While City manager Manuel Pellegrini admits his side
'played really badly', but refuses to single out goalkeeper Joe Hart for blame.
The Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben said that his side
never expected beating Manchester City to be “as easy” as they found it tonight
in a comprehensive 3-1 victory for the European champions who outplayed the
home side.
Robben scored the third of the three goals for Bayern who
had Jerome Boateng sent off in the last ten minutes with a straight red card.
Robben said: “The first 70 minutes we played some terrific football. We were so
dominant against a big team in Europe. We didn't expect an easy game like that.
"It is a compliment to our team but we expected more
from City. We didn't give them any space, we pressed them right up to the
goalkeeper and they just kicked it away. Sometimes they gave us too much space
and we used space well."
Franck Ribery scored the first goal within seven minutes,
embarrassing Joe Hart with a shot that crept in his near post which the England
international should have saved. Robben also beat him at his near post for the
third goal. Thomas Muller scored Bayern's second and the substitute Alvaro
Negredo scored a late consolation for the home side.
The City manager Manuel Pellegrini confessed that Hart's
errors had to be addressed. "I will talk about the team, not individuals.
We played really badly. It wasn't the team that we see here every weekend and
that's the worst thing. It wasn't a good day for us.
“It's my duty to analyse the team and individual players.
Of course we can all do better for the three goals, not only the goalkeeper,
and you can't afford to lose three goals to Bayern Munich because they are a
good team.
“Of course I worry about the mistakes but this was not an
easy game. Now it's important to think about the future and also about
solutions.”
Gary Neville, a coach on Roy Hodgson's England staff, was
also critical of Hart in his role as a Sky Sports pundit. On the first goal,
from Ribery he said: “It's the power of the shot. He's got to do better there,
Joe Hart, beaten at his near post. It just goes through his hand. It's not the
start Manchester city wanted or the goalkeeper.
In reference to Hart's reaction to Robben's goal, Neville
said: "You have to say Joe Hart's got to do better again at that near
post. That's twice he's been beaten there tonight. He'll be disappointed again."
Culled from Independent
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