Category Archives: Manchester City

Manchester City 3-1 Sunderland: City win the cup despite a fine Sunderland display

“Two superb goals saved the day for City, after they’d struggled to break down a well-drilled Sunderland side. Manuel Pellegrini welcomed back Sergio Aguero, who partnered Edin Dzeko upfront. Samir Nasri was selected on the right, with Aleksandar Kolarov at left-back. Costel Pantilimon continued as the ‘cup’ goalkeeper. Gustavo Poyet dropped striker Jozy Altidore from the squad and pushed Fabio Borini upfront, with Sebastian Larsson coming into the side, while Wes Brown returned after suspension and Lee Cattermole replaced the cup-tied Liam Bridcutt. Sunderland’s starting approach worked nicely and they responded impressively after going 2-1 down – tactically, they deserve great credit for this performance.” Zonal Marking

Tactics Board: City win Cup out wide
“Sunderland looked to deprive Manchester City of space, defending deep and narrow in a compact formation. While they left space on the flanks, it was a logical move: Because City’s nominal wide midfielders, David Silva and Samir Nasri, tend to come infield, Gus Poyet wanted to prevent his side from being outnumbered closer to goal.” ESPN

Manchester City 3-1 Sunderland: Tactical Analysis
“A side going for a quadruple, and another looking to maintain it’s Premier League status. Only in the Capital One Cup will you see such contrasting seasons clash in the final. But this was the case when Manchester City took on Sunderland at Wembley. Undoubtedly City were the favourites but Sunderland came with a sure game plan and stuck by it, going into half-time with the lead and momentum. But City were always going to be threatening. As images of the 2013 FA Cup Final flashed in the minds of the Man City players and fans, they came back storming in the second half, scoring 2 goals in under 2 minutes before getting a late third as well.” Outside of the Boot

Olympiakos 2-0 Manchester United: Olympiakos brave with positioning and pressing

“Manchester United produced their worst performance of David Moyes’ reign so far, and Olympiakos fully deserved their two-goal victory. Michel was without Javier Saviola upfront, so Michael Olaitan led the line. David Moyes selected his two most cautious options on the flanks, in an otherwise unsurprising team selection. Olympiakos weren’t outstanding on the night, but their overall gameplan worked effectively.” Zonal Marking

Manchester City 0-2 Barcelona: City weather the storm before Demichelis tackle changes the tie

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“Goals from Lionel Messi and Daniel Alves gave Barcelona a significant lead going into the second leg. Manuel Pellegrini unsurprisingly switched to a 4-2-3-1 / 4-4-1-1 formation, but surprisingly named two left-backs in tandem, Gael Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov. Fernandinho was fit to return in midfield, while Martin Demichelis played at the back. Tata Martino was cautious with his team selection, playing Andres Iniesta on the left of a front three, with Cesc Fabregas in midfield. Barcelona enjoyed unprecedented spells of possession for an away side at the Etihad, but failed to convert their dominance into clear-cut chances in the first half – before Demichelis’ rash tackle at the start of the second half changed the tie.” Zonal Marking

Manchester City 0-2 Barcelona: Tactical Analysis | City make a case for themselves but organised Barca take full advantage
“A number of fixtures from the round of 16 stood out, but the most attractive one without doubt had to be the one between Manchester City and Barcelona. These 2 are probably the 2 best teams in their respective countries, and are both relatively free scoring sides. The presence of so many of the world’s best players only added to the glitter of the occasion.” Outside of the Boot

Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea: City stop Chelsea’s counter-attacks and win comfortably

“Manchester City gained revenge for their recent league defeat to Chelsea. Manuel Pellegrini’s side was very different from that match, with Costel Pantilimon, Joleon Lescott, Gael Clichy, Javi Garcia, James Milner and Stevan Jovetic all included. Jose Mourinho’s, however, named the closest thing possible to the XI that won at the Etihad. John Terry was out, so David Luiz moved back and John Obi Mikel came into the midfield. City were significantly superior throughout, amazingly so given how how confidently they were beaten less than a fortnight ago.” Zonal Marking

Transfer window: The winners, the losers – and the rest

“After another transfer window of wheeler-dealing, BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty analyses the winners and losers as the Premier League clubs brace themselves for the season run-in…” BBC

Premier League mid-term report

“This weekend’s fixtures marked the mid-way point in this season’s Premier League, as a perfect time if any to take stock of this season’s participants and cast cruel judgement over their respective performances thus far. So without further-a-do…” Back Page Football – (part one), (part two)

Premier League: 2013 in numbers

“Thirteen Premier League titles, 27 years, 1,500 matches managed at Manchester United – Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement was the biggest story of the year. But what else happened in 2013? English football said goodbye to Gareth Bale and hello again to Jose Mourinho, while Luis Suarez provoked plenty of headlines – good and bad. Statisticians Opta have crunched the year’s numbers for us.” BBC

Man City 2 Liverpool 1: In-Depth Tactical Analysis

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“As anticipated Pellegrini solidified his midfield by both switching to a 4-2-3-1 formation and having Silva as the third midfielder behind Negredo. This meant Nasri was placed on the left, adding another midfield body by drifting infield. With Zabaleta fit to start the home team re-established his fearsome wide partnership on the right with Navas. Rodgers continued with the same 4-1-2-3 formation as has been the case lately. The only change was due to Flanagan’s injury, he was replaced by Cissokho. However, in contrast to the recent games, Coutinho played closer to the touchline and only occasionally venturing infield.” Tomkins Times

Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool: Tactical Analysis | City keep Suarez quiet
“The festive season is loved in England because of the flood of matches that it brings, and the competitive spirit that the games are played in. Santa’s present to the football world this year was a terrific top of the table clash between Liverpool and Manchester City at the Etihad, as the Christmas leaders attempted to achieve the impossible; return from the Etihad with points.” Outside of the Boot

Man City 6-0 Spurs: Tactical Analysis | City press and exploit the space offered

“Two of the summers’ biggest Premier League spenders went head-t0-head at the Etihad as Manchester City took on Tottenham Hotspur. City came into the game with a 100% home record and 20 goals scored, Spurs on the other hand had conceded just 1 goal in their away games. City were the league’s top scorers as well with 28 while Spurs were struggling, having scored just 9 goals. Sergio Aguero alone had 8 to his name.” Outside of the Boot

Tactics Board: Ozil goes missing against United

“MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 ARSENAL. A feature of Mesut Ozil’s game normally is just how prominent he is. The Arsenal playmaker is willing to roam far and wide to get the ball. Yet in the first half at Old Trafford he was unusually anonymous. That reflected on how well Phil Jones, in particular, played against him and how United patrolled the area in front of their centre-backs. Ozil’s first-half pitch map shows how rarely his team-mates got him on the ball in the No. 10 position (in contrast, there are a cluster of dots near either touchline) and how United kept him out of the positions where he can do most damage. …” ESPN

Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal: Tactical Analysis
“The rivalry between Manchester United and Arsenal in the Premier League era has been intense with quite a few memorable encounters between the 2. Incidents such as the infamous tunnel confrontation between Viera and Keane and the bizarre ‘Pizzagate’ fiasco are ones that continue to be widely referenced years after their actual occurrence. Having said that, the rivalry has mellowed over the last few years owing largely to Arsenal’s rather long transition period. Robin van Persie’s transfer last season saw some of the edge return and with Arsenal flying high this season, this is a fixture that both sets of fans were desperate to win.” Outside of the Boot

Three Things: Sunderland vs. Manchester City

“Despite having a new manager in Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City’s struggles at the Stadium of Light continued as they lost 1-0 again to Sunderland. Here are three observations from Sunderland’s big upset: City’s Wearside woes continue as new-look Sunderland grow. ‘Dickensian’ is the best way to describe Manuel Pellegrini’s first Premier League campaign. A tale of two Citys, it has been the best of times at home and the worst of times away from it.” ESPN

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

“There could be a goalfest at the Emirates; Paul Lambert’s Hi Viz army will be out in force; Fernando Torres can continue his form; and Joe Hart faces an anxious wait” Guardian

Chelsea 2-1 Manchester City: counter-attack versus possession play but both attack in behind

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“Two ex-Atletico strikers – Fernando Torres and Sergio Aguero – were the most prominent players in a fast-paced, exciting clash. Jose Mourinho played Gary Cahill rather than David Luiz, and left out Juan Mata with Andre Schurrle and Eden Hazard on the wings. Torres started after his two goals against Schalke in midweek. Manuel Pellegrini used Martin Demichelis for the first time, played three central midfielders with Yaya Toure pushed to the top of the triangle, two ball-players on the flanks, and Aguero upfront alone. Joe Hart’s huge error in the 90th minute decided the game, and overall this was evenly balanced.” Zonal Marking

UEFA charges CSKA Moscow over Yaya Toure’s racism claims

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“UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against CSKA Moscow after Manchester City’s Yaya Toure claimed he was abused by monkey chants from the stands in Wednesday’s European Champions League encounter with the Russian club. The Ivorian made his concerns known to the referee and said he was ‘furious’ after the Group D game at the Arena Khimki, which City won 2-1. But CSKA released a statement on its website denying there was any racist chanting and told CNN that UEFA’s match delegate wasn’t aware of any either. European football’s governing body UEFA told CNN it had no official comment to make on CSKA’s claim.” CNN (Video)

Champs League offers reason for hope for Man United, none for City

“It was very close to being a very good night indeed for David Moyes, but even though Taison struck with 14 minutes remaining to prevent Moyes’ Manchester United side from becoming the first English team ever to win in Donetsk, there was satisfaction and encouragement both in a valuable away point and in the level of performance. There were rather fewer positives to draw for the other Manchester cub, as City was outpassed and outplayed by Bayern Munich — and, perhaps even more frustratingly, again ended up the victim of defensive and goalkeeping errors.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Manchester City 1-3 Bayern Munich: Tactical Analysis

“Yet another big game came our way in the UEFA Champions League in what has been a great season of European football so far. Guardiola and his Bayern Munich side went to the Etihad, expecting to win. Manchester City also set up to get 3 points in their home game. The home team started with the first choice centre back pairing of Kompany and Nastasic. Clichy and Richards were the two wing backs. In midfield, Toure and Fernandinho started behind Nasri, Aguero and Jesus Navas. The lone man up front was Edin Dzeko.” Outside of the BooT

Man City mental game still a work in progress

“This season, more than any other in recent memory, has demonstrated how the consensus about a particular side’s predicament can change astonishingly quickly. Arsenal, who were in crisis after the Aston Villa defeat, now are in dreamland five games later. Chelsea seemed to have returned to their ruthless ways following Jose Mourinho’s return, then went three matches without a win. Liverpool were cool, calm and clinical after four matches, then lost at home to Southampton completely unexpectedly.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Manchester City 4 Manchester United 1: match report

