Wednesday 26 October 2011

BACK TO BUSINESS

Wednesday 26th October 2011 and Man City (and their fans) had been basking in the glory of the 6-1 thumping of the neighbours for 3 days now. Winding up the work mates with the wide smiles. The whole of the football world sitting up and taking notice of what we'd done to the Champions in their own back yard, but it was back to business tonight, Cup business. The Carling cup away to Wolves. A premier league team not to be taken lightly but again Mancini would use the depth in his squad. Pantilimon would start in net for the first time since the last round vs Birmingham, his defence would be Zabaleta, Kolo Toure, Savic & Kolorav. De Jong would start in midfield with Razzak and the attacking line was Nasri, Johnson, Dzeko and Scapuzzi. A complete change to the 11 that had started the "demolition derby" on Sunday but still boasting NINE international players. Surely every body outside the City family were praying for us to fall on our faces tonight.




Game got going and Wolves brought the game to us, as you would expect for the home team playing what they probably considered a weakened line up and for 20 minutes they were dominant. City unable to settle as Wolves piled on the pressure and started to rattle the City back line. Edwards had a good early chance putting a close range header over the bar and we survived an early shout for a penalty as the ball obviously came off Kolarovs hand in the box. Wolves were growing with confidence as we seemed to be struggling and it was only a matter of time, Cross into the box and a bit of luck saw the ball fall for Milijas to smash wolves into a 1-0 lead and a lead they deserved. But after the goal City began to grow into the game and finally started to settle and stroke the ball around like we' come to expect.




9 Minutes before the break and the fireworks started (without Balotelli) and it was Adam Johnson that was the fire starter this time. A good build up saw the ball at Dzeko's feet in the wolves box, but he didn't shoot, he rolled it into the pasth of the in coming AJ and he smashed a fantastic shot into the back of the net to bring the match level. 1-1 with 38 minutes gone. 2 minutes later and a fantastic run through the Wolves defence was repaid with an equally fantastic through ball from AJ and Nasri Cooley finished to put us 2-1 up. 41 minutes and a brilliant cross to the far post from (you guessed it) Johnson again and Scapuzzi's first time shot saved, but only to land at Dzeko's feet and he scores his first to put us 3-1 up. A magical 4 minutes had turned the game on it's head and we had a comfy lead at half time.




Second half started with Wolves trying to get back into the game, and to be fair, Wolves never really gave in even though they were behind, but only 6 minutes into the second half and City scored again. Nasri shot saved well by Wolves keeper De Vries but again, unlucky for the keeper, it landed at the feet of a city striker, this time Scapuzzi to fire home and MAYBE score his first goal for City, I say maybe because the ball was actually blocked by the Wolves defender but only for it to bounce of the back of the diving keeper and roll into the net so it will probably be chalked up to a De Vries own goal. The 5th goal was a thing of pure beauty, a goal that if it was scored by Barcelona would have pundits purring all over the world. Pass after pass after pass and a lovely through ball to Scapuzzi to cross for the Dzeko tap in his second, 4 goals in 2 games now for the big man. Wolves did manage to pull another goal back to make it 5-2 and City maybe should have had a penalty when AJ was blocked off in the box, but i guess it balanced out considering Wolves maybe should have had one first half.



So the final whistle sounded and we were in the quarter finals of the league cup. 11 goals scored in 2 games and the "back up" squad and a few youngsters getting a great run out. Some big teams still in this cup. Arsenal, Liverpool, Blackburn and Chelsea all still in, along with Cardiff and Crystal Palace, the 8th team Manchester United. They had "Bounced back" from the weekends humiliation by beating Aldershot to progress. David Platt had said in the press conference before this game that Mancini wanted to win everything we were in, not going to be easy, especially if the draw was unkind to us, but who knows how serious the opposition would take this, after all no one really does take the league cup serious....Until they draw City in the next round that is. Anyway, this game was done and dusted and we can prepare for the premier league game to come this weekend, Against Wolves again, this time at home. Still a happy blue with a big, BIG smile on my face. Thanks for reading.


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