Manchester Derby - City's Best Chance!

For Manchester City supporters, the Manchester Derby has always been the 2 dates circles on the calender.  It has been a day of nervousness, fear, anger and in the cases of victory, exhilaration.

This time it is different.  There is a sense of confidence never felt before.  Many City fans are feeling the confidence through the recent run of form from City and the fact that United have seemed to be toiling in a sense of medicrity depending on Wayne Rooney to rescue them.

The Blues can sense the blood in the water.  It is a feeling that has captivated the Blue side like a tidal wave.

While Manchester City are not equal to United in trophies or fame, the tide is beginning to turn.  The Blues currently sit in 4th place in the Premier League - the final UEFA Champions' League spot.

The magnitude of this match is unmatched.  A City victory plus possible Spurs losses today and over the weekend, could all but send City into Champions' League.  A loss for United would all but destroy the hopes of a 4th straight EPL title.  The stakes have been raised to all-time highs.

Factor in as well that Ferguson realizes the threat of City in the Champions' League.  He realizes that with the financial power that the Blues have, they would be able to offer not only unfounded riches, but Champions' League football as well.

A win for United would give them new found hope in the title race and the sense that they can stem the wave of momentum that is carrying City right now.

United have numerous issues at the moment though.  Most notably is the fitness of Wayne Rooney.  Rooney is the catalyst of the United attack.  Without him, United is almost toothless.  Ferguson does not want to have to rely on Dimitar Berbatov at the moment and the striking options at Old Trafford have worn thin with the injury to Michael Owen.

Wayne Rooney looks like he will play Saturday, it is likely the Alex Ferguson is playing in every religious form that he is fit.

For City, the man of the moment is Carlos Tevez.  Hated on the red side for his switch, he has made Ferguson likely feel it was a mistake to let go of him.  With 28 goals in all competitions, Tevez has been in the form of his life, showing that all it really took to get hot was regular games - something he lacked at United.

Roberto Mancini has essentially given Tevez a free rein to do as he please on the pitch.  The result has been the absolute terrorization of defenders in the Premier League.

Another worry for Ferguson has to be the way that the front four of City's attack have begun to click.  Adam Johnson, Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and Craig Bellamy have all linked up to be involved in destruction of Burnley and Birmingham.

Adebayor looks at the moment like he is finally past his troubles over the course of his season and is finally enjoying his football.

The main concern for City must be in the back four.  Kolo Toure and Vincent Kompany seem to have found a good understanding of eachother and Nedum Onuoha is in good form, however at left back, City are vulnerable.  Javier Garrido has yet to show he can handle the attackers of the Premier League, Pablo Zabaleta as always has worked hard but has had issues with bookings. Sylvinho is down with injury as well.This means that it is imparative for City to have Wayne Bridge healthy on Saturday.

City have every right to be confident, they have lost just once at Eastlands all season and it seems everyone is hitting stride at the right time.  City have had to enure some growing pains this season, but Gareth Barry has put it all into perspective.  "It was always going to be tough at the start," he said, "it was never going to happen overnight no matter who we signed. We have top class players in the dressing room, and I think it's showing now that we are playing so well together."

For City, the time is right for them to show the world how far they have come this season.  A planned summer tour of the United States has been announced.  City would love to follow that announcement by beating one of the largest Clubs in the world, thus strengthening their grip on the last Champions' League spot.

My prediction - While I am confident that City can win this match.  I have seen too many derbies to think this will be a rout.  I feel Rooney will play and give City's back four some problems.  However, in the end I feel it will be City who come out of this match.

Manchester City 2-1 United.

Should be a great match.  This match-up has spawned the best matches and storylines of the season.  I have no doubt that this match will be the same.

Once more into the breach Dear Friends!

Once more into the breach, dear friends...

Tonight we stand as one.

Tonight we are on voice.

Tonight we turn the world Blue.

Tonight we begin the end of the evil empire.

Tonight we come of age.

Tonight is our destiny.

Be there.  Be safe.  Be lucky.  Remember, a fortress boys, built with walls of sound.

Sing it loud, sing it proud my brothers

THIS IS OUR CITY

AND WE ARE PROUD AS FUCK TO BE BLUE.


COME ON YOU FUCKING BLUE BOYS!!!

A reading from the Gospel of City

This was posted on another City site...then placed on here by Tommy Gunn.

Proper good reading.

Since there is all this slashing of wrists on the other side; I’ve composed an epitaph for them And the prophet SAF did lead the ManU out of the wilderness to reside in splendour in the land of Old. For 20 years the SKY god did favour them above all others with gold and they did feast on the prawns, and they grew greedy and fat. And foreign suitors came to worship in shirts of many colours and the seasons were not enough to satisfy there greed. Behold the people of the An field the Eastlands, the Bridge and the Emirates did grieve. But arrogance and greed did overcome the ManU as there warriors grew old and feeble the riches were squandered on turkeys. And the SAF not liking turkey desired a sacred cow and enticed the Berber from the Lane of the Spuds with promises of wealth and glory and the Levy did take the shekels for old rope and was pleased.

