Liverpool
1 Man City 0
City Consistanly Inconsistent
Sunday
26th February 2006 : Edward Ray
for Get Your Kits Out at Anfield
1:30 KO
IN THE LATEST EXAMPLE
OF Sven-Göran Eriksson’s
questionable judgment, the
England head coach
chose to patronise an anodyne
Anfield yesterday instead of
Cardiff. In the latest example
of Joey Barton’s dubious
decision-making, the Manchester
City midfield player was sent
off for two thoughtless tackles.
Manchester Uni£ed’s engagement
in Wales enabled Liverpool to
draw level on points with them
in second place in the Barclays
Premiership. However, Rafael
Benítez, the Liverpool manager,
admitted to feeling unhappy at
the modest margin of victory. It
was his team’s third successive
1-0 league win.
“We can’t get that second goal,
but one goal is enough at
times,” Harry Kewell, the
scorer, said. One will not be
enough on its own to knock out
Benfica in the second leg of the
Champions League first knockout
round tie on March 8, though.
In contrast to the bile from the
stands and vim on the pitch in
the FA Cup tie against United
the previous week, this meeting
with United’s cross-city rivals
was a bland disappointment. TV
coverage briefly spliced
pictures of the match with
footage of the teams arriving at
the Millennium Stadium as if to
make the point that this was a
taster before the main course. A
pretty unappetising apéritif to
the Carling Cup final it was,
too, the 12.15pm kick-off surely
contributing to the soporific
atmosphere. Time for a Keep Cup
Final Sunday Special campaign,
perhaps.
City have alternately won and
lost their past seven league
matches: inconsistency worthy of
Stuart Pearce’s managerial
predecessor, Kevin Keegan. Or is
that a kindly synonym for
mediocrity? Manchester United
and West Ham United are the only
teams presently in the top half
of the table that City have
beaten this season, a statistic
that undermines the progress
they have made under Pearce.
 Robbie
Fowler was ineligible as part of
the deal that saw him move from
City to Liverpool last month and
in his absence Peter Crouch and
Fernando Morientes started in
attack. Crouch is not built to
be a penalty box poacher. If he
were reincarnated as the sort of
animal featured on wildlife
programmes, he would be the
startled prey galloping away
from salivating predators.
Midway through the first half he
miscontrolled when sharper
instincts might have allowed him
to get away a shot.
Of course, Eriksson was here to
assess Crouch, not to enjoy the
contest, and the forward was
bright and busy. A back-flick
fizzed just past the post and a
dipping half-volley was tipped
on to the bar by David James.
Evidence enough for the Swede to
feel Crouch merits his
international status, though
there was fuel also for
detractors of the forward.
Danny Mills, the former England
full back, returned from injury
but kept drifting out of
position as if there was some
magnetic force yanking him
towards the centre of the pitch.
It cost City the match.
Pearce said that he detected a
growing anxiety in Anfield as
the first half wore on, but that
was eased after 40 minutes.
Steven Gerrard, on the halfway
line, saw Kewell unmarked on the
left and the winger collected
Gerrard’s smart pass and ran on
to drill the ball low past
James.
There is added bite to the
midfield and then there is
Barton’s (pictured above)
piranha snap. He was dismissed
for two senseless fouls, the
second sending-off of his
career. “He’s got to be a bit
cuter and a bit more clever with
his tackles,” Pearce said.
Barton was booked for a high,
studs-first lunge on Daniel
Agger in the first half and
received his second yellow card
after 52 minutes for treading on
Sami Hyypia’s ankle after the
ball had gone.
City responded boldly to
Barton’s dismissal. Bradley
Wright-Phillips, a substitute,
and Georgios Samaras wasted
excellent opportunities while
José Manuel Reina palmed away a
long-range effort by Trevor
Sinclair that was heading for
the top corner. “Maybe our
nervousness was let go and it
was a case of ‘we’ve nothing to
lose’,” Pearce said. Liverpool
repeatedly went close at the
other end, but unless they can
learn to be more lethal they are
in peril of losing their status
as European champions.
Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Agger, Hyypia, Riise,
Kromkamp, Gerrard, Alonso (Hamann
31), Kewell (Traore 85), Crouch
(Luis Garcia 75), Morientes.
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Cisse.
Goals: Kewell 40.
Man City: James, Danny
Mills, Dunne, Distin, Jordan,
Sinclair (Ireland 67), Barton,
Musampa, Riera (Croft 78),
Samaras, Sibierski
(Wright-Phillips 45).
Subs Not Used: Weaver, Sommeil.
Sent Off: Barton (52).
Booked: Barton, Samaras.
Att: 44,121
Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
Aston
Villa 1-1 Man City
Leave it to Micah
Micah Richards scored a late
equaliser at Aston Villa to earn
Manchester City a deserved draw
in the FA Cup. Richards, 17,
headed home from a corner in the
dying seconds of the game City
richly deserved to at least
draw.
Milan Baros had given Aston
Villa a scarcely deserved lead
with a neat right-foot finish
after a
precise through ball from Steven
Davis.
City threatened throughout and
Thomas Sorensen saved well from
Darius Vassell and Joey Barton
while Milner cleared off the
line from Richards.
The result was the very least
City deserved after Stuart
Pearce's team dominated long
spells of the match.
And in Richards City had a
player who deserved to score
after a superb individual
performance.
City were particularly rampant
in the first half.
Mark Delaney prevented Barton
from heading a dangerous cross
goalwards but was winded for his
troubles, while Vassell shot
wide and Georgios Samaras forced
a save with a 20-yard strike.
Jlloyd Samuel gifted the game's
first gilt-edge opening the way
of City.
Antoine Sibierski nipped in as
Samuel attempted a back-pass and
put Vassell clean through on
goal, but the City striker
failed to take the ball around
Sorensen.
The Villa keeper then made a
full-stretch save low to his
right after Barton had shot
across the face of goal and from
the subsequent corner Sibierski
almost headed City in front.
 In
contrast, the home team offered
virtually nothing and did not
enjoy anything approaching a
spell of possession in the
opening 30 minutes.
Baros almost got a shot off just
after the half-hour mark but as
he waited for the ball to drop
Barton made a timely
interception.
City keeper David James then had
to be at his best to clear a
dangerous cross but half time
arrived with the home team
having created hardly anything
to encourage their supporters.
Villa improved after the break,
finally pressurising the City
defence with a series of corners
and attacking throw-ins.
Milner volleyed wide from 20
yards, but City continued to
show a threat in front of goal
and Gavin McCann almost
deflected a Kiki Musampa shot
into his own net.
James then spilled a free-kick
from Milner, but Richard Dunne
was the first to react, smashing
the ball clear.
The game swung from end to end
and Milner made a superb
goal-line clearance to prevent
Richards scoring with a header
from a corner.
And it was Villa who finally
broke the deadlock - Baros
clinically smashing the ball
past James after Davis played
him through.
It looked as though the goal
would be enough to settle the
tie until Richards struck deep
into injury time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aston Villa: Sorensen, Hughes,
Mellberg, Delaney (Ridgewell
45), Samuel, Davis, McCann,
Barry, Milner, Moore (Angel 63),
Baros.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Hendrie,
Phillips.
Booked: Mellberg.
Goals: Baros 72.
Man City: James, Richards,
Dunne, Distin, Jordan, Musampa,
Barton, Sibierski (Croft 80),
Riera, Vassell (Wright-Phillips
83), Samaras.
Subs Not Used: Weaver, Sommeil,
Ireland.
Booked: Dunne, Barton, Richards,
Musampa.
Goals: Richards 90.
Att: 23,847
Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
|
Man City 3-2 Charlton
City see Double
 A
stunning 35-yard effort from Joey Barton
guided Manchester City to victory in a match
which only sparked to life in the second
half.
