Weekend Football Thoughts 2015 (August 22-24)

This is out a little later than I wanted to this week simply because I was out at a wedding on Sunday evening and that needed some recuperation time on Monday evening.

I do have a few thoughts from the third round of Premier League fixtures which were played last weekend as pre-season begins to be shaken out of the players and quality begins to make a difference in matches.

Louis Van Gaal's tactical issues

Any time a team begins a Premier League season with three consecutive clean sheets and seven points from a possible nine has to be applauded, but I can't help feel that Louis Van Gaal missed a trick in Manchester United's game against Newcastle United.

First things first, on another day Manchester United win that game with the chances created, but the goalless draw does raise some questions which need to be answered.

The chances created suggests Van Gaal got most things right on Saturday and needed perhaps a little more luck, although the final ball from some of the attacking players had to be better too. So I can't criticise that at all.

However, I am not convinced by the two deep-lying centre midfielders that Van Gaal relies upon in some of the games against teams Manchester United should be beating at Old Trafford. Bastian Schweinsteiger at least gets up and down the pitch, but bringing on Michael Carrick rather than Ander Herrera was a poor decision as Manchester United began to take control and push Newcastle backwards.

Herrera is a goalscorer who wants to get the side ticking forward, whereas both Carrick and Morgan Schneiderlin were not effective doing that. Neither is a goalscoring midfielder and I do feel Louis Van Gaal missed a trick by not employing the Spaniard in the second half to give Manchester United another attacking threat from midfield.

We can't always look back at the Sir Alex Ferguson years, but the gambles he took in tight games helped Manchester United become the force they are today and I just think Louis Van Gaal can take some of that element on board. It will be a big test for Manchester United at Swansea City next Sunday to show how much progression has been made at Old Trafford although I'd be happy to have the two shielding midfielders in an away game that is going to be very difficult to negotiate.

Slaven Bilic is under big pressure at Upton Park

I wonder how happy all those West Ham United fans that didn't like Sam Allardyce for not playing the 'West Ham way' are feeling at the moment? Slaven Bilic came in with a lot of positive sounds being made from the fans, but his opening weeks in charge have not been so good.

There were boos in the Europa League Qualifying Rounds, but Bilic had made it clear that competition was not his priority so I think some fans might have given their former player the benefit of the doubt.

A win at Arsenal seemed to justify Bilic's decision making in the Europa League, but back to back home losses to Leicester City and Bournemouth had the fans extremely upset. Those are bad losses for West Ham United who can't afford to be relegated before they move into their new Olympic Stadium and lose the huge financial rewards of the new television deal in the Premier League.

The Jekyll and Hyde nature of the West Ham United performances won't have helped how the fans perceive the team and I think Slaven Bilic is under big pressure already. The board can be a little nervy and they won't allow West Ham United to be sucked into a relegation battle while the next set of games are not exactly appealing with trips to Liverpool and Manchester City as well as a home game against Newcastle United to come.

Before he knows it, Slaven Bilic could be under immense pressure and perhaps fast hitting favouritism for next manager to leave his post.

Tottenham Hotspur need more attacking options to aid Harry Kane

I don't understand those clubs who wait until the final week of the transfer window to make a really serious move to address problem areas of their team, but that is where Tottenham Hotspur find themselves.

It is a particular concern when there is a particular weakness in the squad that everyone can see- with Spurs it was clearly finding goals outside of Harry Kane with both Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado either in the doghouse or leaving the club.

There is a lot of pressure on Kane to repeat his success of the 2014/15 season and Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with both Saido Berahino and Yannick Bolasie to give them speed and another player that can score goals for them. Berahino is the player that seems to be most sought after, but Tottenham Hotspur should really have gotten him brought in already instead of fighting for every penny against a stubborn club like West Brom.

Both Jeremy Peace and Daniel Levy are unlikely to back down and it has just left Mauricio Pochettino in an awkward position to try and help Spurs get into the top four this season. They have only earned 2 points from a possible 9 in the Premier League when the signings they wish to make could have trebled that number of points and those points could easily haunt them at the end of the season when you think Spurs were leading in their last two games.

I'd be surprised if new faces are not brought in before the window closes on Tuesday, but Tottenham Hotspur are desperate for more attacking options and should have had players in place before the season started.

Will Southampton have a season that many expected they would have last season?

When Southampton sold the likes of Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert last summer, a lot of people thought the side might have been in for a fight against relegation.

Instead Ronald Koeman came into the club as the new manager to replace Tottenham Hotspur bound Mauricio Pochettino and guided them to an incredible 7th placed finish in the Premier League. It was a really surprising season that ended with a place in the Europa League.

So when Nathaniel Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin moved on this summer, not many were concerned for Southampton after seeing how they dealt with things last season. However, the start to the season has been poor for The Saints who are trying to balance the Premier League with the Europa League and so have earned just 2 points from a possible 9 in the League.

There has been a lack of ideas in the final third and even some of the defensive strength looks to have taken a backwards move after Southampton conceded 5 goals in their first two Premier League games. Southampton are in danger of also being knocked out of the Europa League and need to turn things around quickly if they want to avoid having a season that many tipped for them twelve months ago.

Pedro is not a guaranteed success in the Premier League after one game

When Manchester United were linked with Pedro, I was excited about the move because I think he would improve the club. So when he signed for Chelsea there was disappointment and the 'meltdown' some Manchester United fans had following his one goal, one assist debut for The Blues was not really a surprise to me.

