#360view: Pellegrini’s stubbornness could cost him title and job

Alam Khan - Reporter 06:39 02/03/2015
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  • Pellegrini's side were outplayed by Liverpool on Sunday

    When Manchester City faltered 3-2 at Liverpool last April, it was widely regarded as the death-knell to their Premier League title hopes. But they rose from the depths of despair that day to prove their critics wrong.

    The burden of expectation proved too much for Liverpool, and that is something that could perhaps be afflicting City in this campaign. Right now, it seems unlikely they can catch Chelsea after blowing a massive opportunity to reduce the lead at the top to just two points with yesterday’s 2-1 loss at Anfield.

    Manuel Pellegrini says his side won’t give up, and they won’t until it is mathematically impossible, but their current form indicates they lack the confidence and conviction to back up their words.

    As they showed by deploying centre-back Kurt Zouma in midfield against Spurs in yesterday’s League Cup final, Chelsea adapt to the opposition with different formations and personnel to get the win. City don’t and their ‘Engineer’ needs to come up with a Plan B before it’s too late.

    Pellegrini shows faith in his players but he is causing concern by showing an unwillingness to change when tactics don’t work. He again started with Edin Dzeko alongside Sergio Aguero up front, despite that strategy proving hopelessly naive against Barcelona in midweek.

    It backfired again at Liverpool and left City struggling in other areas. They were undermanned in midfield by the more energetic and enterprising Reds, which put a hesitant defence under more pressure.

    Fingers have been pointed at captain Vincent Kompany, but while he is lacking the assurity of old, he is not alone in the blame game. The responsibility lies with the team, not just him.

    Scoring nine times against Stoke and Newcastle matters not one bit when a side featuring Aguero, Dzeko, David Silva, Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure can only muster one shot on target at Liverpool – and that was Dzeko’s goal. It is not good enough and Pellegrini has to make decisive, difficult decisions to put things right.

    In his post-match assessment, he admitted there were problems and he has to find solutions. As outstanding as Philippe Coutinho was for Liverpool, Silva could have caused as much damage had he been given the same freedom behind Aguero.

    Pellegrini signed Wilfried Bony as seemingly the final piece in City’s attacking jigsaw to provide impetus in the run-in, but he has yet to start and make an impact off the bench. His most notable contribution yesterday was an elbow on Adam Lallana in an aerial challenge that could have seen him sent off.

    If Pellegrini persists with 4-4-2 then Bony needs to start against Leicester on Wednesday, as does Frank Lampard to offer more ideas and intelligence in midfield. Not only are City’s fading hopes of a trophy at stake but also his own future.

    With the quality in their ranks and spending support of the owner in the transfer market, they simply have to be doing better. Players and Pellegrini have recently talked about some below-par performances being not the real City. Well, now, with many convinced their title hopes are already over, is the time to respond.

    It is a test of character as much as quality, and Pellegrini’s credentials. Never has the time been more apt for them to live up to their mantra to ‘fight til’ the end’.

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