Manchester City - fan's 2008/09 Premier League preview
Wednesday, 06 Aug 2008 15:29
Manchester City - fan's 2008/09 Premier League preview and predictions
A supporter's views and expectations for the 2008/09 season.
Last season
Premier League: 1st - P 38 W 15 D 19 L 13 GF 45 GA 53 GD -8 PTS 55
FA Cup: Fourth Round - lost 2-1 to Sheffield United
League Cup: Fifth round - lost 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur
The manager
They say football is a game in which a lot can change in a short space of time and City's experiences over the summer prove just that.
Sven-Goran Eriksson is now Mexico manager, while former Manchester United hero Mark Hughes has taken over the helm after being snatched from Blackburn Rovers.
Hughes immediately got to work stirring up the City fans by conducting protracted negotiations aimed at bringing former charge David Bentley and Barcelona's Ronaldinho to Eastlands.
Instead, Bentley went to Spurs, Ronaldinho opted for AC Milan, and Manchester City signed another Brazilian - £18 million Jo from CSKA Moscow.
But still, it is so far so good for Hughes in his bid to win over diehard City fans who still view him as one of the enemy.
Chances of managerial change?
By the looks of things, Hughes can expect to be given time, and money, to help his new club progress.
The challenge will be attracting the best players to the club after losing out on big-name signings.
He should also expect a rocky ride from owner Thaksin Shinawatra if things get tough.
The players
Exits
Hughes has been swift to trim his squad, with no fewer than seven players heading for the exits.
Georgios Samaras' transfer to Celtic looked a foregone conclusion after his loan spell in Glasgow awakened his appetite for first-team football, while Matt Mills' loan deal with Doncaster was also made permanent.
Joe Hart will likely be Hughes' number one at Eastlands this season after Andreas Isaksson's transfer to PSV Eindhoven.
City fans won't necessarily be devastated by the losses of Emile Mpenza, Paul Dickov or Sun Jihai, although Geovanni's free transfer to Hull City may have raised a few eyebrows.
Nevertheless, Hughes seems determined to free up some wages to allow him to make his mark on the club.
New arrivals
Despite looking impressive in his first few games at the club, Jo will need time to settle into life at City, and in England, after joining from CSKA Moscow.
The Brazilian signing is a step in the right direction for Hughes, who is looking to add quality to the squad ahead of this season's Uefa Cup campaign.
Tal Ben Haim will be glad to make the journey north to Manchester after stagnating somewhat at Chelsea. And the defender will help bolster City's rearguard and provide competition for Richard Dunne, Micah Richards and Vedran Corluka.
Needs
After such a strange season last year, it is difficult to point out the area of the team that most needs improving.
Hughes may look to add a left back and a goalkeeper but his main focus will surely be up front.
With Jo heading off to the Olympics with Brazil, the Welshman will look to add to his attacking options and has already been heavily linked with Roque Santa Cruz, who he was close to at Blackburn.
Hughes' attempts to sign Ronaldinho and Bentley show his ambition and if the club back that with cash then expect to see a few more new faces before the transfer window closes.
The fanbase
Following Eriksson's departure, the appointment of Hughes and the encouraging signs in the transfer market have gone a long way to appeasing the fans.
The progression to the second round of qualifiers for the Uefa Cup has also helped, but more signings and some positive competitive results will do most to bring smiles to the faces of the club's faithful.
Hughes will look to establish some much-needed stability once he's made his mark in the transfer market - something that was sorely lacking in the second half of last season.
Prediction for 2008/09
City fans will be hoping for success this season, and an improvement on ninth place would be expected.
A lot hinges on whether the manager can bring in new faces, but if Santa Cruz is one of them then I would expect City to be there or thereabouts in terms of Uefa Cup qualification next season.
Even more interesting will be to see what they can do in Europe this season.
A decent run in that, both domestic cups, and a top-six league finish should be a realistic aim for Hughes and Manchester City.
Chris Malone