The Sky Blue View

Why Money Grabbing Claims Are Fuelled by Hypocrisy...

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 20:25:00 +0000

Money grabbing claims and why they are largely hypocritical...

BY ARCHIE BARNETT

This is an opinionated article, you may not agree, you may strongly agree. Your perception may completely change.

“Money grabbing” is for sure a matter of public interest at the moment, with many claims that players such as Raheem Sterling are moving for the money and the money alone.

Not only Sterling, but almost every player that comes to Manchester City (and even other clubs) does so with the aim of making money, not winning trophies, or bettering themselves. It’s all about the money.

Now, this may be true in some cases – it’s the world of football that we have to unfortunately get used to. Loyalty exists, but when it comes down to it, how does love of a club compare to taking the next step in your career and potentially winning trophies?

Let me put it in everyday life terms for you and I – you’re happy in your current role, you love the job, the people you work with, you put your all in everyday for the company. However, you see a nice new role, a very shiny role, something that betters your career. You can move up from an assistant to an executive. You’ll be working on bigger tasks, for a higher profile company, completing work at a much higher level and even better, you get a nice pay rise!

What do you do? Do you stay at the company that is paying you less and not pushing you to your complete potential? The answer you’re probably looking for is no, you wouldn’t stay. You would leave all your colleagues, your company, the job you loved behind in the search of bettering yourself.

You go onto higher money at your new place; your ex-colleagues are claiming you’ve just left for the money. Sure, they are probably right; this has a big role in your move, as well as the advance in your career. Do you feel they are wrong in their viewing of you?

Of course you do, you feel that you have moved onto bigger things in your life, performing at a higher level, with the pay rise a nice bonus at the end of it (or in most cases, the main reason you moved).

Now, if you think that players are simply in it for the money, think again. You might be right; maybe they are in it for the money. But are you? Would you move company for a large pay rise for even the same role? Again, of course you probably would. This reason is what answers the headline of this article, ourselves and footballers aren’t too distant, at the end of the day we’re all employees for (you may not like this) a business.

The only real difference is that the football business is far more lucrative than the one you and I are in and this is why you perceive the choices made in the different sectors so distant from each other.

Loyalty still exists in football, there’s just a very thin line between being loyal and bettering your career.Next time you call footballers money grabbing, it’s good to take a step back and think, hang on a minute – what would I do if I was in a similar situation? The whole argument is fuelled by hypocrisy.

The Curious Case of Raheem Sterling…

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 11:54:00 +0000

Just why has the 20 year old become one of the most hated players in Britain?

BY ARCHIE BARNETT

Last week Raheem Sterling officially completed his transfer from Liverpool to Manchester City for a sum of around £49m and has since made his debut for the Blues on their tour down under - and additionally opening his account for City after grabbing the opening goal against Roma on Tuesday morning.

Of course, the figure paid by City was ludicrous, especially for a 20-year-old who endured a frustrating campaign for Liverpool last season, but it really is a mystery why he has suddenly become the target of bile from football fans across the globe.

*Photo: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac*

Cast your minds back to 2014 when Liverpool, spearheaded by an attack including Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Sterling, were making massive strides towards winning their first league title in 24 years. And when the Reds managed to defeat Pellegrini’s men at Anfield in the run-in, people were starting to genuinely believe they could do it.

Part of this was thanks to the role Sterling played and he had suddenly become one of the poster boys - not just for Liverpool, but for England as well. As we all know, an infamous slip was to stop the Merseyside outfit from lifting the title, but Sterling’s form had rightly sprung him into the World Cup squad for Brazil and he was seen as one of very few who could provide a creative spark in Hodgson’s squad.

Fast forward to July 2015, and some people genuinely believe Sterling is now useless and Pellegrini has insisted City splash out just under £50m for a benchwarmer. Granted, the past year for Sterling hasn’t been the best, but some have conveniently forgotten that Brendan Rodgers consistently started to pin Liverpool’s hopes on his shoulders thanks to the sale of Suarez and Sturridge’s list of injury problems.

It was ridiculous that a footballer as young as 20 was having a team built around him, and he understandably struggled.

That won’t be the case at City. Pellegrini has brought him in to supplement the quality in the squad. The Chilean has identified a weakness in the squad and sought to fix it by bringing in an English winger who has the quality to become one of the world’s best talents in a few years time. In truth, there was no hope of that happening at Liverpool, but surrounded by the likes of David Silva and Sergio Aguero, it would be a disappointment if he didn’t improve his game and reach new levels.

I can just about understand Liverpool fans being angry - the whole situation was handled poorly by Sterling and his agent and that is a worry in the future if anything was to happen at City - but they have received a large sum of money for a player who they perceive to be average.

What I do not understand, is those across the country who have no affiliation to City or Liverpool branding Sterling a money grabber and genuinely believe he will be a benchwarmer for the duration of his contract at the Etihad Stadium.

With EURO 2016 approaching quickly, the nation should be delighted that one of our best talents has decided to take on a big challenge and make the step up to Champions League football in order to improve his game. It will only be beneficial for him to be around world class players week in, week out and realistically, this season could be the breakthrough that Sterling needs.

Competition Time...

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Your chance to win the legendary Gillingham shirt, or another of your choice...

By Archie Barnett

The Sky Blue View and Campo Retro have come together to offer all Manchester City fans around the world a fantastic opportunity to win a Man City retro shirt with any name & number on the back.

Campo Retro has a wide range of Manchester City retro shirts available. With classic shirts and track jackets ranging back from 1969 to 1999, not only that, but Campo Retro will also print any name and number that you want on the back of the shirt to make it extra special.

The famous 1999 Wembley shirt

This competition is open to entrances from all over the world, so whether you live in Moss Side or Melbourne, you still have a great chance to win this fantastic prize. It couldn’t be simpler to enter this competition, all you have to do is answer the simple question below and email the answer to competitions@camposports.com

‘Who is Manchester City’s current club captain?’

It’s that Simple. The competition closes on 7th April 2014 and the winner will be announced soon after. The winner will receive an email from Campo Retro to request information on shirt size, personalization and delivery address. All entries will also receive an exclusive discount to use at www.camporetro.com

This could be yours!

GOOD LUCK!

The Myth of Javi García

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 10:53:00 +0000

The myth that surrounds Spanish midfielder...

By Archie Barnett

So, I may have developed this thing for Javi García. Maybe because he was so underrated, it frustrates me. The same thing happened with the likes of Pablo Zabaleta and Gareth Barry, however they eventually got the recognition they deserved.

I think García is just about getting there, however there is still an apparent “shock” when people notice he has a “good game”.

In my opinion, García doesn’t have the occasional good game, in fact the majority of games he plays are in fact “good games”. Sure, he had a slow start when he came to Manchester City in 2012, seen by many as a panic buy. He lacked pace, gave the ball away quite a few times, and appeared to the lack the ability that you now need to be a stand out Manchester City player, but the main thing he lacked was the thing the fans also did not have, patience (towards his performances) and confidence in his ability.

I can’t be certain, but maybe the fans at the Etihad expect a midfielder to be talented going forward, be able to provide exquisite balls, get great shots away and if this isn’t the player’s style of play then he certainly isn’t good enough.

So, García might not produce those balls, he might not get shots away, but what exactly does he do?

He sits back, he allows players to go forward. Time and time again, he comes on and allows Yaya Touré to progress up the pitch – changing the game.

His role is to hold the back and midfield to allow others to attack. Attacking isn’t his forte, so he excels in an area that seems to be a blind spot for many football fans.

I think he is starting to get the recognition he deserves for the role he does, just about. But what exactly does he need to do in order to become that midfielder that is recognised every time he plays?

I would say keep playing how he is. He needed time, he’s had it. Many will disagree with me probably, but I feel that García is not that far behind the big performers in the Capital One Cup champion’s side.

Adapting to a new league takes time sometimes, Manchester City fans are patient the majority of time – I know I did say they lacked the patience. I say they lack patience, because they are quick to get on a players back. Especially García, on Twitter, whenever he was mentioned in the starting line-up people started to say “that’s us losing then”, “García starting, great...”, even the #AskGarcia trend that Manchester City started ended up in abuse towards the player for his ability.

But like I said, he’s now finally getting a bit of recognition from the City fans, but even that gets on my nerves a little.

“Wow Javi García actually played well” etc.

Have a bit of faith in his ability, who knows, maybe now you will actually start noticing the job he does at the club rather than being shocked when you notice he has a stand out game.

Please note – this is the first post I have written in a long time, I just wanted to show my thoughts on that matter – I appreciate that you may not find it any good at all.

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You can also follow Archie on Twitter: @ArchieBarnett

(c) The Sky Blue View 2014

Match Preview: Bayern Munich vs Manchester City

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 15:10:00 +0000

City look to get revenge against European Champions

By Jack Mumford

Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich’s fortress, is City’s destination for their final game in the group stage of the Champions League on Tuesday night.

With Bayern yet to lose at home this season and their complete domination of City at the Etihad Stadium in October still fresh in everyone’s memory, Manuel Pellegrini and his men will be glad they can go to Munich knowing their place in the Knockout phase is already confirmed. City can still finish top of Group D but would need to win by three clear goals at the home of the European Champions.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

With Bayern already through and highly likely to finish top, Pep Guardiola is expected to name a different side to the one that started in Manchester, with a number of key players out on the sidelines.

International defender Holger Badstuber is a long term casualty but recently Phillip Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arjen Robben have all picked up injuries. Lahm could play but is unlikely to be risked, whilst Robben and Schweinsteiger are certainly out and not expected to return until the New Year.

In terms of injury news for City, Stevan Jovetić, Matija Nastasić and Gaël Clichy all haven’t travelled. Jovetić and Nastasić are not expected back until just before Christmas and Clichy has a foot problem - but is expected to be back for the visit of Arsenal at the weekend.

