What Formation Should Manchester City Line-up In Next Season?

Manuel Pellegrini will have his task cut out next season

Manchester City made a strong finish to their trophy-less 2014/15 season, winning their final six games in the Barclays Premier League and comfortably finishing in 2nd place, ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United, who looked likely to finish above them at one stage during the campaign.

Manuel Pellegrini deployed his side in the 4-2-3-1 system for the final seven league fixtures, including the 2-4 derby defeat at Old Trafford, and the results were there to be seen.

It wasn't a major innovation from 'the Engineer', who, during his reign at the Etihad Stadium, has been continually castigated for his inclination to playing the 4-4-2 formation, one which saw the 2013/14 English champions score a whopping 156 goals across all competitions.

Pellegrini's decision was also forced, in many ways, due to Edin Dzeko's poor form and disillusioned exterior; Wilfried Bony, the new recruit from Swansea City, suffered ankle and knee injuries during the latter stages of the campaign, making the manager's decision all the more straightforward.

Looking ahead to next season, what sort of a system can Pellegrini deploy his side in? The Chilean is a firm believer in his methods, though some would argue that his dogmatism is uncalled for, with City vying for domestic and continental honors.

When the Etihad outfit brought in the likes of Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando Reges, Frank Lampard and Bacary Sagna, who were the outfield players to sign for the then defending champions, last summer, their system didn't need tweaking.

The addition of the aforementioned quartet to the City squad meant that their midfield and rearguard were not only strengthened, but could also be rotated - which is exactly what Pellegrini did for a majority of their campaign.

This summer, the club seems motivated to sign a world class player, with Paul Pogba and Kevin de Bruyne topping the coveted list of players.

The question, therefore, is whether the new additions will force Pellegrini to tinker with his playing system? And, if so, what formation could the Sky Blues line-up in next season, in the UEFA Champions League and domestic competitions?

Read on...

A lot has been said about the way City have lined-up over the last two seasons, with particular emphasis placed on getting outnumbered in midfield whenever Pellegrini's side has played in the 4-4-2 formation.

However, not many have been aware of the notion that it is the players who make the system work, and not the other way around.

Let us take the 4-2-3-1, or 4-4-1-1, formation for instance: usually, David Silva plays as the No.10 and Sergio Aguero, the club's No.1 striker, plays up top. Now, when City are out of possession, Silva remains high up the pitch along with Aguero, and their team drops into two banks of four.

Average positions of City players in a 4-4-2, when out of possession

Therefore, 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 is hardly any different from a 4-4-2 formation, especially without possession of the ball.

When in possession, it is fundamental that City work as a team and do everything possible to find the back of the net, leaving the two central defenders along with Fernandinho, the No.4 or midfield pivot, to do the bulk of the defensive work when a turnover in possession occurs.

Talking of next season, Pellegrini might have to play a different formation if either Pogba or de Bruyne joins up with the existent City squad.

The Cityzens already have three midfielders - Toure, Fernandinho and Fernando - at their disposal, and only two of them can play in the 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 systems.

De Bruyne, though, is versatile and could be deployed in at least 2 or 3 positions, making it possible for City to continue lining up in the aforementioned systems, with the Belgian and Silva presumably forming a good partnership in the attacking-third with Aguero.

City lining up in the 4-3-3 system is not out of the question, if Txiki Begiristain and co. bring in the players who are reported to be interesting them.

De Bruyne will give Pellegrini many tactical options to choose from

Such a formation will make profound changes to City's engine room, which could then have one of the two Brazilian midfielders playing as a solitary pivot behind Toure and, possibly, one amongst de Bruyne and Silva partnering the Ivorian in that advanced midfield position.

Jesus Navas and Samir Nasri, you would think, will flank Aguero in the final-third.

The 4-3-3 formation will give City a lot more potency when attacking, while also giving them better defensive solidity than what they enjoy in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2.

The notion, however, remains the same: each player has to play his role well, in order to make the system work.

Final Thought

It remains to be seen what City do with Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic, and whether the duo is shown the door when the Transfer Window opens in July.

However, regardless of what happens to the aforementioned duo, or even one among them, don't be surprised if Pellegrini sticks with the 4-4-2 system in the Premier League and cup competitions.

In Europe, City could lineup in the 4-3-3 formation, that is if they bring in more central midfielders.

City, simply put, defended flimsily last season

Finally, City's defensive struggles last season were not due to the formation they played in, but because of the defenders' - Vincent Kompany and Mangala, in particular - poor form throughout the campaign, which led to their side conceding some really cheap goals against considerably lesser opposition.

Do Manchester City Need Samir Nasri Next Season?

Manchester City finished off their trophy-less 2014/15 season with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Southampton at the Etihad Stadium last Sunday.

Aguero winning the Golden Boot was 'the' highlight of City's season

Sergio Aguero won the Premier League Golden Boot, his first since moving from Atletico Madrid in 2011, for scoring 26 goals in a Barclays Premier League campaign that saw Man. City finish in second place.

Joe Hart bagged the Golden Glove award, his 3rd in the last four seasons, for keeping more cleansheets (14) than any other goalkeeper in the English top-flight.

Those two individual awards, albeit not significant in the grand scheme of things, are a reminder of the kind of players City have at their disposal and that there have been a few positives to come out of a season which simply didn't go to plan for the Sky Blues.

City crashed out of both the Capital One and FA Cup competitions at a very early stage, losing to Newcastle United and Middlesbrough, respectively, at their Etihad fortress. They couldn't breach the 'Barcelona barrier' either, losing 1-3 on aggregate in the UEFA Champions League R-16 for the second season in succession.

Throughout the season that has just finished, there were talks of the City squad requiring a major surgery, replacing the older legs - Yaya Toure, Edin Dzeko, Aleksandar Kolarov and Gael Clichy, to name a few - with young, energetic and world class players of the calibre of Paul Pogba, Kevin de Bruyne, Roberto Firmino, Layvin Kurzawa and of late, Raheem Sterling.

Samir Nasri, albeit not in the age categories of the Toures, Kolarovs and Dzekos and who only signed a 5-year contract at the beginning of last season, is another City player alleged to be on his way out of the Etihad.

It was also reported that he had an altercation with Manuel Pellegrini, who dropped him from City's starting XI after a string of poor performances during the late February-early March period, with Nasri making only four substitute appearances thereafter.

In this article, let us get an idea of what the Frenchman did in an injury-hit season, and whether he could get the axe from City's squad for next season.

Read on...

