Two games away from the mid-way point of the season and the title favourites beginning to show. Chelsea have slipped recently but are one point off top spot whilst Manchester United host Arsenal tonight in crunch top of the table encounter prior to the Christmas period. Yet one team are attempting to break this monopoly much the same way Chelsea did in 2005. The injection of money at Manchester City has seen them spend big since Sheikh Mansour brought The Blues in 2008. However, money doesn't instantly guarantee success as Roman Abramovich found when he brought Chelsea in 2003 with then Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri being replaced by now Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and, in my opinion; this is where Manchester City falter behind Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Yes, City find themselves ahead of both United and Chelsea by a solitary point but I believe they don't have the ability to go the full nine yards to win the coveted Premier League trophy and this is due to one reason - the manager. In Roberto Mancini I feel City don't have the right man in charge to bring them glory. He may have bought success to Inter Milan but this was as a result of the Calciopoli scandal which rocked Italian football in 2006 and saw the Scudetto handed to them due to Juventus being stripped of Serie A crown. Inter may have gone on to dominate Serie A for the next two season prior to Mancini's sacking but this was as a result of both Juventus and AC Milan's relegation to Serie B as a form of punishment from the Calciopoli. Despite his success at Inter Milan I still don't believe Roberto Mancini is the man to take Manchester City forward and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't win a trophy this season to see Mancini out of a job at the end of the season.
Another reason that may see City implode before May is the squad themselves. The talent is ripe throughout the City starting XI with Joe Hart, Kolo Toure, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli all first names on Mancini's team-sheet. Yet the problem lies within the squad itself and the egotistical, disruptive personality that comes with certain players. Mario Balotelli may have the talent by the bucket-load but in an equal measure comes a player that is a real hot-head on the pitch and his problematic personality must not be good for any dressing room. Yet, he is only 20 years old and has the time to sort his attitude out to make him a great striker. Another striker is again the problem as we look towards Togorian Emmanuel Adebayor and his on/off-pitch personality. To be honest with you, we all know about Emmanuel Adebayor so there isn't really much to say.
Sticking with strikers again, we come to the final reason why City won't win the league - Carlos Tevez. Let me get this out in the open - Tevez is a GREAT striker in my opinion and one that any manager would love to be able to select on a weekly basis yet his recent public statements that we wants to leave City ala Wayne Rooney style, will do nothing to aid The Citizens in their title charge. Made all the worse that this is surrounding Manchester City's captain, Tevez's mission to exit the Eastland’s club comes in a time when City need their captain most (during the gruelling Christmas period). With one transfer request already rejected by the Manchester City hierarchy, Tevez has clearly made his intentions clear whilst pointing the finger at 'certain executives and individuals' (not Mancini) as his reason for wanting out of Manchester City.
Ahead of a difficult Europa League trip to Juventus, this is the last thing Mancini needs from his Captain and with the Christmas period just around the corner, it certainly isn't going to be getting easier for Mancini in the foreseeable future. With his captain and star player set to be leaving in January (further enforcing the player-power theory), Mancini now has his work cut-out if he is to keep Manchester City as high up the table as they are now a feat which, personally, I can't see happening. The problems at Eastland’s may not be taking their toll at the moment but I believe it will sooner rather than later. Yet, with no team ready to take the incentive in this seasons title race, I may be proved wrong come May and we may be seeing a fifth team lifting the Premiership in 2011 but I am getting WAY ahead of myself.
Anyway, got to go, I will write again soon.
Laters,
Macca
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