KING OF THE KIPPAX COLUMN - MARCH 2021

MARCH OF THE INCREDIBLES

What a difference a few months can make. It only seems like yesterday since ‘Pep Out’ was trending on Twitter, City were in the bottom half of the table and Liverpool fans were positively giddy about the prospect of retaining the trophy they’d waited 30 long years to win.

I think it’s safe to say that ship has sailed.

Then we had United fans posting pictures of the Premier League table and claiming Joint Top™ was a thing.

It isn’t and they’re not. Ole’s reds left with that sinking feeling yet again.

Now Pep is steering City’s juggernaut vessel downwind with the finish line firmly in sight. Since mid December, it’s been virtually nothing but plain sailing for City. Our phenomenal 28 game unbeaten run thwarted only by United, the Incredibles are marching on towards a fifth Premier League title and Pep’s third – but what other trophies will we secure along the way and will we all be able to celebrate together in some capacity if circumstances allow? Brighter days are coming; it’s just a matter of when, not if.

YOU’VE GOT THE LOVE

I remember when the world as we knew it stopped turning during the first lockdown in March 2020. When everything came to a standstill: the skies were stripped bare of planes, the streets desolate and football was put on pause. When rumours started to swirl about the Premier League returning, the game as we knew it came under massive scrutiny.

Was it money over safety?  While we were social distancing and wearing masks, players were able to tackle, line up in a wall and celebrate together for goals. Was it right? So many questions were asked, but the show must go on and football did return – and may I say, for the greater good too.

The most recent lockdown has been even more difficult for so many people. We may not have had football during the initial lockdown, but we had sunshine in abundance. The feeling that we were all doing our bit and that it would only be for a limited amount of time meant that people were almost generous in their enthusiasm to stay at home, wash their hands and help out in exchange for their freedom in a few months. We all banged our pots and pans, painted our rainbows and lived in hope for a prompt return to normality.

By the time nine months had passed by and Boris announced another lockdown, the rainbows had faded and most people’s enthusiasm had long waned. With one of the coldest and wettest Winters for years, the days were cold, dark, dismal and repetitive. Homeschooling was a firm part of every parent’s juggling act. But this time, one thing was different. We had the football. We had City – and boy did we need them.

I’m grateful for my children, for their youthful ignorance has been my bliss and a welcome distraction. I’m grateful for my partner for helping to keep me sane, rational and positive. I’m grateful for my Mum, for being our single child support bubble and helping with the boys when the juggle and the struggle has been too much.

But I’m grateful to for City. So, so grateful.

For when most of our basic rights and daily hobbies are taken away from us, City have been the one constant that we’ve still been able to enjoy. Through the snow, rain and freezing temperatures, City have been there to offer us some normality and I think that has really helped me through the past few months. I know that nothing can ever replace going to matches and I’ve really felt that. For years, we have planned our lives around the fixture list and to have something so consistent removed from our lives was initially so difficult. I’ve missed the smells, the atmosphere, the adrenaline and emotions. But most of all, I’ve missed the people.

It may sound precious with the amount of people who have lost loved ones and key workers under incredible pressure, but I mean it with the best of intentions and only in the context of providing us all with something that is relatable, common and the most welcome of distractions. A degree of normality in extraordinary times. Not only have City kept us company, they’ve provided us with the most phenomenal winning run we’ve seen since, well, City did it last time. 22 wins in a row and 28 games unbeaten – with Ilkay Gundogan and Pep Guardiola winning the Premier League Player and Manager of the Month award for January and February.

So many questions had been asked. How would we cope without Kevin De Bruyne? Could we finally win at Anfield? Where does Laporte fit in when Stones and Dias have forged such a formidable partnership? Would Aguero ever play for us again? Possibly the biggest question people had dared to ask was ‘is Pep done at City?’

Every question had been answered and then some.

THE EVOLUTION OF PEP

There have been a couple of questions that I’ve been asked a lot recently when I’ve been invited onto the radio. The first one being, ‘what has changed so much for City to turn their season around since mid December?’ The second is always, ‘which era of Pep football have you enjoyed the most?’

I’ll answer the first one. I really feel that City’s lack of pre-season left them so ill-prepared for the season of the 2020/21 campaign. De Bruyne has always been vocal about this: how much he struggled to find his feet and settle into the demands and rigours that the Premier League ask from their competitors. I also voiced my own concerns over the potential disruption and uncertainty about Pep’s future and whether that could play a part in players or even the manager himself feeling unsettled.

Once Pep addressed the question marks over his future and the players found their feet, fitness and rhythm in the season, there was no looking back. Everything clicked into place: the momentum built, the consistency was established and, just as important, the mentality and team spirit was clear for all to see. This was a team flourishing; growing in confidence and working hard for each other. A team thriving and striving for success in every competition. It wasn’t so much as Pep was back – he’d never gone anywhere. And let’s thank our lucky stars for that.

As for the eras? It’s a difficult one. Much like the luxurious headache Pep has to endure when selecting his starting XI with such an array of talent at his disposal, we have really been spoilt during the past few seasons with the football that we’ve lucky enough to watch. So much so, that it’s testing at the best of times now when it comes to watching other games on the television. The standard that City have set is so superior to the rest, it’s often a tedious affair trying to sit through neutral matches.

But it’s always only been their own standard that City have been chasing. City have set the bar so high for everybody. The eras of Pep at City have been conveniently defined by the club themselves through the catchy slogans they label the seasons to help the club shop sell leisurewear. The first season was more of a transition season, so we won’t talk about that. The second season, 2017/18, was the Centurions season. The era of free flowing, fantasy football, the likes of which the Premier League had never seen before. The League was won with a 100 points tally – 19 points ahead of our nearest rivals, United.

