No Cristiano Ronaldo or Harry Kane? For Manchester City, it will likely be no problem
Manchester City spent a lot of money on their backline and on a player like Jack Grealish. The team is not shy to pay what they must to acquire the talent they seek. Money, however, cannot always bring all things to fruition.
Shockingly, City were not able to acquire a big name goal scorer at the transfer deadline and instead will have to make do with an endless number of attacking midfielders and Gabriel Jesus.
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Cristiano Ronaldo moved back to Manchester United, despite being linked to City and Harry Kane stayed at Tottenham.
Will it all work out? Quite likely, except for Tottenham.
This is because that’s the way that Pep has been trending in recent years. The acquisition of Grealish is an indication that he is going all-in on the concept. Chelsea with Romelu Lukaku and Manchester United with Ronaldo will be fascinating to watch btut the most interesting club will be the Citizens.
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City: Innovating, with or without Ronaldo
Ronaldo with Pep in Manchester would’ve been a coup and an absolutely incredible one to witness. Yet it does feel like he made the right call to return to be a Red Devil once more. That is where he played first and is the only Premier League outfit that one can imagine him playing for.
While it would’ve been wonderful for Pep and Manchester City, his loss allows them to play a more open, interesting brand of beautiful passing football. It is not as though City has no attacking players. Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez are more than capable of going at defenders and Jesus has been waiting years to replace Kun Aguero.
All three players will have their chance to attack defenses and with so many midfield options in attack, it does feel as though this team is going to wear clubs down all year long only to finish them off with a supreme combination of passes to free up someone like Ilkay Gundogan to score.
Between Gundogan and Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Fernandinho, there is unlimited creativity and ball handling on the pitch at all times. It is remarkable what they’ve been able to compile and even more special how fluid they all play with one another on the pitch.
It feels like Pep continues to push the boundaries of his football farther. He seems determined to “out-beautiful” everyone to dominance and trophies. For someone who doesn’t root for City at all, it is quite inspiring. They simply are looking to innovate in new and creative ways.
Would they be a more scary side with a Kane or Ronaldo? Probably.
City run the risk of lacking goals should they not be able to get it going with the players moving the ball and executing. However, they are certainly still among the favorites to win the league — even with Manchester United and Chelsea improving.
City will win the games they’re supposed to whereas that may not be the case with United, as has been endemic under managers since Sir Alex Ferguson, including Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer. Chelsea or Liverpool will likely be their biggest threat to a top finish.
They will be competitive and blow teams out as they did to Arsenal before the first international break. It will be a tougher road than last year and if they lose the league, everyone will be talking about what might have been had they signed either Kane or Ronaldo.