“The important thing is that when we’re not quite at it, passing-wise, and not cutting through teams, we can still win football matches.”
The words of David Platt following City’s 3-2 victory at QPR last Saturday; words that will likely spell a warning to the rest of the Premier League. To date, City have swept virtually all before them as they opened up a five-point gap at the top of the Premier League after ten games. Their play has been characterised by swift and incisive passing moves; an attacking force capable of penetrating defences at will.
At Loftus Road on Saturday however City showed a different side. As Platt stated, City usual dominance in terms of the passing game and territorial advantage were missing – as the tale of the tape shows:
This was certainly City’s worst return of the season in a number of categories and a large amount of credit must go to QPR. It was a different approach that was adopted by Neil Warnock, opting for a more attack-minded 4-4-2 than fielded for the most part this season and their game plan was clear: hit City early. QPR’s success this season has come in the opening stages of games with three of their eight games before Saturday coming in the opening ten minutes of games. City, contrastingly, have been slow starters and had scored only three goals in the opening 25 minutes:
The approach worked to a tee as City, minus the suspended Vincent Kompany, struggled to cope in particular with the threat of Heidar Helguson, assisted by Jay Bothroyd and supported by an impressive midfield quarter of Jamie Mackie, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton and Alejandro Faurlin (whose numbers certainly stood out).
What this City side showed though was that in even being out-passed and pressured throughout the ninety-minutes still possess the wherewithal to score three goals; three goals at a ground where Chelsea had dominated, but drew a blank the week before.
For all that City have been lauded for the number of goals they have scored in 2011/12 to date (a Premier League record at this stage), it is their conversion rate that has been so evident:
The old adage of being able to win without playing well is often trotted out when discussing potential title winning sides and this was certainly a game where City (often derided for lacking a team ethic and collective spirit) displayed substance rather than style and if they can continue to be as clinical in the final third then these are the games – where a win, not a draw is attained – that will go a long way to deciding if they will be crowned Champions next May.
