In addition to the blatantly piss-poor refing, the subpar performance of our team, and the piss in the mouth taste of being foiled by everton again, the standard of commentary that I have access to here in America is also shocking. I'm not sure if those of you watching on telly over there had these same two guys (Alan and Nigel something or other on foxsoccer), but it's as if they took the usually bad commentary bits from the whole season thus far (and it has been pretty bad on the whole) and smashed it all into one blithering game:
#1-City and their money/payroll/expectations/etc (this comment x 1,000 every time they need something to say)
#2-Attacking Micah Richards in every way possible, portraying him as just a freak offensive/speed guy when in fact he is a fantastic, intelligent defender. "a back in name only" are you effing serious?
#3-Blatantly deep throat BJing the entire Everton organization for having the bravery to even step onto the pitch with big bad naughty city (then a repeat of #1, ad nauseum)
#4-Never calling out the officials for their inconsistencies
#5-Suggesting that Vinny's yellow card was because "like it or not, he now has a reputation", even though the reality is that VK is a clean, talented, solid defender who has been completely and unfairly attacked through poor decisions of referees.
#6-Not even raising your voice when Nasri's beautiful shot hit the crossbar, but barely being able to contain your glee every time anything went Everton's way
#7-Making a game between Everton and Manchester City somehow about Manchester United, their former players, and how the match would effect them.
#8-did I mention THE PRAISE FOR EVERTON EVERY OTHER SECOND??? You showed your true colors every moment, never even thinking about City supporters and the fact that we might be watching too.
#9-Saying that you did not understand a substitution at all instead of trying to take a guess at the manager's intentions and breaking it down for the viewing audience WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR JOB.
#10-City's team was expensive to assemble. The players are talented. There are expectations o'plenty and high hopes. WE KNOW. There is so much more to this club than what you portray it as: a team of mercenaries that gives you an underdog-boner for every squad we compete against. Please, I pray thee, talk about FOOTBALL, talk about tactics, talk about performance, talk about the intricacies of the game, talk about ANYTHING but the kind of shite in #1-9. This team has come so far, but even if we hadn't and were only being judged on this year alone, we still deserve fair, honest, insightful commentary that does not take a side. Everyone might love an underdog but everyone does NOT always hate the team that might be favored to win on any given night. This is our soul, our blood. I'd love to mute the game, but I don't want to miss so much as the sound of a foot striking a ball. If I have to hear you for 90-something minutes Alan dear, please remember, City supporters exist. Even though I have only been among their ranks for a short time, I feel for the super supporters, the ones who have endured all manner of misery for decade upon decade, who have never abandoned their club. Most of them are probably actually at the match live, but for those that aren't, they deserve to look at the screen and both hear their team being spoken of in a positive way AND to have their team be seriously challenging for a title at the same time. Just because City have not been sitting with the traditional "big boys" in the English football treehouse for long doesn't mean you have to try to knock us to the ground, criticize the way we climbed into it with every breath, and blatantly try to boost up everyone beneath us.
Rant over. But yeah, that's why tonight annoyed this American Blue so much.
ps -who called the game on tv in the Manchester area? are there guys who are actually decent and different?