BLUMIN' HECK!
Sunday provides Manchester City with a great chance to do one over their biggest rivals, United. Oliver Pickup previews the season’s first major derby.
Hands up: who’s played two; won two? Who would have thought Sven-Goran Eriksson’s fusion of YouTube wonders and academy aces would gel so quickly, aesthetically and efficiently (and with two clean sheets to boot)? While Svennis’ unlikely lads jostle with the toffees at the top of the Premier League, their city rivals have become unstuck. The reigning champions, U-ni-ted, humbled by 10-man Reading, and frustrated by Pompey, lie a lowly sixteenth going into Sunday‘s derby at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Wind-up-merchant Cristiano Ronaldo, who last season became the first player since Andy Gray in 1977 to win both PFA awards, uncharacteristically lost his cool against Portsmouth, nutting Richard Hughes, much to the frustration of the empurpled Sir Alex Ferguson. Ronaldo will join Wayne Rooney in the stands for the derby. Rooney, injured in United’s first game courtesy of an innocuous challenge by Reading’s Michael Duberry, had to be replaced up front by defender-cum-midfielder John O’Shea. Oopsidaisy, Sir Alex.
With Rooney and Ronaldo out, City won’t have to deal with two of the most potent attacking forces in the Premier League. Reading’s nullification of Ryan Giggs, Ronaldo and Rooney in United’s opener was a tour de force for defensive football. Out with flair and creativity; in with athleticism and exhaustive man-marking. Not pretty, but my, how it works. Portsmouth similarly harried and hassled, and managed to frustrate the Reds, and earned themselves a point in the process. Expect other teams to follow suit.
Last season’s Manchester derbies were decidedly one-sided affairs. In the corresponding fixture, a Ronaldo penalty accounted for a 1-0 Red win, and at Old Trafford, aside from a Hatem Trabelsi screamer, Rooney, Ronaldo and Louis Saha netted, and United cruised to victory. City were ragged, and offered little in terms of creativity. Stuart Pearce’s defensive tactics gleaned only 19 goals last term - the lowest for any club in the top flight. Indeed, Michael Johnson’s outside-of-the-boot goal that defeated Derby on Wednesday was City’s first at home since New Year’s day.
And who assisted the goal? One of Eastlands’ two new resident Brazilians: Elano Ralph Blumer, who is quickly looking like one of the season’s most inspired signings. Sven irritated England fans by claiming last week that, when in charge of England, he “never had a player like Elano.” The former Santos man makes the game look easy, and fans and journalists alike have been salivating over his technique, quickness-of-mind and, most of all, his electric pace. Not since Ali Benarbia - when firing on full cylinders - graced Maine Road, have the Sky Blues had a player with such vision.
It may just be the novelty factor, but there is a real belief at City at present. Sven’s new recruits look to have settled in quickly, and the Swede’s mixture of academy players and quality European signings are playing interesting, exciting, football. A kind of football usually associated with their cross-city rivals. A result on Sunday could provide the launch pad City so desperately crave; from where their lofty ambitions can be realised. For United, who have made their worse start to the Premier League in nine seasons, a result is a must. It will make for a great game, and come quarter passed three tomorrow, Sir Alex may just have to gulp down Sven’s offered wine, if only to dull the pain.
Sunday provides Manchester City with a great chance to do one over their biggest rivals, United. Oliver Pickup previews the season’s first major derby.
Hands up: who’s played two; won two? Who would have thought Sven-Goran Eriksson’s fusion of YouTube wonders and academy aces would gel so quickly, aesthetically and efficiently (and with two clean sheets to boot)? While Svennis’ unlikely lads jostle with the toffees at the top of the Premier League, their city rivals have become unstuck. The reigning champions, U-ni-ted, humbled by 10-man Reading, and frustrated by Pompey, lie a lowly sixteenth going into Sunday‘s derby at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Wind-up-merchant Cristiano Ronaldo, who last season became the first player since Andy Gray in 1977 to win both PFA awards, uncharacteristically lost his cool against Portsmouth, nutting Richard Hughes, much to the frustration of the empurpled Sir Alex Ferguson. Ronaldo will join Wayne Rooney in the stands for the derby. Rooney, injured in United’s first game courtesy of an innocuous challenge by Reading’s Michael Duberry, had to be replaced up front by defender-cum-midfielder John O’Shea. Oopsidaisy, Sir Alex.
With Rooney and Ronaldo out, City won’t have to deal with two of the most potent attacking forces in the Premier League. Reading’s nullification of Ryan Giggs, Ronaldo and Rooney in United’s opener was a tour de force for defensive football. Out with flair and creativity; in with athleticism and exhaustive man-marking. Not pretty, but my, how it works. Portsmouth similarly harried and hassled, and managed to frustrate the Reds, and earned themselves a point in the process. Expect other teams to follow suit.
Last season’s Manchester derbies were decidedly one-sided affairs. In the corresponding fixture, a Ronaldo penalty accounted for a 1-0 Red win, and at Old Trafford, aside from a Hatem Trabelsi screamer, Rooney, Ronaldo and Louis Saha netted, and United cruised to victory. City were ragged, and offered little in terms of creativity. Stuart Pearce’s defensive tactics gleaned only 19 goals last term - the lowest for any club in the top flight. Indeed, Michael Johnson’s outside-of-the-boot goal that defeated Derby on Wednesday was City’s first at home since New Year’s day.
And who assisted the goal? One of Eastlands’ two new resident Brazilians: Elano Ralph Blumer, who is quickly looking like one of the season’s most inspired signings. Sven irritated England fans by claiming last week that, when in charge of England, he “never had a player like Elano.” The former Santos man makes the game look easy, and fans and journalists alike have been salivating over his technique, quickness-of-mind and, most of all, his electric pace. Not since Ali Benarbia - when firing on full cylinders - graced Maine Road, have the Sky Blues had a player with such vision.It may just be the novelty factor, but there is a real belief at City at present. Sven’s new recruits look to have settled in quickly, and the Swede’s mixture of academy players and quality European signings are playing interesting, exciting, football. A kind of football usually associated with their cross-city rivals. A result on Sunday could provide the launch pad City so desperately crave; from where their lofty ambitions can be realised. For United, who have made their worse start to the Premier League in nine seasons, a result is a must. It will make for a great game, and come quarter passed three tomorrow, Sir Alex may just have to gulp down Sven’s offered wine, if only to dull the pain.
Labels: Elano, football, Manchester City, Manchester United, Premier League
