Pellegrini is the man to take City places

New Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini could be the man to bring happiness to the Citizens following his arrival from Malaga this season, replacing Italian Roberto Mancini.

Friday, August 23, 2013
Dr Joseph Kamugisha

New Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini could be the man to bring happiness to the Citizens following his arrival from Malaga this season, replacing Italian Roberto Mancini.The new City boss will bring his aggressive attacking style in the Premier League, a feat that could be crucial for the club’s title ambitions this season. The Chilean will bring a fighting mentality that was missing last season at the City of Manchester Stadium.He likes to limit his opponent’s flow of movement in the midfield, and it is possibly the reason he signed Fernandinho from Shakatar Donetsk. The Brazilian is very dynamic and aggressive; he will form a formidable combination with Yaya Toure in City midfield. Stefan Jovetic, signed from Fiorentina, is also the same kind of player but a bit more offensive.Pellegrini likes players, who get into spaces very quickly with a good tempo and a high intensity, which is why he signed Jesus Navas from Sevilla.Navas is very quick and likes going forward every time the ball is played to him. He does not hesitate in the penalty box and will give Manchester City options in the attack. His style of play is different from that of his Spanish compatriot David Silva. Manuel Pellegrini could be the man to re-ignite the Citizens’ Champions League ambitions following disappointing early exits in the two successive seasons under Mancini. Last season, they finished bottom of the group behind Borrussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, and Ajax Amsterdam.They have also been drawn in a ‘group of death’ in the previous two seasons and will be looking to escape this ghost when the draws are announced next week.Pellegrini might be the man to help City qualify for the knock-out phase of Europe’s biggest club competition.Manchester City finished in the second position last season behind sworn enemies Manchester United, but they are among serious contenders for the title this season. Though it is always very hard to predict who would win the Barclays Premier League title at the beginning of the season, City along with Chelsea, should be front-runners.They seem to have much strength in depth than their closest rivals Manchester United and Arsenal.  City summer signings Navas, Alvaro Negredo, Jovetic and Fernandinho will not only add quality but give the coach options in terms of team tactics.They started their season with a 4-0 win over Newcastle United, and both the result and performance must have sent a chilling warming to their rivals.They seem to be well-fixed in terms of fixtures as their next opponents is newcomers Cardiff City, Hull City and Stoke City before the Manchester derby on September 22. One would expect City to win their next three games, which can only put them in a better position before playing their biggest fixture of the season against the defending champions, who put four past Swansea City in their opening fixture.United and Chelsea will be Man City’s biggest threat for the Premier League title. Chelsea have been rejuvenated by the return of Jose ‘the Special One’ Mourinho from Real Madrid, while United, even without their father-figure Sir Alex Ferguson,  will always be contender under David Moyes.However, Chelsea have a tricky Premier league game against Manchester United on Monday before they could take on European champions, Bayern Munich in the UEFA Super Cup on Friday.After Chelsea, United follow it up with another full-blooded fixture against Liverpool next weekend. Tight fixture scheduled for United and Chelsea only give Pellegrini and his team the chance to take the early initiative in the title race.Nonetheless, the new era at City could affect some players like Samir Nasri, James Milner and Gareth Barry, who seem to be surplus to requirements.