Whatford?

I suppose we had to see that one coming. If there's one thing City seem known for - certainly in my two years following the club - it's playing down to the level of opposition. (See: Rovers, Doncaster; Chesterfield.) The game sounded like it was being played in pretty rough conditions, to be fair, but a 0-0 draw against Watford, a newly-promoted side in the relegation zone, at home, following a 3-1 dispatching of Villa? Not the game I was hoping to hear, and it sucks because weekday games are the easiest to listen to for me. Ferris and Hinchcliffe got pretty slap-happy during the broadcast, such was the level of play on the field.

That opportunity for three points having gone by the wayside, picking up a point at Old Trafford - which I think is the best anyone can hope for - becomes ever more important. You can usually throw out the records on derby day - City took four points last year despite being significantly lower in the table come season's end - but United have been playing pretty well. I suppose it would be nice if the Benfica game tomorrow were a war of attrition, although Richard Dunne says there's nothing to worry about. Even with a pretty good defense (the Wigan game excepted), though, I hope City don't think they can go far without improving their finishing.

Annoying thing about Saturday's game: kickoff is 6:45 in the morning here, and it's not going to be televised on FSC, even in tape delay. This is going to make it really hard to follow.