I hope you're right about City. On a good day (or maybe just against weak opposition) they look good, but I think they're struggling for consistency. Unfortunately that may just be because it took the new manager a little while to start getting the team into the pattern he wants.
I know what you mean about Phil. I think he felt safe sticking with City players early on and became way too dependant on Houghton - maybe because he was scared of backlash from the squad if he removed the captain. She's perhaps been an important ally for him. I certainly don't see how she gets to be an automatic starter based on her form over the past couple of years.
I'm not sure I'm quite ready to write off Bronze though! Overrated these days perhaps, but then we are talking about a player who's been considered one of the best in the world in any position. I reckon if City can use her well, she'll be very good for them.
I still think we'll make top 3 though. A good win against Villa today will set us up nicely for the Reading match.
It could be that they are just adapting to a new manager, as Nick was there a decent amount of time.
However there is no doubt that they rely on past their respective prime players, and buying Bronze, or bringing her in from Lyon, was a hugely questionable decision, you have to ask yourself, why they were so happy to let her go, why didn't they try to sign her up for longer, if she was this "best player in the world"??
For me her legs have gone, she doesn't have the pace that she once did, is relying on her name value to get games.
She doesn't impress me these days, she was hugely impressive in her first stint at City, but you look at that player, and the one she is now, and she looks a shadow of her former self.
Steph, away from the pitch, really is the definition of a "Super Women", for what she does with her husband's illness, I have sooooo much respect for her in that respect.
However on the pitch, she again is a shadow of her former self, she gets all of the headlines as England captain, but she really doesn't warrant or deserve them from an on the pitch perspective.
White is another one that has been unbelievably poor, that gets a free pass by Phil, over say England from Chelsea.
Once Russo comes back from her injury, I expect her to outshine White, whose best was at Birmingham and Notts County, another one who is past her best for me.
So City are relying upon players who have plenty of name value, but their respective abilities are very much in the past, whereas with ourselves, we have many more younger players who are just coming into their respective prime years.
So I am very much more confident of finishing above them this season.
