It was Vintage Manchester City as Yaya Toure and David Silva ran riot at the Hawthorns on Monday night (10/08/2015). City's fine form last night continued from where they left out last season after winning their last six games. Manuel Pellegrini showed he can win games with
a high score and away from home (3-0) without top scorer Sergio Aguero, who was rested after he came back to Pre-Season late as a result of his hectic Copa America with Argentina in Chile this summer.
The win comes handy and showed City were not distracted after having constant transfer rumours of Yaya Toure leaving, Raheem Sterling signing from Liverpool and Pep Guardiola taking over from Pellegrini before Pellegrini signed a contract extension few weeks ago.From the first minute it looked like a training session for City as their high pressing was too much for Tony Pulis' men to contain.
Pulis made so many tactical blunders and one wonders why it came so early in the season. Firstly Ollson was benched and Lescott partnered by the ineffective Dawson in Central defence. The defensive midfield partnership of Youssuf Mulumbu and Yacob had been the driving force of West Brom since the 2012/2013 season, but this has been dismantled by Pulis by firstly allowing Mulumbu to leave for free to new boys Norwich City this season and then regularly relegating Yacob to the bench. Pulis has replaced the Congo DR and Argentine midfielders with the ineffective duo of Gardener and Darren Fletcher; who are both slow and lack the energy, tenacity, drive and tackling talent of the Argentine and Congo DR internationals. Upfront Rickie Lambert was given his debut fresh from Liverpool and was preferred to partner Saido Berahino ahead of Victor Anichebe and Brown Ideye, which did not make tactical sense because Lambert throughout the game had to drop deep to help out the midfield to make a five man midfield in order to halt the constant Man City pressure. So why did Pulis not play a five man midfield from the start, since Lambert played midfield all night.
West Brom fans only pray this would be their worst performance of the season, because if it continues then West Brom would automatically play Championship football come August 2016. The only positive aspect of the game for West Brom is the debut performance of James Chester from Hull at right back and the tireless runs, creativity of Saido Berahino and set piece play of Lambert.
Yaya Toure showed Inter Milan what they could be missing with a low shot on the 9th minute which was deflected by David Silva and a curling effort that went into the corner of West Brom goalkeeper's net (Boaz Myhill) all in the first half; reminiscent of his FA Cup winning goal against Stoke City (coincidentally managed by The same Tony Pulis) which gave City and Roberto Mancini their first trophy (2011) in the Premier League Era. As if that wasn't enough Vincent Kompany was allowed the chance and time by Old team mate Lescott to nod in the third goal from a David Silva corner in the 56th minute.
It must have been embarrassing for new £12 million record signing and Venezuelan striker from Russian club Zenith (Salomon Rondon) who was watching his new team from the stands beaten blue by Manchester City. It is clear that Berahino might be sold this season due to the fact that West Brom now have five strikers which includes Nigerians Brown Ideye and Victor Anichebe with Rondon, Berahino and Lambert. It doesn't make financial and footballing sense for West Brom to sell Berahinho to Tottenham for anything short of £30million; given that he is a young English player at 22 years of age and still has lots of years to run down his contract. Why must West Brom sell Berahino to Spurs when Spurs have refused to sell Harry Kane of a similar age to Manchester United? Berahino might be far from a finished article, yet without his goals (14 goals in 38 appearances in an average and defensive West Brom team) then West Brom would have gone on relegation last season. Berahino is a different type of striker to the likes of Anichebe, Lambert and Rondon, mainly due to his skill, creativity and pace. He gives West Brom an "Option B" instead of the normal long and high ball to the centre forward. West Brom fans pray It had better be that the club management is planing to offload another of their striker apart from Berahino. The truth is that English players are so over priced with the transfer of Raheem Sterling an example, yet the do not need the adaptation time and language barrier problem faced by foreigners ( Angel Di Maria, Hernan Crespo and Roberto Soldado examples).
City showed they still possess the class and experience to trouble any EPL side with their play last night but unfortunately for City the EPL isn't mathematics and can't be predicted. City will surely be tested next week with the visit of the EPL Champions Chelsea . For now, it is easy to say that Tony Pulis played into the hands of Manuel Pellegrini and he was dully punished. City top the league standings from the first match while Arsenal and West Brom are 19th and 20th respectively. The league has indeed started.
a high score and away from home (3-0) without top scorer Sergio Aguero, who was rested after he came back to Pre-Season late as a result of his hectic Copa America with Argentina in Chile this summer.