Yaya Touré is suspended after his odd late tackle against Viktoria Plzeň earned him his second booking of the group stage.

However, David Silva is back to full training and could feature as he looks to gain some fitness before the crucial Arsenal clash on Saturday. City have largely taken a full strength squad to Munich but one youngster who we may see is Dedryck Boyata.

Joe Hart looks likely to have a chance to answer the recent baffling rumours that City are prepared to break the bank for Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with a good performance as he retains his place as City’s ‘cup goalkeeper.'

Pep Guardiola has had an even better start to the season than many expected. After taking over from treble winning Jupp Heynckes this summer, the pressure was on Guardiola to somehow take this magnificent team to the next level.

Bayern had a solid, if uninspiring start to the season but Guardiola and many others have said their display at the Etihad was when it all started to come together for Guardiola.

The Bavarians are now 4 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and come into this match having just condemned Werder Bremen to their record home defeat of 7-0 at the weekend.

City’s youngsters are also in Munich to play Bayern’s U-19s on Tuesday. They need a point to guarantee safe passage into the next round of the UEFA Youth League.

My thoughts

After the massive eye opener in October that proved to City fans that we haven’t arrived at the pinnacle of the European game yet, this match is about restoring pride and showing to the rest of Europe there is a reason to fear City.

Needing three goals at the home of the European Champions who have only conceded 10 goals in 23 matches so far this season is an almost impossible task. This is more a chance for City to show they have learnt the lessons Bayern taught them over two months ago.

Pellegrini is likely to make a few changes as he considers the must win Arsenal match on Saturday but I believe the side will still be very strong as we look to send a message.

Bayern have been in exceptional form recently and that is without Lahm, Schweinsteiger and Robben, arguably 3 of their best players last season. Lahm returns for this match and with Mario Götze finding his feet at the Allianz it is hard not to fear defeat for City.

For me, the number one aim should be to return to Manchester with a fully fit squad ready for the busy Christmas period.

Prediction: Bayern 3 - 1 City

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Reflection: Southampton 1 - 1 Manchester City

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Another goal for Agüero but City continue to stutter on the road

By Jack Mumford

It was a story of missed chances, disjointed defending and a Hollywood goal in City’s 1-1 draw at the St Mary’s Stadium this afternoon. Another early Sergio Agüero goal set the ball rolling but after a special goal from Saints striker Dani Osvaldo, the Blues were forced to hang on to the point.

After City’s victory at West Brom on Wednesday night, they appeared to be back on the right track away from the Etihad Stadium but this display will have fans of Manuel Pellegrini’s men worried again.

Southampton started the season as standard bearers for hard working, pressing defending with neat, intricate football to match. They have, however, faltered recently having lost their last three Premier League matches. In fairness, this included trips to Arsenal and Chelsea.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Costel Pantilimon and the City defence remained the same as in the victory over West Brom despite the late lapses of concentration that almost let the Baggies back into the game. In fact, the only two changes for City was the rarely used James Milner taking the place of Jesús Navas and Álvaro Negredo returning after his midweek rest.

City could have scored three with in the first 15 minutes of the game. A poor touch from Negredo who was through on goal and an Aleksandar Kolarov header that flashed past the goal took account of two of them chances.

The one chance to be converted was a drilled Kolarov cross which found the perfectly positioned Agüero who wrapped his left foot around the ball to score and continue his scintillating form. The Argentinian now has 12 Premier League goals this season.

The next major chance fell to who City would have wanted it to, Agüero. In a move very similar to his opening goal at West Brom on Wednesday, the talismanic striker this time fired the ball high and not very handsome.

This missed chance seemed to kick Southampton into action who dominated until the half time whistle. Some last ditch defending from full backs Pablo Zabaleta and Kolarov to deny Adam Lallana and James Ward-Prowse maintained City’s lead for a while.

The Blues couldn’t hang on until half time though as Johnny Depp lookalike Osvaldo pulled the ball down out of the air, twisted Vincent Kompany inside out and curled an unstoppable shot into the top right corner that even the 6’ 8” Pantilimon couldn’t have dreamt of reaching. It was exactly what Southampton deserved.

The second half began at the same frantic pace the first half was played in. Agüero forced Paulo Gazzaniga into a low strong save and Yaya Touré curled the ball just wide of the goal all before the 50 minute mark.

The best chance of the half however fell to Southampton’s scorer Osvaldo. Jay Rodriguez passed Kompany and Demichelis by running in a straight line only to be denied by Pantilimon who stopped Rodriguez but couldn’t hold the ball and Osvaldo ran onto the loose ball and had most of the goal to pick from but he blazed his chance a long way over the bar.

Pellegrini used all his substitutes as Navas, Javi Garcia and Edin Džeko took the places of Milner, Negredo and Touré respectively but the game had already peaked.

After 70 minutes of ferocious action, the last 20 minutes seemed to pass without any major event and City come away from another Premier League ground without the victory.

City have a trip to Bayern Munich, who put seven past Bremen today, on Tuesday before the must win clash against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium next Saturday.

Stats

City Southampton

45% Possession 55%

12 (3) Shots (on target) 15 (4)

4 Corners 5

9 Fouls 6

What did Pellegrini say?

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Preview: Southampton vs Manchester City

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

City face tough trip to South Coast after win at West Brom

By Aaron Leggott

After Wednesday's 3-2 win at West Brom, Manchester City are set to travel away from the Etihad for the second time in four days, with a tough trip to Mauricio Pochettino's invigorated Southampton team next on the agenda.

After his appointment as successor to Nigel Adkins in January, many were critical of the decision and predicted the Saints might seriously struggle to stay in the Premier League.

Photo: Paul Watts/Southampton FC

What has happened since then is quite extraordinary. Under the Argentine, Southampton secured Premier League survival with ease, before taking the next step this season.

Currently eighth in the league on 22 points, they have won a lot of plaudits for their high pressing game and Pochettino's desire to blood in youngsters from the academy with quality additions has worked perfectly.

Three defeats on the bounce has taken some of the gloss off such a good start, but Manuel Pellegrini's men will be under no illusions that Saturday's trip to St. Mary's will be one of the toughest this year.

Vincent Kompany will be expected to retain his place after returning from injury on Wednesday, whilst David Silva and Stevan Jovetić will not be available for the trip, with both expected to return back to full training on Monday morning.

Matija Nastasić is also missing for the Blues, meaning Martín Demichelis will likely keep his place alongside Kompany at the heart of the defence.

Gaël Clichy and Álvaro Negredo were rested for the midweek win over the Baggies, but the pair will probably replace Aleksandar Kolarov and Edin Džeko after being given deserved rests.

Injuries have hit the Saints hard recently, and the news that Victor Wanyama will miss the next six weeks will be a big blow to Pochettino.

Artur Boruc is also set to suffer a lengthy spell on the sidelines after picking up a hand injury, whilst Nathaniel Clyne and Guly du Prado will also miss out. José Fonte, Gastón Ramírez and Morgan Schneiderlin are all doubts for the game.

My thoughts

We have struggled to pick up points away from home this season so Wednesday's victory at West Brom was a crucial one.

Southampton will bring tougher tests to this City team, and they have deservedly gained a lot of plaudits for their impressive style of play this season.

But despite our poor results, we haven't played too badly away from home this season, with individual mistakes usually the cause for dropping points.

The players will know that anything less than a win won't be enough if City want to close the six point gap from Arsenal at the top of the league before next weekends meeting between the two teams.

Prediction: Southampton 1 - 2 City

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

West Brom 2 - 3 Manchester City: Thoughts and Ratings

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 12:00:00 +0000

By Adam Bailey

Praise may be endlessly flowing from the mouths of City supporters after last nights uncharacteristic away win, but ultimately, Manchester City should be relishing playing teams like West Brom who really shouldn't stand a chance against such formidable opponents.

Manuel Pellegrini's tinkering surprised me somewhat, especially with the inclusion of Edin Džeko alongside Sergio Agüero. However, the Bosnian's first half display was encouraging and his interchanges with Sergio and the advancing Pablo Zabaleta made for some dazzling play and you can't argue with his magnificent record against the Baggies. Although Džeko enjoyed a relatively straightforward first half in which the Blues achieved a comfortable two goal cushion, his showing in front of goal was less than clinical in the second and Álvaro Negredo's strength and technique would have troubled the Baggies a lot more in my opinion.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Ruthlessness in front of goal proved to be a surprising problem last night despite scoring yet another three goals. Agüero may have opened the scoring with a precise finish into the top corner of the net, but in truth, the Argentine should have had a hat-trick before the 30 minute mark. The dominating partnership of Yaya Touré and Fernandinho in the middle allowed for a flurry of attacking play, but taking our chances has been a real problem on the road this season.

Vincent Kompany's return to the team certainly had a significant effect on proceedings and his commanding presence in the centre of defence gave the blues a confidence they hadn't seen before away from home. If injuries cease to keep assaulting the Belgian, City should run away with the title this season. However, despite Kompany's solid performance, concentration evidently slipped and complacency crept in towards the last 15 minutes of the game. The Baggies gave Pellegrini's side a real scare with two late goals, but fortunately, BBC African Player of the Year had put his side in an unreachable position with two goals.

If Pellegrini can concoct another away day masterclass like yesterday's, we can say goodbye to our woeful away form. Goals aren't a problem, but confidence on the road indubitably is and the return of Vincent Kompany will rectify that area of uncertainty. Saturday sees City face much more potent opponents in Southampton, and for me, that will be the real test of our resolve away from home.

Player ratings

PANTILIMON: Despite scoring an own goal, the Romanian could not be blamed for the two goals that crept past him and until the last 5 minutes, he was protected well by his defenders.

TSBV rating: 7/10

ZABALETA: Introduced the young Berahino to the physicality of the Premier League and bombed forward with typical drive to claim yet another assist.

