23/12/06: City 0 Bolton 2Updated: October 3rd, 2007
It wasn’t so much the defeat, or even the manner in which we lost - though that was bad enough.
It was the fact we lost, yet again, to Bolton. Nothing against them, but the fact that they continue to rise as we slide towards the relegation zone really rankles.
They had average gates of 25,000 and a turnover of £45.9m last year. We averaged 43,000 last season with a turnover of £61.8m. So how they managed to pay £8m for a player that we offloaded in order to pay the bills is all the more baffling.
But Anelka’s two goals did more than point to mismanagement at the heart of this club. His presence was a reminder of what we have lost.
When City signed Anelka it represented hope - a sign that the club had ambition, and that better times, possibly the great times, were just around the corner. Watching the skills of Anelka, SWP, Foe and Berkovic and Bernarbia made us dare to dream.
Now those hopes have been reduced to avoiding relegation and the financial meltdown it would entail.
~ Pearce’s post-match interview
~ Rtfract pictures; Getty Images photos
~ Latest Premiership table
Match stats
Two stats stand out from the game. First that neither side produced a single cross and second that City completed its game of ‘foul bingo’, by committing fouls against all 13 Bolton players.
The stats (below) are compiled from the live commentary and differ slightly from Sky’s stats:
Match reports
Barton sent off as Anelka returns to haunt City (Sunday Times)
Stuart Pearce’s side competed fully in a feisty northwest derby, but what stood out was their alarming lack of quality, which will be further exposed by the absence of Joey Barton.
City 0 Bolton 2 (MEN)
The Blues were really masters of their own problems having lost a series of 50-50 challenges in the build up to the opener with Ishmael Miller’s slowness of thought the last act of self-destruction.
Anelka at double but Barton in trouble (Observer)
Emboldened by their let-off, Bolton resumed their almost total control of the match and it was little surprise that they doubled their lead in the 25th minute.
Pearce prediction comes true as Anelka stuns City (Telegraph)
There were not enough of the Light Blue faithful in the ground at the end of another disappointing display to take those protests to a higher level, but there can be no doubt that the pressure is mounting on a manager who not too long ago was touted as an England possible.
Impressive Anelka leaves City in ruins (Independent)
City, sliding inexorably towards the wrong end, were unlucky to have what looked a valid equaliser disallowed but were generally outplayed by neighbours with far more to look forward to in the new year.
Man City 0 Bolton 2 (Sunday Mirror)
One banner read ‘will the real Manchester City please stand up?’ The trouble is this is the ‘real’ City and it is in need of repair and some new faces fast.
Season-on-season table
After losing 1-0 at home to Bolton last year there’s little change in the season-on-season table, which compares results to the corresponding fixtures from last year.
Our next three fixtures produced six points last season, so a slide into the relegation zone in January looks a real danger.
Here are the next three fixtures with the results from last season:
(A) Tue Dec 26: Sheff Utd (won 2-1)
(A) Sat Dec 30: West Ham (lost 1-0)
(H) Mon Jan 1: Everton (won 2-0)
Charlton’s Les Reed oversaw the worst turnaround for the second week running. The 2-0 defeat at Boro was a game they won 3-0 last season, while last week 3-0 home defeat against Liverpool resulted in a 2-0 win last year.
(Results against last season’s relegated clubs - Sunderland, West Brom and Birmingham - are compared to Sheff Utd, Watford and Reading respectively)
Player ratings
The fact that City’s Man of the Match Joey Barton only received an average rating of 6.1 is its own indictment of Saturday’s performance.
Ratings come from (in order): Richard Tucker (rtfract), Sunday Mirror, Sunday Times, MEN, Sky and Sky Your Rating.
Weaver: 6, 6, 5, 6, 6, 5.6 (av: 5.8)
Woeful protection for two goals but otherwise precious little to do as Bolton simply contained. (MEN)
Onuoha: 5.5, 6, 5, 5, 5, 5.2 (av: 5.3)
Not an easy game to come back into but didn’t look out of place. Second goal came from his flank. (MEN)
Dunne: 5.5, 6, 5, 5, 7, 5.7 (av: 5.7)
Caught waiting for whistle for second goal but thereafter did as much as anyone to try and lift sagging side. (MEN)
Distin: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4.8 (av: 5.0)
Same applies to him as to Dunne although his distribution was sometimes awry in first half. (MEN)
Thatcher (Dabo 56): 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4.3 (av: 4.9)
Taken off in tactical reshuffle but it didn’t really make any difference to the flow of the game. (MEN)
Trabelsi: 5.5, 5, 5, 4, 6, 4.8 (av: 5.1)
Not been at the races in his last two matches and this was one time they needed midfield energy. (MEN)
Barton: 6.5, 6, 5, 6, 6, 6.8 (av: 6.1)
Often playing one against three in the centre where Bolton were always in command. Stupid sending off. (MEN)
Ireland: 4.5, 5, 6, 4, 6, 5.9 (av: 5.2)
No impact against the experience of Nolan, Campo and Speed who all had too much nous for the youngster. (MEN)
Miller: 4.5, 5, 6, 4, 6, 5.1 (av: 5.1)
Continues to frustrate by promising more than he delivers. Defensive qualities sadly lacking. (MEN)
Vassell: 5, 5, 6, 4, 6, 5.2 (av: 5.2)
Switch back to the middle not an obvious success and never threatened to add to his season’s tally. (MEN)
Dickov (Samaras 55): 4.5, 6, 5, 4, 5, 4.7 (av: 4.9)
Thought he’d scored with first half header but thereafter not a factor as City struggled to create anything. (MEN)
Subs:
Samaras (Dickov 55): 5, 5, 6, 5, 6, 4.6 (av: 5.3)
Tried hard but no service. (MEN)
Dabo (Thatcher 56): 6, 6, 6, 5, 6, 5.4 (av: 5.7)
One or two decent touches. (MEN)
Subs not used:
Isaksson, Jordan, Beasley.