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A key moment
This was not a game that will last in memory, but it was an important night for Manchester City in context. The Blues’ defensive woes have been well documented over the past year, but this was a third clean sheet in a row, the first time they’ve hit a streak like this since September 2019.
The attack may not be shooting into full steam right now, but a defensive determination that was lacking last season is a major asset and will keep the Blues on the hunt for trophies as they continue to search for the right balance going forward.
There is no doubt that the additions of Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake have helped in that regard, as has the return to regular form of Aymeric Laporte, but there has also been an improvement in the players who failed at times last season.
Kyle Walker’s form has been outstanding this season, but Eric Garcia has played well when he has had his chances and these were a pleasant 90 minutes for John Stones. He’s been relegated to the pecking order again this season and hadn’t started since the win at Wolves in the first game of the season, despite doing little wrong at Molineux.
He was a dominant and vocal presence against Olympiacos, helping his team to that crucial clean sheet. Stones’ positioning was excellent as the Greek champions tried to make a comeback in the second half and he defended calmly and confidently. With this evidence, he deserves a closer look this season, but the competition in central defense has suddenly gotten a bit fiercer.
Where is the X factor?
For the first 15 to 20 minutes of this match, it looked like City were going to blow Olympiacos up, but a quick start quickly gave way to family troubles to create opportunities this season.
Goals are just not flowing for the Blues right now and while they are making a lot of shots, they are not creating high quality chances. As Olympiacos became more familiar with City’s approach, the quality of opportunities rapidly diminished, to the point where Ilkay Gundogan’s cuts to try his hand from the edge of the area became City’s most likely avenue of goal. for most of the second half, until The Game was opened and Gabriel Jesús and Joao Cancelo killed him.
This 3-0 win means the Blues have already scored 23 goals in their first 11 games this season. This is by no means a poor result, but it is not up to the usual City standards and too often they have found it difficult to create the level of good opportunities they are used to.
City’s first 11 games of last season, not including the Community Shield, produced 35 goals and, while those numbers are slightly skewed by Watford’s 8-0 win, they scored three or more seven times, but have. done. only five times so far this season, three of them in a very welcoming group in the Champions League.
Heading into the international break in November, it’s hard to escape the feeling that Sunday’s game against Liverpool will define City’s start to the season. If he wins on Sunday, he will be in a good position, with some issues to resolve, but he will lose and sound the alarm as this team does not appear to have improved significantly from last season.
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The city’s new eye-catching option
Granted, Ferran Torres might not be the long-term solution to City needing a new center forward, but his two appearances in that role this week have been excellent and he has certainly emerged as a candidate to fill the position when needed. .
For someone so used to playing wide open, the Spaniard has adapted to his new environment like a duck overboard and for a player who doesn’t have the natural physics to play as a forward, his play in that position has been all about his movement. .
Torres was constantly pushing Olympiacos central defenders out of position and it was that move that created space for City to play, with Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez filling in the gaps and giving Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden options to play.
The 20-year-old played two games as a center forward for Valencia last season, including a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid, so coaches have clearly seen the ability to fill that role – something Pep Guardiola is embracing. .
Foden’s role
The days when Foden was anointed heir to David Silva are felt a while ago, as Guardiola more frequently uses the England international as a City winger.
Here he lined up alongside De Bruyne in those No. 8 roles, the kind of exciting midfield partnership that City has been eager to see more of, but Foden didn’t do enough to suggest that he will be given a long career in that role. . .
City extended their unbeaten streak to eight games in all competitions by beating Olympiacos.
City have started their Champions League campaign flawlessly, scoring three goals in all three of their group games, and Tuesday night’s 3-0 win over the Greek team gives them maximum points.
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The use of Foden and De Bruyne together suggested that Guardiola expected Olympiacos to defend deep, with the creativity of those two required to try and pick the lock, but after a brilliant start, Foden’s influence began to wane and he withdrew with little. more than 20 minutes for Vamos. You might have to settle for more appearances for now.
A job well done
This group was never likely to pose too many problems for City, but nine points out of nine is exactly the return they would have wanted in the middle stage.
This year’s calendar has always made surprises possible, but the Blues have played their best football in Europe and they know that one more victory after the international break will ensure qualification and, in all probability, first place. Getting that win in Athens and it will give Guardiola a chance to rest and rotate against Marseille and Porto, which will be ideal given that the games will remain dense and fast.
As City have been the victim of some unexpected slip in Europe over the last few seasons, this has been the perfect start for City and should give them a lot of confidence when knockout action kicks off in the New Year.
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