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Where has it all gone wrong for Sven and Manchester City?

Has the former England manager taken City are far as he can, or is fourth spot still a realistic target?

by 101greatgoals.com on 05 March 2008

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"'Is Europe a bridge too far for a manager who so spectacularly failed as England boss?'"

After such a promising start to the season, the wheels have been slowly falling off the Manchester City bandwagon. City now lie in eighth position in the league and over the last three months they have steadily got worse and worse, as has been reflected in their league position.

Undoubtedly their recent win at Old Trafford was the high point of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s first season in charge. Alongside the home victory over Manchester United, the former England manager has shown he has the Midas touch when it comes to Manchester derbies.

However, apart from the excellent 2-1 win at the Theatre of Dreams, City have been pretty awful in the last three months and their season is in danger of falling apart when, at the beginning of December, a European place through the league looked all but guaranteed.

Since the beginning of December, City have won just three league games out of 14 played. Included in this run were two draws with a very average Wigan team, the most recent 0-0 draw at Eastlands illustrating how City have struggled for goals and any creative spark.

The beginning of this poor run of form came about due to an injury to inspirational Brazilian playmaker Elano. Since his return the former Shakhtar Donestk midfielder has failed to set the Premier League alight as he did during the early part of the campaign. As a result, City have relied on Martin Petrov to supply the goals. The Bulgarian has also had an impressive first season in English football, but the over reliance on the left-winger spilled over into frustration and he was sent off in the recent defeat against Everton.

Questions are now being asked of Eriksson. Is Europe a bridge too far for a manager who so spectacularly failed as England boss?

Eriksson is undoubtedly a good manager. His record in Sweden and Italy is proof of that. But, the Swede may have taken City as far as he can this season. He has established the club as a force to be reckoned with and no visiting team won at Eastlands in the league until Arsenal’s 3-1 victory in early February.

The two wins over United should give Eriksson more time with the City fans and a finishing position in the top nine is a fairly good return for a team that in recent seasons have always struggled in the Premier League. At this stage it would be a surprise if City can finish in the top six. All the teams above them, including Everton, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Blackburn, have shown good recent form. It now seems quite amazing that only a few months ago City were being talked of as a team capable of finishing in the coveted fourth place.

Eriksson has been desperately unlucky with his strikers since he came to Eastlands. Much faith and money was placed on Valeri Bojinov, who picked up a long-term injury early on, and Rolando Bianchi was a flop that no one could have predicted. Benjani has already shown glimpses of his talent, which suggests City could get it right next season.

And, next season takes on more importance as the weeks go by for both Eriksson and chairman Thaksin Shinawatra. Last week Eriksson commented that the former Thai Prime Minister “tells me to find the right players. And, if we find them, we will do something in the summer."

Patience is a crucial commodity in football. Manchester City fans can be thankful that at the end of this season they don’t have to face up to a relegation dogfight as they have done in recent seasons. With the right newcomers in the summer added to the Premier League experience gained by Elano and Petrov, City could do even better next year.

Eriksson may have taken them as far as he can this season – but City can build on this transitional campaign and really establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

To keep up to date with all the latest goals log on to 101 Great Goals.

Comments (12)

by - - on March 05, 2008

Coz City are crap, and always will be!

by bullshit website on March 05, 2008

yeah so spectacularly failed...most successful win ratio ever...he was awful....at least steve mclaren got us to qualify....oh thats right he didnt sven did everytime......whoever wrote this is a dick

by thrillhammer on March 05, 2008

Why has he failed? Beat utd twice this season, 9 home wins on the trot. He and the team have hit a slump, hell get out of it. And remember, Europe wasnt too far for Bolton....look at them. I seem to remember this crap before the season started...why him? hes shit!!.........then a few months of silence when we were doing well and we hit a slump and tallyho!!!! they are back. I cant write for shit and got offered to be an author for this site in an email, ill write on city sites where pethetic, small minded opinions are lacking. What a 22 carat Nob.

by Bluedoom on March 05, 2008

For a more sensible option, please read.. http://purelymancity.blogspot.com/

by cromptn damptash on March 05, 2008

why is this site crap? can we have this as a topic? if you take on board some of the posts you might be able to straighten some of your reporters or journalists, or whatever they are, out.

by The knower of all things on March 06, 2008

give him time hes only had 6 months and already the FA wished they had kept him.Give Sven 3 seasons to build and then make judgements.The current fooball fans attention span is pretty short therefore very impatient.Look at HISTORY great teams were built slowly on STRONG foundations.Sven knows his stuff...not as much as me what with being the knower of all things and that but he will produce given the proper time.He is a genius its simple as that he is a SVENGALI coz I saw him levetate once.

by Andrew Beck on March 06, 2008

Ohh, yeah we suck, first time in 37 years to win at Old Trattford; first time to beat them United twice in one season(even longer).... ARE YOU NUTS!!!

by ste power on March 06, 2008

Your so anti Sven or your a man u fan as its such cheap shots.Sven as had a few months and as turned the teams fortunes round as you written from the relagation zone to the top half and with 10 games still to go a top 6 finesh is still possible.To be honest most City fans would be happy with a top 10 place. So get off the anti-Sven/man city bandwagon and write a article thats a true reflect on the team.

by true blue makka on March 06, 2008

things dont happen over night we are goin through a rough patch of late but look who we have played last 3 games united we won a very in form everton team who already beat us first half of season and wigan who we aint beat since they come up on sat im expecting city to run riot at rewading i say 3-1 city

by Scabby Babbage on March 06, 2008

I think the loss of johnson has been as tough as the loss of Elano, maybe even more. But the suggestion that Sven has taken the team as far as he can is a bit silly. No-one expected we'd do this well on the back of a quickly cobbled together team last summer. This summer the preparations begin in earnest.

by Sir Ron Manager on March 07, 2008

How exactly did Sven spectacularly fail as England manager? Best record since Alf Ramsey. He picked the best players available didn't he? Where his tactics all wrong then? Or is it just that the team wasn't good enough? As Sven just said again, this is a 3 year plan. True, the last three months have been rotten (points per game 1.14, last season, same time period 0.92), we are not scoring enough (but still double last season same time period), but, in fact, it is City's defence of all three units (defence, midfield, strikers) that has REALLY failed to produce. The defence is the only defence NOT to score a goal all season, they still concede goals at last seasons rate, and they add ZERO to the attack (leaving goals out of it). Richard Dunne is an emotional favourite, but he is not only a worthless captain, but a mediocre defender if you take your blue-tinted glasses off. This summer, Dunne, Ball, Onouha, Ireland, Vassell and the loan outs (except Evans, Logan, Etuhu...is Sturridge on loan now too? He can stay) have GOT TO GO! Get rid of the dead wood.

by The knower of all things on March 07, 2008

Sven SUCCEEDED as England manager as HIS stats clearly show.He got far more out of mediocre players than anyone else could.The FA have FAILED with their unrealistic expectations! Sven saw them as little boys at the FA (which they are,very immature little men) and got what HE wanted out of them.....a fantastically negociated CONTRACT.Sven was way TOO smart for the dimwhits at the FA who remember PLAY with someone elses MONEY!!!! very bad little so called businessmen.

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