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“As Manchester City fans staged a party, a search party was scrambled for Manchester United’s defence. The champions were so disorganised and lacking in resilience for 50 minutes as City ripped them apart through swift counters and set-pieces. Sergio Aguero took the headlines with his brace but there were superb performances throughout the City ranks. Samir Nasri, a weak link in previous Derbies, was outstanding here, tracking back, creating and scoring and deservedly being named man of the match. Yaya Toure controlled central midfield, totally eclipsing Marouane Fellaini, and popping up to score at a corner.” Telegraph – Henry Winter

Manchester City 4-1 Manchester United: Tactical Analysis
“The Manchester derby is a game that is always filled with drama and excitement. In recent times owing to City’s new found wealth, it’s become a fixture about more than bragging rights and 3 points alone. With both sides battling it out in the upper echelons of the Premier League, the fixture has taken on even more significance. Both Moyes and Pellegrini experienced their first taste of the rivalry and had an early chance to lay down that much talked about early marker.” Outside of the Boot

Manchester City’s success built on Samir Nasri and Aleksandar Kolarov
“Samir Nasri was the villain in this fixture last season, when his half-hearted attempt at blocking a Robin van Persie free-kick sent the ball spinning past Joe Hart to seal a Manchester United victory, but the Frenchman was one of the key performers in this superb City display. Both sides were not far off playing a simple 4-4-2, but whereas United were rigid and unimaginative throughout Nasri was the only player who varied his positioning intelligently.” Guardian

Where Have All the Premier League Goals Gone?

“It hasn’t exactly been a scintillating start to the Premier League season. With 40 games played, there have been a grand total of 78 goals scored. That average of 1.95 goals per game is significantly behind last year’s average of 2.80, and also below the Premier League’s historic average (since 1992) of 2.63. It’s been particularly disappointing, given the preseason story lines that focused on new exciting, attacking teams. This raises the question: Why has scoring dried up in the Premier League?” Grantland

Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City centre-forward duos belie 4-2-3-1

“While Manuel Pellegrini’s formations are often interpreted as 4-2-3-1, the blanket description for a wide variety of modern systems, he prefers fielding a strike partnership. ‘I like playing with two central forwards up front,’ he says. At Villarreal, for example, his side was often a narrow 4-2-2-2 – Pellegrini’s determination to play simultaneously with two strikers and dominate the midfield zone meant he sacrificed natural wingers.” Guardian – Michael Cox

An A-to-Zed Guide to the EPL

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“With its 21st season under way, here’s a highly selective, wholly subjective refresher guide to the English Premier League, from A to Zed…” SI

Manchester City’s tactical shifts make for a brilliant performance

“Holistic has been the buzzword at Manchester City since Roberto Mancini was dismissed as manager at the end of last season. It was much derided at the time, but City’s 4-0 demolition of Newcastle United on Monday evening was a demonstration of what holistic football can look like. If City continues to play as well as it did in its Premier League opener, new manager Manuel Pellegrini won’t have to worry about his job security. The statement City probably regretted releasing when showing Mancini the door referred, of course, to more than just team selection and style of play, but it was evident from City’s four signings this summer than there was a clear system of play in mind, with at least one alternative.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

The Shape of the Premier League to Come

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“A survey of the players, managers, ideas, tactical developments, and themes to watch out for in the 2013-14 Premier League season. Chris Ryan: The above video is of William Gallas scoring a game-winning goal for Chelsea, against Tottenham, back in 2006. Chelsea won the league that season, finishing eight points clear of Manchester United. Spurs keeper Paul Robinson likely spent three months in a room, by himself, with a roast beef platter and a copy of The Queen Is Dead after this goal, but it’s not the goal that Gallas scored that interests me, it’s who he celebrated it with. …” Grantland (Video)

Premier League 2013-14: Phil McNulty’s predictions
“The Premier League’s top three – along with Everton and Stoke – are under new management, star players at Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool are under a cloud and Cardiff, Hull and Crystal Palace will all be experiencing the anticipation and trepidation of newcomers. The new season starts on Saturday. Can Manchester United win their 21st title? Can Manchester City wrestle it back from Old Trafford? Can Jose Mourinho recreate former glories at Chelsea?” BBC

Loving Arsenal, Away From the Numbers

“I spent the weekend in the most pleasant way an Arsenal fan can spend a weekend that falls within the summer transfer window: perusing YouTube for a contact high off the fumes of past glories. The complete Invincibles season. The wizardry of Dennis Bergkamp. Legends of the Premier League: Thierry Henry. Cesc Fábregas ‘Pass Master’ compilations. Michael Thomas’s stoppage-time goal-into-breakdance-windmill/caterpillar-celebration as Arsenal win the league over Liverpool at Anfield on the final day — the final seconds! — of the 1988-89 season.” Grantland

New man, new strategies

“In a world in which the rich are getting even richer and success seems increasingly the preserve of a select handful of clubs, this season’s Premier League promises a rare openness, with the big three of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea all changing manager. It is an instability that could just open the door for Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and, with a couple more signings, perhaps Liverpool.” World Soccer – Jonathan Wilson

