Manchester City versus Wolverhampton Wanderers, Etihad Stadium.
Barclays Premier League, 29th October 2011 15:00pm.
Déjà Vu.
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Last time out:
Wolves were slow out of the gates last weekend where they went two nil down to Swansea City, the Swans second was greeted by a chorus of boos and chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’. Mick McCarthy’s plan A may well have stunk up the joint but he wasn’t about to throw in the towel, some say football is a game of two halves; this tie was a perfect example. After 68 minutes Mick made a double change removing Jarvis and Hammill to be replaced by Milijas and Guedioura. Fresh ideas helped but it was Kevin Doyle that helped stir it up for the home side scoring on 84 minutes then setting up O’Hara to score with 86 minutes gone. Doyle even had the chance to claim all three points but his tame header was swallowed up by Vorm in the Swansea goal. Wolves will be glad to have halted a five game losing streak but a home game against newly promoted Swansea will feel like two points dropped rather than one gained.
During midweek McCarthy played a mixed side with some first team players starting who were all replaced by first team players. It was clear Mick had put out a side not to run up a cricket score, unlike Taggart. Although the Wolves team will be strengthened they’re unlikely to come away from the Etihad with anything but a basket full of cards.
Back from the dead, Jamie O’Hara (left), completes the comeback against Swansea City.
If you’ve been in a coma, still recovering from the hangover or been stranded on a desert island with no internet access you’re going to need to sit down for this. Last weekend saw Manchester City travel to the borough of Trafford to annihilate THEM 6-1, taking their lead to five points at the top of the table and re-writing the record books!
o81 years since THEY let in six at home in the league.
o56 years since THEY lost at home by five in the league.
o50 years since THEY conceded six at the Swamp.
o48 years since THEY lost 6-1 to anyone, anywhere.
o15 years since any team scored six against THEM.
o12 years since THEY lost by five in any competition.
Going to the Theatre of Nightmares is never easy, or pleasant, but for the first time in my lifetime the sides on paper were tipped in our favour going into this game. Although the media were surprised City were simply the better side all over the pitch with the travelling fans witnessing the same supreme football we have been watching since the beginning of the campaign. Once and for all we proved that Johnny Evans is a mickey mouse CB and needs to do some serious work on the training ground to compete with the best clubs in Europe. The one comparison I can make to the Manyoo side beaten in last year’s FA Cup semi-final is that yet again this was a rag side who let their heads drop deciding the game was over before the whistle. How many times in the ‘90s would this have happened? One game doesn’t win the league, one defeat doesn’t end a season but you can paste over the cracks all you want Taggart but this side isn’t the red cockney juggernaut it once was!
Gifted and eccentric but always making headlines for the right reasons this season, on the pitch anyway.
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Money well spent:
As I know he’s bound to be mentioned on the day I thought I’d bring up a former Wolves player and City villain. Steve Daley broke the bank and the British transfer record in 1979 to make the move from Molineux to Maine Road, costing Big Mal and Swales £1,437,500 to acquire his services. Although a hard working player who showed glimpses of flair at Molineux he massively underachieved in his move to Maine Road. Making only 48 appearances for the Blues and scoring 3 goals before putting the Atlantic between himself and City by moving to the Seattle Sounders in 1981 for only £300,000. Whether the hype surrounding the transfer or the massive fee weighed him down only Steve can truly say but he never delivered what he was brought in to do. Daley’s impact on City’s history is still felt keenly as the financial loss contributed to the decline in on field success from which only know the club is beginning to emerge under the guidance of Sheikh Mansour.
Steve Daley failed to impress but was the transfer as bad as Vuoso or Badbuy?
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Ones to watch:
After already having a sneak preview in midweek Mancini should have plenty of words concerning the threat of Jamie O’Hara. Players from midfield who can score and create are worth their weight in gold we should know; David Silva, Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure could walk into any side in the league.
Having had successful loan spells at Millwall, Chesterfield and Portsmouth O’Hara was eventually squeezed out of the Tottenham side and has taken up permanent residence at Molineux. The chance to play regular football will allow O’Hara to impact the Premier League producing similar results to those successful but dark days he spent at Pompey. At Fratton Park he managed 29 appearances with 3 goals and a trip to an F.A. Cup final narrowly lost to Chelsea at Wembley.
The biggest test for City will be keeping track of those late runs into the box and the option he will provide on the edge of the box to fire home any loosely cleared balls. If Barry, Toure and Milner defend as a team like against the scum there should be no problem. However if Yaya needs a breather, which he usually does, that could give O’Hara just the time and space he needs to punish us. Apart from open play the biggest weakness I still see in this City side is the persistence with zonal marking from set pieces, although I’m a Mancini convert you’ll never get me to see the light here! Using a late run O’Hara can negate the advantage Lescott, Kompany and Yaya have in the air. Whether he starts or comes on as an impact sub he’ll give the Blues defence headaches all day.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2010/2011: Appearances: 13(1 as sub), Goals: 3.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2011/2012: Appearances: 9(1 as sub in League Cup), Goals: 2.
Jamie O’Hara grabs an equaliser against Swansea last weekend. He scored midweek, can lightning strike twice?
There are so many to choose from nowadays I’m spoilt for choice but as he’s broken into the first team and whether scoring or delivering is in the goals at the moment I’d keep an eye on James Milner, there’s only one so it shouldn’t be too hard!
Back at home in a centre midfield role he’s producing consistently providing Mancini with a talented workhorse that Yaya occasionally is when he’s not having a strop and Barry would fulfil if not for his decline in pace which restricts his movements over 90 minutes. The added ability to play on the wing to deliver inch perfect crosses gives Mancini an even greater degree of flexibility in his strategy and tactics on match day. Whilst De Jong’s injury has helped ensure a first team opportunity he is making that position his own, De Jong and company may find it harder to get back in when Mancini has such a reliably productive player available.
Whether grafting at the back, feeding the strikers or celebrating 6 goals Milner is always involved!
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Prediction:
I believe Wolves will come to the Etihad stadium and try to keep the score down and close for as long as possible. The longer the score is level the more belief Mick’s side will get and he does have the tools to grab a late equaliser or winner. If we score early like in midweek, even if coming from behind again, I believe we can rack up the score. This is one of those games that should be an automatic win, in whatever fashion if needs be, but it is a chance to lengthen the goal difference does anybody remember losing the league on goal difference?
My only concern for today is that Wolves will kick the F61k out of Silva and company just to keep them quiet. It’s days like these I wish you could have an enforcer just to drop the gloves and pound the living c61p out of anyone who dares!
Brandon Prust of the New York Rangers teaches the Debbies a lesson in pre-season. Wouldn’t it be great if De Jong could be unleashed every now and again, all perfectly legal as well!
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Predicted lineups:
MCFC: Hart, Clichy, Lescott, Kompany, Richards, Silva, Barry, Yaya Toure, Milner, Aguero, Balotelli.
WWFC: Hennessey, Stearman, Berra, Johnson, Ward, Jarvis, Henry, O’Hara, Hammill, Doyle, Ebanks-Blake.
Manchester City 6-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers.
A big thanks to Steveo_88 from www.mancityfans.net for the fantastic match preview