BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 18TH OCTOBER, 2014
(12.45PM)
MANCHESTER CITY 4 (2) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 (1)

Man City scorer:-
Aguero (4), 13, 20(pen), 68 (pen), 75

Spurs scorer:-
Eriksen, 15

Attendance:- 45,549

Referee:- Jonathan Moss
Assistants:- S Long & S Bennett
Fourth official:- M Oliver

Teams:-
Man City (4-2-3-1):- Hart; Sagna, Kompany (Capt.), Demichelis, Clichy; Fernando (sub Y. Toure, 76), Lampard (sub Fernandinho, 28); Navas, Silva (sub Jovetic, 70), Milner; Aguero

Subs not used:- Caballero; Kolarov, Boyata; Dzeko

Booked:- Navas (foul on Chadli)

Spurs (4-2-3-1):- Lloris; Dier, Kaboul (Capt.), Fazio, Rose; Capoue (sub Dembele, 60), Mason (sub Vertonghen, 70); Lamela (sub Townsend, 60), Eriksen, Chadli; Soldado

Subs not used:- Vorm; Stambouli; Adebayor, Kane

Booked:- Mason (foul on Navas), Dier (foul on Clichy)

Sent off:- Fazio (66) – preventing goal-scoring opportunity

Spurs pay the penalty again, and again, and again

Progress was made by Spurs on three counts today at The Etihad Stadium. Firstly, they kept a clean sheet for longer than the 14 seconds they lasted last year. Secondly, they reduced the losing margin by half. It was a six goal difference last year, and just three this time. Thirdly, they scored a goal. You could add other factors too, because we did manage a number of decent attacks; quickly equalised the first goal, and remained in the game right up until Roberto Soldado took a poor penalty, allowing Joe Hart to make a crucial save after 61 minutes. Had Spurs scored, and equalised, perhaps the game would have turned out differently, but there is no arguing that the best team won. City have now beaten us 15-2 on aggregate in the last three games, and we are just not in the same league as them.

Referee Jon Moss awarded four penalties in total today, two of which were saved, all of which were arguably soft. Firstly Frank Lampard went down dramatically just inside the box, after a nudge by Lamela. Secondly, Younes Kaboul was punished for a tackle inside the box on David Silva. This kick was well saved by Spurs man of the match, Hugo Lloris, who kept the score down by a good two or three goals. Thirdly, Roberto Soldado went down on the edge of the area under Demichelis’s challenge, and finally Federico Fazio, making his Premier League debut, was sent off by Mr. Moss, for allegedly preventing a goal-scoring opportunity, when the ball hadn’t even reached his “victim” – Aguero.

There are no sour grapes from me today. I’ve said the best team won, and this was achieved with Lampard starting; James Milner on the left wing (and playing well); Navas having a great game on the right, and two former gooners in the back four. Apart from Navas’s inclusion, I felt the other factors might improve our chances, with Yaya Toure on the bench, and other key players either not available, or rested. Spurs made three changes, with Dier in for the injured Naughton, Fazio starting in place of Vertonghen, presumably being rested after his international exertions, and Soldado making his first Premier league start of the season, apparently because Adebayor arrived back for training a day late from Africa.

City looked like scoring every time they moved forward. They moved forward with pace, and with their players finding space, and the players behind them accurately picking them out with their passes. When Spurs did get forward, City hunted in packs, with two or three men on our individuals, making Spurs have to move quickly, often with an element of panic, inducing a lack of precision. However, I repeat, we did manage several decent moves, and that included Soldado with his passing (and assist for the goal), and Christian Eriksen, who not only scored, but also brought another good save from Hart. For much of the time, this was a good game to watch, and I’ve no doubt most of the TV audience enjoyed their lunchtime viewing.

City are adding a tier to the South Stand, which will provide an addition 6,500 seats. Away fans were advised to arrive early, and those in the lower tier advised they would not be allowed to leave quickly. The Manchester Tram System has been extended to The Etihad now, but for this traveller, because the tram system takes preference over the humble motor car, I was trapped after the game, and took much longer than usual to escape Manchester. A new parking spot will be required next year!

I cheered the passing of 15 seconds after City kicked off, but it wasn’t long (only a minute) before Aguero was threatening goal, after an exchange with Lampard. Spurs managed to deflect and clear the attempt on Lloris’s goal. Navas and Sagna attacked Spurs’ left flank, and the bottom line is that City often got behind our full backs, either side of the pitch. Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen did make good progress to the City area down the right channel, but City cleared.

After 5 minutes, Lamela intercepted a midfield ball, and fed it to Ryan Mason, who picked out Chadli and ran forward to receive the ball back from the Belgian. Mason’s attempt on goal was almost outside the 18 yard line on Hart’s right. Mason had a great chance for Spurs after 7 minutes, after great work by Lamela and Soldado, giving Mason a chance to try and beat Hart to his left. Mason may have hesitated slightly, before picking his spot, and Hart saved with his foot. Soon after that Eriksen tested Hart with a rising shot from an angle on the right of the box, and won a corner.

