Everton won 2-1 tonight at Eastlands to deny Manchester City the top spot in the Premiership. With a win Man City would have been top at christmas for the first time in 81 years. Things fell apart quiet early for City as Cahill punished some horrendous defending to put Everton into the lead after only 4 minutes. The second could be blamed on a number of factors. Pablo Zabaleta went off the field to get treatment to a head wound and it seemed none of the City coaches or physios bothered to tell Mancini that the injury was worse than first thought. Mancini, himself should have made a substitute when Zabaleta didn't reappear after 4 or 5 minutes. Instead Everton took advantage of Zabaleta's absence and Kolo Toure produced two moments of dreadful defending to allow Leighton Baines curl the ball past Joe Hart. I thought Toure could have cut out Anichebe's overhit pass and then he turned his back on Baines instead of sticking out a leg and blocking the shot.
Despite City's lofty league position, there are still huge problems in the team. Carlos Tevez was rewarded for demanding a transfer by starting and keeping his captain's armband. No player is bigger than the club apparently, except Tevez. He should have been dropped. Jo was rewarded for scoring against Juventus last week by starting on the bench while a player who has caused absolute turmoil at the club this week starts. Ridiculous.
Gareth Barry and James Milner were anonymous. Adam Johnson scored in the last league game and started on the bench. He's also been one of City's best players this season and yet he seems to warm the bench in the majority of games. Milner, Barry, Yaya Toure and Silva(to a certain extent) are central midfield players. Four central midfielders in a game means no width, which is exactly how City played tonight. Everton jammed the middle and City couldn't create very much. Adam Johnson came onin the second half and gave a little bit of width and at least crosses started being delivered.
I also think Kolarov is a dreadful player. He kept coming forward and having shots from 40 yards out when he had support on all sides of him. That's not what you need when your losing a match from a defender. His free kick which he blasted at the wall should have been his last involvement in the game. Instead he played til the end.
Balotelli did nothing again. In the last game against West Ham he stormed down the tunnel after being substituted. Tonight he hobbled off the pitch when he missed a one-on-one with the keeper.
I felt that City should give Mancini time when others were calling for his head. Now I believe that City need a stronger manager. Obviously buying petulent, arrogant, overpaid whingers is a recipe for disaster but rewarding them when they act that way is going to blow up in the manager's face. City have the money to drop Tevez to the reserves for a year and replace him in the first team with someone else. Maybe that's what they need to do. Even the threat that the club could stall a player's career should be enough to see a change in attitude for some of the players. Until Manchester City take the power from the players they won't win anything.
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