Thursday 12 March 2009

City 2 - 0 Aalborg

  • Winning the first leg 2-0 is very good, but it's not brilliant. And it's not as far ahead as we should be after that performance. Our attacking movement was exceptional all night; had this been a league game it would be a very impressive 2-0 win, just like Aston Villa last week. But the nature of two-legged football is that home advantage must be exploited (as far as is consisten with not conceding an away goal), and tonight it just wasn't. This wasn't all our fault - there was a ludicrous denial of a penalty late in the first half. But for our chances, and our possession, we should really be three or four clear. And it may cost us next week.
  • That said, some our attacking play was exceptional. Robinho and Ireland were the best, but there were also good performances from Caicedo, Wright-Phillips, Elano and the full backs. This movement, passing and inter-change is a joy to behold sometimes, especially when teams come to Eastlands and choose to give us as much space as Aalborg did today. And at the back we were solid throughout : the Given - Dunne - Onuoha triangle looks better every week.
  • It's worth being realistic about the second leg: if we win, we go through. If we draw we go through. If we lose 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 or 4-3 we go through. If we lose 3-1 or 4-2 we go through. For us to go out we'd have to really collapse; and if we have Vincent Kompany back I can't really see that happening. But before then we've got Chelsea away, possibly without Kompany or de Jong. I'd take a 0-1 now.

4 comments:

jackblue said...

Don't worry! 2 - 0 is just fine. They will have to come out and attack us next week, and we will get enough spce to punish them. We will score another 2 in Aalborg ... just wait and see:-)

Gary said...

Very negative really, we should have scored a couple more but 2-0 should be job done, we have to go away from home and do a professional job. As for it maybe costing us, we were far superior to Aalborg tonight and the only way we are not going to get to the last 8 is by our own choice, if we play bad. Seems like you don't have a lot of confidence in our team, they are playing well, start looking at the positives not the possible negatives.

pjdemers said...

Onouha continues to impress. I don't think its a coincidence that his presence has helped Dunne rediscover his form though I'm sure having Given behind them doesn't hurt. The thing that has impressed me the most with Onouha has been his composure on the ball. He doesn't panic under pressure and always look to pass the ball out of the back.

while we should be going to Aalborg with a 3 or 4 goal cushion, we are creating a host of chances while simultaneously looking secure at the back. I never felt in the second half that we would concede a goal through a silly mistake. (Can't remember the last time I could say that).

Gotta back Gary on this one. One of the positives to take out this game is that we were still without first choice players Such as Bellamy,Boj, De Jong and Kompany. Caicedo bagged a goal and Etuhu is back from injury.

Lets let Chelsea worry about Chelsea. They absolutely need a result. I think City should go for the early goal and really put them on the back foot. The longer we go with a one-nil lead or nil-nil, the more nervous Chelsea will become. We should be able to exploit them on the break, especially with Ireland playing the way he is. I still think Robinho will have an axe to grind Sunday as well.

satis said...

To win the second leg, City simply need to score. 2-0 and 3-0 at home are such precious scores in two-legged games. They are close enough to give the opposition hope, pushing their play higher up the field and leaving room around and especially behind their defence. One goal on Thursday leaves Aalborg needing four.

I'm confident. We've scored against good sides who let us play - Arsenal, Chelsea, Villa, Liverpool - and I'm sure we will next week. Our problem away from home is beating tight and cautious sides but that choice isn't now open to Aalborg.