The Manchester City supporters and the Strictly Come Dancing aficionados eyed each other with incomprehension, like two alien species that had happened upon each other in a distant galaxy.
They had all come to deepest Shepherd’s Bush to be entertained, the Blues walking past the queues outside BBC Television Centre on their way to Loftus Road.
One lot had gone to see a footballer with twinkling feet and sparkling star quality waltz rings round the opposition. The others had gone to see Robbie Savage.
Neither got exactly what they were looking for.
No crotch-thrusting from Robbie, apparently, and David Silva – the Blues’ undoubted superstar – was not up to his usual, brilliant standard.
And it wasn’t just Silva. City looked ragged at times, perhaps a little jaded by the midweek trip to Villarreal, and they faced a QPR side buoyed by their win over Chelsea and stiffened by the resolve of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Joey Barton to put one over their former employers.
Bizarrely, the final whistle brought an out-pouring of joy and appreciation from both sets of fans.
The Rangers fans were happy that their feisty side had more than matched City. The 3,000 travelling Blues were delirious at learning something new about their upwardly-mobile heroes.
You don’t get the measure of champions when they are smashing teams to smithereens, even if that opposition is Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The time to apply the thermometer and test the true health of a team is on days like these, when they are under the weather and look capable of letting it all slip away.
The London scribblers and talking heads in the press lounge before the game were blithely talking of possible Premier League record scores before the game, as if this was a foregone conclusion, a matter of ‘how many’ rather than ‘what next’.
The hardy band of City watchers who had travelled south knew better. Silva was still twitching with a back problem he had suffered in Villarreal, and his obvious replacement Samir Nasri was also carrying a knock.
Yaya Toure has played an exhausting number of games, and was bound to feel the heat sooner rather than later.
Stuttering
And the Blues’ goalscoring machine surely couldn’t keep churning out the goods. Could it?
Yet Roberto Mancini’s side found a way. Nitpickers could find plenty wrong with this City performance – they looked ill at ease at the back without the suspended Vincent Kompany, they were bossed in midfield for long spells, and the usually fluent passing game often stuttered and stalled.
The beauty of City on this particular day was that they dug in the muck and came up with three pearls.
It wasn’t even about grinding out a 1-0 result, something which might have helped to restore Mancini’s Italian sanity.
They conceded chances to QPR, let in goals, and then had enough in their armoury to blast them out of the water.
Edin Dzeko was a case in point. Footballers rarely swing between excellence and poverty with such frequency as this man.
He appears to be one player who finds the rotation policy harder to deal with than most. Used to being the fulcrum at Wolfsburg, he now has to step in, and out of the team, and it
doesn’t seem to help his confidence or his touch.
For 40 minutes he had a stinker at Loftus Road, although his nine outfield teammates were not much better.
In fact, he had almost gifted QPR what would have been a killer second goal with a sloppy pass straight to Heidar Helguson. His cross found Jay Bothroyd – who had already given the home side the lead – and the header dropped inches wide of the post.
It should not go without noting that Bothroyd’s opening goal was dubious.
He had been awarded a free kick for tripping himself up. Moments later it was City kicking themselves as Stefan Savic and Micah Richards allowed Bothroyd to climb above them and head home.
But back to Dzeko, who must have been in Mancini’s mind for an early substitution.
Then he came up with the kind of goal which lifts him out of the ordinary.
If ever there was a player who comes to life in and around the opposition box, this is him.
There seemed little on when James Milner picked up the ball deep and slid a nice pass down the City left flank for the big Bosnian.
Accomplished
But he showed that deceptive, languid turn of pace he has to skip inside, spot a gap and clip an accomplished finish inside the post.
That sparked City into crackling life, but not before Joe Hart showed his worth with a brilliant first half double save before keeping out Barton in the opening seconds of the second half.
Now it was Silva’s turn. In the first half he was not at his best, maybe his stiff back inhibiting his usual movement and touch – but Silva’s worst is still better than 90 per cent of the Premier League.
When it came down to it, his quality again shone in the gathering gloom of west London.
As the fireworks soared and glittered outside the ground, City suddenly did the same on the pitch.
Milner picked up a loose Armand Traore pass deep in his own half and instantly saw the counter-attack possibilities.
He strode forward and again found Dzeko lurking in a wide-left position.
This time the striker looked up and squared a delicious pass for Silva, who had run 90 lung-bursting yards.
Given what had gone before, the City fans massed behind the goal might have expected a swipe, or a mis-control.
But the chips were down, and that is when world-class players rise above the norm.
His touch was exquisite, taking the ball away from two floundering defenders, and he finished it with a crashing, low shot.
Rangers were not done. They got back into it with a scrappy goal, Bothroyd’s header deflecting past Hart off the back of Helguson, with question marks again placed next to the Kompany-less defence.
City were not to be denied. This time a sweeping move found Aleks Kolarov in space on the left.
His cross was perfection, and Yaya Toure – who had not scored this season before his brace at Villarreal in midweek – showed what he has to offer as an attacking midfielder with a thumping header.
City still had time to enjoy some luck – another vital ingredient for title winners – as Helguson headed against the bar.
Ranger fans went away happy with their team’s brave display, but it was City fans who danced off into the night, sure in the knowledge that their team can pull out results when they are at a low ebb.
What is your verdict? Have your say.
Comments
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We would have lost or drawn this game last year. We have players with a winning attitude and desire now and that has made the difference. Confidence in the team is also helping. Always a potential bananna skin this one with time of game, under lights in tight stadium, after mid week trip away and no Kompany.
