MAN CITY 2 – 0 Chelsea – PLAYER RATINGS
16 Feb
Pantilimon - One iffy moment of handling in the first half but after that, such was Chelsea’s limited attacking threat, he wasn’t called into action. No shots to save and just the odd cross to pick out of the air with ease - 6
Zabaleta - Hazard tormented him a couple of weeks ago but that the Belgian was so quiet on Saturday owes much to Zabaleta’s selfless performance. He didn’t bomb forward as much as he often does, but his more restrained position meant that he denied Hazard as much time and space on the ball as previously - 7
Kompany - From such a powerful and controlled team display, it’s hard to single one player out as man of the match but Kompany’s aggressive defending and positivity with his passing were outstanding. Clung tightly to Eto’o, always nipped in ahead of him to win the ball back sharply and was forward thinking in starting attacks from the back - 9
Lescott - It was no surprise that we looked a solid unit in defence with Lescott alongside Kompany and the back four which won the Premier League a couple of years ago reunited. Lescott has his limitations and there was the odd panic in possession but when it comes to basic defending – of clearing crosses, making interceptions and stopping the ball creeping into our net - there are few better – 8
Clichy - Another who, like Zabaleta, just held his position that bit more and that served to thwart Chelsea’s hopes of playing on the counter-attack. Despite that, he was still his usual bundle of energy, closing down eagerly and offering an element of width down the left. Played a vital role in the first goal and was assured at the back. He should, but probably won’t, play against Barcelona - 8
Garcia - Undoubtedly his best game for City. He did just what you want from an unfussy holding midfielder; he read the game well, protected the defence, used his physicality to impose himself and moved the ball efficiently without courting attraction - 8
Y. Touré - The contrast between Yaya in a lethargic mood and a determined one is quite remarkable. Fortunately, he decided to demonstrate his powerful side yesterday, combining his strength in the middle with a composed, delicate touch to control the central battle. Operated in a slightly more restricted role than normal, not surging forward as frequently, and he was a key figure in the victory - 8
Milner - He won’t get many plaudits – he never does – but his awareness, intelligence and, lest we forget, quality were absolutely integral in driving us to the next round. He was deployed in his containing winger role, supporting Zabaleta with the considerable threat of Hazard and those two worked together to nullify any danger. Managed to impose himself when we had the ball, too, drifting everywhere and dragging defenders away from our other stars, as with Jovetic’s opener - 8.5
Silva – We may be accustomed to his effortless brilliance but that shouldn’t diminish our appreciation of him. He is, in simple terms, a genius. Oozes such control when he’s on the ball, finds space where others are crushed and combines his silkiness with a selfless work ethic - 8.5
Jovetic - His recent performances have hinted at his talent and this was confirmation of what potential he has. What was noticeable was his effervescent movement, always looking to dart into space and be involved with our attacks. One lame dive wasn’t pretty but it shouldn’t distract from the quality he produced in his hour on the pitch - 8
Džeko - Showed an appetite to run the channels and offer an outlet for our midfielders and defenders. Whilst his touch wasn’t always there, it was mostly fine and he was able to bring others into the game - 7
Subs
Nasri – A lively and goalscoring return! To have a player of such purpose and intent back available is superb - 7
Navas - His first touch was a little heavy but stretched the game on the right – 6
Negredo - Put himself about in his brief cameo - No time to mark
The following posts can be found on match thoughts after the Norwich game
1)Jules:
I think whatever happens Chelsea will knock us out of the FA cup and Barcelona out of Champs league.
2)JJ:
I believe the following will happen:
We will get knocked out of the FA Cup by Chelsea
We will get knocked out of the champions league by Barcelona
We will win the Capital One Cup
We will finish 3rd in the premiership behind Chelsea and Liverpool
3)Roggie 123
I predict Sunderland to win league cup with Adam Johnson (best winger in Premier currently) to play a big part, Chelsea will have far more nouse in FA cup, Barca will hammer us if Pellers plays same way, league to finish 2nd or 3rd.
Now don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with thinking we will get beat in any given game, you are entitled to your opinions. However, to blindly write us off in every tournament and almost slate our team based on TWO mediocre performances (on the back of 20 good ones) suggests to me the type of fans who mindlessly slate at football matches (the worst kind).
I’m not saying we are a great team yet but even the best have average games here and there, you are all already wrong within a single week. Rant over.
In case anybody cares I posted this at the time in response:
2 games ago we were awesome now we are gonna lose every game we play. No team can replace players of Agueros and Fernadinho’s ability no matter how much ‘depth’ you have.
Im going to be a little more level headed in my predictions and say we will beat Chelsea in FA cup, win the league cup, narrowly lose to Barce in CL
go to the wire in the league with Chelsea
1 from 1 so far
Ok fair enough! But note that I said ‘if Pellers plays the same way’ but he didn’t and he has learned that you have to be more cautious in the PL. Kompany and Lescott is still the best defence, Zaba and Yaya didn’t rush forward like maniacs, Millner and Zaba totally nullified Hazard/Oscar and there was more thought and organisation in the team. The manager seems to be learning! I would keep the same team for Barca but I’m sure that won’t happen.
