Manchester City need to learn European lessons

Manchester City managed to snatch a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Spanish La Liga side Villarreal.

City got the victory courtesy of an injury-time winner from Argentinian substitute Sergio Aguero.

City boss Roberto Mancini didn’t want to use the striker but the Premier League leaders really needed a goal the win.

Lacklustre

Manchester City looked very lacklustre and didn’t play like they usually do in the English top flight. In the Premier League the movement of the likes of David Silva and Samir Nasri is too much for most opponents.

However in the Champions League the pair have failed to reproduce their league form. The key to City’s style and pace of play is dictated by the duo. When they don’t produce the team seem to struggle. The key to City’s success in recent seasons is the pace that the team play at.

Isolated

For a lot of the Villarreal game lone striker Edin Dzeko looked isolated and struggled to hold the ball up. Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini spotted the fact that Dzeko was lacking support up front and changed it after just 38 minutes.

He substituted winger Adam Johnson and brought on Gareth Barry with Yaya Toure moving into more of an attacking role just behind Dzeko. Dzeko looked far more threatening when usual strike-partner Sergio Aguero came off the substitute bench.

Different

Manchester City players know that the Champions League is different from the Premier League but they are struggling to adapt their game. It’s City’s debut season in the Champions League and it will take some time for the whole club to get accustomed to Europe’s elite competition.

Lots of English clubs in their Champions League debut season have failed to get out of the group stage. Its not uncommon because it takes time for teams to get used to playing at the top level of European football.

Mistakes

Mistakes are punished far more in the Champions League than they are in the Premier League. It’s a step up that sometimes teams struggle to make. City were punished in the first few minutes against Villarreal with the opening game. City will need to cut out the silly little mistakes if they are to progress in the Champions League this season.

Lessons

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has experienced the Champions League before with Inter but he seems to now be learning his Champions League lessons. He acted quickly against Villarreal when he realised that the game wasn’t going his sides way.

Mancini is starting to show his true managerial skills this season. City fans haven’t always been convinced by the Italian but he is starting to show them that he could be the man to bring real success to the club. He is starting to earn his vast wages and doing a decent job.

Super-sub

Argentinian superstar Sergio Aguero was again the hero for City. The striker has been struggling with injury problems in recent weeks and was only supposed to come on in an emergency. Mancini obviously thought last night was an emergency situation.

Aguero was in the right place at the right time as he scored from close-range in injury-time. Aguero is the sort of clever player who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. City will need the former-Atletico Madrid striker to be at his best for this weekends derby with Manchester United.

Balance

Manchester City’s qualification for the knockout stages is in the balance but its looking brighter now than it did before their last minute winner last night. City still have tough trips to Villarreal and Napoli and also a home game with Bayern Munich.

This group has definitely been a tough introduction to the Champions League for City. However if Manchester City want to be the biggest club in Europe they will have to start to figure out how to negotiate these tricky games.

Will Manchester City qualify for the knockout stages?