Once again, I would have signed Pedro because I think he would have given Manchester United a different type of threat in the final third and has decent pace and creativity that Louis Van Gaal has spoken about.

So why would I urge caution about his 'guaranteed' success in the Premier League? Because I have seen it happen to many others before him and only time will really tell what Pedro is going to achieve here.

Players like Angel Di Maria and Juan Sebastien Veron had such impressive starts before faltering, while even Mesut Ozil looked a world beater before slowing down. All of these players came in as 'world class' stars that would have been 'guaranteed' to end up as top Premier League players, but they were worn down by the physical nature of English football and perhaps lost some confidence.

Of course there are others that settle in quickly and just get better and better, for example Alexis Sanchez, but I would just urge the rush to make Pedro the next superstar in the League until I see the kind of form he is producing in three/four months and whether a 'hot start' is replaced by inconsistency or whether he has kicked on and embraced the League like Sanchez did following a move from Barcelona.

Manchester City might have a chance to turn the screw on title rivals

Three wins, three clean sheets and the only team with a 100% record in the Premier League coupled with the five dropped points that Arsenal and Chelsea have had already and you can understand why Manchester City are favourites to win the Premier League title.

Some Manchester United and Liverpool fans might feel they can challenge for the Premier League title, but I am sure Manchester City looked at Chelsea and Arsenal as their closest challengers before the season began.

The wins over Chelsea and Everton have been particularly impressive, while the 0-3 win at West Brom can't be underestimated even if Tony Pulis admitted he had made tactical errors.

Now Manchester City can turn the screw on their title rivals with games against Watford, Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Bournemouth to come in the Premier League before a trip to Old Trafford in late October.

On current form I wouldn't pick any of those teams to surprise Manchester City by even taking a point, but of course the Champions League fixtures will be played between some of those games which can cause difficulty. However, this is a real chance for Manchester City to put themselves in a very strong position in the Premier League after just nine games, especially as their rivals have tougher matches to play in that time.

Manchester United play Swansea City, Liverpool, Southampton, Arsenal and Everton during that time; Liverpool play Manchester United, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur; Chelsea play Everton, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Southampton; Arsenal play Newcastle United, Chelsea, Leicester City and Manchester United.

With those sides looking like they might take points off one another, Manchester City could find themselves in a very healthy position as they head into the Manchester derby on October 25th. This is the time for them to prove they are not going to wilt like they did last season and the way Manchester City have come out this season suggests they are going to show that on the field too which is a big issue for their rivals.

Five Years, Ten Important Manchester Derbies (April 9th 2015)

Five Years, Ten Important Manchester Derbies

The Manchester derby has always been one of the first games that fans of either club would have circled when the fixture list was released over the years, although most Manchester United fans will happily admit that it was the Liverpool game that was considered 'bigger'.

For many years Manchester City were not the regular title challenger that they have become and were arguably a little more than a yo-yo club that had been moving up and down the English pyramid.

However, they have gone through a couple of different owners over the last few years which has given them the financial clout to challenge the very best, which meant the neighbours from Old Trafford. Over the last five years, Manchester City have become a regular title contender and games between these two clubs have increased in importance in each passing season when it comes to handing out trophies.

This season is perhaps the first time in the Premier League era when neither club is challenging for the Premier League title with real belief of being able to catch Chelsea, but that doesn't mean there is nothing to play for as both fight for Champions League football and automatic qualification to the Group Stage.

The following is a list of ten Manchester derby games that have had a real significance for one, or both of these clubs.

September 20th 2009: Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City

An early meeting between these rivals was significant as being the return of Carlos Tevez to Old Trafford having moved across the blue-red divide in Manchester over the summer. It ended up being a derby that was described as 'probably the best of all time' by Sir Alex Ferguson as the momentum shifted both ways before a late Michael Owen winner.

Mark Hughes would only be the manager at the Etihad Stadium for a further three months before being replaced by Roberto Mancini, but the performance from Manchester City against the reigning Champions and Champions League Runners Up from four months earlier showed the potential the club had with the investment provided by Sheikh Mansour.

January 27th 2010: Manchester United 3-1 Manchester City

Roberto Mancini had taken over at Manchester City and led the club through to the League Cup Semi Final where Manchester United were waiting in a two legged tie. After beating Manchester United 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City saw Carlos Tevez level the tie up late in the Second Leg at Old Trafford.

The game was all set to go into extra time to determine the Finalist, but Wayne Rooney popped up with an injury time goal that sent Manchester United through 5-4 on aggregate. Manchester City failed to reach their first domestic Final for 29 years and the team had suffered two agonising injury-time defeats to Manchester United during the season and surely couldn't be expected to suffer another such loss... Could they?

April 17th 2010: Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United

They could you know! For the third time in the 2009-10 season, Manchester United broke Manchester City hearts with an injury time goal as Paul Scholes popped up late to win this game at the Etihad Stadium.

It kept Manchester United in the hunt for a fourth consecutive Premier League title, while also denting Manchester City's chance of reaching the top four which might have slowed the club's development. However, it was inevitable that Manchester City would be a success with the amount of money being pumped into the club, while this game was also significant in being the first time Manchester City were favoured to beat their rivals in many a year by the 'experts'.

