The unknown secret behind Manchester City winning the EPL title.

The English Premier League is over and it continued the trend it has set over the years. It has brought thrill, excitement and adventure not only for TV viewers and fans but also for the club players and managers. The EPL has always had the tradition of having an intriguing climax and this just concluded season was not devoid of that. The most intriguing of course been the 2011/2012 season where Manchester City won the title with the very last kick of the game. Man City are champions once more and they rightly deserved it. The team had scored 102 league goals which is the highest in Europe so far only equal to Scottish team, Celtic and a staggering 156 goals in all competitions. They also amassed the highest number of EPL wins with 27 wins from 38 games. Such display from Man City this season has guaranteed automatic champions league football for the 4th consecutive season. It’s no doubt that Man City have shown their credentials as a force to reckon with. Bankrolled by the billions of Sheikh Mansour, the city of Manchester hasn’t been the same with city’s emergence. Manchester-City-2014-Premier-League-Champions-Wallpaper-1400x1050 City-win-capital-one-cup-splash-pic Some would see city winning the league as surprise and why? That’s because they have been quiet all along. Much of the frenzy was first focused on Arsenal who you think would break the league trophy drought jinx after 10 years but let’s not forget that lightening can strike more than twice in the same place. The lightning struck and Arsenal started falling to its cherished 4th place then Liverpool took over the top. It’s like Liverpool would do it now. First title in 24 years nearly on its away to Anfield. The curse was about to be broken. And why not? Liverpool where in hot form. An attack trio of Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling showed the signs. But wait a minute. Whoever said the curse would be broken this season? Lightening was going to strike for Liverpool the 24th time in a row and it just had to sadly happen at the crucial time. From that moment on, Liverpool knew it was all but over and city got their reward for waiting quietly. Arsene+Wenger+Manchester+City+v+Arsenal+Premier+c_X2SiY06pulBrendan+Rodgers+Crystal+Palace+v+Liverpool+Ja76XJqBfZ5l Indeed city waited quietly. There was no noise about city winning the title. The noise of the possibility of Arsenal or Liverpool and even Chelsea doing it was too much that city was forgotten. Maybe no one saw the probability lightening would strike on Liverpool and Arsenal. Their fine form was too much of a distraction that city’s own fine form was not noticed. Manuel Pellegrini and his pack of Lions must have been patiently waiting for that opportunity when defeat befalls Liverpool so they can pounce and leapfrog them on the table. Defeat did befall Liverpool losing 2-0 to Chelsea when it shouldn’t have been and then drawing 3-3 with a rejuvenated Crystal Palace. The draw meant that city had ultimate glory in their hands as long as they got it right against Aston Villa in their remaining outstanding game. They did it right and it was just a matter of taking it cool against Westham on the final day. Cool they won Westham and cool they took the title. Manuel+Pellegrini+Manchester+City+v+West+Ham+WogFMJ2Q91Al Pellegrini came into the Ethiad Stadium in the summer of 2013 with eyebrows raised in some corners as to whether he was the right man for the job. For a fact he had never won any trophy in his European managerial stints except for taking his teams beyond the limits as he did with Villarreal and Malaga in the champions league. Man City were hungry for success after missing out on a single trophy for the 2012/2013 season much to the sheikh’s dismay who has invested billions into a club that wants to aspire to be a force to reckon with. Whether Pellegrini was the right man or not, it was a matter of seeing how things go. City didn’t start the league campaign well. Losing 4 games by the end of November was not a nice thing but from the 6-0 demolition of Tottenham Hotspur on November 24, 2013, city began to show what they were really made of as they went on a 20 game unbeaten run. Pellegrini’s men went on a goal scoring rampage that saw the team score 100 goals in all competitions by mid January 2014. Such was the fierceness of city’s attack and it had to be that way when you have a collection of Aguero, Dzeko, Negredo, Silva, Nasri, Jovetic and Yaya to choose from. Goals delivered by a potent attack force brought in the desired results for city. Pellegrini took city one step forward in the champions league to the round of 16 for the 1st time in the clubs history. Hence he continued the tradition of taking unexpected teams beyond the limit in the champions league. Well I won’t say city is an unexpected team. They should have qualified well beyond the group stages in previous seasons but Roberto Mancini’s careless handling of city meant they couldn’t move forward in the champions league. So a big kudos to Pellegrini. Let’s not also forget the Capital One Cup city won back in March. That added with the Premier League title meant city have had a fantastic season. Pellegrini having his first collection of trophies in Europe was indeed great. He also became the 1st manager from outside Europe to win the Premier League.Manuel+Pellegrini+Manchester+City+v+West+Ham+c2XBGOWSaiflManuel+Pellegrini+Manchester+City+v+Sunderland+sI3Y5-4u-iul The 60 year old Chilean has been called ‘this charming man’ by city supporters as banners displaying the message are put up in matches. Pellegrini has lived up to the word ‘charming’. He is a quiet and calm man. You never see him lose his cool or get into confrontations with match officials. He talks with a low tone and has a nice smile. He has introduced a style of play that relies on attack and such is a return of 102 league goals. Pellegrini has made Man City look rejuvenated from the up and down team it was under Mancini. Pellegrini and his pack of powerful Lions have gotten their reward for waiting patiently to attack what was theirs. Manuel+Pellegrini+Manchester+City+v+West+Ham+7WYf5vp8cWZl Manchester City has no doubt shown that it has become a force to reckon with. Pellegrini too has also shown his worth as a top class manager. It would have been unthinkable in the past that city would rise to such a prominence today. A team that faced relegation time and time again over the past two decades, all of a sudden now have the bragging rights over Manchester United in any ones wildest dreams. That’s the reality and maybe the city of Manchester is about to turn blue. Not only is it in Manchester that a change wants to occur, but also in England and in Europe. Man City have set the stage where they can compete against the world’s finest and that’s because they are aiming to become that. The next few years could see such tags attached to Man city as the Europe’s best and finest club. In the event that happens, all the elites of Europe must restructure themselves so that Man City’s rise to prominence would not overtake the standards they have set over the years as Europe’s best and finest. Manuel+Pellegrini+Manchester+City+v+West+Ham+HButzLmQWM6l

 

Kunle Fayiga

Writer & Blogger

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2 Comments

  • Man City surprised me by winning the EPL. Liverpool shocked me by losing to Chelsea. Arsenal lived up to everyone’s expectation.

    Kudos to Pellegrini and Brendan Rogers!

    • You are kind of correct uche but if Arsenal were serious, they should have proved everyone wrong by winning the EPL.

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