The Citizens can strike back!

The date: May 14, 2012.

The Teams: Manchester City and QPR

The Moment: HISTORY WAS CREATED. For the first time in 44 years, Manchester City broke thousands of hearts at Old Trafford, and elsewhere, by triumphing in the English Premier League. And who else but the son-in law of the great Diego Maradona to score the winner which resulted in the Etihad erupting with joy and Old Trafford sinking to silence, albeit after a short burst of celebration. What a wonderful day of football it was! Two clubs vying for the championship and exchanging turns to be at the top of the table right through the day, until the final moments which saw Aguero scoring the winner.

At Present: It has been another gripping season with a flurry of new signings from both the Manchester clubs. The acquisition of the talismanic Robin Van Persie has added that spark in their already talented arsenal. His consistency at netting goals has been a major factor in Manchester United holding a 7 point lead over current champions Manchester City. On paper, City has some of the best forwards you could ever ask for in a team, namely Tevez, Aguero, the volatile Balotelli and the super sub Edin Dzeko. Even in the midfield, they have terrific playmakers in the form of Yaya Toure, David Silva and James Milner. These names alone are enough to intimidate any opposition. Add to that a fairly credible defense with Kompany, Clichy, Kolarov and the one defender who loves scoring, Zabaleta. Joe Hart adds the best value to the team as a reliable goalkeeper with terrific reflexes. The new acquisitions have not had much to contribute though, with Sinclair not able to make the best of the limited opportunities and Razak hardly getting to play. Maicon and Garcia have been the big names associated with the recent signings, but even they have not come to the party too often. Anyhow, City has now established itself as a force to be reckoned with, and everybody acknowledges that fact. There are just certain areas Mancini would have to work with come 2013, while hoping for some results to go his way as well.

NUMBER ONE: At times, one does get a feeling that in comparison to certain other clubs, Man City does not have the pace in the midfield. Players like Silva and Nasri rely more on dribbles and short passes, while they need at least one player who can offer direct play, real width and lightening pace (Walcott and Bale come storming into your mind). They should look to sign a player with this attribute for sure!

NUMBER TWO: Like I mentioned already, the signings have to always be an upgrade on the status quo. That is not what happened last season, as the new recruits were hardly of any match to the then existing crop of talent (Aguero, Silva, Balotelli, Yaya). So, the market movement in the transfer window has to be dealt with in a more holistic way, keeping in mind the balance of the team.

NUMBER THREE: Tactical confusion should be avoided at all times. Many a time, we have found Mancini rotating his players or changing the 4 man defence formation in back to back games. What happens here is that the team is never in a state of stability and equilibrium, always susceptible to change. If that can be avoided, better results could be had.

Well, it’s a new year and it is abound with new possibilities. Last year, City overturned an 8 POINT LEAD United held over it five weeks before the QPR match, and won the championship. What is the lead at this stage, again? IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING.