International Weekend
We’ll be tracking all of City’s players in this weekend’s qualifiers and friendlies and will have a full report Sunday.
AaB 2-0 City: Blues Advance on PKs After Disgraceful Effort
AaB came into Thursday’s second leg with spring in their steps and quality and determination not shown in the match last week at Eastlands. Energi Nord Arena was a superb venue for the match and the atmosphere had the feel of an FA Cup tie at a lower league side’s home venue.
Robinho’s below par form continued and the play of Shaun Wright Phillps and later Elano bordered on embarrassing. Stephen Ireland as he has been so often this season was City’s only real attacking threat, but his quality could not help spur forward an otherwise lackluster affect. City only had to protect a 2-0 scoreline but failed to do so.
AaB made two critical second half substitutions which changed the game. Siyabonga Nomvethe came on just after halftime and helped open up City defense, and Marcus Tracey a player I covered while he was competing at the college level the United States came on in the 77th minute and further stretched City’s defense.
Strangely, with Robinho so ineffective and Wright Phillps evidently taking the day off Mark Hughes did not swap an attacker for a defender to close out the match when the opposition brought on two attacking players. Thus AaB created four goal scoring opportunities after minute 80, resulting in one clean goal and one spot kick goal, and the tie was drawn level on aggregate.
Extra Time was a one sided affair with the Danish side dominating play but failing to get a winning goal. Shay Given, one of the best keepers in the world then made two PK saves in the shootout to carry City to the quarterfinals.
Despite the “victory” it is difficult to be encouraged by City’s prospects against any remaining UEFA Cup participant after such a poor display of football against an over matched side. Mark Hughes had his tactics all wrong late today and that is sure to add fuel to the “sack Hughes” movement that seems to be gaining steam with time.
A Chance for European Glory Driving City
Mark Hughes rocky tenure as City manager got rockier this week with published reports he’s considering dropping Robinho. But with the potential for European glory in the UEFA Cup and City’s first winning cup run since 1976 all possible in the coming months, supporters seem to be backing Hughes.
The concerns about Hughes expressed so frequently by City’s frustrated fans have become less prominent in the last several weeks. While City’s road form continues to be a source of embarrassment for the club, the focus seems to have shifted squarely from the failing of the current Premiership campaign to the UEFA Cup.
European football next season for City may only be attainable by winning the UEFA Cup. While the Blues remain theoretically within striking distance of the 7th and final European spot in the Premier League table, it’s difficult to fathom the clubs road form recovering quickly enough to seriously challenge for that spot.
So tonight the UEFA Cup resumes for City with a 2nd leg tie in Denmark. Sporting a two goal aggregate lead, the club has an opportunity to book its place in the quarterfinals and advance two rounds further than any other English club in the competition. If that isn’t motivation enough to back Hughes, I am not sure what else is.
Chelsea 1-0 Man City: Unlucky 13
City’s thirteenth consecutive match away from home without a victory was a dire affair. As has become almost commonplace when away from Eastlands, city struggled to create chances. Felipe Caicedo perhaps could have done better with a half chance he generated early in the match on a counter attack, but from that point forward, Chelsea had nothing but clear sailing.
The lone goal of the match was scored by the resurgent Michael Essien who has turned in two scintillating performances for Chelsea this week. Pablo Zabeletta, in the starting XI in place of the injured Vincent Kompany lost his mark and allowing Essien an easy chance.
Shay Given was as usual solid between the pipes although he had a rare miscue fumbling an easy corner in the second half. Richard Dunne kept the backline organized, and Wayne Bridge had perhaps his best match in a City shirt, against his former club.
But the City attack was woeful. Elano provided little if any quality, while Shaun Wright Phillips brilliant recent run abruptly ended in the ground where he spent several unhappy seasons in between his two much happier City stints.
City’s performance was flattered by the final scoreline. Chelsea clearly deserved more than the lone Essien goal, but was wasteful going forward and City’s defense held up against almost unrelenting pressure.
Now back to the European campaign and the one hope of silverware this season.
Man City 2-0 AaB: SWP Continues Strong Run
A fine European performance from City ensured that the club would have continue its quest to bring European glory to the blue half of Manchester this year. Shaun Wright Phillips strong play of the last few weeks continued with a masterful personal performance that led City to a decisive victory over a quality opponent at Eastlands.
Most importantly perhaps was City’s failure to concede an away goal, making the Danish side decided underdogs for next week’s return leg.
