Bitter and Blue

Here you have a player whose ego and wallet were indulged in equal measure – to some tune as well –...

2012-02-08T21:51:17Z

Here you have a player whose ego and wallet were indulged in equal measure – to some tune as well – and was the focal point and heart of a side that won the FA Cup (with Tevez himself lifting the famous old trophy) with City now find themselves legitimately challenging for the Premier League (the most high profile, and possibly the best league in the world) and look to be a fixture in the Champions League. Yet if this is still not enough what could serve to satisfy?

My take on the Carlos Tevez situation for footballscores.com

City 3 - 0 Fulham: Stat hit

2012-02-05T11:42:19Z

My thoughts on the game are here, but below are some of the key numbers in a game that saw City out passed by Fulham, have less possession and Final Third entries, but had a welcome return to their clinical play in front of goal:

City 3 - 0 Fulham

2012-02-05T11:41:45Z

Perhaps there is nothing like home comforts to snap yourself out of a sticky spell of form.

There have been plenty of column inches devoted to City's struggles of late and whilst their form since their Christmas period has been sketchy, one consistent factor has been their home form: eleven wins from eleven heading into yesterday, averaging three goals per game and conceding around one every three games.

Yesterday's game - bar the weather - followed the script of the season at The Etihad Stadium; City get a lead against a side that have been unable (whether by design or circumstance) to create much. With their noses in front City then rarely look as though they will relinquish the lead and, as the numbers show, have a tendency to make the victory look very comfortable indeed.

Where City have struggled on the road is not getting the opening goal; when taking a lead City often look a different side - evidenced by the fact that when leading at half time they have a near 100% record of going on to collect all three points (drawing just one of the 12 games where they have the edge at half-time).

I wrote recently that contrary to some school of thought, City have continued to create opportunities but a combination of coming up against some good defensive play and a dip in form for the Sergio Aguero-Edin Dzeko partnership has seen the goals dry up to some degree. Yesterday though, both players were excellent - a description that perhaps does not quite do justice to Aguero's performance, one that at times rendered him unplayable in what was a welcome return to form.

Granted, Fulham did not provide the stiffest of tests but there were some welcome performances. Stefan Savic - a late inclusion for the injured Vincent Kompany - resumed his partnership with Joleon Lescott and was as assured as he has been since he came into the side. Adam Johnson too, getting a rare start in the side, looked as threatening as he has done this season over the full ninety minutes, winning (a description open to debate) the penalty for the first goal and forcing the own goal to put City 2-0 ahead.

At this stage of the season the Premier League race looks to be one that will go down to the wire with each point won or lost magnified as to its impact on the destination of the title. City certainly have areas they need to improve on and aspects of their play where they have lacked of late, but the longer that they can continue their home form and keep churning out the type of 'routine' wins witnessed at The Etihad Stadium yesterday the better positioned they will be.

City v Fulham: Stat hit

2012-02-04T22:00:25Z

Some of the numbers ahead of todays game:

Man City suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Everton in their last Premier League game.
The absence of Yaya Toure has been blamed for City's faltering form, and the loan signing of Claudio Pizarro from Roma is hoped to cover for the Ivory Coast midfielder while he is at the African Cup of Nations.
Yaya Toure has completed 689 passes in his opponent's half this season, the fourth highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. David Silva tops the index in this with 787 passes completed in his opponent's half.
In his absence, Samir Nasri covered the most ground for Man City with 6.16 miles• Nasri has completed 633 passes in his opponent's half this season, and has the best minutes per pass completed rate of any player in the league with one every two minutes 8 seconds on the pitch.
A hat trick hero in the previous game, Clint Dempsey scored for Fulham in their last Barclays Premier League game to earn a point against West Brom. Dempsey has now moved above Wayne Rooney to become the player with the second highest number of shots on target in the league, behind Robin van Persie. Dempsey has now had 54 shots on target this season, scoring ten goals.
Steve Sidwell covered the most ground for Fulham in that game with 5.85 miles. Sidwell has won 77% of tackles so far this season and contributed 15 interceptions and 10 clearances.
Brede Hangeland was one of only two players to make five clearances in the last round of games.

Still, City were hardly shot-shy during the game. They attempted 21 shots (12 inside and nine...

2012-02-02T22:16:47Z

Still, City were hardly shot-shy during the game. They attempted 21 shots (12 inside and nine outside the area), but nine were off target and ten were blocked by an Everton side who also made 19 interceptions and 38 clearances (15 of which were effective).

My latest article for EPL Index in which I take a look at some of the key numbers from the defeat at Everton.