The Frenchman has traveled with the City squad for their tour of North America

Nasri only made 32 appearances across all competitions for the Cityzens in the 14/15 season, suffering injuries - a couple of groin and one calf - on three different occasions, that affected him from replicating the wonderful form he showed in Pellegrini's first season in-charge of the club.

Calling it a bad season for Nasri, however, doesn't make sense if you go by the stats that clearly demonstrate the Frenchman's contribution to City whenever he played.

As an attacking-midfielder or inside forward, the 27-year old, in the season that has just finished, completed 90% of his attempted passes, which was the most by any City attacker, in 24 Premier League appearances.

Not only did he pass for passing sake, but he also created an average of close to 2.2 chances (52 overall) per game, which was bettered only by David Silva (2.9) and Jesus Navas (2.3) - with the duo playing 8 and 11 more games, respectively, than the former Arsenal player.

More impressively, Nasri completed 27 of his 31 attempted take-ons, proving his efficiency in keeping possession and going past defenders.

He also chipped in with a couple of goals and had a shot accuracy of 63%, which, again, was bettered only by Jose Angel Pozo, who made just three league appearances.

In the Champions League, Nasri wasn't as effective as he was in the league, despite making 6 appearances in the competition. He completed 89% of his passes, but mustered a mere 1.2 chances per game, while also completing just 3 take-ons over six appearances.

Nasri was ultra-impressive in Stadio Olimpico, delivering Champions League success for City

His highlight of the season, however, came in this competition, where he scored a goal and assisted the other for Pablo Zabaleta, in City's 2-0 win over AS Roma last December.

Looking beyond Nasri's stats, City need to determine the reason for holding onto their No.8. In Silva, City have a better player than Nasri and in the same mould as the Frenchman; the Spaniard is also adept at creating goal scoring chances (93, in the league alone), completing take-ons (74% success rate, in the league alone) and scoring (12, in the league alone) goals, too.

Therefore, Nasri, without a smidgen of doubt, doesn't bring something different to Pellegrini's side that also has Navas and James Milner, who play as wingers and defensively contribute a lot more than what the Frenchman usually does.

Nasri found Neymar's pace too hot to handle in the second leg of the Barca-City tie

He is also devoid of pace and, at the Champions League level, he will struggle because of that, as we saw what Neymar did to him when City played the Catalans at the Camp Nou.

If the 2013/14 English champions do secure the services of de Bruyne, Firmino and Sterling, or even one amongst the trio, they ought to make a decision on Nasri's role in the squad.

Because unless Pellegrini decides to adopt the 4-3-3 system, which could see the Marseille-born midfielder play in one of the two advanced midfield positions, it is not going to be possible for him to feature regularly in the starting XI.

He, for me, won't be satisfied with a bit-part role and that could cause serious problems with offloading him, as he is currently on a huge £120,000 per week salary at the Etihad.

Final Thought

The former Arsenal player has possession-retaining ability

Nasri is a very good player, who can make things happen for City when they are playing against parked buses: he can drive into the box, play neat one-twos and thereby, add potency to City's attacks.

However, his work-rate is definitely on the lower side and also lacks pace, which is a significant downside for a player who can play only as a winger at City.

As we all know, it is going to be an intriguing summer at City, and what they do with Nasri will further add to the excitement.

Should Manuel Pellegrini Go For Youth In Manchester City's Lineup For The Final Game Of The Season?

Manuel Pellegrini remains intent on signing off the season with a win

Manchester City will finish their 2014/15 Barclays Premier League campaign, which has seen them relinquish their title to Chelsea, with a home game against Southampton on Sunday.

The Sky Blues have secured second place ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United in the league standings, by winning their last five league fixtures on the trot.

They were ran close in a couple of games by Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City - both away from home - but a determined Manuel Pellegrini's side made sure that they worked hard out of possession and were clinical in attack, to secure three points on both those occasions.

City, otherwise, registered comfortable victories over West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers (QPR) at the Etihad Stadium, where they also overcame an assertive Aston Villa side that was close to holding the hosts for a point, at least.

It has been an important turnaround for the Cityzens, who, at one stage in April, looked likely to not even qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League.

Having secured the runner-up spot, as well as automatic qualification for the group stages of the Champions League next season, should Pellegrini experiment, and inject a few youth players in his starting lineup for Sunday's clash against Ronald Koeman's Saints?

Read on...

City's season was virtually over after they suffered defeats to Barcelona in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Premier League, in back-to-back games during the late February and early March period.

The atmosphere inside the Etihad, consequently, hasn't been at its raucous best for a good three months now and the City faithful are already looking for a fresh start next season.

The City supporters, however, have taken great delight in their club finishing above Manchester United for the second consecutive season, with Louis van Gaal's men losing 75% of their games (4) since inflicting a 2-4 derby defeat on City in April.

City fans witnessed their side pummel Southampton by 3-0 in the reverse fixture

The Etihad outfit has also played a coruscating brand of football, which has been missing for much of this season, lately, going onto score 16 goals during their current 5-game winning run, compared to just 9 in the previous 6 league fixtures.

One of the factors Pellegrini needs to consider if he is keen on experimenting with his starting lineup is that City will be playing at home against Southampton, a game for which the tickets have been sold out, and it, therefore, almost becomes an obligation to give the club's fanatics a good send off.

The Chilean, in his final pre-match press conference of the season yesterday, said that "Second is finished but the season isn't. We must try to win for our fans, to play well and give a good farewell to the season", indicating his single-mindedness in wanting to finish the season on a winning note.

PELLEGRINI: Second is finished but the season isn’t. We must try to win for our fans, to play well and to give a good farewell to the season

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) May 22, 2015

That statement of his makes sense too, because City, unlike Jose Mourinho's side, haven't had a great season, and it can only be a good thing to finish the season with as many points to your name as possible.

The Chilean also has to be cautious in the way he bloods in youth to his squad, which has been one of his virtues as a City manager, because ideally, he doesn't want the youngsters to feature in a game and lose confidence on themselves because of a poor performance or something.

In addition, the starlets seem a little light-weight compared to the likes of a Jordan Ibe or Ruben Loftus-Cheek, players who have graced the Premier League this season for Liverpool and Chelsea, respectively.

The caliber of the opposition also needs to be taken into account, and from that point of view, City will need to play their full-strength side in order to overcome Sunday's visitors.

On the flip side of the coin, however, there can be no better stage for Pellegrini than Sunday, when he could inject a couple of youth players to his side's starting lineup, and thereby squash any lingering doubts over his supposed lack of faith in City's academy and EDS players.

