Quite the coming-out party. I was unsure of what to expect following the Spurs game; Spurs are good, of course, and the game was at White Hart Lane where they rarely lose (only seven times over the last two seasons, and they seem to step it up for big games; of the three losses last year, two came to Stoke and Wolves, and they beat Arsenal and Chelsea in a four-day span to set up the win over City at CoMS to clinch fourth). But even with that in mind, City looked disjointed, a rare offensive threat, and their defense resembled matadors; but for the heroics of Joe Hart, surely the game would have finished 3-0 or 4-0 like so many this season already have. And City had not defeated Liverpool in the last four Premiership campaigns; 0-0 draws were something of a regularity. I thought, in spite of the game being at home where City are usually much better, that a draw would be a good result; the next three games are against more or less bottom-half sides, and it seemed that so long as City could stay unbeaten against the upper-echelon sides while their team gelled, this would bode well for the future.
Well, either Liverpool are just not very good this year, or the future truly is now. A City side that looked like it had never played together before (and probably hadn't) in the first game suddenly looked composed and assured, having the lion's share of possession thanks to crisp passing and largely excellent midfield defense that snuffed out most Liverpool attacks before they had a chance to go anywhere. The formation was interesting - a 4-3-3 that played more like a Tower of Hanoi, 4-3-2-1, with Lescott, Kompany, Kolo Toure and Richards across the back, Barry, De Jong and Yaya Toure in the middle, Johnson and the recently-arrived Milner as attacking wingers and Tevez up front as the lone true striker. Tevez returned to his previous form, scoring twice, the first a bit of a poach off Richards' 52nd-minute header that Tevez barely got a touch on (if he even did; I'll be interested to see if the FA bother altering the ruling) and the second a well-struck penalty in the 68th. Barry had opened the scoring after some nice buildup, with Johnson springing Milner along the right side of the area and Milner's cross falling right to the feet of a charging Barry. Joe Hart also had his second straight highlight-reel cluster of saves as he twice denied Liverpool from close range near the hour mark to preserve the 2-0 lead.
Johnson, to me, confirmed that he should not only be starting but should probably be playing every minute for which he is fit and able, at least within the league. His play was outstanding and he's a constant threat to create. Milner likewise had an impressive debut that suggests he should be in the side on a regular basis, as he was a force to be reckoned with at both ends, creating chances but also flying back on defense when needed.
All this does have me a little nervous in terms of the squad's depth, however. Given how good the team looked playing together in this game, how could you make changes? But with players like Adebayor, Balotelli, Wright-Phillips and David Silva on the bench... how can you not? If you want to keep these guys, they have to play. I'll be curious to see who starts the return leg against FC Timisoara this Thursday; with a Sunday game at Sunderland looming, I wouldn't be surprised to see Adebayor or Balotelli (assuming his knee is okay) get a start, and possibly even Given, who desperately needs to be placated with playing time if there's to be any hope of keeping him around.
Nevertheless, I suppose "too many good players" is not the worst problem one can have. City have set the marker, and now they have to keep meeting that expectation. Falling asleep against lesser sides, as they sometimes did under Mark Hughes in the first half of last season, will not be tolerated. And with the next two months of matches providing a real combination of strong home tests (Chelsea and Arsenal) and road games that should be still be easily winnable (at Wigan, at Sunderland, at Blackpool, at Wolves), City have a chance to declare their intention to take a real shot at the title. The Chelsea game, in particular, an early-morning kickoff in the US on September 25, will tell us a lot. Beating Liverpool is good. But beating Chelsea - as City actually did twice last season - means that the blue side of Manchester is likely here to stay.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Spurs 0-0 City
First game of the new season, first real City game for a lot of new boys... and it sure looked like it. The first half was a real high-wire act, with Joe Hart (perhaps cemented as the #1 keeper by virtue of being picked today) saving City's bacon on several occasions. Good job by Vincent Kompany at the back as well.
