villa park critics and put in a poor and tired display.

We started with Dzeko leading the line and his link up play was good, he looked strong and showed good feet on numerous occasions. As the game progressed Dzeko seemed to pull out more to the left which deemed him virtually ineffective, he was supplying the crosses that he should have been on the end of.
The late introduction of Adam Johnson made us look more potent. He kept the much needed width and as ever looked dangerous running at his full back. The final product never really cam, a few good crosses were unanswered and a long range shot from the unlikely Nigel De Jong was deflected onto the post.

Joe Hart may have done slightly better with the goal and some may argue that Kolarov could have reacted quicker. Either way, teams will score goals against us this season and its our ability to regroup and bounce back from that on which we'll be judged.

In summary I think too many of our better players weren't on their game. Forget a weaker side against Notts County, I'd go with the same starting 11 and get them to start working as a unit. Roles need defining Wdefining with regards to creation, width and defensive responsibilities.

Aston Villa Preview

A game that epitomizes our recent fast track to success. Two years ago it was a three horse race for the European spots, Spurs, Villa and ourselves, playing at a similar level with very little separating each. Two seasons on and the progress and stature of the clubs has become discrepant. The long term plans devised by the ADUG have seen substantial investment in our club and the acquisition of so many quality players have seen us excel above today's opposition.

Villa, on the other hand, have taken a few steps backwards. From a team that looked so strong and dominant, with a great mix of pace and skill, have deteriorated into a dysfunctional unit with a squad predominantly made up of young talent yet to fulfill their potential. I believe City's recent ventures have directly effected this with the acquisition (and therefore Villa's loss) of James Milner. Milner was the glue in the Villa team that seemed to bring everything together and since his departure there his been a distinct lack of leadership and drive.

Villa however, will be rejuvenated by the recent statement signing of Darren Bent who is set to make his debut today. By any standards, even at £18m; Bent is a great signing for Villa and a proven goalscorer wherever he has played. Having already scored one against us this season, in the away defeat at Sunderland, the City defence will certainly have to be aware of his potent mix of power, pace and acute finishing.

We go into tonight's game looking to continue our impressive away from which has seen us lose only two away games this season (one courtesy of Darren Bent's late goal away at Sunderland). the home fixture against Villa was our biggest win of the season, scoring four without conceding.

Roberto Mancini's team selection will be interesting and with most of our senior players not fit (bar Balotelli) could provide an insight of who he considers his strongest team. After recently finding his feet and starting to settle in the league, Kolarov should start at left-back. Despite Micah Richards return to fitness, Zabaleta's recent form should be enough to guarantee him a start at right-back. Vincent Kompany as always will be the first name on the team sheet and should be partnered by Kolo Toure in a bid to capture their early season solidity. Kolo Toure's availability was a huge relief as the heavy footed clumsiness of Joleon Lescott playing against the nimble Albrighton and Young had an inevitability of a penalty.

We should stick with the usual spine of Yaya, De Jong and the un-sung Gareth Barry. Returning to his former club today I see Gareth Barry's role in our sophisticated system as one of the most crucial. With the absence of  a true left winger, there is an expectancy surrounding Kolarov to get forward from the left-back position and supply the width. With Barry sitting in midfield, primarily to the left of De-Jong he is constantly asked to sit in for Kolorav and provide the cover, which he does so more than adequately. Another key part to Barry's game is his quick distribution. Always providing on option in midfield he is constantly available for the pass and by the standards of the premiership he rarely gives the ball away.

A big call for Mancini is which one of the four attackers he drops to the bench. With Tevez a certain starter and Mancini implying that Dzeko will start, it is down to one of either Johnson or Silva. My prediction is that Johnson will drop to the bench. With David Silva on the pitch we look a much more functional, fluent team. His interchange of positions with the midfield and the other two acking players seems to create more space than ever seemed possible.  If we stick to our usual tactic of dominating posession then Silva is the obvious choice. This also provides the option of introducing Johnson later on to provide the extra direct threat, given the torrid time he gave Stephen Warnock in the home tie I can see this being an effective late tactic if neccessary.

