City Run Riot, Hit Burnley for Six

Earlier this week Fox Soccer Channel saw fit to replay a thirty-minute version of City’s 6-2 win over Bolton Wanderers from back in 2003 (scorer of the sixth goal: Claudio Reyna). The timing on that was impeccable, because on Saturday City amassed six goals in a league match for the first time since that day. The difference is that that Bolton game was actually competitive for a spell (Bolton scored first). On Saturday, City were up 3-0 nil after seven minutes against a Burnley side whose defense in the first twenty minutes would have embarrassed most Sunday League sides.

Indeed, the only other time I can recall City players on my television screen running into open space with such freedom is when I have had a particularly good day with Pro Evo Soccer. But even playstation soccer rarely allows you to knock home five goals by halftime.

And the truth is, City could have had a couple of more before halftime–easily. Both Tevez and Johnson hit the post, and City overplayed a couple of other situations in which they had numbers going forward. Time and again City won (or were given) the ball in advantageous positions in the middle of the pitch, and were able to attack goal with even or greater numbers.

For the record, Adebayor got the first off a corner that was allowed to bounce in the box, Bellamy got the second on a deft pass by Tevez that allowed him to slot home easily, Tevez got the third on a tap-in rebound off of Adebayor’s initial shot, Vieira got the fourth off another corner, and Adebayor grabbed another after being played through right down the middle of the pitch.

Conditions were very poor in the second half and for several minutes City fans had to be frightened that the match could even be abandoned due to the water-logged pitch. Even in those circumstances, City went ahead and got a sixth–Kompany off yet another corner delivered by Adam Johnson. Fortunately conditions started to improve a little bit in the final twenty minutes, players wisely refrained from rash challenges, and the match was finished without anyone getting hurt. Fletcher grabbed an impressive consolation for Burnley, whose effort level was much higher in the second half.

A big result for City, and Mancini’s men were right to be greedy in the first half given the club’s poor goal difference vis-a-vis Tottenham. If conditions had been better in the second half, 8, 9, or even 10 goals might have been achievable. But 6-1 is a pretty good day at the office–that is if, you have the six.

Category: Team News