ESPN | Off Mic

Top Headlines

December 4, 2009

Chelsea game a measure of City progress

Posted by Jon Champion on 04/12/2009

The view you take of Manchester City’s recent form probably reveals a great deal about your personality. Is the glass half full or half empty? Seven consecutive draws is a Premier League record Mark Hughes could have done without, but the fact remains that City are the hardest team to beat in English football.

Only Manchester United have managed it this season - and even then they relied on a goal so late it bordered on the posthumous - so when the Premier League leaders pitch up at Eastlands on Saturday teatime, they can expect their title credentials to be fully examined. It is without question the game of the weekend and is live only on ESPN.

Kevin Keegan will be on duty in the studio. He remains the last City manager to taste victory over Chelsea. The player who earned that win for the light blues back in 2004 was Nicolas Anelka, now leading the opposition line with the newly focused Didier Drogba and aiming to prove that dark blue will be this season’s colour.

Reading the reviews of Chelsea’s win at Arsenal last weekend, you could be forgiven for thinking the title race is already over. I was lucky enough to be at the Emirates, and I thought the way the game unfolded was entirely predictable. Arsenal played pretty football; Chelsea showed power and pragmatism and were rewarded with three goals and three points.

Whilst I would agree with those who say Chelsea have been the most impressive team in the Premier League this season so far, I would sound a note of caution. Even though they beat Manchester United with a fortuitous John Terry goal at Stamford Bridge last month, the reigning champions made them look distinctly ordinary. Nor did they look the part at Wigan or Aston Villa. They have been beaten and they will be again. With two-thirds of the season still to play I would hate to think that their rivals regard them as invincible.

It’ll be fascinating to see whether, at this point in their development, Manchester City are strong enough to do their neighbours a favour. Even with the financial muscle of Abu Dhabi behind them, City haven’t yet been able to attract the very best players.

Only when they have Champions League football to offer as well as Champions League money will they find the stellar names willing to come. For the time being, they have some very good players - but make no mistake, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Wayne Bridge only swapped west London for east Manchester because Chelsea decided they could manage without them.

Essentially, Manchester City are following a similar path to that trodden by Chelsea when Roman Abramovich first invested part of his fortune in the club. Expectations are inflated, so are the transfer fees and wage demands of potential recruits. There are occasional peaks but still some troughs. Nonetheless, this Saturday’s fixture is a measure of how far City have come and how far they still have to go. For once, they might even be happy with a draw.

Comments

Posted by John French on 04/12/2009

I really do not understand why people are so pro Utd and so anti-Chelsea. Every single reference I have read about the Chelsea vs Utd game mentions how Chelsea were outclassed NONE make reference to Brown's (literally) criminal attack on Drogba whom he could have killed or crippled. Not drawing attention to this sort of criminal activity (or penalizing it) only serves to legtimize it. How many careers did Roy Keane finish? More than he should have been allowed to that's for sure. But it's okay he played for Utd.

Posted by philip morana on 04/12/2009

As attractive as Rebecca Lowe is, I wholeheartedly agree with you Mr. Champion. Chelsea have a long way to go still, and although I think Chelsea will win on Saturday, all it takes for Chelsea is one loss to capitulate in the dressing room. Last year they never got over that defeat at old trafford, and if something similar happens, then I think Ancelotti will have problems unifying the players after an emphatic loss.