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Match Report: Identikit City start convincingly and finish feebly once again


Olé

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Only three games in and there is a clear and repeated formula for City's stuttering start to the new Championship season. Come out  convincingly, get in behind the opposition on both flanks with quick combinations, race in front and look comfortable and in control for a period, then by half time lose composure, sink deeper, surrender midfield and end up clinging on desperately for even a point. 

At promoted Wigan's DW stadium it was the same story and against limited opposition - in fact despite a dominant opening led by summer signing Mark Sykes and capitalised by Andi Weimann's fourth goal from Tommy Conway's centre, in the end this looked like two teams that will struggle as this level as City clung on grimly both up to Will Keane's equaliser and the hosts one sided finish.

It was Nigel Pearson's men that looked by far the better from the outset and in the first minute Jay DaSilva was sent away in acres of space on the left, seemingly tripped in the box but managing to stay upright only to put the ball out for a goal kick. It was typical of counter attacking visitors that had come out of the blocks flying and were linking up well out of midfield to pin back their hosts.

Just past five minutes City roared in front. Sykes stole the ball off his opponent on the right and after a quick exchange released Conway clear down the right who strode in on goal before squaring intelligently to meet Weimann's late run, the irrepressible striker smashing past the keeper and into the top corner from close range. 4 games 4 goals - last seasons' heroics now far from a one off.

After 12 minutes another transition as City stole the ball back off a throw in on the right and Conway again danced into the box only for a defender to lean in and send him to the ground, no penalty given. Five minutes later an even greater controversy as Joe Bennett aimed a kick at Joe Williams while prone on the ground, sending the midfielder flying - a clear and seemingly inevitable red card.

Yet the referee looked uncertain, then took an age to wave away players and consult his linesman before producing only a yellow card - a remarkable conclusion from match officials operating in the 6th biggest league in the world and yet somehow concluding of the incident not that they *hadn't* seen the offence, but that they had and decided off the ball violent conduct isn't a sending off.

Buoyed by their lucky break Wigan started to threaten with balls into the channels over Rob Atkinson on the left of City's back three.  Inside half an hour Zak Vyner slipped as last man tracking Magennis run but was able to recover and get the ball clear.  Minutes later Bennett got inside Williams on Wigan's left to sweep the ball across the box for Callum Lang to steer past Bentley but also the far post.

City could have been further in front before half time with another rapid transition - as a stunning curling deep ball lifted down the right wing put that man Sykes clear and his early centre was collected brilliantly in stride by Conway who drew the keeper and poked the ball inside but off the near post. In injury time Magennis slipped clear on goal for the first time but stabbed his shot wide of goal.

As with City's other Championship games this season, the second 45 minutes was a completely different contest, Pearson's side second best, on the back foot and unable to unlock the same combinations that served them well early on. On 55 a deep right wing free kick after a trip on Conway was skewed into the air by Atkinson and Alex Scott was at his combative best to prevent the break.

After the hour Weimann wriggled away on the left to the byline to lift a dangerous ball across the six yard box which was cleared and spun to DaSilva on the edge of the box but the wingback was caught in possession. At the other end Magennis spun clear on the  halfway line forcing defender Atkinson into a tactical challenge, the centre back booked, sustaining a knock and replaced by Klose. 

Wigan were growing in confidence and after 66 minutes raced into space down the left, City's star man Sykes matching the runner and forcing the ball out of play for a corner. But from the set piece pinball in the visitors box, the away side unable to clear their lines and the inevitable equaliser arrived as Will Keane eventually converted low into the far corner to seal a period of home pressure.

Against the run of play and City should have gone back in front immediately. Scott turned his counterparts in midfield and spread wide to that man Sykes running free on the right and with his first touch he looped an early cross into the box which Conway stole in at the near post to head home easily, only to agonnisingly nod down and the wrong side of the post from l yards out, a painful miss.  

City, for whom coach Jason Euell appeared more and more agitated on the touchline as the game appeared to be going away from his side, replaced the striker and Scott for Nahki Wells and Andy King. With just over 15 minutes left Klose hauled down Lang and from Power's free kick into the box Keane steered well over the bar from close range although the flag was up for offside. 

It was now a grim finale, all Wigan and King amongst the worst culprits for giving the ball away over and over with aimless punts to no particular person upfield. By now City faced all out assault and with ten left Bentley had to beat a Lang shot away at his left post as the Latics forward turned in the box. There was no outlet as Pearson's men struggled to build any attack and defended desperately. 