The third campaign, 2018/19, was the Fourmidables. The season that we won the domestic treble and fought a colossal battle with Liverpool for the title – toe to toe – winning it on the final day with a 4-1 victory against Brighton. I think that season is the most stressed I’ve ever felt following City – well, since the individual games vs QPR 2011/12 and Gillingham at Wembley 1999. The fourth was 2019/20 – a far from normal season as we knew it and nonetheless, slightly disappointing given our recent standards.

But this time round, 2020/21, should be recognized as the season of the Incredibles. A term that Pep used repeatedly after the 5-2 Southampton win because of the Laporte penalty decision and the incredulous Foden penalty/non penalty saga, but incredible fits well with City this season for many different reasons. The reason that impresses me the most is what I like to call The Evolution of Pep.

Too many times last season, we were coming up against teams and walking away post-match declaring that Pep’s style had been ‘found out’. A high line, a low block; hit us on the counter, grab a goal, then sit and defend the lead. Frustrate us. Was it his achille’s heel? How do we solve the problem? Teams know that by playing too open, they run the risk of us going full throttle and scoring three, four, five against them. An open game for us can be like carving a knife through butter.

But Pep has learnt and adapted. This season, we’ve seen a much more cautious side to his style of play. I think a certain amount of it has been down to game management: so many games to play and trying to not expend more energy than necessary. But definitely against United at Old Trafford and Liverpool at home in the League, we witnessed a manager who was displaying restraint. A man would had given due diligence to being undone on the counter by these teams before and who knew the value of one point over three.

He could’ve rolled the dice and gone for it. I’ll admit that I was screaming for him to do it. But he knew that, by doing that, we risked conceding on the break. At the time, I was a bit sceptical. But, looking back, I realise that it was a clever decision to make. We’ve seen a few games this season, the Sheffield United games are first that come to mind, where it’s been methodical and at a much slower and steadier pace than season’s past. The key has been not to use many subs, not to overly exert yourself. Grab a goal, keep possession, see the game out. There have been games this season that we would’ve, or did, lose last season, had we not have evolved and learnt from past mistakes. It’s a sign of a top drawer manager: one who has won most things on offer in football but is still learning, adapting and experimenting. But we’ve seen real guts too. Determination, endeavour, courage, passion and fight. Some games really have just been about getting over the line. Some have been a real battle. In a season packed full of matches, I can forgive them for that. It shows again a different side – no guts, no glory.

The rotation this season has been clever too. For the best part, we’ve been lucky to have an almost fully fit squad. Many people talk about the value of our bench – this takes me back to the days of Garry Cook and that napkin. Although I worked with Garry for a few seasons, I never saw the napkin, but I know that the idea was to have two players of real quality in each position across the pitch. To be able to swap Stones for Laporte, Zinchenko for Cancelo, Rodri for Fernandinho and Kevin De Bruyne for Gundogan is an extraordinary opulence. It’s even more impressive in that it doesn’t affect the outcome of games. Each player knows their role when it comes to the bigger picture. It’s a team effort – you only have to see that when the players celebrate goals and at the final whistle. They’re working for each other, striving for their targets and it’s exciting to see.

So many players have stepped it up too. Gundogan, who I have championed since his arrival at the club, was so influential during De Bruyne’s absence and really came into his own. Bernardo is back to his brilliant self – his work rate is nothing short of exceptional. Mahrez – often the scapegoat for so many people – he has been more consistent of late and produced some dazzling goals. I’m also enjoying him being more selfless too. He has one of the best touches and techniques I’ve seen from a footballer; it’s always only been about consistency when it comes to Mahrez. Cancelo has been a revelation: he’s been our joker in the pack and has played more of a midfield playmaker role than a full back. Credit has to go to Zinchenko too. This season he’s been more assured: he’s matured and been more consistent and assertive. The positives are plentiful.

I could heap praise on each and every player, such has been the nature of the football we have been enjoying. I’ll save it for a future article. But I will say this – we cannot underestimate the importance of how improved our defence has been. The signing of Ruben Dias has proved pivotal to that: he’s a naturally confident leader. He marshalls, orders, bellows, instructs and leads with aggression and authority. Alongside a resurgent John Stones, a solid and consistent partnership has flourished and it’s been one of the true joys of the season. The confidence that comes with having a dependable defence has helped to shape our team, mindset and driven us forward throughout our record-breaking winning run. It’s a team effort – but I do believe it will be the amount of clean sheets we have kept and the vast improvement of our back line that has had the biggest say in potentially bringing the title back to the blue half of Manchester this season.

WE WILL FIGHT FOREVER MORE, BECAUSE OF…

Most City fans would’ve known that our remarkable 21 game winning streak would come to an end sooner rather than later. Many old school blues would’ve know that was bound to happen against United. That’s just the way it goes as a City fan. But to lose the game 2-0 at home in the manner that we did was disappointing to say the least.

I know I may come across as spoilt by saying this, but there is nothing wrong in admitting how disappointed you are at a particular result, despite what the League table says. There seemed to be a real divide on social media after the game. Disappointment yes, but some seemed to be happy because we still had a sizable lead at the top. But there was still a decent amount of blues that were bitterly frustrated by not only the result, but the manner of the defeat.

