VMC Flashback: 2006 - Blues Season In A Nutshell

This week's visit to the VMC Archives takes us back again almost 4 years to the day and a late season summing up before City's impending defeat at Spurs...

It's time to ask once more where were we when we were shit? - as so many rival supporters have complimented us this season.

City had just come through a torrid phase under Stuart Pearce losing 0-1 at home to Wigan, 1-2 at home to West Ham in the FA Cup and further defeat 2-0 at Chelsea and 0-1 at home to Middlesbrough.

This week's flashback article was written shortly before City's next defeat which would come at Spurs in the following fashion:

Tottenham 2 (0) Man City 1 (0)
White Hart Lane, 8th April 2006
Attendance: 36, 167

Goals: Stalteri 44, Carrick 49, Samaras 52

City: James, Mills(Riera,59), Dunne, Distin, Thatcher, Sinclair, Richards, Musampa, Reyna(Sibierski,79), Vassell, Samaras

Subs not used: Weaver, Sommeil, B. Wright-Phillips,

VMC Flashback: April 2006 - Blues Season In A Nutshell

BLUES SEASON IN A NUTSHELL
by Anonymous

This is familiar territory for Man City fans.

A season full of such promise and high expectation has once again fizzled out as a disappointing damp squib - we should be used to it!

Although it already seems an age ago, it was only infact just over a couple of weeks since life seemed oh so different and we were pushing hard for a euro qualification on two fronts; via the FA Cup and a top six finish in the league - how quickly things can change !

Sadly instead of turning up the gas and finishing the season like an express, the club has been ignominiously shunted into the sidings and now can only watch others take the spoils that could have been ours.

I don't think I've felt as despressed as this even in the darkest moments of KK's reign, but somehow at the moment it seems worse as this was not on the script when Pearce became manager. It's difficult to say exactly what the problem is and there are probably a number of reasons for City's dire situation.

The lack of passion, brains, technique and imagination in recent games have highlighted City's thin veneer of 'top-club' credentials. The Wigan and 'Boro home league games were truly shocking displays and the performance against West Ham in the cup tie was especially disappointing given the incentive of a place in the semi final and even final, especially seeing how the draw for the next round turned out.

I think what we've seen in the last few weeks is confirmation that the overall strength in depth and quality for that matter of, City's squad is woefully thin and patchy. It doesn't help matters when key players give out all the wrong messages about their committment to the club when what we're crying out for is unity and fighting for a common cause.

Injuries have undoubtedly been a factor and the number of them would cause any squad some difficulties, but the absence of some players seems to have created a sort of self-defeatism about the team that takes the pitch rather than an exciting opportunity for fringe players to make a statement and take their chance - BWP and Ireland being prime examples.

This is a real test for Psycho now, and although he has said he'll take responsibility, he needs to translate those words into actions and give the players the rocket up their backsides they deserve. Can he do it? Well, obviously I hope so and we'll see over the next few weeks.

Pearce can't do it single handedly though, and now is the time to see how committed to the cause the senior players are, especially those that seem to be concentrating more of their energies on their next club, rather than their current one!

Let's try to finish the season on a bit of a high with a decent run in and some good and entertaining performances. The fans are still behind you Stuart, so do whatever you need to do, but do it quick!

VMC Archives Link: April 2006

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