There is now a clear template for success against City and it is posing questions which, as yet, City have no answer for. This has been evident for much of the season, although the signs of the weaknesses that it exploits go back more than a year. The last couple of games have posed the following question to City - what is the point of controlling possession when the opposition wants you to have the ball? And City have had no answer.
The template for success against City is now this. Sit deep and compact, allow City to have the ball until they get in the final third then work hard to close down the ball. Then, when you do get the ball back, hit with quick counter attacks. By keeping the full backs narrow and the midfielders deep, the space inside that Silva and Nasri exploit just isn't there. And we are incredibly vulnerable to counter attacks.
With hindsight, the first side to use theses tactics against us with a degree of success was Crystal Palace last Christmas. In that game City were lucky to win 1-0, Palace deserved something from the game. This season, Stoke beat us early on this way. Then so did CSKA Moscow, Arsenal and Middlesborough. All at home. The tactic is also being used against us away from home. Villa tried it but ran out of energy late on and allowed Yaya Toure to create one moment of brilliance to decide the game.
So why is this so successful? There are two keys, firstly City are very poor at defending counter-attacks. Secondly, for all their brilliance, City's attack is fairly one-dimensional. There are often comments made online after City score that they just keep trying to score the same goal over and over again. This is perhaps a little harsh, but consider this - City are rubbish at set-pieces. Corners have now got so bad many City fans now fear we are more likely to concede a counter attack goal, than score from the corner.
In principle there is nothing wrong with having a set pattern of play and City have enough quality there to make it work. What it does do, is make it simpler for a team to set themselves up defensively as they know what's coming. This sort of approach was often something the Barcelona team of a few years ago were accused of. They were criticised for the lack of a plan B, even though they were, in my opinion, the greatest team I've ever seen.
That Barcelona team were occasionally undone by teams that posed them the same question I mentioned earlier - what is the point of dominating possession if the opposition doesn't want the ball. Barcelona were beaten in two Champions League semi-finals (by Inter and Chelsea) when the opposition took this approach.
This City team are not at the level of the great Barcelona side but they are a very good side. There is enough talent in the team to find a solution. But they do need to find a solution soon as more and more teams are taking this approach against us.
