Do Harry’s words highlight an uncomfortable truth?
After facing the side his team beat to a fourth place finish last season, the Tottenham Hotspur boss, Harry Redknapp’s comments were particularly forthright. A 0-0 home draw with Manchester City at the weekend was followed by this friendly concern for his opposite number, Roberto Mancini: “Can he keep the players happy? It’s difficult. He’s not going to do it.” He may have felt emboldened to make such a claim after his side largely dominated their opponents whose bench included Shay Given, Joleon Lescott and Emmanuel Adebayor. Redknapp went further by saying, “I wouldn’t tip them from what I’ve seen. I wouldn’t say they’ll win the championship. They have a long way to go.” The Tottenham boss has a vested interest in seeing their lavish football project fail but do his words speak an uncomfortable truth for Manchester City?
Having spent over £100 million this summer there is immense pressure on City to qualify for the Champions League at the very least this season. It is little wonder that Mancini can be depicted as having simultaneously the best and worst job in the division. Based on their performance against Spurs they may struggle to reach their ambitions targets. Tottenham were collectively strong and had outstanding individual contributions from Gareth Bale and Luka Modric whilst City were kept level by the outstanding performance of Joe Hart. Mancini proffered this explanation: “We are going to need time to learn how to play together. That is normal when you have new players.” The Italian will have the enviable task of assimilating Mario Balotelli and James Milner into the squad in the coming weeks.
It is to be expected that a revamped squad will require time to gel and bond. Redknapp contrasted City’s team unity with that of current title holders Chelsea. Yet the core of that squad has been stable for many years making it a slightly perfunctory analysis. It is surely too soon to speculate on the chances of a squad still in flux, especially since Redknapp only recently said they had a chance of winning the league. Nonetheless his comments struck a chord with pundits and commentators who similarly questioned the ability of Mancini to mould a coherent side. After using three defensive midfielders on Saturday the manger’s tactics were derided as being negative and typically Italian. Using Gareth Barry, Nigel de Jong and Yaya Toure certainly ostracised Carlos Tevez as their lone striker. Strangely they were in desperate need of a Stephen Ireland figure to bridge that creative divide. Mancini, however, should be applauded for the defensive discipline he has installed in his players. Judging by his record at Internazionale and the attacking players he has there will be room for flair in his team. Yet there is a balance which needs to be found which was missing under previous manager, Mark Hughes.
The bigger concern for Mancini’s City is instilling that togetherness which cannot be bought. He has already taken proactive action to remove divisive characters like Craig Bellamy from the dressing room with others set to depart the club. In an attempt to forge some unity and make room for new stars, Mancini should be cautious of not removing elements of the team which progressed five league places last season. Cardiff City’s latest signing left Eastlands saying, “I came here at a great period of the club’s history. I was brought to bring that club on to the next level and I believe I played a big part in doing that.” Bellamy who was popular at City was not engaging in self-promotion and his on-field effort neatly contrasts with Tevez’s statement that he is lacking motivation. If City’s highly paid stars are in need of extra motivation and spirit Mancini should remind them that the whole league is waiting for them to fail.
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It’s virtually impossible to forecast City yet, but with the quality the have, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that they can become a major force in the EPL.
Mancini is a little negative in his approach, but wasn’t Mourinho with Chelsea?, and it took Jose a season before fully getting to grips with our game. The worst thing for City but the best thing for everyone else is that City’s owners get jumpy at the first signs of failure and dump him, but if they remain behind him, I’m certain City will be up there, against an ailing Man Utd and ageing Chelsea.
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Until energy drugs are stopped. Man City and Spurs and other top Teams will get beat by teams on paper costing nothing. This is the five man midfield biggest signing costing next to nothing and preventing teams form playing by High Tempo closing down its behind most shock results . Its got to be stopped or clubs will go broke trying to beat it and footballers will keep dying sudden and unexpected. This is does not mean any of these sad deaths are from Ephedrine or any other substance its mainly because this drug has History of sudden deaths and i was told and already new by testers its rife and they cant catch them well if i can see it week in and out then surly they can or maby they are ingnoring it because of the scale of it or Football his in denial. Was i shocked at Spurs struggling to contain a team who had lost 4 of there 5 opening fixtures the sad answer is no and i taped it because i couldn’t stand to see it unfold they ran an extra 5 miles to beat us and this is the dammning facts that will Kill football and players unless more fans ask questios about Teams 451 high tempo games its not City’s millions that is the worry but energised teams
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@therumourman
Genuine nutter… I think it’s more likely to be the increased adrenaline caused by the excitement of playing big teams. It happens week in week out in the Premier League, with teams like Stoke working hard against the top teams and getting results. Despite this, the last sudden death of a Premiership player was Marc-Vivienne Foe. I think you’re barking up the wrong tree buddy.
On a serious note, Man City will win a lot of games due to having better individuals, but against good teams, who also have 11 good individuals, they will struggle.
Prediction: 6th
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Lol Blanco, was thinking of much the same thing, but equally thought it was a wind up by someone smoking very long fags with a strange odour. But 6th?, not for me 2-4th at least, too many good players and Mancini’s no mug, 2 Italian titles!, the guys a winner and will do it his way I feel.Hopefully, if for once the press are accurate, it could be homesickness that drives him off
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