CITY
Goals: de Jong (10), Jacobsen og (15)
Bookings: Zabaleta (34), Barry (67), A. Johnson (68)
WEST HAM
Goals: Ba (33)
Bookings: Gabbidon (49)
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Henceforth, May the first will no longer be known as May Day. It will become De Jong Day.
And in years to come, elderly City fans will celebrate it, and tell their grandkids of the day when they saw the great City player score his first – and possibly his only – goal for the club.
It came at the 94th time of asking, and was as covered in importance as it was dripping in spectacle, a 25-yard drive of great precision.
The last time the tigerish midfielder hit the back of the net, in March 2008, few people in Manchester had heard of Abu Dhabi, and he was plying his trade for Hamburg against Frankfurt.
But his goal set the Blues on the road to a vital, and ultimately edgy, victory against a West Ham side which refused to lie down and take the thrashing which the opening minutes threatened.
Pablo Zabaleta forced Lars Jacobsen into conceding an own goal for the second, but Demba Ba’s goal meant that the Blues were pushed all the way by a side fighting for its Premier League life.
Roberto Mancini, astonishingly, picked the same 18 for the third match in succession, quite a feat for a man who makes Claudio Ranieri look like a model of consistency in team selection.
Not that he had a lot of choice, with Carlos Tevez and Micah Richards still on the injury list, but there were strong cases for Edin Dzeko and James Milner to get their chances.
He was entirely vindicated in a blistering opening 15 minutes, when City did exactly what they did at Blackburn – but with goals.
The nervy Hammers, languishing at the bottom of the table and still horrifyingly aware of what Yaya Toure did to them in the Blues 3-1 win at Upton Park in December, simply sat and awaited their fate, like a hedgehog on a dual carriageway.
Allowed space and time to drop deep, David Silva sharpened his rapier and Yaya hefted his cudgel, and even Nigel de Jong could see the possibilities.
Silva and Yaya had the first attempts, but it was de Jong who ended his amazing goal drought on ten minutes.
He has promised the City fans it would be something special when it came, and he wasn’t kidding!
Aleks Kolarov’s corner was cleared to the edge of the box and the Dutchman thrashed it with some precision through a crowded area, and even managed to bounce it just ahead of goalkeeper Robert Green just to make sure.
The Blues were cock-a-hoop, the Hammers could feel the trapdoor twitching beneath their feet, and we started to check the stat books for City’s biggest recent wins.
That optimism was confirmed five minutes later, with another goal from another unlikely source, even though he has not initially been credited with it.
At least Zabaleta previously had two goals in 116 appearances, prolific compared to de Jong, but not many people had him down as a goalscorer on their betting slips.
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The goal was fashioned by the irrepressible Silva, playing a cute one-two with the sallying Zabaleta.
There was still plenty of work to do as Silva’s return chip was chest-high, but the Argentine’s control was exemplary and his shot low and hard.
The powers-that-be decided the goal belonged to the unfortunate Lars Jacobsen, who made a poor attempt to clear, but the dubious goals panel may yet reverse that decision.
They tend to work on the basis that if the ball would have gone in anyway, the attacking player gets it, and the ball was certainly rolling in.
The Poznan was in full swing – or rather bounce – the sun was shining, and the seven-point gap between the Blues and pursuing Spurs and Liverpool looked like a yawning chasm.
And then, just as at Ewood Park six days earlier, the momentum dropped, the Hammers made a cute tactical switch by putting Demba Ba out on the left, and the blue shirts went from satin to horsehair in a matter of heartbeats.
City were grateful to Joe Hart for a fine save from Robbie Keane when the experienced striker sprang the offside trap but found England’s number one in resolute mood.
But with the Blues suddenly giving the ball away, as if dreaming of Wembley days in May, the visitors were encouraged.
They pulled one back on 33 minutes, Thomas Hitzlsperger’s cross deflecting to Demba Ba off the hand of Joleon Lescott. Before ref Howard Webb had time to call the spot kick, the West Ham man had swept the ball home.
Balotelli missed a great chance to seal it on 55 minutes when the Blues broke in numbers, Silva leading the charge.
He freed the Italian, who measured a curling shot beyond Green, only to see it bounce off the bar and straight to the feet of the offside Yaya.
And if City fans were frustrated by that miss, they were apoplectic when the Blues again broke in numbers, Yaya freeing Silva with a gorgeous through ball.
The little man, one-on-one, checked back, allowing a phalanx of defenders to cover. He might have shot himself, but chose to lay the ball left for Balotelli.
The man with a shot like a howitzer opted for a casual swing rather than breaking the net, and James Tomkins raced back to keep it out.
