Manchester City 2013-14: Champions-Confirmed (aka: Jinx Failed)

[DLew On Roids]

Ordinarily I'd defer to one of the forum's fans of a club before starting a new thread, but this is too good to pass up:

City is partnering with the MFY to create New York City FC.

I couldn't expect someone to give up their club, but how does this affect the City fans' willingness to root for this new MLS club, knowing that it's also affiliated with the Yankees?

 

[Titans Bastard]

Ordinarily I'd defer to one of the forum's fans of a club before starting a new thread, but this is too good to pass up:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/21/manchester-city-new-york-yankees-major-league-soccer%5DCity"]City is partnering with the MFY to create New York City FC.[/url]

I couldn't expect someone to give up their club, but how does this affect the City fans' willingness to root for this new MLS club, knowing that it's also affiliated with the Yankees?

 
 
Well, this is good news for NY soccer fans who also happen to be City fans, who also happen to not dislike the Yankees, who also happen to not already root for the Red Bulls, and who also are willing to watch City Jr., the shittier version of City.
 
This blows.  I hate this.
 
Just when rumors of the end of Chivas USA start to heat up, we get stuck with another lame branding exercise.  The clubs that do well in MLS are clubs that have carved out strong, independent identities.  This is exactly how not to accomplish this goal.  Not only does the branding alienate various categories of people (people who are fans of EPL clubs other than City or baseball teams other than the Yankees), people who are fans of Manchester City are just as likely to carry on watching Manchester City.  By branding this way, you limit the potential audience and then serve the smaller target audience with an inferior product.  Genius.
 
 
It's going to be so, so easy to hate this team.  But I'll hate them not for being a villainous superclub like the Yankees, but for being the embodiment of the second time MLS fucked up a chance to capitalize on the NY market.
 
 
Who is excited for the Red Bulls vs. NYCFC Branding Derby?  Whoever sells more cans of Red Bull or MCFC apparel wins.

 

[LTF]

You know, one reason I cast my lot with City (and you probably remember the thread from way back when, DLew) was because I didn't want to be regarded as being your typical American frontrunner. Root for an old Big Four club and you could be cast as a glory-hunter (which was unfair, of course). "Why would I root for United? They had a marketing partnership with the Yankees. They are one and the same!"
 
And now here we are ... More fodder for the haters, I guess. Except I don't even know if the haters are out there. I was at the Phoenix Landing on Sunday, stylin' in a freshly pressed '04-'05 away kit (always let 'em know that you were following your favorite club before they were purchased by that billionaire oligarch/oil sheik/Elton John), alone amid a sea of Gerrard, Agger, Walcott, Giroud, and Scholes jerseys. I asked the bartender twice if he could put City-Norwich on the tiny corner television that was playing Chelsea-Everton (nobody was watching it). He never did. I left around halftime.
 
Anyway, there's probably a Bill Simmons-like analogy that could be useful here. Something like how City is that girl from high school who isn't unpopular by any means, but at the same time, isn't very popular, and how over the course of a school year she goes to great lengths to improve her looks, her image, her overall standing, etc., and all the other girls at school -- both popular and unpopular -- are like, "Really? She's still at it?" They don't resent her; they're generally ambivalent. But they also can't understand why she wasn't content with her previous place and wonder how crestfallen she's gonna be when she realizes nothing is going to change for her.
 
I don't want to give off the impression that even with the billions of dollars being pumped into the club, the ridiculous stadium naming rights agreement, co-owning an MLS club, the new kit deal with Nike, etc., that I believe my favorite club was and still is a "people's club" -- and maybe even more so than your favorite club. That's dumb. I just wonder more and more, as City's aspirations to enhance their "global brand" become bigger and more complex, how it's all gonna shake out. How does a club with a crap history and a relatively crap stadium and no true world superstar gain equal footing with Europe's biggest clubs?
 
All I know is, rooting for Antoine Sibierski feels like a lifetime ago. Bring on the '13-'14 season.

