1. Had Manuel Pellegrini lost a bet when he signed Demichellis?
It seems almost part of the job now that a new manager is, at some stage, contractually obliged to return to his former club and prize a player from their midst. Sometimes, as with Paddy Kenny and Neil Warnock, it is the same player from club to club... and in other cases, like with Harry Redknapp, it is trying to re-sign your entire previous side. And so it was this January, that Pellegrini returned to his old club Malaga and signed his former defender to add to a perceived lack of credible centre backs within his new squad. In a season of dramatic ups and downs, it is proving to be a horrible misstep. The move was strange even before Demichellis had kicked a ball. The Argentine had not played for over six months following a bizarre contract dispute with Atletico Madrid. Add to that City already had Lescott, part of a parsimonious title defence just 18 months ago and Nastasic, one of the most promising young centre backs in the league and who had formed an impressive looking partnership already with Kompany. Granted Kompany was, at the time, nursing an injury, but the deal took so long to go through he was fit again by the time Demichellis took to the field. Despite a perfectly decent set of options, not to mention Richards and Boyata in reserve, the decision to bring in a new centre back wasn’t the worst idea in the world... but it appears that bringing in Demichellis as opposed to an actual high quality centre back... probably was the worst idea in the world. Demichellis has looked every day of his 33 years so far and has already conspired to get City knocked out of both the FA Cup and the Champions League (barring the miracle of all miracles on Wednesday). He even did his best to make them lose the League Cup before his blushes were spared by Toure and Nasri. All of this is after he was embarrassed by Chelsea in the pivotal league meeting. Pellegrini clearly likes his South American compatriot and is trusting him in the big games. Trust that frankly, needs to end right now. Every game that Demichellis is playing for Manchester City is currently costing them dearly. Talk of the quadruple now looks laughable and, somehow, City actually look odds on to finish the season with less in their cabinet than this next lot...
2. I mean... surely, even Arsenal can’t mess this up?
Firstly fair play to Wigan, who have delivered back to back performances of the highest level against the most expensively assembled team in Britain. They deserve to be in the semi-finals more than anybody and nobody will be treating them as “plucky underdogs” anymore. Indeed, over the past twenty years only Chelsea and Manchester United have gone on a longer winning run in this competition. But after dismantling Everton in a ruthless and clinical fashion that made a mockery of the recent criticisms of Ozil and Giroud, Arsenal really do want shooting if they can’t come out on top of a four-ball involving themselves, Wigan, Hull and Sheffield United. The Gunners needed a performance at the weekend and Wenger saw his men finally stand up and be counted in a big fixture, all be it at home. Given it will matter little if they lose again to Munich, this was a result that set them up nicely going into a run of fixtures that could politely be described as “tricky.” Wigan. Hull. Sheffield United. Arsenal. Given Hull’s new strike force can’t even play in the cup, Ozil on his own cost as much as virtually the entire other three teams put together. Frankly Arsene, if you don’t end your trophy drought come May, you should tender your resignation immediately in complete and utter shame.
3. Spurs defending was back to its best.
This was what we’d all missed. Sure Spurs got stuffed a couple of times under AVB, but not in such a calamitously comical way as this? This was the Spurs defending of yesteryear that we’d all grown up laughing at. This... was just fucking awful. Even taking into account the harsh award of a penalty for Chelsea’s second (it was clumsy and he was out of position, but a red card was certainly over the top) there was just nothing positive to say about the way that Spurs capitulated for around the 28th time in the last ten years. The first goal saw Jan Vertonghen fall over, flail around on the floor and then poke the ball backwards straight to Eto. Who had lost Kaboul by virtue of the centre back tying up his boots whilst the ball was in play and amongst his own back four. He then nutmegged Lloris. The third goal saw Sandro casually give the ball to Ba before Kyle Walker presented it to him again minutes later with a weak header that left his goalkeeper stranded. It was risible, wonderful stuff and with the derby up next is was the last thing that Tim Sherwood needed. The Spurs boss certainly picked the wrong game to announce before that he deserved more credit as to how his team were playing...
4. What on earth has happened to Scott Sinclair?
In August 2012, less than two years ago Scott Sinclair signed for Manchester City for £6m and was given the famous number 11 shirt. He had just represented Great Britain at the Olympics and had two successful seasons at up and coming Swansea where he had scored 35 goals in his 90 appearances. Whilst it was clear his game time would be reduced following the move, I’m not sure anyone predicted that by March 2014 he would have played just 500 minutes of Premier League football. A lot of people have assumed Sinclair has been mostly injured but, simply, that hasn’t been the case. He suffered a blood clot towards the end of the 2012/13 season and a minor injury following his loan move to West Brom, but he has been available for selection in over 80% of his teams fixtures since leaving Swansea. He is currently playing reserve football for a club 17th in the table and struggling to score goals. What, on earth, is happening? There are obvious examples of players moving clubs and it all going wrong for them, but usually that has been evident by on the pitch failings rather than simply not getting into a match day squad? This was a player called up for England whilst at Swansea, the first name on the team sheet of a side that ultimately got Brendan Rodgers the Liverpool job? Of course, I don’t know what’s happened to Scott Sinclair. I can only assume that, like another Ralph Allen footballing legend Nick Harris, he peaked too early.
5. There is still plenty to play for in a World Cup Year.
As the final quarter of the season comes into view, this is normally the time when clubs (cough... Charlton - the Alan Curbishley years) wind down a little if they are free from the pitfalls of relegation and away from the glory seeking upper echelons. This year however, just two teams currently exist in that zone and they still have everything to play for. Both Newcastle and Southampton are filled with World Cup hopefuls for both the French and English final 23. Crystal Palace fans may have looked kindly on a home date with a team marooned in 9th but Saints have Shaw, Lambert, Lallana and Rodriguez all playing for the right to be part of Roy Hodgson’s final calling card to Brazil. All played well in their narrow victory and of those four it is Lallana who surely has the best claim to be on the plane. Indeed, he is playing so well that on form he should be starting the opening fixture rather than warming the bench. Rodriguez added another notch to his increasing goal tally this season, although it is likely that Lambert will still be ahed of him in the queue owing to his superior arial prowess, not to the mention the fact he can actually take a penalty. All of which leaves Shaw, of which much has been written about this week. The full back remains young and I would be looking to judge him this time next season when he has another year under his belt. With Baines being the first choice it makes little sense to take an unproven teenager over one of the finest left backs of the past decade, even if Cole hasn’t been playing very much. Still, given nobody knows the exact thoughts of any international manager in a World Cup year, not to mention the surprises that have snuck in in the past... there is still everything to prove for all these players between now and May.
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