Players like Kelechi Iheanacho and Jose Angel Pozo, who has already appeared for City in three league fixtures this season, could be given a chance to feature this Sunday, when there is absolutely nothing to lose or gain, at least from the home side's perspective.

It will be an important step, as Pellegrini often puts it during his interviews, in the Chilean's reign as City manager, who will need to have a few youth options up his sleeve ahead of the next season, when he will once again be under pressure to deliver silverware.

But going by his thoughts in the presser yesterday, Pellegrini sounds to be in no mood whatsoever to take a gamble, and put himself under pressure if something goes wrong.

Final Thought

It is important for City and Pellegrini to secure three points on Sunday, and ensure that they finish the season on a very good note.

Therefore, it would be good for City and their supporters if the former Malaga manager sticks with the lineup that has delivered results over the last month, and makes sure of the victory first.

This talk of experimentation can wait, at least until three points against Southampton are assured.

What Can Manchester City Takeaway From Their Strong Finish To The Season?

Joe Hart has been one of few standout City players this season

Manchester City will definitely be finishing the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season in 2nd place, with Arsenal failing to win against Sunderland yesterday and relinquishing the slim chance they had of finishing above Manuel Pellegrini's men.

City, with already 76 points to their name, face Southampton at the Etihad Stadium in the final competitive game of the season, and will no doubt be looking to make it half-a-dozen wins, to pull the curtains on what has been a 'disappointing' season for the club.

The Sky Blues have endured a horrible second half of the campaign that has seen them lose to the likes of Burnley and Crystal Palace - away from home - making life easier for Chelsea and Jose Mourinho, who have consequently won the title in a canter.

Pellegrini too, as a result of City's poor showings, has come under intense scrutiny regarding his position and we still await the board's decision on him before the next season kicks off.

City's last defeat came against Manchester United, who won 4-2 at Old Trafford after losing the previous four derbies on the trot, in April, when it seemed like Pellegrini's side would struggle to even finish in one of the four UEFA Champions League places.

Credit to the Etihad outfit, however, for turning things around in the way they have, stringing a quintet of league wins together and assuring themselves of direct qualification into the group stages of next season's Champions League.

The questions are: does City's strong finish to the season count for anything? What are the positives to come out of the current winning run? Answers to follow...

Fighting Spirit

City have shown tremendous fighting spirit during their current 5-game winning run

The hunger to win football matches has been one of the most impressive aspects of City's current 5-game winning run.

The 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane was invigorating to watch, simply because of the manner of the victory. Out of possession, City had to be dogged and defend for large periods in the game, which can't be easy for a side that thrives on possession football.

Sergio Aguero's winner came from a fantastic City counterattack, with Silva teeing up the Argentine who was utterly unflappable with his taking of the chance.

Against Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium, the game was more suited to City's style of play, and the 4-2 scoreline confirmed that the visitors had the better attacking resources of the two sides.

However, on both those occasions, City had to fight hard for the three points, and by doing so, were fully deserving of the results they managed in the end.

Although it has come pretty late on in the season, City have shown character and steel during their current 5-game winning run and that is definitely a positive to come out of their strong finish to this season.

Team Effort

Barring the victories over West Ham United and Aston Villa, teams that sabotaged themselves with a couple of unforced errors, City have played and won as a team.

Aleksandar Kolarov in particular, has been in a rich vein of form in his position at left-back, winning tackles, aerial duels, delivering incisively from corner-kicks and scoring a couple of beautiful free-kicks, too.

Along with the Serbian, the duo of Pablo Zabaleta and Fernandinho, who probably haven't had satisfying seasons by their own standards, have put in some very good displays at right-back and central midfield, respectively.

City have performed collectively during the last month

In an attacking sense, Aguero, Milner and Silva have been a delight to watch, and were the cornerstones to City's attractive victories over Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and Swansea.

Neither can we ill-afford to forget Joe Hart's heroics in City's victory last weekend, pulling off a couple of flabbergasting saves that gave his side a chance to go and clinch the three points.

Wilfried Bony came up with an assist and a goal in his last two substitute appearances for City, showing his pedigree as a genuine target man.

Many a City player hasn't been at his best for a majority of this season, and Aguero's goals have bailed his side out of trouble on a number of occasions. But ever since the derby defeat, City have performed and won as a team.

Takeaways for the Cityzens

Capitulation seemed inevitable after the defeat to the Red Devils, and Pellegrini was portrayed as a 'dead man walking' by many media outlets.

Capitulation seemed inevitable after the derby defeat

I think, from that point of view, City have conjured up a remarkable turnaround and made sure that they lived up to their recent history as either the winners of the Premier League or runners-up.

Hart, in the aftermath of the 6-0 victory over QPR, mentioned that a top four finish was the minimum for City these days. Also, finishing above Arsene Wenger's wizards and United - in particular - for the second consecutive season will delight City.

Avoiding capitulation, for me, says a lot about City as a club and their ambitions to remain the top dog in the English top flight, while also being aware that Mourinho and Chelsea will be their strong rivals in the years to come.

Other than that, City need to regroup and recruit in the best way possible this summer, to challenge for honors next season, when it will once again be a 'fresh' start and challenge.

Final Thought

Pellegrini has engineered a turnaround in City's fortunes during the last month, which tells a lot of him, as well, as a manager who can be trusted with delivering silverware for City in the 2015/16 campaign.

Manuel Pellegrini has a big summer ahead of him

The character shown by the City boss can also be looked at as one of the positives to come out of the Cityzens' strong finish to their 2014/15 campaign.

Five Reasons Why Manchester City Should Stick With Manuel Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini's position as Manchester City manager hangs in the balance

Talks and rumors of Manchester City sacking Manuel Pellegrini are refusing to go away, and the Etihad outfit continues to be linked with the likes of Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, as the potential replacements for Pellegrini.

The Sky Blues have failed to replicate their form from last year, and Pellegrini hasn't been helped by his side relinquishing their hard-earned 2013/14 Barclays Premier League title to Chelsea, who were level with City only on New Year's Day.

The Chilean also took the Cityzens into the UEFA Champions League R-16 for the second consecutive season, after two crucial victories against Bayern Munich and AS Roma in the final two group games. But Barcelona were just too good for them over two legs and, as it has turned out, Luis Enrique's men have eased their way into the Berlin finals rather easily.

