Stoke City 1 Manchester City 0 
Saturday 31st January 2008 : Kenneth Cooper for GYKO at the Brittania Stadium

This was a Manchester City display that verged on the shameful. They may protest that their empire-building is still in its infancy but Mark Hughes already has a squad that should be eminently capable of beating a Stoke side that spent much of the game with 10 men. To lose without truly threatening their opponent's goal was an even more baffling feat.

City had begun full of swagger but also steel. With Vincent Kompany winning most of the high balls and Pablo Zabaleta or Nigel de Jong collecting them when they dropped, the visitors initially demonstrated the solidity they have so often lacked. The flair players provided the familiar frills and City looked a class above their limited hosts. That lasted for about five minutes. Then City's core inexplicably melted and Stoke found themselves comfortably on top without really knowing how.

City's formation seemed a muddle – the back four was clear enough and Craig Bellamy was marooned up top but the players in between played as it their pre-match instruction had been 'make it up as you go along, lads … if you feel like it". Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips were lost for most of the first half. Only Stephen Ireland seemed at ease with improvisation, the increasingly Scholes-esque midfielder managing to radiate sangfroid amid the somewhat pale blood-and-thunder Stoke sought to inflict.

The confusion and lethargy soon infected City's defence. Joe Hart had claimed Rory Delap's first mighty throw-in with an assurance that drew triumphalist acclaim from the City fans behind his goal, but by the 22nd minute that poise had been replaced by uncertainty and Ryan Shawcross was able to rise unchallenged to meet a Delap delivery six yards out. The centre-back could not, however, guide it on to the target. Three minutes later Shawcross did manage to make Hart work and this time he did not even have to jump to meet the throw-in, which he flipped goalwards with the sort of flick that Zlatan Ibrahimovic would boast about for months. If the ball hadn't flown straight into the keeper's arms, that is.

If that hinted why Mark Hughes covets a keeper of Shay Given's experience, further evidence was to follow. Hart cannot be blamed for the dithering of others but it is questionable as to whether Micah Richards would have dawdled under a long ball in the 25th minute if there was a truly commanding presence behind him. Nedum Onouha would certainly not have lost possession to Ricardo Fuller moments later had he not hesitated in the mistaken belief that the keeper was going to charge out of the box to boot clear.

The more the match went on, the less coherent and confident City seemed. It looked like only Stoke could save them, since the Potters have recently developed a curious charitable streak that compels them to come to the assistance of struggling opponents. They lost to Manchester United on boxing day when Andy Wilkinson got himself sent off and then turned themselves into willing victims, not to mention a laughing stock, when Ricardo Fuller saw red for slapping team-mate Andy Griffin at West Ham. Today it was one-man missile-launcher Delap who decided to hit the self-destruct button. But even after he was sent off, somewhat harshly, for two foolish swipes at Wright-Phillips, City remained second best. Yes, to ten-man Stoke.

Stoke's doggedness was splendid but City's subservience was the most remarkable contributor to their victory. Wayne Bridge and James Beattie are friends off the pitch but the striker could not have been expecting such feeble resistance from the defender when Matthew Etherington looped in a cross from the left just before the break. Without having to jump, Beattie was allowed to butt it into the net.

After the interval Hughes sent Wright-Phillips and Robinho further forward to make a more obvious 4-3-3, and eventually replaced nominal holder Pablo Zabaleta with Elano, another creator, but City barely carried more threat. Stoke, incredibly, looked more cutting on the break. On the rare occasions that a Stoke defender lapsed – notably in the 70th minute when Shawcross abandoned Robinho to his own devices on the edge of the Stoke box – City's most vaunted recruit showed the deft finish of an axe murderer, slicing the ball obscenely into the stands.

For all their wealth and boastful swagger off it, it's on the pitch where City truly are a horror show.

Manchester City 2 Newcastle Utd 1 Bellamy makes his mark
Wednesday 28th January 2009 : GYKO at the COMSTAD

Manchester City have endured so many negative headlines they will find comfort in that there is another club who inspire an even greater sense of tragi­comedy. Newcastle United were certainly generous opponents for City at a time when they are still brooding from the failed £91m bid for Kaka and find their best player at the centre of a rape investigation.

