MAN CITY 2 – 2 Sunderland – MY THOUGHTS
17 Apr
It’s over. A season’s efforts, hopes and ambitions of reclaiming the Premier League title are over and rather than a spirited fightback, epitomising the togetherness shown in adversity two years ago, it all ended in a worryingly flat manner. Instead of battle, bottle and character, we witnessed limp lethargy and a startling absence of desire.
We can accept being defeated by a better side having given our all but when Sunderland, bottom-of-the-table Sunderland, outplay us that is unforgiveable. They displayed more passion, more purpose and, perhaps most concerningly, more quality. It was a pitiful blow to a season which has sparkled at times, enthralled at others but ultimately we have fallen a couple of hurdles short.
Mathematically, of course, it is still possible to recover and lift the trophy come the end of the season, but whilst I remain convinced there is still a twist or two to come in the title race for Liverpool and Chelsea, the stark reality is that City will not be in a position to capitalise. The loss at the weekend to Liverpool and, more pertinently, the manner of it was seemingly a crushing knock too far. Manuel Pellegrini alluded to the mental hangover of that loss and we couldn’t overcome the self-inflicted error in time for this affair. One insipid performance later and we’re left to play for pride.
It’s hard to know where to start with the analysis of this game. Devoid of David Silva, Jesus Navas and Yaya Touré, the manager’s team selection was fair enough. Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo started together for the first time in the Premier League since December, James Milner’s influential appearance from the bench against Liverpool was rewarded with a start and whilst a personal view is that Jack Rodwell should also have been handed an opportunity, it was the side many would have selected in the circumstances. And yet, for whatever reason, what resulted was an abject, lifeless display.
Most ineptly, there was no passion. Perhaps Fernandinho’s early goal, rather than dent the visitors’ confidence and inspire us forward, led to an arrogance which stifled us for the rest of the game. Perhaps it resulted in a complacency we couldn’t shake off until the last few desperate minutes. Perhaps our fatigued showing was a consequence of so many games with a squad that is nowhere near as deep as often made out. Perhaps it was a combination of all of those factors. And perhaps it was none of them. It’s tough to pinpoint our mistakes, but they were there and in an encounter we had to win, we lacked the basic qualities required.
Sunderland created the better chances. They closed down relentlessly, as a group not as individuals. They fought for one other. They played with tempo. They operated with a directness that our soporific advances often lacked. They were quicker, sharper, more willing. They negated our threat and managed to impose their own. Connor Wickham bullied our centre-backs. Adam Johnson teased our fullbacks. They will feel justifiably aggrieved to return with only one point.
And yet, had Samir Nasri poked home rather than over the bar in injury time, we would be arguing that the race was still on. And had Vincent Kompany thumped the ball clear at the weekend rather than slice his clearance to Philippe Coutinho, we would be saying the same thing. And had Mark Clattenburg awarded two penalties at Anfield, we would be saying that the title was ours to lose. Lots of hypotheticals, admittedly, but we were that close. Quite why the players produced such an underwhelmingly flat performance when there was still a decent chance is baffling. In a week, we have gone from favourites to no-hopers. Dejectedly, it’s over.
>>whilst a personal view is that Jack Rodwell should also have been handed an opportunity, it was the side many would have selected in the circumstances.
20 minutes into the game, Sunderland was all over us in the midfield missing chance after chance and our two unfit strikers started to fade more and more. That was about time to get one striker out, put Rodwell in to stifle the midfield. I am not sure WTF pelle was thinking Rodwell can do in last 5 to 6 minutes, may be to pull a magic wand from his buttocks and get us a win.
As I said in another blog, Pellegrini is Arsene Wenger Avatar with blind persistence to play the same way. He is not proactive to any change and he reacts only when it is too late.
With Chelsea rebuilding, United decline, Arsenal having failure specialist Wenger, Spurs totally messed up, the title was for us to win. We get a few nice game till the end of season but this would be nothing more than the way Arsenal does. This is all on Pelle.
agree totally with siamack it’ll never be as easy to win again.unless of course we get banned from europe.
