Tuesday, 14 February 2006
Man City away. What was the score? Lost 3-2
I'm starting to think I should rename this blog Where am I? Today I woke up in Cleveland in Ohio, once a great industrial port and now a thriving diversified lakeside city. Back to Chicago tonight, if the weather permits.
On Sunday morning after playing indoor 'soccer' I flew down to the pub and watched the 2nd half of our game at the City of Manchester stadium. By all accounts the 1st half was very missable, and it was nice to witness us actually take part in an entertaining game (2nd half anyway) as opposed the hum-drum stuff we have been involved in recently.
My head dropped after we conceded so soon after Darren Bent's sweet finish to a poorly marked Georgios Samaras header and then Barton's magnificent shot was one of those that even the most abject moaner couldn't have found a scapegoat for.
To me, from what I saw, it showed City and us as sides of equal power. The goals from the two Bent's proving that they are potentially more of a handful than City's revered strikers. And if only we could supply more of the like of those wonderful crosses from El Kak and Kish, you feel that the two Bents would lap them up.
Part of our problem recently is our unsettled defensive line up. Perry's untimely sickness was El Kak's gain but I wonder if we will ever see him paired with Sorondo at the back, which I believe was Curbishley's intention. And whilst I have valued Myhre's composure and experience in recent weeks, I still believe that Andersen is the better goalie of the two.
Our midfield so lacks a playmaker but once again I thought Kish had a good game, and I wish people would see that, and Smertin did the probing, marshalling stuff well. I have given up though on him ever getting on the scoresheet.
Curbs again used his new, and completely out of character, tactic of throwing three subs on and I personally was pleased to see Euell again, but his efforts aside, we really never threw enough caution to the wind to get anything from the game, although if El Kak's late shot would have gone in it would have put a whole new gloss on this post.
In many ways, not least to get that end of season monkey off our backs, I'm rather hoping that we go through the rest of the season, winning one, losing one. It will keep the interest up, maybe even for me to forego 6-a-side footie for a 1st half away performance?
Reports from those that were there: BBC Sport; cafc.co.uk, Addicks Diary; SE7 Dreams; Bitter and Blue. ¶ 08:34
On Sunday morning after playing indoor 'soccer' I flew down to the pub and watched the 2nd half of our game at the City of Manchester stadium. By all accounts the 1st half was very missable, and it was nice to witness us actually take part in an entertaining game (2nd half anyway) as opposed the hum-drum stuff we have been involved in recently.
My head dropped after we conceded so soon after Darren Bent's sweet finish to a poorly marked Georgios Samaras header and then Barton's magnificent shot was one of those that even the most abject moaner couldn't have found a scapegoat for.
To me, from what I saw, it showed City and us as sides of equal power. The goals from the two Bent's proving that they are potentially more of a handful than City's revered strikers. And if only we could supply more of the like of those wonderful crosses from El Kak and Kish, you feel that the two Bents would lap them up.
Part of our problem recently is our unsettled defensive line up. Perry's untimely sickness was El Kak's gain but I wonder if we will ever see him paired with Sorondo at the back, which I believe was Curbishley's intention. And whilst I have valued Myhre's composure and experience in recent weeks, I still believe that Andersen is the better goalie of the two.
Our midfield so lacks a playmaker but once again I thought Kish had a good game, and I wish people would see that, and Smertin did the probing, marshalling stuff well. I have given up though on him ever getting on the scoresheet.
Curbs again used his new, and completely out of character, tactic of throwing three subs on and I personally was pleased to see Euell again, but his efforts aside, we really never threw enough caution to the wind to get anything from the game, although if El Kak's late shot would have gone in it would have put a whole new gloss on this post.
In many ways, not least to get that end of season monkey off our backs, I'm rather hoping that we go through the rest of the season, winning one, losing one. It will keep the interest up, maybe even for me to forego 6-a-side footie for a 1st half away performance?
Reports from those that were there: BBC Sport; cafc.co.uk, Addicks Diary; SE7 Dreams; Bitter and Blue. ¶ 08:34
