Portsmouth thoughts
One of things that Mark Hughes will be so pleased with about our start is the manner in which we are winning games.
Most predicted that the make up our side would see us become an attacking jugernaut, dominating sides with our attacking prowess, but equally being exposed and vulnerable in defense.
There is as much pleasure to be gained in being able to carve out professional 1-0 victories away from home as there is to a free flowing 4-0 win. The evidence of the season so far suggests there is a steelier resolve than previous sides, and almost 'un-City' like in being able to string continuous and consistent performances of this nature together. Given the attacking threat we carry, we are also going to destroy a side sooner rather than later.
Clearly plenty of work is done during the week in terms of preparation and tactical approach and the players are responding to the message that is being handed out. The victories that we have seen this season appear to have been a reflection of that.
Again it was impressive that the goal came from a set piece - an area that for so long we have been utterly impotent from. A familiar lament from 2008/09 was the lack of presence in attack, remedied with the players added in the summer and this was again evident yesterday. Suddenly we are carrying a threat from set pieces, an important part of the game that we have rarely capitalised on.
Adebayor has been hugely impressive, being a huge focal point as an outlet for the side, able to keep possession and bring players into the game. Not to mention a genuine goal threat who should add 20 plus goals with ease this season.
The work that Gareth Barry is doing is perhaps unheralded on a wider scale, but his contribution is growing by the game. Watching him at closer quarters this season has shown him to be a far better player and influence on a game than he looked from afar at Aston Villa. Yesterday, he was again an instrumental figure in a midfield that was harried and harrassed by their Portsmouth counterparts.
An impressive start continues then as we go into a break before the next fixture. Whilst the side deserve plenty of praise for their performance, particularly so given the changes in personnel over the summer we have not faced the stiffest of tests so far.
When we return to action we have a pair of fixtures (Arsenal at home, followed by United away) which will certainly provide a sterner test of what this team has.
8 comments:
You're having a dream, aren't you? I'm a neutral and I thought Pompey deserved a draw... £119m to (just) win 1-0 against 'poor' opposition!
Wake up time when you play the big teams!
Sounds like another in denial red to me.
Played 3 won 3 conceded nil will do for a start.
Pompey desreved a draw.... the clown is a comedian to boot.
Anyone who thought Pompey deserved a drw is living in cloud cuckooland. They could and probably should have snatched one at the end but on balance of play City were far superior. A couple of real tests to come now though.
You created very little after spending so much - time will tell
1 shot to test given doesnt warrent a goal.
city should of won 2 at least, pompey look very poor and are relegation candidates already, we on the other hand have won 3 in 3 with a brand new side. impressive!
Excellent start to the season, blending nicely . Should have been 2-0 anyway, a perfectly good goal from Richards dissallowed .
i'd just like to point out 1 thing, pompey actually had a midfeilder in at center back and if they had, had a proper CB in theres no way adebayor would have scored, and lets face it there was maybe 1 other chance from both sides, richards disallowed goal and nugents (friggin idiot) miss. so a draw would have been fair result in my opinion
Four games without allowing is significant. Clearly the competition has been a lower class than what will be expected the next two times out, but as you say, these were games that past City teams would struggle to win. There is something satisfying about scraping out an ugly 1-0 road result. That's what good teams do.
To me the play of Barry was the most significant aspect of the Pompey game. It was the first game that I felt he looked fully comfortable out there and that comfort in the midfield translated to a more solid performance overall.
City may very well go out and lose the next two, but I don't think that takes away from what they are building. In reality you have to catch Everton before you can catch Liverpool and every indication so far is that the club is doing that.
One step at a time...it's coming...
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