Let’s start with Jonathan Wilson’s excellent article in today’s Guardian.
Wilson, known for his tactical acumen and knowledge of football styles throughout the world, believes the ease of City’s win over Arsenal should worry the rest of the Premier League.
“City’s victory against Arsenal on Sunday felt utterly run of the mill, just as their victory against Chelsea in the Community Shield had,” Wilson writes. ”That is two of the other members of the putative Big Six brushed aside in consecutive games, neither at home, without City really being tested.
“For the Premier League, as a competitive entity, that is ominous. It is true Chelsea and Arsenal were in their first competitive(-ish, in the case of the Community Shield) games under new managers. Both are teams set up to press, the sort of sides who may, in theory, be able to do what Liverpool did last season and unsettle City and, while it is true the patterns of play that allow them to operate like that take time to instil it is also true neither team ever looked like laying a glove on City.
“And look at the players City did not have in their starting lineup: Vincent Kompany, Nicolás Otamendi, Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sané and Gabriel Jesus were all on the bench. David Silva and Fabian Delph were back in Manchester. Any of those eight could slot in without weakening the side and in, at a conservative estimate, in at least three cases they would manifestly strengthen it.”
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Former Arsenal and West Ham striker Ian Wright believes City are certain to be in the shakeup for the title come May, thanks to the incredible depth of quality in our squad.
He believes our performances in the Community Shield and at the Emirates on Sunday were so convincing it will be difficult to stop us as we attempt to defend our Premier League trophy.
“No one is daft enough to think the Premier League is a two-horse race one game into a nine-month season,” he writes in his column for the Sun.
“It’s the equivalent of calling the winner of the Grand National as they’re still clearing the first fence.
“But after seeing Manchester City and Liverpool in action this weekend, you CAN bank on one thing — however many are still in it come mid-May, those pair are certs to be involved.
“In just two weeks City have systematically dismantled Chelsea and Arsenal — two teams that will be up at the top end — with the minimum of fuss.
“When you then hear boss Pep Guardiola warning there is still plenty of room for improvement, that’s pretty ominous for everyone else.
“People pointed out they haven’t brought in a great deal this summer but let’s be honest — they didn’t need to.
“It’s not as though Pep had to give them a complete overhaul. Just a tweak here and there and that came with the signing of Riyad Mahrez.
“I’ve already seen enough from him to believe he can be even better now he’s surrounded by top-class players.
“Bernardo Silva looks so settled that you barely noticed his namesake David wasn’t on the pitch.
“Kyle Walker played like a man who’d had the summer off, not been in the thick of England’s World Cup campaign.
“And don’t forget this was with Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane only coming on for late cameos off the bench.
“When you see strength like that not even in the starting XI, no wonder a collective groan went round the Emirates when they appeared.
“It was like the home fans were all saying: “Seriously? Can’t you give us a bit of a break here?””
And, finally, Simon Bajkowski, writing in the Manchester Evening News, has singled Kyle Walker out for praise after his buccaneering display at the Emirates.
“The City right-back made 23 sprints against Arsenal - more than any other defender in the opening Premier League weekend - and the majority of his movement came wide of the penalty boxes,” Bajkowski writes.
“Walker has previously explained that Guardiola‘s work with buccaneering defenders Philipp Lahm and Dani Alves was part of he reason he wanted to move to Manchester after nine years with Spurs, and with Mendy fit and Mahrez cutting inside onto his left foot whenever he can, the space is there for the England man to make his mark in the position he relishes most.”
That’s all for this morning’s media roundup. Stay with us throughout the day as we bring you all the latest City news.
