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Everton Earn Gutsy Win over Mancini’s Men

December 20, 2010 — by Sean

The west coast excursion continues with a stop in at Brent’s Deli (to sample their take on pastrami. Being from New York, we’ll stick with Katz’s), where lunchtime gave us a chance to check out David Moyes’ men away at the Eastlands. Early goals from Tim Cahil – off his head, as if he scores any other way – and left back Leighton Baines got the toffees off to a flying start.

What of constant disruption Carlos Tevez, you ask? Why the Argentine decided to settle his dispute by expressing his “absolute commitment” to the club, retained the captain’s armband, and started the game of course. From the mouth of Mancini:

“Carlos is a world-class player whose contribution since he joined the club has been invaluable. I am pleased that we are now able to focus on pure football matters and to be able to look forward to Carlos continuing to play a significant role in the club’s progress.”

Things now peachy keen, City entered the game facing an Everton side who hadn’t posted a win since October, and with the chance to go top of the Premiership at Christmas for the first time since 1929. Though down quickly 0-2, City’s odds took a turn back in the favor with the ejection of Everton’s Nigerian striker Victor Anichebe on sixty minutes.

Though City continued to pound on the people’s club, the defense held firm and Tim Howard managed his box with an expertise he seems to have been missing for a few months. He wasn’t able to deflect City’s seventy-second minute goal, a blindly struck effort that was moving well-wide before striking Jagielka’s leg and deflecting in for an own goal. The sky blues pressed and pressed, and Balotelli (who started with Tevez) did look like he had an opportunity late on, beating Howard and hitting the post before coming up lame and being replaced by Jo (loaned to Everton last season, and coming out to meet his former teammates for the first time since).

Everton’s desperate defending refused to fail, and after four minutes of extra time the game was called, sending Moyes and his charges into a joyous team clutch around Howard, and seeing City stuck in third position on 32 points, two points behind leaders Man United who have two games in hand.

Commentary

ARSENAL CLICKS, OR CITY STUMBLES? (Questions from a Gunners fan)

October 27, 2010 — by Tyler

Nasri prances off to celebrate his goal

I admit that I was suprised by this game. Surprised by the Arsenal win, by the 0-3 final result, and by City’s reaction to the early red card that left them with ten men for 85 minutes.

Everyone at Eastlands will tell you that the result would have been different had Boyata not been ejected. But ejected Boyata was, leaving Roberto Mancini and his millionaires to decide how to fight on. I wonder if they’ve made their decision yet.

My feeling is that City didn’t fold, but they didn’t really fight, either. I’m confused as to the strategy for those 85 minutes. We’ve all seen examples of teams that seem to draw from untapped wells of determination and desperation after losing a player to a red card. But I didn’t see City demonstrate that brand of resilience on Sunday.

It’s a rare test to play virtually an entire game 10 vs. 11. And City played a Europa League game Thursday, while Arsenal had two days’ more rest after their Champions League match. So I understand that the City players were exhausted by the final whistle.

But Mancini has made it clear that he plans to rotate players throughout the season. He had players of skill and experience available on the bench, and City were playing at home for a repeat of last year’s explosive fixture.

I have questions.