Despite the constant sea of Red emanating from Manchester, filled with trophy after trophy after trophy, there is a growing threat to their stranglehold on being considered the greatest team to every
come out of this great city. Only a stone’s throw away from Old Trafford lays a team that is growing in a way that puts fear into every team in England, and will soon be banging on the gates of the best that the Champions League has to offer. The blue side of Manchester is creating a team that, no matter what your opinion on how they formed it, can possibly challenge the best England has to offer for years to come.
With the massive insurgence of money from owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan allowing Manchester City to enter England’s and Europe’s elite as speedily as possible, the Blues look poised to finally bring home the most important piece of silverware in England: the Premier League Trophy. This could hopefully usher in a period of success that this team hasn’t seen the 60’s and 70’s.
With a 3rd place finish in the bag from last season’s campaign and a direct entrance into the Champions League, Manchester City didn’t just sit idly by and accept 3rd place as the best they can do. With the massive summer signings of Sergio Aguero (whose brace against Swansea City definitely put the fear into the entirety of the Premiership), Stefan Savic, and stealing Gael Clichy from Arsenal, City looks truly prepared to fight for the top spot.
Although the Blues have a few players that they could do without and would make their spending seem a bit less outrageous (bye bye Adebayor/Milner/Santa Cruz/Barry), they do seem to have found a few key pieces that can create a Manchester City jersey clad powerhouse for years to come. If they can hold on to Carlos Tevez, David Silva, and Vincent Kompany for a little while and build positively around them, then they can produce some great performances. With Tevez running the attacking and being surrounded by Aguero, Dzeko, and Balotelli, the goals forced this season could be massive. Surround Silva with the speedy Adam Johnson, the attacking sense of Nasri, the indefatigable Yaya Toure, and City’s guard dog Nigel de Jong and you have a very strong midfield. Their defense is absolutely miserly, allowing the fewest goals in the Premier League last season. Kompany, Richards, and the addition of Clichy will make them a force again this year, and having England’s undisputed #1 keeper between the sticks, Joe Hart, will be huge for them.
Will Mancini lead them to the promised land this season? Their chances are very good, and their first game this season definitely sent a message to their neighbors and the entire league. We all knew that the big money spending would eventually pay off, and the scariest part is that there is probably still a lot of money to be spent by City. Look out United, there’s a new dog in town.
Written by: Andrew McCole, EPL correspondent, soccerprose.com
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