Just consider for a moment the case of City.
Just 12 months ago as the Premiership season opened they were also in London - albeit in the rather more exclusive and upmarket capital watering hole of Chelsea - with Stuart Pearce in charge, Steve Wigley by his side, Tim Flowers as goalkeeping coach and chairman John Wardle looking down proudly from the directors' box.
By the time of Saturday's knees-up `darn' the East End all four of those men had been replaced. Welcome Sven-Goran Eriksson, Hans Backe, Eric Steele and most controversially of all perhaps billionaire benefactor Thaksin Shinawatra.
The avuncular and urbane Eriksson is not one for punctuating his views with too many emotive phrases so when he says there has been a `revolution' at the club then you can take it as read that is the case.
Sun-drenched
One look at the team sheet handed in to referee Peter Walton an hour before the curtain rose at a sun-drenched Upton Park confirmed that is clearly the case.
Of the 11 players that kicked off 10 months of disappointment and underachievement at Chelsea only two have survived the Thai financed, Swedish clean sweep of the Blues dressing room.
Step forward skipper Richard Dunne and England right-back Micah Richards as the pair who dodged the euphemistic bullets.
Six of the stars with whom they shared the dressing room that day are, like the former manager and his lieutenants, no longer at the club.
It has been quite a summer in the Blue half of Manchester where City have been the story to follow. Now fans are hoping there will be the happy ending that this terrific opening display suggests may unfold.
The catalyst for only a second opening day win in 11 tries was undoubtedly Brazilian Elano who at £8m already looks a snip. Those who remember the silky skills of Ali Benarbia and Eyal Berkovic at last have a new creative hero to worship.
Elano caresses the football as if he was born with one on the end of his foot. His running is both exciting and intelligent and he cherishes possession as if his life depended on it.
It was his glorious run and centre that allowed Rolando Bianchi a simple tap in to open his and City's account in the 18th minute though the goal also owed much to a wonderful Didi Hamann tackle in his own half.
Class
The German, like Elano, displayed all his class and brains in this contest buying free kicks and breaking up play in equal measure as the Blues bossed the opening 45 minutes of the season making much more space and better passing angles than their hosts.
Eriksson's fluid 4-4-1-1 system not only defied the critics who branded him as predictable during his reign as England coach but completely bamboozled opposite number Alan Curbishley.
West Ham are likely to be the one of the most unpopular guests at Premiership grounds this season with rank and file fans concluding that they bent the rules just a little too much over the joint ownership affair.
And Curbishley and his men do on this evidence at least appear to be suffering from PMT - Post Mascherano and Tevez syndrome.
Eriksson sprang no surprises with his `getting to know you' formation though he did raise eyebrows by preferring newly arrived `Charlie' Corluka to Nedum Onuoha on the right side of defence and deciding that Brazilian Elano, who has persuaded Darius Vassell to part with the No11 shirt, was better employed in the hole behind lone striker Rolando Bianchi.
Thankfully Richard Dunne was also restored to the right side of the back four with Richards on the left of the central partnership.
The Hammers were so outflanked in the opening half that befuddled Curbishley was minded to remove both the ineffective Lee Bowyer and Luis Boa Morte.
Confident
There was as a consequence some improvement particularly down the left through Matthew Etherington who skimmed a couple across the face of the goal.
The Hammers were though all huff and puff and confident debut making Kasper Schmeichel had few moments of worry as he became the first son to follow his father into a City side since Nicky and Mike Summerbee.
No fewer than eight players took to the pitch in a Blues' shirt for them for the first time in the Premiership but you would never have guessed as they looked a cohesive unit.
Two of the new boys, second half substitute Valeri Bojinov with a header at the near post and Martin Petrov with a bewitching diagonal run and shot fumbled around the post by Robert Green came closest to a second goal for the Blues.
But Brazilian Geovanni showed them how it should be done firing home a low shot after some Samba-like work down the right flank by Nedum Onuoha who escaped five challenges before cleverly poking the ball back to his fellow sub.
What do you think? Have your say.
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
Fantastic performance Sven. Now then Dave - "voice of the fans" Wallace. What do you have to say now? "most City fans will be up in arms if we appoint Eriksson"
Time to retire old man....
Was at game ... the football silenced the hammers fans (who were v loud). Our rendition of blue moon at the end to an empty stadium was fantastic, one of the loudest i've heard apart from derby day.
Elano is magic.
"Elano, wo oh, Elano wo oh wo ho. He Samba's with the ball.He'll bend it around your wall!"
"Samba-like" Ned. Just love it! Don't like the sound of that 'since nicky and mike summerbee' bit though...
I think that the run by Nedum was brilliant and call me cynical if you want but if the same run and pass had of been made by a RAG then it would have been "headlines" in all media and newspapers worldwide. They would have compared it with Maradonna against England in the WC 1986.
