Final Thoughts on Weekend Football (September 22-23)

You can read my views on the latest goings on at Manchester United here

Are there some serious problems at Manchester City: I know that is a little bit dramatic considering the season has barely started and the fact that they are the Champions, but I think most would find it hard to disagree with the fact that Manchester City are not passing the 'eye test' and are not playing as well as they were for much of last season.

They are conceding far too many goals at the moment and I do wonder if the Roberto Mancini-Brian Marwood spat over the lack of transfer activity in the Summer window has had an impact on the squad.

Maybe the players at the club don't think the manager has faith in them (hence desperate for reinforcements) and the discord could have led to the disjointed performances they have had.

It's not really a time to panic for City as they are still well in touch with the leaders and they remain unbeaten in the Premier League, but it is definitely something to keep an eye on with a tough game at Craven Cottage next on their fixture list.


Reading's poor start to the campaign: At the start of the season, I said Reading may have the best opportunity of the three promoted sides to stay in the Premier League this season, even though West Ham United had the more experience, but it has been tough for them so far.

The side moved to the bottom of the table following a 1-0 loss at West Brom on Saturday, but it is the manner of the defeats to them and previously Tottenham Hotspur that has to be a big worry.

Brian McDermott said as much following the defeat on Saturday that his side are not doing the things that got them back into the Premier League.

Reading need to get a positive result on the board to turn the momentum around, otherwise it could be a really long season for them. The one saving grace is the new owners that have promised transfer funds in January so Reading need to make sure they are at least in touch with the safety zone in the Premier League by the time we reach that stage of the season.


West Brom have been very impressive: I wrote in my season preview for the Premier League that I thought West Brom could be in danger of relegation after losing Roy Hodgson to England and I believed they might be the surprise candidate to be fighting at the wrong end of the table.

I am not too big to admit I may have been wrong as they have been very impressive in the early goings- even when I thought the bubble may have burst with a 3-0 loss at Fulham, West Brom bounced back and hammered Reading 1-0 (could have won much easier if they had taken their chances).

Steve Clarke has got the side playing very well and confidence is high after wins over the likes of Liverpool and Everton and they may just be capable of finishing in the top half of the table and compound my season expectations.


The poisonous atmosphere at Ewood Park could cost Blackburn Rovers a promotion spot: Even though the side were top of the table and had made a positive start to life in the Championship, the Blackburn Rovers fans have been itching to get on Steve Kean's back and they found their chance in a 1-2 home loss to Middlesbrough.

This kind of atmosphere at home makes it extremely tough for the players and despite winning three in a row to open the season, the performances have been much more convincing away from Ewood Park.

The rumours suggest that Kean wasn't far away from being removed as manager over the weekend and it might be in the best interest of the club if he is taken away so the fans can support the side.

My belief is the Venky's have kept him on as they know he will take the brunt of the abuse- once Kean is gone, the fans are sure to turn their attentions to the owners who have been nothing but an embarrassment to the club ever since they took over and promised signings of the calibre of David Beckham and called the Champions League a minimum target when sacking Sam Allardyce.

Sometimes you just reap what you sow and that is the case for Blackburn.


Talking about poison, no one deserves the treatment Mark Halsey got: I think Mark Halsey probably made the wrong decision when sending off Jonjo Shelvey against Manchester United, but those morons who 'tweeted' him wishing he gets cancer should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

Halsey suffered from throat cancer a couple of years ago but thankfully recovered and it is utterly shameful that people think wishing those kind of things on him is 'just' because of a football match.

I've never understood why people think racially abusing people or wishing horrific things like cancer with messages on Twitter is a 'normal' thing to do, yet it seems that some spend their entire time simply doing just that.

More importantly, after all the talk about Hillsborough and the desire to end vile chants, these incidents should show how the minority still act and how difficult it will be to clamp down on such things at football matches when we can't on the social media site.