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Manchester
City are a funny old side. We have a good record over
them, but they beat us 4-3 at the Lane with ten men in an FA
Cup replay. They lose to the bottom feeders in the
division, but then go and beat Manchester United on their
own turf.
Unpredictable
? You bet !!
I have always
thought they were a bit like Spurs, but having the
propensity to disappoint their fans even more than our side
do. But of late they have had more lows than highs.
The relegations, the boardroom problems, moving out of Maine
Road and into the Commonwealth Games Stadium and now the
Thaksin Shinawatra money issue. On top of that the
brave move of taking on Sven Goran-Eriksson and all the
background that he brought with him, you wondered if things
would be on a downward spiral at the City of Manchester
Stadium.
However,
things have gone rather well for the light blue half of
Manchester this season. Sitting comfortably in the top
half of the table and safe from any relegation worries, it
is only recently that they have failed to maintain their
form and have lost a few games that they would not have done
earlier in the season.
So, is it a
good time for Spurs to meet the Citizens ?
Recent result
shave not been the best for City as their season has gone a
bit flat. Having won up
at Eastlands in the League Cup, with ten men for much of the
game, it is a psychological boost, but coming off the back
of extra time and a penalty shoot out defeat in Holland, it
is a tough call for Spurs to pull out a top performance on
Sunday. However, expect Dawson and Kaboul to be paired
in central defence to show Ramos is they are worthy of a
place at the club next season. Hutton will return at
right back and Chimbonda to left, unless Ramos will put Lee
in from the start. O'Hara will start along with Darren
Bent leading the attack. The changes will give players
a rest, but will also persuade those chosen that they should
show determination and style to impress the new coach.
City have a
few injury problems, with possibly the most notable being
Micah Richards, who will be missed from their defence, which
might consist of Vedrun Corluka, Sun Jihai, Michael Ball and
Richard Dunne, as options are somewhat limited at the
moment. Corluka was a player much linked with Spurs
and he has pace and height, but has failed to show
consistency, although better than some of the City
defenders. Dunne is often given the run-around by Robbie
Keane and might be spared that, as Keano has played a lot of
games this season and might be given a rest. Ball and
Jihai are old hands, who apply plenty of effort, but not
always in the right direction and lack pace, as does Dunne.
There might lie Tottenham's best way forward with Bent
providing the physical presence to give Dunne problems. Nedum Onuoha could be
absent with a hamstring problem and Javier Garrido has not
proven to be the answer at left back that Eriksson hoped he
might be. Lennon could have fun against him if he does
play.
If Tottenham
do get through, they will face England goalkeeping prospect
Joe Hart, who many tout to be in the England squad for the
France friendly later this month. A big presence in
goal, a bit like Peter Schmeichel (who's son Kaspar is the
back-up keeper at City) and confident, he still has a bit to
learn and can be caught out of position, but he has a good
career in front of him.
In attack
Darius Vassell and Benjani are most likely to face Spurs.
After the farago that was the transfer from Portsmouth,
Benjani has scored the goal that beat United and that was
what he was signed for, as City lacked a regular goalscorer.
He's got one in four, but always seems to get in promising
positions and this season had been scoring well for
low-scoring Portsmouth and now he has to do the same for
City. Missing Valeri Bojinov, who
injured himself early on in his City career for the rest of
the season and with big Belgian Emile Mpenza out of the
reckoning, Mexican Nery Castillo,
Daniel Sturridge, Geovanni and Filipe Caicedo of Ecuador are
in contention to play up front. While former Villa man
Vassell has been given the nod, his pace is not what it was
and another partner might be used in the mix to spice things
up. Sturridge is the flavour of the month, being a
young player who many clubs have been interested in
(including Tottenham in the past) and he looks fast and
strong. Castillo and Caicedo, I have not seen a lot of
and there will be an element of surprise in what they can
do, although Spurs will have done their homework on them.
Geovanni has been used sparingly, more often coming from the
bench, but he has scored a few goals and tends to find the
runs down the channels between the full backs and the
central defenders. A player who will need to be
watched.
