Source: Telegraph
Craig Bellamy breathes life into Manchester City
Going for Kaka and ending up with Craig Bellamy may not seem the greatest of outcomes, akin to booking tickets for the Rio Carnival and ending up at a karaoke night in Cardiff. But Bellamy breathed real life into Manchester City, playing with a passion that lifted his new team to ninth and exposed the lifelessness of his old Newcastle United side. [LNB]City insist the Welshman cost them only £10 million from West Ham, rather than the £14 million widely quoted, and on this evidence he looks good value, particularly at a tenth of Kaka's proposed fee. Bellamy certainly showed there can be life without the Brazilian, bringing his speedy hornet's impression to City's front line, taking his goal well, being denied an obvious penalty and providing a pacy outlet at the top of Mark Hughes's 4-2-3-1 formation. [LNB]Bellamy's constant hounding of Newcastle's defence, and the threat of his pace, meant the visitors dropped off, allowing more space for Robinho, Stephen Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips. City brimmed with invention and speed in approaching Newcastle's area but still cried out for a bigger targetman to work towards and off, turning all that promise into something substantial. The case for Roque Santa Cruz was enhanced by this victory, rather than lessened. [LNB]Wayne Bridge, who kept racing into the space on the left vacated by the roaming Robinho, delivered some inviting crosses but there was no tall centre-forward to meet them. At least Bellamy chased lost causes. [LNB]Hughes was understandably delighted. 'Craig was always willing and determined,'' said the City manager. 'Once he beds in and the others understand what he is about, and can read his pace, Craig will fit in all the more. [LNB]'I was really pleased with the interplay between him and 'Robby'. He's given us something we have not had: the ability to get in behind defenders. His pace puts defenders under pressure, causing them to drop deeper, and make more room for 'Robby' and the others. He's an ambitious guy, a driven guy.'' [LNB]That 'driven'' attitude has often appeared motivated by Bellamy's fear of his career suddenly ending, of old knee injuries returning to haunt a player who covers so much ground at such velocity. He always appears on a mission, during games and during too-short spells at clubs, although Hughes observed that Bellamy realises 'what an opportunity'' he has at Eastlands. 'He could have stayed at West Ham and become a legend like Paolo di Canio but he wanted to come here.'' [LNB]Bellamy gives City a spiky streak, a touch of steel that Hughes has been yearning for. So does Nigel de Jong, the Dutch midfielder making his debut after arriving from Hamburg. Short of fitness, De Jong anchored diligently, although the real star in City's midfield was Pablo Zabaleta, again excellent. De Jong's recruitment also allowed Vincent Kompany to drop back into central defence. [LNB]For Newcastle, lacking the passion of their long-suffering fans, extending their poor run to only one point out of 15, the future looks bleak, particularly if today's scan on Michael Owen's ankle injury reveals the sort of damage that Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear fears. [LNB]If Owen is absent for up to two months and Shay Given joins City, Newcastle face a long, brutal fight against relegation. In truth, it has already started, and unless someone relights their fire quickly, Newcastle will disappear without a trace. Even Joey Barton was timid. [LNB]With Barton returning, the latest episode of the Eastlands soap opera was spiced with countless strong plot-lines from the presence of Robinho to Bellamy's debut, to the sight of Mike Ashley and even that sad perennial, injury to Owen. [LNB]All eyes were initially on Robinho, playing with the 'full support'' of City ringing in his ears after his questioning by police over an alleged incident in a Leeds nightclub. Hughes showed his backing by starting the striker while City fans regularly launched into chants of 'we've got Robinho''. [LNB]City's No 10 even created their first-half goal, controlling Bridge's cross expertly and threading a pass between Sebastien Bassong and Jose Enrique. The ball was perfectly weighted for Wright-Phillips, who scored with a firm shot between Steve Harper's legs. [LNB]In the crowd was Ashley, Newcastle's owner, watching his team live for the first time since being spotted drinking with fans at the Emirates on Aug 30. Wearing an open-necked white shirt, Ashley looked like a Vegas cabaret singer, although with nothing to sing about. [LNB]His Newcastle team were utterly lacking in conviction, defensively uncertain, overrun in central midfield, and toothless in attack until late on. Their cutting edge was blunted even further when Owen limped away. City supporters revealed their sporting side by applauding the England striker from the field. [LNB]City were still fortunate to escape a penalty when Micah Richards barged over Steven Taylor but so were Newcastle, following Bassong's push on Bellamy. But when Zabaleta lifted the ball inside to Bellamy, the new boy effortlessly turned Taylor and shot past Harper.[LNB]Late on, Bridge's hesitancy in possession was seized on by David Edgar, whose cross to the far post was turned in by Andy Carroll but nothing was going to ruin Bellamy's big night.[LNB]
