Manchester City 2-1 Villarreal - Match Report
'I don't think it is as important to play well or not well - it is important we win this game’ – the words of Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini. Indeed, his side didn’t play well in their game against Villarreal, but they did win.
I don't think it is as important to play well or not well - it is important we win this game the words of Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini. Indeed, his side didnt play well in their game against Villarreal, but they did win. They just about sunk the Yellow Submarine at their Etihad Stadium, but their football was about as creative as Ringo Starrs song writing (a bit harsh actually, he didnt even write it...) The visitors took the lead early on through Cani, but an own goal from Carlos Marchena and a last gasp tap in for Sergio Aguero secured the victory. Its been far from a dream start in the Champions League for Roberto Mancinis Manchester City. They started the day with just one point on the board after two games, with Napoli and Bayern Munich on 4 and 6 respectively. In addition to this there was the whole Carlos Tevez debacle in Munich, and Sergio Aguero could only make the bench for this evenings home tie with Villarreal. It was arguably their most winnable game of the group stages with the Spanish side faring even worse than the Sky Blues, but in Group A there are no easy matches. Very mindful of the Manchester derby on Sunday, Aguero was rested. Edin Dzeko led the line a 4-2-3-1 formation that was matched by Juan Carlos Garridos side. Mario Balotelli completed a three match suspension and obviously Carlos Tevez wasnt going to play, it was very much a must win game for City anything other than a win would mean only a lot of luck and some very good performances could get them through to the knock out stages. Looking at the Villarreal starting 11, an outsider would have to wonder why it was they were performing so poorly at domestic level. El Submarino Amarillo was going down at a rapid rate, sitting in 13th place in La Liga with just one win from seven games. Yet their team oozes with talent ex-Manchester United striker Giuseppe Rossi led the attack (depending on just how much of a Red Devil he was he could have been relishing this one), Cani the skilful, omnipresent winger and veteran defender Carlos Marchena who can sure up the back four with his 69 Spanish caps. It could have been worse as well the prolific Nilmar and indefatigable captain of this submarine Marcos Senna, were both injured. Despite recent results this wasnt a team to be taken lightly. The Etihad stadium was stunned in the 4th minute. A sloppy pass from David Silva allowed Jonathan de Guzmán to take possession. He played in Giuseppe Rossi whose shot was parried by Joe Hart, but Cani answered the disyllabic question that is his name by pouncing on the rebound to tuck it away, a shocking start for Mancinis men. City couldnt get a handle on the game. They came close though when Edin Dzeko reduced to shooting from range, blasted one just wide of the post. Samir Nasri was next to try his luck, Aleksander Kolarov strode forward in the lashing rain before putting in a low cross that was directed over the bar from the baby faced Frenchman. A home goal looked on the cards though the Sky Blues just had to wake up a little. They should have scored moments later. Edin Dzeko beat Jose Catala before putting in a dangerous low ball. Nasri was the recipient again but he couldnt quite connect and it was bundled away. The closest they came though was an audacious effort from left back Aleksander Kolarov. He smashed one past the wall from around 30/35 yards out but Diego Lopez was alive to it and tipped it over the bar. Surely it was only a matter of time for City. The game had died down a little; Villarreal had barely staged an attack and despite throwing a lot at the visitors, City were still behind. It wasnt really because their opponents were defending brilliantly either; the Sky Blues simply werent good enough. As if in agreement, Yaya Toure chose this moment to scuff one well wide of the post. The two full backs almost linked up, the ball deflected to Kolarov who played a low diagonal ball across the 18 yard box that had Diego Lopez scrambling, Pablo Zabaleta bust a lung to get on the end of it but was nowhere near quick enough. Roberto Mancini antagonised his players further by making a first half tactical decision, he brought off Adam Johnson for Gareth Barry just 39 minutes in to the apparent anger of the winger could he not have waited 5 minutes? Never a dull moment on the Man City