Premier League 2013-14 season: Club-by-club guide

“The 2013-14 Premier League season could be one of the most unpredictable to date with so many changes at the top. This will be the first Premier League campaign without Sir Alex Ferguson in charge of Manchester United and there are at least four teams hoping to take advantage of David Moyes’s inexperience of winning trophies. Manchester City and Chelsea, both also under new management, and Tottenham have all spent big this summer, while Arsenal have kept hold of their key players and still have money to spend.” BBC

New man, new strategies

“In a world in which the rich are getting even richer and success seems increasingly the preserve of a select handful of clubs, this season’s Premier League promises a rare openness, with the big three of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea all changing manager. It is an instability that could just open the door for Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and, with a couple more signings, perhaps Liverpool.” World Soccer

With bids and bluffs, the EPL transfer season is in full swing

“There is something about the transfer window that is like reading a complex spy thriller. Everywhere there is information and misinformation, unlikely alliances are formed and you never quite know who’s trying to bluff whom. Agents insist their clients are attracting interest from bigger sides to encourage buying clubs to act and to drive up wages. Selling clubs insist other clubs are interested to push up prices and to try to encourage a swift deal. But what’s really interesting is when buying clubs feign an interest in players they have no intention of signing.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Stevan Jovetic: a winning combination of focused professional and big kid

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“The first time I saw Stevan Jovetic was in the austere beigeness of the Hotel Podgorica. It was the day before Montenegro’s first international as an independent country and there was an air of great ceremony about each stage of the process. This was the first pre-match press conference. Men in suits fussed about, the little flags on the press-conference desk were crisp and even the majority of journalists had put on collared shirts. Then, to the side of the stage Jovetic emerged, his Brian May mop lank with sweat, his red and yellow training kit marked with mud and grass stains. Grinning broadly, clearly bored of waiting, he started flicking a ball from foot to foot.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Premier League 2011/12 – Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

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“Although I have previously posted a summary of the 2011/12 Premier League finances on Twitter, I have received numerous requests to include them in a blog post, so that people can refer back to them, so that’s what I am going to do here. No further analysis, just figures and graphs – well, they do say that a picture paints a thousand words. All these figures have been taken from the clubs’ published accounts, though I have made a couple of presentational adjustments in order to prepare like-for-like comparisons between clubs, e.g. they do not all use the same revenue classification. In this way, I have had to use estimates for QPR and Swansea City, who do not provide a full analysis of their revenue (the total figures are unchanged). Similarly, I have taken the Deloitte Money League revenue split for Manchester City, as the club accounts include some match day income in commercial.” Swiss Ramble

Premier League report card

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“We kick off our Premier League report card with the top of the table. Click here for our evaluations of the bottom half. How did the season play out for the bottom half of the Premier League table? Our club-by-club reviews below tell the story of clubs that put in a consistent shift and clubs that barely stayed up. And then, of course, there was the train wreck that was QPR. Sorry, ‘Arry.” ESPN

Drama-lacking Premier League season sets up compelling 2013-14
“It was not a vintage season. By the final day, all that remained to be settled was whether Arsenal or Tottenham would finish in the top four and although there was drama at White Hart Lane, with Spurs battering on the Sunderland door for 88 minutes before it found a breakthrough, it was rendered largely irrelevant by the fact that Arsenal was 1-0 up at Newcastle. For the 18th season in a row, Arsenal finished above its north London rivals. Elsewhere, it was a day of goodbyes.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Wigan 1-0 Manchester City: Wigan stifle City and attack with tremendous width

“Ben Watson headed a stoppage time winner as Wigan lifted the FA Cup for the first time. Roberto Martinez was able to call upon Antolin Alcaraz in the centre of his three-man defence, and he used James McArthur as a right-wing-back and Jordi Gomez in central midfield. Roberto Mancini picked Joe Hart despite having used Costel Pantilimon as his FA Cup goalkeeper throughout the competition. James Milner was only on the bench, as Mancini went with two ‘interiors’ and two forwards. The nature of the result might suggest a ’smash and grab’ – but Martinez’s tactics outfoxed Mancini, and Wigan fully deserved their victory.” Zonal Marking

UEFA Prize Money – Rhapsody In Blue

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“The Europa League has long been regarded by leading clubs as a poor relation to the far more lucrative Champions League, but Chelsea’s prodigious efforts after parachuting in to the junior competition might just give pause for thought, as they will end up earning more from Europe this season than any other English club. Although they earned €5 million less than Manchester United from the Champions League after exiting at the group stage, they will receive at least €6.5 million from the Europa League, even if they lose the final. If they repeat last season’s victory in the Champions League, the sum earned will rise to around €9 million.” The Swiss Ramble

Show Me The Money

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“In the past few years there has been tremendous progress in football fans’ knowledge of their clubs’ finances. Some might say that this is not a good thing and we should focus on matters on the pitch. That’s perfectly fair, indeed I would also personally much prefer to watch a great game, such as Borussia Dortmund’s recent demolition of Real Madrid, rather than investigate the minutiae of their balance sheets. However, it is important that fans are aware of what is going on at their club, so that they understand the board’s strategy and any constraints that impact their activities, e.g. why a club might sell its best players every summer or why a club does not splash out on the world-class striker that might take them to the next level.” Swiss Ramble

Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City: City’s attackers combine well throughout

