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Mancini has taste of hard road ahead

West Bromwich Albion 0 Manchester City 0

Glenn Moore
Tuesday 27 December 2011 01:00 GMT
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This is how it is going to be for Manchester City from now on. There will be the occasional flourishes as weaker opponents are eviscerated and the goals rattle in but, away from the Etihad Stadium especially, victories will be hard won, if won at all. Yesterday at The Hawthorns, City drew a blank for the first time in this previously free-scoring season, their stellar cast of strikers unable to penetrate a supremely drilled and dedicated West Bromwich Albion defence. Roberto Mancini's team remain atop the Premier League, but now only by goal difference from their neighbours.

"I said to the guys before the game, if we don't score quickly it will be difficult because they will stay with many people behind the ball," Mancini said. "We had a chance. If we score then the game changes, but it is impossible to score three or four goals for 38 games, it is impossible always to win, impossible to be top all season." City will probably lose the lead before the year is out as United play at home to Blackburn on New Year's Eve while City must wait to 2012 before travelling to Sunderland.

Mancini thought it two points dropped but Roy Hodgson was on surer ground when he said this was a point Albion deserved. "We knew we would have to be at our best, work very hard, and keep our shape and discipline, and we did that," he said.

Hodgson's players were in on Christmas Day but the hard work was done on Christmas Eve when he drilled his players for two hours. That was merely fine-tuning following a year's diligent work on the training ground since his arrival. Albion now play the way his Fulham team did when they reached the Europa League final. When the opposition have possession they present two banks of four, who shuffle sideways as if on the invisible bars of a table football game. There is rarely 10 metres between each man and there was no space between the lines for David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri, nor in behind for Mario Balotelli. City had plenty of the ball, but not in areas where they could hurt Albion. Once they pinched the ball, Albion, if the ball was on, looked to utilise the selfless running into channels of Shane Long.

It was so effective Ben Foster barely had a save to make of note in the match. Only twice did City threaten but Silva missed badly after Aguero set him up after 25 minutes. Two minutes later Billy Jones, making the most of a rare start, made a smart tackle on Aguero after the Argentine dribbled through two tackles.

Albion were more expansive in the second period and Long should have scored when Jerome Thomas's cross presented him with a free header after 57 minutes. A few minutes earlier, however, Balotelli had skimmed the bar from 30 yards out when nothing seemed on.

That was a rare flash of magic from City's strikers. When closer to goal, Balotelli was crowded out and he spent most of the match brooding ominously, though Mancini was pleased he maintained his composure. Throughout, Albion's players beseeched one another to retain their concentration. When Nicky Shorey was guilty of ball-watching, playing Aguero onside after 65 minutes, Gareth McAuley recovered superbly to tackle the striker.

Mancini shuffled his pack. Gareth Barry came on, releasing Yaya Touré to play further forward. Then Adam Johnson was introduced in an attempt to add width. Samir Nasri, who was ineffective, then Aguero, who lacked sharpness in front of goal, made way. Finally, Edin Dzeko was thrown into the fray but it was Albion who came closest to winning with Thomas striking the post with a low drive.

"I don't think it was a bad performance – we had chances to score but didn't have the killer instinct," City captain Vincent Kompany said. Mancini was less sure. "We need to move the ball quicker."

He then bemoaned the fixture scheduling of the holiday programme prior to City's meeting with Liverpool on 3 January. "I'm disappointed we play 1st Jan [v Sunderland away] and Liverpool play 30th December [home to Newcastle]. I'm not happy with this situation. For Liverpool to have an extra two days [to recover] at a time in the season when we play every three days is not correct. It will make a difference. I don't know why this is – well I do, it's for TV."

Indeed. Until the petrodollars rolled in TV money kept City afloat. Clubs cannot have it both ways and such are City's resources they should be able to cope.

Substitutes: West Bromwich Albion Dorrans (Mulumbu, 80), Jara (Odemwingie, 88). Manchester City Barry 6 (Nasri, 59), A Johnson (Aguero, 74), Dzeko (Milner, 82).

Booked: Manchester City Y Touré.

Man of the match McAuley.

Attempts on target West Bromwich 3 Man City 9.

Referee L Mason (Lancashire).

Attendance 25,398.

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