"My Mersey (un)paradise"

A drab, and somewhat fortuitous, 1-0 victory over our East Lahnden brethren West Ham saw City progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup, and an eminently winnable tie at Bramall Lane awaits. BBC pundits, including Lee Dixon (who has seemingly only "outed" himself as a City fan since we became good) labelled it as one of the worst games they had seen this season. Clearly, they weren't at Goodison Park on Saturday, where it took City ninety minutes just to muster a shot on target.

The previous evening saw Liverpool unveiled as the European Capital of Culture for 2008, but there was precious little culture on display as Everton laboured to a deserved 1-0 win. The battle for European places intensifies, but on this evidence Champion's League qualification looks a wild fantasy for City. I suspect there was more entertainment on offer at the previous night's opening ceremony, although as a self-respecting Mancunian I couldn't bring myself to watch it; there's only so much self-indulgent Scouse pomposity I can stomach. Presumably it amounted to little more than that bloke who does the voice over for Thomas the Tank Engine, the cast of Brookside, and some school children singing along to Zutons songs. Anyway, I digress.

City were bereft of ideas going forward, with Martin Petrov, our main attacking threat this season, nullified by the hard working Tony Hibbert (who bizarrely looks like the bastard offspring of David Moyes and Oggy from The Office. If men were able to procreate together, that is). New signing Nery Castillo looked lightweight and off the pace, making a mockery of his nickname "El Diablo". More Lucy Liu, than Lucifer. But it'd be churlish to write him off so prematurely, as he has shown glimpses of the form that illuminated last summer's Copa America, and it'll take time to adapt to the pace and physical nature of the Premiership. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury sustained against West Ham means he will be sidelined for the next six weeks.

With the end of the January transfer window drawing ever nearer, the need for a new striker is more marked than ever if City are to build on their impressive start to the season. Thaksin Shinatwara could barely conceal his frustration in the director's box as Darius Vassell gave the ball away for the 1,057th time that evening. He looked like, well, a man who's his assets frozen (it was a cold Mancunian evening). And therein lies the problem. No one really knows how much money City have available. The press continue to link us with a host of top strikers (Lukas Podolski and Jan Klaas Huntelaar are the latest names to enter the fray) but there is a fear amongst City fans that we may not sign anyone or, even worse, sign Peter Crouch.

Still, things aren't bad. Far from it, in fact. We're seventh in the league (although I prefer to think of it as equal fourth) and are still in the FA Cup, with the chance of putting one over a Bryan Robson team in the next round. For my generation, Robson is the embodiment of Manchester United (not just because he isn't a Mancunian, arf) and victories against him are always savoured. With eight Premiership teams already out of the FA Cup, and more guaranteed to fall in the next round, the draw is opening up nicely. All we need now is for the big four to be drawn against each other in the last sixteen, and the winners to meet in the quarters etc and so on. Until only City and Havant & Waterlooville remain. Some say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

Ric Turner
www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk

Comments

[brian beared]

i actually fell asleep 2 saturdays ago watching the villa v united game (still nobody least of all the bbc would dare call trafford borough boring ) , i thought the second half of weds night was not bad - if city can sign a half decent striker the team will take off , petrov put about 10 good crosses in on weds and the only time a city player connected we scored ?

[Graeme BAnks]

Lee Dixon has always been open about supporting City, not least during hs playing days he spoke publicy about being Kippax lad. More recently David Seaman, when he signed for City, gave an interview to Radio 5 Live saying that there were couple of verses of Blue Moon left on his voicemail by Lee.