Certain City fanatics have been put off by Pellegrini's faith in the 4-4-2 system that saw their side score a whopping 156 goals across all competitions in the league and cup double winning 13/14 season, but the same formation has not brought the best of the players this time around and yet, Pellegrini has largely remained inflexible with his tactics.

The 61-year old remains convinced he will not be sacked by the City hierarchy, and that he will comfortably see out his 3-year contract.

It has been clear from Pellegrini that the Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions placed on City by the UEFA, have proved to be a major stumbling block for them, as they were not able to properly reinforce their squad last summer while Chelsea and Arsenal brought in the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa and have been more 'competitive' than the Cityzens this season.

Only during the off-season will we know how City's hierarchy reacts to what has been an underwhelming season, and Pellegrini is sure to face a few tough questions from Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the chairman.

But here are five reasons why City simply need to stick with Pellegrini and not continue this aberration of sacking a manager every 2-3 seasons. Read on...

Constant changing of managers makes it difficult to attract top players

Pellegrini is probably not the box office manager like Jose Mourinho or Louis van Gaal, who can attract players purely due to their aura and respective winning formulas.

Neymar cited the constant changing of managers as the reason to not join a club like City

However, having said that, stability at a football club is something that any new player considers before moving to his new destination and it is the foremost reason why the City hierarchy needs to persevere with Pellegrini.

The Chilean, in his two years at the club, has already shown how good a man-manager he is, and that aspect of his management will be critical to City attracting the likes of Paul Pogba, Kevin de Bruyne and Roberto Firmino - who are their top transfer targets this summer - to the Etihad.

Talking of player transfers, Pellegrini must surely be mindful of a few players who he would want to add to his squad, and sacking him will not bode well for City's transfer strategy this summer.

A new manager coming in will probably not guarantee instant success

City, when they contemplate parting ways with Pellegrini, must be absolutely sure that the new manager coming in will not, in anyway, disrupt the good work that has been done by the former Malaga manager.

Pellegrini helped City win back their Premier League title from Manchester United in his first season in-charge of the club, but the question is how many managers can guarantee you such success immediately after taking over.

LVG is a perfect example for City to not be hasty in changing managers

Van Gaal is a fine example of why City should be cautious in their decision to change the current manager. The United boss has struggled to come to terms with the Premiership and invited derision for his obsession with tactics, philosophy and what not...

Mourinho, likewise, was not successful on his return to Stamford Bridge last season, when they struggled against the likes of West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Sunderland - clubs that nullified the tactical genius in the Portuguese manager, by way of winning or drawing their respective games against the West Londoners.

Therefore, while a new manager 'could' conjure up something extraordinary when appointed as replacement for Pellegrini, there is no guarantee that the new candidate will guarantee City instant success, which the Chilean was capable of.

Pellegrini has remained defiant and must be raring to go next season

This has no doubt been a sub-standard season for City in recent history, as they, in addition to relinquishing their Barclays Premier League title, failed to progress in the Capital One and FA Cup competitions in which they were ousted by Newcastle United and Middlesbrough, at their Etihad fortress, respectively.

The way City lost both those games - by 2-0 margins - was appalling, and Pellegrini's men, for a brief period, found it difficult to win against the likes of Hull City, Burnley and Palace since that defeat to Aitor Karanka's side.

Pellegrini has handled things well during a difficult season for City

In such tough times, however, you got to laud the way Pellegrini handled things and how he defended himself, his team and everyone concerned with the club.

Also, when faced with tough questions from the English press, Pellegrini has remained pragmatic in handling them, thereby saving the reputation of the club.

Players like Edin Dzeko, Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri have had poor seasons, and it has contributed to City's downfall. The aforementioned trio was at the heart of City's league and cup double winning 13/14 season, but injuries and poor form have seen them make little contribution to City's season this time around.

Pellegrini, purely for his record as manager at City, deserves to reflect on himself and this season, and must surely be determined to get back in the title hunt come August 8th, when the new campaign gets underway.

The Chilean has given City an identity - as an attractive team

Pellegrini and the City hierarchy have constantly reiterated their hunger for success, which they want to achieve in the right manner and by playing an attractive brand of football, however.

City are one of the few clubs that play an attractive brand of football

It was the foremost reason for bringing the Chilean from Malaga last season, as his teams are known to play artistic, success guaranteeing, football.

Such a footballing philosophy has seen City earn themselves an identity as the highest scoring team in the English top flight for the second consecutive season and one of the very few football clubs in Europe that thrive on playing quality football.

What it shows is that Pellegrini continues to fulfill the criteria expected of him by Txiki Begiristain and company, and more than anything else, believes in his methods.

Such assertiveness is wonderful to see and City need to make sure that they retain his services beyond this season.

Cityzens' current 4-game winning streak is a reason to

City won a mere 44% of their league fixtures from February until the Manchester derby last month, and it increasingly looked like Pellegrini's men would not attain Champions League qualification for the first time in 5 seasons.

Pellegrini has engineered a turnaround in City's season over the last month

Pellegrini was perceived as a 'dead man walking' during those two months, which were the initiators to this sack talk or speculation.

However, such speculation has been sent into the trashcan as a result of City's current 4-game winning streak that has got them to within two points of achieving direct qualification into the Champions League group stages next season.

It is not for the first time that we have seen Pellegrini transform City's form after a run of win-less games, and it just shows the adeptness of the Chilean as the manager of a football club that is striving for success and trophies almost every year.

Final Thought

There may come a time when City need a managerial change in order to progress further as a football club.

Yes, this season could be viewed as a failure and one in which progress was not made.

However, the Chilean should be struck with on the basis of the success he brought to the club last season and also for the obvious pluses - a wonderful man-manager, has City playing an attractive brand of football, refrains from tarnishing the reputation of the club - you get with Pellegrini at the helm.

Barclays Premier League: Five Things We Learned From Manchester City's Victory Over Queens Park Rangers

It was a comprehensive City performance against QPR

Manchester City were in ruthless mode against Queens Park Rangers (QPR), putting six goals past Robert Green to register their fourth consecutive victory since their last Barclays Premier League defeat.

The hosts were clinical in everything they did last night, but were greatly helped by the sloppiness of a Rangers side that played like it had accepted relegation even before Mike Dean blew his whistle for kickoff.

Manuel Pellegrini struck with the same starting XI that played with great spunk to win against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane 8 days ago, and his personnel responded well to the situation.

Sergio Aguero, a player who is almost a certainty now to win the Premier League Golden Boot for this season, opened the scoring after just four minutes into the game and followed it up with two more goals in the second half, to complete his third hat-trick of the season.

