There are only two seasons in history in which Manchester City have gone into a Premier League season as defending champions, and the similarities to both seasons are evidently striking. In the past three years Manchester City fans have experienced the unbelievable highs that could never be dreamt of, which established fans expectations to be even larger than ever. Two league titles in three years has seen the club catapult itself into the supremacy of European football and as success been delivered, disappointment has sprung onto the club by outside and inside factors which has seen swift changes made by the success-driven Arab owners.
In 2012, Roberto Mancini took his champions into a season hoping to achieve something that had never been achieved in the clubs history – successfully defending their league title. Throughout the summer of 2012, the club struggled to attract top stars to the club and missed out on key transfer targets in which they hoped would improve the dept of the squad. Danielle De Rossi, Eden Hazard and Robin Van Persie were all some of the names mentioned to have rejected a move to the newly crowned champions meaning the club struggled to improve the quality of the squad as they would have hoped.
In comparison to the current season unfolding, the club has struck with a ban by UEFA for being unable to meet financial targets European football’s governing body had imposed in years gone by. City, defending their crown likewise in 2012, were now only able to spend a maximum of £50million more than the transfer fees they shall receive. Financially the club was now unable to attract the stars they would have wished for including Angel Di Maria. A deal for the Argentine is rumored to have been agreed only for UEFA’s harsh penalty on the club meant City’s hierarchy were now unable to afford the Real Madrid player due to his enormous fee.
Having failed to qualify for the Champions League knock-out stage during the 2011/2012 season, extra pressure was piled upon Mancini’s men to deliver Champions League success in 2012/2013. The pressure piled at an all-time high and unfortunately the draw was heavily unkind to City and saw the club drawn in the group of death with three other Champions of their own domestic leagues. Borussia Dortmund, Ajax and giants Real Madrid were drawn with City, whilst rumours of unrest in the camp persisted. Mancini failed to deliver a single win as the club embarrassingly finished bottom of their group with questions of his reign and authority being asked publicly not for the first time.
Current City boss Manuel Pellegrini was appointed the clubs manager when Mancini’s disastrous domestic and European campaign in 2012/13 came to a halt with no success and large unrest in the dressing room. However, having guided the club to the knock-out stages of the Champions League for the first time last season, expectations were automatically risen by fans, the owners and media outlets throughout the world. Similar to two years ago, the Blues have found difficulty in the Champions League this season, but do have a good chance of qualifying following that massive win against Bayern Munich. Even if the club does not reach the knockout stages, the club’s owners are adamant that the holistic Pellegrini is the right man to take the club forward.
League success is the only real chance City have of exceeding targets issued during pre-season. Having scored over 150 goals in all competitions last season, City are struggling to destroy teams as fashionably as they done so last season. Slow and aimless build up play is very reminiscent of the style of football played during Mancini’s final season in charge of the club and with unbeaten leaders Chelsea looking impressive as Manchester United did previously, it will be a tough task for Pellegrini to cut the gap at the top of the league and retain their crown.
The form of many of the clubs top players this season has played a major factor in their inconsistency. Over reliance on Sergio Agüero is a slight worry for the fans having been aware of the two time league winner’s injury savaged past. On the other hand, it must be noted that the club have started the season stronger than they did in Pellegrini’s first year in charge and it was this time last year the club went on a 24 game unbeaten run which seen them burst back into the title race. Unfortunately for the club in 2013, was the form of Robin Van Persie who moved to the red side of Manchester instead of the blue half and proved to be the major deciding factor in Manchester United being victorious in the title race. Similarities are present, however the club is better suited now to achieve success this season than it was under the final year of Roberto Mancini’s reign as manager.
