Manchester City have been splashing the cash this summer
like no tomorrow, but James Marshment thinks it is too soon to tip
them for the
title.
Gareth Barry, Roque Santa Cruz and more recently Carlos Tevez
have all been added to the Manchester City pay-roll this summer at
a cost of around £60million in transfer fees.
It might be peanuts compared to the credit-crunch-defying cash
being spent by Real Madrid, but these are all players of proven
Premier League ability, who will undoubtedly make City much
stronger this coming campaign.
Some observers even believe the title will move across the city
to the blue half of Manchester come next May.
But whilst I believe City's investments will give the Premier
League's top-four a much-needed shake-up, I think we're a season
away - and possibly two - from considering Mark Hughes' side as
genuine title contenders.
Let me explain why.
Firstly, when was the last time you saw a side go from finishing
10th in the table (not to mention a whopping 40 points adrift) go
on to finish top of the pile the very season after? Add into the
mix that the top eight, let alone the top four, has altered only
minimally over the past five seasons and you get some idea of the
task City are facing. In fact, since their return to the Premier
League at the end of the 2001/02 season, the Blues have only
secured a top-eight finish once.
With that in mind, just finishing in the top six would represent
progress given their previous 'struggles'.
Now obviously, given the cash that has been spent, all
associated with the club will be expecting a whole lot more than a
top-eight finish this term - and bringing Champions League football
to Eastlands in the 20010/11 season has to be a realistic goal.
But to even get to that level, Hughes must iron out a couple of
deficiencies that have held City back in recent times - starting
with their defence. It is mainly away from home where these
problems lay - and their shipping of 32 goals in 19 games on their
travels last term was the fifth worst in the entire division. Even
relegated Newcastle conceded less on the road!
To be fair to the City chief, he has apparantly set the wheels
in motion to strengthen his rearguard and links to Sol Campbell,
Kolo Toure, Lucio (and particularly) Joleon Lescott and John Terry,
should at least give supporters heart. I think Hughes recognises he
probably now needs to priortise on strengthening his central
defence and the capture of two established names would aid their
progress far more significantly than anywhere else on the field.
It's the age-old adage, but if you're keeping things clean at the
back then you've always got a chance of winning more matches.
Shay Given was recruited in the winter transfer window and he'd
surely become a safer pair of hands if he was playing behind say
Terry and Lescott, as opposed to Richard Dunne and Micah Richards -
the latter of whom seems to have lost the panache of previous
seasons.
And if City do bring in the star additions at the back to
accompany the marquee signings in attack, that will surely take
care of their other frailty - their appalling away record. Two wins
in 19 on the road last season tells its own story and Hughes will
know this needs significant improvement if they're to push for the
top four next season.
If they are to upset the establishment and bag a top-four place,
the most obviously under threat are Arsenal, who after a few
seasons of under-investment player-wise, look set to face their
stiffest test yet to hang onto their place amongst England's elite.
Aston Villa threatened it for a spell last season until they ran
out of steam - but City will hope to go one better this time
around.
The Gunners have been in a slow decline over the past three or
four seasons and if they don't make some key additions this summer,
I think they will lose their top four mantle come next season.
Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted to see City spending big if it
makes for a more exciting race for the European places.
They say Rome wasn't built in a day - and it will certainly take
that bit longer to bring the Premier League title to Eastlands.
But City are on the right track and hopefully come this time
next year we will be talking about City as serious title
contenders