Mancini decided to mix it up, and give the Hammers something else to think about by bringing on Edin Dzeko, taking off Barry – who had been one of the stars – and shifting Yaya back to anchor midfield alongside de Jong.
Any plans Avram Grant might have had were scattered to the four winds as he dropped his notebook and the pages blew across the pitch!
By that point, the Hammers were as spent as their manager’s notes, as City staged a big finish, seeking that elusive third goal.
Silva almost claimed it, rounding off a neat passage of play with a shot which deflected up off a defender and forced Green into a flying save.
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Nigel, you little beauty! What a cracker to break your duck. Liked the way we came out all guns blazing to get the early lead but I'm sure Kompany won't be happy that his defence conceded such a goal denying Joe Hart his clean sheet. How did we only score twice today? But it matters not, we are getting closer and closer and CLOSER. Great effort today by everyone and Zabaleta was my main man who just nudges it for me ahead of Silva. I thought Balotelli played well and deserved a goal or two.
What's with the delay with the match reports today MUEN? Come on now, lets have it.
Nice to see 2 of our most consistent hard workers get on the score sheet today.
3 points is all that matters.
Well done NDJ, well deserved after all your efforts over all these games.
Roberto, Why was Dzeko not in the starting line-up?
Does Mancini think he can score from the bench?
Does Mancini not like strikers? Except BabaBalo?
Why does it take 1 1/2 hours after the final whistle for the Evening News to put up a report after a City game? Seriously, the old Football Pink was faster than that including the drive out to the burbs. Seriously, why so slow? was SB in the line for champers & prawn sarnies?
Plus points: Vincent Kompany embracing Mario Balotelli at the start to expose another mischief-making rag newspaper story of a so-called fall-out between them. Nigel scoring his first goal for City and it was a cracker ! Brilliant display from Zab. Team played as a unit most of the game. Mario showd he is progressing in maturity and work-rate. Minus point: City made hard work of beating the Hammers when it could have been all over after half an hour or so.
BUT: A great Sunday. 7 points ahead of Spurs, United lost and give Chelsea a faint hope of the title. And the World snooker`s on telly, too. What more do you fellas want ? Oh yes, a beer or two. Well, cheers from me !!!
these are fantastic points for us we wouldn't have won them last season. the games against blackburn and west ham prove that we can grind out the wins and deserve to get that fourth spot. if we beat stoke in the final and united come second in the league and loose to barca in the final it could go from their treble season to us winning more trophies than them this year.
ctid
i think as nigel stepped up to strike the ball the north stand ducked expecting the ball to end up in isle 238. I think he was as suprised and elated as we were because no one deserves it more than he.
Not the best performance but a very important 3 points on the board, David Silva is quality although he should have put the game to bed but i think i might excuse him for that.
Another victory i think will be enough, this is the best side ive seen for years and with CL qualification its going to get better.
Performance average, result very important. Started off like a train and threatened to run riot but then we seemed to run out of ideas and energy allowing them back into the game. We switched off totally for the 10 minutes before half time allowing them to get one back and this led to a nervy and disjointed second half. We had ourselves to blame for some tame, wasteful finishing when given the chance to put the game to bed. Overall a good result but against better opposition several players will have to up their game. Lescott was a rock in the second half and Milner and Dzeko both looked lively and purposeful when they came on. We just need to stop taking the foot off the pedal when the game still needs to be won.
Hopefully de Jong and Zab will be fit for Everton.
milner showed when he came on how good he is playing in his usual position great crisp passing and graft barry was great today and zab gave everything as normal lescott for me was man of the match he gets better every match should really have not let them back in but we had enough chances to win two matches dare i say the jury is still out on ballo /dzeko kalarov to go in the summer and baines in please finally silva as good as he is needs to be more clinical in front of goal had a couplle of chances today that should have gone in credit west ham who gave everything today
Well done , I am happy for the win but i believe two player are damaging the team , Kolorov and Mario B .Mario B he cant score simple as that and Kolorov cant defend
Nothing to say the result says it all. Bah Humbug !!!!!!!!!
whats this balotelli ? never never make a football player that we want.
Not the best performance in the world,but at this stage of the season 3 pts is all that matters. Lescott was my man of the match today and Zab and VK were a close second.
I am losing patience with Mario I'm afraid. He summed his attitude up when he was subbed and was waving his arms behind Mancinis back.
A word for Milner also,thought he looked great when he came on and worked like a trojan ala Barry. Don't know what's up with AJ but he has to improve.
Any news on why De jong went off?? Or if Zabs injury at the end is serious...?
