It really looked as though the season end couldn’t come quickly enough for Manchester City as the Etihad faithful paraded for the last time this season, ahead of the final match against the unsung Canaries.
Stand-in Manager Brian Kidd shuffled the pack to give some players what could amount to their last outing for City, whilst it may be the case that other players simply didn’t fancy coming home to the Etihad having seen their FA Cup dream turn into a nightmare and their Manager subsequently catching the Alitalia home. The upside to that was that his sidekick Jose went with him.
A back four of Zabaleta, Richards, Lescott and Kolarov bore three who could be on the adios list as the transfer window gets under way. Milner, Yaya and Rodwell inhabited the midfield and Tevez was to provide the spark for Dzeko.
But it was not be. What this brought was a disjointed effort from eleven that should have been able to win this match, but none of which fancied getting injured so that they could get away on some holidays, well at least after the US trip, without the hindrance of calling into sick bay during the summer.
Richards promises to come for early training to challenge Zaba for the right back slot. Please don’t bother Micah. Although Kiddo played him at centre back yesterday his inability to defend was right in front of our eyes. His inability to run was clear to see as he wandered in slow motion or stopped.
And all of this was highlighted in each of the three goals that City presented to a lively Norwich City team, who Hughton had sent out to do a job and who did it reasonably well.
As early as the 25th minute, Pilkington robbed Yaya, waltzed past the wheelie bins formerly known as Richards and Lescott and drilled an unstoppable shot past Hart, to stun the crowd and send their own fans, used to getting a drubbing away to City into raptures culminating in the Poznan.
Their lead didn’t last too long as City tried to rise from their post-season depression. Nasri found some inspiration to send in a neat pass to Dzeko whose instant lay-off into the path of Rodwell was also drilled beautifully past Ruddy with his left foot. An excellent way to open your Premier League scoring account for your Club.
So now, OK Norwich had had their bit of fun and had prodded the dragon. Time it was for City to get to grips with the match and give their fans a good season send-off.
Really? Eddie Large must have been writing the script.
With some of the fans getting on his back Kolarov decided to go on an away-day leaving his flank wide open. Norwich exploited the gap and put in a pinpoint cross for Holt to calmly side foot into an empty net. None of the defenders had followed him in and Zaba had got himself drawn into the centre where he, along with Richards and Lescott looked on impotently and the yellow and green behind the goal exploded into a spring collection of colour.
Once again though, the lead was short-lived and once again Rodwell was the man offering the resistance. Put in the clear by a raking pass from Yaya, probably his only major contribution of the day, he easily out-paced Whittaker and clipped an excellent shot across the keeper and inside the far post. No goals so far, but two at once, what did we say about the 53 bus along Great Western Street in Moss Side?
OK, Norwich, you have had your fun, it’s City’s turn now. Or was it? Not today it wasn’t because the best was yet to come as former Leeds player, no not Becchio but Howson strolled past the strolling Yaya, strolled past the statuesque Lescott who didn’t offer a tackle and then strolled past Richards who tried some sort of rugby tackle that might have worked in seven days time when Rugby League’s Magic Weekend comes to town, but it didn’t work today. Howson then stroked the ball home to put Norwich ahead yet again.
With Yaya clearly not putting in a shift and Rodwell having scored two excellent goals, Kiddo made the inevitable substitution…taking off Rodwell. Yes, he was replaced by Silva, but we all saw Silva’s lack of conviction at Wembley, and when you need a goal, why not keep on the guy who needs one more for a hat trick. Yes, the Pedmachine was critical of Mancini replacing Tevez with Rodwell at Wembley and with good reason, but he had laid down his marker in this match.
With the goalscorer in chief for the day gone it was hard to see from where another goal might manifest itself and the answer was that it didn’t. Aguero looked to be trying too hard, Dzeko not trying much at all, Silva hardly getting going, Yaya looking disinterested, what more can I say. There was a spring in Milner’s step and that was it. Despite Mark Halsey, in his last ever Premier League game adding on three minutes City just didn’t look at the races and Norwich ended up worthy winners
End of season it might be, but this was inexcusable. A team of under 21s couldn’t have done any worse. The fans were not a happy bunch and it was no wonder that there was some reluctance for the players to come out for a lap of appreciation and to thank the fans for their magnificent support. By the time the players made up their mind most of the fans had made their way to the exits and it was perhaps fitting that the referee who once presided over City’s League One play-off final, ended his career at City’s home stadium receiving the best ovation of the day.
Over at Carrington, the surgeon’s gloves are out awaiting by all accounts for Manuel Pellegrini. I think we could well see Kolarov, Richards, Lescott, Nasri, Barry, Sinclair all cut from the roster. The Chilean may well give some of the younger players their chance and may also bring us a winger in the form of Isco who he has guided nicely in his time at Malaga.
Once again the close season promises to be one of comic cuts, but I suspect in the hands of Senor Soriano, we may well see some interesting developments. We’ll be on Newsnow all summer again, won’t we?
UPCOMING FIXTURESall times East Manchester
Fr 24 May 01h00 Chelsea, Busch Stadium, St Louis, Exhibition Game
Sa 25 May 22h30 Chelsea, Yankee Stadium, New York, Exhibition Game
Sa 14 Jul TBC, PSL Team, South Africa
Th 18 Jul TBC, PSL Team South Africa
We 24 July & Sa 27 July, Hong Kong Stadium, Barclays Asia Trophy versus Spurs, Sunderland and South China
The Next Premier League season will start on Saturday 17 August 2013 and the fixtures will be announced on Wednesday 19 June 2013.
Share this article
