It is widely commented upon that Manchester United have a much wider range of experience in their squad, much more strength in depth and a manager who has been-there, done-it, and has so many T-shirts he could dress the entire City squad. It is certainly the case that 21 of United's squad have won at least one winners medal from Europe's top Premier Leagues, and it is undeniable that their dominance over the last 2 decades owes a large part to their ability to call upon experienced heads when the going got tough. To Sir Alex Ferguson, City's rise will only seem like another futile attempt to knock him and his club off their perch, from which they have watched many clubs attempt and fail to successfully break up the United dominance for good.
City, however, backed by billions, have other ideas. Having watched the red half of Manchester rule supreme for as long as they can remember, the sky blues will be fueled by decades of pain and jealously. Even the last time City secured domestic glory in 1968, United went one better and won the European Cup. But times are changing now, and they truly believe that this time they have what it takes to go all the way. In contrast to the common misconception, when it comes to experience of winning titles, City have ample. 11 of their squad have previously won European league titles - 12 if the the transfer of Edin Džeko is confirmed, and within that 12 they have 5 who have won English titles, including Patrick Vieira, who captained arguably the best title-winning side the EPL has ever seen. On top of this they have a World Cup winner, as well as a World Cup runner-up, and a three-time winning Serie A winning manager, with three Serie A titles as a player also to his name.
As well as clear experience, they also have an undeniable amount of flair and talent on the pitch. In Carlos Tevez they have a proven goalscorer and hardworking talisman for their squad, and, provided they can keep him happy, it will be a huge boost every time he is in the starting 11. Alongside him they have the surly Italian Mario Balotelli, who has the clear potential to produce magic if Mancini can coax it out of him. Whilst at the back they certainly seem to have eradicated their defensive problems, having conceded only 16 goals in 21 games - currently the best record in the league.
As for the other challengers, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, they seem, at present, quite a distance from title-winning material. Current champions and original favourites Chelsea have found themselves floundering in recent weeks and their decision to not replace the likes of Belletti, Joe Cole, Ivanovic and Ballack in the summer has left their squad looking extremely bare. Arsenal are suffering from the same old problems, they are in desperate need of a quality goalkeeper and defensive partnership, whilst Marouanne Chamakh has not provided the goal threat that they had hoped he would. Tottenham, on the other hand, have been one of this years top performers in certain games, unfortunately, however, most of these games have been in Europe, a competition which they appear to have prioritised this season.
At present, a London-Manchester battle is shaping up, with the Manchester clubs currently leading the pack. With just under half the season remaining and traditionally United's best form about to be kicked into gear, it will be fascinating to watch whether the not-so-inexperienced Manchester City have the legs to push their closest rivals all the way for the title.
No comments:
Post a Comment