Viktoria Plzen 0 – 3 MAN CITY – MY THOUGHTS

Three points, a much-needed win and hope. Can City can cast off the shackles of disappointment from previous Champions League struggles and, with victory in the opening group game, push on towards a stronger position? Can the Blues, under the leadership of Manuel Pellegrini, make a positive impression in this toughest of competitions? We’ll have to wait and see, of course, but it’s a positive start.

In truth, this was nothing more than should have been expected. Viktoria Plzen were sprightly enough in the first half but if we are to have any serious aspirations of success, then this win shouldn’t be celebrated excessively. And yet, bearing in mind what has happened over the past couple of years in this competition, a win, any win, will be greeted with generous lumps of praise.

City were good, nowhere near their best but never truly threatened by the eager, yet limited, home side. For fifteen minutes early in the second half, the tempo was increased, there was a sense of purpose in possession and the quality of our attacking talents was evident, but it wasn’t the most complete of performances. It didn’t need to be. The win was achieved and that, in order to settle the nerves and encourage optimism, was the most important aspect.

Without wishing to be critical – we’ve not exactly had too many moments in the Champions League over which to gush and thus, the temptation is to ignore the negatives following a victory – the balance of the side was off and better, more clinical sides would have punished us. In the first half especially, as Plzen swept forward, there were huge gaps in front of our defence, a lack of cover and protection which enabled the home side to push men forward. There was no-one sitting in there to interrupt opposition charges, to pick up the loose ball and to mop up in the centre, and there’s no doubt that the other sides in the group, Bayern Munich and CSKA Moscow, not to mention Premier League teams, would have noted how open we were.

With Yaya Touré pushed forward, it left Fernandinho to operate in a deeper role but his game seems to be based around his energy and dynamism in bursting forward, not his anticipation of danger or his discipline in occupying a withdrawn position. This isn’t necessarily a cry for Gareth Barry – he featured in the Champions League over the past two seasons and the problem was still, to some extent, manifest – but Pellegrini will have to work out a way in which to maintain our attacking threat while providing a more solid shield in front of defence. We were fortunate that Plzen lacked the quality to make us pay.

As touched on above, Yaya was deployed in an advanced role and the team, and he, looked all the more threatening for it. His cause was aided by Plzen showing some attacking intent themselves as that left space into which he could surge, but, in contrast to recent times, he was influential in key areas. Whereas he failed to sparkle for much of last season, operating from deeper and spending much of his time picking the ball up from, and then often passing it straight back to, our defenders, he was high up the pitch last night, linking effortlessly with the likes of Jesus Navas, Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero. The Ivorian’s goal was obviously his standout moment but it was his general performance which was arguably more pleasing, a constant source of danger, intelligence and drive.

While Sergio Aguero was my choice for man of the match, his display full of pace, purpose and vibrancy, another player to catch the eye was Samir Nasri. And, for once, it was for doing something positive. Too often over the past two and a bit seasons, the Frenchman has been a figure of nothingness, of sitting on the fringes, a passenger content to avoid responsibility. Last night, however, was different. He was lively, creative and interested. He worked hard to track back and press. He made a difference going forward. Offering guile and vision, this was the lesser-spotted Nasri, a figure of intent and character. The challenge for him is to make sure this becomes his regular standard.

The challenge for City is to build on this victory.

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