So many managers of the past have embraced City and what the club represent: its values, traditions and its DNA. But the only thing that Pep has never really seemed to grasp is the importance to fans of winning a Derby game. It may be just another game in a frenetic season to him, but to the fans it’s a Manchester Derby. The term ‘bragging rights’ is mostly abhorred by people in football, but when it comes to a Derby game, it resonates true. Like most blues, I took pelters for years off United fans who were only too happy to revel in the glory of their successes and the misery inflicted on us time and time again.

But it’s funny how the tables have turned. They may not be yo-yoing through the divisions, but their fans seem only too delighted to bask in the triumph that a Derby victory brings, even if that means that City still ultimately win the title. Back then, I lived for anything from a Derby – points from a Derby game meant a successful season in my eyes. I think that banner that a lot to answer for.

After the defeat, I was conflicted post-match. I did feel hurt – it had been a while since I’d felt what a loss felt like. But it doesn’t have to be one or the other. You can still be hugely exasperated at City losing another game to United under Pep and still be optimistic about the rest of the season. It’s never been cut and dry supporting this club, it wouldn’t be City if it was.

A BRIGHTER DAY

At the time of writing, City are currently still in all four competitions. But this is a big week coming up – with both the Champions League second leg against Borussia Moenchengladbach and the FA Cup quarter final against Everton to play out. A lot has been made of the club’s chances of winning the quadruple – but nearly all the talk has come from the media. I don’t think I’ve heard a single fan really mention the possibility – but you can be sure that, if it doesn’t happen, plenty of rival fans will be goading us straight away.

‘Ahahahaha, there goes your quadruple!’

Trust me when I say this and I’ll say it louder for the people at the back (who usually have selective hearing anyway and believe only what they’re fed by the media); I will be delighted if the Premier League is the only trophy that we win. To many, it may not be viewed as progress, or demonstrate a severe lack of ambition on my part. But I love winning the title and to win it after the first half that we had to the season too, for me, would be a remarkable achievement.

I understand that expectations have changed and we have to compete on all fronts. I’d love to win all the silverware. But it’s not solely what I’m here for. It’s all part of the roller-coaster ride: I still think we’d get grief even if we won the Champions League. People would stick find some irrational stick to beat us with. I’m still waiting for Pep to receive the plaudits he deserves for not only retaining the Premier League, but for winning the domestic treble that season too back in 2018/19. I know, I’ll be waiting a long time.

Rumours have been rife recently about the prospect of 10,000 fans being allowed in for the last two games of the season. It would be magnificent to see fans return and I’m assuming the club would have to organize a ballot to decide which fans would be the chosen ones. I don’t have a chance because I share a season ticket with my partner at the moment (due to childcare and financial restraints – I’d always had a season ticket; but had to give it up when my eldest was born. Since then, I cherry picked my games until a couple of seasons ago, when we started to share one. Such is life). But you can be sure of one thing – I’ll be the one leading the socially distanced conga outside the stadium!

I think just the thought of that situation would put so many smiles on people’s faces. Nothing has been won yet: as City fans we know better than to get the open top bus out until it’s mathematically certain. Even when we’re 3-0 up in a game, I find myself unconvinced until the final whistle, which is ridiculous considering the football we have played this season. I know that in an ideal world, we would love the Etihad stadium packed to the rafters to cheer on the boys to victory in the blazing Manchester sunshine (should the weather Gods comply). But these haven’t been normal times for a time and I’d be happy to take anything if it meant being reunited with familiar faces that I haven’t seen for so long and celebrating together – even if masks and social distancing has to be in place. Ultimately, like everything during the past 12 months, that will be decided by the government. Let’s see what happens.

It really has been a season like no other and there’s still so much to come from it yet. Rest assured, we will all be back together in the not-too-distant future. We have so much to potentially look forward to. So many reasons to be optimistic. We’re bound by our love of all things blue – so let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope we can all be together to celebrate soon too.

Emily Brobyn

@kippaxgirlemily

WE GO AGAIN...

THE POWER AND THE GLORY- THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL

KING OF THE KIPPAX COLUMN - AUGUST 2019

It’s a bit of a surreal feeling trying to write my article in the middle of July. I should’ve found some time to sit down just as the season ended, while my feelings were raw, but the truth is I’ve had a relentless few months, and this is the first bit of time I’ve had to gather my thoughts and put pen to paper. Even now, to turn black and white into colour, I’m currently sat 37,000 feet in the air on an Emirates a380 plane, somewhere between Dubai and Bangkok, heading to see my Dad. Free time is a rare thing with two young children, and with my youngest asleep next to me, I had to grab the opportunity with both hands to reminisce about that colossal season and to look forward and speculate as to how we remotely attempt to follow up both 100 points and treble-winning seasons.

I’ll talk about summer first, because as incredible as last season really was, it didn’t half take a hit on me, for many reasons. For the first time in my life, I have been glad of the summer break, and the past couple of months have been a breath of fresh air. We’ve enjoyed great amounts of family time together. We went on our annual holiday to Cornwall, and spent two weeks there building sandcastles, swimming in the sea, watching remarkable sunsets, eating fresh fish, drinking wine and beer and making memories for life. We got really lucky with the weather too, as we went mid May and all bar one day was wall-to-wall, glorious sunshine. It seemed that the majority of June was a complete and utter washout, so I’m relieved it didn’t rain on our parade.