With Tevez dropping slightly deeper and linking up with Silva I think we will create quite a few chances today. We will be looking to keep hold of the ball and see some early signs of the link up play and the relationships to be established amongst our front three. With Aston villa playing two very attacking wingers in downing and Albrighton, our full backs will be looking to get forward and exploit the space left by them. Zabaleta's attacking play has improved a lot during his latest run in the team and his link up play with Tevez has provided an extra threat.

A lot of the build up to this game has surrounded 'Dzeko v Bent', I am looking forward to seeing Dzeko more and more and i think as he finds his fitness he will be a delight to watch.

Prediction - Aston Villa 1 - 2 City - The last few games I have predicted clean sheets to no avail, until our defence find the sort of form we did early in the season we will always be susceptible to balls into the box and especially set pieces. Despite the big 'Dzeko v Bent' ordeal, I think it will be the old guard who seal the win. Tevez for two.

A Moment. A Love.

Five minutes before kick off, forty-two years on in the same competition which produced so many City fan's  most cherished memories.

 The fans were adorned in our cup winning red and black, singing 'Blue Moon' at the top of their voices as the scoreboard symbolised our promise with the blue moon rising.

  There were no 'poznan' style celebrations carrying association with recent success, just a clearing in the cloud for the moon to shine through and a stadium full of adoration and appreciation for one man.

The advertising boards were cleared of all corporate responsibility, simply displaying the words 'There's only one Neil Young' in a moment dedicated undividedly to the true City legend.

Leicester replay preview

I'm  not going to go in to too much detail previewing tactics and the opposition as a lot of my thoughts were in the initial preview of the away leg. So here's a (very short) summary of my thoughts before the game.

I think tonight will be a similar game. On our home pitch with our fans behind us, I think we will have a lot more possession than we did in the away leg and create a lot more chances. As far as the team goes, I expect Milner and Vieira to continue as a middle two, with Silva just infront of them and Johnson and Jo (sigh) flanking Tevez. This would have been an ideal game to help Dzeko settle into the team but as he was not registered in time for the first leg he is illegible for tonight's game.

Joe Hart should start in between the posts with a back for of Boateng, Zabaleta, Lescott and Kompany. I think it is important that Vincent plays tonight as we will need his aerial dominance against the big Sol Bamba.

Tonight is the ideal time for City fans to show the true magnitude of respect held for Neil Young. There is set to be a tribute with the OS encouraging City fans to wear read and black in honour of the City legend.

Prediction - City 2 - 0 Leicester - A game in which I'm very confident in getting a result. I think Mancini will have a strong bench in case things aren't going our way and we may see the introduction of Gareth Barry in the second half. David Silva and Adam Johnson to get on the score sheet.

City 4 - 3 Wolves (15/01/2011)

A 7 goal thriller without ever really being thrilling. In a game in which nothing less than three points was acceptable we certainly made it hard for ourselves. Our approach to the game was contradictory of everything implemented under Mancini's reign and was more reminiscent of the 'we'll score more than you' approach we saw under Keegan and Sven.

The City line up was pretty much as I predicted with what I see as our strongest back four and our usual spine. One surprise in the team was a debut for Edin Dzeko who spearheaded the attack with Adam Johnson on the right and Carlos Tevez initially pushed out to the left.

We started surprisingly slow with the early pressure from Wolves hurrying our play and causing a lot of errors. The wolves front three of Doyle, Jarvis and Hunt were pressing high up the pitch and not allowing our centre backs any time on the ball. We initially looked short of options with the continued absence of David Silva we failed to utilise the space between the opposition back four and midfield. There was a lack of dominance from either team but the Wolves pressure told when Kolo failed to clear a cross and Milias scrambled home from close range. This provoked a reaction from Mancini which proved to be an inspired one. Tevez was pushed further inside and Yaya further up the pitch, this saw Carlos have a lot more of the ball, picking out some inch perfect passes and spreading play with great effectiveness. Another change was the positioning of Alex Kolarov, moving into a more advanced position and providing the width which allowed Tevez so much time and space inside.

I personally think this was Kolarov's best game for City. It has been established that he is not the best defender in the league world, but I think he is very important to the system Mancini enforces. Against wolves he looked competent defensively (including two crucial goal saving tackles) and going forward provided the width we so often lack. On Saturday in particular he looked very comfortable on the ball, his passing was incisive and  for the majority of the first half he looked like our biggest threat going forward.

It was Kolarov's corner that was eventually turned in by Kolo Toure giving us a vital lift just before half time. (It would be a shame to avoid cliche here...) This really was a game of two halves. We came out after the break looking more positive and a lot livelier both with and without the ball. Two magical moments from our captain and an impressive goal from Yaya Toure looked to have put the game beyond doubt. The first goal was some fine skill and close control from Tevez which saw him beat 4 defenders before calmly finishing underneath Wayne Hennessey. His second goal was a contrast but showed the range of his telents, a chipped ball in from his Argentinian team-mate Zabaleta which Tevez met and superbly guided in off the bar. Tevez skills are undoubted, not just amongst City fans but the footballing world, therefore to most blues, the goal scored by Yaya Toure was equally, if not more encouraging to watch. Gareth barry cleared on the edge of our box out to Dzeko on the left, a swift pass and move with Tevez then a perfectly weighted pass finding Yaya's powerful run who finished deftly. This is the kind of goal any football fan loves to see, a real team goal involving 6 incisive touches from box to box and a neat finish.

His pivotal role in the goal was just one of the many encouraging signs from our £27m Bosnian. He looked strong, had a good first touch and looks surprisingly mobile given his build. Dzeko's link up play with Tevez was impressive especially given this was their first game together. Dzeko certainly has a lot of confidence in his own ability which was typified as he out muscled a centre back before delightfully nutmegging another Wolves defender then playing an easy ball and taking up a position in the box. He is a Different option in our attack and as Mancini said he offers something that our other forwards can't. All that was missing from a very impressive debut was a goal, which could have came was it not for a heavy first touch (which I put down to his recent lack of match practice).

In true City fashion we made things difficult for ourselves in the last ten minutes, first Lescott's clumsy challenge resulting in his former club converting a penalty. A very frustrating moment from a frustrating player. Doyle was heading away from our goal, posing no real threat when Lescott saw fit to bundle him over from behind. Concentration and irrational decisions like this are the source of many peoples doubts about him and he certainly did himself no favours here. Lescott was only on the pitch because of an earlier injury to Kolo Toure. At 4-2 we still looked to be cruising with Tevez and Dzeko linking up well in the right areas. That was until Ronald Zuubar was unchallenged from a corner and his free header was adjudged to have crossed the line despite Nigel De Jong's best efforts. The last 10 minutes did look nervy, the pressure was increased as the 4th official somehow found five minutes to add on despite the lack of any real stoppages.

Back to the positives from the game, it was nice to see David Silva back on the pitch, he didn't have much to do in the ten minutes he played but his return to fitness is a huge boost ahead of the replay with Leicester and next week's trip to Villa.

I think a lot of credit should go to Mancini for being pro-active and changing the game when he did, the flexibility of our system and the slight positional changes that we find so easy to adapt to, can really change a game and this win was a perfect example of his cute tactical awareness.

Wolves Preview

A crucial game which is certain to put the draws against United and Arsenal into context. My previous theories about our approach to big games have been dependant on results against the so called smaller clubs in the league. This is more relevant than ever this week with Wolves sitting one place above the relegation zone.

Mick McCarthy's men have been very unpredictable this season losing 10 of their last 17 games but pulling of surprise victories against Chelsea and Liverpool. This indicates we must have our wits about us and approach the game with the right attitude. I think Mancini's famous 'negative approach' will change this week even with the absence of Mario Balotelli and fitness doubts over David Silva.

Our main fitness worries surround the Spaniard, who is in a race to shake off the knee injury which ruled him out of the last 3 games.Micah Richards will miss out with a back injury.

As far as the starting line up goes, I can see returns for Nigel De Jong,Vincent Kompany and Gareth Barry. Alexander Kolarov should start at left back with no worries of him being exposed in a game where we are rightfully expected to dominate possession. In the absence of Richards he right-back slot will be occupied by either Jerome Boateng or Pablo Zabaleta, I would much prefer Pablo to start as I think he offers so much more in attack (although not quite the pace and power of Richards) whilst simultaneously looking more solid at the back. It will be a relief to see Vincent Kompany back in the heart of our defence to eliminate any worries and reinforce any chinks in our armor.

