It's always pleasing to see writers as good as Martin Samuel expressing thoughts that you already held. Because this is something that troubles me more and more. If you think that the Lescott-Touré partnership is overpriced, underperforming and generally dysfunctional, then what can you possibly make of the Tévez-Adebayor partnership? Of the seven draws the two most frustrating have been Burnley and Hull City. And while defensive errors were responsible for the equalisers we conceded both times, that does not make the defenders the sole blame-bearers.This profligacy — and Tevez is not alone — is now having a serious impact on Manchester City’s season. Failing to win a league game in two months cannot be airily dismissed, even if all matches in that time have been drawn.
City have taken seven points from the last 21. The purchase of a £32m striker — indeed of a strike force costing substantially more than £100m by the time Robinho, Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy and Roque Santa Cruz are included — is supposed to insure against such streaks.
City believed they were buying efficiency, forwards capable of deciding matches against inferior opposition, the way Fernando Torres does for Liverpool or Didier Drogba for Chelsea.
This recent run has largely pitted City against mediocrity, but Tevez is the greatest disappointment. He has failed to score in 90 minutes against Fulham, Birmingham City and Hull, 83 minutes against Wigan Athletic and 73 minutes against Burnley.
Given our possession and chances we should never have been 1-0 up against Hull after 82 minutes, just as we should never have been 3-2 up against Burnley on 88 minutes. In both matches we ought to have been far off in the distance, disappearing over the horizon. I do not want to excuse the mistakes of the defence, but our taking all three points should not have been at the mercy of such occurences. And the guilty parties are clearly our two big money centre forwards. It is immensely disheartening how far we have regressed in this field this season. Last year at home we beat Hull City 5-1, Stoke City 3-0, Portsmouth 6-0, Blackburn 3-1 and West Brom 4-2. We were abject on the road but at least we could be confident of giving bad teams a good beating when they came to Eastlands. But this year we can't even do that! Felipe Caicedo was never going to be Marco van Basten but at least he could score tap-ins in easy games. Tévez missed two dream chances against Burnley when the score was 3-2.
The sooner Roque Santa Cruz gets fit the better. At least then there will be some pressure on the current incumbents.
8 comments:
You make a good point with regards to Ade and Tevez, but I have to disagree about RSC. I think he's over priced, and he is selling himself on the one good season he had. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a massive detractor or pessimist, and I think players should be given the chance to prove themselves when they pull on the sky blue shirt, (as I believed with Bellamy from the start), no matter what their history is. But with RSC I feel he's been made into a better player in some peoples minds that he actually is. I hope I'm proved wrong of course - having RSC banging in the goals as he did for Blackburn that one season would be brilliant, but I don't think that will happen. It is a shame Tevez hasn't clicked yet, but I have noticed that he isn't playing with a smile on his face the way he did at West Ham, and for a time at United. I wonder why? And is this why he's not performing yet?
Surprised by Tevez because at every other club he played his heart out every game. Has he took his starting role for granted so feels he has nothing to prove?
RSC I privately refer to as Crocky Santa Bruise. I can't see him being any better than Ade but hope to be proved wrong when Ade goes to play in the African Nations.
In general the side look hesitant and expecting to concede. We need someone like a Keano or Terry to whip the lads into shape. Hughes can only do so much from the sidelines.
I'm surprised you are using opinions from that Smug Fat Faced Childish Chump Martin Samuel as a basis for your article, if you watch Sky Sports Sunday Supplement show every Sunday morning like I do, I think you'd come to loathe him and his views too.
We all know football is a team game, with various subtle interactions all over the pitch dictating results, sometimes these variations can change from game to game, as do the personnel.
To blame one or two players for a run of seven draws, is fantastically wide of the mark, and worthy only of people with papers to sell and column inches to fill.
You have the opportunity to go into real depth as to why draws are not wins yet, or conversely, why losses have become draws, in relation to last season.
My own personal opinion lies in the belief that we do not link up well from back to front, possibly because of personnel, possibly because of confidence and understandings, probably a combination of both.
To be specific - Shay Given does not distribute the ball regularly to the defence/ linking midfielders, he belts it up the pitch more often than not.
The defence more often than not give it back to Shay rather than to a midfielder, or belt it up the pitch aimlessly/ hopefully.