But, despite the summer months not quite living up to the standard set weather-wise last summer, we’ve had a truly wonderful time together. My eldest, Vincent, has now finished nursery for good and is starting school in September, with my youngest, Noel, looking to start nursery at a similar time. It’ll be a huge period of change for us, so I’m just trying to make the most of the time we have together and savour it as much as possible, because once they start school, that’s it. I chose to have these early years with them both, I felt like I’d only live to regret it if I didn’t and I can’t imagine how bad a feeling that would be, as they already grow up far too quickly anyway without having looked back once it was too late at the what ifs. It’s also an exciting time for me, as it means that I can look at my options too and see which direction I’d like to go in once I’m ready to go back to work. We live our lives to live, and I really feel like we’ve squeezed the juice and are raising two very happy, sociable, smart little boys. I couldn’t be prouder: as much as I love City, of course they’re my priority and always will be.

So we’ve just enjoyed a couple of days in Dubai and are off to Thailand to spend a week in the sun with my Dad and his wife out there. He has a few different bases in the Far East: Shenzhen, Xiamen and Bangkok, the Chinese bases are for work and the Thai apartment is more for relaxation. The plan is to have a couple of nights in Bangkok, then head for the beach to soak up some rays and ride some jet-skis. Our youngest is with us, while my eldest is on his annual holiday with his Dad. I am lucky to enjoy a very amicable relationship with my ex, one thing I’m grateful for, and he sends me photos and regular updates during the one time a year he enjoys time away with his boy. These nuclear families are becoming more of the norm nowadays than the traditional ‘married with kids’ of past years, although it goes without saying that I wish they were just as common.

So far, I’ve really enjoyed the switch off from football and, apart from the transfer news I can honestly say the detox has done me the world of good. Time in the sun, having sand between my toes, the waves soaking my skin and the sound of my childrens’ laughter filling my ears has been exactly the kind of break that I didn’t really know how badly I needed it until it came around. I almost feel bad admitting it, I usually hate summers with no football. How brilliant was last summer with the World Cup?! But this season left me with a very different feeling, and I’m sure I’m not alone in it and I have no shame either in admitting it. I’ve needed the space to reset and clear my head after the stress that came with the run-in last season, but it won’t be long now before we’re getting ready to do it all again.

WE ARE LIVERPOOL. THIS MEANS MORE

Let’s go straight to the end and try and get to the root of explaining just why last season left me so shook.  A Carabao Cup final win against Chelsea, an FA Cup final mauling of Watford and a neck and neck Premier League-winning campaign meant that our beloved blues enjoyed a historic domestic treble win. Of course, the latter as we all well know, was much more of an endurance test. In fact it got to the point where my enjoyment was being replaced by an emotion I wasn’t really familiar with following my football team – dread.

The title race between us and Liverpool turned a bit into the stuff of nightmares for both sets of fans of the teams involved. A thriller for the neural undoubtedly, but as the weeks headed towards the business end of the season, we were constantly leapfrogging each other in the League. The battle became stressful, toxic and tedious.

Ever since the bus incident last season, when Liverpool fans battered the City team coach with bottles and bricks as it headed to Anfield for the Champions League quarter-final – our relationship with Liverpool fans on the whole has deteriorated significantly. Jibes on social media quickly turn into nasty and bitter arguments, with both sides trying to gain the upper hand with petty point-scoring and entirely unnecessary insults, which often turn personal. When the title race really heated up, so did the rivalry. Growing up I was used to watching the United – Liverpool rivalry from a safe distance, but with United favouring a sixth-place finish these days, it’s City that are embroiled with Klopp’s Reds in the bitterest of battles for top honours. City were pitted as the only team that could save everybody from a fate worse than death – Liverpool winning the Premier League for the first time ever. The celebrations would go on for eternity, they’d never let it be forgotten – nobody in the history of mankind could possibly let this happen. Could you imagine? Do you even want to contemplate what it would be like?

I should’ve loved every second season of last season. Watching Pep’s usual brand of brilliant, ingenuiative, ground-breaking football is always exhilarating, but towards the end I was just wishing it was over. I know how bad things have been with United over the years, but I don’t remember it being that toxic with them during the 2011/12 title run-in. I also don’t remember it being anywhere near as bad with Liverpool during the 2013/14 ‘Gerrard slip’ battle. For this season, most Liverpool fans did what all football fans would’ve never thought remotely possible – they became even more unbearable.

Let’s also give a mention to that ridiculous slogan of theirs – we are Liverpool, this means more. How on earth does anything mean more to you? What gives you the brass neck and audacity to say that your football club’s achievements mean more to you than mine? I will tell you for an absolute fact that they don’t. It’s yet more vitriolic bile from an arrogant club who actually believe that their accomplishments in football mean they’re better than any other team. Let me tell you something – they don’t. Even by winning the Champions League, they thought that was a bigger achievement than winning the domestic treble – it isn’t. I’m no fan of the Champions League: I think the fact two teams made the final , that haven’t been Champions in their own domestic League for many, many years makes a mockery of the whole value of the contest. It’s a UEFA corrupt cash cow and I have no personal desire as a fan to win the thing, although I’m well aware next season, it’ll probably have to be Pep’s main focus, seeing as it’s the only silverware to now allude him during his time at City.

I even saw a couple of Liverpool fans wildly suggest that their second place tally of 97 points was worthy of them being awarded a special trophy in itself. Let’s make this abundantly clear in the slim event of any doubt – in the words of ABBA, the winner takes it all. There are no prizes for second place, no matter how desperate you were to triumph. A point difference still equates to a point – and don’t forget, if you think you came close, United missed out back in 2011/12 on goal difference. So take it the way us City fans would’ve had to, on the chin, it’s a bitter pill to swallow, but by acting up and spitting dummies out, it only serves to make you look a bit of a, well, a dickhead.

