Blues blogger, Simon Croft, also known on Vital Manchester City as Lando78 sent us the following Blues v West Ham Match Preview.
Tonight at CoMS (The City of Manchester Stadium for those wondering) the Manchester City juggernaut, which was so cruelly diverted from its all-conquering path at Old Trafford last Sunday, will have its engine restarted with renewed vigour. A win will keep the critics and gloaters at bay, a defeat and the bandwagon will well and truly be off and running.
Its been a week since last weeks Derby defeat and the media vultures that sit bloated having only just got their fill from last weeks corpse are circling at another potential feeding frenzy. Such a frenzy would of course be sparked by a second consecutive City defeat by an ever game Hammers side who are searching for a morale boosting win to spark off their Europa League place challenge.
One would think that it would be the mercurial and lovable Gianfranco Zola that would be under the media spotlight and feeling the pressure, and perhaps he is judging by his recent comments. After all, it is his Hammers side that sit at the bottom of the Premiership with no win since the opening day against Wolves and are already out of the Carling Cup. This is no attack on the London Club but a reflection on how cruel and biased the media, pundits ad fans alike can be.
Yet its Mark Hughes and his team that are the constant butt of ‘Red Top’ jokes and subject for broadsheet analysis. After all, Mark Hughes’ Citizens side have only won 6 of there 7 league and cup games so far! And of course they did lose to the 3 times consecutive Premier League Champions Trafford United to a controversially late injury time goal at the ‘Theatre of we’re going to play till we win’ Stadium without Robinho, Adebayor or Santa Cruz. Surely all just causes for the present criticism.
A win tonight for Manchester’s club put them firmly in the top 4 with another game in hand. Not bad for a side on the verge of cracking up and losing its manager.
With several key players out and the likes of Santa Cruz and Michael Johnson only just coming back its a testament to Hugnes transfer dealings that the Citizens can field as strong a side as they will do tonight.
To read the preview in full, click here.
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