ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - Manchester City- Ferguson Losing The Plot

Posted by Wallace Poulter on 01/27/2010

A funny thing happened on the way to the semi final second leg of the League Cup. City, the so called noisy neighbour, appear to have got well and truly under Ferguson's skin. And to be honest I'm rather surprised.

Let's step back for a moment and give Ferguson his due. For over 20 years the Scot has built and rebuilt successful United sides. I happen to believe that it is his squad building that has been the most impressive part of United's continued silverware haul.

Part of that squad building has been the blooding of young players in the League Cup and allowing the team to win, and lose, in a Cup atmosphere. Arsenal are reaping the rewards of this policy with their league position this year. That Ferguson abandoned this practice for the first leg against City was a shock. United are on a hiding to nothing with such a decision.

If City win the tie then Ferguson's 'best' team has been beaten by the 'small club' that he dismissed at the start of the season. If City lose then it is just the status quo when it comes to clubs in the Greater Manchester area. Play the kids and a United loss is down to the kids being too young while a victory allows United to say that even their kids are better than City's first team. Even with the Leeds loss in the FA Cup I've never understood the decision to play the first team in the first leg.

Equally impressive over the years, if more odious, has been the continued attacks on referees, the FA, rival Managers and clubs that has frankly intimidated all of the above. It's worked, but in the process United have sold some of their soul to the point that there are more than a few fans who take an 'Anyone But United' approach to the League.

That ludicrous amounts of extra time are now dubbed Fergie Time shows that the public is well aware of the influence wielded by the United boss.

I've never had a problem with Ferguson's boycott of the BBC. The Beeb went after his kid and Ferguson's reaction is that of any reasonable Father given the circumstances. But this week the United Manager threw Sky out of a press conference apparently over comments about City Chief Executive Garry Cook which were misinterpreted as a question about Gary Neville.

To top it off Rio Ferdinand has appealed the FA Violent Conduct charge to be able to play tonight in, of all things, a League Cup semi final. In doing so Duran Duran's inspiration runs the risk of an additional game being added to any suspension. Now it has to be said that it is usually only clubs like Sunderland and Middlesbrough that have games added to suspensions and the Big Four never seem to, but United run the risk of losing one of their top defenders for an extra league match.

United are in no danger of missing Champions League qualification of course but even so is the League Cup really more important than the League where United still have a legitimate chance of winning the whole thing if Arsenal or Chelsea falter?

This game tonight, Manchester United vs. Manchester City is clearly the biggest game of the season. The press coverage is wall to wall, the police heavily involved, the trains and motorways from London are packed with United fans all coming to the game. And again, it is a semi final of the fourth most important competition to any team of significance in the Premier League.

For Ferguson and United to get so worked up over this game is frankly bizarre. Delightfully amusing and the implications for the future are great but still... bizarre.

The chance to beat United, a trip to Wembley and the possibility of some silverware are all excellent reasons to get excited this evening but City have already won. United are taking their noisy neighbours seriously for the first time in 30 years. And that, is a seismic change in English football.

Update A quick call out here to Kevin Breathnach at Football Corner (google it) who had almost the exact same thought as this, he just happened to post his about an hour before me (the "swine" lol). Great minds think alike and all that...

Comments

Posted by jensuicat on 01/27/2010

Very well put a good article.
Lets hope City can do it, but most of all lets have a good game with City competing and Mancini's tactics a joy to behold both tonight and for a long time to come.
Come on City do your best

Posted by Bernie Neild on 01/27/2010

I couldn't agree more! but I fear United will turn even uglier if they are losing this match in Fergie time. Ferguson's actions so far have put fuel on the fire that Neville started, the appeal by Ferdinand smacks of desperation, they have to win and they'll do it whatever it takes fair means or foul, as there too proud to fall! lets hope for the sake of football that they show some humility if defeated and some respect for there noisy neighbours if they win!

Posted by Andy on 01/27/2010

Superbly written article. Last paragraph is spot on.

Posted by Anthony Thorpe on 01/27/2010

A nicely written article. I enjoyed the few minutes it took to read. If City do win tonight and go on to win the final...... then clearly the start of the new era has begun. United know it, Alex Ferguson knows it, and anyone with any football foresight know's it. All they can do now is to try will try and stop this happening tonight. It will happen though..... tick tock.

Posted by Roger on 01/27/2010

As you say Fergie has clearly lost the plot and let City get right under his skin. There is no way the FA are going to let Ferdinand off with anything less than a four match ban and if I was them I would double it for wasting my time.

Posted by City Slicker on 01/27/2010

Totally agree with this article which hits a lots of nails on the head. As with others here I can see arrogant Taggart really kicking off if there is any danger of them being beaten. As for their so called fans dont make me laugh.