Luckily for
Spurs, the dangerous Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov will
miss the game after being sent off against Everton and
influential veteran midfielder Dietmar Hamann is also
suspended. With Michael Johnson fit again, he is in
the middle of the four in midfield with Elano,
the cultured Brazilian. He has made a name for himself
in the Premier League this season with some stunning goals
from free-kicks and his passing, which has set up a number
of chances. His influence on the game will need to be
reduced by our midfield. Stephen Ireland, who is
industrious and has a habit of popping up where the ball
drops to score long range goals will play in one of the wide
positions with Gelson taking the other, although he has been
another signing who has not hit the heights expected of him
so far.
Having drawn
with Wigan and lost to Reading in their last two games, the
light blues will be looking to get back among the points
with a win on home turf to kick start their run-in, which
sees them with an outside chance of getting a UEFA Cup
place. For Spurs, there is only pride and prize money
to play for, as well as a place at the club next season.
Tiredness
from their recent extra time exertions might restrict who
plays and how they play, but a draw will be a suitable
outcome, as we still have goals in us and City do not ...
PREDICTION :
- Manchester City 1 Tottenham Hotspur
1
For more information on
the opponents and their history, including full result history of
matches between the two teams, click here.
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Coverage
TV
Sky Sports 1 - (live coverage)
Match of the Day 2 (BBC 2) - Sunday 22.35 - 23.35
(highlights)
For coverage in all parts of the world, check
here and
here.
Radio :
BBC
LONDON 94.9FM (London area only), Digital Radio
(London area only) & Sky Channel 0152
(live coverage)
BBC Radio Five Live (live coverage) 606/939 MW
If
available on BBC radio, it can supposedly be heard
in these countries on these stations ...
Australia (Melbourne)
SEN - 116 AM Live
Transmissions: TWI, Saturday. 12.45 & 1500 matches
Australia (Sydney)
Radio 2 - 1611AM Live
Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 12.45 Match
Singapore
Media Corp Radio - 93.8 FM
Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
South Africa
SABC (Radio 2000) Live Transmission: TWI,
Saturday, 15.00 Match
Uganda Radio 1 (English) 90.0 FM, Radio 2
(Lugandan) 87.9 FM Live Transmission: TWI,
Saturday, 15.00 Match
North America (USA, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean)
Sirius Satellite Radio Live transmission:
Saturday - 12.45, 15.00 (TWI) & 17.15 (BBC) Sunday -
14.00 & 16.05 (BBC) Mon, Tue, Wed - Various times
(BBC)
Internet :
www.spurs.co.uk
Live webcast - subscribers only
BBC London -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/10/12/live_commentaries_feature.shtml
click on link to "Listen to Tottenham Hotspur live
commentary" on top right hand menu. |
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Ma
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Manchester City 2
Tottenham Hotspur 1
(Half-time score : 0-1) |
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Venue :
- City of Manchester
Stadium |
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Referee : Mark
Clattenburg
(Tyne & Wear) |
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Manchester City
: Hart
Garrido
Dunne (c)
Onouha
Corluka
Elano (Caicedo 75)
Johnson
Ireland
Gelson
Benjani (Sun Jihai 88)
Castillo (Vassell 71)
Unused subs:
Isaksson
Geovanni |
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| Tottenham Hotspur
: Robinson
Chimbonda
Dawson
Woodgate
Hutton
Lennon (Huddlestone 46)
Jenas
Zokora
Malbranque (O'Hara 67)
Berbatov
Keane (c)
(Bent 67)
Unused subs:
Cerny
Tainio |
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Manchester City
Ireland 59
Onouha 72
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Tottenham Hotspur
Keane 32 |
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There was a vigour about Tottenham's early play that saw them dominate
the first half of this game, but a second half comeback by Manchester
City saw them take the points 2-1.
With long periods of possession and territorial dominance, Spurs should
really have done more than gone into the break 1-0 ahead. However,
their insistence in overturning possession and not finishing off
opponents meant that in the second half, City took the initiative after
some Spurs subs to take some of the few chances they created.
In comparison, Tottenham's build up play
was much more impressive, but the end product was lacking.
Berbatov had one of those games where he likes to flick the ball on to
nobody in particular and the general standard of crossing was very poor.
