MAN CITY 1 – 0 Crystal Palace – PLAYER RATINGS
29 Dec
Hart - Crystal Palace offered a limited attacking threat but when they did venture forward, they invariably tested Hart and he was forced into a string of excellent stops. Suffered an eye injury in the first half but didn’t let that affect him - 8
Boyata - Fans got on his back a touch due to his tendency to pass the ball backwards but it was unrealistic to expect him to offer any sort of attacking threat. He defended well and was solid, if not spectacular, on the right - 6
Kompany - He was in control at the back, reading any danger and covering for others with pace and anticipation. Unlike many of his teammates, he tried to show urgency on the ball - 7
Nastasic - The vast majority of the game was played in front of him, enabling him to coast through the match without ever really needing to exert himself - 6
Clichy - His inability to cross was a hindrance on occasions but he kept the ball moving and was quick to the tackle - 6
Garcia - It was one of those games when he just wasn’t needed. With City dominating possession, it meant his brand of holding midfield lethargy was completely unnecessary. It’s not that he did anything wrong, it’s just that he didn’t do anything positive to influence the game - 6
Fernandinho - Our brightest and most dynamic player in the first half, he always looked to burst forward and went close with a couple of chances - 7
Navas - Spent far too much of the first half drifting infield and due to Boyata’s understandable reluctance to advance beyond him, it meant our play was narrow and predictable. Stuck to his wing more after the break and as such caused a few problems, including the goal - 6
Milner - From left wing to right-back, he did a solid enough job for City today without impressing as he has done recently. There wasn’t a great deal of movement in the box when he looked to get crosses in and that forced him to double back at times - 6
Silva - While we were largely one-paced and lacking drive, he was one of only a couple of players who looked to inject a quicker tempo and creativity. Constantly searching for a breakthrough but those around him were off their game and that meant he had few options for his guile - 7
Džeko - The worst player on the pitch by a considerable distance and the player who scored the winner. This was classic Dzeko once again. His performance was abysmal; his first touch, body language, work ethic and contribution were laughably poor. And then he secured the three points - 4
Subs
Nasri - Introduced to add a sense of liveliness to our play and he was busy enough without an end product - 6
Negredo - Moved the ball quicker than others and played his part in improving our general display - 6
Kolarov - His cameo passed without incident - 6
This is far from a personal attack on Dzeko from VFAB in my opinion as he really was awful yesterday, whats worse and almost undeniable was the fact he was so disinterested at times. I’ve never seen a player turn his back on the game so much, which he seemed to do even when we were in dangerous areas.
I understand that our key players needed rest. However, keeping our key five players out in a single match like this may not bode well.
Rodwell offers more intensity and attack than Garcia. Pellegrini’s continued faith in the poor Garcia is mysterious.
Well, all is well that ends well, they’d say
It is also way beyond my ken what Garcia is preferred over Rodwell constantly. Rodwell definitely offers more intensity and attack than Garcia
Pellegrini actually plays Garcia only when we are ahead and try to maintain the lead, because Garcia is an anchor man while Rodwell is a box-to-box midfielder
That is my point, this was that sort of game where you needed more attacking outlet to break Palace down as opposed to anchor man.
I agree with Michael. I really don’t like him ‘tinkering’ when there is an important game to win. Even though any team we put out ‘should’ beat palace we nearly got undone yesterday. If Joe wasn’t as good as he was or Jason Puncheon would have had his shooting boots on, we would have got embarrassed. Dzeko was mostly poor but did stick his chance away very nicely to give us 3 points. Aguero’s return cant come quick enough for me!
Knowing Boyata would offer nothing going forward (he had a decent enough game) surely it was imperative to select Kolarov as the other fullback to give us a greater attacking threat down that side.
I’m no fan of Dzeko but he dispatched his goal with a tidy finish and at the end of the day, it was this that earned us the 3 points. He had to be played with Aguero and Jovetic injured and Negredo needing to get over Liverpool. As a third striker there aren’t many better around with his strike rate.
Where the hell is Jovetic? What have we paid him up to now? Prob about £2 or £3 million pounds for what? We could seriously do with him now and he needs to get off his ‘death bed’ to help the team out!
I would like the club to come out and make some sort of official statement over Jovetic…….preferably the truth!
As for yesterday’s game……no real comment about the poor performance……3 points is 3 points and I have no problem with Pellegrini messing with the team so long as we get 3 points at the end of the game.
Yeah right, what’s up with Jovetic? A few weeks ago he made it onto the bench for the first time in ages and then he fell ill.. has anyone heard anything after that? Starting to get a bit impatient now. I want to see how good he is!
Jovetic is a real mystery ??? I think there’s something we are not being told ?? Come on CITY make a true statement and keep all the loyal fans in the picture !!
Does anybody know when Aguero is likely to be fit????
Jovetic? Indeed but also where is Guidetti? And of course Rodwell must play ahead of Garcia every time, unless, unless it IS Christmas time and M & S aren’t the only ones with a shop window.
The comment and score from VfaB re Garcia was spot on. The man did his job fautlesly and didn’t mess up by trying to do someone else’s job badly.
How dare he!
And that wretched Dzeko, 10th in the all time PL stats for minutes played per goal scored; won the 3 points for us with a horribly good strike and as Vfabbers put it, “his performance was abysmal; his first touch, body language, work ethic and contribution were laughably poor.”
My oh my I just can’t stop laughing
The guy could learn something or two from Torres, so much better to look classy and score buggerall.
Just imagine how much better City would be doing without dreadful players like Dzeko and Garcia – and don’t get me started on Kolarov……all that running down the wing, crossing the ball, making the overlaps, beating the defenders. Who the heck does he think he is? The Serbian Roberto Carlos?
He should get in his own half and be in the right place to miss tackles like very other LB City have had in the 3 decades before he arrived at the Etihad
Alph