Can Man City do a Chelsea next season?

WITH Gareth Barry joining Robinho in the Eastlands and possibly Carlos Tevez on the way, Manchester City are starting to look the way of Chelsea at the start of the Roman Revolution just a few seasons back.

We all knew how that turned out didn’t we? Chelsea won the Premiership title for two seasons in a row under Jose Mourinho, with stars such as Arjen Robben, Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko (still considered a star at the time of signing at least).

The Citizens are attempting to flood their dressing room with the same embarrassment of riches in footballing talent this transfer season, although Mark Hughes is definitely no Mourinho, based on last season’s results.

Furthermore, the Blues were nearly there (i.e. already in the Big Four) when Claudio Ranieri in charge, Abramovich’s money and Mourinho’s managerial nous arguably proved to be the final boost needed for the London club to clinch their first Premiership title in 50 years.

City, however, do not have the same foundation to start with, finishing 10th in the league this season, even with additions such as Robinho and the return of Shaun Wright-Phillips.

But can City do one better than Chelsea and jump from mid-table mediocrity to the Big Four next season, with all the money available for big-money players and maybe even a new high-profile manager?

Q & A with Letter of the Weekend Winner Daniel Gan

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When and why did you become a Liverpool fan?
I have been a Liverpool fan for over 17 Years, ever since I was 12. I had three big reasons then – John Barnes, Ian Rush and Bruce Grobbelaar! Since than, the reasons just kept on growing and to top it off, I am a huge Beatles fan! Glory Liverpool!

What was the most memorable experience you had as a Liverpool fan?

Where should Mourinho go from here?

A Guardian report mulls over the possibility of Jose Mourinho returning to Chelsea after the end of this season, where he “is expected to leave Internazionale after a year in Italy, most likely with a Serie A title to his name but having failed to his primary objective of bring the European Cup to San Siro following elimination at the hands of Manchester United.”

The report said that the charismatic manager is still warmly regarded by Chelsea’s senior players, and the man himself have spoken publicly about his love for the London club and his desire to return one day.

However, just a week ago he also left open the possibility of managing rivals Manchester United when Sir Alex Ferguson eventually retires.

“Who can say no? Nobody could say ‘no’,” he said then. “Manchester United belongs to a small group of clubs around the world where nobody can say ‘no’.”

His possible exit from Inter may attract the interests of cash-rich Manchester City and Real Madrid, or he may even just stay on at the San Siro to make amends for the Champions League exit this season.

But where would be the best destination for the Special One, should he leave the Italian club this season?

Question of the Weekend (How to beat United?)

THE POSTMAN’S QUESTION OF THE WEEKEND: WHAT strategies can Jose Mourinho use with his Inter Milan team so that they can beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Champions League next week?

Is Jose Mourinho the right man for United?

(Image source: BBC)

MANCHESTER United defender Rio Ferdinand believes that Jose Mourinho has the right qualities to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford when the fiery Scot finally calls it a day, which could be the end of this season if United successfully defends their Premiership and European titles.

Ferdinand, an influential player in the dressing room, believes that the Portuguese has the “ego and personality” to continue Ferguson’s 23 years of good work at United.

Ferguson himself is on very good terms with the flamboyant Mourinho and rates him highly as a manager.

Will Hiddink’s magic touch bring Chelsea the European Cup this seaon?

CHELSEA continue their rehabilitation under Guus Hiddink early this morning with a dominant display against Juventus, winning their first-leg Champions League game by a solitary goal.

Didier Drogba was in particular form, scoring the winning goal and putting in a performance that seemed to suggest that he is back to the same level that he was playing under Jose Mourinho.

Can Hiddink’s magic touch last long enough for Chelsea to finally allow owner Roman Abramovich lift the European Cup this season?

After all, Vicente del Bosque did it on short notice with Real Madrid in 2000; Chelsea still have largely the same players as they had last year and Europe calls for more experience and is less demanding on ageing legs.

Are the English clubs heading for a slaughter tomorrow morning?

CHAMPIONS League action returns tomorrow morning (Singapore time), as Italian clubs Inter Milan and Roma face off against English clubs Manchester United and Arsenal.

While English football seem to be on the ascent, with three of last season’s Champions League semi-finalists hailing from England, tomorrow’s fixtures could prove tricky for both United and Arsenal.

United’s defence is decimated by injuries – with Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra the only fully fit and eligible defenders available. With Anderson still out through injury, United could be forced to draft Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher into defence, or rush John O’Shea and Jonny Evans back from injury.

On the other hand, Inter are riding high on top of the Serie A table, with Jose Mourinho managing to bring the best out of Adriano, who seemed to be on his way out of the club earlier this season. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is reaching the peak of his career, while Mourinho has an excellent track record against Alex Ferguson, winning five of their 10 Premiership encounters when he was at Chelsea.

In the other “Italy v England” game, Arsenal’s midfield is decimated by long-term injuries. Cesc Fabregas, Eduardo, Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott are all out, while Andrei Arshavin is cup-tied, leaving a shaky midfield core of Denilson and Alexandre Song. That, and the fact that Arsenal’s goals have dried up of late, is hardly comforting for any fans of the London club.

Roma will probably play their usual 4-6-0 formation, choking the midfield while constantly rotating the targetman, with Francesco Totti pulling the strings.

Will the English clubs survive the Italian onslaught tomorrow morning? I hope not, but I am not holding my breath on that.

Q&A with Letter of the Week winner Deepan Murugan

When and why did you become a Chelsea fan?

It’s all because of Gianfranco Zola, my favourite player. I started watching football in the late 90s and wasn’t really a fan of any club. Then I became a fan of Zola after watching a FA Cup match between the Blues and Liverpool.

Then Zola moved on and left the club and I just kept following Chelsea. Chelsea’s consistent performances in European competitions during the early part of this decade and the new era under Roman Abramovich has made my love, passion and interest for the pensioners even more.

Was Mourinho aiming at Benitez or Ferguson?

THE ‘SPECIAL’ One has caused ripples in the Premiership by claiming that he sees himself in the Chelsea hotseat again, while not specifying when he could make a return to Stamford Bridge.

Along with the claim, the Inter coach also talked about his penchant for risk-taking, which he feels is a quality that not many Premiership managers share.

He said:”Some managers have a big excuse when they go to a big club. They say ‘I need a lot of time to do it’. If you say this, you get protection.

“If you don’t win the title in the first season, or second season, you can keep saying ‘I need time’. Sometimes you stay for four or five years, keep not winning, and then keep demanding more time.

“I could never be like this. I live for the risk. I believe you can do it in the first season, and if you do not, you fail. I prefer it like this. I prefer the pressure because that’s how I live.”

THE POSTMAN LIM SAY HENG says: While such self-affirming words would not come as a surprise, read between the lines and one may sense that he is actually having a dig at Sir Alex Ferguson or Rafa Benitez, who does not share a good relationship with the Portuguese.

If you were Guus Hiddink, what would you do?

GUUS Hiddink faces an uphill task reunifying a fractured dressing room, while managing the demands of a ruthless and ambitious club owner, and not having the luxury of signing players he think would be helpful in reviving Chelsea’s fortunes.

If you were thrown in the hotseat, how would you reverse Chelsea’s slide?

THE POSTMAN LIM SAY HENG says: I say the first thing would be to show the same ruthlessness that Roman Abramovich has shown to his managers.

Sir Alex Ferguson has not survived the managerial axe for more than two decades by turning the other cheek when undermined by his own players, no matter how good they were.