That alone showed the shift in how Manchester City were being perceived when it came to winning games and trophies.

February 12th 2011: Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City

It was a special moment from Wayne Rooney late in the day that separated the rivals on this occasion, but once again the signs were that Manchester City were not that far away from Manchester United in terms of ability on any given day.

The match was very even with this outstanding moment captured above the difference on the day and it also meant Manchester United were on their way to another Premier League success, the fourth in five years, while Manchester City's title challenge was dented on this day.

However, Manchester City were still very much on course for a top four finish and a Champions League place, while they would have some revenge later in the season that sparked a change in fortunes in the derby in the coming years.

April 16th 2011: Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United

The FA Cup Semi Final was played at Wembley Stadium and was the moment that this group of Manchester City players finally saw they were capable of beating Manchester United in a really important game.

It was the two missed chances from Dimitar Berbatov in the first half that Manchester United fans will remember, but a Yaya Toure effort ended any chances of a repeat of 1999 for the Red Devils. Manchester United did win the Premier League to make up for this loss, but this was a significant moment for Manchester City.

Manchester City had reached their first FA Cup Final in thirty years and would later win their first piece of silverware for thirty-five years and was the moment that would spark the next few seasons of picking up trophies in a regular manner.

October 23rd 2011: Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City

Just months after that FA Cup Semi Final victory, Manchester City really announced their ability to compete with the best in England in a stunning win at Old Trafford. There were extenuating circumstances for the final scoreline including the fact that Manchester United had been reduced to ten men and inexplicably for chasing a game that saw them concede three times in the final few minutes of the game.

Just two years earlier Sir Alex Ferguson had described the derby win as 'possibly the best derby of all time' but he described this one as a 'terrible defeat' and 'worst ever day'.

No one could have predicted the significance the result would eventually have on the season though as Manchester City would win the title on goal difference over Manchester United.

April 30th 2012: Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United

The first Premier League game might have sent some shockwaves throughout Europe, but the second was considered the 'biggest game in twenty Premier League years' as Manchester United held a three point lead over Manchester City with three games left to play.

It was a game where Sir Alex Ferguson got his tactics wrong and gave Manchester City the impetus to win the game and take over at the top of the Premier League table with two games left thanks to a Vincent Kompany winner.

They still had to win the title the hard way, but this was the moment Manchester City took control having reeled in a big Manchester United lead in the table and the day the 'noisy neighbours' became more than a mere nuisance.

December 9th 2012: Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United

The two teams had another significant battle off the field in the summer of 2012 over Robin Van Persie when the Dutchman made it clear he wanted to leave Arsenal with his final destination being in Manchester.

During the course of the season, Roberto Mancini would claim Van Persie made the difference between these two rivals as the Premier League title was once again contested by them.

On this day, Mancini's words were spot on as Manchester City fought back from 0-2 down only to be undone by a last minute free kick from Van Persie. It was yet another injury time winner for Manchester United and one in a season that would eventually see Sir Alex Ferguson retire with another Premier League title winning medal in his pocket.

Roberto Mancini would also be relieved of his post as Manchester City manager and it would be all change when the teams met the following season.

September 22nd 2013: Manchester City 4-1 Manchester United

The title race was expected to be between Manchester City and Manchester United with perhaps Chelsea being their closest challengers at the beginning of this season. However, both Manuel Pellegrini and David Moyes were managing in their first ever Manchester derby in this September meeting and perhaps the game signalled which way the two clubs would be going under their new management.

Games this early in the season shouldn't be that important, but the manner of the defeat became a feature of Manchester United performances under Moyes as United were blown apart early and often.

Pellegrini also saw his team display the ruthless attacking ability that would lead to two trophies later in the season, although they had to show their dominance over Manchester United one more time before winning the Premier League title.

March 25th 2014: Manchester United 0-3 Manchester City

A third consecutive home defeat to Manchester City was just another kick in the teeth for Manchester United fans and was another moment of disappointment for David Moyes in a miserable season in charge at Old Trafford.

Moyes didn't have long left in the hot-seat at Old Trafford as this defeat came off the back of a 0-3 home hammering at the hands of Liverpool and the disarray that had set in at Manchester United was highlighted in this one.

Any hope of success for United fans evaporated inside sixty seconds and the scoreline was reflective of the gulf between the teams. Finishing outside of the European positions was the fate left for Manchester United while Manchester City reeled in Liverpool and won the Premier League title for the second time in three seasons.

As we go into the second Manchester derby of the season, it does feel like the role has been reversed for Manuel Pellegrini as he is the manager under pressure this time around compared with his last visit to Old Trafford. It does look like a change will be made in the summer and I do wonder if the 0-3 win last season was the peak of the Manchester City success of recent years in this fixture.

The last three seasons have mainly seen Manchester City come out on top in the big games, but their group of players look like they might be coming to the end of their time together, while Louis Van Gaal seems to be building in the right direction.

A win for Manchester United on Sunday will certainly make it feel like there has been a significant shift back to the red half of Manchester and this has to be the most confident home fans have entered a derby since 2011.

The 10 Names that could replace Manuel Pellegrini as Manchester City Manager this Summer (April 1st 2015)

When you manage one of the richest clubs in football, failing to win a trophy can quickly see you handed with your P45 forms and looking for new employment.

