THE PITCHER OF MISERY
City win one of the games of the season on a shocking surface in a half empty Wembley stadium
ONE of the games of the season played on a shocking pitch in a half-empty stadium.
Manchester City were still good enough to score the winning ‘touchdown’ at Wembley, where the playing surface still carried the hallmarks of the American football match played just 24 hours earlier.
But this was otherwise an embarrassment to the Premier League because a game beamed all around the globe had the NFL symbol there for all to see in the centre circle.
The fans have also seen enough and just 56,854 turned up, leaving swathes of empty seats in the home end but not one in the pocket of travelling fans in the corner.
When City scored, you felt like shouting touchdown and then half expected John Stones or whoever to take the conversion because this was more gridiron than football.
No one can blame the FA or Wembley, as the NFL date had been in the diary for 10 months. No, the blame must be laid squarely at Tottenham’s door.
Their new ground is not ready and ultimately supporters are paying the price as what should have been a spectacle was second rate, the quality of the game seriously affected by a shocking playing surface more Hackney Marshes than Premier League.
Mauricio Pochettino had joked it would suit Spurs more than City, presumably because of the slick passing style of Pep Guardiola’s team. The reality was City showed they can handle it on a cold Monday night no matter the state of the pitch. They were still far too good, far too slick and skilful.
And when the beautiful game does not work, they can also go route one. Keeper Ederson smashed a long clearance deep into Tottenham territory, Kieran Trippier misjudged the ball and then Raheem Sterling turned him inside out.
Sterling cut back a perfect pass for Riyad Mahrez (left) to smash home after six minutes.
City, in their away kit which resembles the wrapper of a
Double Decker chocolate bar, were the better team in the first half but were missing the clinical touch to put away their opponents.
Tottenham were finding space behind their defence largely because of left-back Benjamin Mendy, with Harry Kane thumping a shot just over and the England striker going through only to be let down by a heavy first touch which allowed Ederson to save at his feet.
Spurs came back well in the second half and showed spirit but keeper Hugo Lloris is clearly struggling for confidence, his awful clearance falling straight to Sergio Aguero, who could not capitalise on the error.
Sterling had a close-range effort was blocked on the line to leave Guardiola kicking the bench in frustration.
Lloris was keeping his team in the game and twice denied Aguero, the striker also struggling with the pitch and his normal killer instinct absent.
The home side, to their credit, kept going despite City looking the better side. They brought on Harry Winks, much to the dismay of Eric Dier, who looked furious when substituted. Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen were also thrown on to for a late assault.
It was Alli who created Tottenham’s best chance after 80 minutes, his storming run helping create an opening for Erik Lamela who blazed over the crossbar.
Perhaps Lamela thought for a moment he was playing in the NFL and had to put it over the posts.
An easy mistake to make playing on a pitch like this.