So a good start to the season, 2 games and 2 wins with 7 goals scored, and since the win away at Bolton we have also managed to bring in Samir Nasri (at last) from Arsenal. Also since the Bolton game I have seen something that i have never ever seen before. Manchester City in the draw for the Champions league group stage. City were drawn from pot 3 and drew Villareal, Napoli and Bayern Munich. Not the easiest group but could have been a lot worse. Confident that we can navigate through that group into the knock out stages and failing that there is always the drop from 3rd into the Europa league (again). My wife has signed me up to the Champions League cup scheme for my birthday so I'm sorted now for all our home matches, let's hope it's quite a few.
This weekend though we were away to Spurs. City don't have the best record against Spurs, especially at White heart lane. Spurs were our closest rivals for fourth place for a while last season, worrying because they'd pipped us to Champions League football the previous season, but a late good run, including beating them at home with a Peter Crouch own goal pushed us, not only into 4th but into 3rd and automatic qualification. I expected this game to be our first test of the season, it didn't turn out that way, in fact it became one of those results that you talk about for a while. Before the kick off, all the talk was about Modrick starting for Spurs, the midfielder linked with a move to Chelsea all summer long, now apparently staying and making his first start for Spurs this season. The team news for City fans was Nasri finally making his City debut. For the first 35 minutes of the game, it actually looked like it was going to be a contest, but as previously said, it didn't turn out that way.
Now, i hate to say i told you so, and maybe it's to early to do so, but if you refer back to my previous blogs i stated that i believed this would be Edin Dzeko's season, and after today's showing, i will say, I told you so. Dzeko opened the scoring on 35 minutes, with an assist from debutant Samir Nasri, an excellent cross and Dzeko steals in between the Spurs defenders to prod home his and City's first, with his left foot. Just before half time Nasri provided yet another pin point cross and Dzeko scored his second, how, I don't know, as he seemed to have his back to goal when he somehow guided the ball home with a brilliant header. So it was 2-0 at the break, but being a City fan you never think it's over, and i was fully expecting the Spurs fight back in the second half.
Now as a football fan, 2-0 up at halftime, you'd be quite confident, but as a City fan you are never confident. Sitting watching the match with Darren Bailey (a Spurs fan) i must admit i did fear the spurs backlash a little but that soon subsided when Dzeko hit his hatrick, this time Yaya crossed the ball for him to score with a right foot tap in, to complete the perfect hatrick and pretty much end the match as a contest. Sergio Aguero hit his 3rd for City to make it 4-0. Spurs did manage a consolation from a corner but the demolition was complete when Dzeko scored the pick of the bunch in time added on. A pass into Barry, perfectly laid off for Edin to curl an excellent goal into the top corner, a goal every bit as good as Aguero's strike vs swansea and Barry's goal vs Bolton. It was a brilliant result and a brilliant day for Edin Dzeko, looking worth every single penny of his transfer fee.
The most striking thing about this result is not only the fact that we hammered a full strength Totenham side, in their own back yard, but the difference between this performance and the one we got slated for last season was amazing. Last year we parked the bus and were lucky to grind out a draw, this season we looked unstoppable. Spurs were out played and blown away. Nasri looked like he'd always played for us, and the movement of the front 4 of Dzeko, Aguero, Silva and Nasri was brilliant to watch. Keegan, commentating for ESPN said "It was like watching Barcelona". Now i wouldn't go that far, but it was very nice to watch. Dare i start to dream now ? It's only been 3 games, but i am more than impressed with how we have started, but, and again there is ALWAYS a but, Chelsea started in awesome form last season and then dropped off the pace, so maybe it is still to early to dream. What i will say is it's nice to be a City fan right now and as we go into an international break I just can't wait for our next home game Vs Wigan on September 10th, At this moment in time i feel like we are Edin in the right direction.....see what i did there ?
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