Pablo Zabaleta is brought back into the starting XI by Mark Hughes, which means Onouha is dropped to the bench else where Evans replaces Sturridge.
My job is to report all key incidents and action, and I was left with an empty piece of paper, as the first half produced hardly anything at all. Zabaleta found himself in the referee`s notebook again, sliding into the Bolton fullback. First impressions of the tackle, straight red! However after replays Zabaleta hardly touched the defender and a booking was the right course of action.
It took the last 5 minutes of the game for any shot to produce a save. Ireland was played through one-on-one but fired straight at the keeper from a tight angle. Ched Evans was then put through from around the same position as Ireland, and his shot failed to beat the impressive goalkeeping of Jaaskelaninen, who palmed the effort into Kompany who swung the ball into the box, only for Shaun Wright-Phillip`s header to yet again find the gloves of Jaaskelaninen. Halftime approached and City looked like they were beginning to get into their stride.
Was it too much to ask that Manchester City could come out in the second half and actually perform to an adequate standard?
The half started like the first, Man City casually given the ball away, and not showing any real sign of effort. Bolton where able to ping the ball around with ease, and it was not surprise then that they were able to take the lead on the 76th minute.
Bolton crossed the ball straight through the 6-yard box, and there was Gardener to tap in from what looked like an offside position?
You would have thought a goal would lift City into at least a glimmer of light; unfortunately it had seemed City had already gone home. Hughes brought on Hamman and Sturridge for Evans and Elano, but even Hamman began losing the ball and passing to absolutely none of his team-mates.
Oh if things weren`t looking bad enough, good old Dunne showed he can find the back of his own net again, as on the 88th minute he rolled the ball into Hart`s net, from another cross played along the 6-yard line.
Final Score: Bolton 2-0 Manchester City.
Aaron`s Conclusion:
I`m sick of performances like this. It just fuels the opinion of money can`t buy you success. Mark Hughes should be coming under pressure, because performances like this are worse than under Sven, (except the 8-1). Evans is just not up to the challenge of the Premiership and Dunne in my opinion has really had his day, and he is no longer that rock to support our backline. Bring Richards back in the centre; I never did understand why Hughes moved him to the left? Robinho showed us today he really can’t play away from home, and even Shaun Wright-Phillips lost the ball too many times today.
Call it an off day but these performances are becoming more and more frequent, and if things don`t change soon, Mark Hughes should be questioned, because this fellow City fans is just not good enough!
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