We should've known this was coming after all the positivity surrounding the club in the past couple of weeks. It just wouldn't be City without a comedown.
It's an odd feeling to know you were totally outplayed, but still feel unlucky to lose. I guess that's what happens when you allow an opponent to take 24 shots, and yet it's a lucky shot off a shin from 25 yards out that beats you. Of course, Zabaleta's switching off defensively led directly to that goal, so it's hard to fee too hard done by, but the look of ecstatic shock on Essien's face when the ball ended up in the back of the net pretty much said it all.
It was pretty obvious City seriously missed Kompany, de Jong, and Bellamy in this one. Without Bellamy's hold-up play, they were reduced to trying a bunch of overly optimistic long balls that inevitably amounted to nothing. And without Kompany and de Jong bossing the midfield, Chelsea seemed to move easily into their attacking third.
It's remarkable how much of a non-factor Robinho can be at times. On Football Friday, Paul Parker described the Brazilian as "the cherry on top" of a very good club, and I think that's accurate. He's just not The Man. When he's part of a team playing well, his skills will shine through, but don't expect him to carry his team on his shoulders and lead them to victory. It's just not in his game or his personality. It was telling that Bojinov came on late for Robinho and had much more of an impact on the game in his scant minutes than Robinho had managed to do prior to that.
I confess I didn't really understand bringing on Etuhu. He's just not ready for prime time, let alone a match away from home against the likes of Chelsea. He's simply a burner who looks to blow by his man down the wing and put a low-grade cross into the box.
Also, Micah Richards has potential, but I'm just not sure what to do with him at this point. He pretty clearly was a failed experiment as a CB, and he's currently failing as a RB. He does try to get forward, but he's simply not an attacking player whatsover. When he ends up with the ball on the wing one on one in the attacking third, you can pretty much envision how it is going to unfold, because you've already see it unfold about 20 times this season: he'll try something and either get dispossessed or the other side will end up with a goal kick or throw in. I just don't know what to do with Richards at this point. He's decent as a defending RB, but he can't provide the overlapping runs and attacking threat that top clubs get from the position. When de Jong and Kompany return, I'm inclined to play Zabaleta at RB, as two holding midfielders is plenty.
As for his fellow defenders, I thought they were very solid. Dunne and Onuoha seem to be developing a nice rapport in central defense and had to step up and make some very impressive tackles on a few occasions.
The loss was expected, but harmful. Seven points adrift of 7th place and a likely Europa League spot if West Ham manage to not stumble at home against lowly West Brom. And now even on points with bumbling Spurs. It's a reminder of the half-empty glass comprised of all the points thrown away this season, which seems fitting following a week when all the focus seemed to be on what was still possible in the league and in the UEFA Cup.
