SURMISING UNITED 2 CITY 1...
14/01/2023
Gutted. Obviously.
I’ll be honest I would have taken the nil nil but once Jack scored it was there for City to go on and win. Sadly over recent years City have seen these scenarios as games to sit back and see out. It is a frustrating tactic when you have De Bruyne and Haaland on your Fantasy League teams but its even worse when you end up losing all three points. Pep has finally paid for it.
There were many worries on display today for us City fans. We haven’t got up to our levels since the World Cup break. We aren’t reading passes and seem to need an extra touch. We haven’t found that final burst of speed. To be fair we are always a little rusty after the summer break. It is much more costly though post World Cup break. I thought Arsenal might struggle to get back to November levels. Not a bit of it. By the time City get up to speed it might be too late.
Erling Haaland? Has he been found out? He arrived as a breath of brilliant air. He was seemingly impossible to play against. Check out his post World Cup stats and his averages don’t look so good. Is that because he had too long a break without playing in the World Cup? Or is it because his team mates are not firing? Or have teams now watched, studied and worked out how to keep him out of the game? Time will tell.
Someone asked me where the City fight was? My quick answer was that he now manages Burnley but it might be a question for Pep to ask. When United equalised where was the leader to steady the ship and rally the troops. We perhaps don’t need Diaz as we used to as a centre half. Maybe we miss him most as a leader on the pitch.
Arsenal now have an open invite to win the League. Wins against Spurs tomorrow and United next Sunday and it is hard to see them being caught but they could lose both. If they win both games City need to turn their focus to finishing top 4. If they lose both then United are in the title race!
If I look across the City, United are very much back. Ten Haag was a great appointment and getting rid of Christiano was his toughest but best decision. Fernandes is flowing freely again. He has also got players like Rashford and Shaw back to their best. Casemiro has given a foundation to the midfield and they have players like Garnacho and Anthony to bring off the bench when you need a game changer. United fans should rightfully be refilling their confidence. Trophies are within grasp!
The only encouragement for City today was United fans response. I was getting the banter that I gave to them in the 80s and 90s when our only win that seemed to mean anything was against United. So, are United back/ You’ll know when you don’t overreact to a derby win!
Enjoy though. I remember when we enjoyed in the same way. Remember that 5-1 in 1989. Enjoy it like that. Soon, it will still be important but not that important!
Oh, the goal? Well if Rashford with the ball at his feet in front of Emerson, shaping to shoot, is not interfering with Ederson’s then I don’t know what "interfering with a player” means? If it was technically right then the technicals need changed. Having said that… well left Marcus… well finished Bruno… well scunnered me!