The Bluebirds can count themselves unlucky. In yet another generally uninspiring game, apart from an 18 man handbags-at-ten-paces brawl, City conceded a soft goal but had enough chances to have secured a draw at the very least but were denied by a combination of bad luck, bad finishing and great goalkeeping. Pre-season results may not be important but getting match fitness is, it is City's general play and patterns that raise questions. The side look flat, are badly missing a creative spark, continue to look one-dimensional and very ordinary and give the impression that it could be a long season..
With Lennie decreeing this was the last game that our meagre squad of effectively 19 - our youth players, Whalley and Alexander have been ignored in first team friendlies - would be rotated in this game with the Lazio clash likely to feature the Crewe league opener line-up. In the event, he started with Margetson, Croft-Page-Collins-Vidmar, Robinson-Boland-Kavanagh-Parry and Campbell-Thorne. Bullock replaced Boland midway through the opening period, the second half started with Margetson, Weston, Gabbidon and Lee whilst Earnie and Barker has had late run outs and Langley was injured. Some players were moved about, notably Campbell back to the left sided/midfield role where I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do anything but City persist in doing.
Racing Santander, probably only known to most of us because they are a sailing port for travellers from Plymouth in the UK, survived relegation by 1 point on the last game of the season last term. Their new season kicks off in 4 weeks with a home game against Barcelona. Their team have only household names in their own homes but because City’s commercial dynamism showed its frailties yet again – only 1,000 programmes were printed where 7,000 advance tickets were sold – most of us had no idea who they were. This was the last match of their UK tour having drawn 0-0 with Tranmere and Port Vale in the previous 7 days.
The first half was a dreadful affair that would only have appeased insomniacs and those who like to sunbathe without being bothered. City were one-paced, one-dimensional and one hell of a bore. The Spaniards, although none-too-special, were able to worry City’s defence on several occasions just by passing at a pace City just seem unable to find, had general control of midfield and never looked in danger at the back.
After City survived a couple of opening scares, they were unlucky not to take the lead on 10 minutes. Kav was back and wanting to take all the free-kicks and corner-kicks as is his way. His first corner was as dreadful as his often are, the ball falling at the feet of the first defender standing 15 yards away from him but he made a mess of it, scooped the ball which James Collins turned goalwards from 12 yards only to be denied by the reflexes of Israeli keeper, Dudu.
The only other efforts of note were a Lee Bullock flicked header from 15 yards which flew narrowly over, Bullock replacing Willie Boland carrying a light knock inside 25 minutes. City were however unfortunate and harshly dealt with when Andy Campbell broke clear of a defensive error, raced across the penalty area and was cynically scythed down by the exposed keeper before he faced an empty goal. The result should have been a red card and a penalty, the decision was a yellow card and free-kick, decisions surely made by the officials because it was a friendly. Kav, of course, wanted the free-kick and duly smacked it onto the Canton Stand roof.
The goal was more set piece craziness. A simple free-kick knocked across goal, a Spaniard won it, it deflected off Boland caught an unsuspecting Tony Warner as the ball hit his hands without him realising until it was too late and over the goal-line.
Or to use puns, as the ball shot PASTA startled Warner, it was Boland who had Pae-lla on his face! City tried to enter into the spirit of the occasion by announcing San Miguel were the sponsors and that draught would be on sale, we only saw Fosters on the Bob Bank and I wasn’t brave enough to try the Spanish meatballs on offer in the catering outlet. Watch out for pizza as City make a right Bolognese against Lazio!
The Spaniards used all the dirty tricks going to hold onto their lead. Paul Parry was brought down in full flow, the Spaniard who purposely did it, looked over him on the ground and then fell down, held his knee and rolled around in mock-agony. It didn’t save him a yellow card. Their pony-tailed no 5 looked fearsome and spent the whole game digging and pushing, arguing with officials and generally getting his way. The sort of player you hate for the opposition but you’d love in your side. Not that he had much to do as Peter Thorne, looking short of fitness, a yard of pace and any decent service, was anonymous.
Half-time: CITY 0 SANTANDER 1
The second-half was better, City certainly had enough chances to have saved the game but their general play didn’t really excite again. The only energy and life came in the already publicised 17 man brawl. If only they could show that sort of passion during match play, we’d all be happy.
The Spaniards had only one second half effort of note as the captain fired over a 20 yard angled volley on the hour. Other than that, the only penalty area action were City’s spasmodic attacks in front of the Grange End that should have seen at least one goal.
Lee Bullock was the pick and so unlucky with a towering 20 yard header that hit the crossbar and a left footed volley that saw him denied only by a fantastic one handed save. City players somehow missed, or didn’t react quickly enough, to two or three goalmouth scrambles. Deserved penalty appeals were waved away as Earnie was clearly pulled back going for one scramble and was denied converting a superb Alan Lee run and cross-shot by a Spanish defender who seemed to crash into him first at the far post and then put the ball behind.
Alan Lee, running the channels, in a style the Spanish aren’t used to ruffled their defence but yet again didn’t match his undoubted strengths outside the area with anything much inside it. Paul Parry excited too but every run saw him either check out or come inside. I would love to see him run at defenders more, hit the by-lines and cross.
Then there was THAT brawl. A ball running near the dugouts and John Robinson clattered from behind in a crude challenge. Robbo turned and reacted, everyone else waded in including some from the bench. Fantastic, some entertainment at last! The goalkeepers and Vidmar stayed away but most others were in there and the handbags were waved about and dummies were spat out prams. The officials booked two, Kav for City, and could have done the lot. Robbo still niggled away until he was subbed.
With that, the game fizzled out and we went back to our slumbers in the stands and terraces thinking Lazio has to be a better and more interesting game than this one. We can only pray and hope. On the evidence of what I saw in the second half of last season and even this pre-season, I won't be holding my breath. There seems to be a certain style of play that comes with Lennie which just isn’t thrilling to watch and which certainly hasn’t proven to be effective either.