 

[DLew On Roids]

How does a club with a crap history and a relatively crap stadium and no true world superstar gain equal footing with Europe's biggest clubs?

 
I wouldn't necessarily say City's history is crap, because in my book a club's history is a lot more about the people in the stands than the contents of the trophy case.  A club like PSG is a lot more deserving of the "crap history" tag than City.  A club doesn't have to be old to have a real history, but people should have given a crap about the club.
 
However, I do wonder how City gets its global branding without a winning history.  The EPL's worldwide popularity relies on a perception of the historic glory of these clubs and I don't know if City got it together in time to be seen as not buying its way into the group.  Chelsea's redevelopment in the 90s probably gave them enough of a patina that Asian and American viewers think they're a historically successful club, so it might just be a matter of time.  

 

[LTF]

That's was I getting at when I said "crap history": the lack of trophies. And you're right about a club's history being more than just silverware, so I should have been more specific. From what I understand, City has always been well-supported (folks love to bring up how average attendance for the season spent in what is now League One was 28,000), so the club has that going for it.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Plus its supporters don't all live in London.

 

[LTF]

Plus its supporters don't include Zomp.

 

[Zomp]

CITY = YANKEES LOL

 

[fletcherpost]

I get weak at the knees when someone says 'patina' - I really do. 

 

[teddykgb]

this is really pretty easy for me from a mental gymnastics perspective.
 
Clearly this is going to strain the resources of the new york yankees.  Randy Levine is apparently focusing a bit on this.  They're stuck on the ground focusing their attention on making this work. This will divert some Yankee money as well.
 
In the meantime, our (City's) owner has unlimited money.  They'll probably use this to get some of the more advanced youth some time in a professional league, especially since the MLS season and England seasons don't line up perfectly.  Hopefully, with an academy setup as well, the next great American (first?) will become a City player through some shady back room deal transferring him for low, FFP helping fees.
 
I think it's really great that City's owner has decided to harm the Yankees for the good of us red sox fans and the best team in the land and all the world, job well done!

 

[OCST]

Here's where I am on this:
 

• I am a newbie soccer fan, whose interest stems from the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, and from watching lots of EPL on Fox Soccer when caring for my baby daughter in 2010.
• In the EPL, I support Everton.  I don't hate City.
• I live in NYC, have been out to Harrison to see the Red Bulls, and keep an eye on them.  I would call myself a fan, but I don't live and die with them.
• I would much, much rather support a team in the five boroughs than in Jersey, from both emotional and travel reasons.
• As a Sox fan, I detest the Yankees, although I mostly now regard them with contempt and pity.  '04 started that, and their move to their dead and soulless new ballpark finished it. 

Where does that leave me?  I'm not sure.  I really would prefer MLS teams to develop their own identities, and not leech off established teams in other countries.  I don't think billions of petrodollars are good for MLS.  And the Yankee thing - meh.  Like I said, the Yankees have devolved into something barely worth my attention. 
 
As long as the co-branding with City isn't too obnoxious, I guess I'll hold my nose and check this team out.

 

[OCST]

this is really pretty easy for me from a mental gymnastics perspective.
 
Clearly this is going to strain the resources of the new york yankees.  Randy Levine is apparently focusing a bit on this.  They're stuck on the ground focusing their attention on making this work. This will divert some Yankee money as well.
 
In the meantime, our (City's) owner has unlimited money.  They'll probably use this to get some of the more advanced youth some time in a professional league, especially since the MLS season and England seasons don't line up perfectly.  Hopefully, with an academy setup as well, the next great American (first?) will become a City player through some shady back room deal transferring him for low, FFP helping fees.
 
I think it's really great that City's owner has decided to harm the Yankees for the good of us red sox fans and the best team in the land and all the world, job well done!

