[center]West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City
Saturday 20th October 2012
The Hawthorns 3pm ko
Live on Radio 5 Live
Referee: Mark Clattenberg
[/center][center]What must James Milner do to be selected to start consecutive games?[/center]
The Champions have arrived! The final home game before the international break saw us play some of the most breathtaking football played by an English team this season. Naturally, the media chose to focus on how poor the opposition were rather than our performance, conveniently forgetting that Sunderland were unbeaten and had only conceded 4 goals all season including a respectable 0-0 at the Emirates on the opening day. Somehow this made it all the more satisfying because if we continue to play open attacking football and the media continue to portray us as the struggling champions someone eventually is going to get a thrashing.
I’ll admit I had reservations when I heard the team last week, I envisioned Adam Johnson cutting inside a running riot on Kolarov and I worried that Steven Fletcher would bully an un-fit Micah Richards.
Instead the back four had its best game in a long time, as Fletcher, Sessegnon and Johnson failed to make the impact they did last season. Joleon and Micah were assured and confident at the back as if they’d partnered with each other for years, Micah in particular at both ends played as if he’d been playing all season let alone having been injured since the Olympics. At right back Zabaleta put in his best performance in some time with a very productive display, linking up well with Milner and Silva, particularly in the second half. At left back Kolarov had probably his best game in a City shirt, the free kick and the cross for Aguero’s goal will grab headlines, but his all-round performance was of such quality it had the potential to keep Clichy out of the team. The biggest compliment to Kolarov was given to him by Adam Johnson who had to switch to the left hand side before half time; such was the lack of success against Kolarov, before eventually being substituted on his big return to gain his revenge on Mancini. Hart also chipped in with 2 world class saves, one a header at the far post when was going the wrong way.
The midfield line up had a placing the hand brake back on feel about it with Yaya, Barry and Milner allowing Silva to have a free role. In reality it was the opposite, Barry sat in front of the back four and found the space to receive the ball when it was wide positions, this allowed Yaya to push forward and, with Cattermole injured, dominate the game. I always love to hear supporters of other clubs slate Barry, especially Liverpool supporters, the way he carries himself on the field, calm and collected, simple ball, taking the pressure of others is a seriously under-rated quality that you can only enjoy by watching someone every week.
On the right hand side, Milner was superb, his positional discipline, tracking back to cover for others, his ability to take the ball under pressure from others and his final ball in the final third continued his run, from the European championships, of some of the most selfless displays in the history of football. Its not everyday that the south stand joins together in song of a player, even less when it’s the entire ground but as the final whistle was blown the whole ground joined in a rendition of ‘there’s only one james milner!”, validation of selection if there ever was one.
In the advanced role David Silva was superb, near his absolute best, his movement excellent, passing inspired and he even had attempted to score a couple of times including a lovely chip that cannoned off the cross bar when Aguero had drawn Mignolet out of his goal.
Up front Tevez slogged his lungs out, he deserved a goal, covered all the ground any striker could be asked of and earned a well deserved standing ovation from the support near the end. Aguero came on and looked lively and took his goal superbly. Balotelli, however, continues to be the enigma, Mancini was right to start him but he was equally right to take him off before the hour. I feel he just can’t be trusted to lead the line every week and score the necessary goals.
Ultimately thought it was a team performance of the highest order and I genuinely cannot remember the last time City fielded 11 players where everyone contributed positively. Too often this season its felt like we’ve played with 10 men with the inclusion of several passengers in the starting line up.
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[center]The Opposition[/center]
West Brom used to be one of those sides they were too good for the Football League but not good enough for the Premier League…then they sacked Gary Megson and decided that they were going to do things there own way. Having a director of football has always seemed suspicious in the English game, as if they’ve been appointed to deliberately under mine the manager. The continental belief being that the two roles should work in tandem to produce the best team possible. Steve Clarke, talking over from Mr Roy, has followed this tradition of being a ‘head coach’ as apposed to being the manager. He was considered a surprise appointment considering his failures as assistant at West Ham and then Liverpool.
West Brom used to be one of our happier hunting grounds in search of 3 points but we’ve only won one of the last 5 visits to the Hawthorns (a 2 Balotelli, 2 nil win two years ago).
