So, it's a Wednesday night and it's Watford a team I don't really know that much about to be honest! I can barely name a player, so when they came out on the pitch I turned to Jim and stated: 'is it just me or are they fucking massive?!' Turns out it wasn't just me! Physically they were huge and this was the attribute they pushed to the forefront of their contribution to the spectacle of this mid-week game. Indeed I think they are the most physical side to come to the Etihad in the past couple of years, way tougher than Stoke! However the referee Kevin Friend proved to be no kind of Friend to us (like pretty much all the football establishment at the moment) as he let foul after foul go unpunished and when he did blow his card was out far too infrequently, Watford acting like it was open season chopping us down at will.
Eventually are class told and Watford were left looking like boys in terms of vision/skill with Sterling's tenacity, and king Kev's delightful little stood up cross for no one better for me than Zaba! Happy days!
From then on we applied the pressure, in terms of skill, as they did physically, with the ref just floating around like a member of the crowd! Taking his seat like most this season in the away end. However like all season we just didn't convert our chances and simply couldn't kill off another game we dominated. So this season as a city fan that makes you very nervous and inevitably as feared squeaky bum time arrived with a good save from our under pressure keeper and then a glaring miss from one of their players I don't know, who for the purposes of this I will call lump no. 11! Anyway thank god he missed, we rode it out, and eventually got the second to kill it off, even if it was a little late! With again good work from Sterling who had a solid game, and I am starting to like again as he set up Silva, another crowd favourite goal scorer.
So, job done with a reasonable day at the office - but you'd still say we aren't taking enough of our chances which is the story of our season this year. With other things of note being: There was 4 at the back, with the correct two full backs, and Yaya playing the whole game and not trotting for a change, which is finally good to see if a little late! Hopefully with Gundogan now out injured and Fernandhinio still out suspended he can show us what we have been missing! Now if rumours are true and he has lost 2 stone and is fitter than he has ever been then he can show us not just what we have been missing this season, but also what we have actually been missing from him his whole career at City! Me I am one to forgive and forget if it is still salvageable, and this is, besides wouldn't it be a great story if he could train himself into the player Pep actually always wanted! For no one has ever doubted his touch and vision rather his ego and laziness!
Well, with Watford done I am now writing this on Sunday morning as I get ready to go to the ground for Arsenal. What will that bring hey? Well, I hope we keep playing our football - take our chances this time, play 4 at the back and finally and most importantly catch a few breaks and a bit of luck!
Colin Bell Stand, Third Tier.
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