THE 93:20 NEWSLETTER:- ISSUE 21

Author

Howard Hockin
January 10, 2025

Hello, and welcome to Issue 21 of the 93:20 Podcast Newsletter. Or at least, it might be. Coming off the festive season, I will admit I do not even know what day it is. I promised Chapter 2 of my thriller script, set in Ashburton Grove, as the Newsletter offering this week, but it is with the lawyers so will have to wait until next week. Still no contact from City I’m afraid, but as the story builds, am sure they’ll begin to show an interest.

So instead a hotch-potch of thoughts as usual. I’ll start with a moan, as is traditional. Might end with one too, we will see……

And a reminder – the 93:20 Podcast family put out over 20 shows each month, for less than the price of a pint. If you are not a subscriber, please give it a go, and help us grow and get even better. Thank you.

So what type of supporter are you? Consider City during one of their many dominant periods. They are three goals up at the Etihad, when a mid-table team pulls a goal back. Do you tut and move on, bemoaning the lack of a clean sheet, or do you start to get the shakes? Uh-oh. If they just get one more…

It will surprise no one who knows me that I fall into the latter camp, so you can imagine my state of mind during City’s recent run, when stability is the last thing on the team’s mind. I have bitten through to the bone of both thumbs during matches.

And so to something Kevin De Bruyne said after the West Ham match, screenshotted below. First a caveat before the rant. Kev is the greatest play in the club’s history, he can say what he wants, I’ll get over it. But like Pep before, with similar comments on atmosphere, that does not make him immune from criticism. Especially considering the current situation in football, where fans from all clubs are coming together to protest at being relentlessly ripped off by the clubs they love.

Ok. Here we go again. It pains me to have to point out to players and manager (I assume he’s a subscriber) why the atmosphere is what it is. After all, every atmosphere, be it at a point of time, across a match or over a wider period, happens for a reason. So let’s explain this one Kevin, as it seems baffling to you, and best to start with the obvious mistruth in that statement. West Ham absolutely did make plenty of chances after they scored. They could easily have got a 2nd , and you can only imagine how that would have affected this team, who have given up a three-goal lead in a quarter of an hour, thrown away a winning derby lead in five minutes, and a whole lot more besides. So apprehension in the crowd, which often is reflected in less noise, is perfectly understandable. It was even the same format as Feyenoord - make some substitutions, then proceed to fall to pieces/try to cruise over the finishing line. What’s more, perhaps take a look at the recent protests over ticket prices, and work out for yourself why we are at this stage where atmospheres across the board are suffering, where filling a seat for the maximum amount possible is the priority of my club and many others. You and Pep are in positions of authority, remove yourself from the bubble and do something, speak up, if atmosphere is that important, instead of directing ire at fans. Ultimately, crowds feed off what is happening on the pitch. City have had the biggest fall off in form in history, and are a shadow of their old selves. As fans we should drive on the team, but it should be expected that currently, not everyone is on top form considering what they have witnessed over the past two months. It works both ways.

Anyway, moving on to another tweet, and me regretting commenting on it. I deserve no pity, as it was obvious what the consequences would be. Even Pete Boyle slid into my replies - always a pleasure.

It relates to this tweet.

I quote tweeted the screenshot, noting the insecurity contained within the tweet. United fans naturally came in fighting with the usual drivel, the main point being that Andy’s comment was factually correct.

Which spectacularly missed the point. I was not questioning the veracity of the comment. I was commenting on the need to state it in the first place, and how that evidences the insecurity of United fans, as it is pretty much all they have got nowadays, considering the car crash that is the club on and off the pitch - that and pining over the Alex Ferguson years on a daily basis. I commented on the tweet (and Andy is fine, I was not looking for any pile on, and never do, but often that is how it plays out, so I should know better), because it occurred to me that in my 40 years as a City fan, not once have I wasted a single second considering the “size” of my football club.

After all, why would I? as an adult, I would be embarrassed to do so, truth be told. If size is important to you, you are a glory hunter, simple as that, as you associate size and stature as something to brag about, which hints at why you chose the club in the first place. Some replies also commented on the rivalry between United and Liverpool being bigger than anything City could ever experience with United or anyone else. And? I can’t even summon the energy to consider if it is true or not, as I care more about the weather in Albania. Perhaps the City/United rivalry would be bigger if both clubs were competing for the biggest trophies at the same time? Just a thought. Maybe United could aim to finish above City in the league for once, and take it from there. This is not the time to be bragging about trophies considering how the season has gone, but the more you hear United fans pining about size, rivalries, Ferguson, and the past, the more it means they don’t want to discuss the present and the future. Not surprising, and long may it continue. Bragging about size, rivalries and Tik Tok interaction numbers – what a time to be alive. But then their new minority owner is not the messiah after all, merely a very naughty boy, whose latest ruse is to brief the lie that all players are potentially sellable if the right offer arrived, to push the narrative that money is tight, so people will be more accepting when he sacks the club milkman next week, and puts Fred the Red on a zero hours contract. And, to send a message to Mainoo that he is not getting the wages his agent has asked for.

