“Sacked in the morning” was the jubilant chant from Tottenham fans directed at Pep Guardiola when Pedro Porro’s third goal was scored under a typical Mancunian downpour that had subsided by the end of Manchester City’s fifth consecutive defeat. The right-back thrived as Ange Postecoglu’s team dominated the evening: by dismantling the champions who, despite Guardiola’s insistence that he is determined to stop the slide, appeared clueless, as evidenced by Brennan Johnson’s added-time fourth goal, when, for the umpteenth time, City succumbed to a quick counter-attack.
You have to go back to 2006 for the last time City endured five consecutive losses. That dismal streak ended at a sixth defeat, and it’s not unlikely that Guardiola’s team could match this – Feyenoord are next on Tuesday – as his renowned tactical acumen seems to be failing him. Before kick-off, Rodri’s Ballon d’Or triumph was celebrated, with the Spaniard presented in front of a massive neon sign that spelled his name in white bulbs. When he was injured against Arsenal in September, his manager vowed to address the key No 6’s absence. Currently, Guardiola is struggling to do so.
City had been sloppy in their losing streak, lacking the usual clinical ruthlessness that often overwhelms many opponents, and they were again in a dire first half. Three of the defeats were 2-1, the other 4-1, so of their total of 41 goals in 17 games across all competitions – 22 in 11 league matches before this game – only four had come in the run of defeats. This highlighted how the attack had faltered, while conceding eight times spoke volumes about the defense. To address the latter, in City’s first home match in a month, Guardiola brought in John Stones and Manuel Akanji from the loss at Brighton, with Bernardo Silva replacing Matheus Nunes in midfield, who was a substitute alongside the also-dropped Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, while Mateo Kovacic was absent due to injury.
But within 13 minutes, Spurs exploited the reshuffled City defense. Dejan Kulesevski, after outsmarting the hesitant Josko Gvardiol along the right, darted infield and delivered the ball perfectly for James Maddison, whose run culminated in a volley past the helpless Ederson. What followed from Gvardiol and City was equally poor. This time, the left-back’s loose pass was intercepted by Maddison, who found Son. The No 10 curved around his captain to take a return pass for a one-two that was as sweet as the dink over the diving Ederson.
Gvardiol grimaced in despair and Guardiola discarded his jacket. Before and after the goals, Erling Haaland’s usually pinpoint accuracy was off, the No 9 either missing the target completely or blasting the ball where Guglielmo Vicario or Ben Davies’s legs could block it. City, as per recent form, could not control midfield and thus could not throttle the visitor. Instead, Tottenham were a white wave flowing through them at will, as when the unmarked Dominic Solanke tested Ederson’s fingertips from mid-range, as Son had earlier done from an angle on the left.
Spurs’ 4-2-1-3 formation posed City’s narrow (and rare) 4-3-3 questions they struggled to answer, with Guardiola’s midfield trio of Rico Lewis, Ilkay Gündogan, and Silva his solution to Kovacic and Rodri being absent. During a team huddle on 40 minutes while Vicario received treatment, Guardiola was a whirlwind of thigh slaps and semaphore-like instructions, but Son was soon in again and only his indecision saved City.
Spurs were good value for their halftime lead, and Guardiola needed to conjure some magic to revive his troops. Nathan Aké replaced Stones for the second half, and Guardiola swapped Silva and Savinho to the right, still scratching his head as Savinho lost possession. Next, the 53-year-old appeared lost when the rampant Spurs scored a third. City, again, broke down deep in the opponent’s half and were run through, as Kulesevski passed to Son down the left who returned to the Swede. His sliced ball to Solanke had the No 9 in behind on the opposite wing, he teed up Pedro Porro, and the defender made no mistake.
The rain, which had been falling all day, turned into a deluge that soaked the disheartened Guardiola. City’s response was to probe and press. Haaland skimmed the bar on a swivel, and Gvardiol’s shot was blocked and a later volley sailed high, and there were concerns about Kevin De Bruyne’s fitness as, despite being a substitute, he was not yet called upon. Once more, the counter nearly pierced City, only Ederson’s reflexes palming away Kulesevski’s effort. Guardiola, on 74 minutes, sent for De Bruyne and Jack Grealish, who replaced Lewis and Savinho.
But despite rallying, City remained toothless, and Spurs, comprehensively, deserved their victory.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