With the upcoming season’s curtain-raising Community Shield being against them, I fear somehow the battle may have only just begun. We were both light years ahead of the rest of the Premier League last year, and I personally don’t believe any other team has done enough to convince me over the course of the summer through signings that the gap will be closed by anybody else. But, with VAR being introduced next season, it will be interesting to see how that affects all teams – particularly Liverpool, who some might say got more than their fair rub of the green last season when it came to penalty decisions going their way. Even with VAR – and we all know the drama that brings with it (Spurs and Raheem Sterling, anyone?), I still think Liverpool will be there or thereabouts – but I think we will be better, more so than last season, particularly as prayers have finally been answered and we have Fernandinho’s rotation partner/successor, Rodri.

PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW

Something else that happened last season that took away from my enjoyment of it all was the news of Vincent Kompany’s departure from the club. I know it wasn’t necessarily a surprise for most concerned, but the news, coming on the morning after the FA Cup win that sealed our treble triumph, took me from flying to forlorn in a nanosecond. I think it’s affected me more than it should and I’ve spent the time since his announcement trying to rationalise why that could be.

I tried to put this into words on one of Ian Cheeseman’s Forever Blue podcasts and it left me very emotional. Like most people, City have always served to be the one constant in my life. No matter what I’m going through, I have always relied on City as a distraction or even to a certain extent, a purpose in life. City have always provided me with a sense of belonging, even when I’ve felt unsure and lost about which direction to turn, decisions to make or what to do. When Kompany joined City back in August 2008, I was still at university studying my degree in Sport Journalism. Throughout his time at the club I have: graduated, got engaged, travelled around the world, got my dream job, found out it really wasn’t my dream job, split up with my fiancé, got pregnant, been a single Mum, met somebody new, been with him for almost five years and had a second child. That’s without mentioning every single phenomenal moment that I’ve been through with City: all the trips to Wembley, the Aguero moment, the 100 point season, THAT Kompany goal.

Not only have City been my constant through all of those indescribable moments, but so has Kompany. I’ve put the Belgian on a pedestal pretty much ever since his arrival at the Club. I’ve had faith in him even when the vast majority wrote him off and told him to call it a day, ‘if he would’ve been a horse he would’ve been shot by now.’ I’ve fought his corner time and time again: I’ve believed in his abilities, his vision and backed his determination because he’s been there in my life at a time where I was low too. He’s led City to some of their biggest triumphs and been a figurehead and role model for many throughout that. It isn’t just because I named my eldest after him! Without even knowing about it, Kompany’s qualities and moral compass has inspired me to be a better person when times were hard and I needed a sense of direction. What would Vinnie do? He’d never give up, never give in, that’s what he’d do. So neither will I.

I almost feel like it’s a real coming of age moment for me, despite already being 37 and middle-aged. I’ve settled down with my partner, we have two beautiful children and we continue to support City together and encourage our children to follow suit. Without really knowing it, I feel like Kompany was my stabilisers in life and now it’s time for me to close a certain chapter and look forward to what the future may hold in a different aspect and new chapter of my life. A lot of life can be psychological and we often bottle up how we feel about certain things and put on a brave face. I feel like I can now finally let go of certain elements of my past and move forward in earnest. Although initially I couldn’t really imagine a City without Kompany: as a captain, he’s been there through some of the club’s most pivotal moments. He’s led us to victories through grit, guts and determination and dragged us through important wins. I know that no one player is bigger than the club – I am a huge advocate of that. But as a captain and human being, he’s utterly irreplaceable.

But he still has plenty of personal ambition and dreams yet to fulfil and I commend and admire him for that. He couldn’t have left on a bigger high. Our loss is Anderlecht’s gain and I’m sure every blue will be following his progress with a vested interest. Now David Silva has announced that this will be his last season at City and we all know who will be next…Mr 93:20™. All good things must come to an end: it’s the changing of the old guard and the beginning of another exciting era at City, we have to be nothing but grateful and thankful for the part these players have played in the history of our beloved club and the imprint on its history they’ve left. It’s just this one, Vincent Kompany, played a part in a way in a way I never thought possible, and the testimonial game – well, I’ll probably need a full box of tissues to even stand a chance of coping.

A LITTLE RESPECT

I realise that it probably sounds ludicrous to have such a negative tone to an article that essentially should be all about celebrating City’s historic domestic treble (the club can call them Fourmidables™ all they want, but does anybody really count the Community Shield?) It’s not only been the battle with Liverpool fans that has been tiresome, but the media too. Hell-bent on tarnishing City by any means possible, they have done all they can to try and discredit the Blues’ achievements.

It’s nothing new; it’s been going on for seasons now. Thankfully, Raheem Sterling had the intelligence and guile to call the media out for the part they’ve played in constantly harassing and bullying him with their ridiculous non-stories of him shopping in Primark or Poundland, but it’s the tip of the iceberg. Last season, it was constant articles claiming ‘exclusives’ about City’s apparent FFP wrong-doings and foul play – which, depressingly, didn’t even stop after our 6-1 FA Cup victory.

I shouldn’t take the bait anymore. I am slowly becoming immune to it after becoming accustomed to the obligatory negative media takes after something positive happens to City – it’s as predictable as Liverpool fans are unbearable. But it’s time to take a stand. Everybody wondered how City could possibly follow on from that truly remarkable 100 point season – how could we top a campaign where we were head and shoulders in front of the rest of the teams in the Premier League? Where records tumbled and teams were swept aside by a Pep side so majestic, so delightful, with a brand of football that could only possibly be admired and adored?

