Are We What the Rags Were Supposed to Be?

MCFC BOB

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I noticed a few things at the Everton game.

If you stop Tevez & Bellamy, you stop us.
We don't have any men to service the men in the middle.
We over-loaded the left hand side when Ireland went off.
Everton are discplined.

The reason I raise this point, is because of what we were all saying about the Rags at the beginning of the season: that they were a 'one man team', with their only decent player being Rooney. This season we all have to painfully admit that Rooney has excelled with the departure of Ronaldo, and this has helped the Rags push to the top of the table. But the thing is, is that they have two good wingers: Valencia and Giggs/Nani. They aren't necessarily the Rags' key players, but they get the ball to Rooney who can work from there. They even have Park and Fletcher playing well at the moment.

Now, on to City. We can all agree that Tevez has been no short of excellent since November/December time. His record was phenomenal and he was on a run of something like 10 goals in 8 games, or something. He has been a joy to watch and he never stops going. But he hasn't been getting the service that Rooney has. Since the start of the season, I've seen one cross from Wright-Phillips that actually resulted in a goal: Adebayor vs. Arsenal, and nothing else from someone who is warranting a £70k-a-week contract, and a place on the plane to the World Cup. Adebayor was supposed to be the target man, but his City stint has gone downhill you would agree? Tevez seems to be doing it all on his own at the moment. We couldn't get past Distin & Jagielka. Why? Because they stopped Tevez from doing his stuff.

We all expected the Rags to fail in the title challenge due to their best player being Rooney, and nobody else. Whereas, we forgot to notice that our best player was Tevez, and that we haven't got anyone else able to service him other than Bellamy, who can only place in alternate games, effectively. We're lacking a second creative player.

Sorry for comparing us to the Rags, but they were the best example I could think of, of a team being a successful 'one-man-team'. You may have already noticed the above... but I thought I'd bring this to the table anyway.
 
I get your point but there is one thing that our team has missed all season, a driving force from midfield. I've said on here before and been slated for it but De Jong is a out and out defender and does not drive the team forward. He's great when playing top sides away when the emphasis is on them to break us down but when your at home against a decent side you need that driving force from midfield to help break them down. Too many times he takes the ball from the defenders and passes it square without looking forward, he's a great defensive midfielder BUT not needed for every game, just look at the Fulham game. A driving midfielder not only makes it difficult for the opposition but makes space for others to operate. Barry's similar but for me if he played in De Jong's roll would offer a little bit more. Barry and De Jong certainly can't play together. That is all we are missing IMO. A fully fit Michael Johnson would be a great asset in our side.
 

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