The story of City’s defeat in this Champions League final was apparently decided in the starting lineup when tinkering Pep selected Gundogen as the defensive midfielder ahead of Fernandinho or Rodri. Pep had overthought it again in the Champions League and come a cropper. If only it was that simple.
Continue Reading →After last week’s debacle, the last opponent City need is another hard working, well organised, title challenging side in excellent form. With injuries to Sagna and Delph reducing Manuel Pellegrini’s options still further, there’s little optimism around. True, Kompany and Silva are available but one has to wonder how fit they are for such a demanding fixture.
Still, City have had a rare full week to recharge and prepare for the game. So have Spurs, but with the older squad City probably needed it more. There’s been plenty of time for Pellegrini to come up with a plan, and central to his thinking should be the setup of the midfield and how to combat a flying Spurs side.
Continue Reading →City succumbed to their first league defeat despite taking the lead courtesy of Mario Balotelli after two minutes. Decisions went against us but it would be wrong to lay all the blame on the referee.
There was a similarity to the Real Madrid v Barcelona match at the weekend. City pressed high up the pitch, scoring early and unsettling the opposition. However such pressing is hard to sustain and eventually the other team came into the game and finished the stronger.
Continue Reading →Hart – No chance with the goals and worth noting that Joe had few saves to make. 6
Zabaleta – Stepped into the breach excellently. With the focus on defending, this was the kind of game to suit Pablo’s strengths. 7
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