Despite this City actually contrived chances either side of the 90th minute - first a break from a long ball to their frontmen, Weimann linking up with Wells who turned a defender and saw his shot blocked behind. Then top scorer Weimann brought a high ball down and released DaSilva who got to the edge of  the box only to play a tame ball across the D that was easily cut out as City pushed up.

Before the end of 7 minutes injury time the careless wing back seemed to rob the ball off his opponent deep in his own half only to give it away immediately, Wigan into the box to force Bentley to half push away the first attempt, James McClean steering his follow up shot over from the right. This was now a case of City clinging on desperately for their first point against a side that will struggle.

That does not bode at all well, and just like last season, despite having no problem with scoring goals, their propensity to surrender an advantage and apparently lose ability to compete in the second half, and up against three of the less fancied sides in the league, suggests a much harder campaign than the pre season mood suggested. Mark Sykes at least is the bright spark - a total revalation. 

 

Bentley 6 some good saves some awful distribution

Atkinson 6 they found it easy to draw him and knock balls over the top

Naismith 6 miscued passes out from back

Vyner 6 made mistakes but recovered from them, probably pick of back three

DaSilva 5 every game this season he wastes opportunities going forward

Sykes 8 by far out best player with and without the ball

Williams 6 started well faded badly 

Scott 5 almost completely bypassed

Weimann 7 led the press caused problems and kept going until the end

Conway 7 did not look out of place and carried a real threat 

Martin 5 didn't hold the ball up or offer any threat

 

Klose 6

Wells 6

King 4

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Thanks Rob. From your report and player scores, the same old problems seem to be evident. The defensive set up seems so woeful in large part because we cannot seem to exert any control In midfield and that situation gets worse the longer the games go on as we drop deeper and deeper. And Chris Martin has done very little upfront, with even his goal last week a scruffy scuffed effort from 2 yards out. At least Tommy Conway had a decent showing and as you commented Sykes looks like a great signing. The more this goes on the more you are left wondering if the formation is as much of a problem as the players themselves.

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10 hours ago, Olé said:

Only three games in and there is a clear and repeated formula for City's stuttering start to the new Championship season. Come out  convincingly, get in behind the opposition on both flanks with quick combinations, race in front and look comfortable and in control for a period, then by half time lose composure, sink deeper, surrender midfield and end up clinging on desperately for even a point. 

At promoted Wigan's DW stadium it was the same story and against limited opposition - in fact despite a dominant opening led by summer signing Mark Sykes and capitalised by Andi Weimann's fourth goal from Tommy Conway's centre, in the end this looked like two teams that will struggle as this level as City clung on grimly both up to Will Keane's equaliser and the hosts one sided finish.

It was Nigel Pearson's men that looked by far the better from the outset and in the first minute Jay DaSilva was sent away in acres of space on the left, seemingly tripped in the box but managing to stay upright only to put the ball out for a goal kick. It was typical of counter attacking visitors that had come out of the blocks flying and were linking up well out of midfield to pin back their hosts.

Just past five minutes City roared in front. Sykes stole the ball off his opponent on the right and after a quick exchange released Conway clear down the right who strode in on goal before squaring intelligently to meet Weimann's late run, the irrepressible striker smashing past the keeper and into the top corner from close range. 4 games 4 goals - last seasons' heroics now far from a one off.

After 12 minutes another transition as City stole the ball back off a throw in on the right and Conway again danced into the box only for a defender to lean in and send him to the ground, no penalty given. Five minutes later an even greater controversy as Joe Bennett aimed a kick at Joe Williams while prone on the ground, sending the midfielder flying - a clear and seemingly inevitable red card.

Yet the referee looked uncertain, then took an age to wave away players and consult his linesman before producing only a yellow card - a remarkable conclusion from match officials operating in the 6th biggest league in the world and yet somehow concluding of the incident not that they *hadn't* seen the offence, but that they had and decided off the ball violent conduct isn't a sending off.

Buoyed by their lucky break Wigan started to threaten with balls into the channels over Rob Atkinson on the left of City's back three.  Inside half an hour Zak Vyner slipped as last man tracking Magennis run but was able to recover and get the ball clear.  Minutes later Bennett got inside Williams on Wigan's left to sweep the ball across the box for Callum Lang to steer past Bentley but also the far post.

City could have been further in front before half time with another rapid transition - as a stunning curling deep ball lifted down the right wing put that man Sykes clear and his early centre was collected brilliantly in stride by Conway who drew the keeper and poked the ball inside but off the near post. In injury time Magennis slipped clear on goal for the first time but stabbed his shot wide of goal.

As with City's other Championship games this season, the second 45 minutes was a completely different contest, Pearson's side second best, on the back foot and unable to unlock the same combinations that served them well early on. On 55 a deep right wing free kick after a trip on Conway was skewed into the air by Atkinson and Alex Scott was at his combative best to prevent the break.

