Manchester City News 24/7Writer: Johnny Baguette 
Date:Saturday February 2 2008
Time: 3:26PM
UK time is: 12:48:34
Choose your club
Other Sites
Network Navigation
Vital Partners
'If It's Football, It's Vital'
Fortress Eastlands Finally Falls
An Arsenal side playing football on a different planet have finally ended City's Fortress Eastlands league residency...
The Gooners should have been out of sight by half time, such was their dominance in a game that saw City work hard and do well to gain a fightback foothold. But ultimately class told and the creditable unbeaten home league record has ended. It's taken until February for that to happen. Unthinkable 12 months ago.
Seven months into The Sven Revolution, like all the other sides outside of the so called big four, we can gauge our progress whenever we play one of them. Clearly, there is a hell of a lot of hard work and continued squad rebuilding to be done if City are to compete with a side like Arsenal on an equal playing field. They were not at full strength today.
Hard work has been all about what this City season has been built upon. We have a young side and a small squad still finding it's collective feet in the Premier League and some performances have put us in dreamland.
But in reality, recent poor results, including the failure to beat Derby County have left us staring down the barrel of a mid table place by the end of this difficult month unless City can rapidly rediscover the coherence and the determination that we know they are capable of.
Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco
Your Comments
Fair play and good game it was. There's good signs in the game and I think your team will pick themselves up soon. Hey you guys would want us to beat ManU to the title wouldn't you? :)
Lou the Gunneress
ABU mate. ANYONE but united.
Johnny Baguette
File under You Couldn't Make It Up: Our Greek tragedy, Georgios Samaras scores in Celtic debut.
Johnny Baguette
Honestly I hope your boys beat Liverpool to fourth spot. Obviously though the season is catching up with your players now as Sven can't rotate a fairly small squad. Good luck anyway, especially against manure next week.
Ashburton Gooner
We had a French version too - Diarra scored in his Pompey debut hehee
Lou the Gunneress
Thanks Johnny, I even went looking it up online. Good to learn one more acronym LOL. And you just must enjoy seeing Fergie's face right now!
Lou the Gunneress
So we go face to smacked arse with Taggart and The Evil Empire next sunday. A ridiculously timed fixture with everything stacked against us. A no win situation. And now no Elano or Corluka.
Johnny Baguette
Difficult task awaits sevn, On another topic about the transitions, I did not understand how he sign with the 17-year-old player a loan for one year, what we expect from him in one year to do ?i He very young & does not have the experience, Also about the another player I read little about him, It does not have a good record for a striker, And I did not find for him any tape in YouTupe site !!!
city 81
Dickov scored the winning goal with Blackpool.
city 81
We are up against it, city 81. As for the transfers, I think Filippo Mancini's one year loan signing is a favour from Sven to Filippo's dad who is a friend of his. As for 19 yr old Felipe Caicedo, he's been tracked by a lot of big clubs and City have gone for it. We shall see what he can do next week!!
Johnny Baguette
It was always going to be a tough game today, their second goal offside and we gave away the third so it was a draw. Seriously We played well in parts especially just before the break when we had The Gooners going, but in the end you can see how far we have still got to go.
Buzz Lightyear
Yes Buzz, there's no dount there was an improvement on previous form. Good job too otherwise we would have been thrashed. 10 corners to 1 away from home tells it's own story. We're not creating from set pieces either. So, Geovanni in for Elano against the rags and I'd link to think Onouha for Corluka, but if he's injured again it will be Jihai Sun. How we could do with Johnson and The Boj fit. Who knows, that Benjani bloke might be reluctantly sent north west!
Johnny Baguette
Not much good news surrounding our result getting prospects for next week. But it's just been confirmed that Potato Head Rooney is suspended.
Johnny Baguette
JB, Do you mean we will see all the sons of his friends at the club soon!! BL, I think the reason is the changes it was wrong !
city 81
Jermain Defoe score today !! Perhaps we take Benjani in 2 million next season.
city 81
Benjani >>>http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3104467,00.html
city 81
Many thanks, city 81. The picture is becoming clearer. Exactly when was the lad told to go to Manchester is what I'd like to know? If he does join The Blues it will be good to know he is up for it.
"I'm still hopeful that the move will go through," Benjani told the Manchester Evening News.
"I want to play for Manchester City."
Speaking of the rush on Thursday evening, the Zimbabwean added: "I had to drive from Portsmouth up to London to catch my flight at 7pm.
