Manchester City – The season so far

The Manager

Phantom yellow cards aside, Roberto Mancini has done an admirable job in an enviable situation. When a football club is as monied as Manchester City is, more than half of the job of a manager is going to be ego management – big wages attract stars, and stars carry attitudes. Mancini has assembled a squad of talented, well-paid elite players, some of whom don’t see the pitch every week – in light of that, you have to admire the harmony by the Italian.

Pundits and journalists looking for a story will point to the losses at Chelsea and Sunderland, and the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United, as justification of their own belief that Mancini’s lack of ‘title race experience’ could cost his side – in reality though, City’s indifferent form is only exaggerated by the previous excellence.

You can dismiss Mancini’s achievements by quoting his net transfer spend if you like, but there are plenty of managers who have failed to achieve anything despite affluent ownership. To build a team, to build a functioning unit, out of a situation that encourages mercenary attitudes amongst players – how can you not applaud him?

The Squad

Obviously largely excellent, but with room for improvement. David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure, Joe Hart and Vincent Kompany are the spine of the team, the rest of the first eleven is fairly interchangeable. As easy as it is to whip Gareth Barry, an upgrade surely exists in that position. Daniele De Rossi seems to be a longshot now, but would have been a more effective middle ground between Silva and Toure.

At left-back, a poor performance against Chelsea has created a question mark against Gael Clichy’s name, more secure options exist in the market. Adam Johnson is one that you could happily let leave; his ability is fine, but I’ve never warmed to his attitude, and his apparent reluctance to be a squad player. Samir Nasri’s different, because he seems content to play a fragmented role – and if you get someone of his calibre to agree to that, then fantastic.

Edin Dzeko? Meh. A Jekyll and Hyde performer, equally capable of brilliance (Spurs away) as he is of extreme profligacy (most other games). At this level though, and without Carlos Tevez in support of Aguero, City need someone more reliable as an impact player or second forward.

Overview

What’s not to like? Yes, the team’s out of the FA Cup, but that competition stopped mattering to title challengers about a decade ago. There was always going to be a point of the season at which their form suffered, but does anybody really believe that City don’t have the talent – and the resources – to keep their rivals at arms length through to May?

Say what you like about United traditionally finishing the season strongly – and I understand nervy City fans clinging to that Caveat and not getting carried away – but it’s not even really close at the moment. The table may say that the gap is only three points, but the gulf in class is vast in reality – City will canter to the title.

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