Given our inferior opposition, our forward play should be more expansive, I expect Carlos Tevez to lead the line, playing just in front of Yaya Toure, being flanked by Adam Johnson and hopefully possibly David Silva depending on his fitness. If Silva does not pass his fitness test I expect James Milner to come in with his recent good form. This should see Johnson on the right keeping the width with Milner cutting inside, putting the onus on Kolorav to provide the wide threat down the left hand side.

A big talking point before this game has been the introduction of Edin Dzeko. Whilst many of the City fans can't wait to set eyes on their new hero, I believe Mancini will wait and introduce the Bosnian in the second half. Dzeko had not played competitively for 8 weeks due to the Bundesliga winter break and Mancini knows this will have effected his fitness. It was good to see him on the OS however saying how much he wants to start the game and show the fans what he can do. He certainly seems like a confident young man.

My team predictions could be far fetched judging from Mancini's recent team selections and no-one can rule out the inclusion of Jo. I'm going to the game tomorrow and watching the Brazilian in real life is on a whole new level of terrible then watching him on TV. From his prayers when coming on to his ironic applauding of the fans when he goes off, it's one thing I definitely don't want to see tomorrow.

Prediction - City 3-0 Wolves I think we have far too much quality for them to be able to cope with our attacking prowess. My predictions Haven't been the best so far so I'm going to take a big risk to reputation and go for a Nigel De Jong goal, added to by Tevez and a debut goal for Edin Dzeko.

Boring Boring City?

How a team containing the likes of Carlos Tevez, David Silva and Mario Balotelli can be branded 'boring' is far beyond my understanding.

There has been much criticism of Manchester City, of Roberto Mancini and of the style of football we have been playing this season. The general perception of City is formulated mostly by the printed media and over-analysis from TV pundits - claiming City's tactics are negative and lacking in adventure. Having watched virtually every minute of football we have played this season I strongly disagree.

Sitting comfortably second in the league well into the second half of the season, obviously means were doing something right.

 One of the fundamental rules in football is having a solid defense and using it as a foundation for success; a theory that has seemed almost unachievable to City fans until now. With the ever strengthening partnership of Kolo Toure and Vincent Kompany, coupled with slowly improving full-backs and possibly the best goalkeeper in the league, I would argue this is the strongest defensive unit City have ever had. Another obvious footballing principle is to play to your strengths and with one of the best defensive records in the premier league this is definitely something worth building the team around. There is no question that the managers Italian heritage has emphasised our defensive approach but by no means does defensive mean negative.

People will identify the Arsenal game as a  reinforcement of their criticisms, along with the United home game and Chelsea at home. When you compare our record to that of others in the division, how many have taken more than 6 points from games with Chelsea, United, Arsenal and Spurs? My point being that there is a time and a place to be defensive and this in tandem with good results against the 'smaller clubs' in the league is an avenue to guaranteed success.

There has however, been little doubt that Mancini's approach is effective, it is the style of play that has come in for criticism. I know the majority of City fans will happily back the managers approach in our quest for silverware and the same majority would strongly contravene any claims that City play negative football.

The away win at Fulham was probably the most fluent, expansive football we've played this year, along with the games  against Newcastle and the emphatic 4-0 win against Villa to name a few. Our acquisition of quality players has saw the team develop an understanding, a slick fluent system which see's the interchange of positions which was used so effectively by Arsenal with players like Nasri, Walcott, Fabregas and Arshavin. With Carlos Tevez leading the line, dropping deep and allowing David Silva to drift into pockets of space, our attacking options seem almost endless with Adam Johnson's direct threat, Balotelli's unpredictability and Yaya Toure's power and drive (and of course the undoubted qualities which Edin Dzeko will bring to the team). The system Mancini has implemented relies heavily on the full backs providing the width. Something which is yet to be utilised to full effectiveness and Jerome Boateng and Alex Kolarov settle into the premier league. When the duo fully adapt to the pace I believe we will see much more of Kolarov's very competent left foot and the standard of crossing that Boateng showed during the world cup.