TSBV rating: 7/10

DEMICHELIS: Fitness became an issue for the Argentine as the game progressed and he allowed Anichebe a worryingly easy opportunity to score.

TSBV rating: 6/10

KOMPANY: Composed, collected and classy. The Belgian's return to the team boosted the blues and he never looked uncomfortable.

TSBV rating: 8/10

KOLAROV: Assisted and won a penalty in a defensively sound performance.

TSBV rating: 8/10

NAVAS: Wing play was assumed by his right back but the Spaniard displayed his passing abilities and he interchanged magnificently with Nasri, Yaya and Fernandinho in the midfield.

TSBV rating: 7/10

FERNANDINHO: Becomes calmer and classier with every game and he mopped up brilliantly behind the midfield whilst generating most of City's attacking play.

TSBV rating: 8/10

YAYA TOURE: Powerful and clinical. The BBC African Player of the Year was on top form last night to ignite City's performance with two goals.

TSBV rating: 9/10

NASRI: Once again, instrumental in most of City's attacking play and the freedom of his role is allowing the Frenchman to hit top form once again.

TSBV rating: 8/10

AGUERO: His 13th goal in 11 games set his side off on a goalscoring spree but the Argentine will have been disappointed not to take his other chances.

TSBV rating: 8/10

DZEKO: Creatively brilliant in the first half, providing Zabaleta with an excellent ball to put in Aguero. However, his showing in front of goal was a little worrying.

TSBV rating: 7/10

Substitutes

MILNER: Added solidity to City's play and helped his side see out the win.

TSBV rating: 7/10

GARCIA: Sealed up the midfield.

TSBV rating: 6/10

RODWELL: No time to mark

No rating

Note: All pictures above from MCFC Official Facebook page

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Reflection: West Brom 2 - 3 Manchester City

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 00:30:00 +0000

City break away duck with solid victory

By Jack Mumford

City slayed their away demons last night, powering past a shell-shocked West Bromwich Albion to win 3-2, with a late onslaught from West Brom making the scoreline a more respectable one. After losing four of the six away Premier League games so far this season, City knew they had to improve their away form to stand a chance of winning the title.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

West Brom have already won at Old Trafford and drawn at Stamford Bridge this season so City’s comprehensive victory is no mean feat.

Manuel Pellegrini made three changes from Sunday's victory over Swansea. The major news was captain Vincent Kompany returned to the side after two months out with a thigh injury. Joleon Lescott was the unfortunate man who had to make way for the returning Belgian.

Aleksandar Kolarov replaced Gaël Clichy, whilst Edin Džeko made his first league start since September in place of Álvaro Negredo to complete the line-up. Pellegrini stuck with his trusted 4-2-2-2 formation that has become a trademark in his career.

Kick off was delayed by 15 minutes due to congestion around the ground but when the game finally got underway City certainly showed they were eager to get straight on with the job in hand.

The Blues dominated early proceedings at a subdued Hawthorns with Samir Nasri and Sergio Agüero both going close in the opening minutes.

The game was eight minutes in when City took their deserved lead. Džeko played the ball behind West Brom full back Liam Ridgewell into the path of Pablo Zabaleta who cut the ball back to Agüero for the prolific Argentinian to fire into the roof of the net.

Only 15 minutes later and with Costel Pantilimon yet to make a meaningful save, City came forward yet again through Nasri who laid the ball off to Kolarov to drill a cross which Yaya Touré opened his body to and guided into the far corner. The Baggies looked at each other quizzically, presumably fearing what was to come.

Half time came and several chances had passed but all at one end. Agüero, Džeko and Fernandinho all had chances to extend the lead but wasteful finishing meant Steve Clarke's side were still in the game.

West Brom showed slightly more promise in the second half but this is always to be expected when playing away at a Premier League ground. However, despite West Brom’s improvement, City still created the best chances and Pantilimon still remained largely a spectator.

With around 18 minutes to play, the dangerous Kolarov was hauled down in the box by Claudio Yacob. Chris Foy pointed to the spot and Touré immediately claimed the ball. The Ivorian midfielder powered the ball down the centre of the goal to truly end the match.

A late Zoltán Gera shot which deflected off Pantilimon gave the score line a hint of respectability before Victor Anichebe added another late goal to give a gloss to the score that the home side didn’t truly deserve.

The Blues travel to Southampton on Saturday having finally given fans a reason to cheer their away form and incentive to make the long journey to the South coast. Many of the other big teams in the Premier League are struggling to put a run of results together (barring Arsenal) and City are now looking ominous as they chase the league title.

Stats

City West Brom

59% Possession 41%

14 (5) Shots (on target) 11 (1)

3 Corners 3

10 Fouls 8

What did Pellegrini say?

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Preview: West Brom vs Manchester City

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 23:26:00 +0000

City looking to break away curse in the Midlands

By Aaron Leggott

The Premier League has seen a real Jekyll and Hyde version of Manchester City this season. At the Etihad Stadium, they are ruthless - seven wins out of seven and a goal difference of +23 sees the Blues stand out from the pack.

It's a different story away from east Manchester though; with just one win in six, Manuel Pellegrini's men sit in a meagre 15th place in the away form table - a worrying stat for any title challenger.

City have enjoyed a number of wins against West Brom over the past few years
Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

However, after three successive wins, the Blues go into their clash against West Brom in high spirits and realistic of hopes of turning around their away form ahead of the festive period.

After Steve Clarke's appointment as head coach last season, the Baggies have turned the Hawthorns into a fortress and go into the clash on the back of a four game unbeaten run at home.

Fortune has not always shone on West Brom against City though, and history suggests that tomorrow could be the turning point for a taste of success on the road.

The Baggies have been unable register a victory against City in the last seven games, with the Blues winning the last game between the two sides at the Hawthorns after Edin Džeko's double completed a memorable comeback last season.

Džeko will most likely have to settle for a place on the bench again as Álvaro Negredo and Sergio Agüero are set to be given the go ahead to exert their formidable partnership on Clarke's defence - with the pair notching up 16 league goals between each other since the start of the season.

Vincent Kompany has also been named in the squad for the first time since fracturing his foot, and whilst he is not expected to start, it is a big boost to Pellegrini with defensive issues being City's downfall this year.

Clarke will be able to recall Zoltán Gera and Billy Jones back after the pair recovered from minor injuries sustained in the 2-1 defeat at Newcastle last weekend, whilst Ben Foster will have to wait to make his return from injury despite the 30-year-old showing encouraging signs in his recovery.

My thoughts

Impressive victories over Tottenham and Swansea proved why City are one of the favourites to lift the Premier League title in May, but tomorrow will be a real test of our credentials when we travel to the Hawthorns to take on a very good West Brom side.

After they recorded an historic win at Old Trafford earlier in the season, they were moments away from repeating their feat at Chelsea, only to be denied victory by a ludicrous decision by Andre Marriner.

A strike force of Shane Long and Saido Berahino will cause problems for a makeshift defence - and in truth both Martín Demichelis and Joleon Lescott have looked far from convincing in the games they have started together.

Don't get me wrong, they are more than capable back-up players for Kompany and Matija Nastasić - but if the captain's injury problems continue then a new centre-half will be needed as we approach the business end of the season.

I think it's only a matter of time until we turn our away form around and this could be the game to do so. West Brom's style of play will suit us and despite their impressive home form, they have proven to be vulnerable at the back after their collapse against Aston Villa last week - something which Agüero and Negredo should capitalise on.

Prediction: West Brom 1 - 2 City

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Manchester City 3 - 0 Swansea City: Thoughts and Ratings

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 23:00:00 +0000

By Jack Mumford

The bare statistics make this look like a stroll in the park for City but at times it certainly wasn’t that way. The elegant continental class of Samir Nasri was what really separated these two teams yesterday. Where Swansea spurned the chances they created through sheer weight of possession, City took a more direct style of passing, finished off brilliantly by Nasri and Negredo.

This cutting edge is what separates the mid-table outfits in the Premier League from the pace setters. A pace setter is certainly a way to describe the form of Nasri at the moment who just keeps taking his game to new levels. Nasri has frustrated many City fans since his move from Arsenal but the French midfielder is currently oozing confidence and City are reaping the rewards.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Nasri is the one player you can certainly say has benefitted from the change of manager over the summer. It is also plausible to say the Frenchman seems to up his level when Silva isn’t on the pitch, a strange anomaly but one that will be interesting to see the development of when Silva makes his inevitable return.

He glides past players with ease, shrugs any defender off and picks out another City player almost every time. His two finishes in this match also proved to City fans he can be the truly complete attacking midfielder. He found himself in possession of the ball in the box, remained unnaturally calm and put the ball out of Tremmel’s reach.

Negredo’s free kick that started the scoring surprised many in the ground, most of us not knowing free kicks were part of his armoury. He and Agüero continued their telepathic partnership without ever really having too many chances between them but always offering themselves for passes that would break Swansea’s lines of defence.

Fernandinho is one player that deserves a mention as the glue that allows Nasri, Agüero and Yaya to go around the pitch with a swagger unmatched by many in the Premier League.

The ethos seems very much to be on defending as a team and as high up the pitch as possible. This often worked very well today with all players committed to their roles and most of them knowing they had the individual beating of their opposite number.

However, as City pushed so high today and with only two recognised central midfielders, Swansea often managed to break free of this pressure and this left a break on at the City defenders. Yaya Touré is a fantastic footballer but he is not a player that can be expected to press smaller players into a corner.

City also went through a period of giving the ball away very cheaply in the first half. Swansea pressed our defence like the top teams will do and we weren’t always composed enough to find solutions to get ourselves out.

I understand it may seem overly picky after beating a very good side 3-0 but these two little signs worry me for when we play against one of the true best of Europe in the next round of the Champions League.