Robinho, currently on police bail, certainly did not look like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, from the moment he flashed a thumbs-up to the cameras to when he produced the best pass of the game for Shaun Wright-Phillips to score the first goal. Craig Bellamy doubled the lead with a debut goal 12 minutes from the end and Andrew Carroll's reply flattered Newcastle on an evening that restored the sense of optimism at Eastlands. If City's masterplan had come off, this would have been the night when Kaka was introduced as the world's most expensive footballer and a shudder would reverberate around the sporting world. Bellamy somehow doesn't have the same ring. Nor, indeed, does Nigel de Jong, the club's other debutant. Yet Bellamy looked lively and alert on his debut while it was one of De Jong's snappy tackles that was partly responsible for removing a dejected Michael Owen from the game.

The sight of Owen limping to the touchline – eyes lowered, shoulders slumped, hands on hips – has become almost as recognisable these days as that boyish grin when he pounces inside the penalty area. He lasted only 18 minutes here before a swollen ankle left him trudging to the dugout and, high in the Colin Bell stand, a portly middle-aged man braving the cold in an open-necked shirt could be seen despairingly shaking his head. This was Mike Ashley's first appearance at a Newcastle match since supporters turned against him in autumn and it must quickly have become apparent to him that his difficulties selling the club might be a whole lot worse this summer. It is no exaggeration to say Newcastle look like a side that has the chilly fingers of relegation closing around their neck.

With Robinho eager to impress, Stephen Ireland flitting left and right and Wright-Phillips scampering along the right wing, City were the better side in the first half by a country mile. Robinho, in particular, was always keen to get on the ball and the home side had so much possession they should probably have had more to show for it than just that moment, 17 minutes in, when they sliced their way through the visiting defence to take the lead.

It came from a slick exchange of passes, Bridge crossing from the left and Robinho controlling the ball with his usual assured touch before showing his ability to produce the killer pass. Wright-Phillips had got behind his marker, José Enrique, and Robinho's ball was beautifully weighted for the winger to fire a low shot beneath Stephen Harper in the Newcastle goal.

Newcastle, in stark contrast, could barely put together an exchange of half a dozen passes. Joey Barton, playing the role of pantomime villain at his old club, was dismal, although at least he seemed to be trying. Others in black and white seemed content to do the bare minimum.

Perhaps the most revealing sight was the sight of large expanses of empty seats in the away section. Newcastle's supporters used to sell their ticket allocations as a matter of routine and Manchester is far from the longest journey they have to make. The ones who were here tried to rouse their team but it is easy to understand their disillusionment and they had more bad news to digest before the game in the form of confirmation that Shay Given will be leaving. The official explanation for his absence was that he had a "knee injury" although the only people who are likely to believe that are those who think there are fairies at the bottom of the garden. Unofficially, Given is expected to join City before the transfer window shuts on 2 February. "I've bent over backwards to keep Shay, and I have told the powers-that-be that he has got to stay," Joe Kinnear said before the game.

Newcastle improved in the second half and had reasonable claims for a penalty when Micah Richards barged Steven Taylor to the ground. Mark Hughes, the City manager, will be disappointed by the manner in which his side lost their impetus. Nonetheless, Newcastle's frustrations were epitomised by Barton hurling his boot after being substituted.

There was worse to follow in the 78th minute when Bellamy controlled Pablo Zabaleta's cross and manoeuvred the space to fire a left-foot shot past Harper, but then Newcastle made it 2-1. David Edgar dispossessed Wayne Bridge and crossed for Andrew Carroll to score.

Teams

Man City Hart, Richards, Onuoha, Kompany, Bridge,Zabaleta (Fernandes 82), Ireland, De Jong (Elano 78),Wright-Phillips (Caicedo 90), Robinho, Bellamy.

Subs Not Used: Schmeichel, Vassell, Jo, Garrido.

