City 1 - 1 Blackburn: 4-2-3-1 is right but wrong; player ratings

To borrow a Mancini favourite: Football is strange. What, but for one moment of madness from our goalkeeper, could have been a fairly satisfying win, ends up leaving a feeling of frustration. An obstinate defence besides, I don't even think this was Blackburn at their best, so a point doesn't really feel like enough.

As the nation's darling of the moment, Hart will not face too great a criticism for his blunder yesterday - Match of the Day even over-emphasised Kolo Toure's role so much that Hart's actions may almost have sounded normal - but for all the points he has saved this season, these were ones he lost. Grella, who seemed to be willfully wasteful with the football up until their goal, punted a nothing ball forward, and Hart, to answer seemingly no danger whatsoever, decided to intervene in a situation that was already covered some twenty-five yards from goal. It was a moment of madness, and a calamitous way to concede your first goal from open play this season - and it set City the tough task of breaking through Blackburn and Paul Robinson. Hart has been exceptional this season and he will recover, but this should help him to keep a little more grounded.

Adam Johnson was our main threat in the first-half as City struggled to respond straight away - coming tantalisingly close with a curled shot across goal.

I don't take issue with the 4-2-3-1 formation that was used, as it is favoured by most teams now and being a man light in the middle can lead to an uneven contest, but I don't think Tevez is at his best as the leading striker. Primarily because he doesn't act like one when he is played there. You cannot fault his energy and his ability to hold up the ball (which are both important in a leading striker role), but he almost never makes forward runs. Quite often a player will be breaking from midfield, Milner say, and Carlos will either run next to him or, more often than not, drop back - leaving the attacking midfielder with no option other than to cut-back on the attack or go it alone. He is much better as the man behind the strikers, where he can drop back, get involved and link up with the centre-forward. Because of his lack of forward runs, we often look like we are playing without a striker, in what is otherwise quite an attacking formation.

The issue here is that it will further complicate an already difficult choice in midfield. De Jong's knock and Barry's rest meant it appeared easier yesterday - with Milner allowed to start in his preferred central role - but, if Tevez is to drop back, Milner, Yaya Toure, De Jong, Barry and Vieira will have to battle over just two positions. Which is not an easy choice at all.

Obviously with Adebayor out and other candidates perhaps not quite up to it, Tevez will probably remain there for awhile - and therefore, this doesn't apply directly to yesterday's match, but it is a problem on the horizon and I don't think we will be fully effective until it is sorted out.

All that said, we did create a number of chances to finish the game - some great last ditch defending from Blackburn prevented both Tevez and Jo after Silva had clipped them through; Robinson produced a good save from Barry; and Johnson could well have had a penalty after a great run into the box. But, for the second game running, City will be left rueing missed chances and dropped points.

Without Hart's blunder, we would be looking at a one-nil win that could've been more, with it, it is a frustratingly thwarted draw. The margins in football are very thin and matches hinge on such small events... 'Football is strange.'

Player ratings:

Hart 5, Richards 7, Kolo Toure 6.5, Kompany 7.5, Lescott 6, Wright-Phillips 6 (Jo 6), Vieira 6.5 (Barry 6.5), Yaya Toure 6, Milner 6.5, Johnson 8 (Silva N/A), Tevez 7.

Man of the match: Adam Johnson