CTID
the self styled "King of the Kippax" Dave Wallace only get wheeled out when there is something negative to say about the club, so whilst things are going well and we're all excited you wont hear a peep from him. However, if things turn for the worse then expect Mr Wallace to make an appearance.
I listened to the game on GMR, five minutes into the build up Fred "golf club bore" Eyre was making his usual sniping comments about Sven and the players he's bought.
cant they get someone else on there who's a bit more positive? this is a man who's made a living writing books about how rubbish he was as a player
looks like the youngsters are already learning from our 2 samba kings. step forward Onuahaninho, assist of the week, the lad has more tricks up his sleeve than Paul Daniels! above all, it is so good to see City getting back to attacking,fluent,entertaining football, unlike the sterile, hoof it out of defence rubbish we had last season.
Well said about dave wallace.He's just a self publicist.Ok,I think a lot of people were and are cynical about sven but if you look at his club record its the best of any manager in the prem apart from taggart.If you look at all the other managers we were linked with sven had the best track record so we got the best man for the job didn't we!?
I keep promising myself I won't get carried away but when you see a player like Elano donning a City kit it makes you feel a million dollars. Bring on Derby!
Simon - Fred Eyre has been following City for around 60 years, it'll take a while for him to get excited. As for his book, I highly recommend it.
Stuart did say Ned was a future star with intelligence. Ned's time has come.
PD - im not doubting that Mr Eyre is a City fan, but like i said five minutes into the build up to the game on GMR he was having a pop before a ball had been kicked. This is a consistent thing with him, every comment he makes seems to be tinged with sarcasm, he can make an away defeat much much worse.
i dont want a "happy clappy" co presenter, but at least give Sven a chance before you start having a go. Just my opinion. And i have read his book
It was a superb performance from a team that has only been together a matter of weeks even during the spell in the 2nd half when the 'Ammers attacked we looked like we could go up a gear at anytime....bring on the derbies !!!!!!!!!!!
A great display by everyone of the players. The one who surprised the most was Didi Hamman. He looked a totally different player than the one that turned out under SP.
As far as some of the criticism of Fred Eyre goes , I cannot agree. Over the last few seasons he has called it as it is. When they have performed badly, and belive me they have, he has not been afraid to say so. It would have been pointless for him to say that City had playeed well when in fact the reverse was the truth.
After the match on Saturday he was full of praise for both the players and for Sven being "decisive".
Lets hope the good times are about to start, so that Fred and all of us can walk round with happy faces!!!!!
Simon
I fully agree with your comments about Fred Eyre. Having now found the internet site that shows free football I will no longer be listening to him on GMR...The man is an absolute buffoon when it comes to commentating on football..at best he is boring, mono-toned and clueless. He was as good at football as I me, and I never got past kicking a ball in the street with my mates!!...
It is about time GMR replaced him with somebody who not only likes Manchester City, but who will come across as somebody who knows a bit about playing..
Think you should get off Fred's back. He is City through and through. The game is all about opinions and he is entitled to his. like him I've been supporting and watching the blues for 54 years - 37 with a season ticket - and it can turn you just a little cynical. Fred is just as excited as the rest of us about what is happening at the COMS and most of his comments are tongue in cheek. We don't have to agree with his view of the games - just get on with enjoying the moment. Not much from the Rags today - was there any football at OWE Trafford over the weekend? Think they must have had a break!!! Ha
Uwe Woodford
pasta and swedes - where is this website that allows you to watch football on the net then?
proudtobeblue,
Stevie Ireland was even doing step overs!
Pasta & Swedes
What is the web address for watching football for free?
Cheers
a fantastic result and not only that but great play too. Some snipers are saying WHU played poorly, but surely it was our players that made them look poor. Pasta and Swedes...whats this website where you can watch the footy??
It seems that some people don't "get" Fred Eyre. Granted his voice is a bit monotone but his comments, they usually start from a basis that is a given that player "x" can do the basics of football well and they don't require praise for passing to a blue shirt, therefore he only praises when their contribution has a positive effect on the game, which i agree is the correct balance.
what is this site you can see all the games for free?
I admit I didn't hear Fred's pre-match comments but his appraisal of the game was a spot-on as ever. He pointed out the difference between last season where we didn't have a manager and this, where every player knew his job and when things started to slip changes were made. I look forward to his co-commentaries as i know he'll say it as he sees it with no spin.
Mister Blue, Blue Biker and David. The website for watching the football is Livefooty-doctor (follow this link http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com/). You will need to install some software called Sopcast. Follow the instructions on the website. I watched the game on Saturday (live but delayed by about 1-2 minutes because it's re-broadcast on the internet). Was great to see the game live even if it was a small picture. Good luck and enjoy.
Forget the step-overs Stevie, stick to passing to a blue shirt and not giving the ball away.
Pie in the Sky, Manchester & Pasta & Swedes . . . . top dogs, both of you
Thanks very much for the web address, I'll give it a go