After the hour Weimann wriggled away on the left to the byline to lift a dangerous ball across the six yard box which was cleared and spun to DaSilva on the edge of the box but the wingback was caught in possession. At the other end Magennis spun clear on the  halfway line forcing defender Atkinson into a tactical challenge, the centre back booked, sustaining a knock and replaced by Klose. 

Wigan were growing in confidence and after 66 minutes raced into space down the left, City's star man Sykes matching the runner and forcing the ball out of play for a corner. But from the set piece pinball in the visitors box, the away side unable to clear their lines and the inevitable equaliser arrived as Will Keane eventually converted low into the far corner to seal a period of home pressure.

Against the run of play and City should have gone back in front immediately. Scott turned his counterparts in midfield and spread wide to that man Sykes running free on the right and with his first touch he looped an early cross into the box which Conway stole in at the near post to head home easily, only to agonnisingly nod down and the wrong side of the post from l yards out, a painful miss.  

City, for whom coach Jason Euell appeared more and more agitated on the touchline as the game appeared to be going away from his side, replaced the striker and Scott for Nahki Wells and Andy King. With just over 15 minutes left Klose hauled down Lang and from Power's free kick into the box Keane steered well over the bar from close range although the flag was up for offside. 

It was now a grim finale, all Wigan and King amongst the worst culprits for giving the ball away over and over with aimless punts to no particular person upfield. By now City faced all out assault and with ten left Bentley had to beat a Lang shot away at his left post as the Latics forward turned in the box. There was no outlet as Pearson's men struggled to build any attack and defended desperately. 

Despite this City actually contrived chances either side of the 90th minute - first a break from a long ball to their frontmen, Weimann linking up with Wells who turned a defender and saw his shot blocked behind. Then top scorer Weimann brought a high ball down and released DaSilva who got to the edge of  the box only to play a tame ball across the D that was easily cut out as City pushed up.

Before the end of 7 minutes injury time the careless wing back seemed to rob the ball off his opponent deep in his own half only to give it away immediately, Wigan into the box to force Bentley to half push away the first attempt, James McClean steering his follow up shot over from the right. This was now a case of City clinging on desperately for their first point against a side that will struggle.

That does not bode at all well, and just like last season, despite having no problem with scoring goals, their propensity to surrender an advantage and apparently lose ability to compete in the second half, and up against three of the less fancied sides in the league, suggests a much harder campaign than the pre season mood suggested. Mark Sykes at least is the bright spark - a total revalation. 

 

Bentley 6 some good saves some awful distribution

Atkinson 6 they found it easy to draw him and knock balls over the top

Naismith 6 miscued passes out from back

Vyner 6 made mistakes but recovered from them, probably pick of back three

DaSilva 5 every game this season he wastes opportunities going forward

Sykes 8 by far out best player with and without the ball

Williams 6 started well faded badly 

Scott 5 almost completely bypassed

Weimann 7 led the press caused problems and kept going until the end

Conway 7 did not look out of place and carried a real threat 

Martin 5 didn't hold the ball up or offer any threat

 

Klose 6

Wells 6

King 4

Careful Rob, all that talk of combinations and transitions is a bit Lee Johnson-esque ?

Yes, great summary as ever. I think it would probably be fair to add reference to the heat yesterday. Not surprisingly, it had an effect on the game, and both side (who I agree looked poor) were playing some increasingly tired looking football as the game went on.
We were lucky being sat in a stand that was in full shade throughout and the heat really hit me when I walked out at the end. It was easy to forget just how much hotter it was on the pitch, never mind running around as well. 

The fact that Andi Weimann - as you say - led the press and kept going til the end,  in itself deserved an extra mark for me; it was quite astonishing and he was absolutely dead on his feet at the end. 

What really frustrates me at the moment is that our game plan seems to revolve much of the time around playing balls in behind the defence for Conway and Weimann to run onto. They are often at best not particularly pinpoint and at worst hopeful punts - not in itself a criticism when 1 in 10 comes off. But it seems like when we have possession around the half way line the likes of JD, Williams, Scott (and HNM last week) are reluctant to try sliding shorter balls into those spaces unless they are confident that they will be pinpoint - so end up just stopping and playing it back. Whereas the back three, and Bentley, are quite happy to punt them forward much more hopefully. 

As at Hull, Sykes was certainly a threat going forward, but I’m still unconvinced he’s much help defensively. Vyner was having to do an awful lot of work out on the right side, often covering for him. 