“Manchester City produced a fine performance to record a rare victory at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson played two attack-minded wide players, with Ryan Giggs in the centre and Tom Cleverley only on the bench. Phil Jones continued alongside Rio Ferdinand in the centre of defence. Roberto Mancini left out Sergio Aguero, favouring Carlos Tevez as a lone striker with David Silva just behind. City were significantly better here – they dominated the first half, took the lead in the second, and Mancini used his bench better too.” Zonal Marking

Man City has formula for countering powerful Manchester United
“Even if Manchester City wins its seven remaining games this season, Manchester United needs only to take 10 points from its last seven games to clinch a 20th league title. As Roberto Mancini said, “It’s finished.” And yet for all that, there is a strange feeling of City ending the season on a high after winning the Manchester derby 2-1, while United has questions to answer. In a sense, the league this season has almost been so easy for United that it’s hard for it to derive any great satisfaction from its (almost certain) success.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Tottenham 2-2 Everton: Spurs go ahead very early, then equalise very late
“An interesting battle between two sides both without their key attacking player. Gareth Bale was injured – as were Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon. Andre Villas-Boas was forced to select a ‘mezzala’ on either side – Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson – in the absence of natural wide players. Jan Vertonghen was at left-back. David Moyes was without Steven Pienaar and Marouane Fellaini. He handed a rare start to Ross Barkley, and used Leon Osman behind Victor Anichebe, rather than selecting two strikers. This was an interesting but disjointed game, where both sides had spells of dominance. There were lots of small tactical features, rather than a clear overall pattern.” Zonal Marking

Statistical Analysis: Has van Persie been the difference between Manchester United and Manchester City?

“Other than the long transfer saga revolving around where Eden Hazard would ply his trade in the summer, there was the drawn out battle for Robin van Persie’s signature. Many neutrals and pundits felt that van Persie would follow former team-mates Sami Nasri and Kolo Toure and join Man City, which led to some surprise when van Persie joined title rivals Manchester United, despite the fact Rooney had scored 27 league goals the season prior. This addition to an already impressive front-line has been a key factor in United’s current 15 point lead over Manchester rivals, City. But has van Persie made the difference between the clubs?” Think Football

City’s back three come unstuck against Toffees

“EVERTON 2-0 MANCHESTER CITY: At a time when the back three is out of fashion in much of the world, Italy has a style of its own. Last week, the majority of managers in Serie A ignored the footballing orthodoxy that four players start in defence. This week, the Premier League’s most famous exiled Italian did likewise.” ESPN

Manuel Pellegrini and Fatih Terim back where they belong

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“By common consent, five of the eight remaining sides in the Champions League have a good chance of lifting the European Cup at Wembley in May. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Juventus — current league champions, imminent league champions or, in Juve’s case, both. The dark horse? Paris St Germain have performed well in Europe under Champions League specialist Carlo Ancelotti, and following their recruitment of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Ezequiel Lavezzi, their presence is no great surprise.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Arsenal’s loss the latest setback in EPL’s steady decline

“It was, in the end, heroic failure for Arsenal, undone only on the away goals rule — but failure it was. Bayern Munich was surprisingly sloppy — perhaps precisely because the first leg was so simple for the club — but Arsenal regained a significant amount of self esteem with its performance in a valiant 2-0 win that wasn’t quite enough. And so, for the first time since 1996, there is no Premier League team in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

What are the potential consequences of Arsenal finishing outside of the top four?

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“‘Every remaining game is a Cup Final’ is a phrase most commonly used by teams in the bottom five of the table around this time of the season. But, the phrase is arguably applicable to Arsenal as well. Arsene Wenger has his work cut out just as much as the likes of Harry Redknapp, Paul Lambert and Roberto Martinez, as he too faces an uphill struggle to remain within a particular elite. Falling short of entering the European elite is something very difficult to recover from. Just ask Liverpool Football Club who have an illustrious history in the competition, yet finished 7th in the League in 2010, only to be followed by three seasons without Champions League football.” Think Football

Case for the defence: Is Liverpool’s passing game a necessity?

“Since the beginning of the World Cup competitions in 1930 up until WC 2010, four football nations made it consistently to the finals; Brazil, Argentina, Italy and Germany. Any world cup final had at least one team of that quartet. Brazilian football fans lazily labelled their football rivals. The Germans, as a ruthless tasteless well-oiled machine, the anti-football counter-attacking Italians, the heirs of the “catenaccio,” which translates literally to “door-bolt.” The Argentinians were not kindly branded after Maradona’s televised admission of sedating Brazilian players in WC 90 and an open court admission of a political deal between Peru and Argentina in WC 78 to knock out Brazil from the semi-finals. On both occasions Argentina knocked out Brazil out of the competition.” Think Football

Tactical Analysis: Why are Manchester City so far off United?

“Manchester City are now 12 points behind leaders United and looking increasingly unlikely to retain their Premier League title. Their home game against Chelsea on Sunday could be crucial, but if United beat QPR on Saturday they could go in to the tie 15 points off the pace. So where has it gone wrong for Mancini and his side?” Think Football

Cerci finally lives up to hype

“Every now and again Alessio Cerci still thinks about it. Why wouldn’t he? Things could have been so so different. Watching Manchester City dramatically win the Premier League title in stoppage time on the final day of last season, a part of him presumably thought that it should have been him. Roberto Mancini had apparently wanted to buy Cerci from Fiorentina ahead of that campaign. ‘He’s the best winger in Italy,’ the City manager supposedly said. Yet his interest in Cerci was quite surprising.” Pitchside Eurosport

Tactical Analysis: Are Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie reviving the strike partnership?