Nigel De Jong, for all his efforts in tackling, is not a visionary distributor of a ball - he goes sideways at best - I think Barry is a far better passer of a ball and is being hampered by De Jong getting in his way - the two should not be on the pitch at the same time, and I think Barry makes as many decisive tackles as De Jong, just he doesn't make such a meal of them.
Steven Ireland seems lost at the moment, I admit I don't know what to do with him, or how to play him.
Finally, the attackers all seem jaded with the service they've been getting, and the support that doesn't arrive in time - how can it with the long ball game and defensive minded midfielders, not to mention the attacking fullbacks who get crucified everytime they try and get up the pitch.
I'd like to see a world class midfielder or two in January if possible, like Yaya Toure, or get Eyal Berkowicz out of retirement, and a big fat fine for anyone kicking the ball into the Sky out of defence unnecessarily! (ok that's a bit harsh but you get my drift!).
There's nothing wrong with the attacking players at City, as has been the case for some time, it's all about the service.
I'm from the school of thought that if we get ourselves right, we don't need to chop and change every game to adapt to the opposition, let them worry about us, this brings confidence and certainty to a team, all the top clubs end up like this. To do this though you need the best players, and a set style of play, which we aren't quite there with yet.
To end on a positive note, a couple of key signings in January, and a settled style and team will bring more victories, which will breed confidence, expect a late surge towards the end of the season.
Some good points there Jim. For all the faults of the Sven regime, his emphasis on passing and his banning of Joe Hart from kicking made us play clever, quick football. It was his slack attitude to discipline and fitness that wrecked the plan.
We do need one player in particular, and that's a creative midfielder who can do exactly what you said: link the back and front, keep the ball on the floor and Benarbia it up on a plate for the forwards. Who that is, I don't know but there are one or two very strong candidates. It could still be Ireland but there's so much to be done before that works.
And Martin Samuel is, you are quite right, a lazy hack who reaches for the most obvious opinions with the same frequency with which he reaches for pastries.
Jim & Trinder
Good points from both of you, but you're both missing the crucial one. Stevie Ireland is being played 25 yards too deep. It's nothing to do with his fitness or ability, but if you play him that far back, you may just as well play Kompany for all the good that Ireland can do. The last game he was told to push up was Scunthorpe, and I know that wasn't top class opposition (although they'd had some really good results in the Championship). But SI destroyed them - and right enough he was subbed, but he was replaced by Michael Johnson, who also pushed up - and he destroyed them too. I'm not going to get into the Lions and Donkeys debate, but you've seen what Ireland can do when he's unleashed.
What I'm saying is "Don't blame Ireland"
some excellent comments here, particularly from Trinder, Jim and Wigan Blue. Its nice to see people being level-headed and clam as that is what is needed right now.
Like most people I'm very frustrated as the team is performing below acceptable standards and the team knows it. Personally I think most of the problems are mental as several players (Tevez in particular)seem to be struggling for form and confidence, but there is plenty of time to turn it around but there is no need to put a clock on it as this will only prolong the problem.
As far as I'm concerned the "Hughes out" crowd are a huge part of the problem as they seem to subscribe to the magic bullet theory that a change of manager will solve all our problems. The fact of the matter is that Mourinho will never come to City no matter how much we offer him and Hiddink's ties to Abramovich make the idea of him coming to City fanciful to say the least.
Tactics and formations can be worked out and the style play that best suits the squad can be solved but right now this team needs to get its confidence back. Now more than ever we need to get behind the team regardless of well or poorly they play and regardless of what we think of Hughes as a manager. I'm glad to see that some of my fellow City fans understand this.
"clam" should read "calm".
Good points all. I don't like MS either, but I have to agree with him on this one. I agree to some degree the midfield is a problem - Wigan Blue - Ireland has been playing too deep as you say. There were flashes of improvement against Liverpool, you could see he was going to have a positive effect. Maybe the answer is Barry for DeJong - trade off a bit of defense for better passing? But having said that - I still think the strike force has had ample opportunity to close out games, but apart from Belamy and Ade before the suspension, they haven't had the final answer, or the will, to kill the game off. Time to give RSC a chance - and I don't mean just one start - he needs several. Or now that Robbi's back, bring Belamy into the centre. He hasn't got height -but he's buried a few from there already this season! All is not lost - we're still in touching distance a top 4 place. Give Hughes a break! I can't believe what people expect in such a short time. It just can't change overnight - no matter how much money is available!
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