As I write this, I’m having to reach for a metaphorical book of superlatives, unused for quite some time now. Spoiler alert. In 90 minutes, David Wagner delivered more from his team than Dean Smith managed in what was a miserable last 14 months. Perhaps the biggest surprise in the starting lineup was Tim Krul […]
FA CUP MATCH REPORT – CITY 0, BLACKBURN 1
So the start of a new era at Carrow Road. Having only held one training session, it was always expecting a lot from David Wagner to have much of an impact on City but, as they say, it’s the hope that kills you. From the off, there was a lot to like. While City weren’t quite […]
Farke a poor man’s Wagner, or Wagner a poor man’s Farke? We’re about to find out
As I write this, the news of David Wagner’s pending appointment has begun to seep out. Hopefully, the intervening hours won’t age this article too quickly… During the World Cup break, I wrote an article about where City as a whole came unstuck. Now, with Dean Smith behind us, we can look at where he went […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 1, READING 1
Dean Smith has gone. We are now in the awkward period of caretaker management while we await the appointment of a successor. Steve Weaver and Alan Russell have had barely two days to work with the squad so the question always was going to be what they could do in such a short space of time. […]
MATCH REPORT – CITY 0, BLACKBURN 2
Dean Smith elected to field an unchanged team from last week’s insipid performance in Wales, albeit lining up in a slightly different formation. No Todd Cantwell in the squad again, but Marcelino Nunez made it to the bench. Blackburn took the kick-off, and the initiative straight to City. They pressed energetically and aggressively and for the […]
MATCH REPORT: SWANSEA 0, CITY 1
It’s been a funny few weeks. A winter World Cup. Normally feverish excitement in the country has rarely raised above tepid. I fail to get excited by England at the best of times nowadays and this tournament has done little to change that. With one exception. That display against Wales. For me, it was a microcosm of City in […]
How has the Club ended up in this state? And what will it take for a reset?
The World Cup is upon us. Domestic top leagues are paused and we are left with a few weeks of reflection. The headline act has to be the fact that Dean Smith has utterly failed to connect with the City fans. It may be easy to blame this upon the often turgid football his team has […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 1, MIDDLESBROUGH 2
I usually write my match report immediately after a game. My thinking is a bit like The Likely Lads – I’m trying to avoid seeing the reaction of others which may colour my judgement. Well, it’s 7.30pm here now. While I have avoided all other reports on the game, I’m still not even sure what I […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 0, QPR 0
The games continue to come thick and fast in this weird, World Cup-affected season. Following a morale-boosting win at the weekend, Smith put our a team that was evolution, rather than revolution, and one that few fans would have disagreed with. The game exploded into life with a horrific-looking challenge on Sam Byram by Iroegbenum. At […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 3, STOKE CITY 1
It is not often that I find myself staring at a metaphorical blank screen, unsure of what to write about a game. I think that probably tells the story of this game as much as anything. I watched the game from Delhi, with my Liverpool-supporting friend. After my groans of despair when the team news […]
W’as gorn on in traynun, Neyull?
I didn’t get to see the whole game last night, despite being frustratingly close to Burnley earlier in the day but too late to secure a ticket. A dash home through the traffic ensued to catch what I could on TV, so no detailed match report today. Last January, I wrote an article where I […]
MATCH REPORT: SHEFFIELD UNITED 2, CITY 2
Following last week’s dismal no-show against Luton, something needed to change. When Dean Smith emerged from the Brammall Lane tunnel before the game and acknowledged the travelling contingent, it seems that if nothing else, he has recognised the necessity to engage with the fans. Both Isaac Hayden and Dimi Giannouloi, described as not ready to […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 0, LUTON TOWN 1
It’s amazing how quickly things change. Only a week or so ago, City were nine games unbeaten. Whilst the performances were not totally convincing, City were widely expected to kick on from there. Now, coming into what looked like the easiest game of a tough October they were without a win in five. Dean Smith […]
MATCH REPORT: READING 1, CITY 1
The joys of international travel have restricted my opportunities to watch the last few games apart from the odd half here or there. But normal service was resumed last night. Dean Smith made a key decision when it came to his team selection. Few would argue with the inclusion of the fit-again Liam Gibbs, however […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 3, BRISTOL CITY 2
A lot has changed since City last stepped onto a football pitch. A new prime minister, a new monarch, a new investor. Yet some things remain the same, including the ability of the Championship to produce an absorbing, frenetic game. Short on quality, high on entertainment. The City fans paid their tribute to the late Queen […]
MATCH REPORT: Sunderland 0, City 1
Let’s ignore the Carabao Cup and say that City came into this game on the back of two consecutive wins. Before kick-off, the attention was on the absence of former City Boss Alex Neil, seemingly on his way to Stoke. City lined up unchanged – from the last league game that is. And the game started […]
MATCH REPORT: City 2, Millwall 0
Dean Smith has made a point of saying that he will pick ‘horses for courses’ this season. Last night he preferred the muscularity and pace of Onel Hernandez to the more subtle approach of Todd Cantwell. Other than that, Teemu Pukki for Jordan Hugill on the bench was the only change from the victory against […]
MATCH REPORT: City 2, Huddersfield 1
So first the good news – spoiler alert – a City left-back survived the game without injury! Before the game though, the not-so-good news was that Teemu Pukki was not even in the squad – Dean Smith reported afterwards that the X-ray revealed no damage but that his foot was still too swollen to wear […]
MATCH REPORT: City1, Wigan Athletic 1
Two-hundred-and fifty-five days into Dean Smith’s reign as head coach, we finally got to see a starting XI containing a player that he signed. There may have been some surprise initially that this was Marcelino Nunez, rather than Gabriel Sara but in hindsight, the clues were there in the press conference – not wanting to […]
MATCH REPORT: Cardiff 1, City 0
The first game for the season. The phoney war of pre-season is over. Fans traditionally divided between glass half-full, half-empty, is there even a glass or who cares – HMS PTL is launched. A week ago Gary asked us all to provide our thoughts for the new season. I was in the cautiously positive band, albeit predicting a […]