The former Belle Vue rollercoaster springs to mind yet again after Manchester City's abyssmal performance against Everton. Was this really the same team that so magnificently won at OT a fortnight ago?
Take that win away and City are on the slide - on the ropes for the second half against Liverpool, inferior to WHU in two of the three recent games, out-muscled against Sheff. Utd and now this!
Normally the defence has been fairly secure but last night's gathering resembled Reading's on Sunday - not quite as bad as Newcastle's which is dire. Richards? What goes through this man's head? Lucky to escape a first half penalty for hand ball - trying to be a line-out lock in the second half - bizarre.
Well you know you have problems when Vassell is joint-top scorer with four! I hear Lescott has scored eight for Everton? How Vassell has racked-up his England caps is beyond me? It's going to be a 'long' end to the season on this showing, given that the window has gone.
Then there's Petrov - a man who would get a place in any "Sulk X1".
Sent off for a petulant ankle tap = and rightly so. Just a pity that Gallas and Mascharano didn't get similar treatment for their recent transgressions.
I heard Eriksson last week telling the world Stephen Ireland should be playing for his country again. No thanks Sven, not on this form.
Has he paid his flight fare put up by the FAI after his fabricated 'bereavements' yet - I'd like answered?

i have to say city looked awful last night. great performance from us though and a fully deserved win. back up to fourth place now and hopefully we can stay there!

Richards is still learning though, and looks a great prospect. In fact most weeks he looks fantastic already, it's only every now and again he plays like a teenager. We'll miss him while he's out.

I've only managed one game this season (I know, it's poor!) and Elano and Petrov were both pretty anonymous. It'll be better when Johnson is back and fit, but overall I'm pretty chuffed with this season - we're usually good to watch, comfortably top half, and took six points of the rags.

Not a bad building block for next year, especially when you consider what the last few seasons have been like!

Agree with much of that except it is frustrating at times, especially after that wonderful performance at OT. Having seen the Riverside replay last night, City must be kicking themselves or the balloons, for their FA Cup exit when they might have had a Wembley semi.
I think they will slide now because there aren't enough goals being scored. I think Hart has been a plus but I always have reservations about overseas players from certain countries because they are fickle. Elano showed little enthusiasm at Bramall Lane and Petrov is in and out (moods). Not a Vassell fan and Benjani will need better service.
It's infinitely better without Keegan and Pearce and I guess a mid-table position is progress - don't see a UEFA spot.

I have seen some rubbish games in general recently but City's 0-0 draw with Wigan is yet another. More frustration and disquiet at Eastlands best summed up by Craig Burley's quip re-Wigan going for three points: "City are no great shakes, let's be honest about it."
Far too little being created up front with next to no support for Benjani - who had the ball played quicker to him at Portsmouth.
Hart, again, had a sound game in wet, difficult conditions - the torture ending with a resounding chorus of boos.

My thoughts, too! Manchester Evening News

Reading 2 City 0: Verdict
Chris Bailey
10/ 3/2008

"ANY City fans planning their summer holidays on the off chance that their favourites might be playing in Europe in July, can now nip down to the travel agent and give him a free rein.

"Devoid of confidence, attacking ideas and the necessary levels of grit and grind, the Blues currently do not look anything like a side about to launch an end of season revival.

"Two wins in a dozen games, no goals and just one point from the last three outings since their derby euphoria is hardly the stuff of a top six place and that is precisely what they need if they are to bother the UEFA Cup organisers next term."

And to think that under Pearce we were only a last minute penalty miss from Tworobbie Fowlers away from Europe :roll:

Didn't see anything of the Wigan game, but I think it's clear we've run out of steam. I only wish I'd seen enough live football this season to know why - have other teams just worked us out, have the players got jaded, or is there no enough competition for places?

I think the last point might have some weight - injuries not withstanding I guess Hart, Richards, Ball, Dunne, Elano, Petrov, Johnson and Benjani are all pretty much guaranteed a game. Perhaps it's time for Sven to give some of the others a go - we're safe but not going to win anything, so why not give the likes of Evans, Etuhu (as long as he isn't like his brother) and Sturridge (sp?) a bit of a run, or at least a few half hours here and there? What do you think?

And the sooner Bojinov gets fit the better.

Blue Moon Way !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7307908.stm

Fantastic road name!

Predictions for Birmingham away?

Hamman is back, and Birmingham are pants, so I'm pretty sure we won't lose. Just depends if we can actually score as to whether we win or not!

I always listen intently to Sven - pro Swedes - and his explanation at Bolton was that City got sucked into Bolton's scrappy culture and it was difficult to play the football that he supports.
I watched Birmingham against Newcastle and after the first goal, they were poor, which they are BUT will City score? Is McFadden injured? He looks the most potent Blues force.
The game City won 2-1 at home (Spurs) - Ireland's goal was a mis-kick and a very good header was by a defender Onuoha, thus as always, the paucity of goals is the problem. Maybe Vassell can have an 'on' day in his native city.

Now come on, we both no Vassell only scores against the Villa :)

I find City and Villa very similar - goals not easy to come by. May have been a different game at St.Andrews had Benjani taken that early chance but as things stand, the same old failings - one goal from a set-piece. Just when you think 1-2 v ten-men, (hope), along steps Styles to put a spanner in the works with a decision worse than the one he made at Anfield that brought a suspension for him. It really isn't acceptable. His and Riley's CVs reek with controversies.

Agree entirely - Benjani in Portsmouth form and a proper referee and it could have been very different.

I liked Sun's reaction to the penalty award - no histrionics, he just laughed. What else can you do? I listened to the game on Five Live Sport Extra - they seemed to think the sending off was harsh, and the summarised (can't remember who it was) said words to the effect of 'don't worry it's Rob Styles, he'll find some way to even it up again'

It is worrying though that the consensus appears to be that basically most of the team couldn't be bothered.

From the MotD highlights it looked like we played quite well against Chelsea, even thought the score line suggests otherwise.

It's the same old thing though isn't it - we can't score. And yet you look at the list of strikers we have, and it isn't like we're short of bodies.

The website lists:

Bojinov
Benjani
Bianchi
Caiecedo
Corradi
Dickov
Evans
Mpenza
Samaras
Sturridge
Vassell

Now admittedly Freddie Mercury is out on loan as is Dickov (is Evans too?) but to say we have 'no strikers' as seems to be the line now is just wrong. We just haven't got any who are any good! I have high hopes for Bojinov though - he's great in FIFA on the playstation...

Who off that list would you keep?

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/04/07/SOCCER_Man_City.html

The above is a link to an interest in Ronaldinho. If I didn't know Sven was the boss, I'd think Keegan was still there. It's the usual 'big name' whose gone past his best. Look at the wages he'd want and then you ask yourself, how commited is he?
From that list, I saw a bit of Sturridge in the Sheff U. cup-tie to warrant another look. I have grave reservations about many continental players in terms of commitment? If they pass that 'test' are they any good? Even my 'reliable' Scandinavians don't always come up to the mark - look at Fulham's Hangeland? Makes Gary Doherty and McShane look good!
From MOTD - re the Chelsea match, doesn't this happen time and time again, pressure not converted into goals - along comes the sting? No way back!
WBA v Portsmouth ran along similar lines. In the City game Leprechaun Stephen should have scored. I listen to Sven's every word, I like him so much, and if the effort is there, you know there are days when 'you're' just not good enough. I'm afraid that is City. Their position at the moment is possibly higher than I anticipated when Eriksson was appointed. BUT, don't City spend/waste cash on so many signings, from way back when?

Onuoha - out for season http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7337244.stm