HOW much longer are Manchester City's wonderful fans going to be forced to survive on a banquet of `if onlys', `could haves' and 'should haves'?
This season has turned into a Groundhog Day extraordinaire, with Blues followers suffering an unvaried diet of misfortune and missed opportunity that has left them craving just one thing - a victory when it really matters.
Although it is not an easy thing to do, the heroics at Spurs and Leicester must now be forgotten, the Cup has gone and the cupboard is bare.
The harsh reality is that Kevin Keegan's Manchester City have won just two games out of their last 22 in all competitions.
And if that kind of head-shaking ratio continues for the rest of the season they will be saying hello to Walsall and Crewe again next season.
Fighting
Not that they look overly worried by the prospect of a sustained spell in the Premiership trenches fighting for their status.
And, certainly, if they perform as well as they did in patches at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime then survival ought to be a formality.
The Blues played their full part in a pulsating, old-fashioned FA Cup-tie that was full of vitality and vitriol.
Few would have argued with Kevin Keegan's pre-match decision to play a five-man midfield at a ground where that particular argument was comprehensively lost in the league game before Christmas.
Where many would depart with a manager is the non-use of the substitutes when the Reds were reduced to 10 men with the sending off of Gary Neville.
Surely there was a case at 1-0 down, in a game where league points were not at stake, to throw caution completely to the wind?
The obvious option was to shove on an extra striker in the shape of Jon Macken, a man in form and with a point to prove in front of his native Mancunians.
From a distance it looked as though City were engaged in a damage limitation exercise rather than going all out to win a tie that was there for the taking against the depleted Reds.
Despite a golden 15 minutes after the break - when Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton and Steve McManaman gave Tim Howard the chance to clinch man of the match honours, which the American literally accepted with both hands - City were always chasing the game.
And that is a difficult thing to do when you have just one man up front and the most potent supply route, Wright-Phillips, is being asked to track Ryan Giggs as well as be a provider.
There were individual successes in the game even if the team's gallant effort eventually fell short.
The old Manchester -Liverpool rivalry brought the best out of Steve McManaman, who continued the form he had shown in the second-half at Anfield earlier in the week.
Intelligently
Macca got forward frequently and used the ball more intelligently than he had in the last visit to Old Trafford.
And the nous acquired on the streets of Merseyside, and in the bull rings of Spain's La Liga, contributed to his successful winding-up of Neville Snr.
Joey Barton showed the right appetite for a battle, Robbie Fowler ran his heart out and scored a clever second ,and Richard Dunne - despite being posted in the right-back slot, where he is clearly not as effective - defended with purpose and attacked with relish when he could.
Unfortunately, Antoine Sibierski, who finds space in defences with great intelligence and stealth, had one of his off days in front of goal, and the whole of the back four must be asking themselves if they have yet done enough work on defending crosses.
It is that aversion to balls in from the flanks, coupled with a poor goals-to-chances ratio, that have demonstrably undermined a season that started so full of financial investment and promising results.
They are the two things that must be rectified quickly if Keegan and company are to keep their heads above water.
But one thing for sure they will not lack is support.
Nine thousand Blues filling Old Trafford with atmosphere were a sight and sound to behold, and they will have to hold their voices and nerve over the next few weeks.
Who knows, it could be third time lucky against the Reds at Eastlands on March 14 ... now that would be a feast!
Will it be third time lucky? Have your say.
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
As long as it takes.
Hang on a minute, we conceded 3 goals to 10 men without throwing caution to the wind! That's worrying enough isn't it? Isn't it amazing how fate takes away our only bit of joy from the season, by coming back against Spurs, and turns it around and slams it in our face. To all those who say don't worry, everything will be alright, don't be nasty posting negative comments, I'd like to say GET LOST! My trust in leaving it to the Gods is weakening, I get the impression they may not be on our side! Perish the thought, our players may just have to get themselves out of this mess! We are in deep do do! We are one paced, predicatable, and without a single player who can consistently deliver any spark. The Club is on the precipice and I'm stood right next to them!
it's going to be 29 years now. shame
Typical MEN, stop trying to get Kev the sack and stiring up trouble. Get back to your own troubles with the racing giants, before your club is playing in America.