Barring a complete collapse from Chelsea in the Premier League title race, Manchester City look set to have a trophy-less season and the last time that happened it was the end of Roberto Mancini’s tenure at the helm.

Manuel Pellegrini insists ‘other factors’ played a big part in Mancini being removed the year after he had helped the club win the Premier League title in spectacular fashion, but another early exit in the Champions League coupled with a less than impressive defence of the title they won last season (up to this point at least) means the Chilean is under pressure.

With the investment made into the club by the owners, Manchester City are not likely to accept second place easily and there are likely going to be ten leading names who could be set to take over from Pellegrini at the end of the season.

10. Roberto Mancini

They say you should never go back, but I think Roberto Mancini would jump at the chance to return to Manchester City having struggled in the next two jobs he has taken.

His time at Galatasaray was ended after a disagreement with the board regarding the ambitions of the club and Mancini subsequently returned to Inter Milan where he has tried to ‘capture magic’ for a second time having won Serie A three times in a row in his first stint as manager.

Unfortunately for Mancini, it hasn’t worked so well over the last six months back at the San Siro as Inter Milan sit in mid-table having been knocked out of both the Coppa Italia and Europa League in what has been a poor season.

Jose Mourinho may have settled his differences with Roman Abramovich to return to Stamford Bridge almost two years ago, but there has been no sign of Mancini mending the bridges he burned at Manchester City and he is unlikely to be courted for a return.They say you should never go back, but I think Roberto Mancini would jump at the chance to return to Manchester City having struggled in the next two jobs he has taken.

His time at Galatasaray was ended after a disagreement with the board regarding the ambitions of the club and Mancini subsequently returned to Inter Milan where he has tried to ‘capture magic’ for a second time having won Serie A three times in a row in his first stint as manager.

Unfortunately for Mancini, it hasn’t worked so well over the last six months back at the San Siro as Inter Milan sit in mid-table having been knocked out of both the Coppa Italia and Europa League in what has been a poor season.

Jose Mourinho may have settled his differences with Roman Abramovich to return to Stamford Bridge almost two years ago, but there has been no sign of Mancini mending the bridges he burned at Manchester City and he is unlikely to be courted for a return.

9. Brendan Rodgers

One surprising name that has been linked with the Manchester City job, if it becomes available of course, is Brendan Rodgers of Liverpool.

Rodgers’ stock rose considerably last season when coming close to leading Liverpool to their first top flight title in 24 years, but he might feel it is not the time to move on with the job half done in his rebuild of the Reds.

His lack of real European experience could also work against Rodgers, while the Liverpool board have played hard ball with players that have looked to move to teams they consider rivals (read Suarez’ attempts to join Arsenal at the beginning of last season) and I don’t believe Manchester City would even get permission to talk to Rodgers.

8. Frank De Boer

Frank De Boer has previously turned down the opportunity to speak to Liverpool about their managerial role and he has been linked with the vacant job at Tottenham Hotspur last summer as well as the currently unfulfilled manager seat at Newcastle United.

Having played at the highest level with Ajax and Barcelona, De Boer rejoined the club he first entered in 1984 and took over Coaching at a Youth level. He progressed to take over as the manager of the club initially on an interim basis, but De Boer has been nothing but a success for Ajax with four consecutive League titles won, the first time in the history of Ajax that they have achieved that.

Ajax have yet to make a real impact in European competition though which could be a black mark against De Boer’s name and this job at the highest level has perhaps come a little too soon in his career.

Being a success at another club beside Ajax could see De Boer become one of the most sought after managers in Europe, but perhaps not quite yet.

7. Ronald Koeman

Another Dutch manager with a stellar playing career could potentially find himself on the shortlist for the top job at Manchester City, especially as Ronald Koeman has proved capable of adapting to the Premier League in his first season with Southampton.

Koeman hasn’t been shy to move on very quickly during his managerial career if he feels the opportunity is too good to miss and he has won three Dutch titles with Ajax (twice) and PSV, while also having some success at Valencia and Benfica.

However, Manchester City might be thinking of a manager with more experience in one of the ‘big four’ European Leagues and Koeman’s style of play might not be the most appealing to the owners.

If Koeman continues progressing as a manager in his time with Southampton, bigger job offers are likely to come, but this might be a season too early for that to happen from Manchester City.

6. Unai Emery

Take out an awful sixth month period in charge of Spartak Moscow and Unai Emery’s achievements with Valencia and Sevilla would have to make him a dark horse to be offered the Manchester City job.

Under huge financial constraints, Emery continued to get the best out of his Valencia team and led them to a number of top four finishes in Spain before deciding he couldn’t do much more for them.

Since returning from a brief time in Russia, Emery has guided Sevilla to Europa League success and has them positioned to retain that trophy, while also making a real bid to bring Champions League football to the club via their League form.

Sevilla play attractive football under Emery which would be important for Manchester City, but even more appealing to the board has to be his success in European competition, even if it is the Europa League, as Manchester City look to make an impact in the Champions League having been knocked out before the Quarter Finals in their last four seasons.

5. Pep Guardiola

I am sure that Pep Guardiola will be a name linked with the Manchester City job but is there a real chance that he would leave Bayern Munich? Usually the answer would be no, but Guardiola can’t be ruled out for a couple of reasons.

