Manchester City ‘vs’ Arsenal PLAYER RATINGS

Manchester City were eyeing a repeat of November’s performance against Arsenal when the duo met again in the Premier League on Saturday. The Citizens are the last team to beat Arsenal in the Premier League.

 

HOWEVER IT WAS NOT TO BE.

Cesc Fabregas delivered a superb free-kick for Adebayor to head his first and Arsenal sealed the points when Adebayor rounded Shay Given after being played in by Fabregas’s exquisite pass.

ARSENAL THEREFORE RAN OUT WINNERS THIS TIME AND HERE ARE MY PLAYER RATINGS AS I WAS AT THE GAME >>>

Shay Given (GK) – Given was let down big time by his defence in the game and cannot be criticised directly. In some spells of pressure he kept us in the game, and I was surprised about his punching ability. You can hardly point the blame at Shay for either goal and he is certainly within his rights to complain about cover.  7

Micah Richards (RB) – Micah actually…didn’t do too badly in comparison to the rest of the players. He had a tough job marking Arshavin for the whole game, who in my opinion played very well and linked up with Clichy and Adebayor superbly. It is nice to see Micah confident again, and this was shown through he constant energy, surging runs and tracking back. One storming run down the right ended with a fine shot well saved 7

Richard Dunne (CB) – Dunne looked very shaky coming up against a well organised Arsenal side. he was at fault for the first goal, along with fellow CB Onouha, and I presume there was a complete lack or communication as they both headed for one man…Toure? Although I do admit, bar the goal he was very good in the air against the mighty Adebayor and made a few last ditch challenges to stop The Gunners getting some more. One highlight of his match was clearing a Theo Walcott effort off the line. Apart from that, Dunne did the basic things wrong 6

Nedum Onouha (CB) – I was very surprised with Nedum’s performance on Saturday, not very assured and I certainly didn’t leave the Emirates feeling astonished by another one of his impressive performances. I’m sure he will have learnt from dealing with Adebayor, but I was hoping not to say that. Again as I mentioned he was at fault for the goal which shows I am right in my other blogs where I say the defence NEEDS COMMUNICATION? I felt let down by my two centre backs actually,  or perhaps i’m just not used to seeing them have a bad day? Im sure he will bounce back to some good form, but he had a pretty terrible game. 6

Wayne Bridge (LB) – What is wrong with this man? If you are not feeling 100% fit for a game, you simply do not make yourself available for selection. An absolute waste of a substitution and he is a waste of space in the team, always being run past, shown by Walcott, and always clumsy, shown by numerous rash challenges before being taken off injured? But Sparky, why not just a straight swap for Garrido? Why move Zabaleta to the left? Anyway, Bridge should be shot or fined for telling Hughes he was fit. I’m not happy with him at all… 2.5

SWP (RM) – Not sure whether it was me but he looked very tired before the end? He bamboozled the defenders with his magical skills and looked very confident on the ball in the first half, taking on Clichy and often getting past, but SWP dropped in and out of the game during the second period. Very wasteful when in possession in my opinion, like the whole of the midfield. Numerous times late on in the game he ran and ran and ran where he should have played an easy ball into the feet of Sturridge who was a pair of fresh legs but in the end we just gave the ball to Arsenal. Well supported by Richards – 6.5

Vincent Kompany (CM) – Again, another player who should have said >>> ‘Sparky, I can’t actually feel my toe, I don’t think it is wise for to play.’ But no? WHY?? Vincent, who cannot feel his toes, let us down with his incredibly wayward first touches and his passing was completely out of sync. I also noticed he was playing very high up the pitch, so whether he was told to, or thought we were shooting the other way due to some halluncinagenic injections we will never know. VERY poor. 4

Pablo Zabaleta (CM) – I must say, is passing was inch perfect (most of the time) which is in complete contrast to the rest of the team. Pablo is usually quiet but very effective, but at the Emirates he was dependable and got stuck in and you noticed he was there. Best player in a Manchester City shirt on the pitch. Ever so dependable. he started in CM but moved to left-back having played in that position a few weeks back. Did a MUCH better job at keeping Walcott quiet. Well Done ZabZab! 7.5

Nigel de Jong (CM) – Nigel is a very committed player who plays a clever game with Kompany, having previously played alongside him for Hamburg, but Vinne left the pitch early on, and after that he didn’t look as if he knew what he was doing. Although he was decent in some areas. Slide tackle here, slide tackle there, header here, header there, to be honest he was just running around like a headless chicken, but sometimes it worked! Again there was no communication with Fernandes, they ran into each other on a few occasions which is just a school boy error. Gave the ball away far too easily. i was disapointed by his performance. 6

Robinho (LM) – I’m really shocked I’m going to say the following. He played very well for his standards away from home. He was full of vim and vigour as he chased and worked very hard, tracking back, TACKLING, and setting up a few decent breaks with a couple of delightful cross-field balls to SWP on the right. He worked very hard until tiredness set in after the break and he wanted to be taken off. I was impressed by hsi attitude today, he was one of about 3 or 4 players who actually wanted to play football. More of where that came from please Robbie. Robinho, who had Stevie Ireland been fit would have been sitting on the bench resting, bought shape into the system producing an hour of hard work. The added value made Robinho one of the stand-out performers until he clearly ran out of puff in the second half when everyone knew where the points were heading. 7

Craig Bellamy (ST) – This match was not the sort of game to bring Craig into straight after injury, Bojinov would have been a better selection. Craig tried hard but physically, he was not up to the standard required, playing against the likes of Toure and Gallas who are big, mean players. Was at fault for the second goal, giving the ball away far too easily as City did all afternoon. Not much to report on. I think he completed about 4 passes and maybe had a wayward shot? Other than that he just ran his socks off for the team. Hard as Craig Bellamy worked in this game he was too often lonely and isolated and would have benefitted from a more physical sidekick. It was ironic, then, that Robinho’s shoulder charge on Sagna should result in a free-kick taken by Fabregas that landed on the head of the unmarked Adebayor! 6

Referee (Howard Webb) – Usual irritations. Bloody awful, booked 3 City players for ‘nothing’ challenges. I think he actually supports Arsenal… 0.5

Manager (Mark Hughes) – Made some terrible decisions, namely a shakey starting XI. Should never have played Vinnie or Bridgey and he should have been bold enough to say no, we will probably be without them now for the trip to Hamburg. His substitutions always seem to baffle me too. Poor team tactics from the City manager, who played Zabaleta, a right sided defender/midfielder at left back when we had Garrido as back up left back. Garrido must have felt so insulted. As for all this dribble about a “shield”; please, you must be having a laugh, the team were all over the place, they were as ineffective as a sieve against a watercannon. Hopefully the owners will look at things critically at the end of the season and realise that the richest club in the world needs the best manager in the world. 

 

Subs –

Daniel Sturridge (ST) – Great to see his have a run about…but that is literally all he did, apart from a shot which was dreadful.

Elano (CM) – Again, worked hard, but it’s always going to be difficult to match the likes of Fabregas, Denilson and Song who were all on the top of their games. Gave the ball away too often.

Gelson Fernandes (CM) – Should have scored when he hit the post and gives the ball away too easily like the whole team did.

My City Man of The Match goes to >>>

PABLO ZABALETA