Well, we had a great chance to take what I’m sure would have been a much needed three points last week against Leicester and totally blew it with some horrendous defending and our constantly trying to play out from the back when we’re really not very good at it.
By all means do it when the odds are definitely in your favour, but jeez, just go longer, quicker if it’s at all iffy. It shouldn’t be too difficult, but footballers aren’t known for being the sharpest tools in the box, are they?
Still, I won’t harp on it.
Yes, I will, it was awful and I’m still bloody fuming.
Which brings me to the Juggernaut that is Man City and their never ending ability to spend ridiculous amounts of money while always dodging the FFP rules.
Guardiola can protest about how everyone is out to get them, but we all know they’ve been at it for years, even though nothing has been proven.
I’m not even sure the Premier league can prove anything this time, but if they can, it’s nice to know that there will be no CAS ready to overturn any guilty verdict this time and we can only hope punishment will be extremely severe, as is only reserved for when clubs, just like individual crooks who have taken the proverbial for years, get punished.
And if the league can’t ultimately prove it, at least City will know the whole football world is on their case.
It’s a last chance to prove it though, as another attempt would surely lead to a claim of harassment.
And if City aren’t massively punished and are just hit with a fine and a points deduction, it’ll have been a waste of time anyway. A club of City’s resources would be laughing at that.
Only relegation and the striking off of any achievements would be adequate punishment for me.
And then add in the enforced sale of a load of their players too.
Let’s see how they like having their best players taken off them.
Am I bitter? You bet I am.
I don’t dislike City as a club. I’ve always rated them as very much on a par with the Villa before the current owners arrived and they play great football that is good for the game.
But I dislike the idea that it’s all been done illegally.
Anyway, on to the game and the usual squad news, which is not too bad for us.
Ash Young is fit after going off against Leicester, Traore is training again, but it’s too early for him and Diego Carlos should begin training this week after suffering his Achilles injury months ago. No doubt he’ll be weeks away from playing, but it’s welcome news.
As for City, with their squad, it’s hardly important, but John Stones is the only player that’s not available. Phil Foden has trained after a bout of illness.
I find it very easy to think that if our defence play like they did last week, we’re probably in for a hiding by double figures. Things are hard enough even if your defence is playing well, but as much as I think at least some of our defenders need to leave, I also think they can’t possibly be as bad tomorrow. Two games running? No, surely not.
And City are just frightening when they attack too.
But by no means unbeatable. Indeed, in their last six games both teams have collected 10 points according to this table
As an aside, there’s some interesting numbers, generally in that table and they’re worth a look.
But then, we haven’t beaten City in our last 14 games. It doesn’t bode well.
I expect goals, probably more than 3, but I can’t see us getting anything out of it.
I’m going to go 3-1 to City.
More good news is that Diego Carlos is now training with the first team squad. When either Konsa or Mings are injured, without Carlos it shows how frail our options are at CB.
I reckon we’ll see him in a couple of U23 games first but hopefully he’ll be in the squad come March.
And just as an aside, so interesting to see how Konsa seems to be rediscovering his top form since Emery arrived.