The 2017/18 Premier League season has officially begun, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Red cards, own goals, a penalty, freak results and goals galore, last weekend had it all. Manchester United took an early league lead with a 4-0 victory over West Ham, whilst defending champions Chelsea fell to a 3-2 defeat to Burnley, losing two players to red cards in the process.
Manchester City, Everton’s next league opponents, came up against last season’s Championship runners-up, Brighton and Hove Albion. The Citizens won comfortably at the Amex, scoring through Sergio Agüero and an unfortunate Lewis Dunk headed own goal.
Pep Guardiola’s side have strengthened significantly this summer, spending a reported £210.35million on new signings. Tottenham’s Kyle Walker, AS Monaco’s Benjamin Mendy and Real Madrid’s Danilo came in to complete the most expensive defensive line of all time, Benefica’s Ederson Moraes became the second most expensive goalkeeper of all time, and AS Monaco’s Bernardo Silva came in to further strengthen City’s already impressive forward line.
Despite this gross level of spending, the Sky Blues have made a return of £68.24million in the way of outgoings, most notably from the sales of Kelechi Iheanacho, Nolito, Fernando, Aleksandar Kolarov, Enes Ünal and Aaron Mooy, with a plethora of others leaving for nominal or no fee.
To get an inside view on all matters Man City, I spoke to the editor of City Watch, Adam Bailey.
Firstly, everyone knows that both Manchester City and Everton have spent a lot of money this summer. Are you happy with the signings you’ve made so far?
I am indeed. Despite spending shed loads of cash and building a squad many other Premier League managers could only dream of coaching in the last few seasons, we’ve still somehow managed to neglect key areas. There will always be immense pressure on your shoulders when you’ve spent the kind of money we have, but I challenge you to name a side in the world that could feasibly win a trophy with Aleksandar Kolarov, Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy rotating at full-back. Kyle Walker, Danilo and Benjamin Mendy are more than adequate replacements; they’re all of a good age and all have European experience. They’ll improve the team significantly.
The papers had us going for those guys months before their signings were announced, but none of us saw Bernardo Silva. Many City fans will agree with me when I say he offered the best individual performance I’ve ever seen from an opposition player (other than Messi) at the Etihad in that 5-3 thriller last season and I can’t wait to see him play. And of course, we 100% needed a new keeper didn’t we…?
Are there any areas that you’d still like to see be improved?
We could still do with a central midfielder. Yaya and Fernandinho are both on the wrong side of 30 now, while Ilkay Gundogan is always susceptible to injury. Even with Gundo fit though – and when he is fit he’s fantastic – I still feel we’d benefit from the cover of a young, energetic ball-sprayer. Someone like Julian Weigl of Borussia Dortmund fits the bill and even N’Zonzi of Sevilla could do a job, but I see us spending the remainder of our cash elsewhere.
Do you think that the exorbitant amount of money spent on fresh talent this summer will pile even more pressure on Pep Guardiola this season and how do you think he’ll cope with that?
Definitely, but I don’t think he’ll be at all bothered. Pep isn’t a people pleaser and the spending you’re seeing now is a defiant response to just how poor the squad was last season. He wasn’t happy at all and will have been furious after being forced to simplify his tactics mid-way through the season when he truly realised just how ill-equipped we were to cope with his ideas. Nevertheless, another trophy-less campaign after raising the level of the side so significantly would be a massive failure and Pep will know that.
Many expected Pep to do much better last season, and it was, of course, the first season of his managerial career without winning silverware. How do you feel he’s done so far?
He’s done alright. It’s difficult for any manager to put their mark on a squad after just one season and so a look at how individuals have responded may be a better gauge. Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva and Sergio Aguero have certainly improved in-terms of their overall game, but defensively we’ve regressed. Hopefully with the addition of a few full-backs that issue will be resolved this season and we can go back to the good old days when clean sheets were a regular occurrence.
More than anything I think Pep has given us that ‘big club’ feel. The world’s most promising talents want to develop under him and so in that sense he’s a real human honey-pot if you like. Can you image Gabriel Jesus saying he’s always wanted to play under Manuel Pellegrini? Pep won’t accept second best and you always feel as if he has things under control, even if sometimes he doesn’t!
First game, Brighton away, fairly routine win for the Citizens there. Who stood out for you?
Frustrating at times but aye, straightforward and deserved in the end. I was happy with how patient we were, I think we had more faith in ourselves than we did at points last season and just kept playing our game knowing that the goal would come. Kyle Walker was the man who stood out for me, though. He was an absolute beast in this game, a real gazelle down the touch line, always hungry for the ball. As I said before, he’ll improve us a lot.
Now onto Everton, we have to talk about last season. Two missed penalties at the Etihad and a routing at Goodison. Are you looking to get some revenge this time round or is it business as usual?
Yes, I’d like some revenge. That game was ridiculous, you’ll admit? I think that game more than any summed up our season because so often we played mesmerising football only to come away empty handed. We could’ve won that game by five or six but as we learned so many times, one miss and one defensive mistake and all that pressure counts for nothing. If we put our chances away on Monday night we should be looking to win the game but you’re a more ambitious side than you were last season and will be hopeful of snatching a point again I think.
How do you think City will set-up against the Toffees?
God knows. I’ve already given up trying, honestly. If it were me picking the team, however, I’d go with:
Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Stones, Danilo, Yaya, Silva, De Bruyne, Sane, Sterling, Aguero.
Wayne Rooney will presumably be itching to get on the scoresheet. With Romelu Lukaku now gone and a couple, fair to say less prolific players having come in, do you feel that Everton could still hurt City?
Unfortunately for you guys Wayne Rooney is no Romelu Lukaku and you’re going to need to bring in some goals before the window shuts to really fulfill your potential. You’ve strengthened at the back and in midfield, so an organised performance may help you leave with a point again, but offensively I still feel you’re a little short.
Finally, your prediction for the game?
I’ll go 3-1 City.
Follow Adam on Twitter at @adambailey__, and follow City Watch at @City_Watch.