In effect, we will be starting games with 4 very attack minded players. Yaya has been playing a lot further up the pitch than many expected and seems to have been given license to roam with little defensive duty. Nigel De Jong playing as the anchor and Gareth Barry resuming his key distribution role. Playing this system allows a lot of flexibility depending on the game and the score, perfectly constructed to keep the ball and provide numbers in attack. Going a goal up, which has happened consistently this season is where Mancini's tactical awareness provides the edge. Dropping Yaya slightly deeper provides the extra man and the extra physical presence in midfield  and helping to keep the ball with a confidence that I have never prior witnessed in a City team.

As mentioned previously, I think the results from our games with the other top four have been more than acceptable, provided that we consistently win against the 'lesser teams'. The persistent failure to take points from teams lower down the table contributed to our infamous 'typical City' tag. This year however, with good results against West ham, West Brom, and Wigan, it certainly looks like we are heading towards pronouncing that tag redundant. If we can continue to pick up points from these games and avoid defeat against teams in our vicinity then our success is imminent.

The naivety and ignorance of such intellect in a mindful tactician like Mancini has contributed to somewhat of a negative reputation amongst lesser footballing brains.

So 'boring boring City' or tactical genius? - I've certainly made up my mind.



Leicester 2 - 2 City (09/01/2011)

Given the chaotic fixture list already ahead of us this season this is the last thing we needed.

We fielded the same team that has been deployed for many of our Europa league ties this season with Milner and Vieira as a central two flanked by SWP and Johnson. There were rests for Zabaleta, Kompany, Barry, Yaya and initially Nigel De Jong. Our full backs were Kolorov and Boateng, each got forward well and defended competently.

We looked uncharacteristically nervous at the back throughout the game with the giant Bamba causing all sorts of problems. A lack of concentration and organisation from a corner saw us a goal down before the 2 minute mark. Despite the early shock we came out well and played some good football. James Milner looked very impressive in a central role providing much of the drive from midfield. This was typified when he picked up the ball and pressed forward linking up with Carlos Tevez before dummying past one defender and firing a fine left footed drive into the bottom corner. After the goal we looked a lot more confident and kept the ball well, even with the likes of Jo and Wright-Phillips so far of the pace.

We went ahead just before half time after a well worked corner by Adam Johnson and James Milner saw the latter's  low cross flicked in by Carlos Tevez.

A touching highlight of the first half was the 23rd minute to Neil Young. A tribute to a City legend who's story puts football into perspective. The red and black scarfs on display were a thorough representation of blue loyalty.

The second half saw Nigel De Jong replace SWP and a change in shape for City, this made our possession play a lot more effective and we kept the ball well for long periods. Our eventual downfall came about due to a rare error from the routinely reliable Joe Hart, who spilled a simple looking catch for the forward to prod home.

Our unusual Vulnerability may largely have been down to the absence of vincent Kompany. His calmness and exceptional ability to read the game were feats unattainable by Lescott and Toure. The introduction of De Jong reinforced our hold on the game and his physical presence was critical.

To write this again seems monotonous but once again Jo's performance was atrocious. I actually think he was worse tonight than against Arsenal in mid-week. I purposely followed his performance closely and for the first 37 minutes of the game he didn't make one positive contribution. He looks slow and clumsy even against lower league opposition. Apparently there are five clubs interested in signing him during this window, I'd like to think we'd accept nothing more than a permanent sale.

Of course, there were many positives to take into our next fixture. James Milner's performance was one of his best in a blue shirt and was a reminder of his prolific days at Aston Villa. Hopefully Mancini will field him centrally more often rather than trying to turn him into an attacking winger.

Before the game I predicted a 4-1 win and a good run in the cup, I think we have just avoided a potential banana skin. I personally think we should field a strong team in the replay with a 4th round away fixture at Notts County looming.

Leicester preview

Sundays away trip See's us re-united with City legends Sven-Goran Eriksson and Darius Vassell.

