Barry spares City Blushes

pic: bbc sports

MANCHESTER CITY   1   -   0   READING  

Gareth Barry late late Header helped City stay within touching distance of their Bitter Rivals and cut the Lead to 3pts for Top spot after finally Overcoming a tough Reading team. But the game was a very Frustrating one for City fans and Players alike at the Etihad Stadium. The game wasn`t helped too much with the Pesistant rain that has been happening in Manchester for the last couple of days, almost Monsoon like. You`d think the rain would help with City slick passing and the ball zipping all over the pitch would help.
But it hampered in a way instead, which lots of errors compared to the usual style of play by the Champions.

The Champions handed a first ever start to Academy graduate young Dutch Left back Karim Rekik who made a very capable and solid game for his debut. The young man didn`t look overawed by the occasion and took to it like a duck to water. And had this years African player of the year for the 2nd time running in Yaya Toure wearing the Captains Armband in place of normal skipper Vincent Kompany who is still not 100% fit from a Groin injury he picked up in the Manchester Derby a couple of weeks ago. City also kept faith with the strike force of the Argentinian  duo of Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez. And speaking of Argentinians, City defender Pablo Zabeleta, was making his 100th Club Appearance for the Home side.


First half wasn`t too many highlights at all as City dominated the possession against the bottom of the table side, but credit to Reading though they parked the proverbial Bus in front of the goals. City were really lacking in creating a goal scoring chance as the Royals defended very deep and Pressured the Blues when they had the ball. The seemed to start the build up quickly then once they got 10yards of the Reading penalty area they seemed to go pedestrian and slow right down and give Reading chance to regroup and get in position to block any city opportunity.


The first booking didn`t take long as a challenge by Mariappa as he slid from behind into the back of Carlos Tevez and had the cheek to try to complain about the tackle, to which Mike Dean was very quick to brandish the Yellow card. City who struggled to create a clear cut chance in the first half, nearly had Aguero conjure up a chance from nothing. As he picked the ball up on the halfway line and ran at the Reading defense getting to the by line and crossing over to blue shirtless penalty box before a Royals defender put it out for a corner to clear his lines.


City had a couple of half chances, as Serbian defender Nastasic had a blast but his effort was over the bar. Tevez had a chance as Aguero threaded a ball to him, but Federici managed to block it as City were determined to try and walk the ball in it seemed. A few more half chances were blocked and deflected over the bar as Reading defended resolutely infront of their away support.  Reading had only one real chance when a terrible pass by Joe Hart went to Kebe and his pass to a teammate was  blown high and wide in the upper tier.

The whistle went for 0-0 at half time with Reading fan jumping up celebrating like they`d scored themselves as they managed to blank the home attacks. And City couldn`t may the telling possession into a goal.

HALF TIME:  MANCHESTER CITY   0   -   0 READING  

Second half was almost a reply of the 1st, but Reading came into the game abit more and had a few more attacks on Hart goal. A couple of shots off target was the best they could muster in a more exciting second half compared to a drab dull 1st half.


Passing from the home team by certain players mainly Yaya Toure and Gareth Barry was awful. Barry seemed to get his passing more accurate as the game went on, but Toure was giving the ball away like he was santa giving gifts away. Had a simple ball to play and gave it straight to their player who he tussled and tried to get the better of before bringing him down getting booked in the process outside the area.


City made changes with Edin Dzeko coming on for Javi  Garcia, Carlos Tevez made way for Scott Sinclair which was a shock decision in my view. And Karim Rekik came off for James Milner during the game. There was a incident where Danny Guthie was down for afew mins and Joe Hart to the fury of the fans thrown the ball out so he could get medical attention. Reading had Time wasted alot as you couldn`t blame their tactics as holding the League champions away from home to a 0-0 scoreline was beyond their wildest dreams of many that went.

The resulting play was obvious as Kebe who was a main Culprit in the time wasting along with Federici the goal keeper. He had the ball with Hart awaiting the ball to be passed back but instead launched it towards the corner flag and proceeded to smirk and smile at the Home fans as he angered the fans by his actions.  City had a a corner where Dzeko narrowly missed the goals and another half chance for the Bosnian as the ball was hit across the box and he just get a stronger touch on it a she just missed getting good contact on it.


Fans were now getting frustrated and impatience as City pressed but was still trying to the walk the ball in, instead of look for shot and trying. Reading attacked with Pogrebnyak as he was their main threat upfront and caused a few problem but Nastastic was equal to him all game and was solid at the heart of the defence.
Reading were still trying to kill time and Kebe was infuriating the fans more with him avoiding the ball and letting it run away. And was still smiling at the home fans, and was left in no uncertain terms what they thought of him, and his antics.


Reading had a free kick or penalty turned down as a cross that was whipped in stuck Zabeleta hand but Mike Dean gave nothing and City again attack and was looking more and more likely of a 0-0 Game and the first time in 41 games that City would be blanked at home. End of the 90 and 4 additional mins were played, 2 mins into the Stoppage time, Aguero picked up the ball, and crossed it in the area where Gareth Barry was on hand to rise above Nicky Shorey and head home past Federici in the Reading goals and give the home side Victory late on much like they had suffered in the last home game against Manchester United.

Replays shown at first it looked to be a foul, but when shown more, Shorey was backing into Barry just as he rose to head home. So was correct decision, However the Reading bench weren`t of that opinion as they hounded the 4th official Chris Foy and argued pointing to the big screen showing the goal that they thought it should have been chalked off.  Full time whistle went, to the delight and relief of the home side and the devastation of the visitors as couple of the Reading player collapsed on the pitch in despair and some refused to shake hands and walked straight  down the tunnel.

Overall it was deserved win as City had the possession and was more of the attacking and the never say die belief they have in the team shown, playing right to the end.

FULL TIME:   MANCHESTER CITY  1 - 0 READING 

MAN OF THE MATCH : was 3. Pablo Zabeleta with his defensive prowess and attacking play in full view. along with great tackles and thoroughly deserving of it on his 100th appearance!