Swansea are a good side but didn’t have the cutting edge to complete their two major chances; De Guzman at the end of the first half and Hernandez on the hour mark. If we allow Messi, Ronaldo or Ibrahimović this amount of the ball then this could spell trouble for City.

First though, two Premier League away games await City with the challenge of shaking off their recent away struggles to truly strike fear into the rest of the country.

Player ratings

PANTILIMON: Forced into a few diving saves in the first half that were all comfortably dealt with. Another clean sheet will do his confidence wonders.

TSBV rating: 7/10

ZABALETA: Attacked with his usual drive and determination and rarely put a foot wrong while defending. His run made City’s 3rd goal.

TSBV rating: 7/10

DEMICHELIS: Looked to be City’s weak link in defence as he was turned a few times, most notably by De Guzman for Swansea’s best chance of the match.

TSBV rating: 6/10

LESCOTT: Looked calm and assured and had to assist his partner Demichelis on a few occasions when he was in difficulty.

TSBV rating: 7/10

CLICHY: Got forward regularly and put in several dangerous crosses. His defensive shakiness from a month ago is just a fading memory now.

TSBV rating: 7/10

NAVAS: Not his most influential game going forward but always enthusiastic and always asking for the ball. Tracks back particularly well and his understanding with Zabaleta seems to grow all the time.

TSBV rating: 7/10

FERNANDINHO: Exactly the performance we have come to expect from the Brazilian. Strong, disciplined and composed making him the perfect team player for the expansive players surrounding him.

TSBV rating: 7/10

YAYA TOURE: Another team that looked to be able to pass the ball around him in the first half but he always seems to dominate the second half. His run and perfectly executed slide pass to Nasri for the second goal was the touch of class necessary.

TSBV rating: 7/10

NASRI: Was the true difference between the sides. Showed several moments of class and composure to keep the ball and turn it into great chances for his team. Two fantastically taken goals to kill the game off.

TSBV rating: 9/10

AGUERO: A rare game without a goal but certainly not a reason for fans to worry about a loss of form. Always works superbly and links with his teammates, seemed happy for others to share his limelight.

TSBV rating: 7/10

NEGREDO: His almost surprisingly superb free kick set the ball rolling for City. Hardly had another chance on goal but it didn’t matter because he yet again showed all the attributes that are making him a fans’ favourite.

TSBV rating: 8/10

Substitutes

MILNER: Consistent and hard working as ever but didn’t have much opportunity to get forward. Never lets his teammates down.

TSBV rating: 6/10

KOLAROV: Plenty of shots, none of them on target but he slotted into the midfield well to see the game out.

TSBV rating: 6/10

DZEKO: Little time to make an impact but at least showed more hunger than he did on Wednesday.

TSBV rating: 6/10

Note: All pictures above from MCFC Official Facebook page

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Reflection: Manchester City 3 - 0 Swansea City

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Nasri double helps City record another home victory

By Aaron Leggott

Manuel Pellegrini’s City side continued their formidable home form on Sunday evening to brush Swansea aside with ease.

In truth, a 3-0 victory didn’t show the true reflection of the game, but two goals from Samir Nasri and a terrific free kick from Álvaro Negredo settled the game.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Swansea had their chances to capitalise on the two goals scored by opposition sides at the Etihad Stadium this season, but Jonathan de Guzmán missed a guilt edged chance on the brink of half time - a moment which probably proved the difference in quality between the two sides.

A trip to the Etihad would prove difficult for any opposing manager nowadays, but Michael Laudrup set up his team in a traditional Swansea manager, even if he could have been forgiven for changing his teams tactics.

City started brightly, and nearly grabbed a goal inside the first minute for the second week running, but Sergio Agüero's shot was tame and hit straight at Gerhard Tremmel.

And after Negredo’s 20 yard effort was palmed away by Tremmel on six minutes, there was a feeling that the team from South Wales could be on the receiving end of another mauling from the blue half of Manchester.

However, the Spaniard wasn’t waiting much longer as he opened the scoring just two minutes later with a curling free-kick on the edge of the area. It was his 12th goal of the season so far, and a further indication that Pellegrini spent wisely during the summer break.

Swansea, as expected, started to control proceedings with their passing game and Laudrup’s side came close to scoring, only for Costel Pantilimon to deny Jonjo Shelvey on two separate occasions.

Martín Demichelis then came close for City after his header bounced back into play off the crossbar, but he was nearly at fault for an equaliser, only for de Guzmán to fire his effort high over Pantilimon’s bar.

When travelling to places like the Etihad, you cannot miss chances like de Guzmán's, and the smile on Laudrup’s face said it all.

City were not at their ruthless best, but secured all three points just before the hour mark after a revitalised Nasri grabbed his first with a neat finish before grabbing his eleventh goal for the club 19 minutes later with a left foot finish past Tremmel.

Pellegrini will know that tougher tasks face the Blues, with away games at West Brom and Southampton and a visit from Arsenal all to come in the next fortnight.

What did Pellegrini say?

Stats

City Swansea

46% Possession 54%

22 (7) Shots (on target) 9 (4)

5 Corners 4

6 Fouls 8

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Preview: Manchester City vs Swansea City

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Laudrup's Swans set to face the murky waters of the Etihad

By Adam Bailey

European enterprises held very different outcomes for both sides as Swansea suffered midweek misery whilst City enjoyed hilarity at home once again. Daniel Parejo's goal earned Valencia a 1-0 win in Wales on Thursday and the Welsh side must record at least a point in their next tie against St Gallen if they are to reach the last 32 of the competition.

Swansea will travel to Manchester on Sunday with their ammunition severely depleted. Top scorers Wilfried Bony (10) and Michu (7) both suffered injuries in the mid-week fixture leaving Michael Laudrup with unsettling shortages up top.

For Manuel Pellegrini's side however, Swansea's injuries have come at the perfect time. A shaky defensive performance on Wednesday night was masked by yet another attacking masterclass that saw Sergio Agüero, Samir Nasri, Álvaro Negredo and Edin Džeko help City to their 15th goal of the Champions League group stages.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Omens look good for the blues who have not lost to Swansea on home turf since 1951. Since then, City have scored 15 goals in 7 home games against Laudrup's side and with Sergio Agüero and Álvaro Negredo set to start on Sunday, that impressive tally may well rise uncontrollably.

The Dane's dragons possess one of the league's better away records and have achieved 9 points from 6 away fixtures this season. However, Manuel's minions are yet to splatter even the smallest speck of dirt on their 100% Premier League home record and without Bony and Michu in their ranks, a sixth league defeat of the season looks likely.

My thoughts

For me, Swansea's misfortune in mid-week can only point to yet another Etihad mauling. Swansea like to play pleasant football and their midfield will present the Blues with a tough obstacle to penetrate, however, without Bony and Michu, Swansea simply have no fire power up top.

Our defence has looked worryingly shoddy in recent weeks and until Vincent Kompany returns to the side, I can't see the situation changing. Luckily, the Swans have little to throw at our back four on Sunday and I feel it will be a case for the attack once again. Beauty and the beast will put on one of their best shows.

Prediction: City 4-0 Swansea

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Manchester City 4 - 2 Viktoria Plzeň: Thoughts and Ratings

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 17:00:00 +0000

By Jack Mumford

A 4-2 win in the Champions League should never be a disappointment but that was the general feeling at the Etihad Stadium last night.

Obviously with City already being through and Bayern’s earlier victory in Moscow, the Blues would have to get an unlikely win 3-0 in the Allianz Arena - resulting in this game being a dead rubber.

Manuel Pellegrini made seven changes to the side that dismantled Tottenham and I went to the Etihad expecting fringe players like Edin Džeko and Joleon Lescott attempt to stake their claim for a future starting berth.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

However, against much weaker opposition many of these players looked like they had found their level or were suffering from a lack of motivation. In truth, the players that impressed most were those who are already regulars. Samir Nasri, Sergio Agüero and Fernandinho seemed to drag the rest of the team kicking and screaming through the match.

The one exception to this was Joe Hart, who having not played since November 2 seemed eager for it. He should have really been expecting a quiet night but due to the hapless defence in front of him he was forced into several brilliant saves. The England goalkeeper’s highlight was a tip over the bar halfway through the second half when Plzeň appeared to be getting on top of the game. Hart’s general handling was safe and he tried to do the right things with his distribution the majority of the time.

A major positive for me was the fact Jesús Navas now appears to be brimming with confidence and he showed in his 45 minutes on the pitch that his sterling Spurs performance was not just a flash in the pan.

Welsh midfielder Emyr Huws earned himself a place on the bench but didn’t get on to make his City debut. Huws has many similarities to Gareth Barry and he is one that I have thought could actually make the grade at the club, so it was nice to see his name involved.

City started slower than their Czech opponents and could have been 2-0 down when Agüero put City ahead from the penalty spot. Several of the players involved have confirmed to Pellegrini that he is currently picking the best team he can for the big matches.

Now we have an enjoyable trip to the Allianz Arena to look forward to and with City likely to finish second in the group we have a daunting list of potential opponents in the knockout rounds of the Champions League.

Who would you pick out of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, PSG and maybe Borussia Dortmund? Any one of them would certainly prove to be an exciting tie. Let us know below!

Player ratings

HART: This was a fantastic return for the out of favour goalkeeper. He was forced into too many saves for City fans liking but dealt with them all superbly. Absolutely no blame for either of the Plzen goals.

TSBV rating: 8/10

RICHARDS: A performance as enthusiastic as ever from Micah but he still looks slightly sluggish compared to his pre-injury form and seems to be struggling to regain on the ball ability and positional sense.

TSBV rating: 5/10

DEMICHELIS: His worst appearance in a City shirt so far. He was made to look slow by a fairly modest Plzen attack and often appears to lack communication with other defenders.