We topped it by retaining our League title and completing a domestic treble – the first ever club to do so. By winning the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup and the Premier League, we became history makers and record breakers yet again. But for me, it was the manner in which we won the League that should truly be applauded and demands nothing by the utmost respect for anybody worth their salt who understands and watches sport.

For a team to win the last 14 games of a season in a row, to still be competing in all competitions as seriously as possible by using positive squad rotation (and not sacrificing a Cup like Fergie used to do) until our Champions League quarter final VAR knock-out, is nothing short of astounding. To deal with that level of pressure and to be aware that the finest of margins in any situation or alternation during every 90 minute battle could result in possible defeat and the advantage being given to Liverpool, is something only the finest of sportsmen with the strongest of mentalities can cope with. How I’d love to pull up the minority of City fans who actually threw the title towel in during December – try keeping the faith eh boys and girls?

The title race became a bare knuckle brawl, with the final few games, be it Liverpool or City playing, all nerve-shredding and massively anxiety-inducing. I’ve never hoped for an opponent to at least take a point off a team before, just to try and alleviate the pressure even a tiny bit. It became suffocating and stressful. Eventually you realise that it’s best to just try and focus solely on what your team are doing – after the 1-0 win against Liverpool at the Etihad stadium, the title was always ours to lose. But to have the focus, resilience and determination to win every single point available to us throughout those 14 games is what has impressed me by far the most out of anything we achieved last season. If that was any other team, the media and critics would be fawning at the outcome. A slip, a mistimed tackle, a shot off target instead of on – as displayed with the John Stones goal-line clearance against Liverpool and the Sergio Aguero goal against Burnley – it was a title race of the finest margins – but to come out on top after being placed under such immense tension and to hold their collective nerves – makes me proud beyond belief.

It took a while for our triumphs to sink in, probably because the final few weeks of the season were so busy for me. BBC Radio Five Live kept asking me to go in the studio to discuss the title run-in, more often than not opposite a Liverpool fan, to try and invoke some form of ‘radio banter’ between us. But, as it happened, Lizzi Doyle turns out to be in the minority of being an unquestionably and thoroughly decent Liverpool fan, so it was hard to be pitted as a rival in her company, when all we could do is respect each other and say just how badly we both wanted the Premier League title win. I understand that they’re yet to win it, but just because we have - doesn’t make it any less special.

In fact, this season’s win is right up there for me with being the sweetest title win yet. The Aguero moment stands alone in Premier League history for being quite possibly the biggest adrenaline rush I’ve had in my life (giving birth is a very different feeling, a different kind of adrenaline, so don’t come at me for that!), and I’m not sure that will ever be beaten – although the Kompany goal against Leicester probably comes second to that. At the time I’ll admit, the rush I felt did feel 93:20-esque, that dizzying euphoric, taking-you-to-the-strastosphere hysteria that can only come when a hugely important goal is scored. When the ball hit the net for that goal, and everybody in the stadium realised a) what they’d just had the privilege of witnessing and b) what an important goal it was in our push for the title, the roof came off the place. Let’s not get me started on Komps again, I can’t. But - what a goal.

The phone calls continued and I found myself on BBC Radio Five Live – to my complete surprise I might add – quite regularly. My poor Mum was coming round at 6am on a Monday morning to mind the boys, who were both still snoring, while I was jumping in my car at the crack of dawn to beat the traffic to Salford Quays to go live on air. Then BBC Radio Manchester started to ask for me too and, by the end of the season, I was on BBC Radio One too. It became really busy and really crazy and completely unexpected too might I add. I was doing this alongside Ian Cheeseman’s Forever Blue podcast too. The final day climax was the day after we’d won the League: I did Five Live, Radio Manchester - then back down a floor to Five Live for the rest of the show. This was all with the worst hangover I have had in a long, long time. The decision to watch the City-Brighton game at City Square in the sunshine with a load of mates and far too much beer seemed a good one at the time – although I’m sure I only drank that much to try and calm my nerves. It had definitely been that kind of a season.

The work didn’t stop there. We have our annual holiday to Cornwall every year at the same time in May – which meant missing the FA Cup final. We watched it down there of course, and celebrated with the boys on the beach afterwards, but the media requests kept coming in. I managed to do phone interviews while I was down there, I even did one for BBC Radio One while sat on Fistral beach, which was quite surreal. The last one I did, for BBC Radio Manchester, involved me jumping out of the car the day after the parade, to talk about what made me proud of Manchester. Of course, it was City and their incredible achievements. I’m at a point in my life now where I am starting to think about what I might do with my life once my children start school and nursery respectively, and it’s given me food for thought. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d ever be able to go back to my media career after having children: I’m not sure why, maybe it’s a confidence thing. But, since doing podcasting for the past couple of years, this has given me a bit more self-belief when it comes to whether I’m good enough to put myself out there and speak passionately about the team, and sport, I love. It felt quite ridiculous, little old me, sat opposite Nicky Campbell and Rachel Burden, discussing City. Needless to say, it made my parents very proud!