 
On this logic, is the Henry group's stake in Liverpool weakening the Sox, by diverting time/money/attention?  I know plenty of Sox fans who think so.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Here's where I am on this:
 

• I am a newbie soccer fan, whose interest stems from the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, and from watching lots of EPL on Fox Soccer when caring for my baby daughter in 2010.
• In the EPL, I support Everton.  I don't hate City.
• I live in NYC, have been out to Harrison to see the Red Bulls, and keep an eye on them.  I would call myself a fan, but I don't live and die with them.
• I would much, much rather support a team in the five boroughs than in Jersey, from both emotional and travel reasons.
• As a Sox fan, I detest the Yankees, although I mostly now regard them with contempt and pity.  '04 started that, and their move to their dead and soulless new ballpark finished it. 

Where does that leave me?  I'm not sure.  I really would prefer MLS teams to develop their own identities, and not leech off established teams in other countries.  I don't think billions of petrodollars are good for MLS.  And the Yankee thing - meh.  Like I said, the Yankees have devolved into something barely worth my attention. 
 
As long as the co-branding with City isn't too obnoxious, I guess I'll hold my nose and check this team out.

 
As much as I am skeptical of this project because of my aversion to co-branding, I'm not concerned with the petrodollars.  NYCFC will be constrained by the same salary budget rules under which everyone else operates.  They can bring in three big names as DPs, but that's pretty much it.  If they want to spend big money on a stadium and youth development, I think that's a plus for the league.

 

[Bozo Texino]

Nike grabs even more Umbro properties...
 

 
Simple, but classy.  I like it.

 

[LTF]

Was gonna post that. Simple, yes. But simple quite often translates to boring and that's the case here. I guess no matter what the club unveiled it was going to be a step down for me since I absolutely adored this season's home kits. I'm torn on the badge-on-a-patch look, which they've used in various past seasons. It doesn't look too bad on some of the old home kits; it looks cheap on some of the previous away ones.

 

[Zomp]

 

[LTF]

Where's that Vidic forehead-bump gif?

 

[teddykgb]

LTF, stuff like this http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=284158&sid=ad1d37a96cf85dd1ab19d3e566d6accf is why I don't worry about the "small club" versus "big club" problem.  The fans of this team are still of a different breed than most, I think it will be some time before all of this "global brand" stuff becomes an issue.

 

[DLew On Roids]

These friendlies have had all the defensive intensity of an NBA All-Star game.

 

[teddykgb]

Fenandinho to City done:  http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-news/2013/June/Fernandinho-signs-for-Manchester-City-FC
 
Player was basically demanding to come to City late in the season, so this isn't a surprise.  He was an absolute boss in the midfield against Chelsea and has been quite a performer in Ukraine, but obviously there is an adjustment here.  Seems to be an active midfielder, jack of all trades box to box type.  Depending on what formation Pellegrini (if we ever actually announce him) is playing, he'll probably partner Yaya in a 4-2-2-2 and largely displace Barry from the starting XI.  I think Garcia's days are (thankfully) numbered, unless he's going to move back to CB, which is probably a better position for him if he can learn to play it.  If we're going full on Barca and moving to a 4-3-3, then I think Fernandinho still fits pretty well in a midfield 3.

 

[teddykgb]

Pellegrini finally announced as new manager, bringing in a new staff but keeping Brian Kidd as well. No clarity yet on formation, but hopefully this helps to get isco done

 

[soxfan121]

Jonathan Wilson on the changes at Man City
 
 

Yet is running a football club on "holistic" grounds really such a bad thing? I bumped into Soriano at a book awards presentation in Milan in March. He admitted that City had got its transfer policy wrong last season, that it had made the squad bigger but not necessarily better. He said the club would offload players this summer and make "three or four" top signings. Picking up Jesus Navas, a lightning-fast option on the right, and Fernandinho, a quick, versatile and intelligent holder with a fine range of passing and a ferocious long shot, fits that model, answering specific needs within the squad.

 

[Billy R Ford]

Great match on Watch ESPN right now, City are up 5-3 on AC Milan and its only halftime. For the first 35 minutes City absolutely mopped the floor with Milan, went ahead 5-0, then made a few defensive mistakes that Stephan El Shaarawy capitalized on and Milan scored 3 in the last 10 minutes to get right back in it.
 