The fighting spirit of the side was best exemplified by Elano and Robinho two attack minded Brazilians who rarely track back defensively. In the second half with City defending a 2-0 lead and trying to prevent an away goal, both midfielders played excellent defense: very rare indeed but a sign that the squad has embraced the UEFA Cup competition as a real chance for glory this season.
City was perhaps wasteful in much of the second stanza but goes to next week’s away leg knowing a single goal will probably sink the Danish side. AaB is quality opponent who of course took points from Manchester United in Champions League group play this season, so the Blues will need to be on form next week.
UEFA Cup Open Thread
I’m traveling today on business and will be unable to blog during today’s UEFA Cup match at COMS. Feel free to leave any comments in the open thread here and I’ll be back Friday will a full match recap.
Darius Vassell: The Survivor
Amazingly, through three owners, three managers countless attacking transfers and almost daily transfer speculation, former England international Darius Vassell has maintained a place in the Manchester City squad: albeit generally on the bench.
What particularly about Vassell has kept him from either being sold or has kept City’s managers from selling him? Let’s recall Stuart Pearce tried to acquire Leroy Lita and several other English based strikers before landing Emile Mpenza in an effort to replace Vassell during the 2006-07 season. Then Sven Goran Eriksson acquired a number of strikers including Benjani but yet Vassell continued in the squad.
This season under Mark Hughes, Vassell has kept a place on the bench even despite the emergence of several promising young attacking players.
I’m curious: how do our readers explain the longevity at the club of a footballer of Vassell’s obvious limitations and somone who has been rendered almost irrelevant for so long?
Man City 2-0 Aston Villa: SWP Brilliant
Man City favorite Shaun Wright Phillips had an absoltely brilliant match today when the side most needed it in a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.
More to follow later.
Whose Next?
Filed under: Benjani, Ched Evans, Craig Bellamy, Daniel Sturridge, Darius Vassell, Elano, Felipe Caicedo, Jo, Mark Hughes, Robinho
The injuries to Benjani and Bojinov now doubled with Bellamy and Robinho both set to miss significant time begs the question as to whose next among City’s attacking players to go down. City is left with thin options up front. Darrius Vassell could always be thrown into the mix as conceivably could Elano, but among pure strikers you are left with a 19 year old Daniel Sturridge and two 20 year olds Ched Evans, and Felipe Caiecedo.
Mark Hughes decision to let Jo leave on loan to Everton looked like solid business two months ago but now has to be questioned. Nonetheless, City should have Robinho back sooner than Bellamy.
Wednesday’s match against Aston Villa, a side whose away form has been outstanding presents a challenge for the youngsters. Will they be able to step up?
West Ham 1-0 Manchester City: Away Misery Continues
City’s continued road struggles we evident once again in the first half when West Ham controlled possession and had the bulk of chances. Robinho had a few opportunities early, but what was very distressing was the amount of bad giveaways committed by normally reliable Nigel DeJong and Pablo Zabelleta. Micah Richards suffered a knock and had to come off early.
Collison’s goal was the direct result of two center backs mispositioned themselves and Wayne Bridge not closing down the attacker after a deflection. The match commentator believed Shay Given should have done better and perhaps that is true. But it’s tough to make one great save after another when your defenders are constantly in the wrong places. Richards being off the pitch made no difference in this case: his positioning has consistently been poor away from Eastlands all season.
Felipe Caicedo quickly could have evened the scoreline but missed an opportunity from a relatively tight angle.
But back to Dunne and Richards. The efforts of these two, along with the departed Sylvain Distin probably prevented City from being relegated two years ago and last season, Dunne was again City’s top footballer, with Richards a close second.
But this season both have been adrift. Dunne seems to be regressing while Richards is simply disinterested, and probably should be sold this summer while his potential transfer fee is still high. Playing Nedum Onuoha outside is not a great option either, but when pushed inside today he didn’t defend well either. City had a late opportunity to even the scoreline after a silly clumsy challenge by Scott Parker on Robinho resulted in a City free kick just outside the area. Elano’s outstanding goal bound free kick was deflected by a West Ham defender for a corner.
Of greater concern Micah Richards, Craig Bellamy and Robinho were all injured. One little piece of consultation is that Elano looked sharper than he has appeared in a while after replacing Bellamy early in the second half. Robinho gave more today than he has in sometime away from home, but his injury on a reckless challenge by Parker which should have warrented a second yellow for the West Ham midfielder looked potentially grave, and the Brazilian did not return to the pitch afterwards.
The only truly positive storyline of the match this afternoon was the return after a lengthy injury spell of Valeri Bojinov. But otherwise, it was another dreadul away performance for a club whose players seem largely uninterested once they fall behind.
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