Will this be the main area of concern for Man City come the summer transfer window?

Round about October time and nearly every football pundit claimed Manchester City were the runaway winners for all the trophies available to them. Well nearly every pundit.

After looking at the schedules between October and February, I claimed that the title was a far from over conclusion and as we enter March that has played out with Manchester United only sitting a point behind. City have also crashed out of both domestic cups as well as the Champions League in that time. With the dragged out Carlos Tevez fiasco and Mario Balotelli’s weekly tabloid appearances, things are far from OK at the Etihad.

So should the impossible happen and City not win the league, what will happen next season? Will Roberto Mancini’s job be safe? You would have to say the answer is unlikely. There are a host of top managerial candidates that would love the financial power available as well as the core of undoubted top quality players already at the club. Fabio Capello or Jose Mourinho are just two that jump to mind.

Obviously they are sorted for a goalkeeper as Joe Hart is just a natural in that position. However a decent understudy might not be a bad plan.

One area City will need to find a settled starting line up is the back four. Kompany has been a rock this season and I am a fan of Micah Richards at right back. However is Lescott a Champions League centre back? I say not really. While Kolo Toure is, he seems out of favour so I think there is a case for another centre back to join the ranks.

Also a first choice regular left back wouldn’t surprise me. Kolarov and Clichy have both had chances but neither has stacked a claim for a regular start. Ashley Cole could be an option.

In midfield Yaya Toure and James Milner look the real deal but I would expect one tough tackling midfielder to join over the summer. They may also bring in one more natural wide winger but that apart City are blessed with a talented midfield.

Up front City have relied on Aguero and Dzeko and neither have disappointed. However I do expect a marquee signing like Hulk to join over the summer. A Chelsea fan I spoke to the other day said he wouldn’t be disappointed if a straight swap of Torres for Tevez happened, which speaks volumes.

A clear out of deadwood should see the likes of Stuart Taylor, Gunnar Nielsen, Wayne Bridge, Gareth Barry, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Johnson, Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz all find themselves reassigned whether or not Mancini keeps his job. Another summer of intrigue surrounds the money men from Manchester.

What are your thoughts? Comment below.

Written by Wesley Hillier @armchairstato.blogspot.com.