I've been watching Manchester City more closely than Milan in the first half, made a few observations:
 
-Fernandinho is partnering Yaya Toure in central midfield, and to my slight surprise it is Fernandinho who is the one who is joining the attack from deep. Toure is mostly playing in front of the defense in a traditional defensive midfield role. It's working for City though, Fernandinho has been playing very well.
 
-Navas is lightning fast down the right, though he's not playing as an out-and-out winger hugging the touchline. He's been coming inside and linking up play, though he also has had a few crosses in from the right. Very dynamic, he's also had a great match so far.
 
-Jovetic is playing behind Dzeko, with Silva on the left.
 
Up until those final ten minutes City looked absolutely lethal.

 

[DJnVa]

How I wish this thread was active...

 

[teddykgb]

I'm kind of an echo chamber and certainly didn't see much to discuss after yesterday's match.
 
Hopefully this will at least cause them to pull the trigger on a CB purchase this week.

 

[LTF]

Looks like they're gonna: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/28/manchester-city-martin-demichelis
 
And stay classy, United supporters: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/27/manuel-pellegrini-targeted-missiles-old-trafford
 
(Cue Zomp appearing and posting that gif of Ferdinand getting coined.)
 
I watched the Newcastle match the night before I went away, so I had one eye on the television and one on a suitcase. And I missed last weekend's since I was out of the country. I'm really hoping to sit down and enjoy the Hull City match uninterrupted (Hull City Tigers; sorry), but I'm sure the fucking kids will do their best to ensure I don't.

 

[LTF]

Champions League draw going on right now. Michael Owen is doing the ball thing (fuck you, Michael Owen). Turns out City will be in Group D with Bayern Munich (again) and CSKA Moscow. One more round of selections to go.

 

[LTF]

And the fourth is Viktoria Plzen, a club I've seen many cite as a sleeper to make the group stages. Ugh. Another assfuck of a draw. But it was expected.

 

[DLew On Roids]

CSKA for a second seed is pretty good for City.  Looks like Viktoria Plzen is the #4 seed in that group.  Should be manageable. 
 
LTF, check the other 2 seeds, and I don't think you could have done much better.  Zenit, maybe.  Shakhtar, who knows, they bring in new Brazilians every year.  

 

[teddykgb]

Yeah, it's the CL, so everyone is good, but there are no excuses for not getting out of that group.
 
Given that City were pretty much dominated by Ajax last season, however, there's still a lot to prove.

 

[Zomp]

And the fourth is Viktoria Plzen, a club I've seen many cite as a sleeper to make the group stages. Ugh. Another assfuck of a draw. But it was expected.

 
If by assfuck you mean favorable, then yes I agree...

 

[fletcherpost]

Man city should get out of that group, coulda been a lot worse.

 

[DLew On Roids]

 
If by assfuck you mean favorable, then yes I agree...

 
What's it like knowing you'll draw three teams worse than Stoke every year?

 

[Zomp]

Its quite nice...Champions League revenue is a nice pocket of change to have, ya know?

 

[DLew On Roids]

Clearly, with all the quality players Moyes has brought in this summer.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

 
 
And stay classy, United supporters: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/27/manuel-pellegrini-targeted-missiles-old-trafford
 
(Cue Zomp appearing and posting that gif of Ferdinand getting coined.)
 
 

 
Well, since Pelligrini is a noted asshole who ran over to a section of united fans and started taunting them, it's basically the same thing.

 

[LTF]

I suppose I was being a bit reactionary. Plzen has become a bit of a dark-horse favorite and CSKA Moscow, on top of making it out of the group stages its past two Champions League appearances, plays a lot of the top clubs really tough at home. Still, nine or 10 points looks more than doable.

