“It's important we won a game after a UCL game, it's always tough. ”, Pep Guardiola – 17/09/2016.
Goals; De Bruyne (15'), Iheanacho (25'). Sterling (48'), Gündogan (66') RED CARD Nolito (86');
Line Up (4-1-4-1) (match ratings in brackets);
Bravo (7)
Sagna (6)
Otamendi (8), (Stones (6), 52'))
Kolorov (8)
Clichy (6)
Fernandinho (7)
Sterling (9)
Gündogan (8) (Sane (6) 72')
De Bruyne (6.5), (Garcia (7) 75')
Iheanacho (8)
Nolito (6)
Stats;Possession, 64%/36%; Shots, 20(12)/6(2); Fouls, 8/11
Referee; Jonathan Moss (5.5)
Line Up (4-1-4-1) (match ratings in brackets);
Bravo (7)
Sagna (6)
Otamendi (8), (Stones (6), 52'))
Kolorov (8)
Clichy (6)
Fernandinho (7)
Sterling (9)
Gündogan (8) (Sane (6) 72')
De Bruyne (6.5), (Garcia (7) 75')
Iheanacho (8)
Nolito (6)
Stats;Possession, 64%/36%; Shots, 20(12)/6(2); Fouls, 8/11
Referee; Jonathan Moss (5.5)
Eight wins out of eight in all competitions and City are now well and truly starting to get into their stride under the guidance of Pep Guardiola. Four goals, including hopefully the first of many from an imperious Ilkay Gündogan, had the City faithful purring and rightly so.
Kevin de Bruyne got things underway with clever free-kick under the Bournemouth wall after Jack Wilshere had fouled Nolito on the edge of the box. Then two blistering counter-attacks brought goals, first for Kelechi Iheanacho after Sterling played him through for a tap-in, and then Iheanacho turned provider for Sterling just after half time, with the young Nigerian laying the pass on for Raheem to score. Gündogan coolly slotted in a fourth just after the hour mark, and the only blot on an otherwise perfect day was a red for Nolito sent off late on for an attempted head-butt on Adam Smith.
Its difficult to believe Pep Guardiola has been in charge for less than three months, as his philosophy already seems ingrained in each and every player. Stars who fans already thought were at the top of their game such as Aguero, De Bruyne, and Fernandhino, have been taken to new heights; new signings are looking as if they've been playing in sky blue all their lives; and perhaps most satisfying of all, players who some of the faithful had begun to question, such as Kolorov and Sterling, are playing the best football of their lives.
Some may point that the magic may be in the tactics, the passing from deep, the two "No.8s", or the "false full backs". Some at the work rate, the extra miles put in during games, never giving up on the ball whether its with a blue shirt or not. Some might put it down to a simple kick up the backside for players who were widely believed to have under-performed under Pellegrini, despite a League Cup and a first Champions League semi-final. But isn't it all of that...and more? Isn't this the "holistic" club ethic much derided in the press all those years ago when Garry Cook dared to give an erudite explanation of how the take over of the club by Sheikh Monsour in 2008, was for much more than just money? I think it is.
And this could be just the start. Whatever the performances and results so far may show, this is still early days since Pep pulled on his tracksuit at the Etihad for the first time on July 5th. All things being equal this could be just the beginning! What a time to be a City fan! #CTID
@l0ngwayfr0mh0me