Having met KK and found him an extremely nice man, I have always lived in hope as much as in expectation that he would eventually do the business for us. But how many times have we said "must improve on defending on crosses". Either the players simply aren't good enough or the coaching just isn't right. Something has to give sooner or later because we cannot keep going on as we are. Although I think Leicester and Wolves are doomed, I can well see Leeds and Pompey getting out of it. Please someone tell me that they have looked into their crystal ball and everything is going to be OK
Just a thought. What is George Graham doing at the moment? Now I certainly wouldn't want him to replace Kev (who I firmly believe is STILL the right man for us) but I'm sure he wouldn't turn down a few quid for a bit of defensive 'consultancy' work. If anyone could teach our beleaguered defence how to actually defend, then he is the man. With his miserly defensive ethics and KK's attacking philosophy (and a reminder to the crab-like Steve McManaman that we don't actually NEED a Ray Wilkins) we might actually be onto something. Yes, I'm probably living in Cloud Cuckoo Land, but what about it, Mr. Wardle?
David Kelly, Leicester - KK is doing a good enough job of getting himself the sack with bad management and poor (non-existent) tactics. The MEN are just reporting on the facts mate.
ATMOSPHERE, City fans!!?? United fans created ALL the atmosphere...& will do the same at the council house/boo camp/scouse camp. I just love it...the nonsense/propaganda that you come out with...it is just quite pathetic. As we all know Manchester is RED...but it is amusing to listen to the liars.
I have always given Kevin Keegan my full support on these pages, much to the annoyance at times of other contributors. However, I am growing sick and tired of the same old excuses and the same old performances, borne out of the manager's tactical naivete. His transfer policy in the summer was a calamity, matched only by his decision to continually pick Dunne. Keegan may have improved him as a footballer but not as a defender, which is his role in the side. He was at fault in one way or another for all United's goals on Saturday and is nothing short of a liability. Positionally Distin is clueless and no one at the club seems to be addressing the defensive shortfalls. Apart from the defence we are poor in other areas of the pitch also. Reyna, Sibierski and McManaman combined don't contribute in total to what Marc Vivien Foe gave the side. Though to be fair McManaman played well against United. Up front we are clearly lost without Anelka. Macken is not my favourite player and is certainly not worth B#5million, but he should have been on for the second half against United, probably in place of Reyna. Another example of the tactical naivete I mentioned earlier. Anelka's pace and skill are badly missed up front and I wonder if during his absence we should push Wright Phillips forward with Fowler and play Sinclair on the right. Sibierski or Macken could play behind the front two and I would leave McManaman in the side ahead of Reyna. Of course, we should revert to a back four with Sun at right back and Dunne on the bench.
Any other Blues notice the speakers at the back of the stand used to 'doctor' the noise the gloryhunters actually make? Remember usually away fans would not have access to this part of the ground. What a joke. Putting microphones in singing areas then having speakers to make it sound as if the whole ground is singing. We may be rubbish but at least we generate our own noise. CTID.
er Billy, The thing is you cant really tell who created the atmosphere watching it on the telly, oh wait I bet you are now going to tell us you actually went !!! Go and read your own site with all the other glory seekers!!
Billy, Manchester is only Red when your winning. Whilst this is unlikely to ever happen, I would just like to see how many Regs would be at OT if you had a couple of years mid to lower table. Can you honestly say that you would still get 67k, I am pretty sure that we would be looking at around 40k....remember pre 92? I had so called reds ringing me on saturday to gloat, when I know damn well that next week they wont know who your playing, when your on tv, who your 3rd choice keeper is....Gloryhunters mate, nothing more. cant even call them armchair supporters...and there are many rag followers like them. Anyway enough time spent on Billy boy, lets give Stuart Pearce a crack at being the defensive coach, get rid of Faz, I hear that he had a go at management years ago with Bradford? and they conceded more goals than anyone else whilst he was there (is this right?....get rid KK, he is not good enough.