Lastly, love your description of Atkinson’s booking! Not even a professional foul, but a ‘tactical challenge’ ??. He just hauled the bloke down after he’d gone past him - not even a pretence of an accident! 

Edited by italian dave
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Spot on Rob and another balanced review. I thought that Atkinson was arguably our best player first half, closely followed by Sykes. After Hull I heard Naismith's left foot as being like a wand....I guess he left his spell book on the coach as his passing was poor, throughout.

A point about the referee which hasn't been mentioned on other threads, he was just as poor for Wigan..  both sets of fans were aggrieved with his performance.

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23 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

Spot on Rob and another balanced review. I thought that Atkinson was arguably our best player first half, closely followed by Sykes. After Hull I heard Naismith's left foot as being like a wand....I guess he left his spell book on the coach as his passing was poor, throughout.

A point about the referee which hasn't been mentioned on other threads, he was just as poor for Wigan..  both sets of fans were aggrieved with his performance.

I think we all thought Naismith’s left foot was like a wand for 45 minutes at Hull.

But even though the second half of that game we started to realise that was because Hull had sat back and watched, giving him all the time in the world, more like a practice game! 

Fair point about the ref - and someone also mentioned their shout for a pen from a handball and I must admit that, again from a long way away (everything happened down the other end yesterday!) it was a heart in the mouth moment.

But at the same time, I think it’s fair to say that the most blatantly wrong of all his decisions was one that would have given us a huge advantage on such a hot day.

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Vyner was to blame for losing posession all too many times.

The pattern seemed to be retain the ball, passing along the back line waiting for an opening, (that all too often was non existant, as the MF were not making themselves available.) but too many times, the ball went to Vyner and he attempted a mid range or long range ball which just floated into Wigan hands. He doesn't seem confident in passing on the ground, so seems to want to 'get rid' too much.

Even when it looked like he might make the long pass, it always ends at best, in a 50/50 ball, which we usually lose.

Yesterday Scott looked all at sea in central MF, Martin offered very little, and Dasilva  lost out to his man early on, then after that didn't seem confident in getting past him again.

and IMO, they went off too quickly in the conditions and paid a price later in the game.

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2 minutes ago, Antman said:

Vyner was to blame for losing posession all too many times.

The pattern seemed to be retain the ball, passing along the back line waiting for an opening, (that all too often was non existant, as the MF were not making themselves available.) but too many times, the ball went to Vyner and he attempted a mid range or long range ball which just floated into Wigan hands. He doesn't seem confident in passing on the ground, so seems to want to 'get rid' too much.

Even when it looked like he might make the long pass, it always ends at best, in a 50/50 ball, which we usually lose.

Yesterday Scott looked all at sea in central MF, Martin offered very little, and Dasilva  lost out to his man early on, then after that didn't seem confident in getting past him again.

and IMO, they went off too quickly in the conditions and paid a price later in the game.

Sorry, but for me this is the classic ‘pick the current scapegoat’.

You could replace ‘Vyner’ with Atkinson, Naismith or Bentley as the first word in the above post and they’d all be equally true. They all spent most of the game passing to each other then launching long and hopeful balls over the top which were at best 50/50. Vyner was no more guilty of that than anyone else. In my view. 

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19 minutes ago, Antman said:

Vyner was to blame for losing posession all too many times.

The pattern seemed to be retain the ball, passing along the back line waiting for an opening, (that all too often was non existant, as the MF were not making themselves available.) but too many times, the ball went to Vyner and he attempted a mid range or long range ball which just floated into Wigan hands. He doesn't seem confident in passing on the ground, so seems to want to 'get rid' too much.

Even when it looked like he might make the long pass, it always ends at best, in a 50/50 ball, which we usually lose.

Yesterday Scott looked all at sea in central MF, Martin offered very little, and Dasilva  lost out to his man early on, then after that didn't seem confident in getting past him again.

and IMO, they went off too quickly in the conditions and paid a price later in the game.

Vyner

92320481-0191-40BA-9C42-439526F9724A.jpeg

Edited by Davefevs
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39 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Vyner

92320481-0191-40BA-9C42-439526F9724A.jpeg

well, that tells me.

can i ask, how does this stat judge a 'succesful' pass?

and does it judge passes on the ground vs in the air?

(basically if the ball gets lofted and finds it's man, but doesn't allow for them having to win the ball)

 

 

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59 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Sorry, but for me this is the classic ‘pick the current scapegoat’.