The outfield started in a 4-5-1, with Richards, Kolo Toure, Kompany and Kolarov across the back. The crowded midfield started De Jong, Yaya Toure, Barry, Silva and Wright-Phillips, with Tevez a lone striker up top. While a strong lineup by most standards, it was clear from the outset that these guys simply had not spent much time playing together. In the first half, a sprightly Tottenham side went on blazing runs, intercepted passes, and probably should have scored at least three or four times but for some outstanding work from Hart and one save by the post. The City back four at least played well (a much more impressive showing than they delivered in the preseason, as a unit), but the stacked midfield just seemed disjointed. It didn't help when Micah Richards came flying forward, as is his wont, although David Silva seemed almost to be moving into a striking position at times as well.
The second half was an improvement. City moved the ball better and had a lot more possession, but they still gave away some big chances and really never looked seriously like scoring themselves. Things improved a bit after the introduction of Adam Johnson for Wright-Phillips with 25 minutes or so to play, and while Emmanuel Adebayor will probably not be thrilled that he was only on for the last ten minutes, he was probably more threatening in that short span than Tevez was for most of the game. (Tevez was playing as though Gonzalo Higuain were still waiting in the box. Not sure he can keep playing as a lone striker if he remains so deep.)
Not the worst start overall considering that the side clearly will need to gain cohesion as the season goes along and considering City's recent lack of success against Spurs. Still, you'd have to admit that City were fairly lucky to come away with a draw.
Stray thoughts:
* Now that it seems Joe Hart has been selected as City's #1, whither Shay Given? Will he indeed force his way out? Could Mancini possibly throw just enough starts - between a few off-days for Hart and ideally deep runs in the Europa League and the two cups - Given's way to keep him happy? Is he sold or loaned out? Does he go to Arsenal? Could City possibly justify letting a viable #1 keeper go to a theoretical rival for top-four places?
* Will Mancini stay in a 4-5-1? Especially if Tevez isn't going to be as aggressive into the box, I don't know if you can play him alone. The problem with a 4-4-2 is how overstocked that midfield is. I think Johnson should be starting, but assuming that Yaya Toure and David Silva have to start pretty much every game, that only leaves room for one defensive midfielder (De Jong or Barry). Of course, when you assemble this much offensive talent, that's sort of what happens. With Balotelli now signed, I don't know how you can't play 4-4-2; with the money spent and his potentially volatile personality - and the presumption that he didn't leave his home country of Italy just to keep sitting on the bench - it seems like he has to get a fair number of starts, but at only 20 years old and fairly unproven I don't know how you play him as a lone striker. On the other hand, if you look at the forwards likely to be in City's final 25, it seems like it will be pretty much just three - Tevez, Adebayor, and Balotelli. You might be able to get away with only playing one at a time - start one, bring the second on for fresh legs late, start the third in the next game, or something like that. But all three seem like guys who have to be playing. Mancini asked for this problem, so hopefully he can manage it.
* It's amazing how much has changed since I started following this team. My first full season was 2005-06. Joey Barton was probably the best player on that team; the big offensive weapons brought in before the season were Darius Vassell and an aging Andrew Cole. They finished 15th in the league and fell at the first Carling Cup hurdle to Doncaster in a game I listened to live on the radio which, perversely, cemented my nascent City fandom. Since then, City are on their fourth manager and have had two major changes of ownership. I believe there's only one player in the squad who was with the '05-'06 squad - Micah Richards, and he was 17 at the time. (There is also Stephen Ireland, but he is quite clearly on the way out.)
In some respects this can make it harder to be a fan. On the other hand, would I rather follow a team that spends big and has a shot at winning trophies, or a team that barely spends at all, whose big signings are older guys pulled off the scrap heap or second- and third-tier players considered surplus to requirements at competing clubs? I certainly didn't pick City expecting them to turn into what they have, but what fan doesn't want their club to have the best chance of winning all its games? I just hope Mancini can keep harmony in the team as they reach for trophies, because I will say that the one thing that could make a winning season much less fun is constant tabloid speculation about the players. I suppose at this point that kind of comes with the territory, though.
