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[size=1.2em]Manchester City's Premier League title hopes have faded dramatically following Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at home to bottom-of-the-table Sunderland, a result described by midfielder Fernandinho as 'a complete disaster'. [size=1.2em]A team that not so long ago were chasing an unprecedented quadruple now look like finishing Manuel Pellegrini’s first season in charge with just the Capital One Cup to show for their efforts. [size=1.2em]Sportsmail assesses where it has gone wrong for City, and what Pellegrini must put right in the summer. ![]() 2 P6 }! {9 }' \0 g K6 D: _* }9 ]
Falling short: Manchester City's title hopes have taken a tumble following a difficult week on the pitch ; ]; W$ i' A9 g# ?* U# s c
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, T3 R; m9 j# v J9 dLiving on a prayer: Manuel Pellegrini needs a minor miracle to overtake Liverpool and Chelsea now & E p" Z. `7 J8 z5 b/ r; N# `2 n
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[size=1.2em]TWO'S KOMPANY [size=1.2em]The failure to sign a world-class central defensive partner for captain Vincent Kompany has dogged Pellegrini from the start. [size=1.2em]Having spent more than ￡100million in other positions and then failed to prise Pepe from his old club Real Madrid, the City boss settled on Martin Demichelis, a cut-price alternative at ￡4m. ![]() : N H/ V" x5 |- }+ Z
Inspiration and exasperation: Vincent Kompany (left) is world class but Martin Demichelis (right) is a liability
# ~! x1 m, D1 f, N5 Z5 a+ V) A8 F[size=1.2em]The criticism levelled at the Argentine has not always been entirely fair, but he has emerged as the weak link in the team, despite the almost blind faith shown in him by the manager. [size=1.2em]City are already making plans to address the issue with talks over a ￡35m deal for FC Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala well advanced. [size=1.2em]FLAIR PLAY [size=1.2em]Pellegrini insists that he will not curb his attacking instincts but he might have to think again if he wants to get City over the line next season. [size=1.2em]You cannot fault his team's attacking flair this season in terms of entertainment; they have put six past Arsenal, seven past Norwich, 11 past Tottenham over two games and demolished Manchester United twice in the derby. ![]() $ n* C/ L- ^1 \; a/ ~! V
Blow: City were outfoxed by Chelsea at the Etihad in February, when Branislav Ivanovic scored the winner
* i* e1 X5 Y& s! M8 [- D& n* w[size=1.2em]However, all six Premier League defeats this season have been by one goal. Against Chelsea at the Etihad in February, Jose Mourinho outfoxed Pellegrini with a counter-attacking masterclass while, at Anfield on Sunday, City’s refusal to sit on a 2-2 draw that would have suited them far more than Liverpool cost them dear. [size=1.2em]A little less cavalier, a little more caution might go a long way next time. [size=1.2em]ANCHORMAN II [size=1.2em]No-one can question that the ￡30million deal for Fernandinho last summer was money well spent. The Brazilian has been a key figure for City this season, anchoring the midfield and allowing Yaya Toure the freedom to shine. [size=1.2em]But City need another defensive midfielder, either to fill in for one of those two or to give Pellegrini the option of pushing Toure into a more advanced position where he can do more damage. Javi Garcia has shown a slight improvement but Jack Rodwell has never settled since moving from Everton, and both players could be offloaded in the summer. [size=1.2em]City pursued Fernando from FC Porto in January and it would be a surprise if they did not try to resurrect that deal. ![]()
1 s+ e. S. [) ] r3 ISet him free: Yaya Toure has been City's driving force... but only when he is allowed to roam the pitch free 7 {. p7 K9 {3 G; z2 h, s& e: f
[size=1.2em]STRIKE-OUT [size=1.2em]It’s a sign of how much City’s breathtaking goal output has dropped off since the end of January that Sergio Aguero was still the team’s top scorer when he returned to the starting line-up against Sunderland despite a third lengthy layoff of the season. [size=1.2em]Keeping Aguero free of soft tissue injuries will obviously benefit the team in future, but they may also need to look at bringing in a world-class striker to help him. ![]() + J0 L$ N/ u# k( N
Fragile: Sergio Aguero is City's star striker but the Argentine has spent three long spells on the sidelines 6 b# x: |+ |# ~1 Q, A" u9 y% I
[size=1.2em]The Beast, Alvaro Negredo, seems to have lost his bite after a ferocious start, Edin Dzeko continues to divide opinion and may well be sold in the summer despite talk of a new contract, and a succession of injuries have prevented Stevan Jovetic from living up to expectations since his arrival from Fiorentina. [size=1.2em]Edinson Cavani, Radamel Falcao and Diego Costa could all be on the market this summer, and it will be interesting to see if City are among the bidders despite the constraints of Financial Fair Play. [size=1.2em]MATTER OF TRUST [size=1.2em]Pellegrini acknowledged at the start of the season that he had the strongest squad in the Premier League; he has two top players in each position. And yet, when it has come down it, the manager appears to have had a problem trusting fringe players like Javi Garcia, James Milner, Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards. ![]() 9 Z; E& D! l9 F, j8 E1 l* w( B
On the fringes: James Milner has not been trusted by Pellegrini, despite several crucial contributions this term
6 L& }8 Y- p) N[size=1.2em]With City chasing trophies on four fronts for much of the season, it has piled the workload onto his key men, and it is perhaps no coincidence that Yaya Toure, David Silva and Vincent Kompany are among those struggling with injuries as the title race hits the home straight. [size=1.2em]Pellegrini must either learn to trust his squad players or replace them with some he can.
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发表于 2014-4-18 18:59
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发表于 2014-4-18 19:01
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