Second in the Premier League, unbeaten in 7 and closer to the Premier League title than they have ever been in the entirety of their existence. Manchester City’s future certainly looks bright. But their performances against Manchester United, earlier in the season, and Arsenal, more recently, do leave question marks over their title credentials this season.
Of course, I have to acknowledge that City managed a draw in both fixtures mentioned, not bad results by any means against other title rivals. But in both games, City were extremely defensive, never really looking likely to score and instead looking to keep their opponents out. Some may argue the ends justify the means, but I disagree.
You will never see Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, or even Tottenham Hotspur, play with that style. Ferguson, Wenger, Ancelotti and Redknapp go into every game sending their team out to win, whether it’s at home to Wigan or away at one of their fellow title challengers. Manchester United’s recent trip to Tottenham is a perfect example - both teams going all out for the victory, and even Rafael’s dismissal didn’t stop United pushing forward when the opportunity arose. United’s record at Stamford Bridge is awful in recent years, but you can guarantee come March 1st there’ll be no signs of holding out for a draw when the two sides meet. It is the mentality of the manager and the mentality of the players - and that is where I believe City will come up short.
To re-iterate, I am not questioning the results of Manchester City in these games, I am questioning their mentality. Any one of the current top 5 would be relatively happy with a point against one another (see Spurs vs. United post-match) - but they play for three. There’s nothing wrong with playing defensively and looking to hit the opposition on the counter either, but Carlos Tevez was so isolated at the Emirates, City created next to nothing.
If a team like Blackburn Rovers or West Ham went to Arsenal, parked the bus and came away with a clean sheet and a point, I’d be quite impressed with their spirit and resilience. But Manchester City now have a squad capable of going to places like the Emirates and playing football, expressing themselves. Perhaps the fact that they look like real challengers this season has made Mancini more cautious when facing their rivals, but they only need to look back to last season for encouragement.
In the 2009/10 season, under Mark Hughes and then Mancini, there were no such defensive displays. Despite losing three times to United (twice in EPL and once in the Carling Cup) thanks to stoppage-time goals, they got at their local rivals in every game, created chances and in the four games they played (two legs in the Carling Cup), there were 15 goals. Perhaps not the best example of attacking football paying off, but in the same season they did the double over eventual champions Chelsea (2-1 at home and 4-2 away) and beat Arsenal twice at home (4-2 in the league, 3-0 in Carling Cup) drawing in the away fixture against the Gunners. What is striking is, seeing all the goals they scored away at the big sides last year, their attacking options have actually been boosted this season by the likes of David Silva and Mario Balotelli.
Come the end of this season, in which I predict Manchester United as champions, I have a sneaky suspicion City will look back on these games and see them not as one point gained, but two points lost. And in a very tight Premier League title race, those points lost can make all the difference between success and failure.
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