"Crisis" at City; Michael Johnson and Vieira; Stephen Ireland

Consecutive losses for the first time during Mancini's reign have sent the media mill spinning.  High up the Newsnow feed is the Belfast Telegraph's headline that 'Man City [are] to axe Mancini' - pedalling serial job threatener Frank Rijkaard as the man waiting in the wings... or, if he doesn't sign up for Saudi Arabian club football, Martin O'Neill, for the local interest.

Whilst, undeniably, things aren't clicking completely for City at the moment, the reaction is a remarkable turnaround from the generally positive response to the Arsenal defeat (a defeat that put an end to a run of four straight Premier League victories).  Daniel Taylor's comments in the Guardian that "the mitigating circumstances were so extreme an asterisk should be put in the record books to explain the unorthodox nature of Arsenal's win," and that there is "no cause for alarm" being fairly typical from a paper who also praised City's bold response to facing 85 minutes against a side known for their passing and moving style. 

Taking that stance, the reaction has come purely off the back of the weekend's result and a Wolves team who were due a win.  Whilst not an ideal outcome, it is hardly a reason to panic.  City are in the Champions League places - within reach of our main competitors - despite having a side that is widely thought to be  finding it's feet - as all the players return and 'gel' together.

The ever-generous Patrick Vieira continues to encourage our academy graduates today with praise for the determination of Michael Johnson.  Vieira had the following to say:

“I have been at the club and seen him working every day, and when someone works that hard, I am sure he will be successful.

“I hope for him, for City and English football that he does get back to his best.

“He is a really good player – a talented English player – and it’s good for English football. The future looks bright for him. His determination will bring him back to his best. He is working harder than anyone else, and he is still young so he has time to come back.”

Michael Johnson arguably has the greatest potential of all the recent academy graduates and, if his reported lifestyle has changed in line with his determination, than he can still be a huge asset to City this season.  Ever since Ireland lost his workrate again, City have needed Johnson's dynamism in midfield and his natural class would give City some much needed cohesion and balance in the centre of the midfield.  The big 'if', of coure, is his fitness, and everyone involved in City will be hoping he can put his run of injuries behind him.

In the same article Vieira claims to be feeling back to his best this season - and he has certainly impressed when he has had the opportunity.  If this is to be his last season, City should look to ward off reported interest from Arsenal and snap him up for a coaching role immediately.


Johnson's fellow academy graduate, Stephen Ireland has come into a lot of criticism for his slow start at Villa.  For my Villa supporting friend's birthday we went and sat in the Holte End to watch Villa vs Burnley in the Carling Cup last week, and whilst there does seem to be a general degree of patience amongst the Villa fans, there were one or two who were more than vocal about their disappointment.  Gerard Houllier had this to say in response to dropping him for the Birmingham derby:

"We know he is a good player. But I don't want to have players who you say: 'He's a good player but ...'
If you say: 'He's a good player but he doesn't defend, but he doesn't run back, but he loses too many balls in crucial areas', that's difficult. He needs to get rid of these 'buts' and be a good player. We put him in at Sunderland behind the striker and he needs to get hold of the ball and play"

Which more or less sums him up.  Incredible potential but without the general mentality to back it up.  Whilst I was hoping he would start his Villa career in a way that wouldn't make me regret his departure, it is a shame that a player with such natural ability seems in danger of letting his career drift past him.  

In an almost completely unrelated City/Villa link, Lee Westwood's rise from 266 in the world rankings to the very top has in part been accredited to his fitness coach, Steve McGregor - who came to him from Manchester City and Aston Villa... So, in a way, you could say, City have had a small hand in a great achievement for British golf... but it would be pushing it a bit!