“Since the relative decline in the use of the 4-4-2 we have also witnessed a decline in Premier League strike partnerships. The days of Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole appear to be long gone, with most side’s playing with just one central striker. But at Manchester United there are two top strikers scoring goals and playing in the same team; Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney. The two players have scored a combined 28 league goals this season, which has been critical to United’s title surge, as the team have scored a massive 60 league goals, compared to 2nd place City’s 47 league goals. So are we witnessing a return to prominence of the strike partnership at Manchester United?” Think Football

Tactical Analysis: Why aren’t Manchester City’s strikers scoring consistently?

“Both of City’s goals at the weekend were scored by their strikers, but in truth, this merely masks the inconsistency of their front men this season. City have generally had a bit of a problem in the goal scoring department this season, compared to last season, which has arguably been a factor in the title race. Manchester United, who signed City target Robin van Persie have scored 60 league goals this season, compared to just 47 for City. A side with such attacking talent should probably be scoring more and much of this is down to a relative drop in form for City’s strikers, compared to last season.” Think Football

Manchester City held 2-2 by Liverpool to dent EPL title hopes

“Sergio Aguero rescued Manchester City with a late goal in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday, but two more dropped points further dented the champions’ hopes of reeling in Manchester United in the Premier League title race. Steven Gerrard’s dipping volley in the 73rd minute looked like earning Liverpool all three points at the Etihad Stadium, only for Aguero to conjure up a stunning goal of his own from an acute angle six minutes later.” SI

Aguero brilliance rescues point
“Champions Manchester City lost more ground in the title race as they were held to a 2-2 draw in a thrilling encounter at home to Liverpool. Edin Dzeko’s 12th goal of the season put the hosts ahead from close range midway through the first half only for Daniel Sturridge to smash home his fourth in six matches since his move from Chelsea. An even better trademark Steven Gerrard strike put Liverpool ahead with 17 minutes to go only but Sergio Aguero salvaged a point with an exquisite shot from the narrowest of angles.” ESPN

Manchester City can still win league title, claims Roberto Mancini
“Roberto Mancini insisted Manchester City are still in the Premier League title race despite the 2-2 draw with Liverpool that left them trailing Manchester United by nine points with 13 games left. The Italian was unhappy at Liverpool’s opening goal, which equalised Edin Dzeko’s earlier strike, as he believed there had been a foul on Dzeko by Daniel Agger and that play should have been stopped as his striker lay on the ground. Instead Liverpool continued and Daniel Sturridge scored. In the second half goals from Steven Gerrard and Sergio Agüero meant City only shared the points.” Guardian

Arsène’s austerity

“‘Spend some f****** money!’ Arsenal fans chanted as their team lost again last Sunday at Chelsea. The cry echoed around the world on Twitter. Its target, Arsenal’s manager Arsène Wenger, had heard the argument before. Wenger, now 63, arrived at Arsenal in 1996 and led the club for eight glorious seasons. He has since led them for eight inglorious ones. Arsenal have won no trophies since 2005, and now stand a miserable sixth in the Premier League. The Frenchman is becoming a figure of derision. Many fans complain that Wenger refuses to buy the expensive players who could compete with Chelsea, Manchester United, or Barcelona, even though Arsenal have £153.6m in cash, an unheard-of sum for a football club. (Management firm Deloitte estimated last year that Premier League clubs had cumulative debts of £2.4bn.) Supporters are urging him to buy before the winter ‘transfer window’ closes on Thursday. He stands accused of practising football’s version of austerity – at a club that looks a model of financial good health.” FT – Simon Kuper

Ticket Prices And The Costs Of Having An Opinion

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“Sixty-two, it would appear, may just be the magic number. It is starting to feel as if battle lines are being drawn in the ongoing debate over the extent to which ticket prices for matches have spiralled out of all control, and if last Sunday’s match between Arsenal and Manchester City was notable for anything in particular, then perhaps two stories to have followed in its aftermath have proved to be particularly instructive in terms of showing us who will be on whose side as the argument rumbles on. First up is the small matter of the deselection of the referee’s assistant who seemed to summarise the frustration that so many supporters are feeling at the moment over not only the issue of ticket prices, but also concerning the attitudes of the people that have been the chief beneficiaries of the money that has poured into the game over the last couple of decades or so: the players themselves.” twohundredpercent

Revisiting the Price of Football
“There comes a point in every football fan’s life when the “sod it, I’m not going moment” occurs. For some Manchester City fans, contributing £62 to Arsenal’s coffers was a step too far. For me, spending £25 to sit in a rickety away end at Brisbane Road on a cold December afternoon watching Exeter toil against an equally uninspiring Leyton Orient side proved beyond even my levels of tolerance and fanaticism. Despite the game being only a short ride away on the Central Line and no other plans, it was too much. I stayed at home. But this isn’t about Arsenal, or Manchester City, or even Leyton Orient (although if Barry Hearn really wants to attract locals away from West Ham, he might want to consider lowering his prices a little), no matter how much the debate has descended into partisanship. While it’s quite easy to pick examples of equally high prices at Arsenal or, say, Spurs, this obscures the real issue – that ticket prices in general are too high and, especially in an age of austerity, risk pricing out the next generation of fans.” twounfortunates

