Season over, how did our players & fans do…and how did Manyoo fans do too?
My player ratings.
Claudio Bravo: 4.5/10
Truly, truly awful and even improving a
little before his injury doesn’t get him an “average” rating of 5.
Willy Caballero: 8/10
“Mr Cup man” turned “rotated with Claudio” turned
“full cover for injury” got better and better and better as the weeks ticked
by. In the last few weeks, he looked a completely different keeper from the one
we first signed!
Gael Clichy: 7/10
Some errors but “Steady Eddie” also put in
some very good, notable displays too.
Aleksandar Kolarov: 6.5/10
Still some terrible
defensive displays but almost
forgotten about amidst far more accomplished ones. Appeared better when asked
to cover on the left of central defence and his long-distance, cross-field passing
at times was a joy to watch.
Vincent Kompany: 8.5/10
“If only” was on the lips of almost every
blue I spoke to about ‘our Skip’. Once he was fully over his appalling list of
injuries (some unrelated to others) he not only put in some superb performances
that seemed to get better the closer we got to the end of the season but he was
clearly responsible for improving the ratings of his fellow defenders. Simply
brilliant and would have been challenging for player of the season had he’d
been fit for most of it.
Nicholas Otamendi: 7.5/10
Earlier on in the season there were still
some wobbly displays that reminded us of his earlier displays not long after
signing – being caught out of position and mistiming some rash challenges. But
he improved…and then improved some more with Vinny next to him.
Bacary Sagna: 7/10
Appearances seemed to decline as the season
went on, partly through injury, but this fella rarely lets us down…and he
didn’t again.
John Stones: 7.5/10
Over-the-top criticism from pundits had me
scratching my head when he made a couple of clangers. He was heading for a
decent 7/10 but before the injury that ruled him out of the last few weeks, he
improved significantly in my mind to earn a very good, extra-half-point. With
Vinny or A.N. Other next to him next season, he can only improve further with age &
experience.
Pablo Zabaleta: 8/10
The emotion of such a City legend set aside; this battleship at the back for us produced some very, very good performances (even when asked to do a job in midfield); made more impressive by the fact that most City fans thought he would have struggled / slowed-down a lot this season. But, similar to a certain Ivorian midfielder, although his legs were ‘going’ a little; he looked leaner & shaper in many ways. Never does - and DIDN’T - let us down whenever he played.
The emotion of such a City legend set aside; this battleship at the back for us produced some very, very good performances (even when asked to do a job in midfield); made more impressive by the fact that most City fans thought he would have struggled / slowed-down a lot this season. But, similar to a certain Ivorian midfielder, although his legs were ‘going’ a little; he looked leaner & shaper in many ways. Never does - and DIDN’T - let us down whenever he played.
Kevin De Bruyne: 7.5/10
Quieter season than the previous…and that’s
despite his many, eventual assists. At times, he was anonymous; other times his
passing radar wasn’t just broken but it had been completely demolished! Then,
in true Kevin style, he found his rhythm and improved so much toward the end of
the season it was palpable. Never lacks effort…but what IS that ‘drop-off’ in form - and
in some games - that I keep seeing from the red-haired, red faced one?
Fabian Delph: 7/10
I know he didn’t play much but whenever he
did pull on a City shirt season-just-gone, I can find little fault in his
displays; some of which were really quite good. What a shame he can’t stay fit
‘cause I think Pep likes him,
otherwise, and would prove a real squad asset.
Fernandinho: 8.5/10
Spoilt some early-to-mid season good
performances with some 'old Fernandinho' moments of madness – for a seemingly
gentle fella he really does seem to have another [bad / rash] side to him. Then,
whether playing in midfield or at right-back, he just switched up a gear or two
and really shone with some truly excellent performances.
Fernando: 6.5/10
Did okay when asked to step in, which was
usually towards the end of games. Nothing special but certainly nothing bad
from “The Octopus”. 'Often defensively reassuring' is a good way to describe him.
Ilkay Gundogan: 6.5/10
Mixed performances before his terrible
injury that included a ‘settling in’ period following another lengthy
injury before he made his move to Manchester…but some moments of real class too
as he began to ‘bed in’ (including some goals to his name). Let’s see what next season brings for the German international
midfielder…
Aleix Garcia: 6/10
Of couple of decent, steady displays from
the youngster earlier on in the season; looked a little lost whenever he was given a shot towards the end.
Jesus Navas: 6.5/10
Was heading for a 5.5/10 from me for most
of the season but improved towards the end (there’s a reoccurring theme there
with some of our players), especially when asked to do a job at right-back
before Fernandinho made that position his. Still
can’t flippin’ cross or shoot for the most part though!
Nolito: 6/10
Only gets such high-a-rating following his
early form and goals. After that? We got nothing from his debut season.
Leroy Sane: 8.5/10
Biggest compliment I heard? As my mate
& I were in awe of his gameplay v Crystal Palace he
said to me, “Wow! The way he danced through their players, then, was George Best like!”. If it wasn’t for a slow start
and a couple of games that just didn’t work for him, he’d have been on for 9
for sure. This is one special, young
player…
Simply
a footballing genius who gets in my all-time City 11. Great season for the Spaniard!
Raheem Sterling: 7.5/10
Still
has a nagging habit of not making the right decision at keys times - this lets
him down badly and is holding him back. To prove that he has to ability &
scope to improve though, he still gets a very fine 7.5 rating from me. Could / should have been a lot higher…
Yaya Toure: 8/10
After
the spat came a lean & 'ready for business' Ivorian midfielder who slotted
right back into place. Went quiet for a short time but towards the end (there’s
that phrase again) ‘the big man’ was back!
