Given Faultless for both goals. Distribution mixed. 6
Richards A few decent forays forward although he was let down by his touch and decision-making at times. Forced a save from Howard early on when the ball hit his back. Allowed too much space for Steven Pienaar and Leighton Baines at the back. 6
Touré I need to see it again (though I won't because I don't want to), but I think he was at fault for the first goal. That aside had a decent game, threw himself into most challenges and made quite a few breaks forward. 6
Kompany Good enough for the most part, even if he gave away a few sloppy free-kicks. Schooled by Jack Rodwell for Everton's second. 5
Zabaleta Played left back and right back yet again. Had a good go at left-back in the first half, even firing in a few decent left-footed crosses. No defensive horrors either. 6
De Jong A very good first half as he helped us dictate the tempo. But retreated in the second half, never really imposing himself (ie intimidating through foul play) on Arteta and Pienaar. 5
Ireland Started in his preferred role, and had a few nice touches without ever quite geting into gear. But took a knock from Heitinga and went off for SWP before half time. A real shame. 6
Barry Possibly unlikely to concede the free-kick from which Cahill scored. Before that he was excellent, moving the ball around quickly and purposefully. We needed a big second half from him, though, and we just didn't get it. 5
A. Johnson Cutting in fromt the right at first, he was mildly threatening when he got inside Leighton Baines. Moved to the left when Ireland came off but he struggled to have any real impact and came off for Santa Cruz early in the second half. 5
Tévez By far our best player on the night. His hard work was the only way we were likely to dig out a goalscoring opportunity, and he very nearly made two or three through force of will alone. But Jagielka was his equal, and none of his half-chances came to completion. Hold up play remarkable as ever, given his height. 7
Bellamy Is Bellamy's game just more suited to playing on the break away from home? I don't know - we aren't swamped with alternatives. But he just doesn't have the space in this sort of match. A half chance here and there, some average crosses, and that was it. 6
Subs:
SWP Got more than a half out on the right wing. He was willing to try things but his touch was poor and delivery much worse. Admittedly he was crossing to two short strikers most of the time, but nothing was coming off. Fired over probably our best chance of the second half. 5
Vieira Little of note. n/a
1 comment:
While hindsight is always 20/20 I was diaapointed to see Adam Johnson substituted in the 57thminute and I think Mancini tied his own hands by not waiting til halftime to substitue the injured Steven Ireland.
The one thing that has worried me all season long is that we do not have a creative midfielder playing centrally who can unlock a packed defence. While Bellamy and SWP are never lacking commitment or speed neither represent the threat that Johnson does, in particular his ability to run at defenders in the box. Something that was sorely needed in the second half to unlock Everton's well-disciplined defence.
If Mancini felt Ireland's injury was too much of a liability to the team to risk leaving him on the pitch for the remaining 5 minutes of the first half then I think City would've been better suited to bring on RSC earlier, leaving SWP as an option to bring on later in the 2nd half to run at tiring defenders. With Johnson off I was left wondering where that something special was going to come from other than Tevez.
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