MAN CITY 5 – 0 Aston Villa – MY THOUGHTS
18 Nov
After some gritty displays and battling performances this season, yesterday was just what Roberto Mancini and the fans would have asked for. It was a comfortable victory, brushing aside a potentially dangerous Aston Villa side with ease, and it was the perfect build-up to Wednesday’s blockbuster of a Champions League encounter with Real Madrid.
This was the City of last season. The Blues were dominant throughout, controlled the tempo of the game and camped themselves on the edge of the away side’s box. The visitors, full of youthful enthusiasm but lacking in quality, seemed scared from the start and it was always a matter of when, and not if, City would find the opening goal.
That first strike arrived just before half-time and from then on, the result was never in doubt. City were laughably (if you’re a Blue) awarded a penalty early in the second half when Sergio Aguero scored and from that point on, Villa crumbled. It turned into a rout, one which boosts confidence and continues momentum ahead of the midweek fixture.
It was a matter of patience and perseverance until the breakthrough came and in truth the Blues didn’t need to reach anywhere near top gear. After impressing against Manchester United last weekend with their pace in attack and resilience in defence, Villa could have been a tricky proposition but City were in charge of the midfield and that forced the visitors back. And with the likes of Silva, Nasri and Aguero looking dangerous, it was always one way traffic.
As he did against Tottenham in the previous match, Maicon stood out with his quality on the right hand side. He wasn’t tested a great deal defensively, but he galloped forward frequently and offered the Blues a valuable wide outlet as the visitors defended narrowly and tried to limit the space for our creative attackers. The Brazilian’s technical ability with his passing and crossing was manifest and on another day, City would have taken advantage of his deliveries into the box.
As it was, a goalmouth scramble, two penalties and a goalkeeping error contributed to four of our five goals but the Blues looked increasingly more fluent as the match wore on and although Villa can feel hard done by in the extreme by the linesman’s decision to flag for the penalty which Aguero converted, it didn’t change the outcome of the match. It perhaps made the scoreline more emphatic than it may have otherwise been but City were in complete control and looked to be capable of scoring from every attack.
Next up for the Blues is that tantalising fixture against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium before a visit to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea next weekend. The much-anticipated games come thick and fast now and they are sure to be more of a difficult ask than Saturday’s encounter.
I thought we were o.k without ever looking that threatening for the first 40 minutes yesterday , but after we scored we were much improved. Certainly a good weekend but cautious optimism should remain, as I feel its gonna be another rolercoaster this year. Enjoy
I thought that we were rather better than OK, BB. We dominated possession yet again, wore down the Villa defence physically and mentally until at the final knockings Villa crumbled into submission. Yet again Mancini’s selection and substitutions were spot on.
The next 7 days will be a different matter of course. We are growing in confidence and playing better match by match, and thus far we have put down the lesser sides, sometimes unconvincingly and other times, like Saturday, emphatically. What we have not done is dominate and defeat the high quality sides that we have met in Europe.
Harvesting 6 points from each of the bottom half of the table and 4 points from the next 5 sides may enable us to retain the PL but we have to beat the Sibnefts, Rags, RM’S, Ajax and Dortmunds of this world to sit comfortably at the top table. That is why the two remaining CL games are still important despite the near impossibility of progressing from the Group Stage.
It was around the same time last year that City jumped to the top of the table and then went on the win the title. Let’s hope history repeats itself. Though Miacon provides a decent attacking outlet with great deliveries, defensively he may turn into liability if he is not provided with help and cover by other players, say Milner. A least that has been my impression of him when faced with better quality teams.
As for Madrid game, City should go into that game with an eye for the next fixture against Chelsea. The qualification hope in Champions league is almost over but the title fight is on…
You mean after the 1-6 at the swamp? Any excuse to bring it up for me
Thought you may relive the bliss much like me! It is not that often that a team dumps such a big pile of … on their history
As one of thousands behind the linesman, I know that the first penalty was a correct decision. If you and all the so-called experts in the media did he proper (and simple) homework you will conclude that it was more likely to be a penalty than not.
Try looking at a frame by frame shot from behind the linesman. (It is not directly behind so leads to the confusing views of spectators and players to whom the handball is hidden).
The Villa defender briefly sticks his arm out wide and withdraws it at the (frame shot) of the point of impact. Handball ! is what everyone around me shouted immediately. I accept that a speedier viewing gives a different but wrong opinion.
Like the Villa manager and lazy pundits, I too have my prejudices, but I stand by the deision. The linesman deserves credit for a brave and (probably) correct decision.