While a Patrick Vieira goal was enough to rescue a point for Manchester City against Blackburn a draw won’t be good enough to satisfy City’s ever demanding owners and fans. But expect more results of a similar nature as sides adjust to City’s new statute.
City’s vast spending over the last few years has now taken them in to a different bracket of Premier League class. Sam Allardyce and his side would have been more than happy with a point before the start of the game, and I hazard a guess that a point would have still been widely accepted even after Rovers took a 25th minute lead through Niko Kalinic.
Unfortunately this is what comes with been considered as a ‘top’ side in the Premier League. Unless they are playing another ‘top’ side, most visitors to Eastlands will opt to sit back and soak up City pressure, looking to counter with devastating consequences.
The likes of Chelsea and Manchester United have to deal with this in every single one of their home games, but what makes them so successful is their ability to break teams down and get the valuable goals that leads to subsequent comfortable wins.
You can’t help but think this ability to battle your way to wins only comes with experience. While City have got a select few that have won titles around Europe, they haven’t got a vast amount of winning experience.
I think eventually this experience will come, but this season I think it will be the main reason why City don’t achieve Premier League success this season. I think against the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, City will be fine. But against the Premier Leagues lesser clubs I can City dropping crucial points that hold back their charge for their maiden Premier League title.
I’d be interested in to hearing your thoughts. Was the draw to Blackburn just a minor blip? Can City be successful this season and if so What would be a successful season for City
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DaLimey
September 12, 2010 at 1:21 am
My take on that comment is that Man U and Chelsea will play their own usual style against Man City, unlike a relegation candidate who might put in a 9-1 formation and play for a 0-0, or even better nick a goal from a corner hugely against the run of play. City’s best performance came against Liverpool, who reshuffled their formation because of Masch being a jerk, and played a flat 4-4-2 and made City look like world beaters.
Being able to put a stubborn defensive aggresive side like Blackburn to the sword is a surer sign of being EPL winner material, than being able to get one over on one of the big dogs who are looking for a win themselves.
Sir Guy
September 11, 2010 at 9:29 pm
“I think against the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, City will be fine. But against the Premier Leagues lesser clubs I can City dropping crucial points that hold back their charge for their maiden Premier League title.”
Say what?? They’ll be able to handle Chelsea and Man Utd, but have trouble with, say, West Brom and Wigan?
Duke
September 11, 2010 at 11:49 pm
Yes, this point desperately needs clarification.
Smokey Bacon
September 11, 2010 at 9:15 pm
City are missing Craig Bellamy. That and Mancini is a useless manager.
The Gaffer
September 11, 2010 at 10:48 pm
True, they’re missing Bellamy. And if not Bellamy, a Bellamy-like character who can instantly get under the skin of the other team and create something out of nothing.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Huh
September 11, 2010 at 5:17 pm
City played well in this game and could have won by 3 or 4, they had 65% of the possession, 25 chances at goal 14 of which were on target. So if they continue like this they will win most games at home with no problems. The game was all one way traffic with the exception of two breakaway chances (which believe it or not teams do get at UTD and Chelsea!) and an absolute nightmare of a mistake by Hart (nothing to do with Toure it was Hart‘s cock up). I can’t even say City should be taking these chances as the only thing that keep them out was mostly luck as well as some great blocks and saves. Don’t get me wrong I am not taking anything away from Blackburn whose doggid and sometimes frantic defending gave them a point. City simply did not score but did everything else but, end of. This was Just one of those days that both Chelsea, UTD and every other team will have more than once this season. All in all a very good point for Blackburn away well done.
James Something that does grate though is this:
‘The likes of Chelsea and Manchester United have to deal with this in every single one of their home games, but what makes them so successful is their ability to break teams down and get the valuable goals that leads to subsequent comfortable wins.’
I’ll tell you now that at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge that Adam Johnson would have been given a penalty 10 out of 10 times for the incident in the second half of the game, if he played for either if those teams your right it would have been a 2-1 win to them!!! That bit extra they get from Referees also helps to make them that bit more ‘successful’ in these types of games. Unfortunately for the City fans this is not the case for them but sadly as time go’s on it probably will be as Player‘s and Manager‘s reputations grow. By the way both UTD and Chelsea will draw and lose at home this year same as last.
taylor
September 11, 2010 at 4:52 pm
I think anything less than 4th place will be extremely disappointing for Man city, considering their talent and place in the table last season.