Aleksandar Kolarov, David Silva and James Milner scored the three other goals to hand the Londoners a humiliating defeat on their way into the Football League Championship next season.

The atmosphere inside the Etihad Stadium was rather muted, which, however, was not unexpected given that the home side was not fighting for any honors as such, but the players kept running about and made sure their performance levels didn't dwindle because of the partisan crowd that turned up to watch them.

We got to learn a few things from a comprehensive City performance, and here are they.

City players' energy levels were so invigorating to see

City played with verve and panache

Ahead of the game, there were question marks over the mentality of the City players, and whether they would turn up for a game such as yesterday's.

Over the last 3-4 seasons, we have seen City, as a unit, not turn up or be a little lethargic in their approach to these kinds of games, but there were no traces of complacency from each one of the City player who played last night.

In fact, it was so good to see City players fighting for every ball, tackle hard and play as a unit while attacking or defending. It was as though Pellegrini's men challenged themselves to be a better side, irrespective of how the visitors performed.

Overall, City attempted an impressive 34 tackles, made 22 interceptions and 34 clearances, which is a testament to their work-rate and commitment last night. And it was one of the marquee aspects of City's victory over QPR.

Shambolic QPR allowed certain City players to gain some confidence

There has been no doubt that certain personnel in the City camp have struggled for form over the course of this season, which has had an inhibiting effect on their team as a whole.

QPR didn't bother to take the game to the home side

The likes of Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando Reges and Kolarov would have expected better performances of themselves before the season began.

Yes, you could argue that Mangala and Fernando have come into a new league and taken time to settle down, but let us not forget that they showed great potential during their times at FC Porto, which captured the attention of Txiki Begiristain who subsequently brought them to the Etihad.

But the duo's performances have not been up to the expected standard and the confidence levels have surely been low for much of this season.

Same applies to the Serbian, who performed very well in Pellegrini's first season in-charge of the club. But he has also struggled for form, suffered a calf injury prior to the first Manchester derby of the season, and only over the last month has he been able to get a run of games in the side.

The aforementioned trio performed well against Spurs, too, but yesterday's game against the Rangers was a terrific opportunity to build more confidence and regain their form, even though the season is nearing its end.

Yesterday's outing against a disillusioned QPR would have allowed the trio of Fernando, Mangala and Kolarov to reflect on themselves and the mistakes they have committed at various stages during this campaign.

City played with great rhythm and precision

By way of scoring six goals yesterday, City took their tally to 77 goals in the Premier League this season.

However, how often have we, this season, seen the Citizens play the brand of football they did yesterday? Not in many games, for sure.

Yes, QPR's ineptitude allowed the hosts to play the game at their own pace, which they did with great aplomb, but it was definitely an attractive performance filled with some magical moments.

Silva was at the heart of most City moves

Silva, as is often the case, was at the heart of most City attacks, taking up positions in the center of the field and orchestrating the proceedings for his side. The Spaniard created 5 chances altogether, in addition to completing 3 of 5 attempted take-ons and 87% of his passes, and finally capped off his performance with a calmly taken goal.

The likes of Fernandinho and Frank Lampard were also in very good form, combining very well with Silva and doing their bit to not affect City's attacking rhythm that we haven't seen for much of this season.

Wilfried Bony, with his assist for Silva's goal and second key pass for Milner's goal from a corner delivered by Kolarov, also put in an eye-catching performance as a substitute.

It will definitely rank as one of City's best performances, at least in an attacking sense, of the season.

It was a team performance, for sure

You can point to Aguero's hat-trick and Silva's all-round display, as the highlights of City's win over QPR.

Every City player chipped in with a good performance

But, in hindsight, it was a comprehensive City performance that had every player putting his hand up and playing his role to perfection: Joe Hart was flawless whenever he was called into action; Martin Demichelis and Mangala put in another good defensive performance; Pablo Zabaleta and Milner were dogged in their efforts at right-back and right-attacking-midfield, respectively; Kolarov, Fernandinho and Silva combined very well down the City left-hand-side; Lampard did his bit as a No.10, and we already have noted the classic Aguero.

Yesterday's performance might well have arrived at an inconsequential stage of the season, but very few sides can cope with City when they play like they did yesterday.

We cannot read too much into it, even though it was a top drawer performance

The headline says it all, really.

Pellegrini will be happy, but know it is all about next season

Coming to the end of the season, with no silverware to fight for, it was good to see City players and Pellegrini motivate themselves and produce the kind of performance they did against Chris Ramsey's side.

However, the calibre of the City's opponents meant that the home side wasn't pushed or tested to their limits, which cannot be an ideal scenario to learn about yourself.

Also, with the season about to end, City getting into form cannot be significant. Can it?

Final Thought

Yesterday's victory, and Liverpool's draw with Chelsea, assured City of a place in next season's UEFA Champions League, though they are still in need of two more points from their remaining two games in order to finish 2nd or 3rd on the table.

Pellegrini and his troops would be satisfied with their performance last night and fettle they are in, going into two attractive fixtures against Swansea City (away) and Southampton (home) that will pull the curtains on the season.

On the downside, it is a shame that such a beautiful performance has arrived so late on in the season, when City, barring a place in the Champions League, do not have much to play for.

Barclays Premier League Preview: Manchester City vs Queens Park Rangers

City are fifth in the list of most valuable football clubs, as appraised by Forbes

Manchester City, the 2013/14 English Champions, host Queens Park Rangers (QPR) at the Etihad Stadium in Matchweek 36 of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season, looking to make it four wins on the trot when Chris Ramsey's men come to town this Sunday.

City, having relinquished their hard-earned crown to Chelsea, have little to play for, although they would want to finish second or third on the Premier League table, that will assure them of direct qualification into the group stages of next season's UEFA Champions League.

The Londoners, on the other hand, have very little chance of avoiding relegation, as they need 9 points from their remaining fixtures and hope that the results elsewhere go their way. However, they first need to win at the Etihad this Sunday afternoon, to keep themselves in contention.

Will Ramsey come up with a tactical masterclass to outwit the tried and tested Manuel Pellegrini? Or, will the Citizens hand a hammering to the Rangers on their way into the Championship next season? Read on... to know more.

City

The Sky Blues have garnered plenty of delight over Sergio Aguero's majestic goal scoring form that has seen the affable Argentine striker score 5 goals in his side's last four games.

Sergio Aguero is a special player, at least in the eyes of City supporters

He scored a simply magnificent goal against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane last Sunday, taking his tally to 22 league goals for the season and put himself in pole position to win the Premier League golden boot.

