Yet Another Defeat

Manchester City 3 - 1 BORO

Boro fell to yet another defeat today as they were well and truly mashed by Manchester City at The City of Manchester Stadium.

Yes. BORO were once again run ragged as City went 3-0 up with an Elano double, before youngster Ben Hutchinson grabbed a late consolation in his first ever first team appearance for BORO.

With an injury ravaged squad, manager Gareth Southgate had to start with a 4-5-1 formation; forced to remove Dong Gook Lee from the squad through injury and giving 20-year-old Tom Craddock his first Premiership start. With Mido and Aliadiere out injured and Tuncay, though on the bench, not at full fitness it was hard to see how BORO even hoped to snatch a goal against an on fire Manchester City side.

Once again, BORO conceded an early goal as Martin Petrov's corner was agonisingly steered past Mark Schwarzer by BORO defender Chris Riggot after just 8 minutes and so BORO were, once again, on the back foot trying to get themselves back into the game.

BORO did try to mount a comeback, but with just one striker and their typical reluctantness to push forward they never really looked as threatening as City with only a Lee Cattermole header, saved by Joe Hart, to take note of.

The 35th minute brought a speedy counter attack as City exposed BORO's frailty pushing forward and it was Elano, with a superb drive into the bottom corner that gave his team the 2-0 lead that would surely sink BORO.

Tom Craddock came out for the second half fired up and determined to launch BORO back into the game and he was presented with a great chance to bag his first Premiership goal, but was thwarted by Joe Hart who dived at Craddock's feet to stop the shot. Tuncay made his speedy return from injury as he replaced George Boateng for the second half, perhaps Southgate's attempts to bolster BORO's fire power.

But, just a quarter of an hour into the second half, Craddock made way for fellow youngster 19-year-old Ben Hutchinson to make his BORO first team debut and what better time to make his debut than when BORO were 2-0 down away from home?

But less than 5 minutes later BORO conceded a free-kick and so Gareth Southgate saw his team's day get even worse as Elano stepped up and struck a superb shot into the top corner of the net to give City a 3-0 lead and to end BORO's hopes of a revival.

Elano then received the standing ovation that he deserved as boss Sven-Goran Eriksson subbed him with just over 10 minutes left to play.

But City hadn't finished just yet, Mark Schwarzer was kept on his toes till the end as first Ireland, then Petrov lashed in attempts to make it 4-0 but Schwarzer produced a series of world class saves to spare total embarrassment, before BORO youngster Ben Hutchinson pounced on Tuncay's spilled shot, at the other end, to bag his first senior goal in his first Premiership appearance.

A mere consolation at best, though, for BORO as they slumped to yet another defeat and with just their 3rd goal in 5 games.

"We planned to keep things tight. But we were on the back foot after an early set-piece.

"We had as much possession as them and created chances. But we are giving away sloppy goals and that costs you games." - BORO Boss, Gareth Southgate.