"But we deserved to win. We had some really good chances. It may have come late but Sergio Aguero is a cool guy and he will score."
, Joe Hart 30 September 2015.
The commonly held view on a winning Champions League formula, is just ensure you win all of your home games to progress. But... this is Manchester City, and we don’t like to do things the easy way, so having blown the points against Juventus, City were in need of something positive in Germany.
In amongst all of City’s new ‘crack’ players was the return of the wizard Silva in the number 10 role behind Aguero, with Sterling marauding down the left, and KDB on the right. The front four City fans have been dreaming of were finally starting together. The media had built the game up as must win for City, in what they thought might have been a comfortable game considering Borussia’s start to the season, and departure of manager Lucien Favre. Despite this, no game in this competition can be taken lightly, and as City found very quickly interim Borussia Manager, Andre Schubert, has breathed new life into his team as was certainly the case on Wednesday night at an electric Borussia-Park.
In amongst all of City’s new ‘crack’ players was the return of the wizard Silva in the number 10 role behind Aguero, with Sterling marauding down the left, and KDB on the right. The front four City fans have been dreaming of were finally starting together. The media had built the game up as must win for City, in what they thought might have been a comfortable game considering Borussia’s start to the season, and departure of manager Lucien Favre. Despite this, no game in this competition can be taken lightly, and as City found very quickly interim Borussia Manager, Andre Schubert, has breathed new life into his team as was certainly the case on Wednesday night at an electric Borussia-Park.
City looked to get out the blocks with the intent and vigour to really take the game to the German side, with Sergio being narrowly denied early in the six yard box, after great interlinking play down City's left hand side between Kolarov and a dangerous cross from Sterling to the back post. Almost the dream reaction to what has been a difficult couple of weeks for the blues.
However, this intent to drive forward left City exposed on a number of occasions in the first twenty minutes, which led to Borrussia breaking with the excellent Raffael, causing City’s Argentinian defensive partnership problem upon problem. This eventually led to Borussia wrongly being awarded a penalty, with the last ditch trailing leg of Otamendi inviting a, shall we say, enthusiastic leap to the floor by the advancing Raffael. The feeling crept into City hearts of “here we go again”, bizarre refereeing being a common theme with City in Europe. Joe Hart, however, had other ideas, his stalling tactics won the psychological battle over Raffael, and England's number one dived correctly to emphatically palm the penalty to safety. City, however, failed to capitalise. An end to end affair ensued throughout the remainder of the half, and an on-song Aguero could have had a brace, on the other hand without Hart in the sticks City could have been looking at an embarrassing halftime score line, but somehow it remained 0-0 at the break.
The second half brought an unexpected substitution. Yaya, who had been sporting a heavily strapped hamstring, went off, to be replaced by Fernando. On paper this would have been tactically astute. City’s midfield had been bypassed a number of times in the first half, and as has written on this blog before Yaya, Toure, and Aguero together may just be the wrong combination in certain games verses more attack minded opposition. In any case, initially at least, the change had anything but the desired effect as City continued to look circumspect to the counter attack and finally conceded to a Borussia break on 54’. Kolorov was chiefly at fault for the Borussia goal, unexplainably stepping infield to close down an already marked Dahoud, thus allowing a simple pass to allow Korb the Borussia right back the space to calmly cross for Stindl to slot home.
At this point it was only many many years of honed superstition which forced me to not only continue watching, but to turn up the TV volume to full appreciate the dulcet tones, and insightful wisdom of Robbie “I won the FA Youth Cup with Man U” Savage, as if to truly punish myself for ever thinking my beloved Blues would be anything but unpredictable.
So then it happened, Fernando dropped slightly back, Fernandinho found the missing yard to be first to the second ball, and the attacking talent City had on show started to click. Even the loss of Silva for Navas on 65’ did not disturb the rhythm, in fact it probably helped the first goal as his pace caused genuine problems for the tiring left back.
The first City goal has now rightly been awarded to Demichelis on 65’, who’s knee struck the ball a full yard over the line before Nicolas Otamendi volleyed in again, and the referee finally allowed the equaliser to stand (why UEFA does not insist on goal line technology for the ECL is beyond me, especially as the additional officials give farcical decisions time after time … if they are consulted at all). From that point on with the insightful one letting all viewers know every thirty seconds that City must not lose, the game was all City, and arguably the calmly taken 90’ penalty from Aguero just reward for such a gutsy performance. MotM Joe Hart – just awesome.
City remain third in Group D, level on three points with Spanish side Sevilla, but three adrift of Juventus. The upcoming double header with Sevilla, the first at home on 21 October, will be the likely decider as to who goes through with Juventus, currently sitting top of Group D with 6 Points.
@PatrickElano @l0ngwayfr0mh0me