Then out of the east came Princes of the desert to the Eastlands and they saw the Manc and said you are the Manc and the only Manc and a chosen people who have suffered greatly in your loyalty and bestowed them with riches beyond measure and it was without interest and it was good. Slowly the lands that had been oppressed and ridiculed began to rise again and the ManU did smell the coffee. From the distant west the Nomads of the Glazer did covet the wealth of the Old and so it came to pass that there harvest was claimed and famine did descend and the SAF did have his magic rug yanked away. Verily there sons began to forsake there blighted Old. The magic pony desired to become Real and it did happen and the mighty TeVez grew weary of being out in the cold and wanted to become a Manc and the Eastlands did grow in power.

So the Prophet SAF misplaced the plot by entrusting the safety of the Old to the Wes the Nani and r son and they were found wanting and he took sanctuary in the wine and all the ManU did suffer. Alone and unsure the Berber did endlessly wander the swamp of the Old seeking the pass of killer but it was always beyond him and he was unable to find it in the dark side. So the SAF declared that all should be oppressed and did travel to the turf moor with his hoard but he was sorely vexed and there defences were breached and there asses were whipped and kicked. Then in great anger he desired that the Villa, the Craven Cottage An the field would be scored over but once again they were found wanting and more asses were kicked. With wisdom the desert princes did grace a new leader for the Manc who was not clueless and did not speak in the tongue of the Manc but was learned in the tactics of warriors and he should be a Manc ini. And the Princes commanded that he should lead the Manc and conquer all before and smite the ManU as they are unworthy Shiites. So they did smite the Wolves and the Rovers and cleanse the riverside and plan for the future. Descending once again from the west came the Glazer demanding more gold, discarding their hoards of silverware as worthless and fear did envelope the ManU that the sacred Roo would be sold into bondage and wailing was heard as grannies feared for going without. Fear did paralyse the ManU and unsure in the old dispensation journeys to the e wood and the west of ham did strike terror and they were feared of St Andrew.

Even the men of the long throw-in were unafraid because the time was over and there was nought added on. So it came to pass that the land of the Old became the land of Owe and descended into ruin and the Eastland’s did rejoice. Great joy was unbound when it did occur that the League of the Champions would no longer accept them among there ranks as there flush was busted and there trophies of war were lost in the past and there debt was such that no new warriors could be found to bail out the swamp. So the SAF did descend to the bottle haunted by the Barca and plagued by his Neville fool and his stories of the goat. Verily the last remnants’ of the ManU did foresake the Old to wander for ever to new miseries amongst the wanderers in the lower lands plagued by wolves, tigers and the black cats. And the waters did rise and the world became blue.

Amen

Goes Without Saying Really!

But Hughes told the players to finish the job and make history.

Mancini has told all the players to get on board and help write the club's history, become legends.

All well and good, so why the post then fattie? 

Seems like the players are all on board.  Us fans are obviously all on board too.  But, we've GOT TO make CoMS as intimidating and as cauldron like as Galatasaray's ground used to be.  We've got to make it the kind of place those stinking, red bastards are dying to run away from, not sit around giving it the large one.

When those lights go out on Wednesday, Blue Moon has got to be louder than anything you've ever sung in your life. "My Father Said To Me..." has got to be more heartfelt and aggressive than ever before.

We Love You City has got to be so loud, ears bleed. 

We've got to make CoMS a fucking fortress built with walls of sound. 

We've got to let those fuckers know.

They are running fucking scared of who we are and where we're going right now - don't let any of the cunts tell you any different cos they're fucking liars if they do.

We know it, they know but are in denial.

Wednesday, let's show them we know it and that WE KNOW THEY'RE TIME IS UP.

COME ON YOU BLUE BOYS.  NO INCH, NO QUARTER GIVEN.

Written by Derry in the Forum.  Edited slightly by BlueInUSA.

Editor's notes:

This is the biggest match in close to 30 years for our club.  Whether you are at the match or not, it is your duty as a City supporter to be louder and prouder than ever.  Win or lose, we are proud to be City and honored to follow the club that will ALWAYS be the PRIDE OF MANCHESTER!

If you're not going to the match, fill the pubs.  Turn every pub Blue!  Be loud in the streets!  Wear your colours and show the world why we are the greatest fans in football!  Let's do it!

BLUE MOON
YOU SAW ME STANDING ALONE!
WITHOUT A DREAM IN MY HEART
WITHOUT A LOVE OF MY OWN!!!