Great goal from Toure - how he got up so high, and kept it under the bar I do not know. I feel we do not score enough with headers from crosses like this, which is suprising the number of times we have been getting behind defences, or with the palyers we have who can put in a good cross. Dzeko against Spuds is only other cross header goal this season I can think of (corners excluded). I always love this type of goal and both of ours this season have been superb!! More please....
Very harsh on Edin. His touch looked heavy for the first half hour, but he certainly wasn't on his own there. It was a nightmare pass which led to Bothroyd's free header, but the entire team's passing showed a post Villareal sloppiness. But his goal was that of a born predator, he combined beautifully with James Milner for the first AND the second goals and he worked his socks off all game. Sergio was quieter than usual, but this was a small playing area which gave him less space to exploit, and especially to use his electrifying control. On pitches and grounds like Loftus Road you have to be prepared to battle and the City team did. It was naive to think there was ever the opportunity to pass QPR to death, but we came out on top - JUST.
Another Premier league record broken.
We have scored in the last 17 Premiership games!!!
I must point out that I am a Micah Richards fan and he has the potential to be a star but I think he has a lot to learn and he's still some way off the finished article. I watched him off the ball and I still question his positional play and focus. As for tracking back? Has somebody told him it is acceptable to chase back in his own jogging time? I'm sure he's in that category that Mancini is asking for improvement and I can understand why Capello is overlooking him though I hope Micah steps up a gear to change his mind.
Really excellent piece Stuart!! Beautifully written.
One thing that is noticable is the desire of all of our players. Its almost as if its life or death that we must win.
The absolute delight on Silva's face after scoring that incerdible goal was amazing. and Edin just loves to score and he seems to be finding great spaces in the final third to pick up the bal, he's constantly moving. silva is the same. james Milner was immence on Saturday and was rightly picked as MoM. The whole team have the desire and the hunger to win and when this desire is equally evident against a team like QPR as it is against the rags or spuds then you know we are onto something special.
I enjoyed reading that!
Nice piece. feels like you enjoyed writing that Stuart.
Traditionally, Cricket and Rugby Union have inspired more entertaining prose than soccer
But each season, in the EPL, the beautiful game is becoming even more beautiful with the Stoke City's of this world in the minority, and even they pass the ball occasionally these days
No wonder Stuart and others are inspired to wax lyrical from time to time. You are a lucky man Stuart, I would love to be paid to write about this game in general - and this amazing City team in particular
Keep up the good work
A little harsh on both teams I feel. Yes City were a little slow out of the blocks but that had a lot to do with a QPR team that started at a canter and never let up, getting in City's faces from the off and moving the ball quickly and with purpose when in possession.
In the end City's (for who a have a very large soft spot) finishing was the difference between the sides, that and about five hundred million worth of talent. When they needed a touch of class it was there for all to see. Perhaps you've just got a little used to every recent game being like a stroll in the park.
However, when it comes to QPR you only mention the two City old boys when praising the hosts. The fact is that Ale Faurlin also had a majestic game,and Helguson. won pretty much everything he went for in the air seemed to have gone unnoticed along with other stand-out performances.
I hope that City go on to lift the Premiership trophy, their current football deserves it, not to mention it would make a refreshing change. However, don't leave it to the last game of the season when you play hosts to the Super Hoops who I'm sure you wont underestimate again.
Simon the Manc Rs QPR N.W Exiles
All the great teams have had what City are now starting to show.Team spirit,dogged determination to ovecome adversity and setbacks,an unshakeable belief in what they are doing is correct and never accepting they are beaten.
Also vital are world class players who even if having a stinker can change games in an instant,what sets the great above the ordinary and is the difference between drawing or losing games and winning.
We are getting there,let;s hope it continues!
Mr. Brennan, I pray that you also write about politics, rock-n-roll, and everything else. Your articles are always level-headed, well-written and interestingly delightful. Thanks!
A City fan in the USA.
City still had time to enjoy some luck – another vital ingredient for title winners – as Helguson headed against the bar.
ABOUT TIME, HAD NONE OF THE ABOVE FOR OVER 30 YEARS
can Mr LUCK give us some own goals when was the last time we had 10 of them in one season
never i think
CTID
CTID
Edin Dzeko is 98 % excellence and 2 % poverty Mr Brennan and soon it will be 100% the former. Except for the pass that led to Bothroyds chance Dzeko was excellent this game. Without him on the pitch no three points. 10 goals (no penalties) and 3 assists, which is 1/3 of the goals city have scored in PL, and still you are talking about "excellence and poverty"!? That is embarrassing. Dzeko is Citys Most Valuable Player and he has another 20 % to give. Even Aguero and Silva are starting to realize that Dzeko is numero uno. They have actually started to pass him the ball...
Maybe it was just me, but I thought the QPR players were getting an unfair advantage by climbing on the backs of the City defenders for the headers. It is obviously coached into the players to go up a bit early for the ball and then use the opposition player to hold the position for a brief moment by resting the hand or forearm on the shoulder. This happened quite a few times and wasn't called by the ref. I also think it is somewhat invited by the defending team because if you don't attack the ball dynamically then you put yourself at a disadvantage if you are standing still.
Hi - in response to a pitch comment below, QPR's pitch is bigger than Man City's.
In response to the pitch comment below, QPR's pitch is longer and wider than Man City's, so there is no reason why they should have to make their pitch bigger.
QPR pitch size 112 x 72 yards
City pitch size 116 x 77 yards
Andy Golberg. Ful of it.