The first is the rumblings of discontent between Guardiola and some of the Bayern Munich legends that have a place in the club’s hierarchy. Some of those have felt Guardiola’s footballing philosophy doesn’t sit well with Bayern Munich and failure to win the Champions League might see his time cut short.

The second is Guardiola’s own words from January when discussing his time at Bayern Munich in a past tense in a fan question and answer session. Reports in Germany indicate that he hasn’t wanted to open talks about a contract extension to the one that runs out in 2016 and Guardiola has made it clear the Premier League is definitely a League in which he wants to manage.

There is no doubting the CV that Guardiola would be able to present and Manchester City have Txiki Begiristain in position as Director of Football, a man who had the same role with Barcelona during the productive years under Guardiola’s management. It’s probably unlikely, but I wouldn’t want to cross a line through his name at this point in time.

4. Jurgen Klopp

His reputation has taken a dent with the struggles Borussia Dortmund have had in the Bundesliga this season, but Jurgen Klopp might be ready to move on and still has a CV that has to be admired.

It is incredibly hard work when you know your best players can be bought by ‘Hollywood FC’ Bayern Munich and there really isn’t a lot you can do about it, but Klopp has led Borussia Dortmund to two League titles and a German Cup as well as the Champions League Final.

His style of football would mesh well with what Manchester City have begun to expect and Klopp would also be in a position to really build a team and have little to fear financially from any other club in the world.

Winning League titles with Dortmund in back to back years is a remarkable achievement and Klopp’s success in the Champions League would be the envy of the owners of Manchester City. After a tough season with Dortmund, Klopp may also feel it is the right time to move on and take one of the biggest jobs in European football.

3. Rafa Benitez

One name that has been linked with the Manchester City post fairly regularly is Rafa Benitez who has plenty of experience in the Premier League having managed both Liverpool and Chelsea.

Benitez has been doing a good job at Napoli too, but the Spaniard’s lack of League titles would be an issue for the Manchester City ownership. He came close with both Liverpool and Chelsea, but the fact that Benitez missed out and hasn’t guided a team to a League title since his days as manager of Valencia in 2004 might be a negative that is tough to overcome.

However, he has won two UEFA Cup/Europa League titles and a Champions League which might appeal to Manchester City who clearly feel that is the next step needed in their progression as a club.

With the experience of being a manager in the Premier League and those successes in Europe, which are potentially added to with Napoli this season, Benitez could be someone that Manchester City turn to in the summer.

2. Diego Simeone

Much like Jurgen Klopp, Diego Simeone has perhaps taken his current club as far as he possibly can and could be tempted to make a move in the summer. There is no doubting the success Simeone has had as manager of Atletico Madrid despite the fact that he has regularly had to sell the best players at his disposal.

The likes of Radamel Falcao, Diego Costa, Felipe Luis and Thibaut Courtois have all left since Diego Simeone has managed Atletico Madrid, while Sergio Aguero and David De Gea were both sold just six months before he took charge.

Diego Godin, Miranda, Koke and Arda Turan are all being linked with a move away and Simeone may decide the time is right to do the same.

Simeone has guided Atletico Madrid to success in the Europa League, European Super Cup and the Spanish top flight while also being seconds from winning the Champions League last May. If Manchester City really are looking for another manager, the Argentine has to be a leading contender if not the prime target to replace Manuel Pellegrini.

1. Carlo Ancelotti

The only reason Diego Simeone wouldn’t be the number one choice is if Carlo Ancelotti is available this summer with rumours that he will be sacked as manager of Real Madrid regardless of how their season finishes up.

If not for the last second equaliser from Sergio Ramos in the Champions League Final, the Italian could perhaps have been managing on the other side of Manchester already, and Ancelotti has the CV and experience that makes him the top choice.

Another factor may be the fact that Ancelotti has gotten the best out of an older squad which is what Manchester City possess at the moment and he might be able to revitalise a couple of the under-performing players from this season.

He has won the Champions League as manager of Milan and Real Madrid with League titles won in Italy and France and also has experience of the Premier League having won the title with Chelsea and there really isn’t a lot of reason why you would look elsewhere if you’re advising the Manchester City owners.

If the Manchester City job is available and Ancelotti is moved on from Real Madrid, it could be the perfect timing for the Italian to return to England.

Final Thoughts on Weekend Football (September 22-23)

You can read my views on the latest goings on at Manchester United here

Are there some serious problems at Manchester City: I know that is a little bit dramatic considering the season has barely started and the fact that they are the Champions, but I think most would find it hard to disagree with the fact that Manchester City are not passing the 'eye test' and are not playing as well as they were for much of last season.

They are conceding far too many goals at the moment and I do wonder if the Roberto Mancini-Brian Marwood spat over the lack of transfer activity in the Summer window has had an impact on the squad.

Maybe the players at the club don't think the manager has faith in them (hence desperate for reinforcements) and the discord could have led to the disjointed performances they have had.

It's not really a time to panic for City as they are still well in touch with the leaders and they remain unbeaten in the Premier League, but it is definitely something to keep an eye on with a tough game at Craven Cottage next on their fixture list.


Reading's poor start to the campaign: At the start of the season, I said Reading may have the best opportunity of the three promoted sides to stay in the Premier League this season, even though West Ham United had the more experience, but it has been tough for them so far.

