MAN CITY’S Start to the Season: YOUR VIEWS

64 days, 19 hours, 32 minutes and 27 seconds since Manchester City kicked off the 2009/10 Premier League campaign away at Blackburn Rovers, I sit here, reflecting on what has been an eventful, controversial, challenging and certainly enjoyable start to the season. The Blues, after seven matches in the league, and another couple on top of that in the Carling Cup, have a more-than-pleasing record overall, having recorded seven wins, one draw and just a solitary defeat, albeit in the heart-breaking final moments of the Manchester derby.

As I have mentioned previously, time constraints have limited me to just a couple of blogging updates so far this season, but with some much-needed time on my hands now, I plan to write a detailed account of how the season has panned out up unto this point, as the Blues return to Premier League action this Sunday with a challenging visit to the newly named DW Stadium, home of Wigan Athletic.

From Given to Adebayor, via Touré, Barry, Bellamy and Tévez, this has been a superb start to the season by City. Under the guidance of former Welsh international Mark Hughes, who seems to have won over many of his critics from last term, the expensively assembled squad have gelled almost instantly, combining moments of free-flowing, exquisite football with battling qualities rarely associated with City in the past few years.

Adebayor and Touré have proved to be shrewd acquisitions by Hughes, adding a winning mentality to the dressing room

The campaign commenced, as earlier mentioned, with a visit to Mark Hughes’s former haunt, Ewood Park. Accompanied by a raucous following of over 7,000 expectant supporters, the Blues produced a response that silenced many critics, scoring early through summer signing Adebayor, before last season’s player of the year, Stephen Ireland, rounded off the match with another goal in the final minute. It was the perfect riposte to those who had doubted as to whether Hughes could manage to get our undoubtedly talented individuals playing as a team.

After a midweek trip to face, and promptly defeat, Barcelona in a friendly courtesy of a Martin Petrov goal, next up was a home fixture against promoted Wolves, managed by former City player Mick McCarthy. Despite never truly reaching anywhere near top form, City comfortably strolled past the Wanderers, with a second goal in as many games from AdegoodstarttohisCitycareer sealing the victory.

Ireland sealed City’s victory over Blackburn with a late goal

A break from Premier League competition saw City travel to Selhurst Park to face Neil Warnock’s Crystal Palace side. An entertaining affair with plenty of chances for both sides saw Shaun Wright Phillips and glamour boy Carlos Tévez net for the Blues, the latter scoring his first goal for the club. Another away trip, this time to Portsmouth, saw Adebayor net yet again, and a 1-0 victory saw City’s clean sheet record stretch to five matches.

The next encounter for the Blues was against Arsenal, and provided enough controversy to last for a whole season. This game was deemed by many as the first real test of City’s credentials, and it was a test they passed with flying colours. Micah Richards put the Blues ahead inside the first half, before Robin Van Persie deservedly equalised for the visitors. The game then sprung into life when Richards, following a surging run forward, squared for Craig Bellamy to sweep the ball past the helpless Manuel Almunia. Enter Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor.

After riding a Gaël Clichy challenge, SWP delivered an inch perfect cross, straight on the head of Manu. Rising powerfully to direct the ball beyond Almunia, Adebayor, clearly succumbing to his emotions, sprinted, Usain Bolt-esque, the length of the pitch and slid on his kness, right in front of the visiting Arsenal supporters. Many things have been said about this action, with so-called experts taking great pleasure in criticising this celebration, but although the matter is over and has been dealt with, I just want to add a couple of thoughts.

Although in no way am I going to even attempt to condone to actions of the Togo international, it needs to be realised that there were mitigating circumstances. If I were to taunt you for periods of time by telling you, falsely, that your dad was a manual labourer who washed elephants to make a living and that your mum was a full-time prostitute, I don’t think that you would take too kindly to that. Having left Arsenal in the summer in an acrimonious departure, Adebayor clearly felt that he had something to prove against his former club and what better way to prove something that to score against them. Incontestably, it was wrong of him to sprint the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of his former fans, but it was undoubtedly wrong of them to provoke him in the manner they did. Out of all of those shouting vitriol at him in their thousands, how many would have been prepared to say these insults, face to face with the 6’4″ beast, with the knowledge that he could have done some serious damage? Finally, there needs to be an explanation of why bananas were thrown at him. Did all these Arsenal supporters coincidentally feel hungry at the same time and all simultaneously decide to eat a banana, or is there something more sinister that needs to be looked at? I will leave you to ponder that.

Adebayor blamed his emotion and frustration for this reaction to his goal

There wasn’t too much time to ponder though, as City’s next fixture was the 141st competitive Manchester derby. It was the most eagerly awaited derby in recent memory, and it was another opportunity for City to show that they deserved to be challenging in the upper echelons in the Premier League. A large amount of the anticipation beforehand was built upon the return to Old Trafford of Carlos Tévez, whose arrival at City for a fee believed to be around the £25 million mark signalled the end of the most protracted transfers of the summer. And boy did this derby live upto expectations!