Booked: Wright-Phillips.

Goals: Wright-Phillips 17, Bellamy 77.

Newcastle Harper, Edgar, Taylor, Bassong, Jose Enrique,Geremi (LuaLua 90), Barton (Lovenkrands 64), Coloccini, Duff,Owen (Gutierrez 19), Carroll.

Subs Not Used: Forster, Xisco, Donaldson, Inman.

Booked: Taylor, Gutierrez.

Goals: Carroll 81.

Att: 42,280

Manchester City 1 Wigan Athletic 0   Kaka? No Chance!
Saturday 17th January 2009 : GYKO at the COMSTAD

Three precious points in the struggle to avoid the most embarrassing of relegations but let's try and keep the DVD out of Kaká's collection. Take the accent off the man of many moments' final syllable and you have a Portuguese term for crap. This writ large is why Manchester City's gaudy attempt to acquire him could well to turn to exactly that.

Faced with an honestly effective team, City rode the luck of goalline scrambles to trim the points deficit to Wigan from nine to six. This in the week they proposed the most extravagant transfer the game has ever seen.

Mark Hughes, of course, saw it differently. "We're 11th in the table and I wouldn't say we are struggling," he said. "On our day we are a good side, we showed that today. People try to put a negative slant on our season and yeah we've been inconsistent. But when we get it right we're a good team

"How do you convince a player? You pitch to him, you show him the plans that you have, you tell him what the future could hold for everybody connected with Manchester City. We think it's about making a compelling argument to come here and be at the outset of something that could be really special."

Can Manchester City quickly become one of the world's top eight football clubs? This team is struggling to make the top 80, despite £10m of left-back being added to the line up in the shape of Wayne Bridge.

Coming forward they were all scurrying, inventive little players, eager to try no-look passes and unorthodox runs, yet wont to hand possession to their opponents with some over-ambitious move. Filtering back they were as uncertain as Hughes's future.

Predictably the home team's best first-half moments came when Elano read Robinho's runs and slid balls long or short onto his friend's feet. One 45-yard delivery let the striker draw Chris Kirkland then stub his shot wide; a close-range reverse pass allowed Robinho to chip the keeper but not the covering Titus Bramble. The Brazilians apart, Shaun Wright-Phillips failed to gather when in on goal then teed Daniel Sturridge up for a header that climbed over crossbar.

Wigan had less of the ball yet came closer to scoring; Mario Melchiot, Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios all sending balls close to woodwork. Between times Palacios roved around the midfield muscling aside opponents – a living embodiment of the other way to acquire Latin American footballers. The million pounds that brought the midfielder from Honduras should be turned into 15 times that sum when Wigan finish negotiating with Palacios's current suitors, who now include City.

City's goal came as another of Bruce's astute acquisitions lay injured on the turf. With Amr Zaki prostrate, Sturridge worked the right wing and crossed for the area. Paul Scharner's weak header fell invitingly to Pablo Zabaleta, who carved his shot far past Kirkland.

Inside 60 seconds, Zaki had been felled again at the cost of Richard Dunne's participation. Contesting a high ball the Egypt forward caught Dunne an elbow. City's captain responded by jamming studs into Zaki's back – the referee by brandishing a red card.

So ensued a deluge of Wigan attacks, ball after ball driven into the area as shots and headers from Melchiot, Daniel de Ridder, Scharner and Zaki failed to find net, while Zabaleta was excused a penalty box trip on Lee Cattermole. "That was the referee's worst decision," moaned Bruce. When a Cattermole rebound fell to Zaki three yards from goal an equaliser appeared inevitable. The Egyptian headed up instead of down and Eastlands roared in delight.

"I think Zaki will be appearing on one of those Christmas gaffe videos," said Bruce. The Kaká bid might be keeping him company.

Sent Off: Dunne (54).

Booked: Robinho.

Goals: Zabaleta 53.

Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble (Camara 87), Scharner, Figueroa (Kapo 74), Valencia, Palacios, Cattermole, Taylor (De Ridder 58), Heskey, Zaki.
Subs Not Used: Kingson, Edman, Brown, Boyce.