Apart from their No.1 striker's form, City, as a team, have not been coruscating by any stretch of imagination: their defense has been opened up on a number of occasions; they had to give sweat and blood to overcome Aston Villa at the Etihad; and last weekend it was Joe Hart, who saved the blushes for his side.

On another note, however, City have been able to win ugly, which is not unacceptable at this stage of the season.

The likes of Fernandinho, who earlier this week got selected for the Brazil national team to take part in the Copa America which begins in June, Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov, have stepped up their performance levels and been crucial to their side's recent triumphs.

The rest of the team, which includes David Silva, Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis, have done well in patches, but the performances - unconvincing, lacking cohesion, exuding lethargy and not showing enough desperation - have epitomized the kind of season City have endured.

City have turned their form around since the derby defeat

Looking beyond the negatives, however, a majority of the City supporters have liked Pellegrini setting his side up in the 4-2-3-1 system, which they believe suits their side more than the Chilean's favored 4-4-2 does.

It remains to be seen if the former Malaga manager decides to play two strikers for Sunday's game, which would not be goofy given that Wilfried Bony should have regained fitness and City, at the Etihad, are expected to dominate possession, unless they decide to let QPR have the ball and challenge them to break the home side down.

For their own good, the Citizens need to score that first goal early on in the game. The visitors, given the situation they are in at the moment, will show determination and desire to do themselves justice, so Pellegrini's side cannot expect things to be easy.

It is difficult to anticipate what sort of a game it could turn out to be, as Ramsey's men need to go for it and cannot afford to let City dictate terms to them.

However, having said that, an open game will favor the hosts and Pellegrini, who will be confident of outscoring their opponents, if they decide to come out and play fair.

Though you expect City to register a straightforward victory, I doubt them having it all their own way. QPR's situation will make for an intriguing viewing and force the Citizens to not take things lightly, as they have a propensity to not be completely switched on in games of this kind.

Rangers

The Londoners have endured another torrid campaign that has seen them struggle to win games away from Loftus Road, where they have been decent for a relegation-threatened outfit.

Performance wise, you got to say that the Rangers have not been as bad as their season's away record suggests. It, however, is difficult to comprehend their tally of just 7 points from a possible 51 while playing away, and such a scandalous away record has no doubt contributed to their current situation.

Against the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, away from home, they played a good brand of football and could have drawn those games if they had been focused after scoring the equalizer, but they simply haven't managed to harness such opportunities.

Their season's solitary positive so far, has been the goal scoring form of Charlie Austin, who has scored 17 league goals and rescued his side on many an occasion.

Charlie Austin has helped his side garner as many as 13 points in the league

More impressively, 8 of Austin's 17 goals have resulted in QPR winning as many as 13 points, which is almost half the tally of points they are on at the moment.

The likes of Leroy Fer and Joey Barton have done their bit to the team's cause, but Ramsey, and Harry Redknapp before him, have been short on resources and not had enough players in their existent squad deliver the goods.

They come into this Sunday's game on the back of winning just one - against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns - of their last six fixtures, but it is safe to say that they ought to throw the kitchen sink over these last three games and enjoy their time in the English top flight.

They also have not been fortunate with the kind of fixtures they have had to face during the run-in, and their Sunday's opponents, if they are in the mood, will show them no mercy.

Ominously for them, City have recovered their home form and not lost at their own den in the last six league fixtures, a record they would want to hold onto by the end of this campaign.

QPR have struggled to win away from home in the Premier League this season

There are ways in which QPR can make life disconcerting for the Sunday's hosts, who have shown vulnerability in defending set-pieces and when they are up against really pacey sides, as Spurs showed last Sunday.

The visitors, though, cannot be solely intent on attacking, as they will have to defend for a majority of the game and stop the likes of Aguero, Silva and Fernandinho from finding their A-game.

From QPR's perspective, they got to be at their best and hope that City have one of their bad days.

Final Thought

This should be an intriguing fixture from both sides' perspective, with City wanting to finish this season on a positive note while also looking forward to the next season.

Many a player in that squad is playing for his place and Pellegrini too, is looking to show the hierarchy that he deserves to be in his position when next season commences on the 8th of August.

QPR, albeit will find it extremely difficult to topple the leading club in Manchester, can give it a real go and do justice to themselves.

Manchester City Transfers: Five Midfielders The 2013/14 English Champions Should Target This Summer

Manuel Pellegrini has vowed to sign a crack player this summer

Manchester City have endured a forgettable 2014/15 campaign that has not seen them make any progress they were hoping for at the start of the season.   

City would have wanted to defend their 2013/14 Barclays Premier League title and progress beyond the R-16 in the UEFA Champions League, but neither of those ambitions have materialized and Manuel Pellegrini's position as manager of the Etihad outfit remains in the balance.    

Too many marquee players - except Joe Hart and Sergio Aguero - in that squad have failed to play to potential this season and Pellegrini's title-winning squad has looked a mediocre one, despite the additions of Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando Reges, Frank Lampard, Bacary Sagna and Willy Caballero, on paper and on the pitch.   

City were handicapped by the Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions placed on them by the UEFA, as a result of which they were allowed to spend a mere £49m on transfers this season, and Pellegrini has oft mentioned it as one of the reasons for his side's failures this term.    

However, having had an income of £346.5m following their league and cup double winning 2013/14 season, City hope to be relieved of the FFP restrictions that will allow them to spend big money, Txiki Begiristain willing, and bring fresh talent to the club ahead of next season.    

Of the marquee players who have under-performed this season, the likes of Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic are likely to be sold by the club this summer, in a bid to decrease the average age of the squad, which is 29 currently, and replace them with ebullient and slightly younger players.    

Though the trio of Nasri, Dzeko and Jovetic maybe replaced quite easily, it will be a monumental task to find a player who can fill the void that is to be left by Toure, who has been the leading light for City over the last 5 years.   

Add to that the departures of James Milner, who has not a signed a new deal offered to him by the club and Frank Lampard, who will be moving to New York City FC at the end of his loan deal, and the Citizens ideally would need five new players for various positions.

Paul Pogba, the Juventus and France midfielder, is the primary transfer target for the club who think that he would be an ideal replacement for Toure. But City are not the only club that is targeting the French international, who will command a transfer fee well in excess of £50m. 

Add to the colossal transfer fee, the decision of whether to move and where to move remains with the player, and there is no certainty that Pogba will opt for City ahead of the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), clubs that are also linked with the box-to-box midfielder, if they come for his signature.

