Lets get the rant out of the way. Lescott should have been sent off for intentionally elbowing Kaboul in the head, and Balotelli should have been sent off for intentionally stamping on Parker's head. Turns out that the "loveable rouge" Balotelli who buys petrol for people, signs signatures for kids at an impromptu visit to schools and so on and so on, is actually just a nasty little **** who would stamp on a fellow professionals head. Bitter maybe, but when two blatant red cards are missed by the ref, it's hard to be anything else. Indefensible scum. If you didn't see the stamp, click here. If you have seen it, don't watch it again, it'll just make you angry.Anyway... apart from that, we can take positives from the game that we are able to compete with the team at the top of the league and it bodes well for our upcoming difficult run of games. The first half was boring, Friedel kept us in it and Man City were on top. The second half, after switching off for four minutes, we clawed out way back in it, only for Defoe to miss the winner late on and then see Balotelli score the winner in the cruellest of ways possible.
Citeh's second came after more questionable defending. Dzeko is first to the ball and flicks it into the area for Lescott to bundle over the line. 2-0.
A few minutes later and a speculative ball from Kaboul is headed into the path of Defoe by city defender Savic. Defoe chests the ball round the keeper and slots in at an angle. 2-1.
We should have won it in the first minute of extra time when Bale went racing up the pitch, squared it to Defoe, only for him to have slightly misjudged his run and slide the ball wide. If that wasn't bad enough, the usually ever reliable King brought down Balotelli in the box, who as to be expected, slotted the penalty in for the win. 3-2 City.
Player Ratings
Friedel 7 - Some good saves kept us in it.
Walker 6 - Solid in defence, but not much going forwards. Can't cross.
Kaboul 7 - Good game.
King 6 - Good, until conceding the penalty.
BAE 6 - Some good moments, but looked shaky and gave the ball away on numerous occasions.
Lennon 6 - Quiet.
Modric 6 - Quiet. Not on the ball as much as we needed him to be.
Parker 7.5 - Body on the line stuff and did well to reign in City's midfield as much as he did.
Bale 7.5 - Great goal, and would have set up the winner had Defoe been an inch taller.
VDV 6 - Ditto Modric's rating.
Defoe 6.5 - Isolated at times, good goal, but should have scored the winner.
SubsLivermore 6 - Ok
Pienaar 5 - Meh.
Player Twitter Reaction
Emmanuel Adebayor - Great comeback, shame we couldn't get a point today, boys played well. We'll bounce back for the next game.
Tom Huddlestone - Tough way to lose a game, the lads played well especially 2nd half! Hopefully the confidence will still be there in the next games
Benoit Assou-Ekotto - I prefer loose 3 0 than loose at the last minute!!The most irritating defeat this year...
Younes Kaboul - We all have the same feelings today guys...But all I can say right now is that I'm proud of our team and supporters.We keep going 2gether.
Rafael van der Vaart - Disappointed about the result today, we played a good game but unfortunatly no points..
Jermain Defoe - Thinking if only I had longer legs #Gutted
Kyle Walker - All u man city fans u can talk now, we will just see at the end of the season. Was u all there when city was no where to be seen #gloryfans
(the above tweet was rapidly deleted and replaced with the following one)
Kyle Walker - Anyway time will tell everyone and make the best team win just a game we all love great support as normal from the fans 2day #gutted
And now we move on. I'd rather not talk about this one any more. COYS.
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