Team Strike Force

This is why I watch soccer. Barton - despite being booed by the home fans for much of the match - looked phenomenal, backing up his claim of being "110% committed" to City despite the transfer request and seeming like a man who wants both to stay and to prove his self-perceived value. Riera - who I didn't get a good look at in the derby - looked great. Vassell and Cole make me tremendously happy as a striker duo. The three goals were all terrific, and for once I didn't know where they were coming or who scored them ahead of time. All told the offense looked quite crisp, with some brilliant passing, after the first ten minutes or so (it took about that long to find a groove). Granted, Toon frequently looked just miserable on defense, but you take what you can get. It was a terrific game to watch for a City fan; Newcastle supporters must have been ready to hang themselves, by comparison.

Samaras looked like a bull in a china shop, but it was just his first game. More actual practice with the team, and gameplay, and maybe he won't just be barreling into opposing players every time he's near the ball. (One certainly hopes so, considering the transfer fee. If they end up havng to lose other guys - like, say, Barton - because they spent so much on Samaras, I don't know.)

By the way, I love - love - that Pearce put in a loan bid for SWP. I don't think I even would want the guy coming back to Manchester - clearly he's something of a glory hog, so it's his own fault that he's sitting on a bench for the champs rather than starting for a team that could still make Europe if only they could find some damn road consistency - and you have to love Cole and Vassell, even if Cole is 34 and Vassell probably passes too much. (They looked so good today, though. Cole's assist on the Vassell goal... goddamn it was fantastic.) Anyway, the point is this: you have to love Pearce's attitude on that one. I almost feel like he was just doing it to mess with Chelsea.