Manchester City’s stunning Premier League
triumph was achieved in typically Madchester style. As someone wrote in the
aftermath, the second half of their final game at home against Queens Park Rangers
was a microcosm of their season. Comfortably winning the league, then almost
throwing it away before finally snatching it back at the end. It was an astonishing climax to a wild ride and probably just
as well they won as the alternative would have been one calamity too far for a
side renowned for its ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
It was an expensive triumph. Abi Dhabi's Sheik
Mansour has poured almost a billion pounds into his expensive toy but he has
achieved his first target of winning the Premier League within four seasons. As
well as their expensive assemblage of players, Mansour also recruited a
hardnosed winning manager in Roberto Mancini who took Inter to three Italian
titles before adding the English crown to his collection. The talk now is of
moving forward to collect European silverware, a task that fellow billionaire
Roman Abramovich has found beyond him in his reign as Chelsea moneybags –
though he has one more chance in Munich this weekend.
As a Liverpool fan, I remain a
fully paid up member of ABU (Anyone But United) for at least one season. I have to say I enjoyed the way the title was
snatched from Manchester United’s grasp on Sunday. I thought they were a poor
team but I thought the same in 2003 and 2011 when they also managed to win the
league. Sir Alex Ferguson has long ago proved himself the best manager ever to
grace the British game and time after time he has come up with the goods to
coach United sides in the fine art of grinding out victories.
I might be persuaded to leave ABU
if City put together a run of title successes but I’m not convinced that will
happen. I certainly wouldn’t bet against United coming back next season, having
just lost out on goal difference this year. Defensively they are almost impregnable while the
ageless pair of Giggs and Scholes will be back for another season, playing as
well as ever. Wayne Rooney appears at the peak of his considerable powers well
supported by the likes of Hernandez and Valencia though their midfield needs
bolstering. The memory of that 6-1
shellacking at Old Trafford (the size of the victory ultimately decided the
title) should be enough motivation to do better next time round.
City meanwhile may struggle to keep
up the momentum next season and could be distracted by a longer European
campaign. They will have money to spend
in the summer but there will be much to spend it on with bad boys Tevez and
Balotelli and relative failure Dzeko all likely to move on. They also rely too much of Yaya Toure which is
great when he is on the park, but a risky policy as shown when he limped off
injured against QPR. Like United however, Mancini has drilled them into a
formidable defensive unit with Kompany and company backed up by Joe Hart who
has the chance to earn back the good name of English goalkeepers that was lost
around 20 years ago.
Chelsea and Arsenal will continue
to flip around for third and fourth with Tottenham there or thereabouts.
Redknapp has proved a shrewd acquisitor of talent in the transfer market with
Van der Vaart and Modric both inspired signings while developing the
considerable talents of Bale before the inevitable transfer to Old Trafford (or
maybe the City of Manchester stadium). I’m not sure if Newcastle’s season is a
one-off or they are back in the mix. Papiss Cisse was a sensation at the end of
the season as was Demba Ba at the start and getting them both to click at the
same time will be crucial to their chance.
My own team Liverpool look an
absolute shambles and it is probably just as well they did not win the cup
final as a second trophy would have disguised the fact it was their worst
season in living memory. The fact is if they keep their 2012 form into next
season, they would have to be among the relegation candidates. Their new
stadium plans are in disarray, King Kenny’s crown is in tatters and they are a
long way from getting back into the Top Four let alone making a title
challenge. Gerrard is looking past it,
Suarez and Carroll is not working, and none of Downing, Adams or Henderson have
risen to the challenge. It’s difficult to see anything but hard times for the
Reds in 2012-2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment