MAN CITY 1 – 0 Wigan – MY THOUGHTS

Uninspired? Yes. Undeserved? Possibly. Do we care? Not a jot.

We got the three points, so valuable in maintaining our challenge for Champions League football, and although it wasn’t our most fluent or exciting 90 minutes of the season, a win is a win. This won’t be remembered as a classic, but these are the types of games that the most successful sides win. When you’re not at your best yet still grind out a victory, something is going right.

And that something, for the moment, is David Silva. So graceful in his movement, so accurate in his passing, he is now adding goals to his list of talents. This strike, his second in two games, came courtesy of an embarrassing mistake from Ali Al-Habsi, surely a contender for blooper of the season. Wigan probably deserved a point, so nearly snatching one right at the death, and will feel unlucky at returning without a share of the spoils. But when it’s not your day, there’s nothing you can do about it. C’est la vie.

Here are my main reflections on the game:

Balotelli Working Hard

With Mario, you have to take the good with the bad. For every great goal, there seems to be a booking, for every moment of inspiration, there is a tantrum. But what impressed me the most with his performance yesterday was his increased workrate, his desire to track back and help out defensively. He is capable of producing brilliant spells of football but equally, he has a duty to the team to play for them.

And it seems that all Mancini’s ranting is finally paying off. He will never be the most industrious player, but Balotelli worked as hard as he has ever done in a City shirt on Saturday, closing down defenders and helping Zabaleta down the left. More of the same please, Mario.

Tévez Off Form

It feels wrong to have a pop at Tévez, the Argentinean having been so vital this season, but he is currently going through a lean patch. Although he still buzzes about in attack, making life difficult for defenders, he just lacks that little spark that was so prominent earlier this season. It’s almost as if he feels unsettled by the presence of Balotelli and Edin Džeko. Whereas previously he was the main man, now there are others who can step into the breach.

A Tévez on form is virtually unplayable, but without a goal in seven matches, he is now proving to be more of a hindrance. At moments when things aren’t going right, he’s overly greedy, refusing to pass to better placed teammates. I don’t want to chastise him too much as, if he regains form, he could make the difference, but he needs to up his game urgently.

Our Best Defence?

Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Zabaleta. On form, that surely is our first choice back four. And thankfully, they looked solid enough. The return of Kompany is a huge boost, as is Lescott’s continued good form. At left-back, Zabaleta is a safer option than Aleks Kolarov, not as attacking but more likely to shore up the backline. Mancini seems to have settled on this quartet to see us home, so we must hope that they gel quickly and provide a solid foundation for the team.

Need To Press On

A point often made, but one that still rings true. Of course, there are reasons as to why we drop a gear when ahead: fatigue plays an issue certainly. But we could save ourselves so much hassle by pressing on for that second goal and allow some breathing space later on in the game. We saw in the dying moments how dangerous a 1-0 scoreline can be, so I’d feel a lot more settled with another goal in the bank.