CITY GIVE CHELSEA MORE AWAY DAY BLUES!

     MANCHESTER CITY    2  -  0    CHELSEA

Manchester City hard earned victory over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium sunday saw them reduce the 15 point gap to just 12 points now, Needing a miracle to catch their bitter rivals and hope they go on a dreadful run to retain the title.

City started the way they carried on previously against Leeds in the FA Cup last week, They had the first chance of the game as a tame shot by Yaya Toure rolled to Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal after 39 seconds in the game.  City were much the dangerous side and had plenty of the ball but Chelsea set out to frustrate the home side as the entire penalty area was a wash with black shirts and stopped any efforts that would come in on goals.

Rodwell had his effort from a corner blocked by Gary Cahill & the defenders cleared the ball away. But the warning signs were their for the away side. As the English champions were putting the European champions under the cosh.


The official Andre Marriner, wasn`t endearing himself to the home fans as he gave many many soft fouls City and when they had similar or even better cases for a whistle the referee wasn`t interested at all. A Jack Rodwell tackle on Ramires was full bloodied challenge which he won cleanly but as Ramires went down Marriner instantly gave fouls when players just stayed down. City captain on the day Pablo Zabeleta couldn`t believe his bad luck when Belgian player Eden Hazard went to ground when a foot or 2 away but won the free kick, Was making the home fans more irate with some strange decisions.


To be fair though he gave alot of decisions on both sides wrongly, as he seemed to award free kicks when they weren`t and when they were plum fouls he didn`t give them. As both teams were confused by many decisions he awarded in the game. Chelsea only attempt if thats what you call it came courtesy of a long range free kick by Frank Lampard who shot it near the half way and reached Row G in the Upper tier behind Joe Hart goals. Not one to put in the Lampard scrapbook to be perfectly honest as it was truly woeful.


Yaya Toure was tackled unfairly by a Chelsea player but the referee didn`t see it as a foul, Rodwell was then booked as he put a challenge in on Branislav Ivanovic, But the official thought it was worthy of a Yellow card this time .The home fans were feeling that the ref was against them as he hardly seem to blow for any tackle made by the West London side.

Many cries and chants directed at Marriner weren`t very complimentary it has to be said, City had to forget about the officating and focus on channeling it in a positive manner. And they nearly did as a swinging corner by David Silva came in and Rodwell took a shot but was saved by Cech. City nearly brokethrough as a cross from Silva missed everyone but Zabaleta arriving in the box and his volley was cleared by Cahill heading away when it looked to be heading goalwards.


Approaching half time and with the constant pressure from the home side it seemed a matter of when not if when the goal would come, And from another Silva corner Rodwell again got onto the cross and his header was saved by Cech & moments later yet another corner again was headed goalwards and saved by Cech pushing away.Somehow the scoreboard was nil nil when it was the home side dominating play.















Second half came around and Chelsea seemed to show a bit of life as they decided to have a go and not stay defensive like there tactics had been in the first half of play.  Sergio Aguero had a chance but his effort was wide of the net and still City searched for this opener. Hazard had a try with Hart stopping the ball and then gave a penalty away minutes later, When the ref pointed to the spot by bringing Demba Ba down in the area as Kolo Toure luckily got back  to avoid the England no1 getting sent off.

PIC: bbc sports

The England shot stopper came up against his International Teammate in Frank Lampard who strike was low and in the corner but Hart did fantasticially well to get down and palm it away & from that point it seemed to energise City more and Chelsea seemed to be clueless. Mancini pushing for the goal took off Jack Rodwell who had his best game for City since moving, And was replaced by Carlos Tevez as Rodwell had been spoken to abit so to save him he was took off.

PIC: bbc sports

Tevez record against Chelsea was very impressive as he seemed to always score against the West London outfit so would he today carry on the record.  A ball played to Aguero fell to the little Argentinian and his shot over Cech went agonisingly over the cross bar and the sense was it was coming soon now the goal.  So of course it was no surprise when the goal did finally come as great work by Silva to keep the ball in play the Spanish wizard found Yaya Toure and after he made space dragging defenders the wrong way he curled a shot far post clipping it to make it 1-0 after 62 minutes.


Rafa Benitez then took Lampard  & Hazard off and brought Moses  & Oscar on for the final 20 mins or so of the game, Then with 10 minutes to go brought off Mikel for Fernando Torres and he made no impact on the game whatsoever and basically seem to throw the towel in with that sub.  City got the insurance marker as Carlos Tevez continued to haunt Chelsea as his fierce shot beat Cech all ends up and sent the City faithful out of their seats with a great strike for 2-0 in the 84 minute and all but made the game save for the Light Blue side.




Final whistle came and the home fans were jubiliant while alot of the Chelsea fans were just getting on the motorway by the time the Game ended with a lot of disgruntled away supporters.