MAN CITY 0 – 2 Newcastle – MY THOUGHTS
30 Oct
It’s all going wrong for City and Manuel Pellegrini. The issues are beginning to mount: a deflating draw in the Champions League that showcased the repeated failings of the players and manager, two miserable defeats in succession, inflexible tactics that are becoming easy to play against, supporters who are starting to question decisions and players who are not just underperforming, but who appear utterly disinterested. It’s a good job City’s most influential star was not needlessly risked in a relatively unimportant Capital One Cup game and picked up an injury that may well keep him out of the derby on Sunday… Oh, he was.
It’s hard to know where to start with yet another dispiriting defeat, but the selection of David Silva seems as good a place as any. Let’s not fumble around the issue here. It was madness to start him. Vincent Kompany was rested yesterday because he is one of the side’s most crucial figures and there were others to step in and allow him a break before the feisty clash with United. Sergio Aguero was rested yesterday because he is one of the side’s most crucial figures and there were others to step in and allow him a break before the feisty clash with United. And yet David Silva, City’s best player, most important player and the one who above all others makes City tick, was selected from the start.
Samir Nasri was on the bench and ended up playing over an hour. If not fit for a whole game, he could have started instead of Silva. Jesus Navas was on the bench. He had started just two of City’s previous four games and was fully fit. It is not as if there were no other options and Pellegrini was forced to play Silva. He had started twelve of City’s thirteen matches this season before last night and should have been given a break. Yet when he was picked, it was sadly inevitable that he would suffer an injury, one that could now keep him out of Sunday’s tantalising encounter.
That is just one gripe, however. Even with Silva being taken off the pitch so early on, this was a City side brimming with quality and one that should have been bursting with players desperate to make an impact. Stevan Jovetic was making his first start in eleven games, Fernandinho had the opportunity to stamp his authority on midfield, Yaya Touré had the chance to hit back at his critics. I could go on. Instead, rather than a City team that pushed forward and played with an intensity and hunger, what we got was lethargy. Limp, insipid lethargy.
That is surely a more pressing concern for Pellegrini than simply players out of form. Currently, perhaps only Silva and James Milner, with an honourable mention for Frank Lampard, have performed at their best this season. The others will hopefully settle down shortly and find their feet once again, but until that happens, the minimum expected is some passion. Milner and Jovetic stood out yesterday as they at least displayed some fizz and energy. As for the others, it was thoroughly deflating.
Just as worrying as an absence of heart, maybe more so, was how vulnerable to the counter attack City were once again. It is all well and good asking your players to push forward and to show an appetite to attack incessantly, but there has to be a balance. Fernando was brought in over the summer to add that attribute, but he has appeared uncertain and rusty after returning from injury. Yesterday, with Yaya and Fernandinho eager to advance and with both fullbacks willing forward runners, Newcastle found plenty of encouragement to burst on the break.
Much has been made of Pellegrini’s rotation in defence and that can hardly help, but solely focusing on that conveniently ignores the wider issue, which is one of a lack of midfield protection. Gabriel Obertan is hardly a world-beater, nor is Mame Biram Diouf, yet that pair, to name just two, have enjoyed the vast spaces that City leave. If they can cause so many problems to our backline, I dread to think what Angel Di Maria will do on Sunday if City are so carefree. I would hope that Pellegrini sacrifices one striker, throws in an extra midfielder and makes us that bit more solid. I don’t hold my breath of that happening, however.
Ahead of the derby, confidence could not be much lower and momentum could have not further escaped us. It is easy to say that it’s a derby and highlight our recent successes – and, truth be told, it would not surprise supporters if the players put on a show on Sunday to cast away mounting fears – but the reality is that there are issues to address and they need addressing urgently.
If it is a blip then there are few encouraging signs of it ending any time soon. A truly abysmal performance from all involved. Silva’s inclusion was a surprise and his injury was 100% avoidable. The inclusion of not a single EDS player was also worrying. Nastasic remains ostracised from any inclusion – mystifying with Managala showing he will take a long time to come to terms with English football.
