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Now that was something of a surprise. There was a sneaking suspicion that Birmingham would prove difficult to crack and that City would be lucky to come away with a hard fought odd goal victory at best.
Really I wouldn't have been surprised if the game had ended in a draw. Therefore a 5-1 hammering and, in the best cliché mode, it wasn't that close, was a very pleasant turn of affairs.
Adebayor scores
©Getty Images
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The run in remains fairly brutal and I'll not celebrate anything until the final day. I'd like West Ham to stay up and I'm hoping City are not in the position of having to win that match to qualify for the Champions League. There... I've said it. City are indeed in pole position for fourth.
What I've liked about the victories over both Burnley and Birmingham is that in many ways City have been playing the 4-2-3-1 that I advocate. The talking heads on the box call it a 4-4-2 but it isn't. Barry and de Jong are parked in front of the back four while Bellamy and Johnson are pushed further up on the wings. Johnson has been, it has to be said, a very nice signing
Up front Tevez has not exactly been playing in the hole. However he has been coming back for the ball and helping to direct the charge effectively fulfilling the role of the attacking midfielder. Also the Argentinian's passing has got better as the season has worn on. Such a fluid positional sense would not have worked at the start of the year when Tevez was not looking up when he had the ball. Now it's all about involving the team mates.
Adebayor has been a prime beneficiary of this subtle shift. The understanding between the former Arsenal striker with his strike partner is showing promise. It's not there yet. Both are inherently goal greedy, not necessarily a bad thing in an attacker, and will occasionally go for goal when the pass is the better option. However you see both players now looking for the other. That's very good. It also should speak volumes to City's management. This is a strike team that should be kept together next year. New faces are always welcome, Adam Johnson a case in point, but for a team that has been thrown together in the past 15 months the fluidity of play is impressive.
4-2-3-1 will not work against some teams. The diamond formation will be needed on occasion and a creative midfielder is still required. But when Tevez, Adebayor, Bellamy and Johnson are playing like this, City are winning and playing quality football. It's going to be an interesting last few games.
Comments
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Posted by Pete Evans on 04/12/2010
Not a lot I could add to that Wallace, you're spot on. I've watched City since the mid '50s so of course I won't be celebrating either until we're 4 points ahead of our nearest rival with a game to go. I sincerely hope we don't blow it now as the team are at last beginning to gel.
Roberto Mancini is getting his message across but he also strikes me as a coach who listens and adapts to changing situations. I hope we stick with him wherever we finish.
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Posted by steve on 04/12/2010
Hi Wallace. I do agree with your article, and I believe Adebayor and Tevez are forming a chemistry together. I do worry that Tevez is becoming a little too goal greedy. Adebayor could have 4 goals against Birmingham Sunday if Tevez elected to pass.
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Posted by Noah M. Wexler on 04/12/2010
Loved the play of both Ade and Tevez on sunday, great early game to watch before the Masters. I though there was one time were Tevez absolutely should have laid the ball off to Adebayor but that type of trust takes time. I agree that both should be kept and I really think absent us dropping the 3 of the next 5 and Jose Mourinho wanting the job Mancini should stay no matter what. He is a great manager and has done well with all the drama this year. I think Santa Cruz is on his way out, Dzenko or another young target man would be a better guy to have on the squad than RSC. I like the idea of snapping up Jerome Boateng as well just to insure we have a number of developing fullbacks and centerbacks if one doesn't pan out. Kompany has really proven himself and I think city needs to find a long term partner for him I think Boateng would do nicely and we could work him in slowly as a protege to Toure. The left back possition is still suspect not sure who is out there to fill that role though.
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Posted by trevor gordon on 04/12/2010
i think city will get the 4th place.spurs 5th,and villa 6th.if ur a man utd fan,u must be praying that rafa stays at liverpool.as long as he's there they'll never win the epl or the champs league again.trevor.
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Posted by chris on 04/12/2010
I think if we get at least one point from the next two, then then win against Villa, i will like our chances... tough run in but we are right on track as far as points...
Hoping Adam Johnson at least gets a mention from Capello - could be good for England.