Posted by Bob Ellis on 01/27/2010

Splendid article. Sums up the the desperation that is beginning to grip the club and it's fans.

Never mind 'Theatre of Dreams'. How about 'Debtors Retreat'?

Posted by William Buckley on 01/27/2010

Excellent article.

For the first time in my life City have a club with the skill, determination, and grit to beat United on any given day and to be able to compete with them consistently. The fact the Fergie is taking this seriously speaks volumes. EVERY club should take us seriously.

In the past I would be worried about the the banana skin and how we would slip on it, but today is different. We have a club with true grit in Bellamy, Tevez, Ireland, and Barry. No, we don't have the wealth of talent that United does, and that is what has me truly excited. We have people who want to win, and will work their arse off to win. That thinking is infectious and makes everybody play better. When we win today it will go a long way in bringing about bigger and better things.

No matter what the outcome is I will continue to hold my head up high and will continue to be proud of my club. C.T.I.D.

Posted by StevieBlue on 01/27/2010

Well thought out and written article. I'm feeling giddy already, for all those blues going to the swamp tonight, make a load of noise. Also watch out for darts etc. may turn into a mini battle of Hastings.

Baconface knows he's looking defeat down the barrel of the blue gun, he's kacking himself! Will rat boy be 'warming up' again tonight? The stupid deluded little chuckle, 'yoonoited' are on the descent, whereas City are the Bluemoon RISING!!!

2 - 1 City, Tevez and Bellers to score. Bring it on boys!

Posted by Stan on 01/27/2010

With the subplot you have superbly spelled out, I expect Fergie to give stern orders to launch an endless assault and run up the score as high as possible.

City may not come in with a counter-punching strategy, but it could be forced into it with United's assault. It will be a real test of where City is in its evolution.

Posted by Jeremy Poynton on 01/27/2010

Good stuff - Really good article

Aux armes, les Citoyens!

Posted by Justin on 01/27/2010

I read this after the fact and it still brings joy to my heart. A loss, a loss in true injury time is what it is, but know that City are legit contenders as they will fight for those top four the rest of the year.

Posted by brian on 01/27/2010

nice article yeah. fergie does seem to mouth off alot these days. city does seem to be nettling him a wee bit too much too, tevez did show him that if berba's worth all those pounds then his deserving of all those zeroes too. neville did look silly & rio is risking it all just for a carling cup game... or is it just a carling cup game? na, not really. its a struggling united team against a resurgent city side. and even though fergie publicly insists his not bothered we all know that's all bluster. he is worried and he should be. so its terribly important to beat city, even if its just an after service sunday afternoon match. united need to win to stay ahead, mentally and physically. this is not a game to experiment with. its an opportunity for fergie to remind city who the big boys are. and thats still united. atleast for now...

Posted by john smith on 01/27/2010

What do you say now that you've lost?
Couldn't wait until after the game could you, before writing all of this tripe

Posted by Kartik Vashisth on 01/28/2010

by the way, interestingly, a city fan, on a city blog, is only talking about United and Sir Alex. I think its city who have lost the plot here.

As a city fan, what is your main concern. That united should not win any title, or that city should beat united or that city and its fans should get respect and attention from whole world and specifically from united? Or that City should at least win 1 cup?
City and United have been rivals for years and even if its 10th or for that matter n-th most important cup the encounter is what everyone looks up to.
What is important is that City better start rising above these stupid concerns and behave like one of the top four teams EPL and give their best against all the teams.
I have half the love for city as well just because they share half a name with united and I actually don't mind seeing them become the second best team in Europe and EPL. Good Luck... Hoping to see united beat city in CL match

Posted by austine on 01/28/2010

I don't agree with the content of this article. You wrote from a biased position. that of an anti-man united. The business of team selection is purely that of the manager who determine the choice of players to pick for each game depending on the objective to be achieved. Why compare Arsenal's "failure" policy (trophy wise)to Man United success story. Football is more about silverware. Using your so called first eleven against city is still subject to arguement. Who determined "the first eleven". Berbatov, Vidic, Valencia, Oshea, Hargreaves when fully fit will make Man United's first team. Playing the match (return leg) without them speaks volume of the team depth. Loosing ferdinand for an extra match bcos of the appeal should not seen as a big deal since the team coped well without him for 3 months. It might be a blessing in disguise cos he would be as fresh as monrning water on his return. City would not be allowed to have their 1st silverware at the expense of the great United. c u

Posted by Raphael on 01/28/2010

Unfortunately, City lost. That Rooney guy, coming out of nowhere! But City have already won, as you said it yourself. United really are taking them seriously, and that's good, for they are good contenders for the CL spot!

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