I was quite fond of Mr Eriksson when he was in charge at Eastlands and was a little disgruntled when he was politely asked to leave. I will not however, feel any sentiment in going to The Walkers Stadium and giving out a bit of a thrashing.

It's hard for me to say anything positive about Darius Vassell to be honest, he was always a tryer who always gave 100% but ever since that heart-breaking penalty miss in the 2007 home derby I have been unable to look at him with anything other than remorse.

Like many City fans, I feel this is an important competition for us this year and our best chance in winning any silverware. Despite this I think there will be quite a few changes to the team, I can see starts for SWP, Vieira, Boyata, Lescott, Given and maybe a few young lads (Guidetti is back from his loan and Nimely could potentially start). With senior cavalry waiting in the wings I think we should have enough to be able to comfortably get a  result without risking too many senior players.

There has been much made about Dzeko's imminent arrival and whether he will be here in time to play. I honestly don't think Mancini would have thrown him straight into the game, preferring him to train with the squad before next weeks clash with Wolves.

Prediction - Leicester 1- 4 City - I think we'll have a good mix of youth and experience to comfortably see this one through, of course, it goes without saying that Vassell will score.

Arsenal 0 - 0 City (05/01/2011)

I honestly think Mancini deserves a lot of credit for the way we approached the game. The reaction from the press has been far from complimentary but I think for any team to go to Arsenal and come away with a point is an achievement. City's approach to the game was branded 'negative' but I would consider it more precautionary. As I mentioned in the preview the absence of David Silva was pivotal in our approach, maybe more so than even I predicted.

There were a few surprises in the starting line-up. The return of Kolo Toure in place of Lescott turned out to be an inspired choice, he looked strong, mobile and read the game superbly. I do rate Lescott as a good centre back, though I would prefer him in games against the likes of Blackburn or Stoke. His aerial presence and strength impress me and I believe he will continue to be an asset to the team. In tough games like this though, the key is to be composed and read the game - which Kolo does very well. Micah Richards was also given the chance to impress Mancini and he took his chance, he looked defensively solid and maintained a high level of concentration which has previously let him down. Richards looks so much more natural at right back than Boateng and provided more pace to the attack, even in a game in which our approach limited his chances to really impose himself going forward. I would certainly start him next weekend against Wolves where he should have much more joy going forward and exploiting the space left by the impish Steven Hunt.

The big surprise in the starting line up was Jo. The timing of this post is unfortunate and may look like many of the frustrations of yesterdays performance are being took out on the £19m Brazilian. The performances he has put in this season though have been consistently bad and made him somewhat of a joke to the City Faithful. I understand Mancini's theory that Jo would provide us with some height up front and be able to hold up the ball and help us keep possession. He did none of these things. I do wonder what he shows in training for Mancini still to have so much belief in him. some may argue that his inclusion was justified by the result but I would strongly oppose this. From the start he looked sloppy in possession, he looks slow, lacks any strength in the air and with the ball at his feet and is extremely negative in possession. Even with Tevez dropping so short he rarely made any runs in behind what seemed to be a fragile Arsenal back line. Having either one of Silva or Balotelli fit would almost certainly have seen Jo drop to the bench but I still think this should be a priority to address in the Transfer Market. My main disappointment with Jo starting meant the exclusion of Adam Johnson. Johnson has been in great form recently and always provides the direct threat that could have really helped us out against Arsenal. I believe Mancini left him out due to his work rate and inability to keep the ball... but surely he couldn't have been any worse than Jo? Every City fan I know would have picked AJ every time.

In stark contrast to the Blackpool game, we couldn't have started any worse. Arsenal had 3 great chances in the opening ten minutes which we were lucky to escape. All our play was very direct and we gave possession away very cheaply. There was none of the patient build up which has been so typical of City this season, we instead relied on long, direct balls to Jo, Yaya and Tevez. Milner offered little out wide and his lack of pace was emphasised by Clichy on several occasions. Despite a few scares I think as a unit we defended very well, our problems were all with the ball. The one shining star (as on so many occasions) was Carlos Tevez, who with his astonishing work rate and deceptive body strength, held up the ball heroically.
When Tevez did pick up the ball his options were limited on countless occasions, this highlighted again the options provided by Silva. Yaya Toure had a few surging runs from midfield and did put in a good shift although I've come to the conclusion that his creativity is more complimentary than predominate. The first 15 minutes laid the blueprints of the game which saw Arsenal dominate possession only to be continuously frustrated by a resolute City defence.

