RevSportz Comment
After nearly a decade of milk and honey, this has been the season from hell for Manchester City. Treble winners just over 18 months ago, they sit in fifth in the English Premier League table, having won just half of their 22 matches so far. It’s even more embarrassing in the revamped Champions League, with the pre-tournament favourites in 24th place (out of 36) ahead of tonight’s clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
At most clubs, such a scenario would have meant endless doom and gloom. But not for City. The glaring flaws of the pack chasing Liverpool mean that City could conceivably finish as high as second in England come the end of the season. And after the January reinforcements, a sustained push for a second Champions League crown can’t be ruled out either.
The manner in which City are splashing the cash this January suggests that they know something the rest of the world doesn’t – that the 115 charges of questionable accounting levied against them are unlikely to bring about a significant points deduction, leave alone relegation. There’s no way on Earth Erling Haaland would have signed such a lucrative contract extension, all the way till 2034, if there was even the slightest chance of the book being thrown at City.
Pep Guardiola’s recruitment team has also bought in Abdukodir Khusanov from RC Lens, and Vitor Reis from Palmeiras. Omar Marmoush, the brilliant Egyptian forward, is also poised to sign on the dotted line. If their rivals though City were falling apart after the early winter slump, think again. Rodri, their talisman, will return before the start of next season, and these investments for the future will ensure that City hit the ground running.
So, why was there such a crisis in the first place? The loss of a player as important as Rodri would have impacted most teams, but it was a double blow for City with no obvious replacement in place. Mateo Kovacic isn’t the same profile of player, while Ilkay Gundogan no longer has the legs for the highest level. Regardless of whether it happens this month or not, an understudy for Rodri remains a priority in the transfer market.
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The signing of Marmoush is also an acknowledgement that the failure to replace Julian Alvarez, who departed to Atletico Madrid in the summer – and Cole Palmer before him – was a costly mistake. With the other forward players in poor form – Phil Foden has rediscovered his scoring touch in recent weeks – it was almost Haaland-or-bust for City.
Two young centre-back signings is also an indication that Guardiola wants to revamp his defence. Kyle Walker will leave this month, and John Stones has had too many injury woes in recent years to be a dependable option. Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake are still in their prime, but with City playing upward of 60 games a year, they clearly need a robust second rung.
There’s little doubt that the turmoil in Guardiola’s personal life also played a part in City’s slump. Normally the most proactive of coaches, there were times in November and December when he looked almost passive and lost. Now, we know why. Tactical genius or not, he too is only human, and parting ways with his companion of 30 years must have been traumatic in the extreme.
But with that behind him, and so much still to play for, expect City to come on strong in the next four months. The gap to Liverpool is probably a bridge too far, but if they can manage a favourable result in Paris tonight, City will be right back in the European conversation. The empire took a big blow or two. But now, it’s poised to strike back.
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