Their first preseason outing finished in defeat for City, losing 1-0 to Al Hilal, with only 4 first team starters in the line-up. That defeat was quickly followed up by a six-game unbeaten streak, drawing one and winning five, in that order. Furthermore, in that unbeaten streak, City have only conceded once and only twice all summer. Carlos Tevez is also a notable inclusion in each and every game, seemingly fully forgiven for last season’s bizarre happenings which acted as a subplot to most of City’s season. If a partnership can be struck up between City’s two Argentine strikers, it may provide another option just as good as a new signing.
Prediction
Roberto Mancini has made his viewpoint clear, “we need to improve our team.” His words are wise enough for us to predict that at current City are perhaps not best equipped to win the title back-to-back given the improvements their contenders are making. Their apparent interest in both Thiago Silva and Robin van Persie suggest they are in the market for a centre-back and a striker, but given their relatively young squad – an average age of 26.6 – evolution rather than revolution could serve City better: growing as a team rather than changing the team. This notion may point towards fewer transfers this summer, instead vying for small improvements rather than mass change. Either way, if the desire if there, City can purchase who they wish.
Their rivals – Arsenal, Chelsea, United and perhaps Tottenham – have all started spending. Arsenal have purchased two international strikers at the top of their game in Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, as well as Andrei Arshavin returning from loan. Chelsea have spent over £60m on the likes of Brazilian attacking midfielder Oscar, the two Hazard brothers and Marko Marin. Manchester United are supposedly closing deals for Robin van Persie and Lucas Moura, as well as reigniting their interest in Pole Roberto Lewandowski, having already bought his former teammate Shinji Kagawa and Crewe’s Nick Powell. Tottenham, under the new management of Andre Villas Boas, are “trying to put together a squad that makes us compete for the title,” according to the Portuguese gaffer, and the men to do so are so far an Vertonghen from Ajax for £10.5m and Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, who spent last season at Swansea.
With their immediate rivals already tens of millions ahead of them in investment for next season, Manchester City’s agenda for next season is either stable growth and evolution of the current squad, or a risky late start to the season, with players still coming in as the season gets underway. With a Champions League run on the cards and potentially divided opinions on how to best go for both, this season could prove far more interesting for the casual spectator than last, as Roberto Mancini faces the challenge of defending a title.
Prediction: 2nd place
Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit
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If you City will finish second, then who is the prediction for first?