Our lack of quality in possession and inability to keep the ball left us hanging on towards the end of  the game relying on some crucial tackles and one superb save from Joe Hart. The game finished on a sour note with the sending off of Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta. Although obviously biased, I can't see what Zabaleta has done worth a yellow card never mind a red. I'm pretty certain we will appeal the decision and Mancini has a tendency to do so, we appealed Mario Balotelli's red card earlier in the season and I think we have a much stronger chance in winning this appeal.

I would have definitely took a point before kick off and I think it could be one of the more important points of the season. We showed a great deal of defensive competency and were tough to break down. I see the Wolves game next week as a big chance to take advantage of this weeks other results and a well deserved hard fought point for us. Drawing games against teams around you in the table is fine as long as you can take advantage against the 'smaller teams'. Next week should see a much different approach from Mancini and after two games in a row in which defensive players were named man of the match (De Jong then K.Toure) we should see a lot more attacking flair.

Kolo Toure's statement this morning shows a good perspective - 'Strikers can win you games but defenders can win you titles' - very true and a great way to reflect on this game.

To conclude I think it shows the progression in both club mentality and the outside perception that we have come away from the emirates disappointed with a draw.

Arsenal Preview

I have been looking forward to this game to rectify the disappointment in the corresponding home fixture earlier this season, like that game, I had previously identified this as a thorough examination and a representation of exactly how far we have come in the Mancini era. With similarity to Boyata's early red card in the home fixture; the news of David Silva's absence has dealt a substantial blow to City and in my belief has changed to whole capacity of the game. Disappointingly, considering Silva's absence, I believe that this will once again, not be a true reflection of the progress City have made. I know this is a bold statement but that's how influential I believe the little Spaniard to be.

I think Mancini's initial plan would have seen us adopt the same approach that has seen much success in recent away games, possession football, patiently waiting for the opening. without Silva's touch and intelligence we will be relying on Barry, De Jong and Yaya to keep the ball moving and dragging the Arsenal midfield - crucially Alex Song, out of position. Without our little maestro I can see us setting up to absorb as much pressure as possible and hit them on the break.

I think the team has pretty much picked itself, with a few exceptions. I would like to see Zabaleta come in at LB, the thought of Theo Walcott running at Alex Kolarov is enough to make any City fan sweat. Zaba will provide the typical performance us fans are accustomed to, strong, hearty and although lacking that pace, opponents generally find it difficult to initially turn and run at him. The injury to Balotelli should see Milner  return to occupy the left hand side, his work rate helping Pablo out against Walcott/Nasri and his intelligence should help us keep the ball.

With the fitness of Kolo Toure uncertain, I expect Joleon Lescott to partner Kompany at the back. If he is given the chance to impress Mancini his distribution must improve from the standards he has set this season. I mentioned in my post after the Blackpool game that I would like to see Richards play at right-back. I have however seen Micah terrorised by small, quick, intelligent players once to often and I think Mancini's sentiments echo this and he is fully aware of Micah's positional incompetence's. I expect Boateng to keep his spot and I know this is one game in which many City fans will forgive his lack of adventure.

Another almost certain to start is Adam Johnson, a big game for him which has come at the perfect time given his recent form. My main concern over AJ, particularly in big games is that in order to make him effective he needs to be running at his man, regardless of his obvious natural talent, this is a strategy that's only ever going to have a certain success rate, making it likely that on occasions he loses the ball - something that can be rarely afforded against the likes of Arsenal.

With Johnson naturally keeping the width and Milner acting enforcer, a lot of the creative omen lies with Yaya Toure, not quite the delicate nimble footed creativity of others who can play in this role, but the direct powerful running that we have seen to be very effective as his fitness has improved over recent weeks.

All in all I think if Barry and De Jong can get a grip of the midfield and we get the right players in the right areas I think we have a right to be optimistic (the thought of Tevez, Yaya and AJ running at Squillaci and Koscielny is delightful), although against Arsenal, that's much easier said than done.