Sergio Aguero: 8.5/10
For
the first 3rd of the season he was a little hit & miss and even
looked a little sorry for himself and somewhat startled, as rumours surfaced that Pep wasn’t happy with his 'work rate' either on the training
pitch or during games. Injury hampered him a little too, once again. But once both of those
had been sorted, he hit a run of form both in terms of goals and overall
displays that was breath taking at times…and 33 goals in all competitions is an
excellent return! Would have got an added star from me if he’d have
REALLY played to his ability for most of the season.
Kelechi Iheanacho: 5.5/10
Before
the season, I said that this was the Nigerian’s season to shine under his new
manager. Stats might still show that he has a decent ‘minutes to goals’ ratio
but what a missed opportunity it was for him to show Guardiola what a potential
he really is. Everything seemed to bounce off his shins in displays that looked like
he was just trying too hard at times. It just didn’t ‘click’ for the youngster this
season.
Gabriel Jesus: 8.5/10…and, like David, a “*” to go with that
despite his mere 10 games in a City shirt.
What
a player! Has everything, doesn’t he? Pace with the ball; skill in bucket
loads, finishing ability with his feet, has
scored with his head, GREAT team player / awareness of colleagues around
him…and a terrific ‘work ethic’ thrown into the mix too! If he’d have played
all season and not got injured for many weeks he would have been pushing David
Silva for ‘top spot’ in my ratings for sure.
Pep Guardiola: 7/10
Gave
us that opening 10-games of the season that had us all drooling and rubbing our
hands with great anticipation. Took us to the Semi-final of the F.A. Cup and round of 16 in the Champions League, including THAT home game against Monaco (shame about the 2nd leg
in France). Brought in John Stones, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus and ‘sorted
out’ Yaya and his agent. Finished 3rd
in the Premier League in his first season in
charge, making us the 3rd
highest scorers
in the league and giving us the 4th
best defence
in the Prem (so why
were the pundits hammering our defence all season and not the 16 other teams
that conceded more goals than us?). Gave us some brilliant football to watch. On the other
side of the coin, however, appeared to be a little too stubborn at times and,
although wonderful to watch, played a little TOO much nicey-nicey, sideways
moves and not enough devastating, more-direct-attacking football until the end
of the season. Result? Far too many missed opportunities and home draws and we
also didn’t win enough of the ‘big games’ against ‘bigger opposition’. Shamefully
‘binned’ Joe Hart at the beginning of the
season and replaced him with Claudio Bravo. Brought in Nolito. All-in-all, a decent but “still learning”
season…
Overall team performance: 7.5/10
That final rating is boosted by a good
run-in towards the end the season…
Home kit: 8/10
Sleeves
grew on me when I saw it close up.
Away (2nd) kit: 3/10
Had
some maroon in it…but those SOCKS!
3rd (also called “cup”)
kit: -16/10
What the…HELL?!
Empty seats
Empty
seats? What on earth am I on about?
Well I don't like to mention "them" if at all possible on my blog postings - I'm just not bothered about 'em. However, regular
readers might recall that I chuck this in after the season has finished and the
reason for that is quite simple. As we have become more successful in recent
years, filling our cabinets with an F.A. Cup, a couple of League Cups a brace of Premier League title
trophies and a Community Shield, there has been less and less for a certain team from Trafford to beat us over the head with, as they
try to find a crack in our armour to ‘have a pop’ an any opportunity.
Not
that I’m bothered about them too much at ALL but, a few seasons back, I began
to wonder just what was the gap between the number of empty seats per
match / per season between us & them. And do you know what…it’s laughably
not that much at all and, in fact, they have had, in previous seasons, more red
seats showing than we have had blue ones!
As for the
other morons who turn up at the Etihad singing about empty seats and “We’re just a
**** Man United”, I won’t even give them ‘blog time’…
So,
the result for this-season-just-gone:
Manchester City Capacities:
Domestic:
55,097
European:
53,000
Total
number of empty seats in all competitions 2016/17:
58,193
Most
empty seats during a match:
22,730 v Borussia Monchengladbach (NOTE: This was a rearranged fixture within 24 hours
following the postponement of the match due to severe weather conditions)
Least
number of empty seats during a match:
+351 v Monaco (NOTE: For the this fixture we actually exceeded the allowed capacity of 53,000 for European games by 351
and, so, there were officially no
empty seats for this game)
Manyoo capacity:
75,635 for both domestic and in the Europa Cup
Total
number of empty seats in all competitions 2016/17:
84,121
Most
empty seats during a match:
17,456 v Zorya Luhansk
Least
number of empty seats during a match:
238 v West Bromwich Albion
So,
for the ‘most empty seats during any single game’ category, Manyoo win that one
BUT, as I have said, our 22,730 blue seats was at a hastily
rearranged game following some of the heaviest rains and the biggest thunder
& lightning storm I’ve seen in a long, long time in this country.
Least
number of empty seat during a single match goes to us, with our +351 against their 238.
Total
number of empty seats all season? We win, as Manyoo had 25,928 MORE empty seats in all competitions as we did last season.
So…when any embittered, Manyoo fan
- or a fan of ANY team for that matter
- makes themselves look silly with their “Emptyhad” comments or songs, just
smile at them sympathetically as I often do.
News just in / just learnt...
Around the time Manchester City Football Club release an on-line message of solidarity & support following Manyoo’s Europa Cup win and in the wake of the horrendous and very upsetting bomb blast at the Manchester Arena worded, “#A City United”; Manyoo players sang, “…why don’t City **** off home” (around 1:17 on the video below).
Classless and utterly obsessed.
You forgot one player in your stats......... Zabba :(
ReplyDeleteOH FLIP! How Remiss of me! Will add soon and thank you.
ReplyDelete