League Cup, Round 3
Manchester City v Birmingham City
Sept 21, 2011 KO 7.45 PM, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Landscape
Manchester City host the current League Cup holders Birmingham City on Wednesday evening in a match that should feature two managers in Roberto Mancini and Chris Hughton, who will attempt to use their squad depth to their advantage within a hectic start to both of their campaigns. Both squads have had Continental football on the brain, with City in the Champion’s League and the Brummies in the Europa League, and this has certainly impacted Hughton’s start to the season as he flounders in obscurity in the Championship after a 4-1 tonking at the hands of table-topping Southampton at the weekend. Manchester City meanwhile found themselves flaccid and heartless in a “come from ahead” draw at Craven Cottage, where having a 2-goal lead and more than 70% possession didn’t seem to impact the scoreline like you’d expect, where City ended 2-2 with a view to two points lost rather than a point gained. Both sides will be looking to shake off the cobwebs after their weekend matches, and expect wholesale changes to their lineups.
Recent Form
Man City sit 2nd in the Premier League table, while Birmingham City sit 15th in the Championship. Clearly, despite the gulf in class in both talent and management, Birmingham City could provide the focus to end City’s Carling Cup run, a competition which they are now favourites to win oddly enough. Unless Man City have a wake up call and focus on finishing teams off they could be in for a painful evening. They failed to do so several times this season, most famously in the Charity Shield against their bitter rivals United where they threw away a 2-goal lead to lose 3-2. Ultimately tho, City’s form in the Premier League has been fantastic earning 13 out of 15 pts, scoring loads of goals for fun and with loads of smiles being tossed around as well in support of those goals. However, some midfield injuries are exposing defensive frailties which needs to be sorted ASAP if City think of themselves as “Genuine Title Contenders.” City will likely feature seven or eight changes from the City side that played vs Fulham on Sunday. Expect a runout for Tevez, Adam Johnson, and perhaps Balotelli on the attacking front. I’d expect Abdul Razak to find some matchtime and perhaps even start due to the depleted City midfield. Owen Hargreaves also has a hand to play, as does Stefan Savic, the new CB signed this summer, and Kolo Toure, just back from his drug suspension for diet pills. With such large scale changes Mancini does risk this team seeming flat and lacking solid relationships, but it should easily conquer their opponents.
Birmingham City on the other hand, have had a challenging start to their first season back in the Championship. Like most clubs in the West Midlands, save Villa, Birmingham seems comfortable living with their “Yo-Yo” status as they continue to bounce up and down from the Championship to the Prem and back again. Their league form has been incredibly average, while leaking a lot of goals. Something they will have to avoid if they want any chance against City. Birmingham sit 15th in the Championship, already 10 pts back of the league leaders.
Key Men
Birmingham City
Nicola Zigic, the giant striker, returns from injury to potentially grab a spot on the bench. Can he punish the confused City defense like others have shown you can if you play direct football, and don’t try and keep the ball on the floor? I expect a second-half sub performance and a goal from Zigic. He’s a good looking guy as well, right?
Chris Hughton
Hughton needs to lay down a marker for his season and what better team to do that against than “Ole Moneybags” City? How will he handle the substitutions and his starting XI? His prematch grade is a C and he needs an A to tangle with City. Hughton has selection headaches due to both Chris Wood and Wade Elliot not being allowed to play for their new sides due to being cup tied or their loanees not wanting them to be cup tied, as well as injuries to Jordan Mutch and Enric Valles. Seriously. I had to look that up. I have no idea either.
Is a pose like this in this man’s future anytime soon? Seems doubtful, but stranger things have happened. Like remember that year that Birmingham beat Arsenal in that craptastic match to win the League Cup? True story.
Kolo Toure
City’s former captain comes back from the self-imposed exile due to coming up hot on a piss test for something his wife gave him to help keep his figure svelte. Sadly for him he missed hoisting the FA Cup, but can now get his City career back on track. Expect him to Captain the side as a gesture from Mancini. He’ll need to keep Zigic’s head off the ball and make his presence felt.
No more of this come tomorrow evening.
Carlos Tevez
City’s former talisman – that’s just a bizarre way to reference it really, but it’s true – has mattered little since fellow countryman Kun Aguero has entered the scene, partnered with Edin Dzeko much better than Tevez ever did, and scored a heap of goals in the process. Tevez should be in line for a start and will want to show the gaffer why he shouldn’t be left on the bench so often. Tevez’s wantaway chirping all summer, followed by pissing off every Argie footy fan by playing subpar, then missing a key penalty in a shootout have left him on the wrong side of football fans everywhere the last few months. He’ll need to get off life support and show his passionate, focused, grafting style at its best and claw his way back into contention for playing in “matches that matter the most.” He clearly isn’t anywhere near that yet, but he could find his way there easier than some may think.
Is it true that these two had a ponzi scheme effort go sideways just a couple months ago….what’s next? How about some football? Yes please. Two scoops!
Prediction
Manchester City 3 -1 Birmingham City
A big thanks to DoomMerchant of www.mancityfans.net for this weeks preview