City were 1-0 up through Richard Dunne's
volley on 22 minutes.
But a goal-fest materialised after the
interval which saw Darren Bent slot home an
equaliser before Georgios Samaras headed
City in front again.
Barton's super strike put the hosts 3-1 up
before Marcus Bent's header on 66 minutes
set up a nervous finale.
In a match billed as the battle of the
England manager contenders it was Manchester
City boss Stuart Pearce that won the
bragging rights over Charlton counterpart
Alan Curbishley.
We needed those three points so badly to
keep up with the top eight
City had started the match brightly and
although the game lacked any real clear-cut
chances they opened the scoring on 22
minutes.
Having seen his corner cleared, Barton
received the ball on the left and whipped in
a cross which was headed clear by Bryan
Hughes.
The clearance, though, fell to Dunne who, on
the edge of the area, showed good technique
to shape his right foot over the ball and
half-volley the ball home through a crowded
penalty area.
The hosts continued to dictate proceedings
in the first half, playing at their pace yet
they failed to make their dominance count in
the final third.
Kiki Musampa had his curling free-kick saved
low at the far post by Myhre just after the
half-hour mark while at the other end Marcus
Bent had Charlton's only two efforts towards
goal both of which were off target.
If the first-half was lacking in goalmouth
action, the opening 10 minutes set the game
alight with two goals in the space of three
minutes.
First Darren Bent bagged his 13th goal of
the season six minutes after the re-start
when he calmly slotted in Talal El
Karkouri's perfectly-weighted through ball
to pull Charlton level.
 But
the hosts soon edged themselves back in
front when Samaras made an instant impact by
delivering a powerful header past Myhre from
Barton's super cross.
Another Musampa free-kick was saved just
before Barton's stunning drive which clipped
the post on its way past Myhre - making it
3-1 on 62 minutes.
Charlton were not to let their heads drop
and drew a second goal back when Marcus Bent
headed past James from Radostin Kishishev's
right-wing centre four minutes later.
Both sides had chances to increase their
lead with Antoine Sibierski seeing his
77th-minute saved by Myhre.
But it was David James that pulled out a
dramatic save late on to thwart El
Karkouri's drive in the final seconds.
Man City: James, Richards, Dunne, Distin,
Sommeil, Sinclair (Samaras 45), Barton,
Musampa, Riera, Cole (Ireland 81), Vassell
(Sibierski 68).
Subs Not Used: Weaver, Croft.
Goals: Dunne 22, Samaras 54, Barton 62.
Charlton: Myhre, Young, Hreidarsson, El
Karkouri, Spector, Hughes (Bothroyd 74),
Kishishev, Smertin (Euell 74), Thomas
(Ambrose 74), Marcus Bent, Darren Bent.
Subs Not Used: Andersen, Powell.
Goals: Darren Bent 51, Marcus Bent 66.
Att: 41,347
Ref: M Dean (Wirral). |
Everton 1 Manchester City 0
'yer win one 'yer lose one
Saturday 4th February 2006 :Paul
Walker for Get Your Kits Out at Goodison Park
Everton's resurgence continued thanks to a scrambled
David Weir goal as a fired-up Joey Barton
fought in vain to inspire the Manchester City team-mates
around him.
Barton pointedly walked towards the City supporters,
applauding them and clutching the badge on his shirt at
the end of the match.
The midfielder, who asked to leave the club this week,
did not deserve to be on the losing team, but as a unit
City did not do enough to prevent Everton stretching
their unbeaten run to nine games.
Barton showed the passion his manager Stuart Pearce had
asked for, but an early Weir goal, his first of the
season, maintained Everton's impressive start to the
year.
City were dreadful in the first half, Barton apart, and
Everton took advantage.
By the time City had bucked their ideas up - and Stephen
Jordan had been sent off - it was too late to change the
course of this match.
James Beattie returned to lead the Everton attack after
missing two games with a calf injury. And that was the
only change for the Toffees from the starting line-up
who drew at Wigan in midweek, with James McFadden
dropping to the bench.
