“We spoke many times what we should do like a team - this is just the first step...”, Pep Guardiola – 13/08/2016.
Goals; Aguero (4' pen), McNair (87' OG); Defoe (71')
Line Up (4-1-4-1) (match ratings in brackets);
Cabellero (6)
Sagna (5.5)
Clichy (6) (Iheanacho 72' (5))
Kolorov (6.5)
Stones (6.5)
Fernandinho (6.5)
Sterling (7.5)
Silva (c) (6) (Delph 63' (5))
Aguero (6.5)
De Bruyne (6)
Nolito (5.5)
Stats;Possession, 77%/23%; Shots, 16(4)/7(3); Fouls, 11/14
Referee; Robert Madeley (6.5)
Line Up (4-1-4-1) (match ratings in brackets);
Cabellero (6)
Sagna (5.5)
Clichy (6) (Iheanacho 72' (5))
Kolorov (6.5)
Stones (6.5)
Fernandinho (6.5)
Sterling (7.5)
Silva (c) (6) (Delph 63' (5))
Aguero (6.5)
De Bruyne (6)
Nolito (5.5)
Stats;Possession, 77%/23%; Shots, 16(4)/7(3); Fouls, 11/14
Referee; Robert Madeley (6.5)
The early Twitter storm surrounded Cabellero replacing Hart [Pep's reasoning ..."he made a very good pre-season"] and Kolorov replacing Otamendi ["...not 100%, the team will not be the same for Tuesday"]. So despite Pellegrini's City having taken Sunderland apart 4-1 at the Etihad last Christmas, the early fanzone confidence seemed to be rocked by this announcement... not yet for some fans "in Pep we trust".
In the end Kolorov did not play half badly. The Defoe equaliser on 71' could have been avoided through more defensive cohesion, with Stones moving to the ball and leaving space behind being maybe the root cause of the goal, but individual blame would be harsh. Cabellero, if chosen for his superior distribution, was again lacking in that department. Though on the day the Argentinian's goal keeping performance was solid enough, with his best moment being on 40' with a point blank save verses Defoe.
In truth, the game as a whole felt slightly under baked. There were cameos, rather than a grand performance, of what Pep will hopefully bring to City's play. The passing triangles were certainly quicker than a Mancini or a Pellegrini team, but were not yet as slick. And although the playing out from the back was there for all to see; split centre backs, deep defensive midfielder, and closed full backs (all of which had been seen pre-season), it was not yet fluid or even quick. Perhaps most notably Clichy and Sagna, when advanced, played side ways. Arguably, however, it was the front five who slowed the game down too much. Silva (obviously voted Captain by his team mates, as is the Pep way) in particular, was not quite on the money and the ball idled in the middle third for far too long throughout the game.
That said, this was a solid, (73%) possession football, performance. At no point did City resort to the laborious attacks that haunted the worst moments of last season, and Sterling, Nolito and De Bruyne all had their moments. Sterling in particular looked to want to prove his doubters wrong. The winger was quick into the box and quicker to the ball than Van Arnoult in the second minute to win the foul for the penalty (solid finish to the right of the keeper by Aguero), and throughout the game his running and control were relentless, with and without the ball. For that reason he was my man of the match. City are off the mark under Pep, but it was only a glimpse of what we hope will be a revolution...
@l0ngwayfr0mh0me;