When Huddlestone came on for Lennon at the break, it allowed the City
defence to move forward a bit knowing that the lack of blistering pace
would now mean they would not have to leave sufficient space for the
back four to sit off the Tottenham forwards and the withdrawal of Keane
made it even easier, with Dunne having the ability to deal with the more
direct Bent.
With Spurs troubling City with their calm
possession game right from the start, it was annoying that there was so
few tests provided for Hart in the home goal. A third minute
chance saw Keane beat Onouha on the right side of the box, tight to the
dead-ball line, then try to bend it in with the outside of his right
foot from an extremely tight angle, while Lennon was in the middle in
perhaps a better position. The Irish striker was almost onto a
long ball through from Dawson, but it just ran through for Hart to
collect before Keane could reach it.
A series of free-kicks were wasted and
Jenas blasted way over the bar when set up after some good passing, but
one dead ball did cause problems when Hart came, but got nowhere near
the ball and it eventually dropped to Malbranque, who didn't control his
shot and it went too high. 25 minutes in, Spurs had an escape when
Dawson fell in the way of Johnson's shot as he cut into the box and
shouts for a handball went up, but Clattenburg waved them away, giving
Spurs a decision for once (don't worry it wasn't to last). As the
ball bounced out but still in the area, Elano drove it back in and
missing Benjani's head by inches, Dawson had got back up to block the
shot on the line with his body once more.
It worked in Tottenham's advantage, as
five minutes later they took the lead. Malbranque lobbed a pass
out to Chimbonda on the left wing, but it looked as though he hadn't put
enough weight on the ball. The full back stretched out a leg and
got to it before Corluka could and this left him a free run down the
left, but as we all know, he doesn't have a left foot. However, as
Dunne came across to face him, Keane made an incisive run beyond the
defender and Chimbonda was able to pass the ball with his right into the
striker's path and Keane ran onto it without breaking stride to fire a
left foot shot past Hart to hit the inside of the net on the far side of
the goal.
It was a well worked goal and nothing
more than Tottenham deserved at this stage.
City almost hit back straight away, with
Johnson playing the ball beyond Woodgate and Castillo out-paced him, but
could not compose himself with his finish and lashed it wide.
Robinson had to be alert a couple of minutes later when Elano hit a low
shot from the right side of the area and the keeper blocked it at his
near post with a good save. From a corner, Dunne got the last
touch and put his header wide and Lennon had a run at goal and a shot
wide from 20 yards, then just before the break, Johnson almost released
Castillo again, but Chimbonda made a good saving tackle.
Turning around at 1-0 ahead, Tottenham's
approach in this away game was to be interesting. Maybe
Huddlestone's presence rather than Lennon's pace was what Ramos thought
might thwart any City backlash. This might be an eternal dilemma
with Lennon. While his end product is not always great, his sheer
presence makes it difficult for defences to relax and that means they
are less able to push forward.
Within the first ten minutes of the half,
we saw a change with City pushing men up wide and getting chances, which
the defence had to hurriedly block. It was also forcing
unnecessary errors and a corner given away without any need was followed
by another, then City scored. Benjani got away down the Tottenham
right and crossed, but Castillo completely muffed his shot, but it
bounced up in the air, was nodded on by Johnson and Ireland was standing
in the six yard box to get enough of a touch on it to turn it into the
goal. The fact that he was off-side when Elano made his header
by-passed both the referee and the assistant in that half.
So an hour gone and all square.
Acouple of Spurs corners ended with Huddlestone having a shot charged
down and then there were substitutions for both sides. Malbranque,
who was having a bit of a mare and Keane, who was not happy at coming
off, were replaced by O'Hara and Bent. Vassell came on for the
ineffective, but lucky, Castillo.
With a break down the Spurs left flank,
Vassell won a corner and from it, Dawson and Chimbonda failed to win the
ball, leaving Onouha the simple task of nodding the ball powerfully past
Robinson in the 72nd minute. It wasn't as though he had to take a
run at it, as the marking was so bad.
It was almost 3-1 when Dawson blocked a
Vassell cross and it popped up invitingly off Benjani for Johnson, but
he tried to take it on his right foot and the volley went wide.
