Man City Women: Brighton 0 City 6

Anything you can do i can do better

Having watched the City Men’s team win 5:0 yesterday there was a beautiful symmetry as Man City Women won 0:6 today. These two teams are both turning on their form at the right time just as the business end of the season kicks in. There are other similarities too, as both sides seek to follow the City blue print – as they seek to play possession based attacking football.

City Women today wore the 3rd kit, the purpley colour with the orange sash. This is a kit which is growing on me – partly because of the good performances of City men whilst wearing it and also the fact it makes the wearer look like a member of International Rescue who is just moments away from embarking on a risky rescue mission in Thunderbird 2.

I have been critical of the manager of Man City Women,Nick Cushing, in recent months and how he had set up his young team but today again this team looked to be coming of age. Of course it is always hard to judge the level against newly promoted opposition- were City really good or Brighton really poor? Well the truth is, probably a bit of both.

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There is a definition of insanity which pinpoints repeating the same behaviour as the cornerstone and today Brighton committed insanity. Having decided to start with a high press to disrupt City the tactic just fell apart, leaving City with space and freedom. Once that tactic was undone it was a joy to watch as City surged in behind and tapped the ball into the net. And again. And again.

The Brighton coaches turned over the pages of their clipboards and scratched their heads but they seemed to decide against making any changes until it reached a point when it certainly no longer mattered. The Brighton crowd were buoyed by the performance in the first 20 minutes but once the City breakthrough had come, they dimmed into stupor. By the time City started adding goals at will the crowd had become deathly silent, almost non existent as though the game was being played behind closed doors. This was reinforced by the players as the match became some kind of training game.

The first goal was the result of a combination of quick thinking and quick feet by Tessa Wullaert who released Georgia Stanway who hit a sweet shot into the net past the outstretched keeper. Brighton were caught again as this time Steph Houghton hit a long ball up field for Jill Scott to chase, and she rifled a volley wide of the upright.

The second goal came from a Nikita Parris break, who crossed the ball for a simple tap in by Caroline Weir. The second half featured a lot more of the same as Brighton seemed to make the decision to continue their approach which hadn’t worked. There was a flurry of activity from Brighton after the restart but this soon dissipated.

Georgia Stanway was released again down the right hand side and whilst most of the Man City team raced into the box for a pass she struck a wonderful shot which somehow eluded the Brighton keeper.

The fourth goal may have been the pick of the bunch and formed the final instalment in Stanway’s hat trick. She was played in by Weir following a break all the way from Roebuck in the City goal. This was a move which seemed to summarise the style of play which is being developed – a style which stands in contrast to some of the play of other teams in the division.

The last 10 minutes saw 2 further goals added – the first of these was a header by Parris following a nice cross by Emslie and the second was a lovely shot by Emslie after Brighton had already given up.

Whether our team have the strength to reclaim trophies in the presence of the London clubs of Arsenal and Chelsea remains to be seen, but to be unbeaten is all we can ask for at this stage. Next up is Reading on Friday night. Bring it on!

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