Another Bad Day At The Office, City 1 vs 1 Southampton

“You can win ten times and then you are not able to win five times. I have to discover the reason why and I am going to find that.”, Pep Guardiola – 23/10/2016.

Goals; Iheanacho (55'); Redmond (27'); 

Line Up (4-1-4-1) (match ratings in brackets); 

Bravo (5.5)
Kompany (5.5), (Navas (5.5) 78')
Stones (5)
Kolorov (5.5)
Sané (7), (Nolito (5.5) 90')
Fernandinho (6.5)
Sterling (6.5)
Gundogan (5.5)
De Bruyne (5.5), (Iheanacho (7) 45')
Silva (6)
Aguero (6)

Stats;Possession, 65%/35%; Shots, 14(3)/6(2); Fouls, 11/10
Referee; Clattenburg (5.5)

Whisper it quietly, but within all the clap trap written this week regarding City's demise, there is one grain of truth. City's defence may cost the club any meaningful progress this Season. Or more accurately, the players inability to adapt to the obsessive way of playing absolutely everything from the back, may cost City any meaningful progress this Season. Today Southampton's Redmond was the beneficiary, as he had a goal gift wrapped with a bow on top by a John Stone's schoolboy back pass. Last week it was Everton who were the benefactors, costing two points more points at home.  In mid-week it was full party bag time at the Camp Nou with Bravo, Gundogan, Kolorov, and Stones, all falling prey to attacks of the collywobbles at vital moments in a vital fixture.

So while the first half at the Etihad today was an unacceptable return to the de-energized and largely unfocused City performances in the worst moments of last season, in the end it was yet another defensive mistake which cost City the possibility of a win.

The second half was slightly better. De Bruyne was withdrawn, possibly purely a tactical change, possibly due to carrying a knock, and Iheanacho introduced. Whatever the reason, Iheanacho was certainly the stand out performer of the second half for City. And his aggression to get to the ball paid off within ten minutes of his introduction, as he got the better of Van Dijk (who had up to that point looked immovable), to nudge the ball home from three yards from Sane's cross from the left.

Following the goal, City finally looked something of the side which powered to a 10 game winning streak at the start of the Season. The front five came alive, perhaps the best chances falling to Gündogan, whose right foot effort from inside the box was saved well by by Forster on 69', and Aguero with a header just wide on 77'. But it was too little in the end to beat a resolute Southampton side who had seen the blueprint laid down by Everton last week, and followed it to the letter.

And its this blueprint which is the most worrying. Unlike the Spuds game, where City were beaten by the better team on the day, Spuds having far more aggression and quickness of thought. Everton and Southampton have both simply set out a back six, and a solid centre three willing to take the chance that the referee will not show a yellow when leaving a foot in (which they invariably do not). Its the sort of conundrum which Pellegrini was lambasted for when he couldn't resolve it, but is something Pep has so far also been unable to get his head around. Perhaps its as simple as looking back to what was working at the start of the season? Sterling out right, Nolito on the left, De Bruyne and Silva both given free reign and total commitment to pressing to make up for the self inflicted pressure on the back four. Whatever the answer it is needed quickly.

The press will now delight in informing us that City have not won in five. And there is now the unwelcome visit to the swamp for the EFL cup in mid-week. With Mourinho a past master at parking the bus, and having seen how easy it can be to do that and hope for a clangar from City's defence things may get worse before they get better. #CTID

@l0ngwayfr0mh0me