da jogodeouro： Looking back on Manchester City’s transfer window, it’s fair to say they did their business early.
da 888： And it was a successful window. Some pundits have talked all summer about City’s title-winning credentials, even if most picked another team to win the league. The agenda often seems to be a case of trying to pin a particular cliche Pep Guardiola’s side: they’ve spent so much money that they ought to win the league. But if City ought to win the league this year, it’s not because they have the most money. It’s because they have the best squad.
Last year, most wondered if Pep Guardiola was mad. Some though that because of his methods, his insistence on his goalkeeper playing out from the back or even his view that Sergio Aguero could be improved upon. Others simply wondered how Manchester City could win the league with a quartet of full-backs you might find in a charity shop, half of whom were offloaded by Arsenal (of all teams) years ago.
But after spending a summer strengthening in exactly this position, City now look re-energised. Even if a deal for Alexis Sanchez could be dragged over the line, depriving the Blues’ front line of another world class forward.
And yet, despite the additions and the fact that the squad doesn’t have an obvious weak area, City are still in a worrying position.
Without a new defensive midfielder and a new centre back, the squad is still reliant on two players with a history of long-term injuries. The midfield spot, where Ilkay Gundogan, will be welcomed back after the international break, looks less important with Fernandinho and Yaya Toure who can deputise, but after missing out on Jonny Evans, it feels like City could be overly exposed at the back – just like last season – if Vincent Kompany suffers another recurrence of an injury problem which has plagued the last two years of his career.
With the captain in the team, City are a different proposition. Without him, they will be vulnerable on the counter-attack as well as lacking in a natural leader who can marshal his troops effectively. When Kompany doesn’t play it’s not the hole he leaves in the defence which is evident. There’s even more to it than that: suddenly Nicolas Otamendi looks hopelessly rash and quick to commit himself, whilst John Stones is even more mistake prone.
And that’s the paradox of City’s window. The squad overhaul which was thoroughly needed saw the club spend more in one window than any Premier League club has ever done, and yet every penny was necessary. Every signing was needed not just to make the side stronger but to replace significant weak spots.
It’s been a successful window for City, who now look more equipped to deal with what both the Premier League and European competition can throw at them this season. But there are still significant areas of concern if injuries hit the squad. So far, though, things are definitely looking like turning out well for Pep Guardiola in his second season in English football.