Manchester City 1 Blackpool 0:MANCHESTER City head to Arsenal on Wednesday still looking a little short of what it takes to be champions, but getting many more things right than wrong.
Edin Dzeko’s arrival from Wolfsburg should compensate if Carlos Tevez suffers more days when the parameters of the goal seem to have shrunk, but, after that, do not expect another mass recruitment campaign in the January sales. Fine-tuning is all that is needed, rather than major restoration work.
There were times on Saturday, though, when Blackpool pinned City into their half. Roberto Mancini threatened to withdraw Aleksandar Kolarov after only four minutes, reacting to a mistake from the left-back by ordering Micah Richards and Pablo Zabaleta to warm up. Later, the manager could be seen haranguing Adam Johnson from the touchline.
Over time, we are learning more about Mancini and two things stands out – this is a man of steel, and the Italian sets meticulously high standards.
His body language was tense, abrasive, even anguished, and at the final whistle he tossed one of his gloves on to the pitch in the manner of someone flicking away a bothersome fly.
Mancini had taken off Kolarov 14 minutes into the second half to spare him the ordeal of trying to keep up with Matt Phillips, a half-time substitute. The 19-year-old, signed from Wycombe Wanderers, is one to keep an eye on, a bulldozing winger who epitomises Blackpool’s attacking instincts. Ian Holloway, reflecting on that period of the match, spoke of his team giving City “a bit of a battering”. David Platt, Mancini’s assistant, admitted to being grateful to hear the final whistle.
Yet City still created enough chances to add to their tally.
The goal came when Johnson’s 34th-minute shot took a decisive deflection off Stephen Crainey for the game’s crucial moment.
They are the only side in the Premier League to have won all three games since Christmas. They have kept more clean sheets (10) than any other side and their imminent spending – City anticipate Dzeko will arrive this week – reinforces their position as authentic challengers.
“I thought they’d improved greatly from when we played them in October,” Holloway said. “I think they are learning to win. And they are doing it with dignity now . . . the whole place is moving towards that wonderful scenario of, one day, they might do it.”
Tevez, reflecting on a missed penalty and half a dozen other opportunities, can be excused one bad day given the number of times he has been City’s match-winner.
But City are creating the chances. Yaya Toure can pick out a pass, and when he works up a head of steam he is a formidable runner with the ball. Johnson justified his selection in place of Mario Balotelli, who was nursing a knee. David Silva, a firefly of a player, is increasingly important and City will be anxious about the knee injury that forced him off.
Even so, the outstanding player was Blackpool’s 25-year-old Charlie Adam. Holloway said. “I’ve said to Charlie he should go to a top-four or -five club and that’s my goal, to get him there.”
Guardian Service
