On Tuesday, Manchester City were crowned Premier League champions for the third successive time. To be fair, it took them eight seasons to do that last time, but it was a fairly famous achievement. However, it looks like it could be a case of third time lucky.
As the weeks and months pass, the ‘Who should City buy?’ debate will roar back into life, with the media linking City’s defeat at Selhurst Park to the need to strengthen the squad. But should the Blues be worried about their lack of goals, or are the 8 goals they have scored this season more than enough?
In simple terms, an outbound transfer is when a player is sold by an English club to a foreign team. In the English Premier League, its a big deal; after all, Manchester City sold Robinho to a Serie A team for a reported £25 million, a record for an English international. In this article, we’ll look at whether such a deal is a good idea, and if it is, whether Man City can afford it.. Read more about man city news and let us know what you think.
It would be a mistake to conclude that Manchester City has too many problems based only on their 1-0 loss to Tottenham.
When City loses, it is seen as a disaster. When they don’t score, it’s much worse.
So much has been said about how their failure to score on Sunday demonstrated how much they need a new center-forward to properly defend their championship, regardless of whether they acquire Tottenham striker Harry Kane.
That is something with which I disagree. Yes, they struggled in the final third against Tottenham, and I understand why their supporters were upset, but you have to give Tottenham credit for their organization and hard ethic in keeping City quiet.
City didn’t have the rock-solid defense we’d come to expect from them last season, but then again, it wasn’t their regular back four on the field.
When you consider the players Pep Guardiola still has to get back to his squad in all areas, there is no need to be concerned about the reigning champions moving ahead.
We know this because we questioned them last season after a poor start, but they came on strong and ended up dominating despite playing without a designated number nine for the most of the season.
That is something you must remember right now. I wouldn’t look at this game in isolation and conclude that City needs Kane or someone else to win the Premier League, just as I wouldn’t conclude that they have suddenly developed defensive problems because they struggled at the back against Spurs.
Why do we have faith in Man City’s ability to recover?
In the first half, Ferran Torres did not touch the ball in the Tottenham area. After the interval, he had his finest chance after getting on the end of a Joao Cancelo cross at the near post, but he couldn’t hit the goal.
Ferran Torres was assigned the primary striker position for City’s match against Spurs, but he failed to impress.
I’m sure there’s a lot more to come from him since he’s just 21 and has the skills to play everywhere in a front three.
As Spain went into Euro 2020, I felt he was fantastic on the left or right flank. That broader function is very likely his greatest fit.
He’s OK as a City back-up centre-forward right now, but I wouldn’t want to watch him play there every week. He’s a young player learning the ropes of a tough position.
It’s a specialized job that you grow into and get used to over time, like Kane has done for years and years, becoming better and better at it.
Gabriel Jesus, I believe, is more suited to playing in that position for City on a regular basis, and he is more likely to be the go-to choice once he is fully fit.
Pep Guardiola describes new Manchester City acquisition Jack Grealish as “fantastic.”
Of course, signing Kane would enhance City’s offense from last season since he’s a fantastic player, but even if they don’t sign him, they’ll still be towards the top of the league.
While City’s performance on Sunday was disappointing, there were some positives. Jack Grealish is still getting used to his new surroundings and teammates, but he performed well in his first game.
He began in a midfield three with Fernandinho and Ilkay Gundogan to his left, with Raheem Sterling to his right, and he displayed some excellent link-up play while rotating his position.
Grealish looked as assured as ever, demanding the ball and only losing it on rare occasions. He came close to scoring early on when he was fouled on the edge of the box, and although he did not reach the heights we know he is capable of, I believe he can be satisfied with his effort.
He didn’t have the debut he had hoped for, but given City’s talent and experience, you know they’ll bounce back fast. He’ll play a significant role in it.
Why Tottenham’s strategy worked so well
I don’t believe it’s fair to single out Manchester City’s problems and say their offense wasn’t good enough or speak about who they were missing, because I felt Nuno Espirito Santo’s team put in a fantastic performance, particularly in defense.
Because he was throwing himself about so much against Grealish and Sterling, Japhet Tanganga stood out at right-back.
However, the whole back four performed well in one-on-one situations, and their positional play was excellent. They did an excellent job of defending crosses, and despite having a couple of decent opportunities early on, they restricted City’s chances in front of goal in the second half.
Spurs were set up as I’d anticipate, with a three-man midfield shielding their back four and the forward three attempting to play on the break.
It worked well, and as the game progressed, they seemed to be posing a greater danger.
They were energised by the fans, and I felt Lucas Moura was excellent, probably their greatest player, not just for his offensive performance on the break, but also for his determination and defensive effort in the other direction.
To beat City, you’ll need that type of performance and attitude from all of your players, as well as the proper game strategy.
Danny Murphy was chatting with Chris Bevan of Sport.
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