Good summary from Vfab and totally agree with you Siamack, especially your phrase about Pelle and his “blind persistence to play the same way. He is not proactive to any change and he reacts only when it is too late”. The one thing I would add to that is that often he doesn’t react at all and has little knowledge of tactics. With a different manager I am convinced this squad of players would have won the league.
Imensely disappointing but I’ll skip the angst thanks.
I think both the comments on the individual players in the other piece by VfaB and his comments on this article are justified and fair.
The tendency to go for the throat of a scapegoat is understandable but achieves nothing. I don’t see the recent failures as some sort of proof positive that the manager has failed, he has, at times, contributed to failure, that is the nature of his job, but on many more occasions his philosophy and imaginative levels of creativity have produced wonderful dividends.
We can all list the failures;
(i) Coming 2nd in the CL Group when we should have won it.
(ii) Losing to Wigan in the FA Cup – a trophy askiing for us to win it!
(iii) Early season losses to 2nd rate teams.
(1v) An abject surrender of a PL title there for the winning
Then again we can all point out things that have worked against us.
(a) The early season loss of Vince, the unsettled back four this created and the loss of leadership
(b) The loss of Kun Aguero for two extended periods both times when he was on fire.
(c) The loss of Jove through injury for pretty much the entire season
Positives are plentiful; Fernie is a great acquisition, we have played some exquisite football, our CL performances were much improved, the squad is strong and the shortcomings pretty obvious. If we are not prevented from strengthening by Splatini’s Eufa bandits we should have the best platform ever for next seasons tilt.
Alph CTID
blind optimism my by-word)
>> The tendency to go for the throat of a scapegoat is understandable but achieves nothing
No one has a family feud or vendetta against the manager. But just credit when credit is due, you got to rebuke when rebuke is due. Pelle got it wrong for both Liverpool and Sunderland big time. Bobby lost his job despite the fact in the 3 years of his full year rein, he got an FA cup, title, and runner up both in EPL and FA cup. And guess what he was given a team to build but Pelle was given a team that already established itself and as the icing on the cake, United and Chelsea and Arsenal have been all below par.
Last night for me again brought to light how certain armchair experts can bang on about how a certain player must play, and if this player does play then we will sweep all before us. Now I like James Milner as much as the next city fan but after Anfield it was made out as if he was the answer to all our prayers, and the decision to start him on the bench was one bordering insanity, yet last night he was possibly the worst of a bad bunch.
The manager has made some decisions that have worked out really well and others which haven’t; the sudden slating of Pellergrini I’m seeing on here is yet more rash and unjustified nonsense I have often come to witness.
Roberto Mancini had many critics at the end of his first year but the progress to me was clear. There is no doubt in my mind that we have improved this season under Manuel and I believe next season we will kick on again and have a very strong season indeed.
By the way this season is not over yet; there is a very good reason we love this sport so much
>>Last night for me again brought to light how certain armchair experts can bang on about how a certain player must play
In case you are mistaken where you are. This is a blog and open to arm-chair, potato couch experts as well Oracle of wisdom such as yourself.
As a City fan, I find it this way to vent my f… frustration over a game that all most all of us thought we should win considering you are playing AT HOME against a team that is last in table and has been on losing streak for the past few weeks!
>>>We get a few nice game till the end of season but this would be nothing more than the way Arsenal does. This is all on Pelle.
That last sentence is what f…frustrates me as u so eloquently put, therefore I’m venting mine on such ridiculous comments, and my friend that comment is nothing short of ridiculous. The players out there last night were close to the 11 most would pick, they were no where near good enough.
Please attempt to tell me im wrong mr potato couch
Yes you are wrong, it is not the number of players it is how you play. 20 minutes into the game our midfield was being run over by Sunderland and the unfit Aguero and Negrado [understandably] started to fade more and more. So my opinion was Pelle needed to take a striker out and put a midfielder say Rodwell to stifle the midfield.
The worst thing to do when things are going bad is to do nothing!
That’s it; Aguero and Negredo up front together is obviously not the way forward, if only it had worked for us before this season.