TSBV rating: 5/10

LESCOTT: Joleon wants to get back into the regular starting line-up but he won’t playing like this. He was left exposed quite a few times by Kolarov but didn’t appear commanding enough to lead a defence.

TSBV rating: 5/10

KOLAROV: As always he was eager to get forward and still provided several dangerous crosses but he simply switches off in defence. Plzen had most of their joy down their right wing and almost appeared to target Kolarov.

TSBV rating: 5/10

MILNER: Hard working and efficient whenever he goes on to a football pitch but it is easy to see why Milner can’t get in the starting line-up as he simply can’t offer what Nasri, Silva or Navas can on the ball. However his cross for Džeko’s late header was impossible to defend.

TSBV rating: 6/10

GARCIA: Made the best out of a poor free kick early on and rarely misplaces his passes but yet again the game seemed to bypass him, as did several of the Plzen midfielders.

TSBV rating: 6/10

FERNANDINHO: Almost irreplaceable in the City team now as someone who can break up opposition attacks but also has the drive to have a genuine positive influence on the game. Taken off in the second half for a well-deserved rest.

TSBV rating: 7/10

NASRI: City’s major bright spark on the night. Currently enjoying his best run of form at the Etihad and barely a minute seems to pass where Nasri hasn’t been on the ball for City. Took his goal well to cap off his performance.

TSBV rating: 8/10

AGUERO: A surprise inclusion given the amount of football he has had recently. A constant livewire and goal threat who gets the crowd on their feet when he gets the ball. Chased Plzen defenders hard and earned the penalty before being given a rest at half time.

TSBV rating: 8/10

DZEKO: Should have taken his big chance to impress the manager and fans but instead appeared focused on sulking around the pitch and shooting on sight as if he was playing for himself. His late goal was brilliantly taken, which makes him an even more frustrating player.

TSBV rating: 5/10

Substitutes

NAVAS: This has been his breakthrough week at City. Now has the confidence he appeared to be lacking in his first months at City and is willing to beat his full back and constantly whip in dangerous balls. 2 more assists for him in crossing Nasri’s and Negredo’s goals.

TSBV rating: 8/10

YAYA TOURE: Showed a few touches of true class in his short time on the pitch especially for the second goal. Got a well-earned rest in the middle of this busy schedule.

TSBV rating: 7/10

NEGREDO: A true fan’s favourite already and should be the model for Džeko with his work rate that accompanies his goal tally. Only a tap-in last night but you have to be there to score it.

TSBV rating: 7/10

Note: All pictures above from MCFC Official Facebook page

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Reflection: Manchester City 4 - 2 Viktoria Plzeň

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Pellegrini's progressors show Hart against a vivacious Viktoria Plzeň

By Adam Bailey

Manchester City's impeccable home record almost suffered a frightening blow on Wednesday night as a vibrant Viktoria Plzeň side launched a full scale assault inside the Etihad Stadium.

A relaxed home crowd, buoyed by their side's progression into the last 16 of the Champions League, were treated to yet another goalscoring flurry on home territory. Seven changes were made to the outfit that savaged Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon and a shaky defence had their attackers to thank in a below par performance.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

City, captained by Aleksandar Kolarov, made a timid start to proceedings against a side that were yet to achieve a single point in Group D. Stanislav Tecl teased and tantalised a makeshift blue back four, but Joe Hart was on hand to produce a number of impressive saves to keep the visitors out.

On 33 minutes, just seconds after he had squandered a delightful opportunity to put his side 1-0 up, František Rajtoral handled inside the penalty area to present Sergio Agüero with the chance to score his 20th goal of the season. As expected, the Argentine stepped up confidently and struck a wicked penalty into the bottom corner.

With nerves calmed, visions of yet another rout appetised the Etihad. However, with nothing to lose and a recent sublime away record to maintain, Pavel Vrba's men decided to put on a show of their own. Just ten minutes later, Tomáš Hořava unleashed a speculative strike from 25 yards to equalise.

Coming into the tie, all eyes were on the returning Joe Hart and pens were poised to record any mistake that may await him. Nothing happened, and the England number one produced a fine distributional and shot stopping display to convince Manuel Pellegrini that he should remain between the sticks in weeks to come.

On half time, Agüero was withdrawn from play in preparation for Sunday's tie against Swansea and expectedly, the game took a tedious turn. Fortunately, Samir Nasri was still showcasing his sultry skill and on 65 minutes, the Frenchman slotted home from a Jesús Navas cross to give the blues the lead once again.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

The Czech's continued to crusade along the Etihad despite their most recent setback and replied immediately. Tecl capitalised on a jittery Joleon Lescott to finish past Hart and give the visitors yet another equaliser.

Defensive slackness is proving to be a persistent problem on the pitch and the return of Vincent Kompany can't come soon enough. At the other end of the field, however, you're unlikely to find a more potent strike force.

Álvaro Negredo's introduction provided the blues with a fearsome threat and the Spaniard continued his fine goalscoring record with a tap in to score City's third of the night. Navas' testing cross wasn't dealt with and the Beast was able to score possibly the easiest goal of his City career.

The persevering Pilsener's finally allowed their heads to drop and Edin Džeko sealed the win with a powerful header a minute before the final whistle.

A customary home win for Pellegrini's men gives the Blues a chance to top the group with a 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena. However, given our away form and our fragility at the back, I think we're all happy to take second.

Stats

City Plzeň

54% Possession 46%

18 (7) Shots (on target) 16 (6)

3 Corners 11

12 Fouls 2

What did Pellegrini say?

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Preview: Manchester City vs Viktoria Plzeň

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:49:00 +0000

City face Czech champions in final home European group tie

By Aaron Leggott

As the football season hits December, many fans across Europe start to prepare for an exhilarating month of football as the Champions League group stage reaches its climax.

However, those connected with Manchester City will, in some ways, be glad to be able to focus on other competitions after qualification to the knockout stages was secured against CSKA Moscow earlier this month.

Of course, Manuel Pellegrini would prefer to see his side top Group D and receive a potentially easier route into the quarter finals, but the Chilean will acknowledge that any possibility of that happening will only occur if Pep Guardiola's side have a major slip up - which doesn't look likely on current form.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

City's opponents for their penultimate fixture appear in the form of Czech champions Viktoria Plzeň - the team yet to register a point in the Champions League this season.

It will be Pavel Vrba's final away game in the competition, as the Plzeň coach agreed to take on the Czech Republic job during the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.

However, with CSKA only three points ahead of Vrba's side, they will be looking towards achieving Europa League qualification by clinching third spot in the group.

Vrba will acknowledge that any hopes of gaining points may not be achieved at the Etihad Stadium, where City have been nothing short of superb in front of their own fans. With just nine games played, an incredible 37 goals have been scored and eight wins recorded in the process, with the only blip being the 3-1 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich - not something to be ashamed of.

The biggest news coming out City's camp is that Joe Hart will regain his place in the Blues' goal after a stint on the sidelines. After being replaced by Romanian Costel Pantilimon for City's previous five games, England's number one will return and aim to make that goalkeeper's jersey his own once again.

My thoughts

I expect Manuel Pellegrini to make a number of changes for the visit of Viktoria Plzeň on Wednesday night. It wouldn't surprise me to see Sergio Agüero given a rest, whilst Yaya Touré and Samir Nasri could also be in contention for a place on the bench ahead of Sunday's game against Swansea City.

Of course top spot would be ideal but if Bayern beat CSKA, it would take a win by three or more goals at the Allianz Arena to finish ahead of the German champions - something which I can't see happening.

The game is therefore essentially a dead rubber, but City should comfortably beat Plzeň. Despite an edgy 45 minutes in the Czech Republic in our first game, we went on to win 3-0 in emphatic fashion - and judging by our away form this season - that was a brilliant result! Expect a few more goals after last weekend's demolition of Tottenham Hotspur to boost our goal difference.

Prediction: City 4 - 0 Plzeň

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Manchester City 6 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur: Thoughts and Ratings

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 00:15:00 +0000

By Jack Mumford

Well another scintillating performance against one of the best teams in the league at the Etihad Stadium. Many fans must now be dreaming of where we would be if only we could produce this form away from home.

The ghost of Sunderland felt like it was hanging over the club at the start of the day but City certainly showed they have moved on by putting six past one of the meanest defences in the country.

Many City players had their best game for a long while and Tottenham just couldn’t deal with it. If a side as good as Spurs struggled to deal with us then the rest of the Premier League must fear their trip to the Etihad Stadium. Such an emphatic performance only makes it more baffling that City aren’t running away with the Premier League this season.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

In Sergio Agüero Manchester City have a player that is simply on top of his game, and potentially the world, right now. Every time he received the ball yesterday he glided around any defender in front of him - leading to Pellegrini calling him the “third best player in the world." Agüero has defenders constantly running scared at the moment and it is simply a joy to watch such a talent playing in a City shirt.

His strike partner Álvaro Negredo has been a revelation since arriving and his goal today was the best of his short time at the club to turn and beat Hugo Lloris so powerfully. Samir Nasri was in support of the front two in the David Silva role and demonstrated that it is his best position, as many believe, by dictating the pace of the game.

Jesús Navas also had his best game in a City shirt by a distance. The winger has underwhelmed so far but yesterday he actually dribbled at players and committed defenders making a world class defender like Jan Vertonghen look Sunday league class.

Before the game there were concerns Yaya Touré and Fernandinho may be overrun by the packed Spurs midfield. Fans needn’t have worried as the two silenced Paulinho, Sandro and Lewis Holtby and restricted them to passing between each other in completely harmless areas off the pitch while both making the marauding runs forward they are well known for.

