“I am a lucky guy because the quality of the players here is amazing...”, Pep Guardiola – 20/08/2016.
Goals; Krkic (49' pen);Aguero (27' Pen, 36'), Nolito (86', 90'+5)
Line Up (4-1-4-1) (match ratings in brackets);
Cabellero (5.5)
Zabaleta (6.5)
Otamendi (7)
Kolorov (6.5)
Stones (8.5)
Fernandinho (7)
Sterling (7.5)
Silva (c) (7)
Aguero (7.5), (Iheanacho (7) 83')
De Bruyne (7), (Delph (5.5) 88')
Navas (5), (Nolito (8), 69')
Stats;Possession, 57%/43%; Shots, 8(3)/12(6); Fouls, 12/13
Referee; Mike Dean (5.5)
Line Up (4-1-4-1) (match ratings in brackets);
Cabellero (5.5)
Zabaleta (6.5)
Otamendi (7)
Kolorov (6.5)
Stones (8.5)
Fernandinho (7)
Sterling (7.5)
Silva (c) (7)
Aguero (7.5), (Iheanacho (7) 83')
De Bruyne (7), (Delph (5.5) 88')
Navas (5), (Nolito (8), 69')
Stats;Possession, 57%/43%; Shots, 8(3)/12(6); Fouls, 12/13
Referee; Mike Dean (5.5)
An away game at Stoke, with all the cliches thrown in; wind, rain, and a "robust" Stoke side brought out a different side to City's game. A far more traditional performance was needed, with City compact in the middle, and dispensing with the "false full-backs" seen verses Sunderland, and mid-week in Bucharest.
Stoke gave nothing away lightly, snapping into challenges for the full ninety minutes, aided by some myopic refereeing (Arnautovic, Bardsley, and Pieters being particularly lucky to stay out of the book early on). That said, it was a Mike Dean's interpretation of the new FA clamp down on "grappling in the box", which broke the deadlock. Shawcross was spotted holding Otamendi's arm and shirt, and the ref pointed to the spot, and Aguero scored his second penalty in two weeks.
From that point on, for the first half, City looked to be a class above, although never quite being fully in control of the game. Aguero's second, a deft header from a beautifully weighted freekick from De Bruyne on the right, helped calm the travelling fan's nerves.
Stoke looked to have City on the back foot for a short time in the second half. Another penalty (this time Sterling adjudged to have "grappled" in the box), was slotted away by Bojan, and this saw the start of a Stoke mini-revival. City's passing became decidedly average (Navas in particular lost his way), and fifty five minutes in the game could have swung back to the home team. At no point, however, did City's pressing game waiver, and that together with the effort and concentration without the ball, meant Stoke were kept on the back foot.
In the end City's strength in depth told. Iheancho (on for Aguero), and Nolito (on for Navas), brought the extra energy needed to see off Stoke, and Nolito scored two late goals to seal City's win.
The result may have slightly flattered, but, Pep's City proved they can cut it on a wet windy afternoon in the Potteries. City are not wholly reliant on slick passing, and complex tactics, their hard work and intensity proving the difference today.
@l0ngwayfr0mh0me