Some people make me laugh too. Yesterday was far better and i cudnt wait for mourhinos interview to see if he would accept they were dominated from start to finish.
I hate that idiot. I think even though technically we were a lot better in this game against Chelsea, i think we won the game because we wanted it more and it showed. I have been waiting for yaya to produce in a big game for a while and yesterday it happened.
Great result, sets up Tuesday very nicely. Just wish we had Aguero fit to really test them! Fingers crossed we do anyway..
Far better performance from the people expected to perform…yaya worked hard when we didn’t have the ball, zaba looked less of a defensive liability mainly because Milner worked his socks off helping to cover hazard….although his use of the ball is still average at best ( zaba not Milner ).
Kompany looks far more at ease and able to focus on his own game when he is along side lescott.
Really pleased for clichy, Garcia and dzeko…hopefully the boo boys will leave them alone for a while…although I’m sure they’ll continue their vendetta on demichelis. ( I wonder if they remember scully, Brannon, peacock and conlon)
The most pleasing aspect of the game was how we performed as a unit. Totally in control, Chelsea had no answer to our shape, our work rate and how we pressed them all over the park.
you name past players to make a point about our improvement Rob, but surely then the same goes for Zab; who by the way is an outstanding fullback
Zab, a liability? You need to stay off the glue
That’s more like it, excellent team performance’ Clichy had a great game as did the whole team so credit to him, ” the much maligned ” j Garcia my motm, he hasn’t played for a month so well done son.
Well ‘bully’ for you Blue Bullet…..you got something right and others – including myself – got something wrong. Maybe you should take over speaking on everyone’s behalf! How sad that you have to copy and paste from previous postings. Get a life son!
wasn’t the predictions it was the manner, you made you look foolish not me
Made me look foolish? Deary me son, grow up. I think there’s only one person looking foolish here.
No matter how often you say ‘son’ it doesn’t change the fact you lack rational thinking and level headedness after a couple of average results, and that son is foolish
Dear Blue Bullet and JJ: You both look foolish and petty, but for different reasons.
Great performance. Raises a few questions too mind.
1. Lescott’s has been overlooked too often. He is the worst in possession of the ball out of all our centre backs; however he forms a strong partnership with VK and they complement each other well.
2. As soon as I saw the team sheet for the first home game against Chelsea I knew we would be overan against their midfield. I think everyone knew. Once it unfolded and turned out to be true nothing was changed throughout the game. MP cited Milner/Rodwell not fully fit but they were on the bench. Yet he changed the system yesterday and the difference was stark.
3. Was Toure’s marked improvement yesterday due to point 2 above or did he ‘fancy it’? If th latter (which we’ll never know) then very annoying!
4. Rob – what are you on about re Zabeleta? He has been outstanding for 2/3 seasons on the whole. A defensive liability? He had a torrid time against Hazard the other week but Hazard is one of the best players in Europe right now and Zaba had no protection. I wouldn’t say he was a liability against Ribery! Use of the ball is average at best?!? 5 assists this season would suggest otherwise…
Cant help feeling Toure had revenge on his mind with Mourinhos comments about him not being suspended, someone mentioned Matic as well which may also be true. I’ve never seen him graft like that off the ball, him and Kompany were really fired up
Sorry crispy, I’m not a zaba fan. I think he’s positionally inept, makes really poor decisions, usually ending up with giving away free kicks in dangerous areas or getting skinned. I agree completely about your comment re- Bayern away, he played very well…although, the first thing ribery did was leave him on his arse! Then his game improved…once Bayern stopped playing.
For every example of a good game I can give you a counter…cup final! And even demichelis looked good once – Newcastle away.
My opinion isn’t based on the last few games. I don’t rate him, never have. he looked good in a Mancini defensive system. I think English football fans like someone who runs around like a headless chicken, throws himself in to challenges…up and at em!!
Please name me the top 6 fullbacks in world football and then compare their game to his.
Let’s keep the replies civil, it’s only an opinion.
Hes won the most ground battles this season and has made more assists than any other full back in the league. The headless chicken comment is far from true because if you don’t have technical ability in our team it will really stand out, e.g. Lescott.
Positionally inept? He does the job hes asked to, to an outstanding level whether that be get forward at every opportunity (potentially leaving space in behind) or sit back a little more which he we saw last night.
Not a chance can you name as many bad games as good ones, he got player of the season for a reason, not that many people can be wrong and you right (when that happens you have to analyse your own opinion a little more I think). He has had so many man of the matches for us its ridiculous, Demi has had 1 decent game so lets not even put them in the same sentence
Sorry Rob but I don’t think my reply was offensive but apologies if you felt so.
Just can’t agree with you on Zabeleta. I can agree on your concern over a ‘try hard’. I never liked Dickov as a player once we were in the top tier and he epitomised the lack of quality we had (yet I’ll always be thankful for THAT goal).
However I don’t think he falls into that bracket. I’m not saying he is in the top 6 right full backs in the world (although name them and we’ll compare notes) but I can’t name any better in the Premier League with the exception of Ivanovic and Coleman (going forward).
