Johnny Baguette
Alert Team
This feels like the beginning of something very special...
A magnificent seven games into the new season, 21 goals plundered and only 4 shipped, it is becoming increasingly difficult for anyone across Planet Blue to remain grounded as the stunning evolution under Josep Guardiola`s micro managed leadership gathers pace. It is also becoming harder to find superlatives that adequately describe the brilliant level of performance that Manchester City are currently operating at. Sure, we can remind ourselves that this is only the start of a four pronged campaign that could run to around 60 games, but the intensity of the play, the forging of a collective will to win and a siege mentality team spirit before our very eyes are an utterly exhilarating combination. Some of the football has been exceptional. Upon the evidence we saw last night, somebody is really going to cop for an almighty battering off the Blues any game soon.
Borussia Mönchengladbach, like the vast majority of clubs in the Champions League have a decent side with talented players who can hurt you. But they were simply blown away at The Etihad by what I would rate as City`s finest European performance in decades. Complete Control - in all honesty Pep`s Band of Brothers never even got out of third gear.
There is a flow about everything allied to subtle hints dropped by Guardiola here and there that suggest he has been more closely involved with City over the past season or two than we think. There appears to be a seamless familiarity about everything both on and off the park. The manager is deploying and counter deploying players all over the pitch. Opposition heads are rotating like bewildered owls. It is abundantly clear that he knows precisely what each one of his players is capable of.
The City livewire continues to mix it up tactically. Chief 'BT Bitter' Rio Ferdinand, currently blocked from belittling City games with his biased punditry accused The Blues of route one football after the opening goal at the swamp last weekend. But if we think back across the past seven games, on the odd occasion Kolarov will smack the ball long out of the blue. I think it is tactical. Tales of the unexpected. Nothing like the hoofballl dross Moaning Maureen's Stretford Galacticos are serving up. By the way their legion of media friends are describing them again as 'a work in progress' rather than the pre-derby humbling 'United of old.'
I liken Ferdinand's swipe to the whole sweeper keeper debate. That numerous hacks and pundits have the temerity, (outside of Roy Keane I hasten to add) to question Guardiola's decision making so soon into his English tenure beggars belief. The most telling moment on this issue took place in the derby. Claudio Bravo and his defenders indulged in some keep ball. Wayne Rugney shrieked at his colleagues to go at them, but they in turn looked round hesitantly because 'The Latest One' was charging them to hold back and not fall into the Pep trap of being pulled out of position for his wing backs to exploit!
It is all good and then some. A special mention has to be made again for the stunning Kun Aguero. 145 City goals inside five years and one month. In the form of his life, precisely what does this man have to do to win meaningful plaudits outside of City circles? His injury record is often cited as the main reason why he misses out on the big accolades. Closer inspection, particularly from our travelling Blues proves that he takes whack after whack game in, game out, especially on the road. But I truly sense that his time, and ours, is upon us.
A slick outfit now on and off the park with even Lord Taggart (following increasing numbers of neutral fans) showering praise upon our manager at the Theatre of Screams, what has been in place as a constructed platform for two years or more is now witnessing take off.
Pep and City are on a mission. There is to be no let up.
On a final note, we undoubtedly have the flow and the momentum now. The blue sky's the limit. I urge all Blues to bite the bullet and back Pep over his Champions League anthem/ end the booing request. In my opinion no way on this earth has he been asked by the hierarchy to say that, either. He says what he sees, we already know that. We have made our point and by sheer determination and now the force of our football we are wearing the elite down. Take a look at Jose Mourinho's ashen face. Let's drop the protest and see how far we can all take this. In Pep We Trust.
Read more: http://www.manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=571252#ixzz4KMP8j5Jf
A magnificent seven games into the new season, 21 goals plundered and only 4 shipped, it is becoming increasingly difficult for anyone across Planet Blue to remain grounded as the stunning evolution under Josep Guardiola`s micro managed leadership gathers pace. It is also becoming harder to find superlatives that adequately describe the brilliant level of performance that Manchester City are currently operating at. Sure, we can remind ourselves that this is only the start of a four pronged campaign that could run to around 60 games, but the intensity of the play, the forging of a collective will to win and a siege mentality team spirit before our very eyes are an utterly exhilarating combination. Some of the football has been exceptional. Upon the evidence we saw last night, somebody is really going to cop for an almighty battering off the Blues any game soon.
Borussia Mönchengladbach, like the vast majority of clubs in the Champions League have a decent side with talented players who can hurt you. But they were simply blown away at The Etihad by what I would rate as City`s finest European performance in decades. Complete Control - in all honesty Pep`s Band of Brothers never even got out of third gear.
There is a flow about everything allied to subtle hints dropped by Guardiola here and there that suggest he has been more closely involved with City over the past season or two than we think. There appears to be a seamless familiarity about everything both on and off the park. The manager is deploying and counter deploying players all over the pitch. Opposition heads are rotating like bewildered owls. It is abundantly clear that he knows precisely what each one of his players is capable of.
The City livewire continues to mix it up tactically. Chief 'BT Bitter' Rio Ferdinand, currently blocked from belittling City games with his biased punditry accused The Blues of route one football after the opening goal at the swamp last weekend. But if we think back across the past seven games, on the odd occasion Kolarov will smack the ball long out of the blue. I think it is tactical. Tales of the unexpected. Nothing like the hoofballl dross Moaning Maureen's Stretford Galacticos are serving up. By the way their legion of media friends are describing them again as 'a work in progress' rather than the pre-derby humbling 'United of old.'
I liken Ferdinand's swipe to the whole sweeper keeper debate. That numerous hacks and pundits have the temerity, (outside of Roy Keane I hasten to add) to question Guardiola's decision making so soon into his English tenure beggars belief. The most telling moment on this issue took place in the derby. Claudio Bravo and his defenders indulged in some keep ball. Wayne Rugney shrieked at his colleagues to go at them, but they in turn looked round hesitantly because 'The Latest One' was charging them to hold back and not fall into the Pep trap of being pulled out of position for his wing backs to exploit!
It is all good and then some. A special mention has to be made again for the stunning Kun Aguero. 145 City goals inside five years and one month. In the form of his life, precisely what does this man have to do to win meaningful plaudits outside of City circles? His injury record is often cited as the main reason why he misses out on the big accolades. Closer inspection, particularly from our travelling Blues proves that he takes whack after whack game in, game out, especially on the road. But I truly sense that his time, and ours, is upon us.
A slick outfit now on and off the park with even Lord Taggart (following increasing numbers of neutral fans) showering praise upon our manager at the Theatre of Screams, what has been in place as a constructed platform for two years or more is now witnessing take off.
Pep and City are on a mission. There is to be no let up.
On a final note, we undoubtedly have the flow and the momentum now. The blue sky's the limit. I urge all Blues to bite the bullet and back Pep over his Champions League anthem/ end the booing request. In my opinion no way on this earth has he been asked by the hierarchy to say that, either. He says what he sees, we already know that. We have made our point and by sheer determination and now the force of our football we are wearing the elite down. Take a look at Jose Mourinho's ashen face. Let's drop the protest and see how far we can all take this. In Pep We Trust.
Read more: http://www.manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=571252#ixzz4KMP8j5Jf
