BLUE MURDER AT SPURS
White Hart Lane is stunned as City go on the rampage
Manchester city are top of the league and the question is, on this form, how is that supposed to change? Unless chelsea can do anything about it on Monday, what many felt would be the closest title race in years may turn into a procession.
arsenal, in second place, are two months away from their home fixture against city, by which time who knows what the margin might be? city’s slips came at the start of the season, away from home, and without them they would be substantially clear already.
right now, they are an entirely different proposition, relentless and unforgiving. If they have a kick to unleash down the final straight, the contest is over.
city were not at their best last night, because conditions were foul and not conducive to sexy football.
they were, however, in charge for the large part of the game and only faltered late in the first half, thrown byy what appearedpp to be a hamstring g injury to sergio aguero. had aguero stayed fit, Manuel Pellegrini’s careworn face might have been replaced by a sloppy grin. had aguero stayed fit, however, who knows what the damage might have been?
city could have been five up after 22 minutes and, even without aguero, they added another four.
the locals will claim rotten luck around a disallowed goal — right call — and a second-half penalty to give city a two-goal lead — wrong call — but the aggregate score between these teams this season is 11-1 and it takes a lot more than one over-eager linesman to create a margin of superiority as significant as that. Danny rose was hugely unlucky to be dismissed for a foul that wasn’t but the scoreline was no miscarriage of justice.
city hit the woodwork twice and had an effort cleared off the line. they are a very good team. the match with Barcelona next month is a real test — for the catalans.
the problem with announcing a fatwah on holding midfield players, as tim sherwood and his managerial team have at tottenham, is that a viable alternative must be produced. Whatever tottenham were playing last night wasn’t it.
early on, city were into their back four much like a herd of rhinoceros would make their way through a Wendy house. a very skilful, intelligent herd of rhinoceros, obviously. and a not particularly well constructed Wendy house.
at least the first goal here was measured in minutes though, not seconds, as had been the case at the etihad stadium earlier in the season. Losing 6-0 there was the beginning of the end for andre Villas-Boas, and there is hardly much solace in a slightly improved showing second time around.
the game was only four minutes old when aguero had Vlad chiriches running in circles in the penalty area. aguero ran a beautiful arc with chiriches in his wake before sighting the angle to goal that he wanted and unleashing a shot which hit the inside of the far post, but somehow stayed out.
six minutes later edin Dzeko played a lovely one-two with aguero to leave Kyle Walker on his backside, but was too excited by the opportunity, blazing wide.
the focus required was provided by aguero for city’s opening goal.
It was a superb pass by David silva that began the move but aguero’s finish was the highlight of the first half, drawing hugo Lloris and then side-footing the ball past him with just the right degree of firmness and masterful accuracy.
he made it look easy. It wasn’t. It was textbook, an athlete at the peak of his powers and in control of his craft. aguero left the field injured late in the first half. It looked like a hamstring injury, sustained under the pressure of the chase from Michael Dawson.
a significant blow for city, with so many key games coming up.
Before that, however, city had three more good chances.
Jesus navas set up Dzeko in the 15th minute, but his shot was again poor and misdirected. Gael clichy then outstripped Walker again and crossed, aguero coming in on the blind side and steering a header that looked goal-bound until Lloris somehow clawed it away with one hand; the save of the night, perhaps among the best of the season.
In the 22nd minute, a silva corner was met by Dzeko whose header was kicked off the line by rose before the ball found its way to aguero for another effort just over.
It was soon after this point that tottenham felt they had equalised.
Dawson got the ball into the net but was ruled offside, along with emmanuel adebayor who, while not touching the ball, had to be in goalkeeper Joe hart’s line of sight.
so the tottenham fans were already smarting when rose suffered the injustice that made victory close to impossible.
at first sight, it certainly looked a penalty but there was a reason why referee andre Marriner hesitated, and it was shown in the television replays, rose having got a touch to the ball before the rest of his challenge sent Dzeko clattering to the turf. sadly, a linesman saw otherwise, flagged for the foul and sealed rose’s fate.
Off he went and Yaya toure (left) converted the penalty. With social media so prevalent it does not take long for fans to find out the truth these days and very soon word reached White hart Lane that rose was victim not felon.
Minutes later, the match was over. Pablo Zabaleta cut the ball back to silva in the penalty area, his shot hit a post and ricocheted to stevan Jovetic. It may have been a miskick, but he found Dzeko and the finish brooked no argument.
tottenham were done, even if the fans still held a man with a flag responsible. Indeed, so many of them were busy haranguing the poor soul that they missed etienne capoue’s goal, a scramble from a corner that ended with bodies on the floor and the ball in the net.
city’s last two goals were not much better. For the fourth, Jovetic cut inside and benefited from a slight deflection. the fifth, scored by Vincent Kompany 10 minutes later, came after Dzeko’s shot was deflected to his feet.
having scored five, the linesman might just be off the hook.
this city team has no need of assistance. no need at all.