City Vs Latics Half Time Analysis

Sprayzen provides some insight into the goings on in the game over at Eastlands between Manchester City and Wigan Athletic

Manchester City are unlucky not to be leading at the break with some golden chances that fell down for Robinho during the 1st 45mins of play. Twice was he in a position to be 1 on 1 with Kirkland, Wigans keeper. The 1st chance he sprayed wide of the goal beating Kirkland after streaking onto a good long pass from Dunne, the 2nd chance came from when he chipped over Kirkland and beat him for the ball to be plucked out of the air by a brilliant mid air legged saved by Bramble.

City's tatics are clear

1 - hold the ball, be patient and then move forward when a gap opens
2 - Whenever Wigan move forward attack quickly on the fast break
3 - take free kicks quickly to try and take Wigan off guard

They appear to look good with options 1 and 2, however option 3 is seeing them turn over a fair few balls which have worked in Wigans favour as it sets them up for a quick attack usually either down the center via Palacious or via Valencia down the right flank

Wigan started sluggish, Heskey didn't touch the ball until the 26th min and that was a header, Zaki touched the ball for the 1st time in the 16th min out wide on the left Wigan flank to give some indication of how the game was being played.

Wigan started to come into there own around about the 35th min mark of the 1st half simular to the Spurs and United matches ealier this week.

Palacious has been everywhere and looks a man determined to go out a winner at Wigan, he really is all over the park and for some reason has a heap of room to move down the middle seeing him shot on goal 3 times (2 on target and 1 well wide).

Outside of Palacious, Bramble has been solid at the back and Valencia is running all game on the right flank.

Statistics for the game are below

City / Wigan

2 Shots On Target 2
5 Shots Off Target 3
5 Fouls Conceded 7
2 Corners 3
2 Offsides 2
0 Yellow Cards 2 (Cattermole / Bramble)

Possesion of play
City -> 26% * Halfway 40% * <-Wigan 34%
Manchester City

1. Joe Hart
5. Pablo Zabaleta 4. Nedum Onuoha 22. Richard Dunne 2. Micah Richards
25. Wayne Bridge 8. Shaun Wright-Phillips 33. Vincent Kompany 11. Blumer Elano
10. De Souza Robinho 28. Daniel Sturridge

SUBS
16. Kasper Schmeichel (GK)
12. Darius Vassell
14. Joao Alves Jo
15. Javier Garrido
19. Gelson Fernandes
20. Felipe Caicedo
40. Vladimir Weiss

Latics

1. Chris Kirkland
25. Mario Melchiot 19. Titus Bramble 7. Paul Scharner 31. Maynor Figueroa
16. Antonio Valencia 5. Wilson Palacios 4. Lee Cattermole 2. Ryan Taylor
9. Emile Heskey 13. Amr Zaki

SUBS
22. Richard Kingson (GK)
3. Erik Edman
11. Michael Brown
17. Emmerson Boyce
18. Daniel De Ridder
23. Olivier Kapo
27. Henri Camara

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