Not The Stuff Of Champions, Norwich 0 vs 0 City

“We weren't good enough to win the game.”

, Joe Hart – 12/03/2016.

Goals; None

Line Up (4-4-2);Hart, Sagna (Zabaleta 85'), Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy, Navas (Iheanacho 77'), Fernando, Fernandhino, Silva, Bony (Sterling 58'), Aguero
Stats;Possession, 34%/66%; Shots, 5(0)/15(3); Fouls, 15/10
Referee; Jonathan Moss

Despite a blistering opening twenty minutes in both halves for City, today's goalless draw marked the death knell on any lingering hope of overtaking league leaders Leicester. For all that City's approach play bewitched and beguiled Norwich up to the eighteen yard box, the final ball was too often too obvious, or too slow, or both. This was a Norwich side who had lost eight of their last nine, and although their defending was resolute, City were at fault for not doing better in the final third, and were the architects of their own downfall at a Carrow Road ground where, in the past few years at least, a win would be minimum expectation.

The first half started well enough, City pressing high, forcing errors, and more or less having the ball to themselves. Aguero was playing more often than not on the left, leaving Bony as the target man, and allowing Silva the room inside. Fernandhino also tried to get forward when he could, and it was O'Neil's foul on the Brazilian in the 14' that gave City their first real chance on goal, Aguero beating the wall but not John Ruddy from the resulting free-kick. It was Aguero again on 26' creating perhaps the best chance of the half when he created his own space and cracked a shot from the right just outside the eighteen yard box. Ruddy again though saved the shot, this time low and to the left of the goal.

After that the game opened up a little more, with Norwich having more possession, and even coming close with a hit and hope from Chelsea loanee Bamford on 39' hitting the bar. But that for City, in terms of real chances, was pretty much it. As in the previous week, despite Silva pulling the strings, Bony was unable to use the space effectively, and more often than not looked a passenger, as Aguero, Silva, and Navas switched places to no avail. On another day (in another season where City were not constantly beset by injuries), Yaya or DeBruyne might have hidden Bony's failings, but today it was obvious Iheanacho or Sterling should have started. It was these identical situations which occured time and time again last season, and given DeBruyne and Sterling were bought specifically to solve the problems of decisiveness and pace getting into the eighteen yard box, the choice of Bony was a poor one, even if Bony was on form, which he clearly is not.

So it was surprising when the half-time break came and went, and Bony was still on the pitch. And again although City bossed the game right from the start of the second half, the tempo and guile shown last week where it mattered (in the eighteen yard box), was missing. The inevitable substitutions followed; Sterling for Bony on 57' and Iheanacho for Navas on 76', but an hour of the game had been lost, and Norwich were just looking more and more stubborn.

And that's the way the game finished. Though credit has to be given to City for dominating possession so convincingly away from home, a championship winning side would have turned that into more attempts, and would have scored. So, thankfully with one trophy in the bag, City can now only realistically fight to maintain their top four status, whilst making further progress in the Champions League, because the Premier League is gone.

@l0ngwayfr0mh0me