Johnny Baguette
Alert Team
A Happy New Season From Everyone at VMC and the Vital Network!
Well. The Pep Guardiola era is up and running with a win, and no matter which way the usual suspects in the media who have pumped out a variety of drivel across the past 18 hours or so try to dress it down, an opening day win would have been taken by any Blue no matter which way it was achieved considering the obstacles that stopped City realising a full pre-season together. As it transpired, dare I say it, The Moyesiah`s Sunderland were limited enough opponents to suggest that this provided a good 'pre-season' work out in itself ahead of far sterner challenges.
There was a Premier League crash-course element to the way this Etihad Stadium season opener panned out for Pep and his management team. A Mancunian full house know all too well from recent experience what it is like to witness the absolute domination of visiting opponents without putting them to the sword only for the pre-requisite at this level of a striker who only needs a sniff to cancel out a lead and transform a game from brandy and cigars into nail biting mode and that is precisely what happened here. I detract from using the word "again" in that sentence because I believe this was a very different City to anything we have seen in our club`s history, let alone for any team in that of the Premier League.
Now that might appear a grandiose statement but when have we seen Plans A,B,C and D deployed throughout a game before leaving the opposition constantly second guessing? City have been criticised by a number of hacks this weekend for being too laboured in their play which was a justifiable call in the turgid wind down of the Manuel Pellegrini tenure. But for me, this was different. I thought City, often seamlessly swapping roles looked well drilled, efficient and were clearly striving as a collective to put into practice the strategies that their notoriously meticulous gaffer has asked of them. The pace of how that is executed will obviously be developed as the stardust settles. Pep will ensure there is no let up. 678 passes to the Mackems 188 provides an indicator of what we can expect to see as an intriguing season takes shape. I would go further to declare it better to have won as we did today than win 6-0. Patience is going to be key in these opening weeks of the campaign.
Above all else, I perceive already a transformation in the body language and mentality out there. The contrast in this area between our last competitive fixture at Swansea and this one could not be more acute. There is verbal communication all over the park, a willingness to want the ball and most pleasing of all the sight at the final whistle of a group of footballers chatting eagerly to each other and hanging around on the pitch rather than heading straight for the tunnel. Buoyed by the passion bursting out of their leader on the touchline, it is self evident that the City squad are enjoying their football again.
My Man of the Match was Ras Sterling who typifies new City. I thought he was outstanding and looks utterly rejuvenated, liberated of the chains he appeared to be operating under previously. He was a double figure scorer again last season and was vilified in almost every game. His performance against the Black Cats bodes well.
Ultimately, this crucial win was a victory for perseverance and a will to win. The next game cannot come around quick enough!
Read more: http://www.manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=569873#ixzz4HIsM7EKx
Well. The Pep Guardiola era is up and running with a win, and no matter which way the usual suspects in the media who have pumped out a variety of drivel across the past 18 hours or so try to dress it down, an opening day win would have been taken by any Blue no matter which way it was achieved considering the obstacles that stopped City realising a full pre-season together. As it transpired, dare I say it, The Moyesiah`s Sunderland were limited enough opponents to suggest that this provided a good 'pre-season' work out in itself ahead of far sterner challenges.
There was a Premier League crash-course element to the way this Etihad Stadium season opener panned out for Pep and his management team. A Mancunian full house know all too well from recent experience what it is like to witness the absolute domination of visiting opponents without putting them to the sword only for the pre-requisite at this level of a striker who only needs a sniff to cancel out a lead and transform a game from brandy and cigars into nail biting mode and that is precisely what happened here. I detract from using the word "again" in that sentence because I believe this was a very different City to anything we have seen in our club`s history, let alone for any team in that of the Premier League.
Now that might appear a grandiose statement but when have we seen Plans A,B,C and D deployed throughout a game before leaving the opposition constantly second guessing? City have been criticised by a number of hacks this weekend for being too laboured in their play which was a justifiable call in the turgid wind down of the Manuel Pellegrini tenure. But for me, this was different. I thought City, often seamlessly swapping roles looked well drilled, efficient and were clearly striving as a collective to put into practice the strategies that their notoriously meticulous gaffer has asked of them. The pace of how that is executed will obviously be developed as the stardust settles. Pep will ensure there is no let up. 678 passes to the Mackems 188 provides an indicator of what we can expect to see as an intriguing season takes shape. I would go further to declare it better to have won as we did today than win 6-0. Patience is going to be key in these opening weeks of the campaign.
Above all else, I perceive already a transformation in the body language and mentality out there. The contrast in this area between our last competitive fixture at Swansea and this one could not be more acute. There is verbal communication all over the park, a willingness to want the ball and most pleasing of all the sight at the final whistle of a group of footballers chatting eagerly to each other and hanging around on the pitch rather than heading straight for the tunnel. Buoyed by the passion bursting out of their leader on the touchline, it is self evident that the City squad are enjoying their football again.
My Man of the Match was Ras Sterling who typifies new City. I thought he was outstanding and looks utterly rejuvenated, liberated of the chains he appeared to be operating under previously. He was a double figure scorer again last season and was vilified in almost every game. His performance against the Black Cats bodes well.
Ultimately, this crucial win was a victory for perseverance and a will to win. The next game cannot come around quick enough!
Read more: http://www.manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=569873#ixzz4HIsM7EKx