But who will be the alternatives for Pogba, that City should really consider recruiting this summer? Pellegrini has proved his desire to sign a 'crack player', who will give the Citizens an identity they have lacked of late, but who is it going to be? Read on...

Angel Di Maria

Angel Di Maria is terrific in 1v1 situations

The Argentine has endured an unimpressive first season in England as a Manchester United player, though you cannot question Di Maria's pedigree as one of the world-class players in the modern game. 

Since his arrival from the Santiago Bernabeu for a whopping £59.7m, Di Maria has made 31 appearances for the Red Devils across the Premier League and FA Cup, scoring 4 goals and registering 10 assists so far.

His slump in form started only after November of last year, when he suffered hamstring and pelvic injuries in quick succession and returned to action only during this January. 

Yes, since his return, Di Maria has simply not been at it and his performance last weekend against West Bromwich Albion was obnoxious, to say the least.

Let us, however, not forget that he took the Premier League by storm soon after his arrival at Old Trafford, as he scored 3 goals and created 31 chances in his first 11 appearances for the club. 

Di Maria, going by his profile and exploits as a Los Blancos' player, is not a goal scoring midfielder, but what he will give Pellegrini is versatility: he can play on the left or right flank, as a genuine midfielder (No.6 or No.8), as a second striker, and play these roles to great effect when in form. 

I, for one, would love to see him at the Etihad and Pellegrini starting to play the 4-3-3 system, with Di Maria playing in one of the two advanced midfield positions that saw him register as many as 22 assists across all competitions in his final season at Real. 

It was while playing as a midfielder that he helped Carlo Ancelotti's men win the 'La Decima', as they came from a goal down against Atletico Madrid to lift the Champions League. 

The 27-year old also possesses this knack of being a good ball carrier, who can run 50-60 yards with the ball at his feet. 

City, if they want to compete against the big boys of Europe, need a player who can do that on a consistent basis and Di Maria's forte lies in his ability to break through opposing defenders who stand in his way. 

Therefore, recruiting Di Maria, who also might command a transfer fee of £50m or more, would mean that City bring in a player who has proven his mettle at the Champions League level and will give them that identity Pellegrini is craving for.

Aaron Ramsey

Aaron Ramsey scored an astonishing goal against Galatasaray on Matchday 6

The Welshman has enjoyed two highly impressive seasons back-to-back: he scored 16 goals and registered 9 assists in 34 appearances across all competitions during the 2013/14 season; in the ongoing season, Ramsey, in 34 appearances so far, has scored 9 goals and made 7 assists, despite missing 12 games. 

Ramsey, similar to Di Maria, has played at the Champions League level and made 41 appearances in the competition for Arsenal. 

He is only 24 and has plenty of football left in him, if City are looking for younger players who will deliver them success in Europe. 

The other advantage of recruiting Ramsey, lies in him being a homegrown player, an aspect that the Manchester club needs to consider ahead of their squad submissions for domestic and continental competitions next season. 

Ramsey plays with a lot of flair, has great passing vision and genuine goal scoring ability. In addition, he would come from a team that plays an attractive brand of football that Pellegrini, like Arsene Wenger, is a protagonist of.

On the downside, though, Ramsey is prone to long-term injuries that have seen him miss as many as 73 games since joining the Gunners in 2010.

Unlike Ross Barkley, a talented homegrown player who is estimated at a whopping £50m by Roberto Martinez and Everton, Ramsey could be brought to the Etihad for a viable £25m. 

Gylfi Sigurdsson

Sigurdsson has enjoyed a wonderful season at Swansea City

This might be an interesting choice among all other players in the list, but Sigurdsson is a very versatile footballer, who has played remarkably well for Swansea City since joining the Welsh club on a permanent deal at the beginning of this season.

In 31 appearances across all competitions for Swansea, Sigurdsson has scored 7 goals and registered 10 assists, which is the third-best in the Premier League this season, behind Cesc Fabregas' 17 for Chelsea and Di Maria's 10 for United in just 26 games compared to Sigurdsson's 30.

The Icelander also fulfills the homegrown player criteria, making him a viable choice for City. 

He is technically sound; has great accuracy in his free-kicks and will provide goals for City as a midfielder. He can also play in more than one position - as a No.10, midfielder and winger - and will suit City's style of play. 

He committed his near future to Swansea only last year and might not move again this summer, but like his old teammate Wilfried Bony, the allure of Champions League football might get him contemplating over a move to the exquisite Etihad. 

If City want to bring him to the club, Sigurdsson will be a pretty economical option, for a transfer fee of something like £15-20m.  

Javier Pastore

The fleet-footed Argentine is another player who has plenty of Champions League pedigree under his belt.

This season has been very good for Pastore who, in 45 appearances across all competitions for the Parisians, has scored 7 goals and made 13 assists, most of which have come in domestic competitions, though.

In the Champions League, Pastore has not racked up any major stats this season, though he had an impressive game for PSG in the second leg of their R-16 tie against Chelsea. 

Javier Pastore would be a good addition to City's engine room

With Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off early on in the game, Laurent Blanc made a tactical switch that saw Pastore shift from left-flank to midfield where, along with Marco Verratti, he pulled the strings effectively for the visitors, who twice came from behind to level the game and win the tie on away goals. 

Pastore is a player who is comfortable with the ball at his feet and, like Di Maria, can go past defenders on his own. 

Against the West Londoners back in March, the 25-year old completed 4 of his 8 attempted take-ons and created 1 goal-scoring chance. 

With City fans clamoring for a player who can produce better end-products than Jesus Navas has been able to during his two years at the club, I can't think of a better option than Pastore, whose movement on and off the ball, is impeccable, and thrives on dribbling past defenders.

Again, he can play in more than one position, giving Pellegrini tactical options during games.

If City do want to bring Pastore, who only has a year remaining on his current contract at Parc des Princes, to the club, they would have to spend something like £20m or more for his services.

Koke

Koke is a combative midfield player

Atletico Madrid's Koke has had a couple of excellent seasons at the Estadio Vicente Calderon, during which he has helped them win one La Liga title and become a force to reckon with on the Champions League stage.

In 45 appearances across all competitions for the reigning Spanish champions, Koke has scored 4 goals and registered 13 assists while playing in a variety of roles - winger, midfielder, No.10 - under Diego Simeone. 

He is just 23 years of age and already has plenty of experience at the top most level of the game. 

His work-rate compared to other players in this list, is very good and plays with his heart on his sleeve. 