City gave new Greek striker Georgios Samaras his full
debut, while Barton was subjected to the angry voices of
some travelling supporters after his refusal to sign the
new contract offered by the Eastlands club.
A banner reading 'greedy, greedy Barton' was hung from
the City fans' enclosure, only to be removed by a
steward to cheers from the visiting support who chanted
Barton's name. Views remain mixed on the midfielder's
actions.
More concern for City was the space being afforded to
Leon Osman by Kiki Musampa, playing in a central
midfield role rather than his usual position on the
flanks.
 On
two minutes Osman got in behind Musampa and raced into
the box to see a rising shot cannon off the bar.
And Everton were soon ahead. Mikel Arteta's
seventh-minute corner was met in the box by Tim Cahill
whose downward header was weakly nodded away by Richard
Dunne, but only as far as Weir who deflected the ball
past David James from a couple of yards.
City looked lethargic and Everton swarmed all over them.
One long clearance from Richard Wright was allowed to
bounce by Dunne and James had to come out of his box in
an attempt to clear.
James missed the ball, however, and fortunately for the
goalkeeper Dunne was able to shepherd it a couple of
yards wide.
City were penned in their own half, allowing Everton
plenty of possession.
It took City until the 32nd minute to get in their first
shot, Sylvain Distin providing Musampa with a pass which
saw him send a low drive wide.
Barton then fired in a cross in from the left, Darius
Vassell got a touch on it back to Trevor Sinclair, and
he ballooned a shot high over the bar.
Then Sun Jihai sent in a cross from the right and
Vassell saw a header from six yards drop wide of the far
post.
City boss Stuart Pearce headed into half-time with a
face like thunder, and his frustration was clearly
communicated to a team who improved after the break.
Jordan was booked after 55 minutes for bringing down
Arteta, before City came close to an equaliser when
Samaras powered a fine header inches over from Barton's
left-wing corner.
Then Pearce took off Albert Riera and replaced him with
Andy Cole. Samaras moved to the left and helped create a
fine opening for Musampa, who saw an 18-yard shot caught
by Wright.
Compared to the first half, Everton had been quiet, but
Cahill did get in on the left to lash a dipping drive
over the far angle. Barton was then booked for a foul on
Cahill.
Trevor Sinclair, Vassell and Samaras all had shots
during a mad scramble in Everton's six-yard box, but the
danger was eventually averted.
City threw on Antoine Sibierski and Bradley
Wright-Phillips for Samaras and Vassell after 76
minutes.
Three minutes later Everton replaced Beattie and sent on
McFadden, with Simon Davies taking over from Osman four
minutes later.
Jordan was ordered off two minutes from the end. After
walking a fine line with a succession of fouls, he
finally received a second yellow card - then red - to
reduce City to 10 men.
Dunne was booked a minute later after a foul on Davies,
but City were now shattered and Everton were heading
ever closer to the top half of the table.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everton: Wright, Hibbert, Weir, Stubbs, Nuno
Valente, Osman (Davies 82), Neville, Arteta, Kilbane,
Cahill, Beattie (McFadden 80).
Subs Not Used: Turner, Naysmith, Anichebe.
Goals: Weir 8.
Man City: James, Jihai, Dunne, Distin, Jordan,
Sinclair, Barton, Musampa, Riera (Cole 60), Vassell
(Wright-Phillips 77), Samaras (Sibierski 77).
Subs Not Used: Weaver, Richards.
Sent Off: Jordan (90).
Booked: Jordan, Barton, Dunne.
Att: 37,827
Ref: A Marriner (W Midlands).
|
earn a yellow card and also accidentally flatten referee Chris Foy,
there were warm cheers as he departed, which is more than can be
said for Souness.
After
a tepid opening, during which the only notable moments came through
the noise that rolled round the ground every time Barton touched the
ball, City took the lead with Riera's first goal for the club.
the best player on the Blues staff.