bench... It seemed to have worked though, the stalwart Carlos Marchena put the ball into his own net after Kolarov, the Serbian causing problems again, had put in a dangerous cross. Edin Dzeko would have gotten on the end of it anyway so it was destined for the back of the net. It had taken some time but City were back on level terms. It took a good Diego Lopez stop to deny Dzeko moments later. A good run by the Bosnian was found by some trademark vision and creativity from David Silva but the run had taken him wide and his shot from a tight angle was saved. Kolarov then had an effort. The Serbian had already deserved a goal, and some marauding attacking play from Yaya Toure ended with the Ivorian slotting it through to the left back, whose deflected effort trickled through to Lopez. Pavel Kralovec called time on the opening 45 minutes. Manchester City still had plenty to do but should have been a few up already, they simply had to stick to what they were doing and itd only be a matter of time. HALF TIME Giuseppe Rossi had a shot 20 seconds into the second half; he cut inside from the right after some nice one-touch football in close quarters. The shot went just over, but the first attack from the visitors for a while they were showing this half was not a foregone conclusion. Dzeko sprung the offside trap again to latch onto a lofted Pablo Zabaleta through pass. He probably didnt realise just how much time he had, and his soft volley was easily saved by Diego Lopez. Rossi really was isolated. He found himself alone in the Manchester City half and to his credit managed to get a shot away, but it went straight into the side netting under pressure from Joleon Lescott. The Spaniards were really going to have to improve on this attacking display if they wanted to get anything more than a point from the game. After all a draw wasnt really enough for them to progress either. The striker came closer moments later though, found by Cani his shot again was from a tight angle but was whipped across goal and were it not for the fingertips of Joe Hart, would likely have nestled in the bottom corner. It wasnt working for City, and Mancini surely didnt expect to still be level at the hour mark. His response was to replace Nigel de Jong with Sergio Aguero. An obvious choice the Dutchmans presence was made rather redundant by Yaya Toures inclusion in the side. The linesmans flag was the bane of Citys game he was waving it about like nobodys business. To be fair, he was generally correct but it was still no doubt annoying for Mancini Dzeko had been pulled up controversially a couple of times. Kolarov was having a great game he had Lopez worried when he fired a set piece at goal, much like his effort in the first half. It ended up on the wrong side of the side netting but was a decent effort nevertheless. Sergio Aguero made his first contribution of the game by running with the ball before having to make a decision to pass to either Dzeko or Kolarov who were both in room. Considering the form of the two players on the night it was hardly Sophies choice, but the Argentinean played the luckless Dzeko through anyway. It was a delightful pass too, but unsurprisingly the striker blasted it high and wide. He really was having a poor night. Borja Valero was showered with litter as he stepped up to take a corner. Stupidity from the City fans it wasnt his fault their team were performing so poorly. This triggered a scolding response from the pitch announcer. Thatll show em. We could well hear more of this in days to come. To make matters worse Edin Dzeko showed he wasnt content with his scrapbook of misses thus far, and headed wide under no pressure. The game was petering out for City. Another chance blown by the Sky Blues Zabaletas header from a Kolarov cross was denied and held by Diego Lopez the keeper hadnt put a foot, or indeed a hand wrong all game. The goal came in the 93rd minute. Sergio Aguero risked only due to the emergency of their situation, latched onto a low James Milner cross to fire into the open net from close range. Almost the last touch of the game, such a valuable goal for the Sky Blues. And that was that City hadnt played particularly well but just about managed to overcome the stoic resistance from Villarreal to get the three points. Referee: Pavel Kralovec Manchester City ( 4-2-3-1): Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong (Aguero, 62), Y. Toure, Johnson (Barry, 40), Silva, Nasri (Milner, 80), Dzeko Villarreal (4-2-3-1): Lopez, Zapata, Marchena, Rodriguez, Catala, Valero, Soriano, Cani (Gaspar, 82), De Guzman (Gullon, 88), Perez (Mubarak, 80), Rossi