Manchester City's Inability to Kill Teams off Costs Them Against CSKA Moscow

Manchester City’s Champions League hopes were left hanging by a thread after a disappointing performance in Moscow saw them surrender a two-goal lead against CSKA.

City, who were 2-0 up and cruising at half-time, threw the game away with a dreadful second-half display, characterised by poor passing and a lack of desire to kill the game off when in the ascendancy, and a 2-2 draw leaves them facing a third group-stage exit in four years.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side are now without a win in their opening three group games, with just two points to show for their efforts, and are now relying heavily on Bayern Munich doing the double over Roma to leave them with any chance of avoiding an exit from the competition.

In the first-half, City put in a professional performance, where despite the difficult conditions—the travelling involved before the game, the weather and the weird atmosphere created with the game played behind closed doors—they were far superior to the Russian champions:

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Approx 400 corporate fans in front of press box. Kind of defeats the object...

— Mark Ogden (@MOgdenTelegraph) October 21, 2014"

Sergio Aguero, fresh from his four-goal display against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, predictably got the scoring underway after an unselfish pass from Edin Dzeko, before James Milner doubled their lead.

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Aguero silences the increasingly noisy non-crowd to make it 1-0

— Mark Ogden (@MOgdenTelegraph) October 21, 2014"

And City should have been awarded a penalty to give them the chance to make it 3-0 when Dzeko was brought down. Play was allowed to continue and Milner hit the post, but it was a stonewall penalty missed by the referee.

At that stage, City were in total control, yet a lack of killer instinct, not for the first time this season, cost them badly. Instead of going for a third and ending CSKA’s hopes, complacency and lethargy set in and Pellegrini’s side paid a huge price.

Their passing was poor and the urgency disappeared. The game was being played at a pace Moscow were comfortable with, and even when they got a goal back through Seydou Doumbia, City continued to coast. It was abject and uninspiring, with City the architects of their own downfall.

CSKA’s equaliser came from the spot with just five minutes remaining after Aleksandar Kolarov was somehow adjudged to have fouled Doumbia, with Bebras Natcho converting expertly from 12 yards. It was an awful decision from referee Istvan Vad which, when compared to the one City should have had in the first half, looked even worse.

But City would be foolish to blame the officials. It was their profligacy in possession and lack of desire to score more goals when on top which really cost them.

Against Roma in their last group game, City went one up and, rather than play with speed and try to overwhelm the visitors, they backed off, seemingly suffering from a lack of self-belief. It cost them. Roma grew into the game, controlled the midfield battle and took a point. In truth, it could easily have been three.

Against Hull City in the Premier League just days earlier, a two-goal lead evaporated at the KC Stadium in a match which threatened to become a disaster. City started at full pelt, and Hull, who were camped inside their own half, couldn’t get near them.

But City, as is becoming a pattern, took their foot off the gas. A wonderful tactical alteration in the second-half from Pellegrini won it for his side, but it was an uncomfortable afternoon when it should have been a stroll.

And against Arsenal, City once again started brightly and deservedly led, only to throw it away and allow the home side a route back into the match. City needed a late goal to rescue a point, despite their obvious superiority in the first-half.

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PELLEGRINI REACTION: Bullish City boss says his team are still alive in the @ChampionsLeague: http://t.co/oxXfjzDpW1 pic.twitter.com/QE65WHwdzA

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) October 21, 2014"

It’s a worrying trend and one which looks like its hurting City. The destiny of their Champions League involvement now rests largely in Bayern’s hands, and even if the Germans do take six points from Roma, the Italians can still go through. With the final match of the group between City and Roma to be played at the Stadio Olimpico, they will fancy their chances.

The Europa League looks a real possibility for City now.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.