Mr. Moss missed a handball by Silva in the build up to a move which very nearly cost Spurs. Silva was allowed to feed the ball to Aguero, who tried a one-two with Silva. Silva’s final pass to Aguero was just about cleared by the Spurs defence. Navas hit a hard low cross, which Lloris could only parry to Kaboul’s feet. The ball rebounded into Lloris’s hands, and the referee was on our side for once in the game, decreeing that there was no back pass.

However, soon after this, City did take the lead after a mistake by Lamela inside his own half. Lampard seized the opportunity to pass to Aguero on the left. The Argentinean teased Kaboul, turning left and right, before firing across Lloris into the net at the far post.

Quite amazingly, Spurs got a goal back within two minutes, with Fernando making a mistake under pressure from Ryan Mason, who certainly shows no fear in the face of such experienced footballers. Mason passed forward to Soldado, who passed to his right, where Eriksen fired home from less than 20 yards, seeing his shot go in off the underside of the bar.

The game became more and more incident-packed, with Lamela being punished after 18 minutes for the foul on Lampard, who certainly attracted the referee’s attention with a dramatic dive. Aguero scored convincingly, with Lloris diving to his left, and the ball hitting the net to his right. A flowing move by Fernando, Navas and finally Aguero ended with shot thankfully straight into Lloris’s arms.

Lampard had to be stretchered off after coming off the worse in a midfield challenge, and was replaced by Fernandinho. Chadli was fouled by Kompany and Eriksen’s free kick dipped just over the bar. Then came the second penalty for Kaboul’s foul on Silva. Lloris again dived to his left, but this time Aguero hit it down the middle, and hugo was able to save with his trailing leg. Ageuro hit the rebound over. Aguero again got the better of Kaboul in another one on one situation, but Lloris made another good save at the expense of a corner.

The referee now started to dish out yellow cards to Spurs players (Mason and Dier), whilst apparently having “words” with any City offenders at this stage. After 39 minutes, Soldado again fed the ball to Eriksen, who hit a snap shot, and drew a snap save from Hart, who was happy to parry the ball away. Spurs then had a succession of shots on goal, with Eriksen and Soldado having efforts blocked, before Mason got closer this time, but still wide.

Etienne Capoue was left on the floor in midfield, with no foul being given against him. City made another rapid break, and Navas hit a good shot, well saved again by our hero Hugo Lloris. In first half added time, Lloris made a comfortable save from Milner’s right foot shot, although the goalkeeper did have to dive to his left.

After a minute of the second half, Aguero was the recipient of a ball over the top, but Kaboul managed to clear the ball off his feet. Another chance fell for Aguero two minutes later, and whilst Lloris didn’t save comfortably, or convincingly, he did make the essential save. Nacer Chadli had a shot go one yard outside Hart’s right post after a Danny Rose cross had been cleared to the Spurs man’s feet. City countered quickly (as usual) and Lloris made another great save, this time from Navas. A minute later (58), Aguero had another chance from a tight angle on the right of the Spurs goal. His shot beat Lloris, but also passed wide of the far post.

Mauricio Pochettino made a double substitution on the hour, with Dembele replacing Capoue, and Townsend replacing Lamela. Almost immediately, Soldado won his penalty against Demichelis, but Hart made that save, and City kept the lead. Soldado’s shot lacked strength, allowing Hart to save to his right. Hart made a good save soon after, when another Rose cross was met by Soldado, whose reaction effort required Hart to dive to his right. A Townsend effort was more comfortable for the City keeper.

The game was out of Spurs’ hands after 66 minutes, when Fazio was penalised with a penalty and a red card. This time, Aguero was clinical, with a shot to Lloris’s right corner again. Lloris dived the wrong way – again. It took Spurs a little while to re-inforce their defence, but Mason was sacrificed so that Vertonghen could come on . Sadly, Vertonghen failed against City’s master-striker who turned the defender inside out, before scoring across Lloris again.

Three minutes before full-time, Milner hit a shot across goal, which beat Lloris, but bounced away off the outside of the far post. At the other end, Townsend shipped a ball for Soldado, whose shot was blocked, and he was offside anyway.

Spurs now have at least 8 winnable games in domestic and European football, before facing Everton at the end of November, and Chelsea in early December. Let’s hope we can win the games we’re supposed to win, rather than drop the points that could keep us out of the fight for Europe altogether., as we did at home to West Brom and away to Sunderland, who incidentally lost 8-0 (Yes, eight-nil) to Pochettino’s old team Southampton, who seem to be doing rather well without him. I’m still thinking about that one.

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