Run of draws continues as Blues look poor again

City's wobbles continued this afternoon with an unsatisfactory 3-3 draw at Eastlands against Lancashire rivals Burnley. Showing no sign of their terrible away form, the visitors may even feel they deserved all three points, blowing a two-goal lead before snatching a late leveler through substitute Kevin McDonald following goals from Shaun Wright-Phillips, Kolo Toure and Craig Bellamy.

A bright start from City, as we spent the first few minutes penning the Clarets into their own half, sadly couldn't be maintained, and the signs were there from very early on that they were capable of catching our defence out. First centre-half Clark Carlisle found himself completely unmarked at the far post, then an unchallenged cross found its way across the box, before Robbie Blake put an opportunity wide.

Burnley got a chance to go ahead after eighteen minutes, the referee correctly awarding a penalty after Joleon Lescott had handled a Tyrone Mears cross. Reliable spotkick taker and former Preston man Graham Alexander giving Shay Given little chance, drilling a low effort into the bottom left-hand corner to give the visitors an unlikely lead.

Barring odd little moves we looked pretty blunt in the final third, even from early on, shots from distance never troubling Jensen, and our passing off once more. If anything Burnley looked the side that's cost a couple of hundred million to assemble, lots of great movement and sharp passing into feet, they really played quite well.

The signs were that a second was coming, Andre Bikey testing Given with a header from another set-piece. Craig Bellamy being unfortunate to get booked for the tackle on Chris Eagles. Studs were up but contact was minimal. Not long later and it was 0-2. Robbie Blake threading a nice ball to Eagles on the right whose inviting low cross only required a tapping-in from Fletcher at the far post. Amateurish.

A disallowed goal summed up a languid first half for us. Stevie Ireland's ball floated over the defence was nicely volleyed in by Wright-Phillips, though the wingman was a good yard offside. Shortly after Craig Bellamy's darting run in from the left flank resulted in Jensen having to make a save with his feet. SWP's deflected attempt shortly before the break at least put us back in the game, running at left-back Jordan he unleashed a hopeful shot which would've been saved had it not clipped the former City defender's heels.

The second-half was generally more positive. We came out with a point to prove and a further two goals in a quarter-hour saw us look in full control. Captain Kolo Toure smashed home an equaliser in the 55th minute, Gareth Barry floating in a free-kick and Joleon Lescott doing terrifically well to pull back the ball when under pressure from Carlisle. Undeserved though it might have been, from then until the final minutes it appeared there would be only one winner.

Just five minutes later and we'd nosed ourselves infront. Stevie Ireland, who had began to pull the strings in midfield after being quiet initially, slipped a ball behind the Burnley left-back for SWP to cross. Evading Carlos Tevez the ball ran to Craig Bellamy who lashed home a right-footed effort into Jensen's far corner, much to the appreciation of the home support.

Our main fault, even moreso than the sometimes kamikaze defending, was not then pushing on for a fourth. The feeling around the ground, and by the looks of it on the pitch, was that the job was done, but a bit more dedication and we could've put the result beyond doubt. Optimistic attempts by Carlos Tevez and substitue Martin Petrov as close as we were getting barring Carlisle almost scoring in the wrong net.

With the three points appearing to be most likely heading our way, Burnley really upped their game during the last ten minutes. The introductions of Nugent and McDonald seemed to make a difference and something always looked possible on the break. With three minutes left on the clock we allowed them a third; a cross into the area was laid back via the head of Fletcher leaving the sub completely unmarked to put past Given.

Not sure where to begin with this one, really. The first half especially was the poorest we've played in some time, certainly at home. Completely flat, void of ideas, lacking spark, not one player really earned his money today. Gaping holes in the defence, a midfield who for most of the game seemed well off the pace, and Emmanuel Adebayor a passenger for the entire ninety minutes.

Had they not bagged the equaliser i guess we'd be talking of small positives. We showed application to get back into a game, yes, but we were only there due to terrible defending. Wayne Bridge, so improved this year, was terrible during the first period, didn't even look match-fit. The amount of play Burnley were getting down that side was astonishing. Joleon Lescott again poor, the boy's an accident waiting to happen.

Even the biggest optimist would find little encouragement from today. A defence that's cost the best part of £50m is looking no better than it was with Richard Dunne in it, for the money paid you expect errors and general poor play to be reduced, and though they're still settling in together we're no less shaky, and that's not a snap judgement based just on this latest result, we've been like that for weeks.

In attack, as stated above, Emmanuel Adebayor was completely absent, and in truth has been since we beat Arsenal. The partnership with Carlos Tevez really doesn't appear to be showing any signs of becoming fruitful, and though the Argentinian at least played a bit further up the pitch today, neither were much danger regards scoring goals, and our impact players as one seem especially low on confidence.

I'm relatively optimistic about our chances of getting a point or more at Anfield, but we need to get back into the habit of winning games. If we want to push on and achieve a good league finish this year then we have to beat sides like Burnley at home, simple as that. They're the worst away side in the division and they made us look like mugs at our own ground. The system looks shot, we're conceding sloppy goals and our matchwinners aren't doing the business. Not good enough.

Team:
Given, Zabaleta, Bridge, Toure, Lescott, Barry, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Tevez (Petrov '73), Adebayor, Bellamy