The defence restricted Spurs to a few chances and long range shots but were helped by the lack of movement by Roberto Soldado who looked completely disinterested. The substitution of Matija Nastasić was worrying but it didn’t affect the team shape and hopefully Nastasić won’t miss any games as his calming influence is required during Vincent Kompany’s absence. Costel Pantilimon continued his good form and certainly celebrated the goals as if it meant a lot to him. For him to be dropped for Joe Hart in the next Premier League game would be unfair but I believe he will play.

Tottenham set the precedent for their performance with the slow backwards passing and the Lloris clearance after 10 seconds that led to the opening City goal. Despite officially having more possession than City, they made very few chances and looked dishevelled come the last 20 minutes but this was all because of how City had put them to the sword.

It is now time for City to show more glimpses of this form away from the Etihad and then as City fans we can get truly excited about our prospects in all competitions this season. City first have two home games though: Plzen on Wednesday and Swansea next weekend.

Player ratings

PANTILIMON: Several solid, well held saves from long range shots and a few good catches but he flapped at one corner. Other than that he was an enthusiastic spectator to the massacre like the rest of us.

TSBV rating: 7/10

ZABALETA: Typical marauding runs added to City attacks. Dealt with the dangerous Lamela brilliantly and managed to avoid receiving his compulsory yellow card.

TSBV rating: 8/10

DEMICHELIS: Crucial goal line clearance at 1-0 and generally looked comfortable. A couple of lapses in concentration may have been punished on another day.

TSBV rating: 7/10

NASTASIC: As composed as ever, simple passing from the back started several City attacks. Stayed tight to Soldado almost all the time and therefore Spurs had no outlet to hold the ball up.

TSBV rating: 7/10

CLICHY: A return to form for the defender that has been one of City’s most consistent for two years until recently. Lennon tried several times to beat him but a dogged Clichy won the battle.

TSBV rating: 7/10

FERNANDINHO: Quickly becoming one of the most important players in this side. Performs so much dirty work for the flair players in the side but also has a turn of pace that can take him past many players. We’ll ignore the sitter he missed deep into the second half.

TSBV rating: 9/10

YAYA TOURE: Looked slow in the first 20 minutes but warmed into the game and became as dominant as usual. His run and pass for Agüero’s second goal was his stand out moment and would have gained more press in a less emphatic win.

TSBV rating: 8/10

NAVAS: His best game in a City shirt. To make Vertonghen look this slow is no mean feat and took both goals superbly as well as supplying for the lethal strike partnership.

TSBV rating: 9/10

NASRI: Given the slightly freer role that Silva usually enjoys really benefited him. Keeps the ball superbly and his intelligence, as shown by his ball to Agüero for the second goal of the match, can change games.

TSBV rating: 9/10

AGUERO: Simply faultless performance. Continued his fantastic goal scoring form but adds so much more than just goals. The Argentinian also works tirelessly for the team off the ball which is an added bonus.

TSBV rating: 10/10

NEGREDO: Worked hard for full 90 minutes and is a perfect foil for the star of the team, Agüero. His goal in the second half was a piece of art.

TSBV rating: 8/10

Substitutes

LESCOTT: Slotted in to the defence comfortably but his main job was to simply start attacks.

TSBV rating: 7/10

GARCIA: Hardly noticed his presence on the pitch but came on when City had already won the game and were winding down.

TSBV rating: 6/10

MILNER: Didn’t stop running in his cameo on the pitch. Fantastic long pass for Navas’ stoppage time goal showed what he can do.

TSBV rating: 7/10

Note: All pictures above from MCFC Official Facebook page

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You can also follow Jack on Twitter: @jackmumf

(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Reflection: Manchester City 6 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 12:42:00 +0000

Six of the best sees City climb up the table

By Aaron Leggott

Yes, you read the title of that post right. Tottenham not only beaten, but humiliated. It is very rare (in fact, unbelievable) to see a scoreline between two top sides that reflects such a dominant performance, but in truth City should and could have had even more against an embarrassing Spurs side at the Etihad Stadium yesterday.

Goals from Sergio Agüero, Álvaro Negredo and Jesús Navas secured another historic victory for the Blues on home turf, and leaves critics questioning the reasons why Manuel Pellegrini's men can't replicate these performances away from home.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Before the match, André Villas-Boas' side had only conceded one goal on the road - a record better than any other team across Europe's top five leagues.

And to be fair to his side, they played well for all of about 13 seconds, before a poor clearance from Hugo Lloris fell to the path of Agüero. The Argentinian's fierce effort was palmed away from Lloris, but Navas was on hand to expertly chip the ball over his head to give the Blues a dream start.

Villas-Boas will acknowledge his foolishness to play with such a high defensive line at one of the toughest places to visit in Europe, but City were equally as breathtaking with the attacking quartet of Agüero, Negredo, Navas and Samir Nasri proving why City paid what they did for their services.

Agüero, in particular, was a joy to behold as he grabbed his ninth and tenth league goals in an exhilarating performance. He has now scored more goals than the whole of Tottenham's team - a worry for Daniel Levy after splashing £26m on Roberto Soldado - who is truthfully yet to deliver in a Spurs shirt.

You get the feeling that Spurs went and purchased the wrong Spanish striker this summer - and Negredo showed Soldado everything that was needed to be a success in the Premier League - strength, power, agility and a clinical edge, he was just as good as Agüero.

In fact, their link-up play proves that the pair can boast one of the best striking partnerships in club football. If it were not for Lloris, this could have been even more embarrassing for the visitors, with Michael Dawson and Younès Kaboul unable to deny this deadly front line.

But Lloris did not help himself late in the first half - another laboured clearance fell to Fernandinho, whose decision to pick out an unmarked Nasri summarised his assured performance in the centre of midfield. Up against fellow Brazilian's Paulinho and Sandro, he will be sure to give Phil Scolari a few headaches ahead of next summers prestigious international tournament.

Nasri went down the left though, picking out Agüero whose effort was pushed away by Lloris into the path of Negredo, and the Spaniard helped to double City's lead as his volley deflected off Sandro into the goal.

It was plain sailing from this point on, and Agüero made it three just before half time. A neat ball from Pablo Zabaleta behind Tottenham's defence found Navas, and he was arguably putting in his best performance since joining this summer as his cross found an unmarked Agüero to tap home.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Half time approached, but despite bringing on Emmanuel Adebayor, Spurs were hopeless to prevent a rampant City. A brilliant counter attack from the Blues, spearheaded by Yaya Touré, soon made it 4-0 after the Ivorian powered through the back line before squaring for Agüero, who had yet another simple chance to double his tally.

It was becoming embarrassing for AVB's team, and Nasri almost made it five from an exquisite chip with the outside of his boot. Negredo succeeded where the Frenchman failed though - and after an unbelievable turn to deceive Dawson, he fired past Lloris to make it 5-0.

In truth, Adebayor was the shining light in an abject performance - bringing a save out of Costel Pantilimon before the Blues broke again. A 60 yard cross field pass from James Milner picked out Navas wonderfully, and with just the keeper to beat he fired home to make it 6-0 in injury time.

City now play two more home games over the next seven days - and both Viktoria Plzeň and Swansea City must be dreading what could happen when they make the trip to Manchester.

Stats

City Tottenham

47% Possession 53%

15 (10) Shots (on target) 13 (5)

4 Corners 7

7 Fouls 11

What did Pellegrini say?

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Preview: Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 11:16:00 +0000

Pellegrini's under-performers look ahead to a Sunday spar with Spurs

By Adam Bailey

Late comebacks and late goals have been a welcome characteristic of City - Spurs clashes down the years, but is it too late for Manchester City to resurrect their fading title hopes?

The Blues slump in a dismal eighth place after eleven Premier League games and contemptible comparisons are already being made regarding City's irresistible home and painful away form. Pellegrini's men suffered a customary 1-0 loss at 'The Stadium Of Plight' a fortnight ago in a phlegmatic performance and a number of dark clouded questions now lie over the Chilean's head.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

The dullness of the International break has been affecting even the media who have taken their time to concoct a menacing cauldron of rumours designed to render City's path up the table even more slippery. Star striker Sergio Agüero and Yaya Touré are the latest players to declare their happiness in Manchester and refute claims of an impending move away from the Etihad.

André Villas-Boas' side may sit a point ahead of their hosts, but the Portuguese has also experienced some niggling problems this campaign. The Lilywhites have struggled in front of goal since Gareth Bales £85m move to Real Madrid in summer and crashed to an unpalatable 1-0 loss at home to Newcastle two weeks ago. With only nine goals to boast as opposed to City's twenty-eight, Spurs will be relying on their solid defensive record to keep out Agüero and Álvaro Negredo on Sunday.

Matija Nastasić and Fernandinho have been declared fit to play after missing out on City's 1-0 loss to Sunderland two weeks ago whilst Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Stevan Jovetić are expected to return on the December 4. Pellegrini has refused to declare whether Joe Hart will return between the sticks, but uncertainty suggests he'll remain on the bench. Christian Eriksen will not feature for Spurs after suffering an ankle injury for Denmark.

City fans will have hoped that they could escape the times when City v Spurs games wielded so much importance, however, Sunday's eighth vs seventh clash could potentially kick start either team's average start to the season.

If home form is anything to go by, it should be an easy Sunday afternoon for the Blues, but unpredictability, I'm sure, will continue to shadow us for decades to come.

My thoughts

Although it sounds ridiculous, I'd be more hopeful of a win against Real Madrid at home than a win away against a team like Crystal Palace. It's enjoyable to comment on our blistering home form but we can not ignore our failures on the road which will ultimately (if it continues) rule us out of the title race.

With a vivacious home crowd and plenty of goals at our disposal, I expect our class to shine through on Sunday and I feel we'll win comfortably.

