Big Willy!

So I get off the train at Euston, met my mate Atif, and we were both immediately hit with how many scoucers had made the journey! Getting on the tube at Euston Square station was first a crush but when we realised we were sandwiched amongst nearly all scousers, well it was an experience shall we say, as they sang their repertoire of songs. To be fair considering they new ourselves and a couple of others were city they were fine and the atmosphere was good spirited.

Leaving the train at Wembley Park I was immediately choked by a red smoking flare that someone had let off on the stairs up from the platform. Outside the station I found my Dad who was staying at friends in Essex, and we all headed to my other mate Jim who'd managed to grab a table to drink and eat at in an Italian restaurant. Something we had done last time for the Sunderland game after soaking up some of the street side pre-match atmosphere, with the help of an off-licence, and the two combined is a good idea for Wembley I think.

On the way to Jim it was again apparent that half of Liverpool was here! (The other half that hadn't left for London in the 80's!). Once there I ate pizza and pasta discussing what might or might not happen on this day.

Soon we were in the ground soaking up the atmosphere and the £5 pints! However as Wembley was taking from us we decided to take from them as I found an unguarded double socket to charge all our phones! It was good to be back around city fans once more and as we headed to our seats literally on the back row, for we were on the third tier, it was clear to see we were in good voice and spirit. I think spurred on to be by the amount of scousers outside, indeed it felt like the city away crowd rather than the home crowd. However the scousers for all their numbers outside were relatively quiet inside and we definitely out-sung them and were the 12 man (we need to translate that more at the Ethiad!).

Looking at the team sheet I didn't agree with it again and I would have actually started with the exact team we started extra time with, putting Zaba and Navas on from the start with Sagna and Fernando starting on the bench. (At this point I would like to highlight from my drunken seat on the couch in Austria I got the formation in my last post wrong and didn't realise Fernandinhio was on the wing for that game, so apologies!)

Anyway the game started and we decided to stand for the game as we were on the back row and not effecting anyone's view, which in my mind made them good seats. The game itself was a bit nervy at first, but it soon became clear who had turned up on the pitch and who hadn't, as we began to grab hold of the game and they were simply clinging on with very few ideas. However we weren't able to capitalise on our pressure and you started to worry it might be one of those days!

That was until Fernandhinio broke the deadlock with a goal Mingolet should really have saved, but it's great he didn't! Then what followed was great pressure and counter attacking from ourselves but no one could finish off that pressure not Sterling, not Aguero, not anyone! Aguero I will obviously forgive, because we all know he's a bloody gorgeous player, but Sterling I am finding it harder and harder to!

The guy needs to learn how to strike at goal, he needs to learn to be sharper when being closed down, and he needs to grow in confidence to skin the man. In his defence I don't think Grini has helped this year in bedding him in and with not settling quickly the price tag does seem to be weighing quite heavily on him. I will admit to sending a text yesterday that inferred 50p might have been a better price for him than 50 million, and to be honest the jury is still out on that one! But to sterling's rescue was one Big Willy, who stood up firm to be counted in the end!

Liverpool weren't great to be honest and anyone in the press who says the deserved something out of the game is wrong and probably hate us and our success!

Other things of note were: Yaya turned up as he does for big games (which just frustrates you for his performance in lesser ones!), I agree with Kompany as man of the match (God he is a rock we so desperately need!), Zaba as well needs to be re-appreciated both as a more dynamic fullback force and a true club man (pep needs to be informed of this!) and finally for me with King Kev his only real rival Fernandhinio is our player of the season and he proved it again in this match.

Anyway on the way home now and looking forward with hope of a run of form and momentum to the end of the season and when you have got a big willy that performs amazingly under pressure why the hell wouldn't you be confident of that!!!

Wembley stadium, Third tier, back row!

Not the best!

Again it's been a while and a lot has happened since I last posted!

Leicester was awful, truly awful as one really start to realise how valuable King Kev has been to us this season, and once again we realise what little value Grini has been to us as we set up incorrectly with no energy, momentum or motivation once more! It wasn't just bad it was awful, no it wasn't just awful it was woeful, and sat in my seat I texted my Leicester mate and said we don't deserve the title this season and on this performance you do. Indeed you know what if we don't fluke it and pull another title out of the fire then I hope they do, for it's good for football.