It isn’t the number of players you’re right, its HOW they play, and frankly we could have had 8 in midfield last night and it wouldn’t have made a difference as players couldn’t even complete the basics
Not sure should be so harsh on Mr Pelle. When you look at wot happened to Mr Rodgers first season at L’pool it bodes well for us blues. Don’t forget Utd need to rebuild, Chelsea have key positions to supply due to veterans wear and tear. Football is a funny old game, and all we can do know is win as many games as we can. I think patience will pay off as Mr Pelle is playing an attacking entertaining brand of footy that can leave us vulnerable to well excuted counter attacks. Hopefully, we will learn, and our strikers form will return to form against WB.
We have players who quite simply do not work hard for the team.
Kompany, zabaleta and Fernandiho are the only players who work hard.
Dzeko and aguero stand in the halfway circle when out of possession. Lazy players.
Nasir and silva do not track back diligently at all. And yaya as great as he is, also at times seems flat footed and unwilling to defend.
Aguero against Sunderland seemed like a player who is just trying to be fit for the World Cup and is walking on egg shells to avoid injury. He made no runs and passed short and backward.
Kompany had yet another bad game and joe hart beaten at his near post again.
City needs CB LB and just generally more players who play for the team and willing to work. Until then they will equate to nothing in epl far less Europe.
As awful as negredo was I hope he starts next game on Monday, augero isn’t interested and joe hart would make a better striker than dzeko.
Jovetic!
Such a shame. That happens when your players don’t care if they win or lose. Just get paid. Such a pity.
Recent performances had hinted that something like last night was on the cards. The intensity levels have been poor for weeks and the last time we dominated a game was the Chelsea FA Cup game. We looked tired, lethargic, and devoid of inspiration. Anything like a decent performance would have seen off Sunderland. It just seems like there’s very little left in the tank.
I can only hope we respond in the right way and secure enough points to finish 3rd. The players need to show they want it.
What a complete pile of shit that was, what was that??, an undeserved draw against a game relegated team, Wigan in disguise, that’s what you call Italian loafers & eyebrow wax bling showing that you’d expect to see in Milan, catwalk players we score first yeah were so good that the game is over…Vincent looks like a spoilt child, like Carlton in the fresh prince’ that’s not what I want from any city player/captain, demich is making him look like a rookie, we need to find some warrior spirit, were still in it..just-palace are going to scalp someone at home, fingers x its the pool, so find some balls come on don’t start that shit of looking like your bird just dumped you for your brother, fight you f…. Vinny get the boys motoring, just think of Rooney going down on your wife…. Now your focused, forward march.
Sergio Aguero has his first hour back after weeks out and plays average, and that makes him disinterested and a player that doesn’t work hard enough? Really?
Funny that people say it is not fair to be harsh at Pelle. Let’s see, Bobby inherited a team that needed rebuilding. In 3 full years of his rein, he won an FA cup, a premier title and runner up in both FA and EPL and his ass was whooped out of the club.
Then comes the Arsene Wenger Avatar, Pellegrini who inherits a great team and on top of that events conspire all to his favor where United is not in the picture, Chelsea is playing basically with no striker and are going through transformation, Arsenal going through their routine decline of end of season syndrome, Spurs totally in shambles and etc.
In other words, the title was there for City to take and then you fuck up all the great opportunity.I personally were and are a lot more forgiving for the Liverpool game considering they are in form and are playing really well. However; there is no excuse for what happened in our game against Sunderland esp considering the importance this game had in our quest for the title. No matter how you look at this and where you put the finger. I believe Pellers should be held responsible for this.
I expected him to man up and accept this was his fault instead of making dumb excuses like suffering from Liverpool hang-over. It was very unprofessional.
I truly love to be proven wrong and be made to eat my words by Blue Bullet at the end of season if City wins the title and I would gladly and proudly be prepared to to do that …
If you have to eat your words then you will need antibacterial mouthwash! Good article in many ways but please avoid expletives as it lowers your credentials. Thank you nicely!
All true blues are hurting. I remember Dave Bennett missing a sitter in the 81 cup final and Ricky Villa being allowed to waltz through the box. That’s footy for you and is it fair to single out players? I suppose it goes with the territory.
Poor old Mr Power didn’t half get some Kippax flack.
Is it me or is there a media bias, or am I too blinkered in my passion for City?
