The Club:
After leading the Eastlands side to a good third place in the league, the money that has been invested has at least started to look as if it is on the brink of big rewards. They walked away with the FA Cup and now will be the season when they have to start looking forward to even bigger success. The Premier League. The Champions League. There are new tests ahead for Manchester City and their boss Roberto Mancini. The balancing act of trying to be successful in Europe and on the domestic front is not easy, but City do have a big squad to utilise. Beating Arsenal to the third automatic Champions League place last season was a massive boost, and it came on the back of three straight wins to close out the season. They still will need to prove that they can handle themselves better against the other top sides, but the potential is definitely there. More pressure than ever will now be upon the shoulders of Roberto Mancini to ensure that he gets it all out of them. There will be high focus and low prices on Manchester City Premier League betting at the start of the season.
Players/Manager:
Well, it is back for another crack at the Premier League title for boss Roberto Mancini. He has landed the services of Argentinean striker Sergio Aguero for around £38 million and it is another earmark that the club is still looking forward. The striker was much in demand and although Aguero’s national team mate Diego Forlan stated that the youngster would be better suited to Chelsea, Aguero himself is keen to grow at Manchester City. There is of course the whole Carlos Tevez saga still rumbling on around Man City. It looked more and more likely that last season’s top scorer for the club was going to be making his way to South America with Corinthians, but it all fell though. Tevez, according to his agent, will remain committed fully to Man City’s cause, but rumours are that he still wants away, so we don’t know how much he will be utilised or how game he will really be. The Tevez saga has dominated the headlines out of Eastlands, but of course they still have tremendous firepower there, with Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko to name but a few. They have bolstered their defensive ranks by taking Gael Clichy from Arsenal, which must be a huge blow for the Gunners. City will of course continue to be linked to every name under the sun out there, but there really doesn’t appear to be much more that Mancini can do for the club at the moment. There is a 25 man squad limit of course in the Premier League this season, and with the likes of Adam Johnson, David Silva and James Milner scrapping for places in the side already, they have the squad to go very far. Weigh up the depths of the squads of the top four and Manchester City are in the best position of all of them. That may have to count for big decisions in your Manchester City betting season, and while it comes with pitfalls of player management, it should help deal with injuries and extra fixtures better.
Last Season: 3rd
A third place finish for Manchester City last year, level on points with second placed Chelsea. All in all a very solid showing from City. They weren’t without their critics, because Mancini put his men out in some really dire displays of football. Caution was definitely the key word of the day, as they would keep things tight and hope for a very Italian beautiful goal to win the game. That was the general pattern, and while success was coming it was coming at a price. Will City be more expansive this time around, or will City bore their way to the Premier League title, just like Chelsea did under Jose Mourinho?
2011/12 Manchester City Premier League Betting Projection:
Well Manchester City definitely have the squad. There is no question of that. There is always the question of having to rotate players and keep everyone happy, but in the end, Mancini handled it all pretty well last season. It was far from being a perfect season, but it was a step in the right direction and that can’t be denied. It is unlikely that Mancini can afford just to equal his success, he must do better, and gun hard for the title. When City did open up last year, especially after the turn of the New Year, their defence kind of fell apart. They had been matching Chelsea well in the defensive department, but suddenly it all went to pieces. City though have options up front to compensate, but they need to be smarter in terms of tactics and finding that balance. Hopefully we will see a bit more attractive football from them, because all of the money spent shouldn’t be to bore their own fans. That will be the once criticism from them from last year, that they did not go in for the kill often enough when they should have. They were not brave enough in countless situations (remember the Manchester derby yawn-fest) and simply not savvy enough. Maybe that will all be worked out with time, but Mancini somehow needs to keep a solid side going and not get suckered into too many changes. There is the added imposition of the Champions League for City this time around, so that is extra fixtures for the key players. How will Mancini handle that? Very interesting season ahead for City, one in which they must deliver.
Finishing Position: Title Contenders
Premier League Winner Odds:
9/2 at William Hill
First Three Fixtures
August 15th: Man City v Swansea
August 21st: Bolton v Man City
August 28th: Tottenham v Man City
BACK TO 2011/12 PREMIER LEAGUE BETTING GUIDE