I for one think that a lot of fault could lie with Yaya. Dont get me wrong, I think the world of him as a footballer and love watching him blast at defences. But too often this season he seems to let the opposing midfielders get goal side of him leaving his cm partner trying to protect the back four on his own. That has been ok when playing with the more physical Fernando (until he picks up a booking). When he plays with F’dinho things often go to pot. This often pulls our defence out of position leading to messes like Newcastle and CSKA.
It is at these times that we need to stick with team and manager. Yes we do have problems, yes we have players under-performing, yes we have had players making back-to-school silly mistakes that you can not even imagine, yes we have been so slow to start that we have ended up chasing the game but ….
We have created so many clear cut goal scoring opportunities in the last two/three games against WEST Ham, and New Castle [sitters, posts, etc] that in any other circumstances we find ourselves in lead by 2+ goals. It is true you can not sustain scoring 4 goals in every game and by the same token it is not sustainable not to have those chance converted in every game.
I do not want to help City bashers to add fuel to the fire in these tough times by criticism but much like you I do hope Pellers plays with one striker for United game.
This is a game that can be a turning point for City and the chances are that players would respond really well in this game.
Come on City, let’s put the rags to the sword.
Wonderful stuff that and so very true in so many ways
It looks like the players have gone “soft”, foolish comments by kolorov about being better than utd blah blah horse manure. They are professionals – highly paid & extremely well looked after. Utd I feel will be looking forward to Sunday even more now I feel. The 40 minute ” lock in” after the hammers game obviously hasn’t had the disired effect’ it annoys me greatly when players talk nonsense like that. Keep your mouth closed & your head down…. Show some grit’ leave the talking for the pitch. Look at your jersey boys… Pride in battle’ Sunday could quiet possibly be the gaffers last match for us. Maybe Mr kaldoon needs to pay the dressing room a visit for a ten minute “chat”. Please don’t roll over for them on Sunday.
Great synopsis of season to date – a season which couldn’t have started better – 2 wins out 2, new players bedding in and a gradual return to 1st team action for many of those on World Cup duty.
8 weeks on the team looks vulnerable and our home form has deteriorated significantly. Early season optimism for supporters has been replaced by concern, disappointment and above all I think frustration.
I don’t in any way doubt the calibre of the manager or the players but there are a number of obvious shortcomings at present and Pellegrini’s tactics have been puzzling.
442 isn’t working. Last year Yayas goals allowed us to overlook the shortcomings of the work rate in midfield and quite simply this year the goals have dried up for him. The best I can recall City playing this season was in the 2nd half against Villa when we went 451.
The rotation of the defenders isn’t giving an opportunity for players to play their way into their best form, notably Zabaleta (based on what Arsenal fans had told me about Sagna I’m shocked at how bad he has been). I’d like to see PZ, MD, VK & 1 of our dodgy left backs get a run of games together.
I’m also not convinced that the strength in depth of the current squad is any better than what was there previously with the notable exception of Lampard and he’s only a short term solution.
Time for Vinny to rally the troops, for the new signings to step up to the plate and above all BELIEVE.
A degree of perspective is required. The game against Newcastle should be separated from the games against West Ham and CSKA.
City did not play well in the second-half in Moscow. Nonetheless, two poor refereeing decisions were primarily responsible for the result. Against West Ham, City were a little unlucky to strike the woodwork twice; particularly the Aguero effort. It wasn’t a good performance, but given the amount of travelling they had done, it wasn’t a disaster either.
However, the manager must accept full responsibility for the cock-up on Wednesday night. Any team involved in Europe should have the Capital One Cup very much on the backburner in order of priority. It is an ideal opportunity – as indeed is the FA Cup – to introduce 2 or 3 players from the EDS into first team football, and to give one or two others a chance to show what they’re made of.
And, of course, you are right to draw attention to David Silva. It is verging upon stupidity to be playing him in such a contest. The same might be said of Toure, Aguero and Milner.