Blues

I note with some disappointment that any dissenting voice is at best ignored among City fans online, with a sort of slavishness to the cause, no matter how farcical events are in the 'real world'. Why is this? To be a fan of a football club (even if it is Manchester City) does not mean that you have to have a voluntary lobotomy on Twitter, does it? While in the majority of cases, I enjoy the sense of humour (though I don’t think just calling Man United fans ‘Munichs’ is particularly witty) and the sense of camaraderie, I am a tad fucked off that there appears to be no healthy debate, just a sort of slavering ‘Aaah, we’re rich and we’re gonna fuck the lot of ya!’ attitude. The nearest anyone appears to approach any sort of sober analysis is ‘Ooh, I’d better not take the piss too much, because we might come a cropper in our next match.’ Anyway. I am a City fan, but I like to think I’m not seduced by the Abu Dhabi billions and fucking Garry Cook.

Among the best of the web - heartfelt thanks to Toxic Web for stupendous image use...

So. I’ve been looking at the team since the latest frenzy of pointless buying and horse trading, and I’m finding it difficult to see what the shape will be, and who would be best suited in what position. It strikes me that there is a massive overload in midfield and a serious dearth up front. People are talking about 4-2-1-2-1 formations and plenty of other nonsense, but I still can’t see where we’re going to get a lot of goals from – Tevez aside (although there is a danger in relying on the guy repeating the marvellous form of last season, which doesn’t always happen) – and that worries me. Perhaps Robinho will play for us again, and perhaps he will show some of his real footballing skill if he does so. I don’t hold out much hope for Adebayor. The unknown for me is Balotelli, and only time, and his performances, will be the judge of that.

Regarding the midfield, while I accept that some strength in depth is a good thing, I feel this depth has to be balanced. Surely Milner cancels out Adam Johnson to a large extent? Not to mention Michael Johnson, who I would dearly love to see come back into contention. I accept that SWP is at or around the busted flush level, and now that Ireland (sadly) has gone, we lack the penetrating threat from the middle of the pitch. Our showing against Spurs on Saturday didn’t incline me to believe that we have resolved our usual defensive frailties, and I do think we’re in danger of getting stuffed in the early part of the season by (say) a determined squad of Scousers.