I know it has been a couple of days since the match and most City fans will be trying hard to push it from their minds by a Tuesday lunchtime, so I will be brief.
Firstly, a wildly unpopular theory. The conditions. I am not saying it is why City lost - far from it. But I would say it had a good part to play in our disjointed passing and, as such, made a lacklustre performance look even worse. I shivered my way through the first half and watched a man behind me go from scarf, to hat, to gloves, into full winter clothing on this late summer afternoon! I have far less ability than the players on show, but when you can hardly walk down to the concourse for the wind blowing you back, I can't imagine what it would be like to play a forty yard pass. A lot of groans around me were for the apparent inability to do the simple things - so whilst it was the same for Sunderland and therefore fair in the grand scheme of the game, I don't think we've suddenly lost the passing verve and power in possession that won us the other two games this past week.
So, why then? A failure to put away chances tells only part of the story, but you can't help but think things would've been very different if certain chances were tucked away. Sunderland defended very well throughout the game and were set up, on Bruce's admission, to stop City. If City had scored after 18 minutes, Sunderland would've been forced to chase the game and the resultant opening up would have made things easier for us. We did have our chances and Mignolet made great saves from Adebayor and Yaya Toure, but City didn't respond well enough in the second half to win the game.
Our attacking trio of Tevez, Milner and Johnson (in particular) were ineffective. Milner doesn't look that comfortable on the left and Mancini will eventually have to choose one of the midfield three to make way if he is to use Milner to his best.
It will be a long two weeks for the team as they wait to put things right against Blackburn on the 11th September.
I actually spent the Bank Holiday weekend in the North-East and went to see Hartlepool vs Sheffield Wednesday on the Saturday - watching Nicky Weaver keep a clean sheet as Wednesday put five past the hosts. With Wednesday top and Oldham not too far behind, our heroes of that division, Weaver and Dickov, are ruling it once again. Weaver had little to do, but still managed to make most saves look spectacular.
Of course, today is also Transfer Deadline Day, and whilst City have completed all their in-coming transfers (or so we believe!), there are still a number of situations to be resolved. Latest rumours include:
Robinho set to seal a move to AC Milan
Adebayor to Tottenham to join Spurs's hated recruit with Gallas?
Boyata to Norwich, Newcastle or Leeds on loan
Michael Johnson to find match-fitness at Portsmouth
... and something for Santa Cruz to do!
Should be an interesting day!
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