Spurs broke at the other end and Bent's header dropped in Huddlestone's
stride to shoot, but Hart was behind it. Berbatov woke up to hit a
volley at goal, which had Hart scrabbling across goal for an easy save,
but he managed to fumble it out for a corner. The set-piece was
cleared, but a free-kick for one in a series of fouls on Hutton by
Caicedo was whipped in by Jamie O'Hara. The ball landed among a
group of players and shot in past Hart low at the post, but the linesman
had raised his flag early for an off-side against Berbatov, even though
he was beyond the far post and not interfering.
Two wild efforts rounded off the match,
with O'Hara blazing a cleared corner off for a throw-in on the far side
and Caicedo, not knowing what to do when he didn't have to foul anyone,
got the ball in the box and took a swing at it, missing the goal by
about 15 yards.
It was yet another disappointing away
day. Will this change before the end of the season ? I hope so, as it will not bode well for next season if it doesn't and we still
have to reach the magic 40-point mark. Manchester City were only
marginally better than West Ham, so how we intend to win at Wigan and
Blackburn remains to be seen. Although West Ham managed to beat
Rovers !!
CLIVE MARTIN |
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For Wyart Lane's
view of the City match, on the Times Online Fanzine Fanzone,
click
here. |
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Other scores
this weekend : |
| Arsenal |
1 |
Middlesbrough |
1 |
Saturday |
| Derby County |
0 |
Manchester United |
1 |
Saturday |
| Liverpool |
2 |
Reading |
1 |
Saturday |
| Portsmouth |
2 |
Aston Villa |
0 |
Saturday |
| Sunderland |
0 |
Chelsea |
1 |
Saturday |
| West Ham United |
2 |
Blackburn Rovers |
1 |
Saturday |
| Wigan Athletic |
1 |
Bolton Wanderers |
0 |
Sunday |
| Fulham |
1 |
Everton |
0 |
Sunday |
| Birmingham City |
1 |
Newcastle United |
1 |
Monday |
|
League
Table |
| |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
GD |
|
1 |
Manchester
United |
29 |
21 |
4 |
4 |
59 |
15 |
67 |
+45 |
|
2 |
Arsenal |
30 |
19 |
10 |
1 |
58 |
22 |
67 |
+36 |
|
3 |
Chelsea |
29 |
19 |
7 |
3 |
49 |
18 |
64 |
+31 |
|
4 |
Liverpool |
30 |
16 |
11 |
3 |
55 |
21 |
59 |
+34 |
|
5 |
Everton |
30 |
17 |
5 |
8 |
47 |
25 |
56 |
+22 |
|
6 |
Aston
Villa |
30 |
13 |
10 |
7 |
52 |
39 |
49 |
+13 |
|
7 |
Manchester
City |
30 |
13 |
9 |
8 |
36 |
34 |
48 |
+2 |
|
8 |
Portsmouth |
30 |
14 |
8 |
8 |
44 |
31 |
47 |
+13 |
|
9 |
Blackburn
Rovers |
30 |
12 |
10 |
8 |
39 |
37 |
47 |
+2 |
|
10 |
West Ham United |
30 |
13 |
7 |
11 |
33 |
35 |
43 |
-3 |
|
11 |
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR |
29 |
9 |
8 |
12 |
54 |
47 |
35 |
+7 |
|
12 |
Wigan
Athletic |
30 |
8 |
7 |
15 |
26 |
40 |
31 |
-14 |
|
13 |
Middlesbrough |
30 |
7 |
10 |
13 |
27 |
44 |
31 |
-17 |
|
14 |
Newcastle United |
30 |
7 |
8 |
15 |
31 |
57 |
29 |
-26 |
|
15 |
Reading |
30 |
8 |
4 |
18 |
35 |
57 |
28 |
-22 |
|
16 |
Birmingham
City |
30 |
6 |
9 |
15 |
34 |
46 |
27 |
-12 |
|
17 |
Sunderland
|
30 |
7 |
6 |
17 |
26 |
48 |
27 |
-22 |
|
18 |
Bolton Wanderers |
29 |
6 |
7 |
16 |
28 |
43 |
25 |
-15 |
|
19 |
Fulham |
30 |
4 |
11 |
15 |
27 |
49 |
23 |
-22 |
|
20 |
Derby County |
30 |
1 |
7 |
22 |
14 |
64 |
10 |
-50 |
Back
to homepage |
Manchester
City
(Away)
