Manchester City Routs Fulham, Aston Villa Bested At Blackburn

It took nearly 70 minutes of being smacked around the pitch at Craven Cottage by Manchester City, but Fulham finally have a goal for all of the abuse they’ve taken. Of course, the goal won’t mean much because they are down 4-1 still, but it’s better than 4-0. We’re also not completely sure if Fulham actually scored the goal, but it does go up on their side of the scoreboard.

A corner kick for Fulham was headed away by Jo, but only as far as Gera from 20 yards out who let a low, hard shot go on goal. About five yards in front of goal, both Fulham’s Clint Dempsey and City’s Kolo Toure got their boot around the ball and it took a deflection into the goal, but it wasn’t clear on the replays which one was responsible for the deflection. Either way, it was a goal for Fulham and while it will be an embarrassing defeat, especially for current Fulham and former City manager Mark Hughes, the Cottagers have at least gotten themselves a goal.

In case there was any doubt left at Craven Cottage, Manchester City has put Fulham away with their first goal of the second half that stretches their lead to 4-0. For the second time today, Fulham has been made to pay dearly for a poor clearance thanks to some fantastic finishing by City. In the first half, a poor clearance by Damian Duff allowed Pablo Zabaleta to line up a shot from a little over 20 yards that was rifled in for a superb goal and this time a poor clearance by Dick Etuhu gave Carlos Tevez the chance to score his second of the match.

Etuhu had his chance to get the ball out of danger, but the poor clearance was struck back at goal and the low shot got through the big crowd 10 yards from goal, but just when it looked as if it would be calmly collected by Mark Scwarzer, Tevez popped in. The Argentinean found himself a yard in from of Schwarzer and cleverly flicked the oncoming shot with his first touch up and over Schwarzer then under the bar for his brace and a 4-0 City lead.

Just after Pablo Zabaleta doubled Manchester City’s lead to 2-0 in the 32nd minute, Yaya Toure finished off a nice passing move to make it a 3-0 lead in favor of the Citizens, essentially putting this clash with Fulham to bed before the 35th minute. Zabaleta’s goal started with a low cross from the left by David Silva that was poorly cleared by Damian Duff and as it rolled away from goal, right in the center of the pitch, Zabaleta stepped up and unleashed a shot from a tick over 20 yards that swerved away from Mark Schwarzer for a fantastic goal into the right side of the net.

It was just two minutes later that City added to their lead. Some simple passing brought City into the attacking third and a ball from the left to Carlos Tevez at the top of the box brought Fulhams’ left back, Carlos Salcido over to defend. Tevez quickly kept the ball moving as he found Toure on the right who used his first touch to open himself up and then slotted it away to the back post from 12 yards for a 3-0 City edge.

Getting away from Manchester may be all that Manchester City had to do because the boys who have struggled at home got to London for a match versus Fulham and within seven minutes were ahead 1-0. With a ball played into him at the top of the box, Carlos Tevez shrugged off Carlos Salcido, took a touch to settle the ball and put it calmly past Mark Schwarzer to give the Citizens an early 1-0 lead.

Going into today’s match at Craven Cottage, Manchester City had won just one of their last six matches, putting pressure on manager Roberto Mancini to beat Fulham or possible face the chopping block. The gigantic spenders, who have shelled out millions in transfer fees and have the highest wage bill in England, have been unable to pick up the results that match their spending and Kolo Toure even suggested that some players should have their wages cut unless they perform better. The tension may still be their for the Citizens, but up 1-0 now, things are undoubtedly a bit more comfortable.

It was a disappointing day for Villa, but they certainly aren’t Middlesbrough. Villa will be fine, and they aren’t the first team to stumble at Ewood Park. While they drop to 13th after today’s result, it’s difficult to see this performance replicated too often.

The next time they stumble, however, Villa supporters may like to see more imagination from their squad. To use this week’s secret word, Villa looked turgid.

OK, he’s not. We can all see this is just a “rich run of form.” Nonetheless, Pedersen has been the catalyst for Blackburn today, with his 65th minute redirection of a Ryan Nelson shot finding it’s way through a sea of bodies and into the left side of Brad Freidel’s net. The midfielder’s second goal of the match has given Blackburn a 2-0 lead and, if this result holds, has 16th place Blackburn ready to jump five spots in the table.

Though well taken, the goal provides a deceiving scoreline describing the first half. It was a drab affair that saw more posturing than footballing, with neither team able to craft scoring changes or excitement. It was the type of ball-deflating match that’s come to characterize Sam Allardyce’s football, and with Gerard Houllier still hinting at a lack of attacking ambition, Pedersen’s goal gives us a scoreline which deceives, if only superficially.