Excited that the offspring are growing, but at the same time apprehensive for their well-being and ever so slightly concerned that he might have asked too much, too soon.
Asking a back five consisting of one 19-year-old, two 20-year-olds, a 21 year-old and an 'old man' of 22, to deal with the pace and power of Villa without the paternal guidance, mind and muscle of Richard Dunne, was always going to be central to the outcome of this contest but Sven need not have worried.
His fledglings were as near foot perfect as they could possibly have been in recording a third 1-0 home win of the season and rising to second in the Premier League.
And just to put some icing on a delicious cake for the manager it was another of his youngsters, Michael Johnson, who scored the winner.
Never can a Premiership team, or perhaps one in the top division of any major league in the world, have fielded such a young five-man defensive unit with fewer than 100 starts in the English top flight between the lot of them.
Phlegmatic
Eriksson is the most phlegmatic of characters and the evidence of his club management career is that he is not afraid to take a punt now and again. He could have added experience in the shape of Michael Ball or Jihai Sun from the start, but instead he chose to give the new kids on the block their heads.
And just to emphasise the point he made the most junior of the lot, Micah Richards, captain for the day.
It was a wonderful piece of managerial psychology from the wily Swede that told the youngsters - Schmeichel, Corluka, Onuoha, Garrido and the skipper - that he had faith that they were ready to go to work without their Irish chaperone.
The quintet rewarded his faith well especially when one considers that they were faced with a Villa side breathing fire and brimstone after its much- deserved win over Chelsea.
If the Midlands side are to have a successful season under their own mercurial boss Martin O'Neill then it will based on pace out wide where Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor are like a couple of greyhounds with their tails on fire.
In bidding to counter the Villains' velocity, the Blues' boss plumped for Emile Mpenza up front and one of Villa's old boys, Darius Vassell, on the right flank.
The former England man was chosen in front of Stephen Ireland, who was thought not quite mentally right for such a challenge after a week when most of his time was spent perpetuating a web of panic stricken fibs.
Geovanni's lack of match practice after a calf strain kept him out, though given that Vassell had not played one minute of one game for the Blues at any level this season and was on the verge of leaving in transfer window, it was one of Eriksson's stranger selections of the embryo season.
Perhaps he was banking on history repeating itself having been informed that Vassell had shown a liking for feasting on his former colleagues, having scored five times in six outings against them.
Canter
Unfortunately the horses for courses theory only works if the `horse' in question is galloped to the minute and Vassell, despite a busy first half, was on this evidence just a canter short of full fitness.
Having said that, he did stir a worryingly sparse home crowd - swelled by the presence of 14 Thai politicians - briefly in the 17th minute when his flicked header from Martin Petrov's curling free kick flew just wide. It was the start of decent spell for the home side who might have gone ahead two minutes later when Scott Carson pulled off a marvellous reflex save to keep out Johnson's prod.
Despite all the kids on the pitch it was old stager Didi Hamann who stole the show. The German bought free kicks, time and space in equal measure and even put one of England's midweek heroes, Gareth Barry, in the shade.
It was Hamann who began the move that led to the winner three minutes after the break. There followed a fine one-two between Elano and Johnson and as Mpenza's run took defenders away, so Johnson was able to keep on going before dispatching a low cross shot beyond Carson. Thereafter Villa laid siege to the home goal but for all their huff and puff were not allowed by the well-drilled kids to create anything other than half chances.
Luke Moore did have the ball in the net in the 74th minute but not only pulled Corluka out of the way to get to it, but used his arm and not his head to propel it towards goal.
Their failure to force Schmeichel into a meaningful save finally wore Villa out and City finished with a flourish as sub Rolando Bianchi tested Carson with a long range drive and then forced Barry into a hurried goal-line clearance.
What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.
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I Would like to see Bianchi and Mpenza or Vassell up front.Mpenza could also play with Vassell.I would play Richards as a centre midfielder,he would be a good box to box player,with Elano,Geovanni RM,Petrov LM
when you sit back and digest that first fact, that our oldest memeber of the back 5 was a close to pension 22, thats some performance from a group so young. Its an encouraging fact indeed which shows that City could have one of the best back-line in the league over the next few years. Its not only the performance of these lads, but the fact they can so comfortably slot into other positions and give the same top-draw performances. Magnificent!
was just about to comment on the age of the back 5 on another thread!! it is incredible how young it was!! Corluka is absolute class what a signing the way he brings the ball out is top quality and we all know about richards onuoha's pace helped yesterday and garrido is solid. only problem is Schmeichel not the best on crosses might be best to loan him but he is lucky which aint a bad thing to be!!
Whilst the back line was superb which is great news for us bearing in mind their age. It is quite correct to praise Didi, he is just so cool and calm and breaks up oposition play with typical German efficiency. Just count how many times we are under pressure and Didi gets the ball and then draws a foul therefore taking the pressure off.
On another note, Elano and Petrov for me are starting to show their stuff and I think it's only a matter of time until we give some team a real good whipping.
Still trying to keep my feet on the ground, as we will have bad days too with all the change, however I am so excited at the start we have made and the potential we appear to have.
Thanks Frank and Sven and of course...
COME ON CITY!
to the tune of D.I.S.C.O...
E L A N O! E L A N O!
He is E exciting, L like lightning, A a brazilian, n not argentinian...oh ohhhhh ohhhh ELANO!
SING IT!x
The 'worryingly sparse crowd' was nothing new at Eastlands. For some reason televised matches regularly have this effect on the attendance. Can't understand the reason why. Personally I would much rather be at the match than sit at home watching it on TV, and I travel down from Cumbria week-in, week-out. I know that there many others who also regularly travel a long way to support the lads and
It's a pity that so many 'fans' stay away on these occasions - particularly so if these people are locally based.
The atmosphere at Eastlands NEEDS a full stadium. We're 2nd in the League for Heaven's sake, above the Rags, and playing good football to boot. What more do people want ?
actually the crowd wasn't as sparse as it looked, many of the empty seats were due to people moving up to shelter from the rain.
Blue Biker,
There were plenty of empty seats in the Main Stand Third Tier and a huge block empty above where I sit in the East Stand Third Tier.
Also, I think you will find that those who were moving back to avoid the rain (notably at the front of the North Stand) were finding plenty of vacant seats behind them ! 38,000 or so isn't great considering what is currently happening at our Club.
First the positives :
1) We won
2) We are now second in the league.
3) We kept another clean sheet.
4) Johnson and Elano were brilliant.
5) Elano tackled back.
6) Didi was excellent again.
Some negatives :
1) Again we looked far from convincing, outplayed many times in the game.
2)Schmikes was awful (again!). OK he might be good in 15 years but he looks vulnerable on every high ball and the defence look shaky at times knowing he is behind them.
3) Despite spending 40 million on some very good players, we still lack any pace in midfield. Petrov doesn't look especially quick and struggles to beat men and he doesn't tackle back!
4) Garridio is neat and tidy on the ball back lacks pace, strength and aerial height - we need Chiellini!
5) Why, oh why is Sven picking Mpenza in front of Bianchi? Mpenza was okay last season in a poor side but we have spent nine million on Bianchi and other than the Blackburn game where we were all woeful, he has looked three times the player Mpenza is. Bianchi is clever, strong, reasonably pacy, has good positional sense and can score and provide,nearly all the things Mpenza doesn't seem able to do.
6) Please sign Bresciano, Diego or SWP, Chiellini and Defoe or a target man in Jan. Another hefty outlay but with these we will be challenging top four in first season. I think Sven might stay then!!!