EPL Team Profile: Manchester City
The formal name of the club is Manchester City Football Club.
Based in Aston, Birmingham, Manchester City are also referred to by one of many nicknames, such as the Citizens, the Blues, and City.
Their home venue is the City of Manchester Stadium, with its capacity of almost 48,000.
The Blues have been acquired recently by the Dubai based United Group headed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The Chairman is Khaldoon Al Mubarak, and the manager, Robert Mancini.
The Citizens came within a whisker of fourth place on the Premiership table, last year, inishing fifth, overall.
In the two matches played so far, in the ongoing season, City have drawn the first (0-0 against Aston Villa) and won the second (3-0 against Liverpool).
Pre-season Review:
A top four slot is clearly the target for Robert Mancini, this season, and he has accordingly sought bolster his team, in every aspect.
Mancini’s ambitions for the club have been greatly boosted by City’s new Arab owners who have granted the team manager a generous transfer kitty, leading to big signings.
Clearly, Mancini’s continuation at City’s helm will depend on whether or not the squad break into the top four.
The absence of the Champions League, in the ongoing season, will make the coach’s job that much tougher, as big name players aren’t known to take too kindly to being benched often.
Centre half Kolo Toure could be the fulcrum in defence that will allow an all out attack strategy to function more smoothly.
Kolo’s vast experience against Europe’s big name strikers, in the Champions League, will stand him in good stead as he works with Jerome Boateng and Aleksander Kolarov, both signed this season, to shut out rival attacks.
In goal, City have an embarrassment of riches, as Shay Given and Joe Hart fight it out for the top spot.
Hart has come in from a great showing with Birmingham City, and he is in the running for pride of place in the England national squad.
The following players comprise the Blues:
Hart, Toure, Richards, Kolarov, Kompany, Yaya Toure, Wright-Phillips, Barry, De Jong, Tevez, Silva, Zabaleta, Given, Adam Johnson,Adebayor, Vieira, Lescott, and Jo.
The biggest signings this season are arguably Yaya Toure and David Silva. The defence has been bolstered by the entry of Boateng and Kolarov.
Other than Sylvinho and Benjani, the squad haven’t seen any major departures. Stephen Ireland has left for Villa Park, as part of a trade for James Milner joining City from Aston Villa.
Spurs earned the coveted fourth spot in the Champions League, last season, and City will be biding their time, this season. But the absence of the Champions League in their scheme of things could work to City’s advantage in a year of high aspiration.
Given their resources, this season, Manchester City should find themselves a top Four spot, if they play to potential.
Can they go all the way?
About the Author (Author Profile)
Jinxatious is the Chief Editor of SportingAttitude.com
An avid writer, on an eclectic range of subjects, he brings to bear editorial experience garnered with a national newspaper in South-East Asia. He also has sportscasting experience, as a cricket commentator, and his passion for sport extends beyond Cricket, to Football, Tennis, and Olympic Sports.
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