City suffer from Britannia blues
By Adam Bailey
Pellegrini’s men continued their rotten record at the Britannia Stadium in a barely watchable bore draw on Saturday afternoon.
Álvaro Negredo, Jack Rodwell, Aleksander Kolarov, James Milner and Stevan Jovetić all made starts in a new look side, but were ultimately useless in a performance many City fans will want to forget.
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| Joe Hart makes the only real save of the game to deny Stoke taking the lead Photo: Official MCFC Facebook |
The Blues started promisingly and enjoyed long spells of possession, however, the Potters had a purpose about their play and looked the more likely team to score. Jonathan Walters squandered a number of chances to put his side in front and Joe Hart was on top form to deny Kenwyne Jones. Jovetić came close with a speculative volley, but goalscoring opportunities were limited.
City’s defensive injury trouble stuck out like a sore thumb and a Javi García – Matija Nastasić central defensive partnership looked about as steady as a canoe riding a tidal wave. Kolarov failed to build on his impressive international form and the Blues never looked like troubling the home side.
A dismal and lethargic performance saw City’s Britannia blues continue and will see Match Of The Day’s viewer count significantly reduced this evening, especially from the blue half of Manchester.
The omens look rather dreary in the build up to Sunday’s Manchester derby and Pellegrini has a lot of work to do if he is to win over a frustrated fan base.
Next stop Plzen. Let’s hope it’s paradise and not more pain. See below for highlights from the 0-0 draw.
Stats
City Stoke
57% Possession 43%
10 (3) Shots (on target) 11 (3)
4 Corners 2
11 Fouls 13
Yes, a poor game, with the only notable positive being another clean sheet.
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