The penny seems to have dropped in certain quarters regarding the state of our defence and when Keegan signed Van Outen(spot the deliberate mistake!) I thought he had finally acknowledged it too but he actually needs to go a lot further if City are to survive this season. Both full-backs need urgently replacing! Tarnat is way too slow and although Dunne can move once he gets going, the same can be said for an oil tanker! The 'should haves' as Chris talks about in his article are all things Keegan had within his power to influence on Saturday but for one tactically naive reason or another he failed to respond to the situation as it unfolded infront of him! Why on earth Macken was left to chew his boot laces on the bench when the team was screaming out for a goal and a player who could hold the ball up? Why didn't he change the shape of the team at half time after Neville's red card that saw Utd shift to 4-4-1? Surely there was a case for taking off a defender(either Dunne or Tarnat) and bringing subs on. We missed a big opportunity to force the 'could haves' but alas our manager again froze in the headlight's and yet another game has passed us by. 'If only' we had a coaching staff capable of showing some imagination!
Well written Chris Bailey.
WHAT ON EARTH DROVE KEEGAN TO PLAY SIBIERSKI AHEAD OF MACKEN! Macken scored the winner in the last round and is a an x red. Sibierski missed a double hat trick of chances. In the last 10 minutes when we were 4-2 down he should have scored at least 2 and levelled the game, but he fluffed every chance. All i can say is that i am disgusted about city's performance in the second half! Keegan, Cox etc out! Schmeical and Pearce inn!!
Billy your comments don't deserve a response. Do you know where OT is or do watch Norweigan tele on Saturdays like most Utd "supporters"?
I have backed KK all season and have, at times, given grief to those who have called for his head. However on Saturday I cannot see what he was trying to do. Why did we not change anything when Utd went down to 10 men? Why did Fowler play up front on his own chasing balls out of the sky instead of playing off someone else or receiving balls into feet? Dunne isn't a RB and where was Macca playing? Tarnat was a waste of space and SWP didn't perform. VB looks as bad as Distin in dealing with crosses. Barton, for me, was the only one to come out the game with credit. KK needs to get this sorted or we'll be back where we were when he came in. I don't think I can take going to Crewe, Preston and Derby again.
Let's face it, with one or two notable exceptions, KK has assembled an expensive team of overpaid has beens and never will bes. It's time to face the harsh reality that relegation is now a very real possibility. KK should take a hard look at himself. His body language on TV suggest that deep down, he's lost confidence in himself. The issue here is what's best for the club. A half empty stadium in the Nationwide next season doesn't bear thinking about. If a quick fix has to be made, then so be it.
Good column Chris your comments so accurate I just hope Keegan and his pathetic coaching team read it and take note.
as much as i hate to say it something must be done, 2 players on saturday seemed to be the only one's giving 100% Fowler & Barton. IN MY OPINION. i dont come on this web site and moan but this time i feel have to because im getting really frustrated, i know we ve been through worse times. SO COME ON CITY CHINS UP ALL US FANS WANT TO SEE IS 100% EVERY TIME YOU PULL ON THE BLUE SHIRT.....CTID
This is how it feels to be City, this is how it feels to be small, this is how it feels when your team wins nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all.
How many years ???
Same old faults, same old defensive weaknesses, will KK never recognise the need for a top class defensive coach. We can predict the negative response if the Phantom (Faz) were to be criticised but dont leave it until its too late please KK, act now! Saturday was embarrassing for all regular City fans, little if any fight from the team certainly no decisive action from the bench, what are we supposed to read into that?