MAN CITY 6 – 0 Tottenham Hotspur – MY THOUGHTS
25 Nov
At times, we defy logic. How can a side perform so limply and with such little passion one week and then produce a performance like yesterday’s – a display that was simply enthralling and a privilege to watch. It’s baffling. However, let’s briefly banish our away day concerns and focus, for the moment, on this breathtaking victory. It was sensational, scintillating and beyond any superlative you care to consider.
Lead by the quite irrepressible attacking quartet of Sergio Aguero, Alvaro Negredo, Jesus Navas and Samir Nasri, we were treated to a feast of the most glorious football imaginable. With strength and power, deftness and guile, trickery and freedom and plenty more, we swept aside a woeful Spurs side with embarrassing ease. Yes, we were a touch open defensively and a more cohesive unit than our opponents on Sunday may have posed a problem, but it was thrilling in so many ways.
Indeed, it is verging on impossible to single out any individual. This was a team display, oozing in quality and overflowing with vibrant intent. I’ve already mentioned the front four and any praise directed towards them is fully justified as their collective majesty shone brightly, but there were moments to admire from plenty others. Fernandinho buzzed around, as he has done for a while now, with effortless comfort. Pablo Zabaleta was a rock at the back and a dynamo going forward. James Milner, as others packed away for the afternoon, delivered the pass of the season to inspire our sixth. Joleon Lescott, from the shadows, emerged in the second half to remind the manager of his strengths. I could go on.
Yet it would be criminal to assess this match and not highlight the efforts of our magical attackers. This was an important game for Navas after a slow beginning to life in Manchester, but his blisteringly early goal settled him down, injected him with confidence and served to inspire a mesmeric performance. We know about his eye-catching pace, but with Spurs operating a recklessly high defensive line, it provided him with plentiful opportunities to burst over the top and stretch play. And his delivery didn’t disappoint. A stream of crosses were fired over; we scored from one and should have done from a couple more. This was the Navas we thought we’d signed and he now has to use this as a springboard to kick on. Should he do just that, we’ll be in for many a treat.
Samir Nasri was alongside him, teasing and tormenting the hopeless Kyle Walker. A series of feints were followed by incisiveness and purpose. He stopped, he moved, he danced, he created. He toyed with the fullback and he guided us forward. And with the drool-inducing partnership of Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo ahead, it was magically exquisite.
That duo have everything. Together, they are perfect: their charming concoction of skill, poise and strength evident once more. Not only are they magnificently talented individuals, but they also bring the best out in each other and seemingly inspire the other to greater heights. In the form of their lives, they devour chances and drive us to victories. We would be fortunate to have them on their own. We’re blessed to have them as a combination.
And so six goals later, aided by abysmal defending from the visitors, that was that. Our struggles on the road continue to be a source of befuddlement, but at home, at least, we’re irresistible.
What I found particularly interesting about this performance (and bizarrely I haven’t read even a sentence about this in many reports/articles I read) is that through most of the first half we let Tottenham take the possession (at some point in the first half they had almost 70%), line up high defensive lane – while keeping a good tactical shape ourselves – and hit them on the counter, which we did superbly. It was a very interesting approach to see after many games in which we had the possession, but our slowly builder tactical attacks couldn’t do much. However, I seem to be the only one who spotted this. Maybe I was watching a different game?
I noticed the same Konrad. It is the first time I can recall a City match where we counter attacked with such pace. It was very Real Madrid’ish if I may say. If this is something Pelligrini is pushing for (I’m sure it is), then I can see why his teams tend to go far in the Champions League.
Great observation, Konrad. Is Pellers changing the way he wants the players to play?
Great read hard to disagree with anything. It is great to see Navas settling in so well; if he keeps this up we are in for something special. Has any other player in the EPL ever scored two goals in the one match 91 minutes apart before? I realise this is an obscure point but I can remember really early goals and have very fond memories of some late in extra time (one in particular) but not 2 goals bookending a game from one player, defenders beware!