Balotelli: Not the lead story, for a change
It’s quite a day to wake up as a Manchester City fan. Or so I assume. I’m an Arsenal fan, and it’s been so long since we beat our rivals in the league (almost two years to the day) that I can barely remember what anything apart from anguish and humiliation feels like after derby day. Those are the buzzwords of the day for United; losing to your rivals is irritating, losing comfortably to them is a disaster, but having your heaviest home beating since 1955 is something else. I can compare it to the thrashing we were given at the same ground earlier this season (and we managed to concede more goals) but a 6-1 drubbing at home… well, I wouldn’t be surprised if the number of sick-days taken in Manchester is higher today than on any occasion since 1989.
The win – or more specifically the manner of it – reminded me of the defining result of the defining team of the modern age, Barcelona’s 5-0 win over José Mourinho’s Real Madrid last season.
Comparisons between the sides who handed out the two merciless drubbings would be preposterous of course, and can probably never be made. Barcelona, with their La Masia laboratory, are an elaborate and vast organic coral reef; players are bred specifically for their famous fast-moving, high-pressing, short-passing style, nurtured by their predecessors’ experience and guile. City’s efforts can at best result in an unnatural, manufactured Frankenstein’s monster, limbs developed by another body, procured and hacked hastily together by the hands of a deranged Victor in chance possession of a blank chequebook.
Beautiful Barcelona had already won everything before they sent their message last November, while City have a solitary FA Cup in the last 35 years. However, as any fan will tell you, this is merely the beginning. The 6-1 result, which sent City five points clear at the top of the Premier League table and with a vastly superior goal difference, was as emphatic an announcement as Messi et al made that night; “you cannot touch us today.”
Sheikh Mansour and Mancini’s City was one good looking Frankenstein’s monster yesterday. David Silva was the divine pivot upon which City swiveled, and the fleet-footed Spaniard was untouchable at times. His close control was mesmerising, his goal well-taken, and the beautifully volleyed pass to set up Edin Dzeko’s sixth a moment of genius. James Milner’s drive was matched for a change by his technique and use of the ball, while Sergio Aguero’s speed, and the cold efficiency of Mario Balotelli, did for United well before Dzeko’s late contributions.
But how was it all allowed to happen? City are a fantastic side, of course, but you can’t blame their ill-gotten riches entirely for the way United found themselves embarrassed. In goal was £18m David De Gea, nominally protected by a back-line purchased for almost £60m. £16.5m Phil Jones was on the substitutes’ bench. This was not a depleted and demoralised side like the Arsenal line-up which was sent to the slaughter in August; it was a strong, expensively assembled team which had been in great form this season, and it was ripped to pieces. Among United fans, it seems much of the blame has fallen at the seemingly feet of Jonny Evans, the hapless defender whose flat-footed, clumsy dealing of the Mario Balotelli situation at the start of the second half cost him his involvement. He didn’t have a good game, but he wasn’t the only option; the substitute Jones is primarily a central defender and could have been preferred, while Chris Smalling could also have been shunted to the middle to facilitate the natural full-back Fábio da Silva. Sir Alex Ferguson made the call, and if he can be praised for United’s fine start then he should also be held to account for that costly lapse in judgement.
Fergie and Mancini; contrasting performances
After United were humbled at Wembley by Pep Guardiola’s men last summer, Ferguson pledged to dedicate his efforts to conquering the Catalans. Seeing United picked off on the counter-attack, persisting with a gung-ho approach even a player down and facing a strong, confident rival, invited comparisons with Daedalus watching as Icarus’s waxen wings melted in the heat of the sun, sending his child plummeting to his death. The manager’s ambition fooled his charges into denying their mortality, and City exposed their folly with devastating consequences. It’s a long way down for United, and the way they deal with the rude awakening this week will have a huge bearing on their season.
The fans of neither side will forget this one in a hurry, although the home support tried to even during the game. Old Trafford emptied prematurely, leaving rows of forlorn plastic seats long before Edin Dzeko’s scarcely deliberate touch with his knee put City 4-1 to the good. Even United’s back four seemed to have checked out by that stage, with the defending for that set piece dismal; Ferdinand and De Gea’s awful mixup conceded the corner, Gareth Barry won the first header all too easily, before Lescott and the Bosnian goalscorer’s decisive contributions to the same move were unchallenged. United were again caught cold for the fifth, Dzeko finding Silva untracked on his way to slipping the ball goalward, and the sixth and final goal started with a dreadful header from Smalling, who had been so impressive until yesterday.
It wouldn’t be fair to criticise one side’s manager without acknowledging the maneuverings of the other. Roberto Mancini spent a good twelve months being derided by the media and English fans in general for being too negative, but the progress of his side in the last six months effectively vindicates his approach. Making City a solid defensive unit – conceding seven times in nine games, and only once at home – doesn’t seem so foolish now their attacking unit is averaging almost four goals a game. Starting a game away to his closest rivals with two holding midfielders, and still seeing his side score six times, make his tactics beyond question for now. As for Ferguson, it seems he may yet be haunted by his words in 2009. City favourites above United? “Not in my lifetime.”
United are a much worse side without Carrick playing.
He cannot do it on his own against Barcelona, but against domestic opposition, bringing Carrick back into the side will rectify most of the problems – both defensively and also bringing the more attacking players into the game more.
United were definitely lacking in the centre of midfield on Sunday. Most United fans seem to be blaming the lack of Cleverly though, first time I’ve seen Carrick’s name mentioned. He’s much maligned but United don’t have a comparable holding midfielder. I wonder if there was anything to the rumour that they were trying to get Lassana Diarra during the summer?