I think it will be very tight between those 4 but would put my money on Chelsea. As for a team breaking into the top 4/6, that is exactly what Blackburn's rich owners are intending and they've got billions to spend.
I know they are, but so are Arsenal and arguably Tottenham. But in terms of current standing, Chelsea are ahead of all 3. It's not that simple though Ciaran. If it was, Chelsea would win it every season. The manager is very important as well, and Mancini is not that great. Spirit and attitude are also crucial, and the City dressing room is a joke at times. Without Tevez they'd have been half the team last season; he's the captain, top-scorer, inspiration and creative spark. Will he still be there this season? If so, he'll be there against his will, surely this will affect his performances. Aguero might be a top young player, but can he go from the comfort zone at Atletico to the pressure of being the main man at a PL title challenging team? Personally I think City will finish no higher than last season.
The FA cup and joint 2nd in the league last season would lead me to believe that Mancini is a pretty good boss Jip. I like the guy. In regards to the dressing room, how do we know that it is 'a joke' at times? Paper talk? All dressing rooms with 25 big headed you men in it will have some problems, Fergie has had his fair share of run ins through the years. Look at the trouble with Rooney last year when he said he wanted to leave. United still went on to win the league. Quality players will perform regardless I think. Tevez has never been one to throw the toys out on the pitch when it matters so if he stays (I think he will) he will still give 100% I believe. People said the same about United going down hill when they sold Ronaldo, they won the league last season.
Mancini is too defensive for my liking and could cost them winning the league. Having two holding midfielders against the ****ty teams is a joke, when the opposition have 9 behind the ball you need more creativity to break them down and having Toure/Barry/DeJong isn't always going to see you through games. Man Utd or Chelsea for the title with Man City 2/3 I can see there being a top 3 this season and a decent sized gap before Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool come in to it.
The FA cup and 3rd in the league is quite modest for the huge amount they spent. A quality manager - Mourinho - far exceeded that in his first season in a similar situation. As for the dressing room, there's no smoke without fire. City didn't deny any of the reports if unrest either. Regarding Rooney/Tevez, the 2 results were very different. Rooney is now very happy, Tevez is still desperate to go. Rooney isn't captain at United either. As for Tevez's professionalism, it didn't last long at United. His second season performances at Old Trafford were a shadow of his first, even though he made more appearances than Rooney or Berbatov. When unhappy, though still racing around like a lunatic to keep the fans on his side, the actual quality of his play is below-par. United post-Ronaldo is a flawed comparison also. We still had the best manager in the world at the helm, a winning mentality coursing through the club (as opposed to regularly playing for draws against big rivals), and players with years of experience playing at the very highest level - successfully- together.
So in conclusion there is no comparison as United have a better team, mentality, manager and better looking fans with bigger dicks? I would love City to send Fergie into retirement with a bloody nose
Heritage is heritage. The big 4 are still the big 4 and a little bit of money doesn't change that overnight, all Man City have done is buy mercenary players looking for the pay deal of a lifetime along with some of the biggest ego's to boot
I'm not saying there's no comparison, just that they're not better than us, nor even on a par with us, as you seem to be suggesting by predicting them to finish above us in a 38 game league season. I'm sure you're not the only who wants to see City oust United, we're not exactly everybody's cup if tea are we? Do you have a favourite English side Ciaran?
How did Chelsea make it in to the top 4? Most clubs have flexed their financial prowess from time to time, Liverpool & Man Utd did it for years, Spurs have splashed the cash in the past, Leeds & Pompey tried & failed miserably at it. From next season it will be a top 3 of the 2 Manchester clubs & Chelsea with the rest a fair point distance away
You think that's spot on? You think Rooney plays for United because of their 'heritage'? He is an Everton fan who would have jumped ship without thinking twice if United had not upped his wages. Deny it to yourself if you want. He would have been wearing a City shirt without a backwards look.
It's either going to be Man U or Chelsea with the rest dragging behind... A two horse race again for the EPL (and with all that money floting around it!!!)
I think partly what made the so called "Top 4" was the champions league and the money received from it, thus creating a viscous cycle. The only way any other team was to break into this "monarchy" would be to spend money they weren't generating and so two options arose. a.) Have supper rich owners or B.) Run into serious debt Both Tottenham and Man City have done it via route a.) However as fifa, fair play regulations start to kick in, this option will become less viable and so the possibility of a new âTop 4â will emerge again. Teams will have to start focusing more on youth development as a way of breaking into to the top, rather than that of money. Or just spend their money very carefully such as that done under Everton.
It'll be United and Chelsea for 1st and 2nd with City and Arsenal very close for 3rd and 4th. Liverpool 5th, Tottenham 6th. I would say the rest of the league is quite even. The team who can break the Top 6 is probably Everton followed by Villa but then again both of these sides have two of the smallest squads in the league. Liverpool are hard to predict. They aren't in Europe, they won't have the FA Cup until January and so until then they only have the league to concentrate on. City, I think will go out to win the Champions League. They have never had the experience of juggling the League with going for the biggest prize in Europe so I believe they will come up short in the league. As Spurs did last season. If Tevez doesn't leave though it could be a different story. This season is genuinely difficult to predict. There isn't a stand out choice for me.
I'm not saying they haven't but for Man City fans to claim top 4 status after one season is laughable. At least Chelsea have won a few trophies to back it all up. There is a wider issue though that the 'Champions' league has created this whole stigma of finishing in the top 4 as being good enough, should any Gooner or Chelsea fan be happy at not winning the title? No but yet the lure of the CL money/prestige seems to sooth alot of them. My happiest time was to see dirty Leeds fail so miserably in their desperate chase of CL glory, having been a steward at Bellend Road I can honestly say I've never experienced such 'fans' anywhere else
Huth, which one of our players would you like to sign next? We have a lovely Nosworthy for show, 1 mil and he could be yours!