Everton 1 - 0 City: Stat hit

2012-02-01T23:40:00Z

There were some interesting numbers coming out of yesterdays defeat that show that in the main, City still had the better of the possession and territory and were able to create chances. However, some profligate finishing and resolute Everton defending ensured City did not get on the scoresheet and saw the home side grab the win:

Of particular note from City's perspective was:

They attempted their third most number of crosses (32) this season and completed their most (9).

Their total of 81 final third entries was the third highest of the season.

They attempted 103 long passes, the most of the season.

They had 21 shots (12 inside and 9 outside the area), but 9 were off target and 10 were blocked by an Everton side who also made 19 interceptions and 38 clearances (15 of which were effective).

On an individual level:

Samir Nasri's passing was excellent: with 33/34 (own half), 50/55 (opp half) that included 23/24 (final third) and only 16% being made backwards.

Mariouane Fellaini's had a decent day: 62 touches, 40 passes attempted with an 85% completion rate, 6 tackles and 3 clearances.

Mancini takes the blame

2012-02-01T13:56:00Z

Some interesting comments from Roberto Mancini following the defeat to Everton, in which he took the blame for the loss:

"I thought it may be easier," he said. "I didn't prepare us well and it is important for me to know my mistakes because I can't do the same in the next game. I should know here it is never easy - never.

"We had played well against Tottenham in our last game, we had won our last three Premier League games and Everton were missing three or four players. It was a bad night for me. It's going to be impossible for me to sleep tonight."

It is not the first time that Mancini has sought to take responsibility for a defeat: the 3-0 reversal at Liverpool at the tail end of the 2010/11 season saw him bemoan the preperation ahead of the game.

Mancini though did not elaborate last night as to the specifics regarding his perceived failings - although hinted at issues regarding training - but could his motive have been more of an attempt to deflect an increasing focus and attention away from the players (and a fourth defeat from nine in January) than a need for self-assessment?

Everton 1 - 0 City: Five Thoughts

2012-01-31T23:07:25Z

The more things change, the more they remain the same. The past few seasons have seen City build themselves into genuine title challengers, so much so that they top the Premier League heading into February - a position that the last eight Premier League winners have occupied - yet season after season they have returned from Goodison Park empty handed against a spirited and determined Everton side, where tonight after falling behind they lacked the drive and urgency until too late in the game to be take something from the game.

It was perhaps no surprise that it was goalless at the half. After all, between the two sides they had conceded only ten goals (City four and Everton six) in the first forty-five minutes of games this season. City certainly looked the better side; David Silva and Samir Nasri instrumental in midfield, Nasri in particular continuing a recent spell of good form and the expectation was that after the break City would kick on and make the possession and territorial advantage count. It was Everton who took the lead though and falling behind certainly rattled City, who (not the first time when conceding) lost their composure for a spell, were at times ill-disciplined and lacked the assurance needed to get back into the game.

Of concern of late has been a distinct lack of cutting edge to City's play. In the main the build up and creativity is still there but the clinical nature in evidence during the early months of the season has dissipated since the turn of the year (a spell that has seen City suffer four defeats so far in 2012). This is particularly ill-timed given the current suspension of Mario Balotelli that leaves Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero as the only two strikers available to Roberto Mancini. Of late, Dzeko has been out of form and rarely posed a threat to the Everton defence whilst Aguero was too often on the fringes of play, sparking into life only intermittently and it may be that he is feeling the strainand pace of a Premier League season. Mancini had Adam Johnson to call upon from the bench as an attacking option but it was telling that his second and third substitutions were the introduction of Aleksandar Kolarov and Nigel de Jong. The loan transfer of David Pizarro has been confirmed which will help to a degree, but over the remainder of the season will City rue being handcuffed (in not being able to bring in a replacement whilst he is still at the club) by the ongoing Carlos Tevez saga?

News that Ivory Coast have progressed into the quarter-finals will not have been met with much joy by City fans given that it prolongs the absence of Yaya Toure even further. There are a number of key components in the City side but - and not to diminish the impact that the likes of Vincent Kompany or David Silva have on the side - but the side looks to have lost a step without Toure's presence. The drive and impetus that he provides allows those around him the scope (and less responsibility) to have an effect on the game. Whereas in all other areas Mancini has depth and quality to bring in it cannot be coincidental that a cooling off in form of late has occurred with his absence.

Oh for a game without any focus on the referee. After hardly being enamoured by some recent refereeing decisions, City will again feel they have just cause for grievance. On another Edin Dzeko may well have a won a free-kick in the build up to Everton's goal, whilst a week after Micah Richards conceded a penalty from a 'ball to hand' situation City were again left rueing a handball decision on Merseyside as Peter waved play-on when Kolarov's cross struck Phil Neville's arm. Perhaps most intriguing though was when Joleon Lescott had a free-kick awarded against him, when replays showed that it was he, not Tim Howard, who was guilty of a push in the penalty area.