Prediction: City 2 - 0 Spurs

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Blue Review: The brilliance of Sergio Agüero

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 21:17:00 +0000

Why one Argentinian could play a massive role in the Blues' title bid

By Jack Mumford

If there was one way to describe City’s season so far I would use the phrase ‘hot and cold’. Some brilliant performances - most notably the derby in September and the mauling of Norwich - have been cancelled out largely by individual errors at several Premier League grounds around the country.

The one constant shining beacon of hope though, the reason I and many others still believe we could be in for a very successful season is the escalation in form of Sergio "Kun" Agüero.

Obviously the tricky Argentinian had already had a fantastic two years since arriving at the Etihad from Atlético Madrid but since August, Agüero has reached a whole new level within the game and is quickly pushing himself into the elite bracket of world class players.

After seeing him score 35 Premier League goals in his first two seasons at the club, many believed he had reached his peak - and a very high one at that. However, his thirteen competitive goals this season - many of which have seen City come away with maximum points - have left fans dreaming of the dizzy heights Agüero could reach in the game on a global scale.

His link-up with new signing Álvaro Negredo has seen City score the most goals in the league so far this season, but it is more than just an effective, hardworking strike partner that has given Agüero the edge he currently has.

The form of Samir Nasri and especially David Silva, who is just as crucial to City’s football as Agüero in my eyes, obviously can’t be overlooked as they both keep the ball superbly and create chances for Agüero and Negredo to finish off.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

However, Agüero has been much more clinical this season from almost the first whistle with his brilliantly taken goal against Newcastle. Defenders are now consistently scared of putting a foot wrong as they know he will almost certainly punish them.

His individual performance at Stamford Bridge was a particular highlight of his early season form. After a match winning two goals in Moscow only four days earlier, Agüero defied fatigue and was consistently the live wire for City, who controlled possession but failed to create much with it.

After an early, dare I say it Messi-esque, solo slalom through a tightly packed Chelsea box forced Petr Cech into a great save, Agüero got his first genuine chance of the match early in the second half.

A sequence of passes in the opponents half ended with Nasri sliding a pass into the edge of the 18 yard box. Agüero naturally reached it first and seemingly from an impossible angle powered a shot into the roof of the net to leave one of the best goalkeepers in the world motionless.

It is that ability to create something out of nothing that all the truly top players of the world have. Our very own energetic Argentinian has shown that he could earn the right to be on that same pedestal and that his first two, very impressive, seasons were just the tip of the iceberg for him.

Agüero appears to be completely in love with the game at the moment and fully focused despite well documented personal issues and attempts from media around the world to unsettle him.

My advice is to enjoy Agüero while he is in this form; we all know how lucky we are to watch a player of his calibre weekly.

What are your thoughts on the Argentinian's start to the season? Can he earn the right to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? Let us know!

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Reflection: Sunderland 1 - 0 Manchester City

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 22:30:00 +0000

Bardsley bursts City's title hopes

By Adam Bailey

Ex-Manchester United defender Phil Bardsley condemned Manchester City to their fourth defeat of the season in a 1-0 win that inflicted significant wounds into City's title hopes.

The Stadium of Light has become a 'stadium of plight' for the Blues who have now suffered four consecutive 1-0 losses in Wearside. Gus Poyet's Black Cats were drowning in the depths of the relegation zone before 2pm on Sunday afternoon, but a thrilling three points against Manuel Pellegrini's side will help scratch themselves back up the table.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

The hosts started brightly when Sebastian Larsson tested the alertness of a make-shift City defence with a wicked ball that just escaped striker Steven Fletcher. However, the Swede was lucky to escape a straight red card just minutes later when he presented Javi Garcia with a menacing view of the bottom of his boot. Mike Dean was perfectly positioned, but not even a yellow was shown to the midfielder.

City's luck then went from bad to worse and on 21 minutes, Bardsley bundled over James Milner and curled a delicious finish into the corner of Costel Pantilimon's net. Again, Dean's judgement was questionable, but Wes Brown's ball should have been dealt with.

In the absence of David Silva and Fernandinho, City's midfield lacked magic. Yaya Touré looked uninterested; Samir Nasri couldn't work his magic; Garcia was still limping from Larsson's challenge and Milner was industrious, but largely ineffective. Sergio Agüero and Álvaro Negredo were there to be fed, but a lack of service left them hungry.

Things weren't going to plan and after the half time break, Pellegrini introduced the speed of Jesús Navas in place of an injured Javi Garcia. The change was inspirational and the speedy Spaniard immediately announced himself into proceedings. Navas was terrorising Bardsley with ease, but his crosses were being wasted by City's front two.

Sunderland wouldn't budge. The team coach was driven onto the field of play just seconds after their first goal and Brown was in the driving seat. The ex-Manchester United centre back will struggle to top Sunday's performance in a game where Agüero, Negredo and substitute Edin Džeko hardly had a sniff.

City's away form needs to be addressed and the Chilean chancellor knows that more than anyone. Many will feel his side's priorities lie in the Champions League, but his strongest team was fielded and the players have to take some blame.

Stats

City Sunderland

63% Possession 37%

24 (4) Shots (on target) 5 (2)

14 Corners 0

13 Fouls 6

What did Pellegrini say?

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

In the Spotlight: Sunderland

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Sat, 09 Nov 2013 18:38:00 +0000

No. 12: Paolo di Canio, Gus Poyet and the impact of Steven Fletcher

By Jack Mumford

City travel to the Stadium of Light this weekend to face a struggling Sunderland side. We caught up with Sunderland fan Glen Cardy (@glencardy7) to consider their season so far and look ahead to Sunday’s match.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Sunderland have obviously struggled to find consistent form this season as you are 19th in the Premier League table. After the many signings your club made last summer what were your expectations for this season?

Glen: I was pretty excited about it to be honest, as were a lot of fans. We seemed for the first time to have an actual transfer policy in place and signed some quality players (Emanuele Giaccherini, from Juventus) but it all seemed to go wrong.

Some SAFC fans predicted a top half finish but I was being more realistic and hoping around about 14th/15th which would have been an improvement from last season anyway. I still think a lot of these players have something about them, time will tell.

Where do you think it all went wrong for Paolo Di Canio?

Glen: I was a big fan of Di Canio, and still am, but overall his rules on the training pitch were absolutely mad. I still think had he and the players compromised, met in the middle somewhere, then he'd have succeeded here, but he made it clear he wasn't going to change and ultimately he had to go.

If he dials down his borderline psychotic behaviour and gets a few experienced coaches alongside him he'll succeed somewhere, he's certainly got the desire and drive to do so. Good luck to him.

Gus Poyet has already picked up a win against your big rivals Newcastle but also lost to Swansea and Hull. Do you believe he is the right man for the job at Sunderland and why?

Glen: Absolutely. His tactics so far have been spot on, the shape against Newcastle was something I've never seen in a while at Sunderland. The other night against Southampton was very impressive, albeit against a reserve team of sorts, we passed the ball around with ease.

Any manager who can get Wes Brown fit and John O'Shea to pull off a reverse pass to his fellow centre back MUST have something about him.

Who do you predict will be relegated from the Premier League this season?

Glen: I can't really predict my own team to go down so I'm going to go with Crystal Palace, Norwich and Stoke, granted we need to have a very good run of results to keep us up. Palace in particular look like anything but a Premier League side at the minute.

There is obviously one player who is a big connection currently between the two clubs. How do you think ex-City player Adam Johnson has performed since he arrived at the Stadium of Light?

Glen: He's had his moments, no question. A few performances have shown how good he really is and a few have had us questioning if it's the same player. He's probably one of, if not the most talented players in our squad yet doesn't apply that often enough.

Whether that's incapability to get involved or not being willing enough to go looking for it, I'm not sure. We'll need him to perform like he did against Newcastle in April every week if we're to stay up.

What is your prediction of Poyet’s line up and formation for the match against City?

Glen: (4-4-2): Mannone, Celustka, Brown (if fit!), O'Shea, Bardsley; Johnson, Colback, Ki, Larsson; Fletcher, Altidore.

Is this the team you would choose if you were in Poyet’s position and why?

Glen: Exactly the same except Westwood for Mannone if Westwood is fit. Playing two strikers against such a good team may seem Di Canio-esque but Fletcher is top-class and Altidore was MOTM on Wednesday so I don't think either deserve not to start.

Photo: Official Sunderland AFC Facebook

Who would you consider to be your danger man for this weekend’s match and why?

Glen: The obvious one is Fletcher, give him a yard of space in the box and he'll more than likely score, he's brilliant. A less obvious one is Jack Colback. He's been the stand out player in the last few matches and his partnership with Ki is exactly the partnership that will fit Poyet's style of play, so once again I'm looking forward to seeing Jack carry on this form.

Who do you feel is City’s danger man and why?

Glen: Danger men surely?! In Sergio Aguero you have a world-class striker in world-class form supplied by in my opinion the best midfielder in the Premier League in Yaya Toure. If I have to pick one I'll go with Aguero purely because of his recent goal-scoring record.

And finally, what is your prediction for the score on Sunday?

Glen: I'm not confident. We've won one in nine, City are absolutely flying, is it something like 15 goals in 3 hours of football? Bizarre. As previously mentioned, Aguero and Toure are arguably in the form of their life, Dave Silva has been quality all season, Fernandinho and Alvaro Negredo look astute signings and Manuel Pellegrini looks to be a good manager. All things considered, I'm going 1-0 Sunderland, Fletcher to get the winner...

It's been a pleasure, and after Sunday, I'd like to wish you all the best for the rest of the season and I hope you win the league again. Plus, it's been a while since we've had a good Poznan to really get under United's skin!

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Preview: Sunderland vs Manchester City

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Sat, 09 Nov 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Pellegrini hoping to engineer City to an away victory

By Aaron Leggott

Recent trips to the Stadium of Light haven't been filled with happiness for the Blues, with a flurry of last minute winners from the Mackems succumbing the Blues to defeat after defeat.