The side moved to the bottom of the table following a 1-0 loss at West Brom on Saturday, but it is the manner of the defeats to them and previously Tottenham Hotspur that has to be a big worry.

Brian McDermott said as much following the defeat on Saturday that his side are not doing the things that got them back into the Premier League.

Reading need to get a positive result on the board to turn the momentum around, otherwise it could be a really long season for them. The one saving grace is the new owners that have promised transfer funds in January so Reading need to make sure they are at least in touch with the safety zone in the Premier League by the time we reach that stage of the season.


West Brom have been very impressive: I wrote in my season preview for the Premier League that I thought West Brom could be in danger of relegation after losing Roy Hodgson to England and I believed they might be the surprise candidate to be fighting at the wrong end of the table.

I am not too big to admit I may have been wrong as they have been very impressive in the early goings- even when I thought the bubble may have burst with a 3-0 loss at Fulham, West Brom bounced back and hammered Reading 1-0 (could have won much easier if they had taken their chances).

Steve Clarke has got the side playing very well and confidence is high after wins over the likes of Liverpool and Everton and they may just be capable of finishing in the top half of the table and compound my season expectations.


The poisonous atmosphere at Ewood Park could cost Blackburn Rovers a promotion spot: Even though the side were top of the table and had made a positive start to life in the Championship, the Blackburn Rovers fans have been itching to get on Steve Kean's back and they found their chance in a 1-2 home loss to Middlesbrough.

This kind of atmosphere at home makes it extremely tough for the players and despite winning three in a row to open the season, the performances have been much more convincing away from Ewood Park.

The rumours suggest that Kean wasn't far away from being removed as manager over the weekend and it might be in the best interest of the club if he is taken away so the fans can support the side.

My belief is the Venky's have kept him on as they know he will take the brunt of the abuse- once Kean is gone, the fans are sure to turn their attentions to the owners who have been nothing but an embarrassment to the club ever since they took over and promised signings of the calibre of David Beckham and called the Champions League a minimum target when sacking Sam Allardyce.

Sometimes you just reap what you sow and that is the case for Blackburn.


Talking about poison, no one deserves the treatment Mark Halsey got: I think Mark Halsey probably made the wrong decision when sending off Jonjo Shelvey against Manchester United, but those morons who 'tweeted' him wishing he gets cancer should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

Halsey suffered from throat cancer a couple of years ago but thankfully recovered and it is utterly shameful that people think wishing those kind of things on him is 'just' because of a football match.

I've never understood why people think racially abusing people or wishing horrific things like cancer with messages on Twitter is a 'normal' thing to do, yet it seems that some spend their entire time simply doing just that.

More importantly, after all the talk about Hillsborough and the desire to end vile chants, these incidents should show how the minority still act and how difficult it will be to clamp down on such things at football matches when we can't on the social media site.

Final Thoughts on Weekend Football (September 14-17)

This is a little later than I usually plan it, but between work and actually looking at potential picks, it has been tough to do any sooner.

It was great to have the Premier League and domestic football back in action this week as I am not really a fan of the international breaks and feel there are too many qualifiers, especially with some of the weaker nations being so irrelevant that I think changes should be made to how qualification goes about.

Honestly, I feel the lower Ranked nations should have to go through some sort of 'pre-qualification' before being pitted against the likes of Germany and Spain, even if Georgia showed real heart in a close loss to the Spanish team in the last set of games.

My thoughts on Manchester United in the latest United Corner can be found here

Oh well, here are my Final Thoughts on last weekend:


Arsenal are genuine title contenders?: If you picked up a newspaper (or read an online publication as is the norm these days), you would have noticed a lot of people tipping Arsenal as title contenders following their wins over Liverpool and Southampton in the League.

I know you are only as good as your last performance in this new social networking World, but people have completely forgotten their two draws with Sunderland and Stoke City and are perhaps jumping the gun a little bit.

Arsenal are always likely to put in big performances from time to time with the possession football they play- if everything clicks on the day, they will blitz teams as they did against Southampton, while the win at Liverpool was impressive against perhaps an 'over-rated' side.

I like Santi Cazorla as he looks a real player while Lukas Podolski has made a good start to the season, but before I am ready to call them real contenders, I want to see how they do against the bigger and better Premier League clubs.

It seems the fixture compute has been kind to those thoughts as Arsenal play Manchester City at the Etihad and then host Chelsea in back to back weeks- win those games and I'll say they are title contenders.


Have Southampton come up a season too soon?: Following on from the Arsenal thoughts, it is only fair to think about Southampton and wonder if they have come up too fast following their back to back promotions.

Norwich City were successful in keeping their place in the Premier League when they managed that feat last season, but I think the playing styles of the teams are distinctly different- Southampton like to get the ball down and play while Norwich were a little more direct in their approach and I think the latter style can be a little tougher to get used to for Premier League teams rather than a style where teams look to play you off the park.

However, it would be rash to think Southampton are going doomed on four games, those coming against Manchester City, Wigan Athletic, Manchester United and Arsenal.

The most disappointing result would have been the Wigan loss at home, but they had leads against both Manchester clubs and everything just seemed to go wrong in their game against Arsenal. Southampton play Aston Villa next at St Mary's and it is conceivable they can win that and bring some real positive vibes back into the club.

It will be wise to review Southampton's situation in a months time after they play the likes of Villa, Everton, Fulham and West Ham in the League, although the rumours are that the owners have already got the knives ready to give Nigel Adkins the chop.


