The Toon dominated Wednesday 8-0 as the great Alan Shearer bagged five goals on his own, with the match standing out as the most spectacular performance of the 2000 Premier League season.
Above, Shearer bags five against Wednesday. Photo credit: BBC
The appointment of Robson had followed a period of shakiness and a record of underperformance as Ruud Gullit, the Dutchman regarded as a splendid tactician on the pitch, and one of Holland’s best ever players, sputtered along as manager. What it showed was that “sexy football” sounded exciting, but was hard to achieve for a manager who didn’t have his players either behind him or playing their best football.
After a year at the head of Manchester City, Mark Hughes finds himself out, notwithstanding a respectable record in the face of immense pressure from new owners to take City to the top four.
The new man, Roberto Mancini, comes to the manager's role with some accolades such as Italian championships. He also carries more flamboyance and European attitude which may very well appeal to City’s owner and board given their ambitions.
As an observer, I thought to myself in August that if Man City were not at least in the top 6 of the table by Christmas, that Hughes would be fired. As of Saturday, when Hughes was fired, City sat at sixth place, but only because of a listless run and a 2-0 loss by Liverpool. Meanwhile, City barely pulled out a 4-3 win to a mediocre Sunderland.
While not cut from the same cloth as Robson, Mancini is in a similar situation, with a talented squad, presumably apt to challenge for the title if handled properly.
No need to go down the roster player by player. But with at least five top notch strikers amidst other offensive options in midfield, such as Shaun Wright-Phillips, Petrov and others, the scoring has gone well for City. Yet it is no secret that the underwhelming results lie with poor defensive play.
Wins have been impressive, as City stuck it to Arsenal twice this season, and beat up on leaders Chelsea. But seven draws this season suggest that City’s players lack either confidence or commitment to winning games while they are ahead.
If half Man City’s ties ended up as wins, let's say even against the worst of their competitors, City could be sitting in 3rd place right now. On Nov 7, City blew a lead three times against Burnley just by being clumsy. Hull scored a late but predictable equalizer just before full time on Nov 28. And City also blew a 2-1 lead against a wobbly Liverpool thirty seconds after they put themselves in the lead.
So it’s no wonder that, for a club with a new owner, tons of cash, a new stadium, and several new and expensive players, that the manager’s head would roll for not winning more games.
For Mancini, making some right moves could go along way for the new manager. With current captain Kolo Toure skipping in and out of injury, Mancini should appoint Gareth Barry as the new skipper. The midfielder has been a dependable force in City’s run so far, and stands out as the most mature and level headed player the club has.
Plus given some players’ affinity for nonsense on the field (Bellamy and Adebayor, especially), Barry’s appointment as captain would set the tone right away that it’s all serious business going forward.
Another matter will be what to do with Robinho. Either Mancini will need to make their talented Brazilian productive right away or write him off and find a way to get him out of the squad, especially if the forward starts moaning.
Lastly, the new gaffer will need to see that transfer window as an opportunity to tighten up his defensive options. City need no new strikers. But a solid, reliable set of defenders with a determined work ethic will be much more important than name or raw talent. Fans need to know that their cash is going toward committed players who share their vision for long term success, not just cocky hotshots shopping for a new destination elsewhere at the first calling.
Mancini’s time at City will likely be one of two things: either a fantastic success or a rip-roaring failure. For whatever reason, my hunch tells me the new era at City will not a repeat of the relatively boring years under Kevin Keegan.
Nor will it be the gradual slide toward the bottom of the table and lower league football that City fans endured under Peter Reid and Joe Royle. For sure, this is a good thing. Such ups and downs are all too painfully familiar for this great club.
Many would agree that it is about time that the English Premier League have a little variety at the top of the table. City provide an exciting story, and an agitating thrill against Man United's dominance from across town. Meanwhile renewed momentum at Aston Villa and Tottenham are, at least for now, giving the other big boys in red --Arsenal and Liverpool-- a reason to worry about their whether they will still be among the big four.
Toward this pursuit, only time, talent, big cash, and a little flamboyance will tell.
Frye writes weekly about sports and life. Updates can be found here at MySports/Complex and on his Facebook page of the same name. Go blue.
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