Wednesday 17 February 2010

Stoke reax

Paul Wilson, The Guardian

Even with Abdoulaye Faye, dismissed with more than half an hour left, Stoke were deservedly winning until five ­minutes from the end when Barry showed determination to hook in a second effort after his first shot had been touched on to a post. Liverpool themselves will be putting City back in their place at Eastlands on Sunday unless Mancini can effect a dramatic improvement.

Sandy Macaskill, Daily Telegraph

Aggression, intensity, authority — call it what you want — City lack it. After losing to Everton, Hull, and now drawing at the Britannia, we are left with one immutable fact, one which brings to mind Lance-Corporal Jones of Dad’s Army: Manchester City don’t like it up 'em.

True, Roberto Mancini’s side have moved into fourth place, ahead of Liverpool, but this was not a performance that suggested they will stay there long. Mancini had ordered full attack mode, but he was rewarded with a sluggish start and a lapse in concentration just when things finally started going their way, Glenn Whelan’s shot from outside the area burying itself in the bottom corner after 71 minutes.

Tom Dart, The Times

The point pushed the visiting team above Liverpool into fourth place, and they still have a game in hand on Rafael Benítez’s side, whom they host on Sunday, but it was impossible to feel optimistic about City’s Champions League prospects after this display. It was a night to reinforce prejudices: Stoke the bustling bullies, City the flaky travellers.

Phil Shaw, The Independent

A surfeit of draws cost Mark Hughes his job as manager of Manchester City, but Roberto Mancini should have been grateful for the one he scraped against Stoke last night because his team would have been deservedly beaten by 10 men but for a contentious refereeing decision deep in stoppage time.

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