Manchester City 2 Foxes 0
Match Report by Graham Tracey
The familiar themes emerged from our empty-handed visit to the home of the lack-lustre champions on Wednesday night – a generally strong performance, an avoidable goal given away at the worst possible time, promising attacking situations going to waste, and no luck with key refereering decisions.
Despite defeats for Burnley and QPR, Villa’s galling late victory the night before probably leaves us needing to win more of our final 11 games than the 4 we have managed from the first 27.
We named an unchanged team from the trip to Everton, continuing with 5 at the back. With Manchester City’s season appearing all but over if they lost further ground on Chelsea, I expected a strong start from them, and in the early minutes it was. Silva was constantly on the ball, which we barely touched, and Cambiasso had to hack a headed corner off the line.
However, we kept our shape and grew into the game, only to be thwarted by the referee. Although it was at the other end of the ground to where we were sat, when Schlupp swept past Bony in the box it looked like he was blatantly bundled over, but the ref waved play on, just as he did when Kramaric tumbled over Hart shortly afterwards.
I have not yet had the spirit to watch these incidents back on television, but everything I’ve heard confirms that at least the first one should have been given. I do wonder if the constant diatribe the big clubs (especially Mourinho) about decisions going against them does serve the purpose of making officials hesitate when the moment comes to reward the underdog.
To our credit, Aguerro and Bony were being kept very quiet, and despite poor kicking Schwarzer was adept in blocking a close range flick and palming away a curling shot. When we had possession in the added minute at the end of the half, it was so far so good and I’m sure Pearson had his talk planned. However, Schlupp gave the ball away in their half, and a break down the left led to Morgan blocking the shot, but Silva was left with a close range tap-in. It was a moment of utter deflation.
We’ll never know how the game would have played out had the score remained goalless. I can only assume that Man City would have roused themselves and their silent crowd. However, we were the better team in the second half, without presenting an utterly convincing case that we would score.
A further controversial moment came when Kramaric was fouled so close to the edge of the box that the ref seemed to place the ball on the penalty area line, which would have been a spot kick. The Croatian’s shot was deflected into the side netting, fooling many of us into jumping up thinking it had gone the other side.
Kramaric continued to seek the ball in any area, a bit like Rooney when United are struggling, and looks like he would benefit from a strike partner. We looked more menacing when we went 4-4-2, with Nugent and Vardy coming on. Vardy pulled a first time shot wide, Nugent missed at the far post from a Simpson cross (although it was given offside), and James under hit a simple pass that would have sent Vardy through. Despite our height, we continued to disappoint from corners – Morgan, Huth and Upson yet to threaten in the Walsh, Taggart, Elliot sense.
At the other end, Schwarzer pulled off a couple of impressive stops, including clawing away one headed for the top corner. In the final minute, James Milner read a low cross the quickest to steer home and give gloss to the scoreline.
At full time there seemed an air of ‘we don’t know what more we can do’ in the body language of the players, and despite the applause an air of resignation among our fans. We’ve still got plenty of winnable games, but everything needs to go our way rather than against it – starting from now.
FOXES: Schwarzer 8,Simpson 7, Konchesky, Upson 6, Huth 8, Morgan 7, Schlupp 7, Cambiasso 7, James 8, Mahrez 7, Kramaric 6. Subs Vardy 7, Nugent 7, Ulloa 5
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation