Monday September 17, 2007 04:38
Man City Move Into Second
Posted by The Soccer Blogger as English Premiership
Yes, the headline is right! It’s not April Fools Day. Manchester City, not Utd are currently sitting pretty at second in the Premiership this morning after their 1 - 0 win over Aston Villa at the City of Manchester Stadium [Eastlands].
With City’s record over the last, hmm I’m trying to think how long, well always really - sitting second in the table is amazing enough [and good to see for a chance] but some idiot [sorry City fans!] have started talking of City finishing in the top four this season! Huh?
God, don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great that City are doing well. The City fans have had to put up with a lot, especially over the last 15 years or so. So it’s time they had something to cheer and get excited about. But finishing in the top four this season may be a little on the optimistic side surely, even for the most ardent of City fans. I know a few, they laughed! That’s got to tell you something. They are very happy at how everything is going, so far! But as true City fans they know that at any moment and without warning, everything could blow up spectacularly in the faces. So it’s not surprising that their new manager, former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson, has moved quickly to squash and dismiss all this talk of Champions League football next season. he had to nip that in the bud, didn’t he!
It’s thumbs up from Man City manager Sven Goran Eriksson but he knows he’s is going to have to keep everyone’s feet firmly on the ground!
Anyway, this latest win came courtesy of a Michael Johnson second half goal. It extended City’s 100% home record this season and they are now just a single point behind Arsenal and have leap frogged over Liverpool who could only draw away to Portsmouth on Saturday.
So, like I say Sven has move quickly to play down the growing talk surrounding his new club, insisting the head of the Premiership table will carry a familiar look come the end of the season. Sven said yesterday, “I would be very happy if the league was finished now. I don’t feel we should start talking about a top four finish. I think the top four places are for the top four clubs, but in football you never know.
“But I think the league will be tighter this year, even for the big four. A lot of teams have invested heavily and I don’t think anyone will go through the season and lose just one or two games. It will be tight until 10th, 11th or 12th.”
Sven also hailed the display of his match winner Michael Johnson, who is only 19. This was the second time this season that Johnson had scored a match winning goal and you have to say that the teenager has the perfect midfield mentor in the former Liverpool player Dietmar Hamann.
Michael Johnson [centre] celebrates what would be his match winning goal.
Sven said, “Michael Johnson is an all round midfielder. You can’t say he has one speciality, he is good at everything and it is rare you can say that about a young player. And how he took the goal today showed maturity.
“I never saw Man City live last season but when I came here the told me he played the last nine games and said he came into the team and saved them. He’s very confident! It’s good to have a midfielder who can scored goals. It’s absolutely fantastic and the goals he has scored have been extremely important.
“I am positively surprised by Hamann. He seems to be getting younger and younger. You expect him to tire in the second half but he is getting stronger and we need him because his football brain is better than anyone.
As for Aston Villa, their manager Martin O’Neill admitted to his frustration as his side failed to build on the impressive victory over Chelsea two weeks ago before the international break.
O’Neill said, in typical fashion, “We have no excuses because the break was the same for everyone. But as a club manager, I wish we had a game immediately after that. We have plenty of work to do but that doesn’t stop me being excited about the team. John Carew has played with a groin injury. But strikers benefit from scoring goals and I am sure he will get a great lift when he gets off the mark for us this season.”
Well it will be very interesting to see where these two teams end up at the end of the season. They is so much speculation how how good the are going to do. Although I for one won’t be holding my breath about either of them finishing in the top four I do think they will both be trying to get into those Uefa Cup positions come May.
The Soccer Blogger