A rapier blow from the boot of Gabriel Jesus nine minutes from time was a reminder of the potency of peak Manchester City. That it settled a few nerves at the Etihad demonstrated how little of that peak we have seen this term, leaving some to wonder if the great Pep Guardiola project might be in serious need of renewal.
A third goal from Cancelo in the last minute of regulation time made it three out of three in the Champions League and takes City to within a point of qualification for the eighth season in succession. But this was not a performance that suggests Guardiola is any nearer taking City beyond the quarter-final stages for the first time in his reign, and will not have Sunday’s visitors Liverpool biting their nails.
Though City started brightly, they allowed Olympiakos to bully their way into a match that at 1-0 was still in the balance. Preferred gatekeepers Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Diaz made way for John Stones and Nathan Ake in a team showing five changes from the narrow win at Sheffield United.
Guardiola insisted the refresh in the centre of defence, giving Ake his Champions League debut, had zip to do with the visit of Liverpool. Righto, Pep. Stones was making only his second start, returning for the first time since City’s Premier League opener against Wolves.
Guardiola’s two Champions League success came at the same club against the same club. In his four full seasons at City Guardiola has yet to emulate his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini and reach a semi-final. Despite his domestic dominance in Germany he was unable to repeat at Bayern Munich the beautiful double with Barcelona. Should he make the final in the spring, maybe he should cross fingers that Manchester United are in the opposite corner, who he bettered in Rome in 2009 and again at Wembley in 2011.
Victory at Arsenal in February was a rare success in England by Olympiakos. Only two wins in 17 previous attempts suggests a psychological as well as technical deficit. They were behind here in just 12 minutes to a goal by Ferran Torres. It was already his third attempt at goal in the match, and his third Champions League goal in as many matches for City, not bad for a winger asked to lead the line.
City were back doing that City thing, dominating the ball and running rings around the opposition. The stat curators calculated that Olympiakos had 23 per cent possession in the opening 15 minutes. They must have family back in Pireus and, sensitive to how bad it looked, gave a generous appraisal of the Greek contribution.
As easy on the eye as City are, one-sided games are no kind of spectacle. Olympiakos did improve as the opening half wore on without threatening City’s equilibrium. Raheem Sterling had the ball in the net a second time for City but had strayed marginally offside to invalidate the excellent supply of Riyad Mahrez, who cut in characteristically from the right.
Olympiakos made three changes at the break, two in personnel, one in attitude and for the first time in the match put some heat on City. A mistake from Phil Foden, unnerved by the Olympiakos press, put Stones under pressure allowing Mathieu Valbuena a sight of goal. The shot went wide yet in the context of the reversal of possession stats in the opening 15 minutes of the second half, Olympiakos clocking more than 60 percent, City began to look vulnerable.
The shift in momentum was proof that the best way to set up against City is not in two blocks of four hoping to defend them into oblivion, but to get on the front foot and push them back. In a changed team, particularly at the back, City lacked the necessary rhythm to play their way out of tight spots.
And while the advantage remained slim there was a creeping nervousness about City’s play. Guardiola withdrew Mahrez and Foden, who in his youthful inability to take hold of games like this shows just how much City miss David Silva, bringing on Gabriel Jesus and Rodri. Jesus did the trick with a goal Sergio Aguero would have been proud to call his own. But this was not the compelling City we have come to know. And Guardiola knows it.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2HTkZVr
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