Manchester City – English Premier League: assessing title contenders
Despite spending millions in the summer transfer window of 2010 and touting themselves up as potential English Premier League title challengers before the start of the 2010-2011 season, City now find themselves in an all too familiar a position.
Already second best to Manchester United after failing to win against the Red Devils in either of their two matches in the English Premier League, Manchester’s blue club is trailing their nearest rivals by 10 points in the title race.
Mancini might be ready to make his peace with the fact that City are now effectively fighting for a UEFA Champions League place but Chelsea are hot on the Italian manager’s heels because of their latest two goals to one over Manchester United at Stamford
Bridge.
City have several things to worry about for now. Firstly, will Mancini survive a failure to finish in the top three of the English Premier League come the end of the current club football season?
Secondly, will Manchester City make it to the UEFA Champions League competition in the 2011-2012 season? Thirdly, how successful will City’s manager be in quelling the frequent disagreements and the clash of egos that occur in the Blues’ dressing room?
There is no doubt that Manchester City have a vastly talented squad. Some would quite rightly say that the Blues have a squad, which is full of depth and quality players ready to step into the first team and do their job better or as good as the next available
option for Roberto Mancini.
However, this squad, which is brimming with talented egos, is hard to manage as well. Players clash more often than not at the training field and then showcase their frustration in public when they are substituted by the manager in Premier League matches.
Such things can easily derail the Manchester City wagon, which has been wobbling throughout the season.
An analytical look at Manchester City’s home form tells us that the Blues have won eight, drawn four and lost two out of their 14 home fixtures in the Premier League season thus far. This makes them the fifth ranked team in the Premier League home table
below the likes of Manchester United.
City’s away form makes them the 2nd placed team in the Premier League away table as they have won six, drawn four and lost four out of their 14 away fixtures.
The main problem for City has been their tactical setup. For a team, which consists of highly skilled offensive individuals, Manchester City have underperformed more often than not. This is because of their manager, Roberto Mancini’s, negative tactics.
Despite spending around about 25 million pounds on the signature of Edin Dzeko, City have yet to find a system, which accommodates their three strikers namely, Carlos Tevez, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mario-Balotelli-c23937, and, Dzeko.
Similarly, City have a huge problem in the midfield area. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Nigel-de-Jong-c27882, and, Gareth
Barry.
City probably have the easiest run out of all the teams in the top four as they are yet to line-up against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 at Anfield.
One thing that Mancini has to ensure for the rest of the Premier League season is that Manchester City don’t slip up against lesser ranked opponents because if they do then Chelsea and Tottenham will be waiting on their backs to take over as the third place
team in the Premier League table.
Verdict: Manchester City to finish 4th come May, 2011.
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