City fans finally got to enjoy the goal-fest that has been long overdue since the return of its major players. It was a comfortable home win for the boys in blue, continuing the dominant streak at the Etihad, which put them closer to the top. Many fans have long awaited for the likes of Silva, Aguero, and De Bruyne to finally mesh together and really put a hurting on a team, but does the win against Palace mean that City are ready to kick on and go on a run that will put distance between them and the other serious title challengers?
Coming down off the high that a 4-0 can have on supporters, one good performance at home doesn’t necessarily mean all is well. Palace are a decent team this year, but they haven’t scored a goal since losing Yannick Bolasie to injury a few weeks ago. Besides a few chances throughout the game, they didn’t look particularly menacing. This isn’t to suggest that the City back line and defensive midfield didn’t play well, but most would agree that the dominant side never really had to get out of second gear in order to ensure the win. The first two goals were not caused by a moment of brilliance from one of our players, but rather a lack in quality and concentration from the Palace players. The first half featured a lot of what we have come to expect from City; stale possession. I’ll come back to what I mean by ‘stale possession’ in a minute, but City’s passing was especially bad at the beginning of the game. It was shaping up to be a bad performance inside the first twenty minutes and if Palace had been in form who knows what could’ve happened. Silva looked off the pace, and overall I felt that we were lucky to be ahead at all, let alone by two goals. The second half was a completely different story, however.
The substitutions were actually what completely shifted the game. Clichy came on for the injured Kolarov and Toure to replace Kelechi, both substitutions had a massive impact on the team. Since Kolarov was no longer on, he wasn’t selfishly wasting possession with a bad cross or clogging the front third and allowing the opposing team to set up in blocks of four with no running in behind. Some may say that I am way too critical of Kolarov, but he is a detriment to the team going forward. The way it usually happens is as follows: City gain possession, make their way into the opposition’s half, slowly pass it around, cycle it all the way through the back line, and just when the ball should either be passed to the wingers, so they can isolate their defender and make a positive attacking move into the final third or passed to the center in order for the likes of Silva, Toure, or De Bruyne to make a quick passing play; Kolarov has other ideas. Usually, he makes an overlapping run where he blasts a fireball into the box featuring nine defenders, already set up with marking assignments, and one Sergio Aguero, or an aerial cross featuring the same defensive set up. Allowing Kolarov to be one of the focal points in the City attack is what has caused our open play possession to become stale and easy to defend.
The difference has been easy to see since Clichy has made his way back from injury. A great defensive performance against Everton, one of the most dangerous teams in the league, and a difference in play in the second half. City have more than enough attacking power with the midfielders and forwards in the team. Resorting to Kolarov is a mistake that has cost the sky blues going forward. Clichy is a better defender and although he may not offer as much going forward, a leaky defense and a 35-year-old centre back beckons for someone who isn’t constantly out of position because they think they’re essential going forward.
Toure was the other brilliant substitution. Most of the time when people describe Yaya’s good performances, it’s because he pulled out a world class shot or lung-busting run that displays the dormant pace and power he possesses’, but that wasn’t the case this time. The Ivorian was brilliant because did what few players are able to do in the modern game; control the tempo. Toure is one of the few players in the world that can actually completely dictate the pace of the game via his passing ability. He brought exactly what City called for in order to seal the three points, calm and efficient possession. As I said before, it was easy to see in the first half that City were missing a true midfield general, someone, who was going to decide where the passing was going and how fast it would be. Toure’s play was so effective was because it was the type of game that allowed him to play to his strengths.
Palace weren’t pressing very high and were allowing City to take possession and play with it in their half. This worked for bit because City didn’t have that person to pick out the passes across the field, but once Yaya came in it made all the difference. However, in games where teams press fast and hard like Liverpool, perhaps Toure should be used sparingly. We have seen how he can suffer with the press and the countless times he’s lost possession in a bad spot, exposing his poor defensive work rate. If Pellegrini can isolate the games in which Toure will be most effective, and manage his games in a more frugal way, he will be an integral player in bringing home silverware.
As we saw on Saturday, the attacking players started to mesh a bit better than they have in the past few weeks. The focal point of this attacking revitalisation was Sergio Aguero’s play. Aguero has struggled a bit more than usual with injuries this year, and between his niggling fitness problems and the change in system, he’s had a rough time adjusting. Although it may not seem like a major change on the team sheet, City have often isolated their mercurial Argentinian up top. As I’ve said before, sometimes the way in which City choose to get the ball into the final third doesn’t lend itself to their most dangerous player, but this game changed that. He was able to play off the line and pull defenders out of position while having the option to pass inside once he created the space. City haven’t been doing that and have been forcing him to drop deep or try to win a ball when marked by two or more players.
The emergence of Silva in the second half, along with the penetration that Kevin De Bruyne, Yaya, and even Delph brought, allowed for a more free-flowing forward line. The second half of the game is where City scored their legitimate goals, and the second half is when the passing became quicker and more accurate. If the team can produce the same results by adding Sterling into the mix, no team stands a chance.
Demichelis and Otamendi looked pretty solid in the center of defence, but again the Palace set-up catered to their strengths. They usually have a three-pronged attack featuring Zaha, Wickham, and Bolasie, but with the loss of Bolasie and the bolstering return form of both Zabaleta and Clichy, the Palace forwards were stifled. Most would be comfortable with Otamendi marking any ‘big man’ despite his stature because he’s so athletic and aggressive. What is frightening is facing a more mobile front line that forces Otamendi to be pulled out, isolating Demichelis. Though he’s done very well in the time he’s been asked to play, I can’t shake the feeling that his weaknesses will be exposed sooner rather than later. City should really consider strengthening the defense in this window because Mangala doesn’t seem to be a solid option with Demichelis doing a better job than he has, and the aging Argentinian most likely needing game management due to his age. God forbid something happens to Otamendi.
Overall, the future looks bright for City. If they continue to utilise their attacking assets, in the same way, they did against Palace and not resort to the attacking brilliance of Kolarov, the forecast should read: goals, goals, goals. Though the defense is a massive concern, since Kolarov’s injury will force Pellegrini to play the more defensively sound Clichy, it will give us all a bit more peace of mind. The rest of the season is a mix of easy and challenging games, managing Toure and the rest of the squad will be key. City have a chance to rectify some away form with the game at West Ham and prove they are the real deal. The title is well within reach, but a ruthlessness is required in order to put it in the trophy cabinet.
