MAN CITY 3 – 0 Stoke – MY THOUGHTS

The easiest victory we’ve had this season at home and another three points added to maintain our position at the top of the Premier League table. If the Arsenal match was tense and pulsating, this was the polar opposite as Stoke were the epitome of negative football, putting all eleven men behind the ball in the hope of escaping with a share of the spoils. Unfortunately for them, we have more than enough quality to cope with such a tactic, so although it was effective for half an hour, it was always going to be a case of when, and not if, we would score.

From a City point of view, it’s a sign of how far we have come that a side such as Stoke, who have previously caused us problems with their physical approach, now travel to face us without any hope. By opting to leave the likes of Jermaine Pennant and Matty Etherington on the bench and playing with a formation so lacking in ambition, Tony Pulis virtually accepted defeat before kick off and it was a matter of damage limitation.

Fortunately for Stoke, once we scored three we decided to conserve our energy and not bother with humiliating them, so it petered out into one of the most comfortable victories ever likely to be seen. City were impressive in the way in which we maintained the pressure early on and once we got the breakthrough, courtesy of Sergio Aguero’s predatory instincts, the result was never in  doubt.

It’s tough to pick out any player individually as impressing since no-one really needed to ever reach top gear, but it was pleasing to see Vincent Kompany again look commanding, whilst Aguero continues be improve his sharpness. Samir Nasri seems to be more settled whilst Gael Clichy’s marauding presence down the left was key in stretching the Stoke backline.

City now move on to face West Brom away on Boxing Day. Last year in that fixture, Mario Balotelli scored twice, won the game for us and then got sent off. After this dull affair, we might need some of his unpredictability!

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