Blue moon rising - Noisy neighbors getting noisier

The dust is settling. Slowly. The feeling is sinking in. Slowly. The shock is abating. Slowly. Hope is fading. Fast. The title is slipping. Rapidly.

The derby was billed as the biggest ever, with no derby bigger in the history of Manchester. There was more riding on this derby than any previous, it was said. I personally believe that the derby of ‘74 overshadowed this but let me not belittle this one. It was massive.

As these massive games most likely end up, this one did too. Disappointingly. The football was good but nothing great. The game that was touted to be the game of the season fizzled into one of attrition and high drama.

In Fergie, we trust. We do. No two ways about it. However, Fergie got it wrong. Very wrong. He fell into his old trap of playing to the opposition rather than to United’s strength. He played a five-man midfield with Rooney up top. Mistake. Park made a rare appearance; an even rarer start. In a game of this magnitude? With the likes of the in-form Valencia, Young and Welbeck on the bench? Bad move.

Giggs started too. ‘For the experience’, claimed Sir Alex. In truth, I think he was just playing it ultra cautious. Mistake. ‘We are going for the experience but we are set up to go for the win. No doubt.’ Sir Alex’s words before the game. Not really, Sir. Not really. You were going in safety first. Mistake.

The game began and United started well enough. I remained sceptical and was vindicated. As the game settled, City looked the better team with United being pinned back more and more. United dealt with City well enough but offered next to nothing in attack.

The out ball. The concept of the out ball is a very crucial one in football. When a team in under the cosh, there has to be that one pass that the defenders or the midfielders have to look for to release the pressure. With two up top, it becomes that much easier. With just Rooney, it became doubly difficult. With three men on him pretty much all the time, it became impossible. One up top. Mistake. Nani did offer some support but was hardly significant. Valencia, with his pace and more direct style, would’ve offered that out ball.

Giggs was hardly a factor in the game. Park drifted al over the place, most of the time, like a headless chicken. You can’t question the man’s commitment but more than one fan was left wondering if his sell-by date has passed. The tactics were all wrong. City played with four up top and Toure supporting them from deep. He was virtually given the run of the midfield and was at the focal point of most things that City created. Why was this? Well, simple. United had no width. Mistake.

The goal. Well, blame Smalling all you want but that leap by Kompany was majestic. To be honest, City deserved that lead. No questions asked and perhaps deserved more than just that one goal. However, they scored. United did not. City one. City won.

Welbeck and Valencia came on in the second half and immediately, United looked more of a threat. Just leaves one pondering as to why they did not start. Sir Alex, unfortunate as it may be, it was your fault.

Post game, Sir Alex accused Mancini of constantly badgering the referee. Well, Sir Alex, people in glass houses must not throw stones. There is, of course, no doubt that he brought this up to deflect the attention from the result and to protect his players; Classic Fergie. The fact, though, remains thus: City are in the driver’s seat.

There will be people who will say that United were not even worth second. They will say that this United team is probably the worst in the Fergie era. They may well be right. They will blame the Glazers. I don’t think they’re right in doing that but that’s not for me to decide. They will ask questions of Sir Alex. They will demand strengthening in the summer. They are justified.

There will be people who will say that City bought the title. They will call the fans glory hunters. They will say that they won only because United and the rest were poor. They may think they are right. The only real fact is that the team with the most number of points at the end of the season is the champion. It deserves to be the champion. Man City, at the moment, looks to be that team.

The blue moon is rising. The noisy neighbours look to be the noisy champions. The pretenders, it seems, will be the king. The kings, it seems, have it all to do again. The knight faces another fall. The new guard looks to be on the rise. Perhaps the Magpies will have a say in it. Perhaps the rangers will.

The league is technically not over as yet but for all practical purposes, it looks to be. Then again, as they say, stranger things have happened …