KEVIN KILBANE ON MAN CITY’S LATEST CASH SPLURGE
Man City have spent the most cash and have the best squad, but...
I’VE MADE my top six Premier League prediction but I bet it changes after the transfer window closes. The season kicks off next weekend but all teams have business to complete, players to sign and others to move on. Especially among last season’s top six.
As the squads stand, my top six is:
1 Manchester City 2 Chelsea 3 Manchester United 4 Liverpool 5 Tottenham 6 Arsenal
But that order is likely to change after August 31.
Manchester City have the best squad, but then I said that this time last year. They have undoubtedly improved, with a couple more to come in, and will have Gabriel Jesus available from the start of the season.
Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy are the epitome of the attacking full-back Pep Guardiola wants in his team. They are not defenders. Last season, on many occasions, I said that a strong defence was what City needed. I know it is a theme I will return to this season. They are still vulnerable. Guardiola will not change. He better hope it doesn’t come back to haunt him.
City need a centre-back in the mould of Tony Adams, Steve Bruce or Gary Pallister. A leader who can organise and ensure the basics are done right. Vincent Kompany is that organiser if he is fit, but sadly that has become a big ‘if’.
The player I am most looking forward to seeing is Mendy. He is sensational on the run, getting his crosses in, and he is the best attacking full-back in Europe. And yet, he is vulnerable defensively.
This should be a title-winning season for City but those defensive frailties are what will give others a chance. Chelsea will still be the nearest challengers and while I certainly don’t envisage a collapse on the scale of two seasons ago under Jose Mourinho, they are doing some strange transfer business.
The sale of Nemanja Matic to Manchester United makes absolutely no sense to me. Chelsea have made a direct rival stronger. Matic is the ideal player for the United midfield and, at 29, the way he plays means they could get another five or six years out of him.
Then there is the impending departure of Diego Costa, the best centre forward in the Premier League, who provides a spark and energy even when he is not scoring.
They have signed Alvaro Morata for £70million and let’s see how he adjusts to the Premier League because it is a step into the unknown for him. I doubt he will score as many goals as Costa, or have his presence, that’s for sure.
United have spent money to compete for the title again but Romelu Lukaku is still improving and learning. Mourinho has not signed the finished article, like a Robin van Persie or Ruud van Nistelrooy, and one of the interesting developments this season will be the relationship between the United manager and a striker he sold at Chelsea.
The Belgian knows he could be in for a rough ride if he doesn’t meet Mourinho’s high standards and will not hesitate in dropping him if he does not deliver what he wants.
There are still two or three more signings to come from Liverpool and, of course, there will be uncertainty over Philippe Coutinho’s future until, as seems inevitable, he joins Barcelona.
Then it is a question of where Jurgen Klopp spends the money, and if he will have time. They have to attract the right replacement, which could be difficult if this drags on.
Liverpool look very exciting in pre-season but it will be a question of whether they can sustain that pace and energy levels week in, week out. They faded after Christmas last season, struggling to break down resolute defences, and that cannot happen again if they are to challenge.
The player I’m looking forward to seeing is Dominic Solanke, who left Chelsea on a free because he wasn’t getting first team football. A couple of years ago, when Marcus Rashford first burst on to the scene, I was talking about the United striker with Lee Carsley, who was then a coach with England Under 20s. He said Solanke had the potential to be as good as Rashford.
It is a shame for Tottenham fans that just as they finally topple Arsenal, they start to build a new stadium, taking on a huge financial burden, which has an impact on strengthening the team.
Arsenal aren’t in the Champions League for the first time under Arsene Wenger and he is ready to spend, as the £52.7m on the impressive Alexandre Lacazette demonstrates.
Spurs have a brilliant manager and brilliant young players but they are not strong or experienced enough beyond the best starting XI. They have stood still so far in this window and are taking a gamble on the fitness of key players like Harry Kane and Dele Alli. Not to mention with their pay structure, because these lads will know the wages of players at the other top clubs.
Then there is Wembley. Spurs are great to watch but playing there is going to be an issue they will have to overcome. It is a tough place to call home and, naturally, every opposition player is going to lift himself for the occasion. For many, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play there.
The omens are not good after their abysmal performances in the Champions League last season. They never looked like beating the sides who would have been swept aside in front of a full house at White Hart Lane. It is going to be a problem for them.
Mourinho will have no problem at all dropping Lukaku if he isn’t doing exactly what he demands
The sensible football fans among us will realise Tottenham might slip away this season and finish outside the top four. There are many reasons. It is going to be difficult to match last season’s points and goals records. They are building a new stadium. The move to Wembley. They won’t compete at the top end of the transfer market. It’s a young, small, inexperienced squad. If Kane or Alli are injured long-term, they are in trouble.
Spurs might just benefit from a good Champions League campaign, a challenge for the top four and get ready for the move back to the new White Hart Lane.
Spurs fans won’t see it that way, of course. They will want to go one better than second, or certainly challenge, and they will expect the board to help Mauricio Pochettino achieve that. They will also demand another finish above Arsenal. Unless they win the Europa League, the Gunners are unlikely to qualify for the Champions League. And if Alexis Sanchez leaves, it definitely won’t happen. Arsene Wenger said this week that he is not for sale. But I get the feeling that is the beginning rather than the end of another saga which could drag on, and end with his inevitable exit. Sanchez has one year left on his contract and clearly wants to leave, but Wenger can be stubborn. However, as we’ve seen with Neymar Jr this week, what the player’s advisers and the player wants, the player’s advisers and the player usually gets.
Everton are the nearest challengers and Ronald Koeman has been spending the Lukaku cash wisely and widely, and it doesn’t look as if he is finished yet.
Evertonians are expecting their side to breach the top six this season and Koeman has not been afraid to quickly assemble a very good squad and give them hope. If Ross Barkley goes and Gylfi Sigurdsson joins, it will freshen them up even more.
These are exciting times at Goodison Park, with the new stadium on the horizon and some serious longterm investment in the team guaranteed.
And you cannot overlook the impact the signing of Wayne Rooney could make in all of this.
He’s a true Blue Nose who has come back to the club he loves to help take it to the next phase and bring on the next generation.
I think he’s going to love every minute of it.