After Wayne Rooney had given the hosts the lead early on following some quick thinking by Patric Evra, many expected City to crumble. But they were all blissfully unaware of our new-found resilience and strong mentality, boosted without a shadow of a doubt by many of our summer signings. Tévez, booed every time he touched the ball, harried and hustled error-prone goalkeeper Ben Foster. The Argentinean won the ball, laid it off into the path of the oncoming Gareth Barry, and the former Aston Villa skipper swept the ball home to draw the visitors level.

Half-time came and went with City the happier side, but Darren Fletcher rose ahead of the afore-mentioned Barry to hand United the lead again. Enter Craig Douglas Bellamy. Receiving the ball from Tévez on the left wing, Bellamy, in the midst of a rich vein of form and playing instead of the injured Robinho,  took the ball between Park Ji Sung and John O’ Shea before rfiling an unstoppable right-footed screamer past Foster into the top corner of the net to send the travelling Blues faithful ecstatic. Just as the Blues were gaining a foothold in the game, catastrophe struck. Following another routine cross into the box, the Scottish international Fletcher again rose highest and, aided by a slight deflection off Barry’s shoulder, the ball found its way into the net to give United the lead for the third time.

Craig Bellamy celebrates after equalising for the Blues

With minutes ticking away, the Blues knew that they would have to take any chance that came their way, but it looked as if they would depart Old Trafford without a share of spoils when Micah Richards somehow contrived to hit the ball over from about two yards. As the 90 minute mark came hurtling into view, a lacklustre Rio Ferdinand pass found Martin Petrov, whose perfectly weighted through ball found Bellamy, free from United’s defence. The fiery Welshman showed a clean pair of heels to Ferdinand, and showed an immense calmness under pressure to guide the ball past Foster to make the score 3-3, as the fourth official, Alan Wiley, displayed an additional four minutes on the board.

Of course, we all know what happened from here. Michael Owen (yes, him, the one who got rejected by Newcastle) popped up in the SEVENTH minute of four to guide the ball past Shay Given and record a 4-3 victory for the hosts. But above all, despite this defeat, City showed the qualities that will be required if we are to maintain our push for the Champions League places. That resilience and winning mentality, combined with undoubted ability and talent, is just what we need and all of the qualities were displayed in abundance at Old Trafford.

City fans showed their humour by unveiling this poster, but it was Owen who had the last laugh

After the excitement of the previous two matches, the Carling Cup tie at home to Fulham turned out to be one of the least entertaining fixtures this season. The Londoners set the stall out to defend and it was only through City’s lack of cutting edge that the game meandered along. Zoltan Gera struck a wonderful 25 yard half-volley that whizzed past the helpless Shay Given, but Gareth Barry, and then in extra time, Kolo Touré, headed the Blues to victory.

The Blues hosted West Ham United in their next Premier League match, running out deserved victors, 3-1. Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov was handed his first start of the campaign and was a livewire throughout. His pace helped to set up the first goal, with former Hammer Carlos Tévez the beneficiary, although the Argentine refused to celebrate. Carlton Cole then replied with a cheeky back-heel before Petrov himself scored the Blues’ second from a free-kick. Tévez scored again to wrap up proceedings and then, for a second time, decided against celebrating, citing that he owed a lot to West Ham, having been the side who brought him to English football.

Tévez apologises to the West Ham fans after his goal against them

Emmanuel Adebayor returned following his three match suspension for the difficult away trip to Villa Park, which saw the return to the Midlands for Gareth Barry, and also saw Richard Dunne play against the side for whom he represented 296 times with distinction. In was written in the script that Dunne would be a key figure in this match, with many Blues fans predicting that he would score an own goal or maybe get sent off. Instead, Dunney popped up at the end of the pitch, rising above Barry, to nod Villa into the lead. In scenes reminiscent of Tévez the previous week, the former City captain refused to celebrate, a gesture which earned the applause of the travelling City contingent.

But yet again, it was Craig Bellamy who came to our rescue, firing home in the second half after good work from Stephen Ireland and Adebayor. the match ended one apiece, with the Blues again displaying the kind of resilience and fortitude needed. And that is that, as we head into the Wigan game on Sunday. In my opinion, it has been a superb start to the season, and as we lie in fourth place, thoughts are surely turning towards whether we can maintain this form and reach the Champions League.

The January transfer window offers another opportunity for Hughes to flex his financial muscle if needed, but pleasingly, it seems as if the spending spree is over the moment as Sparky has declared that he is happy with both the quality and quantity of our squad. Obviously, if a world class player became available, we would be interested, but it looks as if only minimal changes are going to occur. Personally, I think that another right-back would be a boost, as Micah Richards’s attitude is disgraceful and his performances so far this season have been nothing more than poor.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW BELOW WHAT YOU THINK OF OUR SEASON. WHERE DO YOU EXPECT US TO FINISH? WOULD YOU SIGN ANYONE IN JANUARY, AND IF YES, THEN WHO? THANKS FOR READING.