Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester City 1 Blackpool 0: Adam Johnson keeps City in the title hunt
Heaven knows what Carlos Tevez did on New Year's Eve maybe run over a black cat but his start to 2011 could not have been more different from his achievements over the previous 12 months.[LNB]Tevez was the man who hardly missed in 2010 and was the Premier League's top scorer in the calendar year with 26 goals.[LNB]On Saturday, he played as if he wore two left boots, with the wrong studs at that.[LNB]Show of emotion: Goalscorer Adam Johnson pays tribute to tragic friend Dale Roberts[LNB]He fluffed his first chance after 22seconds, proceeded to miss his first penalty as a Manchester Cityplayer he shot off-target, naturally and even when he roundedgoalkeeper Richard Kingson, he inexplicably slipped on to his backsideas he was about the prod the ball into an empty net. It hadnot even been raining.[LNB]The only good news is that RobertoMancini did not decide to take him off early. Otherwise, he might havefound himself being strangled by his moody captain with his ownManchester City scarf.[LNB]Tevez has saved City so often thatnobody could begrudge him an off-day in front of goal as long as itis not a theme for the rest of the year. But they did not need him onthis occasion tostay neck-and-neck, or should that be snood-and-snood, with Manchester United at the top.[LNB]Adam Johnson's deflected 34th-minutegoal proved enough for City to grind out another win, although Tevez'smisses led to an unnecessarily tense final few minutes when Blackpoolthrew everything at their hosts and Joe Hart tipped over a latescreamer from Neal Eardley.[LNB] Pick that out: Adam Johnson smashes his shot into the net[LNB]'We were the happier team to hearthe final whistle,' said City coach David Platt. 'We didn't get thatsecond goal and it became nailbiting.[LNB]'Carlos had eight or nine attemptson goal, but these things can even themselves out. Let's hope onanother day he gets fewer chances and scores two or three.'[LNB]Mancini has often complained about City's overreliance on Tevez for goals, one of the reasons heis so keen to wrap up a £30million deal for one of Europe's brightest young strikers, Edin Dzeko ofWolfsburg.[LNB]This time it was Tevez who was grateful to Johnson, who had scored only three Premier League goals for City before this match.[LNB] Spot of bother: Carlos Tevez misses a penalty kick [LNB]His strike was lucky but could nothave been more important. David Silva's corner was headed out by IanEvatt to Johnson, lurking on the edge of the box. His low shot lackedreal venom but it cannoned off the heels of Stephen Crainey towrongfoot Kingson and nestle in the back of the net.[LNB]'An absolutely horrendous goal to concede from my point of view,' said Blackpool boss Ian Holloway.'We didn't have anyone to close down the shot. In fact, we werehesitant in the first 45 minutes, which is unlike us. Maybe it'sbecause of our games at Arsenal (6-0 defeat) and Chelsea (4-0 loss).'[LNB]If Tevez had been on song, Citycould have wrapped up a similar scoreline. He shot wide after CharlieAdam's backpass presented him with a chance within 30 seconds of thestart. And soon afterthe goal, Luke Varney rugby-tackled Yaya Toure in the box, but Tevez scuffed a penalty wide.[LNB]It got even worse for him in thesecond half. After 70 minutes, he latched on to Toure's through-ball,rounded Kingson and then fell over in ront of goal. He also skewedJames Milner's cross wide from eight yards and shot over the bar lateon.[LNB] Slip up: Tevez falls over the ball when left with an open goal[LNB]At the other end, Hart clawed away a curling shot from Gary Taylor-Fletcher, who then failed to reactquickly enough when Adam played him in.[LNB]The beaten manager came up with acouple of Hollowayisms afterwards, particularly his Forrest Gump-styleobservation, 'If improvement was a piece of string, it would stretch toBlackpool and back'.[LNB]But the usual humour was not there. 'I am not very nice when I lose and I lost. Bah Humbug,' he said.[LNB]For City, 2011 promises to be aspecial year, possibly the first since 1976 to bring a trophy. The fansare right behind Mancini now and his name was sung loudly and proudlyon the 'new' Kippax.[LNB]The defence looks the most solid inthe league and, up front, Mancini has faith in Mario Balotelli andexpects to sign Dzeko, but Platt said: 'We already have a good complement of players.' [LNB] It's obscene! Ian Holloway launches a blistering attack on the greedy players he believes are ruining the gameManchester City contact Anderlecht over £18m move for teenager LukakuMANCHESTER CITY FC
