14/04/07: City 0 Liverpool 0Updated: October 3rd, 2007
Our fifth game unbeaten, our 11th vital point from the last 15 - and our seventh consecutive league games at CoMS without a goal.
I’m not sure whether to be optimistic or concerned for next season. But then it’s still not clear how good, or bad, Pearce’s side could get.
Are we a team that just needs to add attacking creativity to its rock-solid defensive base, or a side that would sink into the relegation zone if we lost our key defenders?
Our recent form is even more of a puzzle. King Kev at Mancityfans points out that our away form for the last six games is the best in the league, while our home form is the worst (tables here and here).
What is clear is that this is a team worryingly short of attacking options. Few will grumble about the lack of entertainment right now, but could we really stomach this type of football next year? As Richard Tucker at rtfract.com observes, some fans have forked out around £50 for each goal at CoMS this season.
Pearce may have shown that he’s too good to take us down, but whether he is capable of creating a team that attacks as well as we currently defend is now the key question.
~ Wigley’s post-match interview
~ Rtfract photos, Getty Images
~ Latest Premiership table.
Match stats
The stats (below) are compiled from a live commentary. You can find staggeringly detailed match stats, including details of who each player passed to and who tackled whom, at Eurosport.com.
The BBC’s stats are here and Sky’s here.
Match reports
City 0 Liverpool 0
Stuart Pearce’s men are now five games unbeaten, clear of relegation and came closest to ending the deadlock when DaMarcus Beasley hit the bar in the closing stages.
Dogged City put survival first (John Aizlewood)
Their resurrection coinciding with the arrivals of Michael Ball and Emile Mpenza, the return of Sun Jihai and the promotion of Andreas Isaksson, City have certainly conquered the fear that bedevilled them during their bad run and they have taken their restless crowd with them.
City settle for summer safety (Ian Whittell)
This unseasonably warm Manchester afternoon brought with it an air of meaningless, end-of-term football…
Given the fact that City have now played for nine hours and 20 minutes at home without scoring a goal, one might have expected them to display more attacking verve in front of their biggest crowd of the season, 45,883.
Gentle stroll in the sunshine suits everyone but Mourinho (Dan Murphy)
With temperatures inside the City of Manchester Stadium raising the mercury to 25 degrees, it seemed as though the players were happy to play at a sedate pace that reflected the relative comfort of their respective League positions.
City lack firepower to trouble Liverpool (Derick Allsop)
Whatever the cause, the effect was a tame, almost genteel encounter that lulled the sun-bathed crowd into semi-slumber. Neither goalkeeper was particularly inconvenienced and both might still be out there, waiting to earn their corn.
Barton makes an impression (Tom Dart)
One attacking move from Joey Barton was less admirable. Before kick-off, the City midfield player, born in Liverpool, laid flowers in front of the away end in remembrance of the Hillsborough Disaster, which happened 18 years ago yesterday. In the second half he was lucky to receive only a yellow card for a challenge that was less a tackle than an impersonation of a man in a luge hurtling towards its target. Barton’s high two-footed lunge took the ball but was inches away from causing serious damage to Gerrard’s leg.
Player ratings
Ratings come from (in order): King Kev, ross.mcfc, marvin (Mancityfans), Richard Tucker (rtfract), Sunday Times, Sky, Sky Your Rating, BBC
Isaksson: 6, 6, 6, 6.5, 6, 6, 7.2, 5.6 (av: 6.2)
Made a good save in the first half otherwise had an easy day. His distribution still needs work. (King Kev)
Onuoha: 6, 6, 7, 7, 6, 6, 6.7, 5.1 (av: 6.2)
Struggled with Risse but grew in the second half. (King Kev)
Dunne: 8, 7, 8, 7.5, 6, 8, 7.6, 5.4 (av: 7.2)
Another awesome display from the man who will walk away with the POY award for the 3rd successive time. (King Kev)
Distin: 8, 8, 8, 8, 6, 7, 7.7, 5.6 (av: 7.3)
Brilliant, passing is a bit shit but whilst he continues to defend like he did today I don’t care. (King Kev)
Ball: 7, 6, 6, 7, 6, 6, 6.5, 5.2 (av: 6.2)
Good game from the scouser. never looked troubled. (King Kev)
Sun Jihai: 6, 7, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7.4, 6.2 (av: 6.5)
Tried hard but gave the ball away too often. (King Kev)
Vassell (Corradi 82): 7, 6, 6, 6.5, 5, 6, 6.6, 5.5 (av: 6.1)
Better than the last home game, made some good runs but it was obvious early on that his partnership with Mpenza wasn’t going to work today. (King Kev)
Barton: 5, 5, 7, 7, 5, 7, 7.0, 6.3 (av: 6.2)
Piss poor, needs to concentrate on playing his own game rather than trying to prove he is better than Gerrard (which he clearly isn’t). (King Kev)
Johnson: 5, 6, 7, 6.5, 5, 6, 6.4, 5.5 (av: 5.9)
Worse game yet for us. I’m not saying he is a bad player but he should have been replaced for his own sake today. I hope he recovers from this. (King Kev)
Beasley: 9, 8, 8, 7.5, 6, 6, 8.0, 5.8 (av: 7.3)
Who the hell was that in Beasley’s shirt?? Why hasn’t he played like that for us before?? Amazing performance. (King Kev)
Mpenza (Ireland 62): 7, 6, 7, 7, 6, 5, 6.9, 6.2 (av: 6.4)
Obviously a class player but must be frustrated at the lack of support. Hope his injury isn’t too bad. (King Kev)
Subs:
Ireland (Mpenza 62): - , - , - , - , 6.5, 5, 6.1, 5.7 (av: 5.8)
Corradi (Vassell 82): - , - , - , - , 5.5, 5, 5.4, 4.4 (av: 5.1)
Subs not used:
Weaver, Samaras, Trabelsi.