Owing to his age and the stardom he has achieved in such a short space of time, City might have to splash a transfer fee in excess of £40m. He will, however, be worth the huge money.

Final Thought

Manchester City need to act quickly, and astutely, during the upcoming transfer window that will be crucial to their chances of competing for silverware next season.

Their current squad, as is already evident, is devoid of enough top-class players to become a strong European force. 

And, if the Citizens aspire to go further in the Champions League next season, they need to bring at least one of the aforementioned quintet, preferably Di Maria, to the Etihad. 

Manchester City: Five Talking Points From Saturday's Victory Over Aston Villa

Sergio Aguero bagged his 21st league goal of the season

Manchester City got out of jail against Aston Villa, who very nearly pulled off a well deserved draw for themselves, clawing their way back into the game after being 0-2 down and examining the outgoing Barclays Premier League champions' fortitude.

For the Citizens, Sergio Aguero, Aleksandar Kolarov and Fernandinho scored the three goals to ensure their side of the victory that helped them overtake both Arsenal and Manchester United into second-place on the league table.

Tom Cleverley and Carlos Sanchez scored the goals for the visitors, who found plenty of joy from set-pieces throughout the course of 90 minutes.

Manuel Pellegrini, in his post-match press conference, claimed it was his side's fighting spirit that saw them score the decisive third goal, four minutes after Sanchez had equalized for the visitors.

In retrospect: what did we learn from City's performance that, you could say, was not up to the standard of the champions?

City lacked energy and intensity

Aguero made the most of Brad Guzan's howler to put his side into the lead after just 3 minutes on the clock.

Villa failed to learn from Guzan's mistake and kept making unforced errors in possession that led to a couple of more chances for City, but there was a shift in momentum soon after.

The likes of Jack Grealish, Fabian Delph and Leandro Bacuna started seeing more of the ball, and City, with the likes of Yaya Toure, Fernando Reges, Frank Lampard and David Silva in their ranks, failed to cope with the pace at which their opponents played.

There was very little pressing from the home side after the early exchanges, and Villa were allowed time on the ball and oceans of space to maneuver into, which were largely down to the lack of energy from the City side loaded with veterans.

You could also say that Pellegrini's side deliberately sat deeper and probably sought to pick Villa off on the counterattack, but there was very little pressure on the ball when Tim Sherwood's side was in possession.

Jesus Navas and Pablo Zabaleta were the shining lights for City

The Spanish winger continued from where he left off against West Ham United, putting in another good performance that probably didn't get him the deserved praise.

Kieran Richardson, Aston Villa's left fullback, actually handled Navas pretty well, matching the 29-year old winger for speed and roughening him up with three tackles, though he was successful only on one occasion.

Navas, with his pace, gave City a long ball option, which Martin Demichelis and Toure made use of during the first half, especially.

But he also showed how good a ball carrier he can be - cutting inside from his right flank and carrying the ball to the opposite flank with minimum fuss.

Navas completed all four of his attempted take-ons, though he managed to complete only 2 of his 7 attempted crosses on the day.

Zabaleta was another City player who had a very good outing against Villa. The Argentine fullback was full of energy and tenacity, winning one of his three attempted tackles and all of his aerial duels (2) on the day.

Zabaleta also made 5 blocks near City's 18-yard box, as he was alert to every possible danger caused by Villa.

Fernando was one of the many weak-links in City's starting lineup on Saturday

With Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the City chairman, watching on from the stands, a handful of City players knew they were going to be judged and had to put a real shift in.

Fernando, having not made an enviable start to his City career, had another one of his poor games in his first season at the Etihad Stadium.

He slipped often, as did many of his teammates, and failed to take up good positions ahead of the backline. His lack of pace also meant that he was chasing shadows when the likes of Grealish, who completed 7 of his 8 attempted take-ons, deceived him with their movement and speed across the turf.

Kolarov had a mixed performance on his second consecutive start for the reigning English champions. He failed to play with an understanding with his teammates when City had the ball, and he was not very good in a defensive sense either.

The Serbian committed a couple of fouls and failed to win any of his 4 attempted tackles. He, however, was involved in 2 of City's 3 goals, scoring a brilliant free-kick to double his side's advantage and then following it up with a very good assist for Fernandinho's goal that made sure of the victory.

Toure was another one of those players who failed to impress in the presence of the club chairman, even though he was on the pitch only for 45 minutes.

The imperious Ivorian attempted only 17 passes during his vigil, but failed to make any meaningful contribution to City's attacks.

Collectively, Saturday's performance summed up City's season so far, but it also brought to light the massive changes needed to the squad, if Pellegrini's side is to get back in the title hunt next season.

Fernandinho - first, the game changer and then the savior 

The Brazilian's introduction in the second half saw City play with a lot more vitality and incision, as the midfielder played some delightful passes when in possession and worked hard for the welfare of his side, as well.

Fernandinho's eye for a pass is often underestimated, as he usually does the donkey work and always plays in the shadows of the likes of Toure, Silva and Samir Nasri, to name a few.

However, on Saturday, it was the 29-year old midfielder who stood out amongst all other midfielders for City on the day.

Fernandinho's 89th minute winner gave City all three points against Villa

He completed 90% of his attempted passes, created one goal scoring chance, scored a gem of a goal under pressure and was by no means bad defensively (winning 50% tackles and aerial duels).

Hopefully, with that performance, he has sealed his place in City's starting XI for the remaining games of the season.

Defensively, City were not good enough

Not only did Aston Villa enjoy as much as 55% ball possession, but also created an impressive 10 chances during their narrow 2-3 defeat to City on Saturday.

Joe Hart had to make 4 saves during the 90 minutes, and the England No.1 nearly cost City two points by failing to punch the ball away from the danger area while coming from his line to deal with the crosses.

I felt that City dealt with Christian Benteke pretty well, winning a good portion of their aerial duels against the buccaneering Belgian, who, however, created his side's first goal.

Regardless of the systems - 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 - City have lined up in this season, there has always been that worry about the backline when the Blues' opponents have had possession, and the scenario wasn't any different against the Villains on Saturday.

Final Thought

Pellegrini, and City, would be relieved that they managed to secure all three points despite producing a sub-standard performance.

There is a major gulf between City of last season and this season, and it will be interesting to see how the hierarchy at the Etihad Stadium addresses the issues concerning the club.

Villa, though, performed very well and, personally, it wasn't surprising that this season's FA Cup finalists took the game to the hosts and very nearly reaped full rewards.