As a City fan, I get it. We used to have to fall back on our massive floodlights as a bargaining tool. Thankfully there was no social media in those days. I don’t think I would have survived the era if so, and would have supported Chelsea instead (again).  As for United and Liverpool - big rivalry? Give me a break. Liverpool even put on a leaky roof to make the visitors feel at home last weekend.

The following section is left unedited, to show that sometimes, life, and football, moves fast.

Back to City and transfers. Quite exciting isn’t it, being linked with lots of players, most of whom the Twitter experts have decided are not good enough, even though they were unaware they existed until this week.
But is it exciting? It’s 8th January as I type, and no new players have arrived, as I expected, though 2 E-Sports players have left (sinking ship, innit?). Did you really think five players would be queuing up at the club on January 1st ? Seriously?!

Maybe the threat of not playing Champions League football next season would have been a sufficient jolt, but no. I understand nevertheless, that the signings must be the right ones. A loan for someone like Douglas Luiz makes sense, because it improves City, whilst perhaps not being THE answer long-term. Luiz is divisive, and that is not surprising. Alarm bells will be raised by him flopping at Juventus, but I am pretty sure Aston Villa only sold him to meet PSR requirements, and he was good for them. But I can see the move making sense, whilst not accepting him as a long-term solution – both views can exist together. If the required player is not available until summer, but City are highly confident they can sign him then, then Luiz makes sense in the meantime. He improves the squad for the rest of the season, at low cost. But is it low risk? Because a loan comes with an obligation to buy, and I would want to see how he did before even considering a permanent transfer. And even then, he’s never going to be the best option. City can’t use him as a pawn, to fill a gap for a few months with no commitment, as he wouldn’t want to come under those terms anyway. So basically, what I am saying is this – I have no idea if the deal makes sense or not. I am erring towards yes.

Now, about the lack of activity - not so fast! It is now 9th January, and City are signing a hundred players! Yay! We’re going to win the league! We’re getting no punishment from the tribunal!

Proof that it’s best to evaluate a transfer window at its end, not eight days in. I’m even approaching my next comment I approach with caution – that City seem to be targeting young talent, and not buying for the here-and-now, which is exciting but will annoy many as it means the remainder of the season may be a damp squib. But then Ahsan is tweeting that City are still hopeful of more deals on top of what has already been reported, so it may be an all-timer window. We will see in a few weeks.

The Curious Case of Trent Alexander Arnold

Here we go again. Conor Bradley is the new Jordan Ibe, though probably a tad better at the actual football malarkey. We have entered the cycle, and it is depressingly easy to predict how it all plays out. A (good) Liverpool player wishes to leave the club, leaving the cult-like fanbase incapable of comprehending how this could possibly be. So naturally the cycle begins. His worth as a footballer is downgraded, and saying the obvious, that he is not very good at defending, is now deemed acceptable, in fact it is imperative to mention it as often as possible. The threats follow of course, and talk of traitors and the like. And then the final arc of the story – “don’t need him anyway”, as there is a superior alternative already at the club. So, so predictable.

But don’t worry, Ian Herbert, potentially the worst opinion piece writer in the country, though competition is fierce, has got the solution to this impasse. A solution so stupid, I am not going to offer further comment.

For those wondering, Jordan Ibe is 29 years old, and without a club currently. More importantly, he has faced his own challenges in life, and whilst I would not wish to link such problems to the football club he once played for, I do feel it does not do him any favours to be used as a pawn by bitter, uneducated morons like John Aldridge to berate a player because he has the temerity to want to play elsewhere.

Final Thoughts

Jason Manford once joked that United fans are like rats in that you are only ever three metres away from one. Now, following a recent infestation, it seems fitting that United fans at Old Trafford are now probably only three metres from a rat.

Get this man a cake!

It has been a rare snowy week in Manchester this week, with plenty of dustings, so for no reason at all, taken on the 12th day of Christmas, here is a photo of a tree in my local park. Looks like the big coat will be in use for the weekend game.

What We Have Been Up To This Week

THE 93:20 PODCAST:- OMAR MARMOUSH

Howard had the pleasure of talking to German football expert Nik Staiger about Omar Marmoush - his rise, strengths, weaknesses and whether he is a Pep player. Plus Frankfurt, Vinny, Tuchel and more.

THE 93:20 REVIEW:- HAMMERED?

Ste is joined by Ahsan and Lloyd to look back on the win over West Ham and all the talking points around it.

THE WEEKEND SHOW

A packed show as always, looking at City’s transfer moves, the FA Cup weekend, and previewing the match v Salford City. And a whole lot more besides!

OPPOSITION FAN

Howard chats to Louis from the Generation: Red fan channel about all things Salford City. Always a highlight of the week, available to all on Soundcloud.

THE MARKET:- EPISODE 31

With things moving at some speed in the transfer market. Lloyd and Ahsan reconvened on Friday to talk about it all. Exciting times.

COMING UP

The usual reviews, a refereeing special, and now Joe is settled in a new home, the return of No History, looking at City’s Argentinean players. And a lot more besides, as always, including no doubt even more much-needed Market shows.

If you are not a subscriber to our player shows, then enjoy some free samples of what we are about. Every show we do will have a 15 minutes sample on Soundcloud, along with a full, free weekly Friday show, jam- packed with content. Give it a try!