Same old, same old City

A somewhat unpredictable game at Bloomfield Road last weekend ended with a much more regular scoreline, with a 1-0 victory to the men in red and white (although on this occasion, predominantly white). Over the past two seasons, City have ground out 18 wins by that very same result, and the connotation of a scrappy, often 'smash-and-grab' type battle is often acutely accurate. When the team come out of their shell, they are capable of playing some very impressive, slick passing football. Often, the reality is a backs-to-the-wall job with a sharp finish or set piece providing the difference.

The opposite, and equally familiar, side to the coin was broadcast on SKY on Saturday evening. City should have been out of sight by half time, but with the help of poor finishing, bad luck and good goalkeeping, we led by a solitary goal at the break. Derby came out rejuvenated after a bashing from Paul Jewell and dictated the game from the off, forcing an equaliser only 8 minutes in. In the end, a point may have been a fair result, but with that elusive second goal under our belts it may not have mattered. A draw isn't a bad result against the illustrious squad Derby have to offer, but the manner by which it was delivered is difficult to swallow. Last season we looked to have eradicated this mannerism completely, winning 18 of the 20 games in which we scored first. But with Jamie McCombe, our talismanic 6'7" centre-half, injured early on in the game on Saturday, we looked back to the fragile state of the early Johnson days.

One of the most publicised Scots over the past 18 months may be one of the driving forces behind ensuring that the first scenario is the one seen by City fans; Andy Webster, of Rangers, was confirmed to have joined the club on loan earlier today. I must admit to being unfamiliar with the transfer saga and injury crisis which has dogged the player in recent times, although perhaps with the latter ignorance would be bliss. A quick glance at an independent Rangers forum brings back mixed opinion, some believe him to be good enough for a first team spot, although the overriding wish is that he closes the door on his way out.

Either way, we shall see. 4 points is a great return from the opening 2 games, against tricky opponents, and the doom and gloom surrounding a lack of major transfer activity over the summer (Maynard, admittedly, is our most expensive player, but I think most expected more than two new arrivals) has already been replaced with a steadfast sense of optimism. Let's hope we do a bit better than the last time we were expected to hit the big time...