da betano casino： Manchester City always find a way. If not through their own endeavours, then through the misfortune of others.
da wazamba： It would be very wrong to suggest that their two title wins over the past four seasons haven’t been down to good City performances over the course of an entire season, but it would be fair to suggest that the victories have come from some sort of misfortune from other sides.
Manchester United lost to Wigan and drew with Everton when they looked sure to win. Both of those games cost United the title, and granted City their first Premier League crown. Yet that doesn’t tell the whole story – City were brilliant the whole season, they won all of their home games except one, and even then they came from 3-1 down to draw with Sunderland courtesy of two late goals. United may have thrown it away towards the end in some sense, but City won the title on goal difference. The fact that they scored so many goals is a testament to their brilliance that season.
The 2014 title win looks even more fortuitous in hindsight. A Steven Gerrard slip was all that stood between Brendan Rodgers and an unlikely league title. Once again, though, City were there to capitalise on the bad luck, staying with the title contenders right until the end, and overtaking when they got the chance. It’s becoming very standard, par for the course for Manchester City. They often leave it late and come from behind to win games and they often come from behind late on to win titles, too. They don’t dominate the league, but they’re often the last team standing.
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And last weekend was one where you got the feeling that a similar thing might happen once again for City.
In a weekend where Arsenal and Leicester could only draw, Manchester City, with their comfortable victory over Crystal Palace, are now within only one point of top spot. For all the poor form and five defeats already this season, City are still positioned ominously for the run-in.
Four draws and five defeats so far this season seems to paint a picture of an inconsistent team. But if you don’t simply look at results this season, but look at the results over the course of the last four season, you start to see that City are a frighteningly consistent team.
In 2011/12 when they won their first title, they went their first 14 games unbeaten, only to hit poor form and then end the season with six straight victories.
In 2012/13, City started very well before the wheels came off after defeat to Manchester United, as Robin van Persie scored a deflected free kick right in the dying seconds. Though late season form did see them reach an FA Cup final.
In 2013/14, a poor start gave way to a wonderful spell from the end of November to the end of January, before a run of five wins in a row right at the end of the season secured the title.
And then again last season, unbeaten from the start of November until mid-January threatened to see City fight for the title, before they crumbled in the Spring. But they did finish with six wins in a row.
Essentially, City seem to hit form twice a season, and each year that’s been good enough to bring them to, at the very worst, second place.
If City are inconsistent this season, then they’re just as inconsistent every other time they won the title. Which is surely ominous for those looking to fight them for it come May. Just when are they going to hit that second purple patch?
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