You could replace ‘Vyner’ with Atkinson, Naismith or Bentley as the first word in the above post and they’d all be equally true. They all spent most of the game passing to each other then launching long and hopeful balls over the top which were at best 50/50. Vyner was no more guilty of that than anyone else. In my view. 

really not the case, i hesitated from posting it because of that perception. I'm aware he is our current player 'Pinata '

my perception 'on the day' was that he was pumping the ball forward too much, rather than picking passes on the deck. and we seem better when we play close, fast passing.

I don't have a particularly negative overall view of Vyner, but like so many things these days, the arguments seem to be only dealt with, and responded to in a binary fashion.

 

as i say, i am responding to yesterdays game.

 

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15 minutes ago, Antman said:

well, that tells me.

can i ask, how does this stat judge a 'succesful' pass?

and does it judge passes on the ground vs in the air?

(basically if the ball gets lofted and finds it's man, but doesn't allow for them having to win the ball)

 

 

It doesn’t actually, I was being a bit facetious ?…mainly because I didn’t think Vyner was the worst culprit yesterday.

Definition of successful pass, is next touch by a teammate, but as you say, someone making a hopeful pass that a striker does brilliantly to get the first touch but can’t retain it gets a 1 for the passer and a 0 for the receiver.

So, context is all important.

Vyner, generally hits a fair few “hopeful” passes.  I wish he wouldn’t, so I agree with you for his overall way of playing…thought he was better yesterday though.  I thought he passed well to Sykes, who could’ve maybe once or twice got it and ran at his opponent.

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1 hour ago, Antman said:

really not the case, i hesitated from posting it because of that perception. I'm aware he is our current player 'Pinata '

my perception 'on the day' was that he was pumping the ball forward too much, rather than picking passes on the deck. and we seem better when we play close, fast passing.

I don't have a particularly negative overall view of Vyner, but like so many things these days, the arguments seem to be only dealt with, and responded to in a binary fashion.

 

as i say, i am responding to yesterdays game.

 

Fair enough: we all see things differently. I actually agreed with your view of our strategy generally, but I just felt that you could have pointed the same finger at any of the others at the back. 

The problem now is that Vyner gets the attention: there seems sometimes to be a negative anticipation before he actually does anything. And I noticed yesterday that the frustrated shouts of ‘….well that was a crap pass’ (or similar!) were preceded with “Vyner..” when it came from him, but remained just a generic moan when it was anyone else. That’s probably why I reacted when I saw your post ?

 

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5 hours ago, italian dave said:

I think we all thought Naismith’s left foot was like a wand for 45 minutes at Hull.

But even though the second half of that game we started to realise that was because Hull had sat back and watched, giving him all the time in the world, more like a practice game! 

Fair point about the ref - and someone also mentioned their shout for a pen from a handball and I must admit that, again from a long way away (everything happened down the other end yesterday!) it was a heart in the mouth moment.

But at the same time, I think it’s fair to say that the most blatantly wrong of all his decisions was one that would have given us a huge advantage on such a hot day.

Agree with your last two paragraphs. I was also there yesterday and was expecting the 'handball' to be penalised. From where I was I looked straight at the ref when Bennet kicked out and Williams and he ( the ref) was looking directly at it. Red card all day long.

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Great analysis and report as always, I believe that Sykes would be far better utilised further forward or in midfield, and either Tanner or Wilson should be at wing back?  Dasilva continues to frustrate me, and i fail to see the point of a wing back who cannot cross, pass or shoot to a reasonable standard........... and I hope he leaves when his contract runs out.  There is patently a major problem with a team that constantly starts games well, and then gradually ends up on the back foot, defending deeper and deeper.......I think the problem lies mainly in a midfield that fades as the game progresses and cannot  sustain a competitive edge, Pearson should be making more use of the bench, in order to refresh tired legs.  Even so, we wrestled ourselves a point, so on we go ?  

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2 hours ago, maxjak said:

Great analysis and report as always, I believe that Sykes would be far better utilised further forward or in midfield, and either Tanner or Wilson should be at wing back?  Dasilva continues to frustrate me, and i fail to see the point of a wing back who cannot cross, pass or shoot to a reasonable standard........... and I hope he leaves when his contract runs out.  There is patently a major problem with a team that constantly starts games well, and then gradually ends up on the back foot, defending deeper and deeper.......I think the problem lies mainly in a midfield that fades as the game progresses and cannot  sustain a competitive edge, Pearson should be making more use of the bench, in order to refresh tired legs.  Even so, we wrestled ourselves a point, so on we go ?  

I hope that when we come out of a tough schedule of fixtures we can settle into seeing Wilson and Tanner rotate and Sykes play somewhere across the midfield / attacking midfielder roles.

Wilson was good on Wednesday against a tough opponent and played well but Saturday came too quick. 

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