I had watched West Brom on the opening day of the season against Liverpool (for my Liverpool preview) and they were the same well organised side that they were under Hodgson, a sides DNA doesn’t get undone overnight, but until they scored from a set piece just before half time they were well organised but very ordinary. Under Steve Clarke I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d have struggled but he’s set about in the same under-stated way of the last two managers but they’ve won all 4 at home and their modest passing approach has been really effective against teams.
They had a summer of evolution, rather than revolution, adding Romelu Lukaku on loan from Chelsea to add to Shane Long, Peter Odomwingie (expected to leave in the summer) and Markus Roseborg (joined from Wolfsburg). They find themselves just a point behind City having won 4 out of 4 at the Hawthorns beating Liverpool (3-0), Everton (2-0), Reading (1-0) and QPR (3-2).
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[center]City[/center]
Naturally after our terrific team performance against Sunderland, the international break checked any momentum, Milner, Hart and Lescott returned a day late thanks to a Polish roof that wasn’t allowed to get wet but more worryingly David Silva hobbled off with a hamstring injury after 11 minutes for Spain and is expected to be out for 3 weeks (much to everyone elses delight).
If we’ve managed to get through the break without any other injures there is still the Champions League game in Amsterdam to think about. Last season there were accusations that Mancini did not take the Champions League seriously, dropping Richards and Clichy for the key games, the concern this season is that he has weakened both league and European teams so we get neither the benefit of our strongest team or a fresh one.
Personally I’d feel the strongest team against West Brom then, barring injuries, keep the same team against Ajax and only rest players for the Swansea home game the following Saturday if there is genuine fatigue. I don’t buy that players can’t play 3 times in a week; players will always prefer to play than train and will train less this week if they play and everyone will travel to Amsterdam regardless of whether they will play or not. Its important that we win all 3 of our games this week but West Brom will be the toughest game, it will also give us a chance to recover 2 points dropped from last season on our total of 89, and Ajax is also a must win.
What exactly is our strongest team? Well the first clean sheet was kept without Vincent the Captain (and Clichy) but it was also kept with Micah’s first game. Personally I’d field the back line of Richards-Kompany-Lescott-Clichy
Yes, it is probably very harsh to drop Zabaleta after a fine performance against Sunderland but I feel much of that was contributed by fine positional and defensive discipline by both Micah and Milner. Going forward, cue the hate mail, I think Richards offers a little more both defensively and attacking wise than Pablo, there were large portions of last season when our best attacking threat was Micah taking the ball on the half way line and charging into the box and putting a ball across. There was one home game where it went down the left about 15 times to no effect whilst Richards stood on the touchline at half way on the other side looking cold and the first time it went down his side we scored.
In midfield I’d continue to keep ‘the handbrake’ on with a midfield of Barry, Milner and Yaya. The three worked well together, Barry allowed Yaya to dominate the middle by sitting deep, if they did this against West Brom it would force Mulumbu and Yacob deep into their own half and allow us to dictate the play and the tempo.
With Silva injured, I’d be tempted to push Kolarov into the midfield on the left against West Brom’s 3 man midfield, stretching them and also allowing more space to open up on the right hand side for Richards and Milner. If Scott Sinclair plays i'd instruct him to run down the flank and put angled crossed into our two strikers from the edge of the penalty area. If they pick Nasri, assuming he's fit, then i'd allow him to play in the Silva's free but its up to him to replicate the early season form we saw against Chelsea in the Charity Shield and Southampton on the opening day.
or 
Up front I’d go for Tevez and Aguero for their superior movement, Jonas Olsson and Gareth McAuley shouldn’t be able to stop them if we can get the ball up to their feet.
If he chooses Dzeko it wouldn’t be a bad option, especially against Ajax, as if we create enough chances he’ll get a goal and, in my team selection, it’d give Kolarov someone to aim at and allow for greater variation on his crosses.
[center]Predictions[/center]
We’ve struggled recently at the Hawthorns, they are the well motivated and disciplined team we struggle against. But as with every other game we’ve played this season, if we play to our best we’ll win. Silva being injured makes it significantly harder but we should be well beyond hoping a player like Nasri puts in a shift and start expecting it. Scott Sinclair is the Guardian’s choice and if they are right then we’ve every right to expect a performance from him too.
