Aston Villa 1 Manchester City 2 (Watkins 47′; Dias 27′, Silva 43′)
VILLA PARK — Shortly before half-time, two Aston Villa analysts ran down the touchline clutching their laptops. They were probably leaving to prepare data for the half-time team talk or preparing for Steven Gerrard’s impending substitutions. But it’s pleasing to think that they might have been scurrying to find a better internet connection and watch Bernardo Silva’s volley on repeat.
Villa Park was bouncing again. It isn’t just that Steven Gerrard had won his first two matches in charge, but that he represented a new start, an attempt to reclaim a grand ambition that had got a little lost under Dean Smith. The “Hi” of “Hi Ho Silver Lining” has a little more sting in it before they play a title challenger. Villa’s owners have plans to one day mix it with the Champions League participants. For now, they will happily accept bruising their noses.
But confidence can quickly ebb away when you play this Manchester City in this pomp. Pep Guardiola’s team had five shots and four corners in the opening six minutes. At times like these, it is as if City’s players are shooting downhill. It took Villa 10 minutes to have their first touch of the ball in City’s half and, when it led to a half-chance, that was met with a roar as if to try and awaken midfielders in slumber. The home fans groaned at Villa players’ inability to get close to their opponents, as if Gerrard hadn’t thought of that; it is not that easy.
There is only one way to cope with Guardiola’s team in this mood. You must hope that they are in a wasteful mood in front of goal, you must soak up pressure, and your first pass when you regain possession must be perfect. That is where Villa failed. Their penalty-box panic is understandable given the relentlessness of City’s high press, but they too often ceded possession with their first or second pass and allowed their opponents to camp in their half.
City have picked up an odd habit in recent weeks. They create numerous chances in front of goal (no change there) and squander plenty of them; again, that is a well-established pattern. But they seem to specialise in brilliant goals from low-quality positions. If Guardiola was picking a player and area of the pitch for a likely goalscorer, like some weird Manchester City version of Cluedo, Ruben Dias from outside the area would be low down his list. His shot was curled beyond Emiliano Martinez’s fingers.
And so to the second goal, a piece of pure modern Manchester City in that individual brilliance met the value of teamwork. Riyad Mahrez twisted and turned on the edge of his own penalty area, the type of act that would give a 1990s football manager kittens. He found Fernandinho, whose first-time pass sent Gabriel Jesus down the left. Rather than driving at goal, Jesus crossed the ball first time to the edge of the box.
That’s where Bernardo Silva was, no surprise given that Silva tends to be just about everywhere you want him to be just about every time you want him to be there. His poise on the ball and touch are exemplary, but it is Bernardo’s creation and control of space that is most impressive. And his volleying. Most Premier League players would have either taken a touch or used their laces to impart extra power on their shot. Bernardo did neither, opening his body to sidefoot it high into Martinez’s net. Guardiola giggled on the touchline, turning to the crowd as if to check he hadn’t been daydreaming.
City have another habit, and it’s a far less helpful one. Liverpool are a team of extremes, better at their best and worse at their worst than Guardiola’s team. But when Liverpool are on top, they punish their opponents more ruthlessly. City are different. They suffocate and strangle but too often fail to kill off an opponent. Sometimes it is as if they are enjoying keeping opposition teams on a string. The moment the game is over as a contest, all fun evaporates.
Which is fine until that lack of ruthlessness breathes new life into that opponent. City made a foolish mistake from a set piece, failing to track Ollie Watkins’ run to the near post from a corner two minutes into the second half. They continued to dominate territory and possession, but were unnerved by a Villa team left with nothing to lose and everything to gain from pushing multiple players forward and playing more directly. Ollie Watkins troubled Ruben Dias and Douglas Luiz was able to find space when making runs forward from central midfield.
It did not matter here; not this time. Ederson saved Villa’s best chance. Villa Park oohed and aahed but was never able to cheer an unlikely redemption. City’s angel ultimately won out over City’s devil. Which means that Bernardo’s sumptuous volley became the match winner. You’ll find no complaints from the neutrals there.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3lqIWUg
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