SO, COULD CITY HIT 200 GOALS?
Prolific leaders target a glut of records
In THE minutes after Manchester City’s 5-1 thumping of Tottenham, Manuel Pellegrini was asked about the ethics of paying £233m in salaries. ‘I don’t know what you’re telling me, but after the game is not the time to talk about other things,’ the City manager claimed.
In other words, Pellegrini isn’t interested in pay packets and financial fair play. He has been brought in to win trophies with this team.
Undoubtedly he will do that, as City charge towards the Barclays Premier League title after a night of shock and awe at White Hart Lane. ‘They are the best team in this league by a country mile,’ was Tim Sherwood’s typically brutal and honest assessment.
Tottenham’s manager should know because he has experienced victory at Manchester United and defeat at Arsenal in his opening weeks in charge.
Suddenly the pre-season chatter of chief executive Ferran Soriano, when he demanded five trophies in five years from Pellegrini (below), seems cautious.
They are targeting a quadruple after banging in 115 goals (Manchester United hold the record with 142 goals in all competitions, in the 1956-57 season). Before the season is out, City could yet reach 200.
Chelsea, the team who beat them in the final minute at Stamford Bridge when Joe Hart came haring out of his area on October 27, are next on Monday. Much has changed since then.
City have brilliantly used Jesus navas, David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Alvaro negredo. navas and Silva were exceptional at Spurs, grandmasters at one-touch football. As they darted past the Spurs midfield, it was easy to become transfixed.
City are top, clear of Arsenal and Chelsea. They are so powerful, using 22 players in their Capital One Cup run alone, but the league is the principal target for these players.
‘If you want to challenge for titles we have to be ready for the weeks and months when there are important matches,’ admitted navas. ‘We are top and on Monday we’ve a really important match against Chelsea.
‘We want to win the title, but there is nothing to worry about. We are enjoying it a lot, not only the players, but the fans as well.’
And yet City still seek perfection. Captain Vincent Kompany is unhappy that they keep easing off. He said: ‘It sounds like I am being difficult here but, whenever we go 3-0 or 4-0 up, I feel there is a spell of five or 10 minutes when we are dropping off a bit.
‘If we are capable of maintaining it rather than dropping off, then we can still be the team that everyone thinks we can be.’
The 3,000 or so away fans who made the trip down to London on Wednesday know they are witnessing something special at City.
The antagonism which was established among players and management under Roberto Mancini has been replaced by a special bond on the sidelines. After the opening goal on Wednesday from Sergio Aguero, the management team all celebrated together. They knew they were going top of the table.
City have put 11 past the France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in two chastening experiences for Tottenham.
‘The difference between City last season and this is that every player is playing for the team,’ said Lloris. ‘When you have a squad like that, with that quality, everybody is thinking about the team, and they have the potential to win the Champions League. They should be the winners of the league.’ On Monday evening, when Mourinho pitches up with Chelsea, we get to find out what City are
really made of.