Premier League - Robinho inspires rampant City

Eurosport - Mon, 22 Sep 09:09:00 2008

Robinho scored a goal and created two more as Manchester City thrashed Portsmouth 6-0 in the Premier League at Eastlands.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League - Robinho leaps as he celebrates with his Manchester City team-mates during the thrashing of Portsmouth - 0

The Premier League's record signing provided a masterclass in creative, incisive attacking play, and Pompey had no answer to his speed of mind and body.

The Brazilian supplied an inch-perfect pass for Jo to open the scoring on 13 minutes before Richard Dunne added a second shortly afterwards.

Robinho then scored with a cool finish on 57 minutes, Shaun Wright-Phillips added a fourth, substitute Ched Evans made it five finishing off a remarkable goal, and Gelson Fernandes completed the rout.

Despite the mammoth £32.5 million fee paid to bring Robinho to Eastlands, some doubted whether the quicksilver forward could really succeed in the fast, physical Premier League.

The early signs suggest Robinho's impact will be spectacular.

Last weekend against Chelsea he scored a free-kick and dictated play for City, but a wonky radar meant he surrendered possession as often as he found a team-mate.

This time he added precision to his dizzying array of skills, spraying visionary passes and beating defenders with almost embarrassing ease.

As early as the third minute, he had David James at full stretch with a pinpoint shot, but shortly afterwards he turned provider, laying on a superb diagonal through ball for Jo, who rounded James and finished left-footed.

The pair combined with intuitive brilliance, allowing Jo to start showing why City paid £18m for his services.

City soon extended their lead following a 20th-minute Elano corner. James patted the ball weakly away and captain Dunne pounced to bundle the ball home.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp quickly brought Papa Bouba Diop and John Utaka off the bench but, if anything, they made things worse.

Robinho himself made it three just before the hour. Stephen Ireland drilled a diagonal ball that Jo brought down and laid off to the former Real Madrid man, who slotted home from the edge of the box.

Cue a samba dancing celebration in which Ireland attempted, unsuccessfully, to match the moves of Brazilian trio Robinho, Jo and Elano.

Robinho has now scored in both Premier League games and, even more importantly, created a buzz of dizzying excitement around the blue half of Manchester.

As with City legend Georgi Kinkladze, every time Robinho gets on the ball there is a very real possibility of something extraordinary happening.

Portsmouth were in tatters, and Wright-Phillips took full advantage, running onto another excellent Ireland through-ball and smashing past James at his near post.

More humiliation was to come after 78 minutes. Robinho bamboozled his man on the left side before crossing low for Wright-Phillips. He backheeled brilliantly into the path of Evans whose finish was low and true. Sensational.

Another James howler allowed Gelson to score the final goal. The keeper failed to deal with a low Javier Garrido cross and cleared only to the edge of the box, where Gelson reacted quickest to finish off a devastating performance.

City's new owners have made much of their ambition to qualify for the Champions League this season. After this demolition job, a top-four finish does not seem so far-fetched.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 128 - 147 of 147

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  1. You beat portsmouth 6-0 but lost to chelsea 3-1 it goes­ to show one man does not make a team. and by the pompey­ is @#$% there is no way round that. goalie is @#$%,­ deffence is @#$%, middfield is @#$%, and their strikers­ are has been or never was. till you beat the top 4­ thats when you could say yes we can win the­ prem.
    GUNNER FOR LIFE

    From fevrier361, on Wed 24 Sep 12:35AM
  2. WHOM AM I?? its not an important thing dude .... oh my­ god, city fan is always dreamin ...

    From azhanm, on Tue 23 Sep 12:03AM
  3. Who's Kickd24? Is he "the legend in his own­ lunchtime" craigstubbs24? I wonder! Another bitter­ red no doubt!

    From Stephen, on Mon 22 Sep 11:05PM
  4. who is kickd24 too. he doesn't know anything about­ football, and he can make a comment whatever he likes.­ so i think there mustn't allow to write a comment­ without knowledge of football. Robinho is very popular­ and talented player. Congratulations to Man. City

    From samet_simo, on Mon 22 Sep 10:09PM
  5. who's robinho?? never heard about it ..... so­ pathetic ..

    From azhanm, on Mon 22 Sep 8:51PM
  6. City are w ank... even Noel said so

    From samet_simo, on Mon 22 Sep 7:05PM
  7. Yeahhhh Kickd who do you support the rags i bet and i­ bet your from london who care what you think because­ we've got Robinho we've got Robinho

    From john d, on Mon 22 Sep 3:43PM
  8. alrite guys come on it was portsmouth city beat and the­ season is only 5 games old long way to go yet!!!!!! man­ utd fan

    From david m, on Mon 22 Sep 3:39PM
  9. yeah .. maybe city will win champions league next year­ ....

    From azhanm, on Mon 22 Sep 2:54PM
  10. yeahhh ... keep on dreamin ..

    From azhanm, on Mon 22 Sep 2:52PM
  11. re-kickd24, money cant buy everything, get real, rather­ have it than have not. lol

    From Manchesterdave, on Mon 22 Sep 2:47PM
  12. Who care's what other fans think opinion are like­ arseholes everyones got one. Why are united fans­ commenting on this anyway i would not waste my time­ reading report on the scum so why do they think we care­ what they think. I do think we should buy Ronaldo­ thought as Moonchester needs a new girlfriend and i­ think he will make a good Mascot. Great time ahead for­ the only team in Manchester maybe not this season but­ soon

    From john d, on Mon 22 Sep 1:41PM
  13. KEEP ON DREAMIN .... MONEY CANT BUY EVERYTHING ..

    From azhanm, on Mon 22 Sep 1:24PM
  14. great result city as for the people who say robinho­ wont be there long thats @#$%, we just pay him more,­ cos we have trillions of money ha ha, bring on utd. lol

    From Manchesterdave, on Mon 22 Sep 12:34PM
  15. All you lot who have ridiculed and dismissed City's­ demolition of Pompey need to be less bitter! Apart from­ Chelsea (who will be champs this year), none of the­ supposable "big 4" have managed to do such a­ job on Pompey, who are a strong side. By the way Jay­ & Fire (ref No 62) who did Liverpool manage to get­ a point off at home on Sat? Oh yeah, Stoke City of­ course! Big 4 my a@#e! Liverpool's record against­ the other "big 3" is rubbish! We coming for­ your place in Champs League sooner rather than later!

    From Stephen, on Mon 22 Sep 11:39AM
  16. this is gud news for man-city, very big pity for­ pompey.man-u should get ready cos its gonna be mad on­ thier date with man-city

    From Nony, on Mon 22 Sep 11:35AM
  17. Hold on to your seats blues fans this is going to be­ one heck of a ride!!! Best i've seen since 68. City­ fan of 52 years!! God bless me DAD for taking me as a­ six year old LOL. Come on you BLUES!!!!

    From robert.watson44, on Mon 22 Sep 10:58AM
  18. POOR PORTSMOUTH ... THAT DOESN'T MEAN MAN CITY­ GONNA BE CHAMPIONS???

    From azhanm, on Mon 22 Sep 10:21AM
  19. I said it that MAN.City will be Club to watch out this­ season, quote me, moses

    From orangun m, on Mon 22 Sep 9:16AM
  20. go city. we love you.

    From james, on Mon 22 Sep 9:12AM
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