Vieira - I've let City down

I think he's struggled to get his fitness and to the pace again, that was obvious, but the thing that he does, that De Jong doesnt, and Barry doesnt but should do more of, is make a team go forward. His first thought when passing is to move forward, whereas Barry and De Jong secure the ball first. Obviosuly him doing this when not up to the pace has resulted in him losing the ball more, but if he can carry it off again for the next two games and we do it...
 
he had a poor start and was stupid to get banned.

but he was key to the win at fulham, and imperious against burnley, when he coped with the conditions better than the rest of them put together.

our best chance of winning the derby came in the period just after he came on, we were pinned back and he dragged us out almost single handedly.

best player for 40 minutes at arsenal then lost his way totally, became a liability.

fantastic against villa.

one more match paddy, one more chance to make history in this league.
 
Like everyone else, up until the last game or so I've been less than impressed with him. But apparently he's felt the same, so fair play Paddy...

Good article in the Guardian and I've highlighted an interesting stat...


Patrick Vieira believes he can guide City to the fourth dimension


Manchester City have had bigger games than the one they will encounter on Wednesday night. Those who were at St James' Park to see them snatch the title from United in 1968, or who can remember David Pleat's manic dash across Maine Road the day his Luton Town side relegated them, will attest to that. But for a club whose relationship with the European Cup is not even a nodding acquaintance – one first-round tie 42 years ago – there has never been a more symbolic match than what is in effect a play-off against Tottenham Hotspur for fourth place. "A Champions League final," Roberto Mancini called it.

Had Patrick Vieira remained at Internazionale, he might now be preparing for the real thing, although José Mourinho had pushed him to the periphery at San Siro long before he decided to come to Eastlands. It seemed a sentimental decision by Mancini to bring one of his lieutenants to Manchester. Vieira was injured when he arrived and at 33 appeared to be a declining force. Nevertheless, Manchester City have won five and drawn two of the seven matches Vieira has started. It may be coincidence or it may be the experience of a man who was captaining Cannes when Adam Johnson, Mancini's other signing, was seven.

Yet, given the way he marshalled City in the 3-1 win against Aston Villa on Saturday, it was a surprise to hear him say that he had found the return to England harsher than he had expected. "It is very difficult when you change leagues like that," he said. "I did not make it easy for myself because I arrived injured. I needed time to find my rhythm and find my place in the team. But I have been really frustrated because I don't feel l have been doing what I am capable of and I have not given what the people who brought me to the club expected. But it is never too late and Spurs is another big game.

"When you start a season you set yourself a target based on the players you have in the dressing room. And with the players we have in the dressing room, that target has to be and still is the Champions League. We are really close now, we will have to fight for it. It will not be easy but then nothing has been easy in the last few months."

His time in Manchester was smoothed by the presence of Kolo Touré, who describes himself as "Patrick's little brother at Arsenal". Their wives are great friends and a lot of Vieira's time has been spent at Touré's home, mapping out plans for the season and beyond. He has been told by the France coach, Raymond Domenech, that "there would not even be a debate" about him captaining the side in the World Cup, if he had a run of matches at Eastlands.

"My future? That is out of my hands," he said of the six-month contract he signed in January with the option of a further year. "But in my head it is very clear what I want to achieve – to get this club to fourth spot and then we will see what happens. If I can play here another season, then why not?

"As for France, I don't know but the more I play, the greater my chance. If Manchester City get to fourth spot, that means the team has played really well and I have made my contribution – and that will count with the national side. We will see what happens."

More than anyone at Eastlands, Vieira recognises what the Champions League means to Mancini, whose failure to make any real impact on the competition undermined his Scudettos at Inter. Most football men are harder than their public image. But Mancini, with his styled hair and shy smile, looks particularly soft.

"He may look quite nice but is very determined," Vieira said. "He can be tough as well. It is never easy for a manager to come to the Premier League halfway through a season but he believes in himself and he knew a lot more than people imagined about English football.

"When we were in Italy, he was always talking about it. His dream was always to come here and now he has found a club where he can build. He is a winner. He came to Manchester City because he knew he could take the club really far. Now he has a chance to do it."
Click to expand...

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/may/03/patrick-vieira-manchester-city" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010 ... ester-city</a>
 
i slated him when he was crap , i praised him when he was great, consistancy is the key, the occational bad game is fine, but a player of his standing should have only a couple per season, ok i get that his fitness wasnt up to scratch, paddy v please proove me wrong again and again and again i would love it.
he was a grat player in his day, thats isnt the point im trying to make, the point im trying to make is, use youe exsperiance to guide you now, when you need it most, you are not the player you where , but you can come bloody close, thats what we need somthing close to your best. trust me i still respect you. but i call it as i see it.
 
Not the player he once was. If He took a dramatic cut in wages, i would still keep him at the club, as he is a great player to have around, and can still mix it now and again.

Him and bellamy should work more closely with the youngsters, to help them develop.

How aggresive would our youth team be then.
 
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