Carry on drinking...
By Dave Walker
It’s fair to say that all Manchester City
fans are extraordinarily well hydrated as the Community Shield showdown with
Chelsea beckons… well, we have been ‘drinking it in’ for the past three months,
haven’t we?
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| Mancini: Can he lead us to more success? Photo: Dino Panato/Getty Images Europe |
City supporters will have long since
reached saturation point after the giddying events of May 13 and the now
immortal Martin Tyler Sky Sports commentary of ‘Aguuuuerrrrrroooo’, but it’s
now time to start all over again if the MCFC ‘dynasty’ is to continue to flow
smoothly.
In Roberto Mancini, the Blues have a manager who
possesses a relentless drive for success – an unquenchable thirst – which augurs
well for plenty more ‘drinking time’ for years to come.
For the second successive year the sky blue
side of Manchester will contest the season’s curtain-raiser, albeit in the
downsized surroundings of Villa Park due to Wembley playing host to the
Olympics.
It’s a case of ‘as you were’ for the
reigning Premier League Champions following a curiously puzzling and, slightly
perplexing, period of transfer inactivity.
The spectre of Platini’s ill conceived
Financial Fair Play looms large, but nonetheless, Mancini and City fans alike
are still convinced top quality reinforcements will arrive before September 1.
It’s quite the opposite down the Kings Road
in London, where the newly crowned European champions have splashed Roman’s
roubles like a cloudburst in June.
Eden Hazard, Oscar, Marko Marin & Thorgan Hazard (Hazard junior) have all arrived at a cost approaching £65m in fees alone, as Roberto De Matteo
injects youth and vitality into what were the rapidly ageing Chelsea
pensioners.
But despite the unexpected frugality
emanating from the Etihad, Mancini’s men should still have enough in their armory
as they seek to start the season as they mean to go on – with a win and
silverware.
Arguably, the upside of no newcomers is
that City will launch into the new season with players even more accustomed to
each other, born of past triumphs and a well cultivated team spirit.
The big question lies in Mancini’s
defensive formation, having displayed a propensity for playing with three at
the back during pre-season friendlies. In Roberto we trust, and, if nothing
else it is reassuring to know that City have not stagnated tactically – far
from it.
Tevez is as good as a new signing -
considering his five month absence last time out - with the added bonus of him
looking razor sharp – the result of a full pre-season regime for the first time
with City.
His partnership with Aguero promises to
terrorise the Premier League and, along with Balotelli and Dzeko, who would bet
against the quartet bagging a minimum 70 goals between them?
If reinforcements are to arrive, possibly
in the shape of Roma’s Daniele De Rossi, Athletic Bilbao’s Javi Martinez and
Liverpool’s Daniel Agger, they will serve to add steel to City’s defensive play
and only complement the abundance of riches in attack.
With Silva and Balotelli likely to be
missing on Sunday, it’ll be interesting to see Mancini’s team selection,
formation and tactics, but whatever they are, City fans will surely be raising
their glasses once more to toast victory on Sunday afternoon.
Player watch
Yaya Toure vs Frank Lampard
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| Photo 1: Johannes SimonGetty Images Europe Photo 2: Mark Thompson/Getty Images Europe |
City’s talisman and powerhouse Yaya is the
man who really makes the champions tick, especially when unleashed behind the
potent Argentinian led attack.
His midfield dominance could be a critical
component in a City victory whereas a fully fit and in form Lampard would
undoubtedly pose a threat to Mancini’s me. He may be the wrong side of 30 but
his vision and shooting range should never be underestimated.
Whichever of the two is best able to link
their side’s defence with their attack will most likely emerge the victor from
an entertaining encounter.
Chelsea vs. Man City 2014-15 will be the big clash. Chelsea will be ahead of the match because of top scoring player Diego Costa and Eden Hazard in the field.
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