Certainly Uncertain

December 1st, 2009

How to defend a lead? The most baffling of questions, as City broke the Premiership record with seven consecutive draws, and one which the current team (and manager) have no answer to.

Despite the attacking line-up, City still started at a funereal pace and it was not until fifteen minutes in that the home team created a meaningful chance with Ireland flicking over following a move involving Toure and Richards. Three minutes later, Tevez and Wright-Phillips combined with Robinho shooting just wide. Two minutes after that, Adebayor created an opening for Tevez whose shot was blocked by the keeper. Two corners followed with a Robinho overhead kick over the bar and a Richards header looping on to the top of the net. A great move on the half-hour saw a six man move ending with Wright Phillips shooting into the side netting. The City goal came on the stroke of half-time with Tevez finding Wright-Phillips whose deflected shot beat the keeper.

The second half began ominously with Lescott clearing off the line within a minute of the restart. City responded with shots by Robinho and Wright-Phillips saved. After sixty seven minutes, a disappointing Adebayor was replaced by Santa Cruz who proceeded to be awful for the remainder of the game. Bellamy came on for Robinho with fifteen minutes left but never got any kind of service. Hull equalised from a dubious Bullard penalty, which Given got a hand to, with eight minutes left but City looked clueless at the death, with individuals running all over the pitch, trying to win the game by themselves.

City: Given, Richards, Toure, Lescott, Bridge, De Jong, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Robinho (Bellamy 75), Tevez, Adebayor (Santa Cruz 67). Unused subs; Taylor, Onuoha, Kompany, Johnson, Weiss.

Attendance: 46,382

Entry Filed under: Match Reports