Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Who benefits from the postponement?

News I'm sure everyone is aware of by now:

It is with regret that the club can confirm that due to extreme weather conditions in the North West of England, the Carling Cup semi-final first leg tie against Manchester United scheduled has been postponed.

After discussions with the relevant parties including Greater Manchester Police, the Safety Advisory Committee, the Football League and Manchester United, the decision was unanimously reached that the game should be re-scheduled due to safety concerns ,particularly with regard to travel for supporters.

The home tie will now take place on Tuesday, January 19th and the return leg on Wednesday, January 27th.

Frustrating as it is, there was no other alternative decision (and saves me fretting about getting to and from the game) that could have been taken and much of the talk now has been as to whether this benefits us by pushing the tie back a couple of weeks.

Given the injuries we are currently suffering from the additional two weeks should give the likes of Bridge, Onouha, Ireland, Santa Cruz and Ireland more time to recover and get back into action. It will also give Mancini another couple of weeks on the training ground and a pair of games (Blackburn and Everton) to work with the side. There is the added possibility of Emmanuel Adebayor also being available should Togo suffer an early exit from the African Cup of Nations.

As for United, I suppose this takes the 'wounded animal' reaction out of the equation, given that they no longer have the opportunity to get the Leeds defeat out of their system, although on Sunday they looked anything but a side capable of mounting a response. They too have injuries, but yet theirs are more long term and shouldn't have too much affect on team selection.

The only downside is the possibility that the momentum we have built under Mancini may be lost if results in the next couple of weeks don't go according to plan, but as frustrating as it is that the game is postponed it may ultimately be beneficial when looking at the big picture.

vote it up!

8 comments:

Johnny Crossan said...

"It will also give Mancini another couple of weeks on the training ground and a pair of games (Birmingham and Burnley) to work with the side."

er ...que?

cuddington blue said...

I think you mean Blackburn and Everton as the games in between

Danny Pugsley said...

Ian you're right. Apologies, now corrected.

Danny.

Bent the Golden Boot said...

The BBC say they will cover the rearranged first club live.

JJ the Blue said...

Please please please don't let Bridge back into the team!

I think I would rather have Robinho at left back - at least he can sort of kick with his right foot. (Actually that is a joke - but I hope you get my general feeling about Bridge)-(Strangely, exactly the same feeling I had about Hughes right from the beginning as well!) How we can pay a guy more than £150 per week who can only use one foot is beyond me in this day and age.

Now - how are we gonna beat the scum? I don't care - as long as we do and we get to visit wembley - at last! I was in the Army in Cyprus for our last visit and couldn't get back...........I want to take my 20 year old son with me and enjoy watching the lads stuff whoever we play......c'mon City!!!!

Anonymous said...

Torres will be cup tied however Aguero and Ribery should liven thongs up for the mighty Manchester City. Don't worry about Man U as they are nothing but a stepping stone on our road to football world domination (they're nothing now) !

Anonymous said...

not me i have a ticket but have to be in belfast on the 19th, which means that wherever i watch the match i'm likely to be surrounded by rags.

Unknown said...

at least we can get toure and adebayor back along with swp and de jong any way one question when will city play their game in hand (everton home)?