Manchester City’s Corner : Will The Inexperienced Blues Go The Newcastle Way In The Title Race?

By Howard Hockin
12 years Ago

As the title race in the English Premier League moves ever closer to its climax, it looks increasingly likely that the race will be a two-horse one, between the two Manchester clubs. Itai??i??s also looking entirely plausible that this is a race that will go down right to the wire.

City has led the table for many months now, and currently hold a two-point lead. Fans of both the sides will have been scouring the fixture lists, trying to work out who holds the advantage, where points may be dropped, who has the easier run-in, and so on. But in a season of strange results, itai??i??s hard to predict how all this will end.

Another thing that is increasingly being wheeled out, especially by United players keen to discuss City in the media, is that United hold one key advantage. No, not the mythical statistic that says they perform much better in the second half of the season, but the more logical advantage of experience ai??i?? quite simply, theyai??i??ve been here and done it before ai??i?? in fact, every season is a title challenge for United. Itai??i??s a season thatai??i??s no different to any other, unlike for City, who are entering new territory (though itai??i??s some time since United have been in direct competition with such a hated rival, which may explain the verbal diarrhoea of certain members of their squad).

Such talk brings back memories of Newcastleai??i??s title challenge under Kevin Keegan, ending in ignominy, and a near-breakdown for their emotional manager, as a twelve point lead was squandered to allow United in to win the title. This was seen as the ultimate example of the great pretenders bottling a title challenge whilst their experienced foes kept their nerve and flew over the finishing line.

It was 1995 and Newcastle held a 12-point lead over Manchester United with 16 games to play, winning 16 of their first 22 matches, including home wins over Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds United. Then came the collapse. Five defeats in their next 11, losing 1-0 at home to United and in one of the best Premier League games in history, a 4-3 defeat at Anfield in which goals from Ginola, Ferdinand and Asprilla weren’t enough to prevent Stan Collymore’s injury-time game winner, leaving Keegan slumped on the touch-line. The Magpies drew their final two games at home to Nottingham Forest and Spurs, gifting Manchester United the title by four points.

So, how will City cope with a smaller lead as we enter the crucial last couple of months of the season? Looking at the City squad, and it is one not heavily experienced in a Premier League title race. Joe Hart is, of course, on new ground, along with many of the defence in front of him. The captain Vincent Kompany is coolness personified, but again this is new ground for him. The same goes for the likes of Joleon Lescott, Micah Richards, Pablo Zabaleta, Aleksandar Kolarov and Stefan Savic. Gael Clichy has a title under his belt many years ago, but wasnai??i??t first choice that season, deputising for Ashley Cole.

James Milner and Gareth Barry lack experience of a title race too, though new loanee David Pizarro saw a title win at Inter (not as a regular first-teamer). Samir Nasri and Adam Johnson are in new territory too ai??i?? Nasri was involved in a failed title race with Marseille that earned them a 2^nd place finish. Also, Nigel De Jong has a Dutch title to his name, and a controversial World Cup final appearance to boot. David Silva has appeared in the Euros Final for Spain, and of course Yaya Toure lacks nothing in terms of experience, except in this country.

Can Roberto Mancini keep his cool, unlike Keegan and Rafa?

Likewise, Mario Balotelli has title-winning experience, not that Super Mario will be be fazed either way. Edin Dzeko won the German title with Wolfsburg, and then of course thereai??i??s Carlos Tevez. He certainly has what takes for a title run-in, but how long heai??i??ll get on a football pitch is debatable.Ai??And finally, thereai??i??s Sergio Aguero, again without the experience of a title push, but with the mentality not to suffer under tense conditions.

Off the field, Roberto Mancini and Brian Kidd have the experience, one abroad, one at home, less so David Platt. There have many pundits keen to suggest in recent months that Mancini is showing the pressure, as despite his hugely successful career as player and manager, he will not experienced anything quite like being manager of Manchester City, with their financial strength ramping up the pressure, expectations, and media coverage.

But across the city, are Unitedai??i??s squad that experienced really? Like Cityai??i??s counterpart, their goalkeeper, be it De Gea or Lindegaard, will be entering new territory, and De Gea does so on shaky ground/form.

Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Tom Cleverley are others who lack experience. Old heads such as Wes Brown and John Oai??i??Shea have gone, whilst Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher are sidelined for the foreseeable future.Ai??Thereai??i??s still plenty of experience left naturally ai??i?? titles galore have been won by Giggs and Scholes, the likes of Nani, Berbatov and Rooney to name but three have a fair collection of winnersai??i?? medals between them, though it should be pointed out that all these players have experience of losing a title race too ai??i?? it works both ways.

Itai??i??s also important to separate the individual from the team. United have experience of the title chase ai??i?? but many of the players do not. City do not have experience of the title chase (in this generation at least) – but plenty of the players do. Which is more important ai??i?? the collective will of the club, or the individual playersai??i?? merits? Only time will tell.

And of course all players have to start somewhere ai??i?? all players with title-winning experience had to do it for the first time at some point. The will of the United team however essentially means the will of their manager. Without Ferguson, this team could have trailed away many times over the years. His experience and iron will are the main advantage United have over City, not the experience of any individual player.

But big players live for times like this ai??i?? for big games, thrilling races, tense matches ai??i?? they should be able to handle the pressure, and the experience of the relative teams should not be that big a factor. History doesn’t define what happens in the future. City have the advantage, and the strength of their squad means in theory they should be able to see out the season in first place. The danger United hold is their experience at grinding out results when the going gets tough, and it is that experience that could see the title go down to the final day. An exciting title race beckons..

Categories: COVER STORY, Editor's Pick, English Premier League
Tags: Manchester City

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