November
2006
City
0 Newcastle United 0
Nov 11th 2006 att. 40,571
After
6 minutes City should have take the lead. Vassell put Barton through but his shot
having beaten Harper went just past the far post.
Team
Weaver
6: Richards 6.5, Dunne 6.5, Distin 6, Thatcher 6.5: Trabelsi 7.5, Barton 7.5,
Reyna 6 ( Corradi 7) Sinclair 6; Dickov 6 (Samaras 6), Vassell 6.5
Two
sides short on goals and too near the relegation zone for comfort met at COMS
and guess what it ended up a goalless draw with City failing to score once again.
It's six games since a City forward scored and come the January sales it is now
imperative that City sign a natural goal scorer. The defence has done well and
have yet to concede a goal at home but with terrible away form and failure to
score at home it looks like a hard grind for the rest of the season unless Stuart
Pearce can get his strikers to get the ball into the net. With another home game
against Fulham next Saturday lunchtime the strikers have a quick chance to redeem
themselves. Congratulations to Micah Richards who is in the England squad for
the first time and is likely to play against Holland on Wednesday. Another plus
for the City academy system.
City
had Dickov and Vassell up front and Graham Poll , referee in the headlines was
in charge of this live TV game
Despite
their low position Newcastle once again brought good support and as ever there
were a few to ignore the cold weather
The
Remembrance Day silence was observed impeccably and it was a nice touch by the
visiting supporters to raise their scarves
Antoine
Sibierski made a return to COMS following his transfer to Newcastle but he was
well looked after by Dunne.
Vassell
tries to make his way through a packed visitors defence
Dunne
and Sibierski clash again, Dunne winning the header.
A
Reyna header goes wide.
Another
chance following a corner goes adrift for City
A
good shot by Barton from distance is well saved by Steve Harper
Too
many City players going for this ball perhaps?
Richards
looks horrified as the ball goes just over his head
From
a narrow angle Reyna has a shot blocked though there was a shout for a hand ball
which was turned down.
Yet
another Barton corner fails to reward the home side. We seem to have little originality
from dead ball situations.
Butt
holds Dickov at a free kick
It
took almost 40 minutes before Graham Pole issued a yellow card. Is that a world
record I wonder! Scott Parker was the unlucky recipient.
Harper,
deputizing for the injured Given was easily the busiest of the keepers
Four
minutes into the second half and the Newcastle goal is under siege
Vassell
is punished for this jump with Harper as the Newcastle keeper punches clear
Six
minutes into the second half and Paul Dickov worked himself a really good opening
but his final effort lacked strength and Harper was able to push it aside.
Hatem
Trabelsi was one of City's best players on the day and showed lots of skill but
he came off second best in this encounter
Samaras
and Corradi came on for Reyna and Dickov and almost immediately Corradi lost his
marker at a free kick and his header was well saved by Harper low down.
Corradi
had another half chance shortly after but Newcastle managed to clear the ball
but at least we were seeing a more dangerous striker in Corradi than we had seen
in previous games.
After
a Vassell shot was blocked City did get the ball into the net through Samaras
but Graham Poll disallowed the goal for a foul by Corradi. I think Newcastle were
lucky with this one.
A
Samaras header goes wide as yet another chance is spurned.
With
time almost up Newcastle suddenly came back into the game.....
....and
it was left to Weaver and company to keep a clean sheet and keep the visitors
at bay. A win for Newcastle would have been a travesty as Weaver hardly had a
shot to save and City had dominated play without being able to score. Will City's
luck change against Fulham ?
City
3 Fulham 1
Nov 18th 2006 att. 35,776
At
last - for the first time since September a City forward scored and for the first
time this season City conceded a goal at COMS in this easy 3-1 win over a poor
Fulham side. It could and should have been more such was the domination of City
especially in the first half. Corradi who looked good when he came on as sub in
last game against Newcastle, was at his best and took his two goals well. He might
have had a hat trick. Lets hope that is the start of a good run of form and he
turns out to be the striker we badly need. Trabelsi is now settling in and his
touches are proving very successful. Hope he stays clear of injury. Weaver did
not have much to do but his long kicking paid dividends. Shame about the attendance
- our lowest in the Premier league. It did not help that Fulham brought so few
supporters.
City
started with Samaras and Corradi up front and Vassell on the left. It was Richard's
first game after his England cap. No sign of Mr Harrods in the stand - probably
helping to set up the Christmas decorations.
Team
Weaver
6.5: Richards 7. Dunne 7, Distin 7, Thatcher 6.5: Trabelsi 7.5 (Onuoha ) Barton
8.5, Reyna 7.5, Vassell 7: Samaras 6.5 (Dickov 6) Corradi 8.5
Richards
had a great chance to make it four when he burst down the right in a counter attack.
However instead of squaring to the unmarked Corradi he tried to beat the keeper
and hit the side netting.
Fulham
got a goal back after 57 minutes when John pounced onto a Helguson header and
scored easily. Fulham were desperate to get back into the game but the City defence
stood firm and Weaver was rarely troubled.
A
great run down the right flank by Richards gave a good chance to Samaras but the
young Greek 's shot sailed well over the bar
...............
found Hatem Trabelsi who immediately turned it inside for Joey Barton to crack
it past the Fulham keeper. It was a gem of a goal and timed to inflict maximum
punishment on Fulham - just on half time
I
cannot remember when we last were three nil up at half time. Shame that the replay
quality on the monitors during the interval was so diabolical.
Vassell
, although out of position in left midfield did his best and once or twice showed
quite a lot of skill to beat the opposition and get a corner
One
of few times the City defence looked worried was when a cross cum shot by Boa
Morte flashed dangerously past a number of players in the six yard box.
Arise
Sir Joey Barton - now we could see the new Corradi goal celebration in all its
glory!
It
was this punch by Weaver that lead to City's third goal.. The ball ran wide to
Distin.........whose long clearance.........
Micah
Richards , now England's youngest ever defender in action again.
City
were first on the attack with Niemi having to save with Corradi in close attendance.
Knight
has to head clear from Samaras and Corradi
After
12 minutes a long clearance by Weaver was flicked on by Samaras to Corradi who
was just onside.......
......
he flicked the ball past Niemi to give City the lead and he celebrated his first
goal for the club. It was difficult to see from where I was what was happening
with the corner flag but all will be revealed below !
A
few minutes later Corradi nearly scored again. Niemi saved bravely and as he lost
the ball momentarily in raced Barton but Niemi recovered and was rewarded with
a free kick
A
Diop effort nearly caught Nicky Weaver napping but the City keeper just managed
to get two hands on the ball.
Straight
from the clearance Samaras nearly scored as his right foot shot.......
.......
went just wide of the Fulham goal
City
got their second after 32minutes. Barton having won a tackle on Bocanegra slipped
the ball inside..........
..... to Corradi who - just as the sun burst through to blind me.... cracked it into
the net with Niemi well beaten. 2-0
A
Richards effort is blocked by a busy Fulham defence
Weaver
makes a good catch under pressure.
Yet
another City attack is foiled but with City having the better of the exchanges
the result was safe.
Five
minutes from time Corradi nearly scored his third but Niemi saved. Altogether
a much improved City performance. The defence were fine as usual , even Thatcher
earning a few plus marks. Reyna managed 90 minutes and Trabelsi and Barton were
excellent. Vassell did his best on the left while Samaras and Corradi are beginning
to forge a good relationship up front.
I
don't think the Fulham manager was pleased with his teams performance so that
means a cut in Welsh Cakes and more Larva Bread for the team