"I got there in time but the flight was cancelled. By the time I got up to Manchester, it was too late to get everything done in time.
"I'm here and still hoping everything can be sorted out so that I can continue my career with Manchester City."
Johnny Baguette
But still there is something a vague in the story, he say he arrive before close window about fifty minutes, I do not know why he did not sign !!
city 81
Sorry I get it ( By the time I got up to Manchester, it was too late to get everything done in time. ) .
city 81
Benjani is a very hardworking player, honest as the day is long & you'll love him like we do/did.
storagematt
Did you consider it might not have been the goons that were SO FECKIN GOOD, it might have been your lot playing like S H I T E ....no?
Blue is the colour
Who is voting for Petrov as MOTM when it was his worst performance in a City shirt.
alphieblues
You Couldn't Make It Up Part Two: From The Herald Up North:
"As a leading man Samaras was impossible to miss, 6ft 4in, flowing hair, bright orange boots: the 22-year-old isn't going to be able to hide on the days when things don't go for him. Being a magnet for the spotlight was not a problem yesterday. In the 85th minute, just 19 after coming off the bench to make his Celtic debut, he cut inside from a seemingly harmless spot on the right touchline, effortlessly glided past defender Simon Ford and buried the ball low into the far corner of the net with all the elegance of a model slipping her hand into a velvet glove." FFS!!
Johnny Baguette
That was a big improvement for us, Blue is the colour. Otherwise we would have been thrashed out of sight.
Johnny Baguette
Offside? What is offside, Arsenals second goal it is bad enough the linesman getting it wrong, but getting it wrong against such teams like Arsenal makes it very difficult to come back.
Buzz Lightyear
Offside, Whats offside? What was the difference between the blackburn player not being offside and Darius Vassell being offside when Petrov collected the ball?
Buzz Lightyear
I thin we are becoming too predictable and yesterday we showed a touch desparation with Sturridge leading the line against the top side in the country. The lad lacked experience but not effort. SGE moved Elano to the right and we started making things happen, but once again at home you would have thought that we were the away team. In the period just before half time we had Arsenal rocking because we were attacking. We played too deep. At Corners we had no-one up field so when you clear the ball it just comes back. If we play the same way or try and play defensive next week we will be taken to the cleaners. We need two out and out strikers and although I am not keen on Benjani, if we do sign him, then he may just add that something we are missing.
Buzz Lightyear
The thing that completely puzzles me over the Benjigate affair is that he was at the Swamp the night before surely the deal was in the offing then, so why did he travel back to Portsmouth ???
alphieblues
Only Pompey's board and McKay can answer that alphie. At least the players says he wants to play for City so that's something. Buzz, yes we are too predictable. We've been sussed and Elano is just starting to wise up again after being sat on for weeks. It's all against us next week but I want to see our team fight tooth and nail for the ball. Failure to do that will see the rags old guard tear into us. This summer, we need a Gattuso on the books.
Johnny Baguette
I watched the game, and being a spud I was hoping that you'd win, but they are a good team, maybe a little too good for most just now, although with Sven I think you're definately moving in the right direction. You've had an amazing season, a good finish and who knows where you can end up. Come on, I bet at the start of the season you'd of settled for being only 3 points of a CL place in Febuary, wouldn't you? Good luck.
spurjon
Cheers, spurjon. I'd say the fact that we haven't dropped outside the top seven all season speaks for itself, but I think many of us began to expect far too much too soon!
Johnny Baguette
Spurjon yes I think we have had a brilliant season compared with the last couple. The good thing is that I think the gap is closing between the top clubs and those underneath and I include Spurs in that. We have only just got money and it will take time to build a good team that will not be a one hit wonder but will be able to compete with any club in the league. This is good for football making the season more exciting and less predicatable as to who is going to win the major titles. This season I think we(several clubs) have caught Liverpool and 4th place is up for grabs.
Buzz Lightyear
I thought Charlie was not playing yesterday, is he banned for the Rags? I know we don't have Elano. I used to think that Derby match form went out of the window, but with so many players not being from the area they just don't realise how much this means to us. Monday morning at work, it just dosen't bear thinking about. I have had some great days at work when I was younger, but they still rub it in that we haven't beaten them at the Swamp for years. JB says that City owe us one big time. This would be the time to repay us.
Buzz Lightyear
Spurjon I hope you can hang onto Berbatov, but if you have to sell him ABU.
Buzz Lightyear
Who voted for Petrov?
