"Top of the league my arse"

Oasis recorded 'Half The World Away' as a B-side to the phenomenal 'Whatever' in 1994. 16 years on and the lyrics of the tune so famously used as the soundtrack to the Royle Family could easily be ringing through the heads of City fans and most of all their captain tonight.

Carlos Tevez spent the first part of this month apparently thinking 'I would like to leave this city'. Having changed his mind in a classic Mancunian U-turn (no new contract announced yet but we'll see) he turned out for City in a home match against Everton that, with the snowmageddon across England ending most games, could have seen them top for Christmas.

The result, a 2-1 defeat to a currently lowly Everton side, could leave the fans feeling like they are 'still scratching around in the same old hole.' This City side, despite the illustrious squad and the impressive defeats of some close rivals, just don't convince me at all. I could feel the warning signs, running around my mind. They never seem to be able to produce when it really matters - games against their big city rivals, the 4th place decider against Spurs last year - the results have not been there when they are needed the most. A couple of wins against Chelsea does not a Champion make.

Although they have won few admirers this season due to Roberto Mancini's frustratingly stoic and negative tactical preferences, I find myself wanting City to threaten the elite. In a season where anything approaching excellence seems likely to be enough, and at a stage when only 3 points separates the top four so anyone can rightfully claim title credentials as a reality, I don't think it is an unreasonable expectation that Manchester City could pose a significant and longer-than-February threat to the established elite of Chelsea and United. For sheer variety it would surely be a good thing, so from that viewpoint I have been willing them on all season. Despite this hope I somehow knew that they would blow this chance.

Mancini's tactics are an easy scapegoat, but this is the man who led Inter to successive titles albeit in the Calciopoli-assisted years in Italy. Point being, his methods may frustrate but past history suggests he gets results. Blaming the players could also be an option but many of City's squad are established Premier League players to whom the pace and physicality of the league is no new thing. Indeed some of the most recent acquisitions have started to show signs of late that they are adapting well and now leading the charge - Yaya Toure is much improved and David Silva in particular has been excellent.

Maybe the key factor is simply this...it's City. Of course they are going to blow chances like Everton at home. They may well demolish teams from time to time, sort out rifts with their best player, sport the most stylish baby blue snoods you'll ever see; but even amongst this all, they are still City and with the hope and optimism comes that deep-buried malevolent whisper...'It's City, things will go wrong'.

Perhaps the most appropriate lyric to sum City's current state up from their most famous fans comes from a track on Be Here Now...'I hope, I think, I know.'

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So the day has finally come, after 2 and a half months that has seen wonder goals, a glorious derby win followed by an inglorious basterd of a defeat, hilarious own goals and an entire tabloid's worth of pun-tastic headlines...I'm finally going to watch the Melbourne Heart!
They are playing Thursday night at Sydney FC and on the back of a stunning 1-0 down on 88 minutes to finish 2-1 up win over Adelaide United, have a chance of salvaging this inaugural season. I've been told to expect little, and the crowd might not be huge so close to Chrissy as they call it over here...but I can't lie, I am excited. With my next blog I'll give a full insider view of a game in the A-League - the chants, the standard of play, whether the refs are idiots, and crucially, whether you can drink beer. I'll not sleep tonight...