All things being equal, in three weeks time I’ll be cobbling together some words on City’s season opener at St. Andrew’s. Hopefully, we’ll be discussing a win. Hopefully.
It may be too much to wish for, but I also hope the general mood will be one of positivity. I won’t though be holding my breath. If there is one thing the last few weeks have reminded me, it’s that there will always be folk who go searching for negatives, even when there aren’t many.
The naysayers have been out in force.
For Gareth Southgate’s England to have finished fourth in the World Cup was an overachievement in anyone’s book. A FIFA world ranking of 12 suggested that a place in the last 16 was par, and so you would think even the most cynical would regard a place in the top four to be more than acceptable. But no.
They, apparently, were only there because of the fortuitous way the draw opened up and as soon as they played anyone half-decent they lost. All of which has elements of truth, of course, but conveniently ignores the fact that since 2006 they had not won a knockout game against anyone – half-decent or not.
It ignores the fact that we hadn’t won a penalty shoot-out since 1996 and also that wins over Columbia and Sweden, with the pressure on, compared rather favourably to the disaster of Euro 2016, which culminated in that dreadful night against Iceland.
It ignores the fact that Southgate’s squad is a young one, one that is still learning and which has the potential to improve, and that a playing style is emerging; one that’s being embedded in all of the age groups.
It ignores the fact that in seasons to come this current squad will be enhanced by talented youngsters who won the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups and the Under-19 European Championships.
It ignores the fact that, while the football wasn’t perfect, this group played with a freedom far removed from England teams of recent years, the culmination (again) being the near paralysis that set in when against Iceland.
And, finally, it ignores the fact that this group of young men, together with their manager, somehow managed to put smiles back on peoples faces, all while re-engaging a whole generation who had fallen out of love with their national team.
‘It’ didn’t come home, if indeed ‘it’ was even the World Cup in the first place, but it did feel like it united a divided nation for four weeks and where there had been misery and angst, replaced it with joy. That, for me, was a greater achievement than fourth place.
Those who choose to criticise the on-field deficiencies are probably right to point out the lack of precision and creativity in the final third, the lack of a Pirlo-type ‘quarterback’ to control and dictate a game, the poor ball retention in the final two games and how some big names either failed to turn up or faded as the tournament wore on. But, by Southgate’s own admission, this is nothing like the finished article and shouldn’t be judged as such.
Who knows, this may be as good as it gets and we may have to wait another 28 years for a chance a shot at a World Cup final, but, unlike 1990, this at least is a team on an upward trajectory. No-one is pretending this is even close to being perfect.
To come up well short against Belgium was no disgrace. They’re a really good side who have been years in the making and but for Adnan Januzaj’s strike against England, it would surely have been them lining up in today’s final against France. But tournament football does odd things; it throws up quirks and on that score, Roberto Martinez can count himself unlucky.
England were well beaten yesterday and, despite having plenty of possession, it all came across a bit tippy-tappy when compared with the speed and precision with which Belgium continually hit them on the counter-attack. And for many that will be the over-riding memory of Russia 2018, but it shouldn’t be.
There was a tweet doing the rounds last night that went something along the lines… ‘is it okay to admit now this England side are bang average?’ Well, after Iceland I’d have given anything for ‘bang average’.
But to bring it back to City, our own half-glass-empty brigade are also girding their loins ahead of the new season – even before a ball has been kicked.
Yet, in my admittedly simplistic mind, there really isn’t much to get angry about so far. We’ve made a couple more signings than I’d expected, we’ve signed a couple of players who are of a calibre I hadn’t anticipated, and it’s still possible we’ll see a loan player or two coming in once Premier League clubs have decided who they can afford to release for a season.
The new kits look quite nice, the sale of Josh Murphy means that right now we’re not quite as skint as I thought we’d be and Daniel Farke clearly recognises that the playing style needs a tweak or two, and is doing things to try and improve it.
So, while there are some serious challenges and hurdles ahead, right now – on Sunday, July 15, 2018 at 11.01 – I really can’t find too much to get angry about.
I’ll save that for when-we’re 3-0 down to Birmingham at half-time 😉
Nice stuff, Gary.
I was speaking yesterday to one of our neighbours, an avid Wolves fan. His verdict on Ben Marshall: “You’ve got a really good player there”.
Hi Gary
An excellent read and a goid summary on England at the WC, I was disappointed with the Ref in the Croatian game abd read yesterday he gave 2 yellow cards to a player and didn’t sent him off also Lovren should have been booked at least once but I must stop whingeing over spilt milk.
Well we seem to have upset the blue nosed neighbours already by loaning Rhodes at by all accounts a very high loan fee and paying most if not all his wages from the sell on clause of young Gunny but we will not no the full details of this?????.
As I commented a few weeks back I was hopeful Leintner would return after both Farks and Webber admitted they were trying to do a deal one way or the other more of a loan than a permanent deal but now city have the playmaker that might thrust us up the table and he knows the league a lot more than kast season.
As for the other major new comer one hopes he is given a chance to show what he can do and not like the last spainard show the door in January at a small profit.
The travelling party to Germany seems to have lost a player in Tettey being left behind and Martin taken on the trip, also missing is Oliveria and Pinto will we see one or possibly both gone before the window closes, both could be late departures as other clubs just might try for a bargain or to weaken the squad with no chance of finding adequate replacements.
I like your self and most commentors on MFW are anticipating the coming season but unsure of the starting game away at Birmingham as with all Gary Monks teams they will be well organised and look to be with Notts Forest doing the same as Aston Villa did last summer buying players for fun, so I hope both gave a long settling in period as did Villa.
My hope for this season top 6 but it will be hard Stoke and WBA possible top 2 but the rest like Swansea, Leeds, Derby, Ipswich all have untried new managers at this level and a few bad results could see them change managers again.
OTBC
Good comment.
One minor reservation. We probably won’t hear the details, but I very much doubt we’re paying “most if not all” of Rhodes’ wages. We clearly pulled out of negotiations at one stage, relying on pressure from the player and the keenness of Sheff Wed’s finance people to get a deal done. It worked, and they came back to the table.
It’s still a financial push for us, no doubt. Like Hanley, we obviously view Rhodes as a potentially crucial signing.
Really struggle to comprehend why, having had our best tournament in 28 years, some are still finding reason to moan?
Gareth Southgate didn’t draw the original groupings, nor did he have any influence on on group or knockout matches, the performance, or underperformance of other teams.
I’ll take over exceeding expectations and lucky draws all day long if we finish fourth in a World Cup.
Gary as you know people will be critical for the next few weeks and the teams preformances will be torn apart till they have something else to digest and then rip it apart.
Yes the team played well in parts and had some bad decisions go against them but they did over succeed and it got the country behind them.
Now lets look forward to the Nations League starting in September
Well said Gary.
I’m sure that if (somehow) NCFC got to the FA Cup final at Wembley and didn’t have to face one Premier League outfit on the way, there wouldn’t be too many moaners around here…..(I wonder what those odds might be???)
O T B C
Fair point John, and it happens. Our route to the 1985 Milk Cup Final was Preston North End, Aldershot, Notts County, Grimsby and a bye in the semi 😉
And what a bye it was!