Manchester City's home form is going to be crucial again: Manchester City won 18 of their 19 home games last season, drawing the other, and that ultimately secured them the Premier League title and this season has the makings of another where they need to secure a huge amount of points at home to retain their title.

Of course, the Champions will normally have a very strong record at home, but City's away day struggles are very much under the radar at the moment. The dropped points at Stoke City over the weekend means they have won just 12 of their last 30 away games in the Premier League and that will put additional pressure on them winning their home games to make up for it.

This has largely been ignored as they have won some big games at Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United but it is something to consider, especially for those that love backing the short priced 'big name' favourite away from home on your coupons.


Time to bring in goal-line technology: We have to get a rush on goal-line technology as Everton became the latest club to have a clear goal not given in their match against Newcastle United.

The tests are being done and the Premier League are insistent that they will get the technology out sooner rather than later, but there is too much money involved these days on those decisions and it needs to be there.

To be honest, the official that missed the ball going over the line also ruled out another goal when incorrectly ruling Maruoane Fellaini offside, so maybe he has some explaining to do this week.


Blackburn Rovers have a great chance to bounce back to the Premier League immediately: The Championship is a tough Division to get out of as so many teams can beat others on their day, but Blackburn Rovers look to have the best squad in the League and they look like a team that can bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

The likes of Jordan Rhodes and Nuno Gomes look capable of getting the goals to fire them to promotion and the pressure is decreasing on Steve Kean with every passing game.

They have moved to the top of the Championship with a 3-5 win at Bristol City and they do look capable of staying there or thereabouts for much of the season.

United Corner 2012-13 (Pre-Season)

This is a new 'corner' I have added to the blog that will be devoted to my first passion in life, Manchester United. I will publish this, on most occasions, on a Sunday evening where I will look back at the previous week, giving my take on results and upcoming fixtures.

All views expressed will be my own.


It has been a long Summer as the heartbreak of May 13th has lingered on- it hasn't helped that SkySports have been advertising the coming season by showing clips of those final, fateful, moments on that Sunday afternoon, but now the new season is upon us and there is a sense that Manchester United can earn some redemption by reclaiming the Premier League title from those lot up the road.

While the memories of the last day of the season have been in the back of the mind, the bigger issues this Summer were about the off-field activities of the club as the debt the Glazers accumulated when they bought the club continues to spiral out of control.

The latest method of floating the club on the New York Stock Exchange has many critics- I, for one, cannot understand why anyone would seriously invest in these 'shares' considering the lack of influence they actually provide, but they are seemingly holding their value at the moment (although far less than what the owners actually thought the club was going to be worth).

The issue continues to divide the club's supporters, something that wasn't helped with Sir Alex Ferguson's 'real fans' comments during the pre-season games. I have total respect for the way Fergie has turned around this club from the one that had failed to win a League title in 26 years, but the comments about 'real fans' have only increased the fracture between individual fans with some believing he needs full backing, while others believe he should do more in highlighting how his hands have been tied in the Glazer-era.

A lot of 'smoke and mirrors' are being used by the owners to claim there hasn't been an issue with the early exit from the Champions League last season, but the announcement of a new shirt sponsor a year before the current deal is expiring seems a touch strange (particularly considering AON were told to pay a lump sum in advance and I am assuming Chevrolet have had to do the same thing) and will only make sure the financial figures they release do not show the negative impact last season's relative lack of success may have had.


On the field matters have seen United purchase the likes of Nick Powell and Shinji Kagawa, while Robin Van Persie is due for his medical before the new season starts and should be in the squad come Monday night when United travel to Goodison Park.

The signings do look decent on paper, but I can't help but wonder why a centre midfielder has not been purchased, especially considering Darren Fletcher is coming off a debilitating illness, while Anderson has also been far too injury-prone over the last couple of seasons. The likes of Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Tom Cleverley will be expected to run the show in the engine room and I do think we now have a squad that is capable of being very good in the Premier League, but lacking the mobility and strength to really compete in the latter stages of the Champions League.

The attacking options available to United now could provide an effective 'band-aid' for the centre midfield, especially if Van Persie and Rooney can spark an effective partnership. I just hope Antonio Valencia is not going to be used as a permanent right back, a position he is expected to start the season.

I actually have felt the signing of Van Persie shows that Fergie may not have too long left in the job- it is almost like he has put all his eggs in one basket of trying to win the title back from Manchester City so he can end his time in charge of the club on a high. United have had a policy of buying players with a 'sell on' value in recent seasons, but this goes against that grain and strengthens the rumours that there are only one or two seasons left for Fergie as the man in charge at Old Trafford.


We did miss signing Lucas Moura from Sao Paulo, but I haven't seen enough of the lad to know whether that's a good or bad decision. He is still young and so we will see in a few seasons whether he was a miss or not, but the price was remarkably high for someone who wasn't even a regular in the Brazil Under-23 team at the London Olympics.

I was still amused that Fergie thought 'when somebody's paying 45 million euros (£35m) for a 19 year old boy you have to say the game's gone mad'... After all, he did spend £25.6 million on an 18 year old boy in Wayne Rooney back in 2004 (I would guess with the inflation in transfer fees, that price is actually more than what PSG spent on Moura).