Next was Tottenham and surely we couldn't play as bad as the last game! To be fair to them we didn't, and it at least looked as though we wanted to try. However in my mind we were still set up wrong with silva once more marginalised to the wing in favour of two defensive centre mids a mistake at home especially and the only other question being whether you still accommodate Yaya or just drop him? One thing for sure though is if King Kev was fit I would drop Yaya in a heart beat.

What was great to see in this game was our best defence put out, something we have seen so rarely this season with Kompany, Zaba, and Clichy's injuries. We looked more solid, cohesive and playing more as a unit. This was good to see and just a shame they couldn't have played together more this season.

Then in steps my least favourite arrogant, Porsche driving, things he's a footballer himself, idiot of a ref Clattenburg! With a piss poor decision that altered the whole momentum of the game. Leaving me feeling angry that we should have got something out of this game for our performance.

The Chelsea game saw me sat in a bar on the Austria ski slopes watching Grini play the kids and for me all it highlighted is he is only one or the other and neither are any good! In that he has spent all season doing very little with youth, and in my mind under playing lheanacho, then he does that with very little real intelligence. Yes we played some nice passing football at times, yes we were full of energy and keen to impress as you saw how youth is keen to impress and it highlighted how little Yaya has been interested in impressing all season, but it didn't represent anything of any real managerial or tactical substance and in my mind summed up Grini in a nutshell. So in short bring them through steadily and give youth a chance, don't do fuck all all season with youth and then doing something like that you fool! For yes he had to rest some players for Europe but not that many!

Anyway Europe comes and I am still in Austria for it and we managed to get the Kyiv game on the TV in the chalet, as the rest of the world find it easy to watch our football! Personally I think we played ok, rode are luck at times, at the right moments our key players did what was needed as we managed to steel the momentum for a change and with a bit of luck pushed on for the victory. However it felt like it could have been a different story without Aguero and a bit of luck. Plus we must remember Kyiv are not top draw so you have to be careful to not get too carried away with such a result. However it's a win which was desperately needed in any competition.

I now find myself on the train down to Wembley and using the time productively to update the blog, as I have been here there and everywhere lately! I really don't know what to expect today apart from the fact that I am sure Liverpool will be up for it! So we'll see what I will be writing next. Until then 'Come on city!'

Colin bell stand third tier

Time for change!

Pep is coming and now you can't stop me writing! Watching last nights game on an ok stream at my brothers I think it worked out perfectly for what has gone before really. As most importantly we got the three points, but at the same time the game highlighted the reason why we need Pep. For Grini sets up with 4,4,2 with Yaya, well we all know that doesn't work and one of our true talents in Sergio gets us out of jail again. The substitutions reek of yet further ineptitude and highlight why as a club we have made this rational decision. 

Again I reiterate that Pellegrini should not be felt sorry for, as he is still in 4 competitions because he has been given one of the best potential teams to work with that to a degree offsets his inability to set it up, adapt it and motivate it! At the height of my anger towards him I believed a cheese and branston sandwich would have done a better job, and I still do for I am only less angry because at last I know he is leaving. Finally on this I would be grateful if he could reimburse me my season ticket for this year and last with his pay of!! I don't think I am ungrateful, you just simply can champion someone is useless just because he is affable!

I believe the rumour that he has been dignified through this simply because he new about it back in the summer and he was told if he towed the line and as much as possible deflected speculation about Pep arriving the following summer he would get paid of his 2nd year that everyone new he was never going to serve!

Another rumour I believe is that Mourinho has orchastrated his whole situation to land the United job! The job he wanted the first time around when he basically got on his knees for it, without a thought to the Chelsea job at the time. The crafty bugger has managed to orchestrate a situation where he can move to United without being targeted for execution by Chelsea fans! Such manipulation and under hand tactics I do not put past this man in the search for his dream. I hope they get him, he's not the cure and that club can't run away from it's Karma!

Colin bell stand, third tier

Pep up!

First of all my Christmas wish from 'last season' has finally come true, thank God! Pep it's good to have you buddy, I look forward to the players you will inevitably attract and the style of football you play. The news was broke to me by my Dad who went on to say he felt somewhat sorry for Pellegrini, now for those who regularly read my blog you will no full well I don't hold any such sympathy, and I expressed this to my father in no uncertain terms. He then continued with what inevitably the city hating press and pundits will jump on to rubbish us: that we are still in 4 competitions,  but as I have stated previously we are in them despite Pellegrini, with his foolish team-sheets and tactics; as well as the usual crap that we are somehow more mercenary than the rest, which simply isn't true.