Buzz Lightyear
Exactly! How is he getting 28% of the vote?!! Got to be Gooners. Re the Derby Buzz, definitely Elano and Corluka out for us and Potato Head Rooney for them.
Johnny Baguette
Well done Fulham, by the way! That's a handy result beating Villa!
Johnny Baguette
Rooney has a square head, he must have relatives in Mossley
Buzz Lightyear
Villa keeps us still in touch JB, if any of the strikers make the team El Diablo, Caicedo, The Boj we may yet put up a good show. I would just change the way we play, get two strikers going. Charlie Luka showed what the forwards should have been doing getting behind the backs of Arsenal. He made Gelson look good.
Buzz Lightyear
Guys, good luck in the derby next week!
Lou the Gunneress
Different Class Really.......................!
horseworrier
Have Your Say
Recent Articles
The Ped Report City 2-3 Norwich City (Monday May 20 2013)
Stats: Manchester City v Norwich City (Sunday May 19 2013)
The Citizens versus The Canaries (Saturday May 18 2013)
Balotelli: I'm Glad I Left England (Saturday May 18 2013)
VIDEO: Confusion Clouds Pellegrini Future (Thursday May 16 2013)
The Ped Report Reading 0-2 City (Tuesday May 14 2013)
Stats: Reading v Manchester City (Tuesday May 14 2013)
And On That Bombshell (Tuesday May 14 2013)
VIDEO: Pellegrini Denies City Deal (Tuesday May 14 2013)
The Royals versus The Citizens (Tuesday May 14 2013)
Archived Articles
Vital Members League (view all)
| 1. | Buzz Lightyear | 475 |
| 2. | Johnny Baguette | 388 |
| 3. | Bluedub | 383 |
| 4. | fifthcolumnblue | 288 |
| 5. | Colin Is The King | 207 |
| 6. | Skoorb | 184 |
| 7. | citizhun | 163 |
| 8. | kennyclementstache | 157 |
| 9. | Spooks | 155 |
| 10. | PhillyBlueMoon | 145 |
League Results (view all)
| Latest Results | ||||
| Man City | 2 | - | 3 | Norwich |
| Reading | 0 | - | 2 | Man City |
| Man City | 1 | - | 0 | WBA |
| Swansea | 0 | - | 0 | Man City |
| Man City | 2 | - | 1 | West Ham |
| Spurs | 3 | - | 1 | Man City |
League Table (view table)
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1. Man Utd | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | +43 | 89 |
| 2. Man City | 38 | 23 | 9 | 6 | +32 | 78 |
| 3. Chelsea | 38 | 22 | 9 | 7 | +36 | 75 |
| 4. Arsenal | 38 | 21 | 10 | 7 | +35 | 73 |
| 5. Spurs | 38 | 21 | 9 | 8 | +20 | 72 |
| 6. Everton | 38 | 16 | 15 | 7 | +15 | 63 |
| 7. Liverpool | 38 | 16 | 13 | 9 | +28 | 61 |
Breaking League News
| The Aston Villa Summer Transfer Thread Pt 1
» Aston Villa : 21/05/2013 12:27:00
|
| Brentford Midfielder Linked
» Aston Villa : 21/05/2013 12:24:00
|
| No, No, NO. Weimann & Benteke Cannot Be Sold!
» Aston Villa : 21/05/2013 12:16:00
|
| Fringe Players Exodus Led By Richard Dunne?
» Aston Villa : 21/05/2013 11:27:00
|
| Klinsmann takes a dive
» Everton : 21/05/2013 10:44:00
|
| Who Is Your Vital Arsenal Player of the Season?
» Arsenal : 21/05/2013 10:24:00
|
| The Abuse Of NUFC Has To End. Now!!
» Newcastle : 21/05/2013 10:01:00
|
Current Site Poll (view all polls)
|
|
4 © - All content copyright Vital Network Ltd, not to be reproduced without explicit permission Copyright Issues
Cookie Policy
At Vital Football, we along with most other modern websites use small files called 'cookies' to create the most secure, effective and functional website possible for our users. Without these files our business model, based on advertising, breaks down and we would be unable to continue to provide the services that you are here to utilise. By continuing to use this website after seeing this message, you consent to our use of cookies on this device unless you have disabled them. For full details please read our Cookie Policy which can be found here. However, if you would like to disable cookies on this device, please view our Cookie Policy which contains an opt-out tool for disabling advertising cookies. Please also visit our information pages on 'How to manage cookies' if you would also like to block all other types of cookies. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies.