Where's the flare?

I'm sure I was not alone in my sense of relief as the final whistle blew at the Reebok on saturday. 0-0 at 'high flying' Bolton Wanderers and we have a 5 match unbeaten run on our hands. I disconnected from Andy Hinchcliffe on MCFCTV.COM and took a satisified look at our 10th position in the Premier League. But...

..as I began to read the numerous hacks reports from the game and above all else got feedback direct from my Blue mates back home who had braved the 36 quid entrance fee, I again got the feeling that the whole 'experience' must have been a bloody awful one. I watched the er, 'highlights' on TPS French satellite later and cringed at the woeful efforts of both teams.

As is now very often the case in a Premier League where the stakes are so financially high that relegation would be an unprecedented disaster, many teams are cancelling each other out and settling for the safe middle ground. There's no point even considering catching up with the likes of the Rags and Chelski so it's a collective case of avoid the drop at all costs and if you make Europe, that's a bonus. A dreadfully pisspoor scenario, but an absolute fact in top flight English Football under the dominance of Sky TV.

City have a new resilience about them and thanks to the best English goalkeeper in the Premier League can point to numerous clean sheets this season but at what price from an entertainment perspective.

So, did we prefer Manchester City's swashbuckling 2-3 and 4-3ers in the cash splashing Mad Kev and Faz era or would we rather have the turgid 0-0 and 0-1ers under SP and the alledged 'double agent' Mr. Wigley?

I know which style of football I prefer. Even under Nobby Horton we had flare about us. Here's hoping that Psycho's motorcycle dash to the airport on saturday night will bring in the creativity and goals that our squad so desperately needs! Add that to the defensive wall that's been built and we can start thinking about Europe in realistic rather than idealistic terms.

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