Now what is also great is that only a few years ago there would have only been one choice for Pep in Manchester and that now simply isn't true and that is finally starting to hit home with the red side of 'just out of town' as they realise they are the new Liverpool for the next 20 years and Fergie's Roman Empire after stumbling for a couple of seasons has officially fallen!

Now to summarise all I ask is to watch exciting entertaining football comprising of players who want to play their hearts out for the manager, the badge, the club and the fans. For me if that happens it is not first and foremost about trophies, it's about a great positive atmosphere. This I believe Pep will bring and hopefully more.

Anyway, so Everton arrive and I am this time not sat in my season tickets, no I'm not just bumped to the 1st tier where my Dad resided with his mates for the game, I was in corporate for the first time ever at the Etihad. Back in the Maine road days I watched a couple of games from the millennium suite in the new kippax, and the citizen bar or whatever it's called was that with a few modern tweeks! As a one off it was good as we sat on the table next to Ricky Hatton and his mates, enjoying our three course meal, but for me I would still rather be in amongst it in the thick of it most of the time. My brother on the other hand, well he has found his football home and all the little comforts it brings!!

Anyway to the game! Firstly it was great to see, (from my comfy padded seat!), our two best full backs back and playing, and boy did they not disappoint both playing extremely well. Clichy with his head and Zaba running through brick walls right up to the final whistle. As well as Zaba's much missed attacking overlaps down the right flank with Clichy doing his bit down the other side in attack as well.

Then as one pervade the rest of the team it was easy to spot Grini's obvious mistake, something he never fails to treat you to every game! Namely the whole midfield this time (for Grini doesn't like to do anything by halves!): Silva marginalised mainly to the wing again (mistake again!), Delph on as well as Fernandinho (another mistake! One should play when the other is not), No king Kev (well that is just criminal and was proved as such in the second half! God we'll miss him!) Finally Yaya (impact player for me now on this and last years performances).

The game starts and we start slow, but work our way into it eventually. However it doesn't start to really turn until Grini puts his first mistake right at half time with Navas entering the fray at the expense of Delph and Silva taking up a more central role. Immediately we look more balanced, more exciting and more attacking. However the aggregate equaliser wasn't to come until he put his second mistake right and brought on King Kev for Yaya, with the energy level increase immediately obvious for all to see! Then within a few minutes the inevitable happened as the ginger prince pounced for his goal! Everton by this point were a broken team and broken not by a genius tactician in the dug out, he was merely putting right his earlier team sheet mistakes, rather by the 'Ginger Prince' as he set up our winner for Aguero! So you can imagine my dismay when our saviour got injured for that is bad news! I've done my media ligament and it had me out for three months it takes a while to come back to full fitness with that one!

So we won, and shut your cake hole Martinez! At Woodison one of your goals had a man off side interfering with play and we should have had a penalty, so it's swings and roundabouts! So put your toys back in your pram and draw you opinions from a more balanced aggregate, as that is what the semi final is. As for Robby Savage, well you can just piss off with your childish opinions, a replay? Who do you think you are? Your fame as definitely gone to your dizzy blonde head!!

Next was Villa, the game that no one was apparently recording! No dodgy feeds on my brother's lap top! No pub in Chorlton managing to find it! Even my Forza wasn't updating the in play action! So I was left to Match of the day to see what happened, and what happened was Iheanacho! Now those who read my blog know I have been saying all season that this guy demands minutes and I know you have to ease him in with his youth, but I'd ease him in a bit quicker. I would always now put him ahead of Bony if Sergio's out and wouldn't consider accommodating him in other roles at times. He is class, he is city youth and this is what we want more of as it warms your football soul as the hat-trick flies in! Good lad, well done and keep up the good work. As for Villa they are a team littered with has beens who are destined for the championship it seems!

In conclusion I think I stopped blogging for a while because of Pellegrini and now I am once again infused to write once again because of Pellegrini, namely his pending departure. I'm sure he is probably a nice man socially and that I believe is how a lot of businesses fail as an inept nice man gets to the top and no one has the heart to sack him! Well his personality aside his tactics are woeful and I will be glad to see the back of what he delivered on the pitch, massively riding his luck at times causing us to under-perform in one of our potential golden eras. So here's to the fresh hope and ideas Pep brings, and Manuel I'm sorry but I don't feel at all sorry for you, but I wish you good luck with whatever you do next.

Colin bell stand, third tier.