Manchester City tonight opened their Champions League campaign away to Feyenoord. Build up to the game surrounded the return of the Dutch Champions to the competition after a fifteen-year absence, and what a welcome back City would give them.
Changing little from the side which beat Liverpool at the weekend, boss Pep Guardiola replaced only Danilo with Bernardo gave Silva the Captains armband, and pretty much played a back four. Fernandinho could and would slip in at the back, but essentially it was a four.
The crowd was buzzing in Rotterdam but were in for a shock early on when John Stones put the visitors ahead after only two minutes. City had started positively and forced the corner. Stones rose highest and headed the ball to the far post for the opener. Vilhena, the yellow-haired black-bearded Feyenoord player, had taken up a good position at the post but couldn’t sort out his legs, and the ball squirmed through.
Maybe it was the conditions as the rain poured down, maybe it was his early game lack of focus, either way, the Feyenoord manager, Giovanni Van Bronkhorst, was not pleased with the worse possible start.
Four minutes later and Gabriel Jesus went close to doubling the lead. This time, however, the ball was cleared from under the bar from the Brazilians looping effort. Sergio Aguero would make it two only minutes later in, what I think, was the goal of the game.
Kyle Walker was causing problems down the right flank and it was his ball to Aguero which led to the second. Manchester City was already in a high gear and cruising, their possession was controlled and pressure on the Feyenoord back line was relentless.
The transitional play was some of the best I’d ever seen from a City side, also on display at the weekend. Twenty minutes in and City took their foot off the pedal, allowing the hosts a rare adventure into the other half of the pitch.
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It did become 3-0 for City after 25 minutes, with the goal scored by Jesus. There were calls for offside, as Otamendi clearly was off. He hesitated toward the ball but stopped, as did the whole of the Feyenoord team, and most of the fans in the stadium. Gabriel was the only one to stay active and he was onside as he put the ball in the net.
I do feel had the defenders, or goalkeeper Brad Jones, continued on it may have forced Otamendi into more movement toward the ball. You have to play to the whistle. Coaches drill this into your head from an early age, but it seems to have been forgotten in Rotterdam tonight.
After 35 minutes Manchester City had enjoyed 65% possession (let’s face it, most of Feyenoord’s possession involved picking the ball out of the back of the net and walking to the centre circle) and made almost 300 passes.
Illustrated by that point, Feyenoord lost their heads for a spell. Three yellow cards, with one particularly bad tackle on Walker, could have been a red, in the space of two minutes. The half time whistle could not come quick enough for GVB or bets would be placed as to what would be higher after 90 minutes, the City score or Feyenoord players left on the field!
The second half was a much more relaxed affair from City. Yes they still attacked, but you could already tell there was one of Pep’s eyes looking toward the Premier League game at the weekend and, fifteen minutes in, Raheem Sterling came on for Sergio Aguero. A nice warm embrace from the manager as he took his seat on the bench was good to see, considering some of the rumors pre-season.
Minutes later John Stones popped up for the fourth goal, and that was game over. Management of the game saw Silva come off for Fabian Delph, handing the armband to Fernandinho. Three minutes later it was Fernandinho who was coming off handing the armband, eventually, to Kevin DeBruyne. That could be a pub quiz question with City having three captains in this game. Leroy Sane replaced him with 20 minutes to go with Feyenoord having their first real opportunity with a free kick just outside the box.
When the whistle went there wasn’t really any negatives from the game. The final score was fantastic, our play was the best I’ve seen in a long time. City restricted the hosts to a single shot on target and 28% possession while converting half the chances on target we had.
Bring on the Hornets!