Manchester City = Jekyll and Hyde!

How can it be possible for a team to have such varying degrees of form at home and on the road? It’s just not what you expect from a Premiership club. Consistently good at home and consistently poor away isn’t quite what i’m looking for in City, with stars like Robinho, Ireland ever-present. This season we still have to travel to Everton, United and Tottenham and to be frank I can’t see the number of our away wins leaping above the one we have already, especially seeing that the three teams mentioned above have beaten us in the reverse fixtures this season. All this is shameful, I know?

Even Superman cannot cure this disease which affects our play away from home.

My question is…with the talented players at our disposal (Ireland, Zabaleta, Kompany, Given, Bridge), how can we wipe away Arsenal and Stoke at home by scoring three, but fail to bother their respective keepers away from home. More to the point when Stoke had been a man down for about an hour, we were still unable to capitalise? It just doesn’t make sense and neither Sven nor Sparky have found a cure. (this point is factually wrong I know but it is intended as a reality check, because away at Arsenal, Almunia saved a deflected shot from Richards, whilst Thomas Sorensen stopped from Robinho, albeit tamely, away at Stoke)

This picture sums it up >>> One of our best players being hounded down by 2 Liverpool players at Anfield.

The longer we go without another win away from home, the harder it will become. We’ve already reached the stage where everyone (mainly reporters on MOTD) are saying: “Well, you know what they’re like away from home…” Tell me, how can this be a positive influence?

Well, judging by this picture, we were doomed from the onset with him upfront against Terry?

We’ve hit the point where we have the mental attitude where we think we’re going to lose, and this is understandable as we have only beaten 1 side away from home…Sunderland. One win away from home is appalling and I’m not going to condone that, especially as we are a club chasing a Europa League spot. To go into a game thinking everything is going to go wrong, is what City feel and it certainly doesn’t inspire anyone to ‘play’ and knock it around like we can at home. Suddenly, choices are made that wouldn’t normally be made – strange passes (half of which don’t reach our man), no-one willing to have a go and shoot (Caicedo) and stupid goals are always being given away (Dunne, Richards and Ben Haim when he played). Something needs to be done…and quickly so we can pick up points and push for the seventh spot.

In a blue shirt, he’s really not that bad, perhaps it’s the change in boots? Infact no…I’m just sticking up for him too much!

It’s our home form which has actually kept us in the best league in the world. Had we not beaten Stoke or Arsenal at home, we would be right down in the mix of things with the likes of Boro and Newcastle. So imagine where would could have been in the league had we got more than eight points on the road. We’ve got 30 points from our home games and a measly eight away. But what’s the big difference – the game’s still 90 minutes in length, surely the fact we have had to travel shouldn’t make an excuse?

Here’s the problem…no, not Robinho…just the fact he is taking it down with his hand!

Home and away fans do have some influence, I’m sure, but we have some of the best away support in the league so that must count for something? One of the ways that has been suggested by several people as a way to cure our travel sickness is to drop Robinho. I can see their argument, since he’s not done a great deal away from Eastlands, but he’s one of the best players in the world. The fact is (as my friend Alex Platts and many others without a doubt agrees), he can be missing for 80 minutes, then pop up with a moment of brilliance (May I remind you of the Blackburn game, 2-0 down and he almost single-handidly rescues us a point). Also, again, he’s also capable of doing some grafting – I know he is, I’ve seen him do it, at Blackburn for example and the Emirates not too long ago.

Therefore how can we get him to play as well as he does at home?. I think, he just needs some more goals, and whether it will be him ploughing in a 40 yarder (Ronaldo esque), a stunning solo run where he beats seven or eight players (similar to one he scored against Stoke), or deflecting one in with his arse on the line (Caicedo esque!). He only just scored for us for the first time in 2009 against WBA (and may I add, what a gem it was), so that needs to change for his confidence to pick up.

This is what usually happens…

There’s no reason for us to play differently away than we do at home. Perhaps a bit of luck might be just what we need? If we can get three points from somewhere (hopefully against the scum bags), then maybe we can start reproducing the home form on the road? Let’s hope so, the fans can do nothing more that’s for sure. We motivate them as much as we possibly can and hopefully we will see more displays like the one against Hamburg. If so, we are in for a real treat. Watch out all those teams above us, we’re after you!

Even he can score at home, that got us 3 points!