The last month has proved beyond question that money has not changed Manchester City; they remain the same fallible, thrilling and frustrating side they always were. Francis Lee or Georgi Kinkladze would have recognised that performance, although they would have admired the way Manchester City, reduced to 10 men, fought their way back into the contest, with Carlos Tevez scoring twice from the edge of the area.Andrew Longmore, The Sunday Times
Indolent one moment, quick and incisive the next, City are the Premier League’s Rubik Cube, insoluble, maddening, time-consuming.Joe Bernstein, Mail on Sunday
In fact, Bolton could have taken all three points, which would have hurled the pressure back on to Hughes after the respite of last weekend’s victory over Chelsea.
Three times the home side led and made the visitors look ordinary. It was City’s courage rather than class that earned them a point, which is not good enough against opposition, like Bolton, struggling in the bottom three.
Tim Rich, The Observer
Sheikh Mansour has spent £250m on Manchester City, so they could belong in rarefied company and when you add in the 4-2 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League and the startlingly good display in the Manchester derby to last weekend's win over Chelsea, this Hughes has achieved. However, the oil money was handed over on the assumption that points would not be dropped to Hull, Burnley, Fulham and now Bolton, who between them have scored nine times against two central defenders who cost £40m. In attack, Hughes lost Shaun Wright-Phillips, who had dazzled in the 2-1 victory over Chelsea, with an ankle injury and, to his lasting fury, saw Bellamy dismissed.Graham Chase, Sunday Telegraph
There was plenty to fault in this performance, particularly their slow start and doubts about the defending of £40 million centre-back partnership Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott.
But City provided answers to lingering questions about their character with the good just about cancelling out the bad, though most clubs with Champions League pretensions will hope to leave the Reebok Stadium with three points and they have drawn eight games in that 13-match run without a defeat.
1 comment:
I have to say I'm getting fed up with the media's assertion that City should be beating all-comers.
We have no divine right (as opposed to the beliefs of those twats from Trafford Park)to win football matches. Teams aren't going to roll over just because Hughes has spent £200-odd million. City don't have former players as managers that will roll over for the old boss.
Too many reports these past few weeks hint that City are performing below expectation. They aren't. This team is still a work in progress, still getting to know each other and still to gel as a unit.
On Saturday they showed tremendous character in coming from behind three times to nick point against Bolton, where City havent scored in the past 5 seasons. In comparison to last season, this is a point gained.
FWIW, I'll take a point from Spurs on Wednesday.
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