Five things that we already knew but which invariably rear their ugly heads when #ncfc things go pear-shaped

It’s commonplace on City websites to publish articles detailing a number of things that were learned from the last game.

But what did we actually learn from City’s trip to St Andrews?

In the words of Edwin Starr – “Absolutely nothing”.  Or rather, nothing that I suspect we didn’t already know.

So on that basis, here are five things that we already knew from our trip to Birmingham:

1) Nothing polarises the Canary faithful more than an abject defeat

Your glass might be half-empty or it might be half-full.

Or it might have been smashed across a bar and being waved menacingly in people’s faces with an accompanying cry of “come on then, who wants some?”

Either way, it all kicks off on Canary Call and social media when City lose.

I suspect that the perceived over-reaction to our first defeat of the season may in part be down to a perceived under-reaction to everything that’s happened over the last fifteen months.

A relegation that was greeted with a standing ovation may suggest that those responsible got off a little bit lightly?

It’s like a man coming home to find his wife in bed with someone else and then offering to make them both a cup of tea.

Then a few months later, with everything seemingly forgiven and forgotten, he goes off the rails when she leaves biscuit crumbs on the coffee table.

In short, the backlash at the weekend was not simply down to a single defeat but a reflection of the simmering frustration and resentment felt by some who believe they have been short-changed for quite a while.

2) Potential counts for nothing unless you can fulfil it

City’s recent performances in the league have come nowhere near the standards that were set against Blackburn.

Five points from the following four games is testimony to that.

This team has the potential to blow their opponents away when it all clicks but it’s not happening at the moment and that’s a source of comfort and frustration in equal measure.

“Sure that game was disappointing but we’ll play better in the next one right?”

Right?

Realistically, City were never going to steam-roll their way through the division and displays like that at Ewood Park will be few and far between. However in order to challenge for promotion the team needs to fulfil its considerable potential and more importantly do it consistently.

3) We love to create a scapegoat and an underdog

Contrary to popular belief, Steven Whittaker IS NOT responsible for global warming or the collapse of the Pound against the Euro.

But he IS responsible for making mistakes on the football pitch. Lots of them in fact.

He doesn’t do it deliberately – he’s just a player with limited ability. Much like Kyle Lafferty.

But whereas Whittaker is the anti-Christ in certain quarters, Lafferty has become something of a cult hero and is receiving a level of adulation that is simply not justified.

Maybe he should start tweeting Luciano Becchio and they could compare notes on who got the greater backing from the Yellow Army despite both of them achieving the square root of sod all in a City shirt?

4) The squad is imbalanced

The physio’s room at Colney currently looks like the opening scenes from Saving Private Ryan with bodies strewn everywhere. But the injuries have merely highlighted the current imbalance within the squad.

We have so many attacking midfielders that the loss of Alex Pritchard and Matt Jarvis is almost a blessing in that it gives Alex Neil fewer selection headaches.

Steven Naismith and Robbie Brady have been asked to plug the gaps and both attracted criticism for their displays despite being deployed in positions that don’t suit their talents.

Now there are as yet undiscovered tribes in the Amazon who could tell you that Alex needs a number nine and a new striker (possibly two) will arrive before the end of the transfer window.

However the current make-up of the squad means that we have too many players fighting for three positions whilst the loss of one or two others leaves us horribly exposed.

5) We lack leaders

Putting aside the fact that we’re currently best suited to playing a 2-8-0 formation, the squad is packed with talent and contains a great blend of youth and experience.

Alex has players at his disposal which are the envy of most of our Championship rivals but what he’s missing is leaders; a Malky MacKay or a Grant Holt, someone who can lift his team-mates and get a response when things go pear-shaped.

All too often when we concede, you can see the heads drop; the players casting furtive sideways glances at a grimacing Alex Neil like naughty schoolboys waiting for a telling off.

That’s when you need someone to step up and take responsibility; someone who can impose himself on the game and the team through sheer force of will.

You can’t create a leader by simply giving someone a captain’s armband.

It has to be deep-rooted in their character.

We have good players, we have a good captain. We have no leaders.