Granted Rooney was a lot more established having just terrorised teams at the European Championships that Summer, but the comments from Fergie just seemed a little strange considering he opened the doors to the big-priced teenage signing, although most journalists are too scared to say that to him in fear of being banned from the weekly press conferences as has been the situation for some who challenged him over the last few years.


Nemanja Vidic's return is great news for the defence as United now have the added experience of Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling, two players that had to fill in in the Captain's absence, while Phil Jones has had a year at the club and should have improved from the experiences.

Rumours are running that the likes of Nani and Javier Hernandez will be sold off to 'balance the books' with the latter apparently requesting a transfer now that he is behind three other players for what could be one position. With Dimitar Berbatov set to stay for another year, and the likes of Valencia, Kagawa and Ashley Young in line to play in the wide positions, these two players do look the biggest 'assets' that can be let go, but I would be sad to see the back of Nani.

Despite being very inconsistent, Nani does possess that bit of magic that can turn a game and you can never have enough of those players, especially in the big matches when a single piece of genius can turn a game in favour of one team. However, his contract is running down (2 years left), with a new one yet to be agreed, and he would bring in a decent transfer fee from a foreign club so his future at the club may be in a little bit of danger.

It does look like the squad is going to be capable of pushing Manchester City all the way in the title race again, but I still think they will be a little short when coming up against the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in Europe.


Winning the title has become more possible with the signings made in the Summer, but thinking it was simply down to a lack of goals/lack of clean sheets last season that we failed to take the title seems far too simplistic has far as I am concerned.

Manchester City, despite the huge transfer fees paid, were inexperienced in many ways in terms of winning top level titles. Take out Yaya Toure, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli and there were plenty of big name players that hadn't won a big European League title nor a Champions League (not including Carlos Tevez who missed much of last season).

Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri had come in from Arsenal, a side that hadn't won anything since 2005, David Silva had been part of the Spanish World Cup winning team, but had been dropped after one game in that tournament, Sergio Aguero had helped Atletico Madrid win the Europa League, but not the League.

Roberto Mancini would also have been feeling the pressure with rumours surrounding his future in the job if they did not win the Premier League and all of this would have contributed to their collapse towards the end of the season.

Older Manchester United fans will remember the collapse in the League title race of 1992 as the team fell apart down the stretch and allowed Leeds United to steal the title. A year later, United did manage to control their nerves, although the turning point in terms of 'belief' came in the 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday thanks to two late, late Steve Bruce goals.

Those two seasons saw a very nervous United side blow one title, and just about control themselves to take another and it goes to show what can happen when the inexperience of being in that position affects the squad. After winning the title, there was a new found swagger in the United approach that saw them win the Double in 1994 with fabulous attacking football and I fear City, despite the lack of investment this Summer, may have acquired that swagger now.

They have plenty of goals in their side and lots of attacking options, while their midfield gives them an edge over most of the teams in the League.

Of course there are other factors to consider that may swing the momentum one way or the other this season- injuries will always play a factor and you have to keep your fingers crossed that the key men can survive the rigours of a full season (see the absence of Nemanja Vidic last season, especially when the Captain could have settled the side holding a 4-2 lead over Everton at Old Trafford).

The other factor is which of these teams goes deeper in the Champions League and has their squad stretched by being involved in the latter stages of that competition.

Robin Van Persie and Shinji Kagawa have helped close the gap on City this season, and they have me believing we can take the title back... But I think City are perhaps being under-estimated in terms of the continuity and experience they have built in the last 12 months and I still think they are the right favourites to win the Premier League at this moment in time.

The Week Ahead

Monday 20th August: Everton (a): This is a tough start to the season for United, although I am glad to get the game out of the way early with Everton being notoriously slow starters.

Over the last couple of seasons, United have dropped 4 points against Everton courtesy of blowing 2 goal leads so I won't be sitting tight in this one until the final whistle goes.

It would be a surprise to me if Fergie decides to start any of his new signings in this one considering the tough atmosphere generated at Goodison Park and I would look for a side that will all be well aware of what the rest of the starting line up are doing.

Three points would be a huge bonus from this, one of the tougher away grounds in the Premier League, but a point would not be the end of the World either if I am honest.

Predicted Starting XI: De Gea, Valencia, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick, Scholes, Nani, Young, Rooney and Welbeck; Subs: Lindegaard, Jones, Rafael, Cleverley, Kagawa, Anderson and Van Persie

Saturday 25th August: Fulham (h): The first home game of the season is when I think Robin Van Persie will make his debut for United as it has all the ingredients of a match in which to blood a new signing- Fulham are a good team, but they will likely give United plenty of the possession and attacking momentum at Old Trafford and that should help Van Persie blend into the side, rather than pitching him in at a raucous Goodison Park in an evening game five days earlier.

Anything less than three points from this game would be a big disappointment for United, and hopefully they won't be as tense as they were the last time they faced Fulham here when we won 1-0, but were fortunate not to concede a penalty in the last five minutes of that game.

This early in the season, the pressure of staying ahead of Manchester City will not be as great as it is/was in March/April and I would expect a comfortable enough home win.

Predicted Starting XI: De Gea, Rafael, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick, Cleverley, Valencia, Young, Rooney and Van Persie; Subs: Lindegaard, Jones, Scholes, Anderson, Nani, Kagawa and Welbeck