 

[LTF]

NBC Sports Live Extra ... What the fuck, dude? You start the feed a few minutes into the match, you oscillate between crystal clear video quality and shit, and you buffer every five fucking minutes. Fuck you.

 

[LTF]

Pellegrini made his lineup with this week's first Champions League match in mind. No Navas, no Aguero, no Fernandinho, and fucking Garcia at centerback. Silva's out too, but he's hurt.

 

[LTF]

Jovetic, Nasri ... Git, go.
 
Stoke should be up by, what? Three goals? Maybe four?

 

[LTF]

By my count, Jovetic had four attempts and not a single one was on net. Sparkling debut, son.
 
And I can't even get pissed at Garcia. I feel sorry for him. He is so out of fucking position at centerback. 

 

[LTF]

You know what's awesome? I didn't even get to see the final two minutes of stoppage time. The match just stopped and then went to ads. It was like NBC Sports Live Extra was like, "Dude, I'm just gonna spare you the agony of watching the very end of what's been an utterly garbage match. I'm doing you an enormous favor. Go spend those two minutes doing housework or reading or playing with your genitals."
 
Seriously though, watching this online was a tremendously shitty experience -- and not because City played like a bunch of droopy, limp dicks. At one point it just randomly switched me over to the Hull-Cardiff match. Awful.

 

[LTF]

I'm crabby as fuck today.

 

[LTF]

View attachment 138

I swear, I've seen this blonde at other matches the past few seasons. She's a real looker. I want her vagina steak.

 

[teddykgb]

A great week with a necessary result against Plzen and the trouncing of United at home.  Pellegrini seems to be settling in, he swapped the roles of Fernandinho and Toure, pushing Toure forward and asking Fernandinho to play more of a holding role and it was all the difference in both matches.  Yaya had been coming so deep to receive the ball, almost turning us into a 5-3-2, but he's been a menace going forward.  If he played as hard against the dregs of the league as he plays against United, we'd probably have an invincibles run of our own.
 
But I really want to talk about the captain.  His return has marked a complete return to dominating football.  He was everywhere yesterday, a complete force, and the .gif of his face after he ran the length of the field for Nasri's goal is just awesome to watch.  We are so lucky to have him, he's turned into one of the best defenders in all of Europe, and I wouldn't trade him for anyone else on that list.  I hope he can avoid further injury because we are a different side when he's involved.
 

 
I also want to add, that was the best match Samir Nasri has played in our shirt.  He covered the most ground of any player on the pitch and was immense in dictating play and being dangerous around their box.  Yaya did a ton of work getting the ball forward, and Nasri was at his best yesterday.  If we can get him and Silva playing well together, we'll really be onto something.

 

[Schnerres]

Ribery for ballon d´or and all, but my grandma would have saved that with her tongue.

 

[Bailey10]

Joe Hart is turning into a shadow of his former self. England fans dreaming of having a competent no 1 keeper the likes of Howard or Guzan.

 

[DJnVa]

Ribery for ballon d´or and all, but my grandma would have saved that with her tongue.

 
To be fair, she has a talented tongue.

 

[Schnerres]

Bayern more or less dominating. When you watch Lahm, you see him everywhere near the ball, playing always short passes and then sometimes a long cross, just the role what you would expect from Kroos (who is playing) or our german midfield boss Schweinsteiger. I didn´t see Lahm that good in that role, yet. He plays an easy game, if you can call it easy vs. this opponent...
 
(btw: where is the CL thread gone?)

 

[Schnerres]

The ref is a joke. This game is as easy as it gets and he still makes mistakes.
His assistant missed an offside call (Alaba was offside when Ribery passed to him on the left side) and a good scoring chance resulted for Bayern. Now Nastasic pulls down Müller on his shirt with just the intention of fouling and near the box to break up the dangerous play. That was an obvious yellow card.
 
Bayern are now dominating. They are playing like it´s 11vs.10, with City not knowing about it and not defending like being a man down. Bayern are always finding a man not marked and this passing is going on just into the box. Only problem: it´s only 1-0...