Baltimore World Cup Soccer @ Slainte Pub

The perfect storm was created for the fans of Man City and Chelsea this weekend. The perfect storm of pain – Chelsea needed us to win – and even if we didn’t they needed to hang on – we obviously want to beat United already riding our 14-2 cumulative over our last 3 and were counting on Chelsea knocking Tottenham further out of 4th.

City, with the highest hopes in years, were brought down from their inflated pedestol by a 93rd header from ginger face. Neither team played exceptionally well – and I feel City deserved at least a point – but United played 9 men behind the ball all day – and shut down Bellamy and managed to neutralize Tevez. A shame there weren’t too many goals in the game – the pub itself was charged for a nice 3-2 game – in the end – the 93rder was just devastating to the boys in blue. It was great to see the pub -for the first time ever – 50/50 between blues and reds – testament to the plights of both teams I guess – -

So how better to drown your sorrows after a 93rd minute Derby Day defeat than to root for Chelsea? (ranks right up there with getting slapped in the nards) “No way they’ll lose.” – ugh -

Chelsea swiss missing the mattress wasn’t really on my radar. And for my day not to be completely shot they had to take it Tottenham – White Hart Lane is usually a lukewarm place to play at worst. Spurs fans aren’t exactly known for their tenacity or support – but – that team has some sick talent. I can’t wait to watch Modric playing for City next year and would love to have Corluka back at right back any time he wants – - lol – I’ll let a Chelsea boy or Tottenham – whatever they are – talk about their game I just wanted to extend a giant – pfffftttffftttt to you for laying an egg yesterday when I needed you most.

On to next week- Arsenal this weekend – don’t really know what more I can say about that game right now. I’m just on board for the ride.

On all the MCFC boards they are heralding this game as the next coming of the Lord. And apparently they are also saying that it will be a walk for City – I tend to disagree. Nothing is ever a walk – nor will it ever be – on derby day.

The cake walk the last 2 weeks against Burnley (expected) and then Birmingham (surprise) have set us up for this inflated sense of confidence just before a Derby… that usually equals trouble.

The big questions are going to be does Rooney play? If he plays how fit will he be? If he gets hurt – how long until someone from Leeds burns down Bacon Face’s house? Also Rio was hurt in the Blackburn game and may not be fit – - all of these things point to good news – but – City – as has been all year – has 1 glaring weakness – Left Back -

With Wayne Bridge out for most of the year and the other times – Wayne thinking he’s a left half instead of a left back – it’s been quite dicey. Any talent on the right side for the oncoming team and we automatically do two things 1) give him 20 yards to play with 2) don’t stand to stop until we are at the edge of the 18  – and by then – the momentum accrued by the oncoming player can either knock us back another 3 yards with a fake or blow by us because we look like a fence post in concrete. I personally think Wayne will get the start – which is an improvement over Garrido, Sylvinho, or Zabaletta back there – but with a 11-1 tally the last 2 weeks old Mancini may choose to stick with Garrido -  with that said – this is my call for the lineup

Onuoha – Kolo – Kompany – Bridge
DeJong – Barry
A Johsnon        Tevez          Bellamy
Ade

Don’t see them changing anything – the bench will have RSC, SWP, Ibrahim, Viera, Richards.

I love a derby – and with Tottenham upsetting Arsenal yesterday – this becomes a blood bath for City – at home – most important game since the 81 FA cup final -

With that said – 3-1 final – Tevez with the legend – See you at Baltimore’s Best Soccer Pub

To be honest – I wrote a completely different piece on why I “hate” Man U or even worse why I hate some “Man U” fans (not the normal lot – you guys are just fine) -  but then I read back over it and said… meh… there’s no need for that. I enjoy the Manchester United fans as much I enjoy fellow City fans – without each other – it’s just not the same… and that’s what makes the place we all go to watch the games special.

At some point I have to get over this sort of “soccer racism” – this ideological approach to fandom. It’s boring. It’s a community out there – and especially in the world of soccer it’s a community that – in this early stage of U.S. growth – should be overwhelmingly welcoming.

It’s always great to root. And believe me ….at the pub – that happens. And it’s also acceptable and very tongue in cheek to root against the other people in the pub rooting for the other teams. But at some point – and we talk about this sometimes – as the morning drags onto the afternoon and the beers turn to whiskey – that the pub that the owners and staff have created…along with the fans has always been a place where all fans of all teams have gathered (unlike some other pubs that only one particular team). Now… if they don’t have a sense of humor or some sort of thick skin – they may want to rethink their desire to get up at 7 am and head down 0nly to be chanted against — but… I think for the most part… we do as good a job as rooting for each other as we do for our own teams.

Like I mentioned — I was going to write a different kind of piece. But instead I’ll just wait to preview the game later in the week – hopefully someone can knock down a preview of Arsenal v Spurs for tom. especially with Van Persie coming back. Until later in the week – when I’ll give my breakdown of the City sides preperation and lineup for this game… and looking forward to a Man U rebuttal.

Til later this week -
BaC

BTW – it’ll be even more fun to see team alliances break this summer for the World Cup – as the once lovable English fans will run into the U.S. fans. I doubt the Sheffield United tune will be sung that day.