Ridiculous! Ticket prices are getting out of hand.. but it’s not just an Arsenal problem
“The best thing to happen this week has been the highlighting of ticket prices in football. Make no mistake – it’s not just an Arsenal issue even though this Sunday’s game with Manchester City has put it on the agenda. City returned 912 tickets – priced at £62 – from their allocation of 3,000 for the game at the Emirates. I must admit that I find that remarkable. That City fans are staying away from a crucial game against one of their biggest rivals in a game which has significance in the title race. Football is like a drug. Following your team is expensive but it’s also addictive. The other team not to sell out at the Emirates on a regular basis has been Wigan. Not a major shock as they have a small fan base. Newcastle didn’t either last month. They, like City, have some of the best and most passionate fans in the Premier League. But it was December 29, just after Christmas and three days after another costly trip to Manchester United. It is expensive being a football fan. Ridiculously so. It’s getting out of hand. And most bloggers, tweeters and supporters point to Arsenal as being one of the most expensive.” Mirror

Man United survives battle of midfield; more EPL thoughts

“1. Packing the midfield. Soccer formations are easy. You have to have a goalkeeper. That’s obvious. Forget three center-backs; a four-man defense works best. It’s in the balance between midfield attack that some coaches grown confused. The answer is to pick a five-man midfield to ensure possession and a two-man attack to make sure that possession is not wasted. A team playing that formation would win nearly every game. Some might object that this would be because it had 12 players on the field, but that’s the sort of stupid quibble with which small minds react to paradigm-challenging genius.” SI

Arsenal’s problems go beyond referee’s borderline decision

“There was something refreshing about Arsene Wenger’s take on the red card shown to Laurent Koscielny nine minutes into Arsenal’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City on Sunday. For once — and this is a criticism directed at virtually all managers, not Wenger in particular — he didn’t take the easy way out and blame the referee. It would have been simple — justified up to a point, even — to say that the game had effectively been decided by Mike Dean’s decision to send Koscielny off. That the defender committed a foul by hauling Edin Dzeko down is beyond doubt, but there is a question as to whether Koscielny denied him a clear goal-scoring opportunity; Dzeko, after all, did not have control of the ball and would have had to bring it down before Wojciech Szczesny came to clear.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Will Man City take a negative approach (again) vs. Arsenal?

“Recent matches between the Premier League’s big clubs have often been goalfests, but Manchester City’s trips to Arsenal in recent seasons have been dreadfully dull. Roberto Mancini has always played remarkably defensive football, and his side haven’t registered a goal in three attempts at the Emirates. The 0-0 draw in April 2010 is a contender for the most underwhelming Premier League game of recent years: Arsenal’s title challenge had collapsed dramatically and motivation had vanished, while City made no attempt to win the game. Mancini was content to play out a goalless draw, confident his side would defeat Tottenham to secure a Champions League place — although that plan eventually backfired.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Tactical Analysis: How is the 4-2-3-1 formation used by City and Chelsea flawed?

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“The 4-2-3-1 seems to be the general formation of choice for a lot of Europe’s top sides, including several Premier League clubs, most notably Chelsea and Manchester City. Neither club has reached their potential this season with several factors behind this, but, the use of the 4-2-3-1 can be scrutinized as one such factor. The 4-2-3-1 was according to this graphic by Whoscored.com one of the most used formations last year…” Think Football

Mancini goes back to the future

“This was Roberto Mancini’s 2012 game plan against his 2010 tactics. A comprehensive win for his present against his past showed that while imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, it did not work for Alan Pardew. Before adopting his 4-2-2-2 formation, Mancini became known during his first full season in charge for fielding three defensive midfielders even though, with Yaya Toure in a more advanced role, it was actually only two.” ESPN

Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United: possession versus counter-attack

“Manchester United stormed into a 0-2 lead, City got it back to 2-2, then United pinched the win very late on. Roberto Mancini went with Mario Balotelli upfront rather than Carlos Tevez – the rest of his side was as expected. Antonio Valencia was surprisingly declared fit, so Sir Alex Ferguson chose the same XI he selected in United’s most comparable fixture this season, the 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge in October. In one sense United were fortunate to win the match because of the manner of their late winner, in another they were unfortunate not to be 3-0 up earlier in the second half. In a match of contrasting approaches, United carried out theirs more effectively.” Zonal Marking

Manchester City 2 Manchester United 3: match report
“Samir Nasri would be advised not to show his face around Manchester City fans’ haunts for a few days after failing to show his face when it mattered most in this epic derby. Embarrassingly and expensively, Nasri hid behind the wall, opening space for Robin van Persie’s winning free-kick. Such key moments can unlock trophy cabinets. Trailing 2-0 at the break, the champions had rallied impressively. Halfway through four minutes of added time, City just had to repel a free-kick to protect their 37-game unbeaten league home record, to ensure United were only three points clear. City’s wall was initially a gang of four. Gareth Barry and Edin Dzeko, the taller players, protected Joe Hart’s near post. Then came Nasri and Carlos Tévez, who suddenly broke away from the wall, seemingly to follow Wayne Rooney. And then there were three.” Telegraph – Henry Winter

Manchester United’s fast breakaways down flanks cut City wide open
“In an age where squad rotation is widespread, it is entirely normal for a title-challenging manager to chop and change between matches, but rarely have Sir Alex Ferguson’s selection decisions caused such consternation among Manchester United fans. Too often this season, United have conceded the first goal and been forced to win the match from the bench – here, Ferguson needed to get his starting lineup right. His selection made sense – he turned to the XI he used at Chelsea in October, a decision made possible by Antonio Valencia’s surprise recovery from injury. That was a sign he wanted to replicate the display at Stamford Bridge, which was sealed by a fortunate goal, but featured some fantastic counterattacking throughout the match, with an obvious pattern. Chelsea were flooding the centre of the pitch under Roberto Di Matteo, so United broke quickly down the flanks, particularly the right.” Guardian – Michael Cox

