English Premier League Update: A few observations from the Manchester City vs. Liverpool game
It only took for 2 games for the big four of the Premier League to take the top four positions in the EPL table. With Manchester City finally turning it on against Liverpool on Monday, one finally came around to see why Mancini spent more than 125 million pounds in his squad.
Here are a few observations from the City vs. Liverpool game:
- Tottenham can classify themselves as very lucky, as the selection of Shaun Wright Philips in that game was a surprise and looked baffling last night, when Adam Johnson displayed what he is capable of in the same position. Adam Johnson ripped through the Liverpool defence that had kept Arsenal at bay in their last game so easily that it was delightful. It was a pity that Daniel Agger had to play the game despite having a concussion. However, Johnson is a sheer talent and it was a mistake of defence-destroying proportions that Capello didn’t take him to South Africa.
- Mario Balotelli’s other half is stunning as it gets and is sure to give the likes of Abigail Clancy, Alex Curran, Christine Bleakly, Carly Zucker and Coleen Rooney a run for their money.
- Contrary to popular belief, Mancini does not regard Yaya Toure as a true defensive midfielder. The Ivory Coast international did not look comfortable in his advanced role against Liverpool but one thing is for certain, Nigel De Jong is Mancini’s first choice defensive midfielder with Yaya Toure and Gareth Barry both playing in more advanced positions.
- City terribly missed the flare and flamboyance of Craig Bellamy against Spurs but they certainly have signed a better player in James Milner. Such is the versatility of Milner, that he has started his last three games for England, Spurs and Man City in three different positions. He excelled in the role of a left sided attacker against Liverpool, and although Mancini has plenty of players who can take up that position like Silva and Balotelli but the fact that Milner can play anywhere on the pitch will see the man starting every week. He was perhaps overpriced at 24 million pounds but managers tend to rate versatility a tad bit higher than a run of the mill attacker or a midfielder.
- City gave Liverpool a perfect lesson in why teams should not play 4-4-2 away from home and especially against a team whose strength is the midfield and when Steven Gerrard is one of the central midfielders, you are asking for trouble. Dirk Kuyt may have been the scapegoat for City’s opening goal but had Gerrard been more aware of the happenings around him he would have tracked the run of James Milner and by the time he realized that he had to track the midfielder, the ball was already past Pepe Reina. That is the sole reason why all his previous managers were always reluctant to play Gerrard in that position as it’s a great prospect in theory but very problematic in defensive application.
- On Monday evening, Manchester City fielded no less than 6 English players and with so many home-grown players in their playing 11, they can hardly be written off as foreign mercenaries.
- This season the league has taken just two matches in taking its shape. Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and City are making up the top four and Spurs only being denied by goal difference. Liverpool are the first of the big guns that look to be in danger of being cut adrift from the big boys after having just secured 1 point from 2 games. The next three games will be very crucial for Liverpool, as after games against West Brom and Birmingham, they travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.
Tags: