Man City aren't at their best but only one team can challenge them for the title
Is this current team vintage Manchester City? Not so far. Are they a team struggling in transition? Fat chance.
Put it this way, they’ve not been as fluent and as dominant as last season’s all-conquering side, which goes down as amongst the best in football history. Hell, they’ve even lost two and drawn two. But look where they are.
If this is a transition, it’s seamless by every other club in world football’s standards. And I would repeat what I said in this column last week - the title will be won by whoever finishes above City.
People say they’re not playing well, they were poor against Liverpool, lacked their edge. They were playing a fantastic team who have a great record against them, and one of the best managers in history.
Cautious? Why wouldn’t you be against a Klopp side who are dangerous against anyone. But look where they are in the table. They’re quite obviously the team to beat. Which is why I’m going to have to give an honest and blunt answer to the question of whether Spurs have any chance at the Etihad this weekend. Not really.
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Yeah, I know Tottenham have a decent record against Pep Guardiola’s team, five wins in their last seven Premier League games against City is so astonishing, I had to check it twice! Since Guardiola moved to Manchester, no side has beaten him more or scored more goals against them, not even Liverpool.
But this is a different Spurs manager than the ones who found the Kryptonite to make City fall apart. This is a different approach and a different mindset…and while I know Tottenham fans will welcome it after the dour stuff under the previous two bosses, it won’t necessarily help this weekend.
Tottenham started the season brilliantly under Ange Postecoglou, but remain light years behind City (AP)Under Ange Postecoglou they started the season brilliantly, vibrantly, and it was refreshing. But reality was always going to set in at some point. How far were Spurs behind City last season? Yep, light years. They’re not making that up in six months.
If the real City turn up, they win. Not that they always have this season, but in most games, a fairly convincing copy of City has turned up and they’ve won.
Why are Tottenham collapsing now? Simple. Their squad isn’t yet deep enough to challenge, and it always catches up on you. And if that’s their weakness, then it is Manchester City’s superpower.
Injuries to star players like Kevin de Bruyne have not diminished City's dominance (Getty Images)People say they are missing the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and John Stones, that injuries have diminished them. They haven’t. Because whatever team they put out, whatever injuries they have, they are still dominant.
This is the point where their critics say that’s all down to money, and yeah, it helps. There is a real art to putting a squad together and keeping everyone happy. So many managers fail at that.
You can’t just go out and sign 30 superstars and say 19 of you will be second or third choice. It would all collapse within weeks. So it’s a balance of stars, top professionals, young hungry players and kids coming through from the academy.
Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp got it right when they won all those trophies. Before that, Alex Ferguson always seemed to manage it. But you have to say Guardiola is the master. How many times do you hear City players complaining in public, like they have done at, say, Manchester United in recent years.
Pep seems to keep them all happy. Even the likes of Kalvin Phillips, though he’s played about eight games in 18 months, hasn’t leaked anything to the press. Jack Grealish when he’s not played much this season hasn’t mouthed off. They all seem to know this is the place to be.
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If there’s a secret to their success, beyond the obvious that they’ve got a load of talented players and a managerial great, then it’s that chemistry Guardiola and his recruitment team have in blending a balanced and harmonious squad.
Liverpool are the only team that can challenge City this season (Getty Images)They’re not all superstars. They’ve found some really top players at decent prices without inflated reputations and egos, and got them playing at the highest level. They’ve also pushed some kids of real talent through, who remain hungry. There are so few mistakes, and that takes skill and judgement, not just money.
Which is all a way of saying I don’t think the likes of Spurs, or Manchester United, Chelsea and even Arsenal will come close to challenging them for the title this season. If anyone will, and I’m not sure it will happen, then it will be Liverpool.
But you know how in games they seem to go up in gears when they need to. Well, it’s like that in seasons too…and they’ve hardly got out of second just yet.
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