(Optimistic) Prediction - Arsenal 1 - 2 City Arsenal will certainly see this as a must win game, I think their desire to get forward will leave gaps that we can exploit, despite the possible lack of fluent creation. Their lack of aerial dominance could leave them exposed to set pieces via the likes of Lescott, Kompany and co.

City 1-0 Blackpool (01/01/2011)

This wasn't the fluent, emphatic football that we have come to expect from City this season but three points from a game in which we got nowhere near our best is a good sign and one of the main progressions of the club under Mancini. It is fair to say that none of the players hit top gear and the fact that Nigel De Jong was announced man of the match, in a home game against Blackpool, is a clear indication of that.

With no Mario Balotelli in the squad due to a knee injury and Adam Johnson's recent good form, it was down to the England international along with the fan's darling; David Silva, to provide the ammunition for the ever-determined Carlos Tevez. There was also returns in midfield for Gareth Barry and Yaya Toure while Alex Kolarov and Jerome Boateng took up the full back positions.

The game could not have started any brighter for City with Carlos Tevez seizing on a wayward back pass from Charlie Adam before narrowly shooting wide. Judging from the first 5 minutes of the game the City Faithful were appropriately optimistic.... duly becoming rather frustrated.

In terms of chance creation, (15 efforts on goal with 3 on target) we created enough chances to comfortably win the game, had Carlos Tevez found the form which has seen him score 12 premier league goals this season, he could have easily had a hat-trick and put the game far beyond Ian Holloway's men. A lot has been made of the chances our Argentinian talisman missed today (absurdly linked to him 'not wanting to be at the club') but I couldn't be any less worried and strongly back Carlos to go on to be our leading scorer once again.That coupled with a few chances that David Silva would also have put away on his day and an unfamiliar lack of quality in the final third, kept the game close and left City looking rather desperate leading into the final minutes.

The game was, in effect, decided in the 34th minute when the ball dropped to Adam Johnson on the edge of the box and his low drive was deflected in off a Blackpool defender.

Ahead of possibly the most important game so far this season, Arsenal away on Wednesday, there were a few worrying points from a City perspective. Primarily is the form of Alex Kolarov, he looked worryingly vulnerable against Matt Phillips when he came on in the second half which highlighted my main worry about him, that he is very susceptible to being attacked by direct running. With his attacking form not being what I still believe it could be then I would like to see Zabaleta play at left back against Arsenal. Despite lacking the same level of adventure going forward, we instantly looked more solid (although I believe much of this may be down to the introduction of Milner on the left who always provides protection through his astonishing work-rate.).

Another Major worry is the knock picked up by the little genius that is David Silva, from where I was sat the challenge looked quite innocuous but resulted in the Spaniard not being able to carry on. With flair and composure that is matched by none he would certainly be the biggest  miss against Arsenal, where I imagine we will try and keep the ball as much as possible. Brian Kidd told GMR after the game that he twisted his knee and will need  48 hours for the inflammation to settle before they can assess the extent of the injury. however much I would like good news I can't see him being fit for Wednesday's massive game, which puts a lot more emphasis on the creation and central drive of Yaya Toure (which was ironically absent for the most part of today)

A smaller issue which I only really recognized in the Blackpool game is Jerome Boateng, I was initially very excited about signing him but similarly to Kolarov he hasn't quite showed what I expected of him. he seems to lack any sort of adventure what so ever and his crossing is far from effective. In a game like this without a predominant wide threat, I would have liked to see Richards getting forward overlapping and providing the space for Adam Johnson.

Obviously there are positives to take from the game, predominantly, and as previously mentioned; the ability for us to pick up points when we're not playing well, hopefully this will go some way to banish the 'typical City' tag. The form Adam Johnson is showing and his improvement under Mancini is very impressive, he looks stronger, fitter and certainly showing more desire to get back and help the team defend, his natural attacking talent is unquestionable and it if certainly refreshing to see him playing so well.

Reading back over this I may sound slightly negative considering our league position and recent results, I believe this however is just a reflection on how far we have come as a club and how that has influenced our expectations.