Andy Arry
September 11, 2010 at 3:40 pm
The cure to this malaise is very simple – stop playing such slow, tedious, cautious, and unimaginative football in the first half of every game.
If they came out to every match all guns blazing at high tempo and maintained that pace throughout the match (easy with 3 quality subs to bring on), then we will cream virtually every opponent.
Oh and one other thing, use RSC instead of Jo – we might have seen a different scoreline then. I don’t know what Bobby Manc has against the lad, particularly as he has such a good attitude for one so “shunned”, but he needs to get over it and give the boy a chance to prove himself.
Listen up Bobby, you are on borrowed time mate!
The Gaffer
September 11, 2010 at 4:08 pm
When you look at their season so far, City was fortunate to get a draw at Spurs, they fully deserved their win at home against Liverpool, and then lost 1-0 versus Sunderland at the Stadium Of Light. And now a 1-1 draw at home against Blackburn. Before the season started you would have expected them to beat Spurs, Sunderland and Blackburn. But the team has a long way to go before they punching at their own weight.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Iain
September 11, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Fair blog, even from my view as a Rover. Yes, offered a point at 3pm I would have gone home happy. And yes even taking the lead you worry you have poked a sleeping dragon who will spit fire and come after you. Not sure you can blame injuries with the squad that you have if i’m honest though. Those not in your 25 would make a prem 11. Think Johnson was a bit naughty today. Had he stayed on his feet he probably would have brought a further panicked challenge in the box. However going down like he did made the ref’s mind up. Good luck for the rest of the season. Top 4 you should be when you get rolling but even now I cant see anyone catching Chelsea
Soccercrave
September 11, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Didn’t see the game, but city is in the co nstruction phase right now. This is a big transition period for them and they will end up becoming a big team but it will take time. They just got a brand new squad with players who don’t know each other, and don’t know the coach either . I think this more than the lack of experience will be their real problem. Same thing happened to Chelsea, same thing is happening to Madrid and Juve.
Juan
September 11, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Chelsea was able to get results after one season and they didnt so much rebuild rather than get a push to the top. Chelsea were in the top 4 when roman bought them City on the other hand were at best the worst of the mid table teams and after two seasons of huge spending they think theyre in the top
duncan edwards head
September 12, 2010 at 12:55 pm
no get it right u lot think have got the chip on your shoulder about how good we “should be” city fans are enjoying the ride
John
September 11, 2010 at 2:50 pm
City’s problem right now is injuries. 2 defenders signed and less than a game between them. 2 of top 3 strikers out, one of whom has yet to play a Premiership game for the team.
Let’s see what the best eleven look like before writing them off.
The other problem today was a hideous gaffe between a goalie and a defender…
Robert
September 11, 2010 at 8:12 pm
City finished 5th last season without the help of Balotelli, but we can’t adequately assess their performance thus far this season without him in the squad? Methinks thou dost protest too much.
Rich
September 11, 2010 at 11:57 pm
That’s just it. You have no idea how good or bad your group of individuals really is. Before those players gel into a good team with all those new faces they’ll already be out of the running… Balotelli will be good but won’t be the sole bringer of silverware. I think 4th, is in reach, but only because Spurs won’t be able to juggle Champions League and Premier League demands adequately.
My left testicle on Man City not winning a thing this year.
Verdict: Write off.
Huh
September 12, 2010 at 6:23 am
Bold words at this stage of the season Rich, your point on new players gelling is a mute one for a start as only two have been used! (Yaya & Milner the others are injured or not fully fit) Not too many other teams looking that good either, taking nothing away from Chelsea they haven’t exactly had the toughest start have they?
We will get a better idea of what’s what in another 6-7games. I’m quite happy with City’s play up to now this season they have looked better than last year in the most, they clung on a little at Spurs but against Sunderland and Blackburn they were the dominant team. If they keep playing like they have been they do ok, Mancini does need to be a bit more attack minded though. Anyway Rich I hope your going to be walking with a limp in may!! lol
P A U L
September 11, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Fair point but who’s editing these articles? I know the medium of blogging calls for the quick turnaround of ideas into producible content, but there should still be a certain degree of professionalism here.
Mike Fahey
September 11, 2010 at 9:04 pm
I went to the comments section to say that this article raised an interesting point. I was surprised to see Paul’s criticism, given that it was a short piece, obviously posted not long after the match ended, which merely sought to provide a little food for thought.