One thing I think you may agree on – its not the position in most need of strengthening in our team?
In addition, surely you must revise the statement that for every good game he has had a bad one? If that were the case he’d be off loaded sharpish!
Rob, are you sure you’re not confusing Zabaleta with Nastasic?!
Dezko, was awesome. The way he held the ball up, and got stuck in showed how much it meant to everyone. I was really worried about this game: I honestly thought HM had the beating of MP, but I’m gratefully wrong
I still can’t believe we’re in the CL. I’m already nervous about Barca; I really hope it’s a special night.
Zaba I have his name on my jersey the only one I’d get, & I’m 40- zaba has nothing to prove to nobody he is the rock of mcfc; a fantastic player & the reason you think he runs around headless chicken is probably because he has no blood left in his head.its all over the pitch OK. Civil like.
Javi Garcia and Dzeko were unexpectably great yesterday. Congrats to the whole team for such a great victory.
I’ve criticised Pellegrini’s selection in the past, but he was 10 out of ten yesterday. We were much more compact, balanced and committed. There were no poor performances, everyone played their part superbly. So, will Manuel have learned at last that his best central defensive pairing is Kompany and Lescott? I would gamble that 99 % of City fans would agree with that and if the manager can see it and ditches his love child Demechiles we do have a great chance of more than one trophy this season
Totally agree with you Goatman. The team were far better balanced and a more cautious approach paid off. Is Pelli eventually learning how you play teams like Chelsea? It has to be different approach. Let’s see Kompany and Lescott against Barca and the same approach as against Chelsea.
Yeah I think Lescott deserves to split time with Demichelis. Maybe Demichelis is more useful for the weaker clubs where we can dominate possession, and use Lescott against more dangerous attacking sides?
Either way Nastasic is behind both for me ATM
I myself have to put up my hands about Yaya. I’ve been quite harsh about the man and his defensive shortcomings but he was put in a passionate, tactically disciplined display. He was much more delligent about his defensive duties and looked much more like a box to box mf & less of a deep lying #10.
Also big props to Garcia & Milner. They were
both crucial in their roles and helping the side keep their shape, allowing City to defend as a unit
@Blue Bullet. I think you will find that you needed a comma after the word ‘son’!
This site is open for people to make comment about what THEY feel and not to be derided for that comment. I don’t really mind what you say, as you have a right to say it.
We shall see how many of my predictions are correct – I hope none of them and one is wrong already, which I am extremely pleased about! That is all……!
A truly awesome team performance on Saturday and a timely reminder of how devastating we can be, even without Sergio. The real heroes were surely our fringe players, namely Lescott, Milner and Garcia who were all outstanding. Silva of course was a joy to behold and Jovetic’s audition for splash added a nice comedy moment to a superb all round display.
Please don’t tinker with the back four for Barcelona MP – Clichy and Lescott hardly need a rest!
All together – Sheikh Mansour went to Spain in his lamborghini……..
As for trying to predict future results – I gave up trying to do that 20 years ago. Anything can happen and it frequently does!
Thought Garcia and Lescott were perfect, co-men of the match for me.
Anybody else really happy Garcias back? He looked like Theo Walcott out there compared to Demichelis
Demichelis didn’t look any worse at DM than Javi did as a central defender.
I agree
My summary talking to a Chelsea fan after we lost 1-0 to them in the league Quatity v Quality. We did have more shots, but they were mainly missing. It could have been so different – I didn’t buy the Mourinio masterclass arguement.
This time my summary was Men v Boys! Chelsea only had 3 shots all off target! They were never in it. Haven’t heard many Pelligrini masterclass comments – but it was a masterclass.
Weel done boys – keep it up.
Ok, here goes…..I haven’t had much free time to search the net for stats regarding zaba…my glue sniffing takes up a lot of my time.
I do know stats can be manipulated to prove or disprove anything….are you aware that over the 4 top leagues in Europe, Garcia has the 5th best passing accuracy of any player.
Assists per mins on pitch….zaba is second behind kolorov and Alex has scored more goals.
Zaba leads the club in bookings, and is second in most fouls conceded.
Crispy…your reply wasn’t offensive, I enjoyed your reasoned debate, I also know I am in the minority when it comes to zaba and was anticipating a lot of negative comments….I also agree completely with your assessment of dickov…I put zaba in the same category.
Zaba player of the season was voted for by the fans I think ( I could be mistaken ) only confirming MY view that most football fans prefer someone who appears to work hard…. Sunderland fans love lee cattermole…he’s a cart horse.
My opinion is my opinion, just because the majority don’t agree….most thought the world was flat, most didn’t take to Goater at first.
I also stand by my bad game theory….we’ve all witnessed his inability to man mark at set pieces 3 times against Cardiff, how many times did he get caught out of position against Chelsea…. I could go on but it’s onwards and upwards….barca tonight….come on city!
P.s…Glenn…..dont worry about your shirt, we all make mistakes…I own a fowler, weah and macken shirt so what do I know