Didn't see that coming. Juventus looked like they were going to top the group all the way. The most organized and balanced team who pretty much lead the way all through until the last game. And it was Sevilla who were the most disappointing. Being UEFA Cup winners, I thought they would push City and Juventus much closer. But just like the unpredictable nature of football, seeing as they were desperate to win "their" trophy for a third time, they edged out Juventus and City came back, and became winners.
Could this be a turning point for the new kings of Manchester?
Perhaps. This now means they won't face their nemesis, Barcelona or Bayern, two teams who should be in the semis at least. Looking at the teams that will come in at second, if City can click together and play to their potential, then they can break new ground and reach the quarter finals. It's all about baby steps, and about slowly establishing themselves as the new Premier League threat in the Champions League. It won't happen this season, or even in the next. They have a lot of growing to do.
It started like Groundhog Day for City. Losing at home to Juventus, I was the first in line with his pitchfork calling for City to be thrown out of the competition. I got sick and tired of the supposed best team in England embarrassing the league by getting pimped constantly at home. Enough was enough, and many thought they wouldn't make it out of a group that included Sevilla, a team many thought would probably even finish ahead of Juventus in the group.
I think the players at City realized that it was time to step up. This was their time. Those balls need to be enlarged and chests have to get puffed out. And it has been the new players who have finally began to pay back that cheddar. De Bruyne scoring the very important winner against Sevilla, and he's shown that he's been by far City's best signature for the season. But let me give props to the other new boys who I have been on record, insulting.
Bony has greatly underperformed. After being so proficient for Swansea, his performances have been crap for City. It's as plain as that. No connection with the midfielders, no interesting runs made between defenders and playing the role of lone striker, he's looked more like a striker whose Home Alone...stranded, and pretty much useless. But in the game against Swansea and against Monchengladbach he's found the net and these have been goals that were very important in finishing ahead of Juventus. So he needs to score more G's, but if he's scoring the decisive ones, that's fine by me and is part of why he was bought.
Raheem.
Sterling doesn't do it for me yet. He is not worth the hype that's around him and there are aspects of his game that need refinement. One of them is his finishing, where he gets in great positions to score but does all he can to shoot straight at the keeper. Perhaps he cares more for breaking faces than fishnets. So I do feel that my criticism of him has been fair and warranted.
Recently, he has been hitting the target and he scored a juicy G against Monchengladbach that swung the match in favor of City. This was an important game, and showing up does a lot to try and convince me that he may be worth some of that hype. He needs to do more though, but very impressed that at his age he was able to come good when City were in a sticky position. And let me rephrase that: "It was a very juicy G."
If City have all their players fit, they can win the Champions League but I don't think they will. They are still a level below the elite teams out there, and will get beat over two legs when they face them. But this is football, and you never know what can go down. It's about planning your route in this competition, and pacing yourself. The first step is topping your group which City have done, so they are on the right path to hopefully make the quarters, and from there that's when they really need to be at their best to go even further.
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HH
