AS a Manchester City fan, I’m still not 100 per cent used to feeling positive going into a new season.
Too often I have got my hopes up and been disappointed.
I’m willing to admit that after Guardiola’s perfect start last year, I was one of I was one of the many City fans in September loudly declaring us champions… only for us to end up clinging onto the top four on the final day of the season.
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This said, it does really feel like this year could be a relatively painless one and possibly, even, enjoyable.
I actually think we’ve bought remarkably well.
I’m aware we may have ‘overspent’ but the last time I checked, it’s not my money we’re spending and the quality of player we’ve bought is extremely high.
Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy are both very popular here but I think any City fan could see last season they were past their sell-by-date and our full backs were a real weakness. The less said about Claudio Bravo the better.
We’ve bought Ben Mendy who is very highly rated in France and of course Kyle Walker, who everyone seems to have forgotten was decided by the PFA to be the best right back in the league.
In goal, Ederson looks like he’s just ‘fits’ what Pep needs, although we’ve only seen a handful of appearances.
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Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan both had major injuries and will hopefully feel like new signings when introduced.
I expect serious rotation throughout the season with Jesus, Bernardo Silva, Danilo, Nicolas Otamendi and Ilkay Gundogan all to feature heavily.
But we will most likely play with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Ederson in goal, Kyle Walker, Vincent Kompany, John Stones and Mendy in defence, Yaya Toure, David Silva sitting deep, and Leroy Sane, Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling all supporting Sergio Aguero.
I think we have to win big this year. We’ve spent a lot of money and Guardiola has had the time he’s asked for, we’ll look silly if we don’t. I’m rarely optimistic about City but this time, I’ll go on record and say we’re going to win the league.
League Prediction: First
Champions League: Semi Final
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