The outfield started in a 4-5-1, with Richards, Kolo Toure, Kompany and Kolarov across the back. The crowded midfield started De Jong, Yaya Toure, Barry, Silva and Wright-Phillips, with Tevez a lone striker up top. While a strong lineup by most standards, it was clear from the outset that these guys simply had not spent much time playing together. In the first half, a sprightly Tottenham side went on blazing runs, intercepted passes, and probably should have scored at least three or four times but for some outstanding work from Hart and one save by the post. The City back four at least played well (a much more impressive showing than they delivered in the preseason, as a unit), but the stacked midfield just seemed disjointed. It didn't help when Micah Richards came flying forward, as is his wont, although David Silva seemed almost to be moving into a striking position at times as well.
The second half was an improvement. City moved the ball better and had a lot more possession, but they still gave away some big chances and really never looked seriously like scoring themselves. Things improved a bit after the introduction of Adam Johnson for Wright-Phillips with 25 minutes or so to play, and while Emmanuel Adebayor will probably not be thrilled that he was only on for the last ten minutes, he was probably more threatening in that short span than Tevez was for most of the game. (Tevez was playing as though Gonzalo Higuain were still waiting in the box. Not sure he can keep playing as a lone striker if he remains so deep.)
Not the worst start overall considering that the side clearly will need to gain cohesion as the season goes along and considering City's recent lack of success against Spurs. Still, you'd have to admit that City were fairly lucky to come away with a draw.
Stray thoughts:
* Now that it seems Joe Hart has been selected as City's #1, whither Shay Given? Will he indeed force his way out? Could Mancini possibly throw just enough starts - between a few off-days for Hart and ideally deep runs in the Europa League and the two cups - Given's way to keep him happy? Is he sold or loaned out? Does he go to Arsenal? Could City possibly justify letting a viable #1 keeper go to a theoretical rival for top-four places?
* Will Mancini stay in a 4-5-1? Especially if Tevez isn't going to be as aggressive into the box, I don't know if you can play him alone. The problem with a 4-4-2 is how overstocked that midfield is. I think Johnson should be starting, but assuming that Yaya Toure and David Silva have to start pretty much every game, that only leaves room for one defensive midfielder (De Jong or Barry). Of course, when you assemble this much offensive talent, that's sort of what happens. With Balotelli now signed, I don't know how you can't play 4-4-2; with the money spent and his potentially volatile personality - and the presumption that he didn't leave his home country of Italy just to keep sitting on the bench - it seems like he has to get a fair number of starts, but at only 20 years old and fairly unproven I don't know how you play him as a lone striker. On the other hand, if you look at the forwards likely to be in City's final 25, it seems like it will be pretty much just three - Tevez, Adebayor, and Balotelli. You might be able to get away with only playing one at a time - start one, bring the second on for fresh legs late, start the third in the next game, or something like that. But all three seem like guys who have to be playing. Mancini asked for this problem, so hopefully he can manage it.
* It's amazing how much has changed since I started following this team. My first full season was 2005-06. Joey Barton was probably the best player on that team; the big offensive weapons brought in before the season were Darius Vassell and an aging Andrew Cole. They finished 15th in the league and fell at the first Carling Cup hurdle to Doncaster in a game I listened to live on the radio which, perversely, cemented my nascent City fandom. Since then, City are on their fourth manager and have had two major changes of ownership. I believe there's only one player in the squad who was with the '05-'06 squad - Micah Richards, and he was 17 at the time. (There is also Stephen Ireland, but he is quite clearly on the way out.)
In some respects this can make it harder to be a fan. On the other hand, would I rather follow a team that spends big and has a shot at winning trophies, or a team that barely spends at all, whose big signings are older guys pulled off the scrap heap or second- and third-tier players considered surplus to requirements at competing clubs? I certainly didn't pick City expecting them to turn into what they have, but what fan doesn't want their club to have the best chance of winning all its games? I just hope Mancini can keep harmony in the team as they reach for trophies, because I will say that the one thing that could make a winning season much less fun is constant tabloid speculation about the players. I suppose at this point that kind of comes with the territory, though.
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