What a great weekend...It's a bit quiet on here from all the members of the dark side...Twitchy bum time...Come on Chelsea...!!!!
We need Tevez back...Miss his desire..I really hope he stays with us but have my doubts. 50 million please!
Agree with the description of the win as"edgy", nevertheless, 3 useful points - questionable whether we would have all 3 back in the day - but now Bluemoon's rising oh yes! CTID
I had problems watching today with four little meerkats disrupting things. From what I seen CITY weren't really troubled although there may have been a couple of nerves. A bit sharper and CITY could have had five easy. Great to see The Blue Ninja get his Goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and may moor goals follow. Happy for Zaba getting his goal, hope he is alright. Tony Pulis was in the crowd with pen and paper! Maybe we will have to turn his main thoughts into decoys. Onwards
A wonderful game of flowing and committed football coming straight after the Arsenal game it proved we are actually a better team than Arsenal and closer to United - many opportunities made and no attempt to deceive the referee!!
Mario needs to grow up, looking forward to having Boateng and Richards available next season and if Liverpool and Spurs are caught up in the Europa league - we should advance next season.
Fair and reasonable comment about the Club on Sky and it was nice for football lovers to be reminded of the commitment of Man City fans.
Delighted with the three points,after the first 25 minutes we switched off,it didnt come bacck to haunt us today but we should be careful not to do it again in the future.
Very happy for Nigel getting his first goal today,think Pablo played very well and i would have given him MOTM if it was up to me.
Bring on Everton next Saturday,see you all at Goodison :)
CTID
NDJ has blue blood, well deserved hopefully will be over shadowed with a FA cup winners meddle in the next couple of weeks. Ctid
Watching it on, Sky did their commentator Chris Coleman watch a different match? Who are Bollichelli, Julian Lescott, Manseeni and Thomas Hitzlberger? He must be paid thousands to do that job. Perhaps he can invest some of it in a pair of teeth that actually fit his mouth!
As much as I dislike Man U, if they had beaten Arsenal today we would have been 2 points behind them with a game in hand. I don't care who wins the league, and would rather finish 3rd, and not have to qualify for the champions league, than finish 4th with the possibility of losing a 2 legged qualifier
Well done BLUES ...
One step closer to top 4..
Tactics were slightly wrong today 4-5-1 ..home - West Ham..Really!!
Thought Silva was awsome ..Lescott Zab and Nigel ..Komps..
Seems to me obb has put all faith in Mario - but in honesty I think hes lazy. !
I mean why drop Edin ...thats great for confidence on the bench in it !!
CITY FOR LIFE!!
Three points hard earned, partially because of the lets do as little as possible attitude of the most of the players.Good to see that Mancini was not best pleased with them. Reallly pleased for NdJ and Zabba, his goal regardless of the suits. A game we almost certainly would have lost in previous seasons.
7points clear of the chasing pack. Tottenham down to fifth, Arsenal finally remembered how to win games. Got my ticket for Wembley what more could I ask for.
Thought Joleon was MoM today and Milner played with great sense and purpose. For the clowns who were slagging Dzeko from the minute he came on get a grip. I thought Balotelli played well for the team, Gabbidon and co were all over him, and got absolutely nothing from Webb, who was as average as he had been good in the last match.
Only worry now is that we all know Moyes and Redknapp will tell their teams to go out and kick us, as we are so close to the Cup Final. If we beat Everton on Saturday then it could be sewn up before the Spurs game. After all they have got to beat Blackpool and that is easier said than done as WHU showed today teams who are fighting for survival do exactly that - fight.
CTID and beyond
Adders - I' m having a few, too!
Having seen my first game in 1949 I couldn't care less how they played.
3 points - my day is complete. Cheers to you and all CTID's.
Enormous result - well done boys.
Zabaleta was outstanding today and should have been MotM. Silva is superb - but needs to add a willingness to shoot to his game. Aside from the pass to Balotelli, there were a couple of other times when he chose to pass rather than shoot. David - get out on the training ground and start getting used to smashing a few in.
I think Mancini has been right to give Balotelli a run to see if he can fulfil his reported potential. It's been 3 games now and he looks poor. Everyone talks about his great talent but poor attitude. The attitude issue is obvious - but I am not even convinced on the talent. His touch is too often poor and his finishing not clinical. Bobby - give Edin a run and get your scouts out there as I think we may need two or even three strikers in the summer......
Big win for City that top4 finish is almost there i say we need 4 more points and 4th place is ours good to see De Jong scoring his first goal for the club Zabeleta was briliant today fairplay to West ham they made it difficult for us in the 2nd half.