Match Focus: Individual Brilliance from Juve Leaves City in Same Predicament
It seemed like it was going to be the night that Manchester City finally moved onto another level, only for Paul Pogba and Juventus to re-emphasise their level - and again leave Manuel Pellegrini’s side way behind where they want to be.
That is one of two particularly galling things about this 2-1 defeat for the Premier League leaders, and why Juventus should be praised for just about playing the percentages.
Had City held on to their 1-0 lead from Giorgio Chiellini’s harshly permitted own goal, it would have been a victory to finally set up an entire Champions League campaign, rather than once more leaving them chasing.
Their big problem, after all, has been so quickly losing ground on the group’s main rivals and then leaving themselves with little time to put it right, before maybe scraping through to draw Barcelona. Yet, here they were, in the first game, at home, leading and fairly comfortable against last season’s runners-up.
Finish the job, and they would have made it so much easier for themselves to finish first in the group. It would have afforded them a more forgiving second-round draw, too, while also fostering a sense of progress and evolution.
Instead, they succumbed to many of the same old problems - but there was still one big difference.
This was not City getting outclassed, as happened against Bayern Munich in 2013/14 and - to a slightly lesser extent – 2014/15. And that is the second most galling thing.
At 1-0, Raheem Sterling had the chance to put the game beyond doubt, only for Gigi Buffon to pull off the kind of save that has defined his career. Even then, though, City still had enough control to feel comfortable. They still should have seen the game out.
That is one of a few things Pellegrini got right. “It was not a tactical problem,” he told broadcasters after the match. He was right. City won the tactical battle.
They had more of the ball, at 55.2%, and also used it well. They had 13 shots compared to Juventus’ 10, while 39% of theirs were on target compared to 30% of the Italians, indicating that they were also working themselves into better positions.
One of their better chances was also sent wildly off target by a slightly stage-frightened Wilfried Bony.
In short, they did enough in general play to win. They opened Juventus and created superior opportunities. Had it gone as normal, they would have won. It didn't, as Pellegrini pointed out.
“I think it was a strange game. I don’t think we deserved to lose. We played better than Juventus. We had three clear opportunities to score. Buffon made some very good saves and I think we were very unlucky, especially for the first goal.”
‘Unlucky’ is one way to describe that Juventus equaliser.
Unbelievably brilliant is another.
If City just about had the better of the 90 minutes, Pogba provided by far the best moment of the match with his exquisite ball for Mario Mandzukic.
There’s no overstating that either. It was simply the perfect pass, at a particularly important moment. The delivery just begged to be hit, but also beguiled the defender. While the arch of the ball ensured Eliaquim Mangala couldn’t even try to head it, the pace of it meant Mandzukic barely needed to try and steer it. The former was left scrambling to get any touch on it, while the latter was left with an easy touch.
That was where the game changed. It wasn’t due to City being out-thought, or Juventus being cannier. It was one team wasting their dominance, and one young player showing why he is being tipped to dominate world football.
Mandzukic, after all, scored with his only shot of the match.
From there, City did succumb to more familiar issues, as a nervousness again spread through the team. That afforded Alvaro Morata the chance to win the game, although he still had an awful lot to do with a brilliant effort.
In that, Juventus were more clinical with the actual good opportunities they created. That was the big difference, and why this City defeat was slightly different to previous failures, even if it leaves them facing the same predicament.
Did City deserve more from Tuesday's night's defeat to Juventus? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
well it was a tactical problem. city didn't know how to break down juve's defence. but also, they didn't take their chances well enough. city didn't dominate.
Even as a Juve fan, i admit that we were lucky. Its the kind of luck that comes with been a "beta team". Juventus is an Italian team, we came to defend and did it well, thanks in no small part to Buffon. City were apparently the more attackminded side. The thing is one team did its job beta than the other and they won. Kompany's should have neva been allowed, I don't know the use of that statue ohtside the pot called referee of he can't spot such infringemets. Man city can will still qualify as I don't see Sevilla and Gladbach having the wherewithal to survive their onslaught. Juve proved a pt. with the win tho.IMO.
What on earth are you talking about? City were extremely disappointing in possession and had absolutely no idea how to breach Juventus' defense, City circulated the ball in non-threathening areas and couldn't penetrate Juves's shape at all. City had massive problems when building from the back. What Pellegrini's men did decently though was pressing, something you failed to mention in the article along with the fact that quick turnovers were City's main attacking weapon. Astonishingly biased article.
@Konsta_87- Loads of teams pass the ball between themselves in non-threatening areas whilst looking for an opening, that in itself doesn't mean they were bad. The great Barcelona and Bayern teams did/do the same, it's called retaining possession. Juventus defended well, they deserve credit for that but City did actually take the lead, it was only after they did that I can really fault them.
@Konsta_87 "City were extremely disappointing in possession and had absolutely no idea how to breach Juventus' defense" - I'd grant that was how the game went for about 70 minutes, but not all of it.
wow this piece really shows miguel delaney(man he even worse than @jenny brown) know nothing about football. City not getting dominated? That was against juve. If it was bayern or barca pretty they would have been dominated again. "They had more of the ball, at 55.2%, and also used it well. They had 13 shots compared to Juventus’ 10." It was 55 % thats decent possession that about it and its not like city were playing tiki taka? 13 shots for the home side 10 for visitor. Does this spell domination? |"In short, they did enough in general play to win." So did juve did enough to win. To come at team like man city turf and attack them (having 10 shot to 13) instead of parking the bus. going a goal down should not been allowed(kompany leaning on chellini a clear foul-check out richard jolly piece on espn) and juve coming back to win the game 2-1 shows completely narrative @Miguel Delaney ignores intentionally. Seriously i have lost respect for this guy. What Miguel did is unethical.
@Ffaris- City were in control of the game for 75% of it and actually took the lead in case you didn't know. Then tactical naivety cost them- as it always does in Europe. You really need to stop letting your hate of the EPL and the English in general cloud your judgement.
@Ffaris "What Miguel did is unethical." Oh my God. Fan yourself down and hit the divan.
@dSquib yeah ur funny full marks to u. Guess u make alot of money from stand up comedy career huh ;) ?