The win comes handy and showed City were not distracted after having constant transfer rumours of Yaya Toure leaving, Raheem Sterling signing from Liverpool and Pep Guardiola taking over from Pellegrini before Pellegrini signed a contract extension few weeks ago.From the first minute it looked like a training session for City as their high pressing was too much for Tony Pulis' men to contain.
Pulis made so many tactical blunders and one wonders why it came so early in the season. Firstly Ollson was benched and Lescott partnered by the ineffective Dawson in Central defence. The defensive midfield partnership of Youssuf Mulumbu and Yacob had been the driving force of West Brom since the 2012/2013 season, but this has been dismantled by Pulis by firstly allowing Mulumbu to leave for free to new boys Norwich City this season and then regularly relegating Yacob to the bench. Pulis has replaced the Congo DR and Argentine midfielders with the ineffective duo of Gardener and Darren Fletcher; who are both slow and lack the energy, tenacity, drive and tackling talent of the Argentine and Congo DR internationals. Upfront Rickie Lambert was given his debut fresh from Liverpool and was preferred to partner Saido Berahino ahead of Victor Anichebe and Brown Ideye, which did not make tactical sense because Lambert throughout the game had to drop deep to help out the midfield to make a five man midfield in order to halt the constant Man City pressure. So why did Pulis not play a five man midfield from the start, since Lambert played midfield all night.
West Brom fans only pray this would be their worst performance of the season, because if it continues then West Brom would automatically play Championship football come August 2016. The only positive aspect of the game for West Brom is the debut performance of James Chester from Hull at right back and the tireless runs, creativity of Saido Berahino and set piece play of Lambert.
Yaya Toure showed Inter Milan what they could be missing with a low shot on the 9th minute which was deflected by David Silva and a curling effort that went into the corner of West Brom goalkeeper's net (Boaz Myhill) all in the first half; reminiscent of his FA Cup winning goal against Stoke City (coincidentally managed by The same Tony Pulis) which gave City and Roberto Mancini their first trophy (2011) in the Premier League Era. As if that wasn't enough Vincent Kompany was allowed the chance and time by Old team mate Lescott to nod in the third goal from a David Silva corner in the 56th minute.
It must have been embarrassing for new £12 million record signing and Venezuelan striker from Russian club Zenith (Salomon Rondon) who was watching his new team from the stands beaten blue by Manchester City. It is clear that Berahino might be sold this season due to the fact that West Brom now have five strikers which includes Nigerians Brown Ideye and Victor Anichebe with Rondon, Berahino and Lambert. It doesn't make financial and footballing sense for West Brom to sell Berahinho to Tottenham for anything short of £30million; given that he is a young English player at 22 years of age and still has lots of years to run down his contract. Why must West Brom sell Berahino to Spurs when Spurs have refused to sell Harry Kane of a similar age to Manchester United? Berahino might be far from a finished article, yet without his goals (14 goals in 38 appearances in an average and defensive West Brom team) then West Brom would have gone on relegation last season. Berahino is a different type of striker to the likes of Anichebe, Lambert and Rondon, mainly due to his skill, creativity and pace. He gives West Brom an "Option B" instead of the normal long and high ball to the centre forward. West Brom fans pray It had better be that the club management is planing to offload another of their striker apart from Berahino. The truth is that English players are so over priced with the transfer of Raheem Sterling an example, yet the do not need the adaptation time and language barrier problem faced by foreigners ( Angel Di Maria, Hernan Crespo and Roberto Soldado examples).
City showed they still possess the class and experience to trouble any EPL side with their play last night but unfortunately for City the EPL isn't mathematics and can't be predicted. City will surely be tested next week with the visit of the EPL Champions Chelsea . For now, it is easy to say that Tony Pulis played into the hands of Manuel Pellegrini and he was dully punished. City top the league standings from the first match while Arsenal and West Brom are 19th and 20th respectively. The league has indeed started.
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