Smudger Smith: Shocking scenes as Manchester City throw cash... and miss

The Journeyman Pro

In a professional career spanning two decades, Simon "Smudger" Smith has played for over 67 clubs. The ultimate utility player, as his pace has diminished he has reinvented himself time and again, from poacher to holding midfielder, centre-back to goalkeeper.

Like yours truly after 10 seconds  of a fun run, Man City will be disappointed with how far they’ve fallen behind.

Nobody likes to see shocking scenes like those we witnessed at the end of the Manchester derby. It really was upsetting to see Nasri hide behind the rest of the wall like that. The behaviour of certain fans was also far from ideal. There are those who might suggest that City are used to throwing money at a problem but that shouldn’t extend to human beings.

Tottenham fans won’t have been happy to see their team throw away all three points late on at Everton. It proves once again how vital it is for the team to play for the full 90 minutes. This is the exact opposite of what every manager has said to me during my career.

It was a bad night for fans of the overdog on Tuesday. It was a COCup to forget for the Gunners as they crashed out on penalties at Bradford. The shootout was a tense affair, with some players unable even to watch. I was always exactly the same and often opted to close my eyes and turn my back. This is not a popular move as a goalkeeper.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom – I did recently save one of Gervinho’s. Unfortunately the manner of the stop meant I couldn’t sit down comfortably for a week. You know what they say, though – no pain, no gain.

Congratulations to Chelsea on reaching the final of the Club World Cup, though I was a little surprised by the lack of coverage – none of their games was so much as mentioned, let alone televised, until they reached the semi. Chelsea face Corinthians in the final tomorrow, with Moses likely to start a match of biblical proportions.

Finally, congratulations to Leo Messi for scoring the most goals ever in a calendar year. Even with the massive advantage it being a leap year gave him, it’s still a decent effort.

Follow me on @smudgersmithpro