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Posted by Martin Nazimek on 04/12/2010
The nice turn around from last year is winning against teams you are supposed to win down the stretch. Watching the last 2 games has hinted of Arsenal like football. Now we need consistency from the managerial position and on the pitch. If we constantly change, the chemistry will always be lagging. The main thing this year is that we are peaking at the right time of the year. The derby should be really fun to watch. Good stuff wallace as always. With the way we have been progressing this year, should we even think of getting rid of mancini for jose? Is it even worth it? Now these are the kind of win win decisions we want to have at city. CTID
Wallace Reply If Mourinho is available then I think you have to take a look at him. That being said I think Mancini can lead the club to silverware.
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Posted by Sadiq Senior on 04/13/2010
I strongly agree with you that Manchester City is becomming better these days. And at least they are proving to the world their quality since the defeat against Everton. However, they hav to settle a problem if they really want to secure the fourth place. Bellamy, Carlos and Adebayor have to set their goal greadiness aside, though the problem is more with Carlos and Bellamy. But any way, they have to play just as a team not as individuals.
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Posted by apay on 04/13/2010
Man city has the chance to go farther if they kept playing as they did in the greatest Sunday.
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Posted by Stan on 04/13/2010
View this tough run-in as a litmus test to where City is in its bid to become a genuine force in the Prem (and, by extension, Europe). Like Wallace, I was expecting a tight, hard-fought match against Birmingham. That made the result an unexpected delight.
But desperate teams await City: ManU, Arsenal, Tottenham, Villa.....
These tests will be of an entirely different caliber.
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Posted by emeka adigwe on 04/13/2010
The team is on track now but Ade and Tevez must work together and forget who scores the most goals but because getting into that 1st four position is more important than being the highest goal scorer,i think Tevez is the worst culpit on this one aside that he is a match winner any day
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Posted by Justin on 04/13/2010
Why is City always on a roll heading into the Derby! City is up...United is down....huge clash this weekend. We hold our own destiny in our hands, but as you even told me weeks ago when I was overly confident about our schedule leading in. It is tough, possible, but unlikely. With Spurs out of the FA Cup, i'm worried that their attentions are no longer split and will prove a problem. Villa is cracking late, and Liverpool just seem to not put it together for the year. Ours to lose...which is never good for "typical city"!
Wallace Reply Consensus seems to be 4 points from the final 5 games would see City finish ahead of Liverpool. Spurs on the other hand I figure they have a reasonable chance to get 10 points. Beat Burnley, Bolton and City - because it's Typical City - and snag a point from either Arsenal, Chelsea or United. Which means City need 6 points to stay ahead of them with a superior goal difference. Victories against Villa and West Ham and maybe a point at home to United? A wounded United is a dangerous United, much as I'd love to see City keep up the recent 3 game average of 4.5 goals a game!
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Posted by Mick on 04/14/2010
I just heard we have Steve Bennett as Ref for the Derby. He was the ref for that controversial sending off of Adebayor in the FA 1/4 final against Stoke. He has refereed Utd 3 times this season with ten goals to Utd and zero against. I couldnt think of a worse choice. I am tempted to think Ferguson et al may have used some influence? or is this a conspiracy theory too far!
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Posted by travis manc on 04/14/2010
the tide is turning because there is a blue moon rising.....c'mon CITY!
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Posted by Mick on 04/14/2010
Follow on comment re Steve Bennett from Andrew Shaw "That would be the very same Mr Bennett who officiated over our 3-1 defeat at Stoke a few weeks ago. And he was also the hapless dollard who cost us the points last season at Wigan when he erroneously gave them a penalty and bafflingly failed to give us two! And not forgetting him disallowing a perfectly decent goal at Derby which cost us two points and another two points in his display in another Wigan game that was a 0-0 draw. In fact, although he doesn't referee us regularly you have to go back to a 3-1 against Boro in early 2007 to find the last time we won when he was in charge. Over the same period of time he has officiated three or more United games each season in which United have a 100% record and two penalties to their name. So far this season, Hull, Everton and Wolves have failed to find the net but conceded ten between them under his control at OT. "
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About
Wallace Poulter is an award winning video game producer, designer, industry consultant and writer. He has been a football fanatic since the day he moved in next door to Brian Clough. "Cloughie" being the acknowledged genius that he was promptly moved out and went to manage Derby. A serviceable senior school left-back in his youth, Poulter played one season of Sunday league football as a striker proving conclusively that he was a serviceable senior school left-back! Today Poulter remains involved with football as a licensed referee and most recently as a consultant on a Football MMO.
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