Booked: Cattermole, Bramble, Palacios, Kirkland.

Att: 41,262

Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Manchester City 0 Nottingham Forest 3    Bloody Shameful
Saturday 3rd January 2009 : GYKO suffering at the COMSTAD

Mark Hughes won the FA Cup four times as a player, yet the Manchester City manager was left squirming with embarrassment as his side made a shocking exit from the competition at Eastlands. City were left humiliated as goals by Nathan Tyson, Robert Earnshaw and substitute Joe Garner earned Nottingham Forest, struggling in 21st position in the Championship table, a famous victory that increased the pressure on Hughes. Without a win in eight of their past nine league and cup games, City's players were booed off the pitch after a woeful performance.

Hughes left his players in no doubt about what he thought about their performance afterwards, the City manager spending an hour in the dressing room before eventually emerging ashen-faced and clearly shell-shocked.

"I'm trying to be honest and I've known from day one the frailties of the team," said Hughes, who had been without injured trio Robinho, Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha. "When we play well and everyone shows the same desire, we are a good team. But when we're off the pace then we're not. You need leaders and if you have talented players missing then that spark can be lacking.

"It's not as though this is a one-off game. This has happened before. This competition has gone now and we need to move on. I know what the situation is and where we are in development terms, but what we're trying to achieve isn't going to happen overnight."

Having used the money of City's oil-rich owners to secure the £12m signature of Wayne Bridge, Hughes is desperate to add Roque Santa Cruz, Shay Given and Craig Bellamy to his team. Yet it will require more than that to put right the wrongs at City right now. Too many players were below par, but that was no excuse as City found themselves on the receiving end of a second giant-killing act this season, though they at least took Brighton to penalties before exiting the Carling Cup four months ago.

City's FA Cup ambitions were torn to shreds in the opening 45 minutes after two goals in four minutes towards the end of the first half left Forest in dreamland. Despite their lowly position, which had resulted in the dismissal of Colin Calderwood after two-and-a-half years in charge, Forest arrived here unbeaten in their previous seven away games.

And they once again looked comfortable on their travels as they made a determined start before Tyson opened the scoring with a stunning finish after 37 minutes, his cracking left-foot volley from 25 yards leaving Joe Hart grasping at thin air.

It was a delightful finish and Forest's 6,000-strong travelling supporters could not believe what they were seeing. They had barely finished celebrating Tyson's effort when former West Brom striker Earnshaw doubled the lead after Chris Cohen had dispossessed the disappointing Pablo Zabaleta. Hughes sat stunned on the bench.

The last time a team trailed at Eastlands after a dreadful first-half performance, their manager decided to deliver his half-time team talk on the pitch in front of the fans. Hughes opted against following the example of Phil Brown, even though City were just as bad as Hull City had been on Boxing Day. Even a message from new signing Bridge, which was beamed on the big screen at half-time, failed to bring any cheer to City fans.

They saw their side produce a brief rally at the start of the second half, Daniel Sturridge and Felipe Caicedo thwarted by two excellent stops from recalled Forest goalkeeper Paul Smith. But City's disastrous afternoon was complete when Garner, who had replaced Earnshaw two minutes earlier, made it 3-0 with a low finish after he had intercepted Dietmar Hamann's throw-in to Richard Dunne.

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne, Ball, Elano, Fernandes (Hamann 60), Kompany, Wright-Phillips (Vassell 24), Caicedo (Jo 70), Sturridge.
Subs Not Used: Schmeichel, Garrido, Clayton, Berti.

Booked: Dunne.

Nottm Forest: Smith, Morgan, Breckin, Perch (Wilson 17), Chambers, Anderson, McGugan, Cohen, Thornhill, Tyson (Davies 81), Earnshaw (Garner 73).
Subs Not Used: Richardson, Byrne, Heath, Reid.

Goals: Tyson 38, Earnshaw 42, Garner 75.

Att: 31,869

Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).