What a difference a year makes

Last summer the dust was settling from Roberto Mancini's sacking and the subsequent appointment of Manuel Pellegrini.  The rumours of a dressing room divided with big stars apparently asking the club to sell them were all over the press.

Pellegrini certainly had a tough task but his calm demeanour seemed to rub off on the players, even when results didn't match performances very little seemed to bother "the engineer" He quietly and respectfully went about his tasks and whenever questioned he seemed to find the answer.  Indeed any side losing a player of the quality of Sergio Aguero for pretty much half of the season would struggle, but Pellegrini seemed to reinvigorate Edin Dzeko who came on strong when it mattered.

Other players who struggled last year also came to the fore.  Samir Nasri by his own admission had a poor 12/13 but was sensational for long periods of 13/14.  Aleks Kolarov was also a key player and for me made it so h/e should be the first choice left back.  Even Javi Garcia looked much improved under Pellegrini's guidance. There was a togetherness style and swagger as City won the first major trophy of the season in the Capital One Cup was won.

Then as Liverpool crumbled under the pressure of all but being certain of winning the title Pellegrini's City won 4 straight including a dramatic 3-2 win at Goodison Park, a ground where City have rarely won in the Premier League era to wrap up a 2nd title in 3 years.

It has been an incredible season 102 league goals with some amazing performances from many in the team.  Though special mention has to go to Yaya Toure 20 goals from midfield in the league was an amazing achievement. 

Though a lot of credit has to go to the manager.  Manuel Pellegrini his first season in England, what he achieved is a credit to the man.  To win two major trophies in his first season whilst still learning the league is outstanding.  He's set himself high standards and you know he'll want more!

Player ratings and Player of the year

Joe Hart 7
If ever a players season summed up the clubs Joe's does.  Golden Glove again for 18 clean sheets in the league but some uncharacteristic mistakes have marred this season.  That said anyone who saw his display against Dortmund in the champions league will have been amazed at the brilliance Hart showed that night he earned City the draw as much as Mario Balotelli's late penalty.

Costel Pantilimon 7
Did very well in the few games he played certainly harshly dropped for the FA Cup Final.

Pablo Zabaleta 9
Has been a revelation this season lion hearted brave never say die attitude means Pablo will always be a fans favourite.

Micah Richards 6
Hard to judge Micah injuries have really restricted him so never really been match fit.

Vincent Kompany 7
A few early season wobbles but slowly but surely the confidence came back.  Always respectful in the media he is the ideal character for his role as club captain.

Matija Nastasic 8
Simply the buy of the season been a key part in helping Kompany find his confidence maturity and calmness beyond his young years.

Kolo Toure 5
Always seemed to take two or 3 games to find his feet before showing his form.

Joleon Lescott 5.5
Exactly the same as Kolo struggled for first few games before showing his best.

Gael Clichy 6
Solid left back who does seem to have a phobia of crossing the ball when further up Field.

Aleksander Kolarov 5
Not a natural left back and does struggle with defending but always a goal threat from free kicks.

Gareth Barry 6
Consistent and always noticeably missed when not in action.

James Milner 6.5
Always gives it his all but probably not had enough of a run to really show his best.

Javi Garcia 3
Started well then went backwards seemed to struggle with the pace of the league and not helped by being in and out of the team.

David Silva 5.5
By his own high standards not the best season.  There were definite glimpses of his best but not enough.

Scott Sinclair unable to score
Almost zero point in his signing I do feel sorry for the man too few starts to be fair to him.

Jack Rodwell 6
Again hard to judge due to injuries but as he gained match fitness there were good signs Jack will prove to be a great signing.

Samir Nasri 4
Slowed play down way to often and at times just didn't seem bothered.

Yaya Toure 5.5
At times brilliant at times lazy much like Silva not his best season.

Edin Dzeko 5
Always seems to score important goals but so frustrating to watch in and out of the team didn't help but even with a run of games he looked yards off the pace sometimes.

Carlos Tevez 7.5
Started off the season all guns blazing perhaps didn't hit the heights of his previous two full seasons but always put a shift in for the team.

Sergio Aguero 6.5
Injury hit season still capable of match winning performances and scoring spectacular goals.

Mario Balotelli 5
Never really got a long enough run to find his form before his transfer to AC Milan.

M11 3FF PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Has to be Pablo Zabaleta genuinely outstanding for most of the season never say die attitude fully committed to the cause.

Deadline day tomorrow...and shock news

Sky Sports News leading on a team not planning any major transfers does seem a none story.  Thing is that team is Manchester City.  Roberto Mancini when interviewed today has confirmed he doesn't expect any incoming players to the squad at the Etihad Stadium.

The last few January windows have usually marked some big money signings like Edin Dzeko or Nigel De Jong.  In fact since Shiekh Mansour arrived, usually it tended to mean at least 3 signings as City strengthened the squad as they pushed for European qualification. It's widely accepted City do have a very strong if not the strongest squad in the league so why is it such a shock to Sky?

It could well be simply because City do have the money they are expected to buy for the sake of buying and whilst freshening up a squad it sometimes can take away some momentum as the new players bed into the team and for that reason with City proudly top of the Premier League Roberto Mancini has decided to leave any deals till the summer when that bedding in can be done over the pre season, as buying for buying sake can be dangerous as a look at City's past will tell you.  Rodney Marsh is rumoured to blame his own arrival for costing City  the title when he arrived in the March the club were 4 points clear at the top of the old Division One, his different style of play he felt made a difference  as City were pipped to the title by Derby.

One thing it does do is give the vote of confidence that Mancini believes his current squad is good enough in the final push towards Premier League glory. 

Certainly once the African Cup Of Nations finishes City will get back Ivorians Yaya and Kolo Toure to give options in midfield and defence and that could also be part of the reasons behind Mancini's thinking. Certainly Yaya had been in great form and Kolo was showing his class with every passing game it will be like getting two new signings. The whole thing is a none story really but because it involves Manchester City it becomes something bigger.

Edin Dzeko an apology

I must admit I have been quite a vocal critic of Edin Dzeko.  I wasn't impressed by what I had seen in his first few months.  Play the ball into him with players around him he would lose it very easily as his first touch was always heavy.  The press was just as unimpressed similar comments were made that City had wasted £27 million.

Fast forward to the start of the season he ran the show against Swansea yes sometimes that dodgy first touch was still there but when he ran with the ball he caused panic he scored a goal which needed split second reactions. He played a part with the ball into the box that lead to Aguero flicking back for Silva  Then against Bolton he scored again running through drawing an experienced keeper in Jussi Jaaskelainen out to create the space to score.

Then today V Tottenham we saw the "perfect hattrick" one with his left one with his right and one with his head.  He even followed that up with a thunder bolt for his 4th proving despite some dodgy goalkeeping his goal V United in the Community Shield was no fluke.

Yes I finally do see what he can bring to the team he is a poacher (something City haven't had for a while) He is a link up man he can head and can shoot.  He was labelled a "pony" by Danny Simpson on twitter something which he today took back with "As for Dzeko, gotta swallow what I said, he's come good n showin he's class! He's now not #pony haha!" 

It's amazing what a pre season can do for a player   He has comeback the player we had heard about really hope he continues to make the critics and me eat their words