But because I was so, so busy during those weeks, then away on holiday, then the FA Cup final, Kompany’s revelation and the parade, it honestly took a while for me to digest the magnitude of City’s triumphs. I almost needed to take a big step back from everything, from life, to just sit and take a few moments, to process it all. It was hugely overwhelming. The stress of the run-in had taken over in a big way, I’d even been struggling to sleep (I’m sure I’m not the only one) with it all, so for it to all reach a dramatic conclusion and be resolved in such a remarkable way, it did take a while to come back down to earth again. But it’s been nice to be able to enjoy much less stressful weekends: drives out to the seaside, where doses of Vitamin D make your endorphins dance and sleep is welcomed back like a baby lying on fresh sheets. It’s been the most perfect, blissful summer. I’m just not sure if I’m ready to do it all again just yet…

As usual, the only person I’m trying to kid here is myself. I’ll be there with bells on ready to do it all over again. But let’s take a second to think about what life would be like if it would’ve gone the other way…

Do they even have internet in Timbuktu?

Emily Brobyn

@kippaxgirlemily

Unilad.co.uk & Football Pundette Presents...

FIVE REASONS WHY IT’S ALL GONE WRONG FOR MANCHESTER CITY

 

Five games into the new Premier League season and Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City had made a flawless start. Top of the table with five straight wins and five clean sheets, his team were the team to beat, playing slick and sexy football. With their nearest rivals looking unconvincing, City were threatening to run away with it.

But my how the tables have turned. Along came the Champions League and Juventus: the Italians came from a goal behind to beat City 2-1 at the Etihad, with the Blues missing a hatful of chances to increase their lead and switching off at the back, conceding twice to give the visitors a crucial win. 

Next to the Etihad came Slaven Bilic and his rejuvenated, revitalised West Ham. They tore accumulators- and City- apart in a devastating first half that put pay to the home side’s clean sheet record. Kevin De Bruyne pulled one back, but again defensive errors and a second half dominated by missed chances meant it was the same old story for City- and their first League defeat of the season.

Attention then turned to the Capital One Cup and a trip to the Stadium of Light. Adorned in their new ‘Slimer from Ghostbusters meets an all night rave’ kit, it looked like the Chilean’s side had bounced back in unforgivable style, brushing aside a woeful Sunderland 4-1. At the heart of the annihilation was De Bruyne, scoring one and assisting in an inspired performance to boost confidence ahead of a tricky trip to White Hart Lane in the League.

From Wearside to East London and Spurs: City needed the win to put an end to their recent ‘blip’ and Spurs were yet to really click, with last season’s poster boy Harry Kane yet to score. It was the away side who took the lead; who else but De Bruyne to hand the advantage to City. The Blues’ joy was short-lived: goals from Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld, Erik Lamela and that man Kane left the League leaders devastated.

A 4-1 loss was colossal: it was a cataclysmic second half, with yet another calamity at the back and a lack of accuracy with chances created costing the club dearly. For while City’s form has capitulated, United’s has flourished, with their 3-0 win against Sunderland seeing them replace their neighbours at the top of the League.

Where has it all gone wrong? In the space of a fortnight, City have gone from looking impenetrable to inconsolable and the inquisition into why begins right here.

1)      A fractured spine

Consistency is the key to retaining form and keeping momentum going. It’s difficult to maintain that consistency when injuries are sustained. It’s unrealistic to conceive going through a season and injuries not occurring, but you’ve got to rely on the quality in your squad and their ability to cope when such incidents happen.

Captain Vincent Kompany, who looked like a man possessed in the earlier games, was replaced by new signing Nicolas Otamendi during the Juventus game. There’s no denying his ability, but an error on his debut for the Italian’s second goal has been followed by a shaky start for the former Valencia man. Kompany was looking solid with a fine return to form: without the Belgian, City not only lack quality in defence, but the only real leader in the squad. No leader = no organisation or direction.

David Silva has been a big miss too. He’s been out with an ankle injury: although De Bruyne has come in and hit the ground running following his move from Wolfsburg with three goals in consecutive games, Silva is a player who’s both invaluable and irreplaceable. He pulls the strings in midfield: when he plays, almost every move goes through him. Raheem Sterling’s form has also dropped and it’s no coincidence that’s happened just as the 19 year old had forged a creative understanding with Spaniard Silva. Goalkeeper Joe Hart missed the Spurs defeat as a precaution, recovering from a back injury. His deputy, Argentine Willy Caballero, was widely criticised for a catalogue of errors and bad decision-making that led to conceding the four goals.

It’s that spine of Hart, Kompany, Silva and Sergio Aguero (who we’ll discuss later) that has proved to be pivotal to City’s success. Recent results have made it even more apparent the worth of those players who feature so prominently through the core of their team.

2)      An inconsistent defence

Of course, this is impossible when injuries occur. But, with Kompany sustaining a calf strain and Eliaqium Mangala out with a muscular injury, the players that have come in just haven’t been able to cope. Together, Kompany and Mangala had formed a solid partnership in the heart of defence. Otamendi and Martin Demichelis have come in, but the disruption has brought confusion- you only had to watch the opening 30 minutes against West Ham for evidence of this. A performance strewn with schoolboy errors, with a squad like City’s you would expect players brought in to be able to cope. Instead, the club’s defence has shown shades of last season- a travesty after such a formidable start.

Bacary Sagna has been sublime and a class above his performances last season. But Aleksandar Kolarov, who started the campaign in such a rich vein of form, has been poor of late. Demichelis can be reliable but lacks pace and Otamendi is new to the League. It’s been a baptism of fire for the 27 year old and the introduction of the Argentines to the back four has disrupted the status quo- and destroyed City’s spotless defensive record. With Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta suffering injuries too, a leaky and unorganised defence cost Pellegrini last season: he’ll be hoping lightning doesn’t strike twice this time round. The first five games proved how vital consistency in defence can be to achieving results.

3)      Sergio Aguero missing in action

Normally Aguero needs no introduction. The explosive Argentine is normally dynamite and normally scores goals for fun. Noticed the word normally used a lot there? That’s because this season he has scored one goal. Yes. One goal. The goal against Chelsea is the only time Aguero has scored so far this season in the League.

Considering City sold Stevan Jovetic to Inter Milan and have loaned Edin Dzeko to Roma, this is a bit of a problem. Add to that injuries to Wilfried Bony and exciting youngster Kelechi Iheanacho and City’s shortcomings upfront become alarmingly apparent.

A lot of fans point to the injury that Aguero sustained after a challenge by Scott Dann during the Crystal Palace game, but aside from the Chelsea game, last season’s Golden Boot winter has looked remarkably out of sorts. Of course the injury has affected his sharpness, but City rely on him so heavily to score their goals, sometimes without a plan B they are brutally exposed.

Fortunately, the midfield is littered with talent more than capable of finding the net, as proven during those first five games. But they now seem like a distant memory. To challenge for the title City need Sergio to be on song, firing them to the top spot like Anthony Martial has done for United. The world knows what he is capable of. We’ve all watched in bewildered awe. He is a proven goal scorer, an unequivocal talent. But the wasteful Aguero we have seen in front of goal of late needs to start converting his chances before City’s blip turns into a real problem.

4)      Inability to kill off a game

This one is the most frustrating for fans of any team who suffer the same failure. The inability to kill off a game: to defend a lead, to shut up shop or to convert chances. It’s something City have struggled with, as demonstrated in all three recent defeats and for the majority of last season. For all that talent, those big name players and supposed strength in depth, they still lack the ruthlessness and the cutting edge required to take a game by the scruff of the neck and grind out a result.

This wasn’t necessarily so during those first five games, but of late it’s been City’s major flaw. Those chances against Juventus- and they had plenty- would’ve given them daylight and almost certainly guaranteed a first game win in the Champions League. Instead, they couldn’t defend a one goal lead and collapsed defensively, gifting the Italians the win. Although West Ham went 2-0 up, once De Bruyne had pulled a goal back just before half time the stage was set for a comeback. City had 27 shots at goal during the second half with 72% possession: kudos must go to the Hammer’s defending but a team at the top of the Premier League should be finding the net with at least half of those chances. To put it bluntly, it’s just not good enough.

It was déjà vu at White Hart Lane. Another lead thrown away, more errors, more inaccuracy. Spectators will point to the questionable offside decisions throughout, with the goals from De Bruyne, Dier (Kyle Walker was off) and Kane all being called into question. Caballero has been made the scapegoat, understandably so with the mistakes he made, but the players need to stand up and be counted. The second half was a disaster all over the pitch for City, a throw back to last season where Chelsea romped away with the League. A team striving to be Champions need a killer instinct, a fear factor to instil into the opposition. Sometimes Pellegrini’s side are too nice, too wasteful in possession and to slow to react when a reaction is needed. It’s not their style to park the bus, but in the title race you’ve got to be able to defend when taking the lead. You’ve got to be able to find the back of the net. All flair and no focus invites mistakes when concentration slips- and that’s been an all too familiar occurrence of late.

5)      Does the strength in depth really exist?

Most people thought that City had one of the best transfer windows. They spent big- after last season they had to- and boosted their English quota too, with Fabian Delph, Sterling and Patrick Roberts all coming to the Etihad. Along with proven defender Otamendi and Bundesliga star midfielder De Bruyne, it was looking ominous for their title rivals, notably Arsenal and Chelsea who had failed to secure any real game changers throughout the Summer window.

It’s when the injuries happen that you see the squad for what it really is. The injury list has been substantial of late: Kompany, Silva, Aguero, Hart, Yaya Toure, Mangala, Clichy, Zabaleta, Delph, Iheanacho and Bony have all been seeing the club doctor. With the exceptions of Clichy, Zabaleta and Delph, all the other injuries have been incurred in conjunction to City’s recent demise. It’s been a test of character and the quality of players who have come in- and the Blues have been caught lacking.

Take the Spurs game for example: on the bench City had at their disposal Joe Hart (albeit recovering from a back injury), Jesus Navas, Samir Nasri, Patrick Roberts, George Evans, Zabaleta and Brandon Barker. Three of those are youth players. There is always a case for utilising youngsters, but only when the occasion sees fit. Pellegrini brought on Navas and Nasri during the second half, but decided to introduce Roberts with just four minutes left of the game when City were already 4-1 down. Nothing to lose, some might say. But not necessarily the options needed for the Chilean to change it when a change was so desperately needed.

When the going gets tough it’s time for the players to show their worth. Navas has been scrutinised since he signed from Sevilla, but his performances remain inconsistent. He has the pace; it’s just the end product and quality of his final cross that leaves a lot to be desired. The accuracy isn’t there enough at the level that City operate. Nasri is another that divides opinion: he is capable of match-winning moments, but performs when he wants to.

Caballero isn’t good enough for a substitute goal-keeper- think Chelsea and Asmir Begovic. The defensive shambles has been much documented. Is Bony good enough given the chances he wasted during the Juventus game? Players should be able to come in and perform: after all, it’s their chance to shine and stake their place in the starting line up while others are out. But it just hasn’t happened for City - and it’s flagged up question marks for the rest of the season: particularly when certain players are regulars to the physio room.