In fact, the last four victories have seen City failing to register a win - with three defeats and a draw the outcomes in that period.

And with Manuel Pellegrini's looking extremely frail on the road this season, this probably isn't the fixture they would have wanted next.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

On paper City should be comfortable favourites, with the Black Cats only winning one of the last ten matches in the Premier League and the Blues looking in red hot form.

Pellegrini will be encouraged by his teams recent performances and after scoring twelve goals in just three hours of football, goals should not be a problem come Sunday afternoon.

Gus Poyet's recent appointment has brought a revival to the North-East outfit, and after Wednesday's Capital One Cup victory over in form Southampton, they will be brimming with confidence despite the task ahead.

Wes Brown is set to make a return to the side for his first start since January 2012, whilst goalkeeper Keiren Westwood is available for selection after recovering from a head injury.

City will be missing David Silva for the trip, with the Spaniard rumoured to be out for four weeks after picking up a calf injury against CSKA Moscow earlier in the week.

My thoughts

As mentioned above, on paper we should be winning this game comfortably if we are to have any ambitions to lift the title in May.

Despite their last two results at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland have looked very poor and a collection of individuals rather than a team.

But as we are all aware, football isn't played on paper and I foresee a tough game for the Blues on Sunday. Winning their previous two games at home will be a big boost to Poyet and his team and you imagine that they will try and get into City's faces from the first whistle and create an intimidating atmosphere.

If correct, the absence of both Fernandinho and Silva will be a big hit to our squad, but we should have the capabilities to battle on and at least get a point.

Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 1 City

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Manchester City 5 - 2 CSKA Moscow: Thoughts and Ratings

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 17:46:00 +0000

By Aaron Leggott

My thoughts

What a great performance to cap off and ensure Champions League qualification at the third time of asking.

Despite the group we were given, it is a hugely impressive feat to qualify with two games spare. Not only does it give us the opportunity to rest players in the remaining two fixtures against Viktoria Plzeň and Bayern Munich, but it also gives the players a new breed of confidence as they enter new territory.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Of course, our form in the Premier League will also benefit if we are to rest key players, and will give us an advantage on rivals who are still yet to qualify from their respective groups.

Our current form has been nothing short of exhilarating in the past few weeks and if we can replicate this away from the Etihad then we're sure to be successful on all fronts this year.

One of the main reasons for this form has been the front four of Sergio Agüero, Álvaro Negredo, David Silva and Samir Nasri - all of whom have been at the top of their game over the past month. Nasri, in particular, looks a new player under Manuel Pellegrini and it is refreshing to see him look so classy alongside Silva.

I personally thought he deserved the man of the match award yesterday - but I have no qualms over the choice of Negredo. A lot of people hinted that the Spaniard would be a flop in Manchester, but his record this season speaks for itself. With nine goals in ten games, he has solidified a formidable partnership alongside Agüero which is arguably one of the best in Europe on current form.

With regards to Agüero I have run out of words to describe the Argentinian now. He is in red hot form and I would have to agree with the Sky Sports team in their evaluation of the 25 year old as the best out and out striker in the world at the moment.

Some are probably reading that with their eyebrows raised right now, but with both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi used as inside forwards, there aren't many who can top Sergio in truth.

Of course, there are still worries with the defence and if we have an achilles heel, then that would be it at the moment. There always seems to be a mistake when Vincent Kompany isn't involved and it could well cost us in the latter stages.

How far we'll get in the Champions League is hard to tell right now - but if we are serious about becoming one of Europe's strongest sides then we need to be realistically looking to make the quarter finals at least this year.

There's no reason to say we won't go all the way either though. Granted, it would take a lot of good fortune with the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid looking just that bit stronger, but as we've seen in recent years, anything is possible in football.

A game against Sunderland approaches next on Sunday afternoon, and Manuel Pellegrini will be hoping to lift the curse that lingers over City's head when travelling to the Stadium of Light.

Player ratings

PANTILIMON: Was unfortunate to concede twice and couldn't really do anything with both of CSKA's goals. Everyone knows he is in temporarily and I imagine he will make way for Joe Hart after the international break.

TSBV rating: 6/10

ZABALETA: His usual solid self at full back. Both Zoran Tošić and Keisuke Honda hardly got a sniff all game and the Argentinian had a massive role in that factor.

TSBV rating: 7/10

DEMICHELIS: Some dodgy defending on occasion but he has only played three games for the club so far - he will get better as he regains match fitness.

TSBV rating: 6/10

NASTASIC: Perhaps at fault for CSKA's first after playing Seydou Doumbia onside but apart from that he had a solid game - will be sure to partner Kompany when the Belgian returns from injury.

TSBV rating: 6/10

CLICHY: Not having the best run of form in his career and could well make way for Aleksandar Kolarov if he doesn't pick it up soon. Conceded a penalty after looking suspect up against Doumbia - a worrying trait after the events at Chelsea a fortnight ago.

TSBV rating: 5/10

FERNANDINHO: Looking better as each game passes. Huge upgrade on Nigel de Jong and even Gareth Barry - he will prove to be a vital player as we reach the latter stages of the Champions League. Controlled the midfield last night before going off with a knock at half time.

TSBV rating: 7/10

YAYA TOURE: Like Fernandinho, he controlled the midfield and looked fairly comfortable all game. Didn't let the racism situation go to his head and was unlucky not to score mid-way through the first period.

TSBV rating: 7/10

NASRI: As I mentioned above - he was my man of the match. His passing was top notch and he seemed to glide past CSKA's defenders at times like they weren't there. Deservedly given a standing ovation for the second game running.

TSBV rating: 10/10

SILVA: A typical David Silva performance. He makes playing football look effortless and like he provided the glue in between the holding midfielders and the forwards - a key trait in modern day football

TSBV rating: 8/10

AGUERO: He's had some memorable performances since signing from Atlético Madrid in 2011 but last night was up there with the best. His turn for his second goal was a piece of genius and it was just a shame he didn't get his hat-trick. His work-rate, movement and desire is second to none - hopefully he will be here for a long time to come!

TSBV rating: 9/10

NEGREDO: He has built a scary partnership alongside Agüero and the pair certainly produced fireworks on Bonfire Night yesterday. He is prepared to get in where it hurts and seemingly give his all to the cause. Proved a lot of doubters wrong and is already looking to be one of the signings of the season.

TSBV rating: 9/10

Substitutions

MILNER: Solid and didn't do anything wrong after replacing Fernandinho at half time.

TSBV rating: 6/10

KOLAROV: Didn't make much of an impact after replacing Nasri. Expect him to start ahead of Clichy at Sunderland this weekend.

TSBV rating: 6/10

NAVAS: Game was already on by the time he came on.

No rating

Note: All pictures above from MCFC Official Facebook page

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013

Match Reflection: Manchester City 5 - 2 CSKA Moscow

noreply@blogger.com (The Sky Blue View) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 16:31:00 +0000

‘Beauty and the Beast’ seal last 16 qualification for the first time in City history

By Adam Bailey

The Etihad Stadium was treated to another five Manchester City goals on Tuesday night as Álvaro Negredo and Sergio Agüero ran riot in a 5-2 win over CSKA Moscow.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Manuel Pellegrini’s impressive Champions League credentials were on the line before the crucial tie in Manchester, but his side were in fine form to seal a comprehensive victory that fired them into the last sixteen for the first time in their history.

It took only three minutes for the home side to proceed in punishing the visitors when David Silva was clumsily brought down by Zoran Tošić inside the box. Agüero subsequently stepped up to net his 13th goal of the season.

The penalty may have gone down as Agüero’s easiest goal of the season so far, but the prolific Argentine wasn’t about to stop there. Just seventeen minutes later, City’s top scorer latched onto an exquisite pass from Samir Nasri, silkily span his defender and finely finished into Igor Akinfeev’s bottom corner.

Manuel’s minions were marching to yet another vivacious victory on home soil and Sergio’s strike partner Álvaro Negredo wanted in on the act. On the thirty minute mark, Agüero teed up his Spanish sidekick who tapped in to give City a 3-0 lead. Goals were a problem for Roberto Mancini last season, but ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (as Agüero and Negredo have been recently nicknamed) seem to have no trouble finding the net this campaign.

The Blues were teasing the Russians with their tantalising football, with Nasri propelling City’s skilful midfield. The Frenchman seems to have returned to the form he was producing in his Arsenal days and City fans were able to witness the midfielder at his very best on Tuesday night.

However, on the halfway mark, the budding Premier League champions gifted the visitors a goal through a lazy defensive error. Seydou Doumbia raced onto a penetrating through ball to round Costel Pantilimon and generate some hope for his trailing side. Defensive frailties have been characteristic of City’s play this season and they were highlighted once again.

The half time shock sprung Pellegrini’s men back into life and just six minutes after the restart, Yaya Touré chipped in a luxurious ball to Nasri who selflessly teed the ball into Negredo for his second of the evening.

City’s tika-taka play up top was mesmerising, but their leaky defence always looked vulnerable. The Russians were gifted yet another goal midway into the second half when Gaël Clichy needlessly pulled back Doumbia inside the penalty area. The speedy Ivorian stepped up for his second of the night.

The scoring didn’t finish there as the home side pushed for more goals in true Pellegrini style. With seconds left to play, substitute James Milner skilfully took on his marker and chipped to present Negredo with his third. The left-foot, right-foot, headed perfect hat-trick marked the Spaniard’s ninth goal of the season for Manchester City and he has proven to be a shrewd bit of business.

Progression into the last sixteen imprints a hefty stamp on Manchester City’s history and although we may possess the most potent strike-force in the competition, our defence still needs work.

Stats

City CSKA Moscow

59% Possession 41%

15 (9) Shots (on target) 12 (6)

6 Corners 15

2 Fouls 5

What did Pellegrini say?

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(c) The Sky Blue View 2013