Robin van Persie scores late winner as Manchester United beat City
“It was the kind of tempestuous finale that has come to symbolise these clashes and, out of the madness, Manchester United will cherish their six-point lead over the team that caused them so many hardships last season. But where to start? The final whistle alone felt like bedlam, with Carlos Tevez and Sir Alex Ferguson contemplating whether to prolong an old argument, Gareth Barry screaming at Roberto Mancini, Rio Ferdinand nursing a line of blood above his left eye and Phil Jones, already booked for inciting the crowd, determined to milk the moment some more.” Guardian (Video)

Man City 2 Man United 3
“There is Wayne Rooney, who became the youngest player to hit 150 Premier League goals, as he put his team two up in the first half. And there is the irrepressible Robin van Persie, whose 14th of the season won a fantastic game after City had threatened a Mission: Impossible comeback.” The Sun (Video)

Mediocre Manchesters?

“On Sunday, Manchester United will make the short trip to Etihad Stadium for the Premier League’s most eagerly anticipated fixture. A local derby, 1st versus 2nd last season and 2nd versus 1st so far in 2012/13. How could this meeting be any better? Well, it would be improved if either were a good team – in the true sense of the word ‘team’. Not simply a collection of outstanding individuals but instead an XI comprised of like-minded players with mutual understanding, featuring reliable partnerships across the pitch. For a clash between the top two, the lack of identity, cohesion, framework and strategy from City and United is incredible.” ESPN – Michael Cox

United escapes as rivals fall farther back in Premier League race

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“1. Manchester United doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The club has become so used to coming from behind to win this season, maybe it has grown blasé. On Saturday, United came from behind not once but twice, in the first 34 minutes, as it won 4-3 at Reading. All seven goals came in a first half in which it looked as neither team knew how to defend. There could have been an eighth, but the officials did not spot that a shot from Robin van Persie had crossed the line. Now that United has been cheated, expect the chorus for goal-line technology to swell. …” SI

Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, plus more Premier League thoughts

“1. It’s all about Chelsea. This was a lively weekend in the Premier League. Manchester United came from behind to win again, beating Queens Park Rangers, 3-1, to regain first place. In another entertaining game, West Brom won 4-2 at Sunderland to climb to the oxygen-deprived heights of third. Arsenal followed emphatic victories over Tottenham and Montpellier with an utterly insipid performance at Aston Villa. The Gunners managed just one shot on target in a 0-0 draw. On Sunday, Clint Dempsey finally began to look comfortable with his new teammates, helping to set up two goals as Spurs rediscovered their mojo with a 3-1 home victory over a woeful West Ham. But none of these matches can alter the fact that this week has been all about one club: Chelsea.” SI

Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid: City out

“Roberto Mancini started with a back three, then moved to a back four, but Manchester City couldn’t find a second goal. Mancini decided to start with a similar XI to the second half shape against Tottenham, when they looked good with a back three. Nine of the 11 players were the same, with the exception of Matija Nastasic coming in for the injured Gael Clichy, and Samir Nasri (ill for the Spurs game) starting in the centre alongside Yaya Toure, an extremely attack-minded midfield.” Zonal Marking

The Question: why are more goals being scored?

Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa
“A spectre is haunting Europe – the spectre of goals. They’re everywhere – in every competition, in every country, in every stadium (apart from games involving Sunderland). Four-goal leads are regularly obliterated (Angola v Mali, Newcastle v Arsenal, Germany v Sweden, Arsenal v Reading). Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Radamel Falcao break goalscoring records every week. Everybody attacks, all the time. In the top flights of England, France and Spain, there has been a clear upward trend in the numbers of goals scored per game over the past decade. Last season, for the first time ever, the knockout stage of the Champions League yielded more than three goals per game and that has continued into this season’s group stage, with 3.03 goals per game. And even in Italy and Germany, where goals per game have remained relatively constant for 10 years, this season is showing above average numbers of goals.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

How English game of pace and power benefits from European precision
“More passes, less ‘hoofs’ from back to front, and a slicker goalscoring rate: the Premier League has become a more technical “continental” competition that is a fusion of English pace and power and European subtlety. These are the implications of statistics from Opta that chart a shift over the past five years from a direct approach to a more patient game that now features greater precision in passing and finishing. The national team continue to see little benefit from this evolution, with experts citing the prime factors as the influx of foreign players and coaches, better club pitches and training facilities, a clampdown on tackling and the influence of a Champions League dominated by Barcelona’s carousel-passing style.” Guardian

Hat Tricks for Sale: Ranking Europe’s Top Strikers

“January is nearly upon us! Or at least it feels that way if you spend any time reading the words of the soothsayers who try to predict what will happen when European football’s transfer window reopens on January 1, 2013. Speculation is particularly rife in England, and it mainly centers on two clubs: Chelsea and Liverpool. Both teams find themselves low on firepower, and as a result, they’ve been linked with every available forward in European club football. Two players in particular have been singled out as possible signings in the new year: Athletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao, and Schalke’s Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.” Grantland