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/city-discover-theres-more-to-life-than-expensive-ferraris-30196847.html
Could not get a password accepted on their reply page as tried to respond with:
Is it me or is cherry picking going on in the above. Saur grapes and all that, Liverpool have had their games quota reduced due to poor cup form. Chelsea are not exactly famed for pauper players and could still win it. How many teams visiting Old Trafford get a penalty let alone three! Who awarded these penalties, if my memory serves me, I believe it was the same official whom missed three at Anfield.
Money is nice, especially lots of it, however, for the ambitious achiever it’s not the only motive.
If Liverpool are Champions then fair play to them, and I hope it will bring some comfort to the grieving families of the 96. It will also be good to see Stevie G complete his club medals collection. A great player for club and country, hopefully his form will enable England to have a good World Cup.
Signed Bazzy Blue
Never mind there are worse things at least if Sunderland go down we won’t have to play a bogey team!
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/city-discover-theres-more-to-life-than-expensive-ferraris-30196847.html
wish people would just let the Mancini talk go. He’s gone , and I don’t think we ever played like a team with him in charge.
Pellegrinis here and we’ve played better and more attractive style. If we can actually add some more pace and directness into this team we will be in for some great years ahead
Ryan, a recent article in the Independent stated:
“When he was appointed on a three-year-contract last summer Pelle announced: “One of the reasons I’m here is for the way I try to get my teams to play. Manchester City fans will see a different way of playing than they have seen in other years. We will try to be an attractive team.”
A different way of playing, certainly – at one point this season City were lighting the sky with their extravagant game – but, unfortunately, an only too familiar way of losing”.
So there we have it, Ryan. What do you want from Man. City football team? Do you want an attractive team of losers or a less attractive team of winners (which we had under Mancini). I personally would like the latter but I realise that many fans would prefer the former. To me we had too many years of losing and playing great football, so for me Mancini ticked all the boxes as he was a winner. We rarely, if ever, got overrun in midfield with De Yong and Barry in total control n midfield. But yes, I agree that Ferny and Yaya provide wonderful football but we have recently been dominated by a bunch of kids at Southampton (first half),by passionate players at Liverpool and desperate players at bottom Sunderland. And lets not forget being humiliated by Wigan, a championship team! We should be in the FA final with our team.
If we only win the League cup this season it must be regarded as failure by the manager and I wonder how the owners are going to react. I imagine they are already looking to a number of top European managers who have a record of success in Europe rather than failure like Pelle. In case you think that is over the top Pelle has 10 years experience as a manager in Europe and has yet to win a league title. He was also humiliated in his one year at Real Madrid by a second division side Alcorcon (sounds like Wigan?)in the Copa del Rey. This year, like Siamack says, was his best chance to win the Premier league and I believe he has blown it. And from recent performances it looks like the players believe it as well!
Agree with a lot of what you say, and to answer your question I’d probably rather win ugly too. But I really think we can do both, play with Pellegrinis style and win trophies also. I’m willing to sacrifice this season and even next season if it means were establishing a style of play and setting ourselves up to be a force in the future in not only England, but in Europe. With Mancinis style we never had a chance in Europe. We were fortunate to win the league as well in my opinion, such was our reliance on individual brilliance. I really think Pellegrini’s style combined with a few additions of genuine pace/directness would give is some great years ahead (hopefully a pacey and attacking right back, and a pacey left winger that can take a man on)
If we are going to do the Mancini talk then I think you have to realise we took a backward step in his final season and we weren’t even winning ugly in the end. Bringing Wigan into is also a little strange as need I remind you of the FA cup final under Mancini.
Furthermore, bringing some random copa del ray game into the equation I believe shows your personal vendetta against Pellegrini and almost how desperate you are to be right. I truly hope you’re a city fan who would rather be proven wrong and us be a success under Manuel as you write and argue your points well, but then I sense almost a certain level of hatred towards our own manager which is unnecessary imo.
I should also like to add that the passionate players of Liverpool (Gerard, Henderson, Sturridge, Flanagan,Johnson and the amazing Sterling) were mainly English players. Pelle should take note as he appears to have a clear dislike for English players! So where does he get the passion from with such a rich group of players??? He needs players like Gerard who are desperate to win the PL but I believe he will sell all the English players, apart from Hart, in the summer.