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<p>After delivering a psychological blow to Manchester City and moving into 2016 on top of the table, Arsenal are now the bookie’s favourites to win the Premier League this season, a fact that made for some sweaty palms among the traveling fans last week at Vicarage Road. City supporters knew it was a ‘must win game’ for their team to follow Arsenal and Leicester closely, but at the same time, they were unable to overlook Man City’s recent poor away form. Two points from a possible 12 haven’t been good enough for a team that is expected to challenge for the title.</p>
<p>It was not going to be easy against Quique Flores’ side, especially with the prospect of facing in form strike pair Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo. But Manchester City proved the critics wrong, their dramatic late comeback win demonstrating the character within the team.</p>
<p>The problem is the English Premier League is very demanding, and character alone cannot win you most games. On that day, Man City lacked the positional discipline, were slow to press and often gave opponents too much space on the ball. But no one would have left Vicarage Road more relieved than Aleksandar Kolarov, whose spectacular headed own goal would not cost City points.</p>
<p>Manchester City have got to be objective. They got away with it that day. On any other day, things could have been very different. There are remains issues for them to sort out before they can be backed for the title. Here are three vital things City need to fix to win the Premier League.</p>
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<h3><strong>Greater tactical flexibility</strong></h3>
<p>Going back to their title-winning seasons in 2011/2012 and 2013/2014, Manchester City principally operated in a 4-4-2 formation, switching to a 4-2-3-1 for games they needed to be more compact in the middle. This season, City have predominantly used the 4-2-3-1. This makes sense because this it allows them to accommodate talisman David Silva and ‘big money’ signings Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling. The approach seems to be working against teams that come out and play.</p>
<p>But what it fails to do is break down teams that sit deep from the start. With the likes of Sterling, Silva and De Bruyne, City have enough creativity, but the side lacks the goal-scoring needed to finish off those chances. In the games against West Ham, Stoke and Aston Villa (two losses and a draw), Manchester City’s edge in possession only resulted in one goal. In all of those three games, manager Manuel Pellegrini sent in a striker late in effort to break through.</p>
<p>Why not do that from the start? City have got to be more ambitious. They need to start taking risks by playing two natural strikers up top against teams that require a box overload to break down. This puts them in a better position to score goals and win those games.</p>
<p>City have the resources to play 4-4-2 more often. Fernandino and Yaya Toure are the most athletic central midfield pair in the league. They’re physically strong and can run for 90 minutes. If City decide to provide an alternative to their existing 4-2-3-1 formation, just like Leicester, Watford and West Ham, they can certainly count on the 4-4-2.</p>
<p><strong>SEE MORE:</strong> <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2015/12/18/chelseas-upheaval-should-make-manchester-city-reconsider-ditching-pellegrini-for-guardiola/">Manchester City should reconsider ditching Pellegrini for Guardiola.</a></p>
<h3><strong>Buy another striker </strong></h3>
<p>Man City clearly need another striker. I’m not quite sure why they let Alvaro Negredo, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic go, with Wilfried Bony as the only replacement. Sergio Aguero is a reliable striker but he has been sidelined for seven games already this season. In his absence, Bony and Kelechi Iheanacho have done alright, but the former lacks the pace to threaten teams that defend high up the pitch. The latter is more for the future.</p>
<p>When City won the league in 2011/2012 and 2013/2014 seasons, they had 4 strikers they could count on. In 2011/2012 season, they had Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli and Tevez. And in 2013/2014 season, Jovetic and Negrado replaced the outgoing Balotelli and Tevez. Currently, City seem to be short of one. Now that the winter transfer window has opened, City need to look at signing another striker.</p>
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<h3><strong>Address their fullback crisis</strong></h3>
<p>Many will point their fingers to central defenders Equalum Mangala, Nicolas Otamendi and Martin Demichelis as the architects for City’s unstable defensive, but Otamendi and Mangala improved over the course of the season, especially in the goalless draw against Leicester.</p>
<p>With Man City, their fullbacks seem to be the greatest liabilities. Kolarov and Bacary Sagna lack pace and energy down the flanks, and their overall contributions haven’t been good enough this season. While it seems unrealistic to sign two fullbacks in the January window, City need to sign at least one.</p>
<p>With Zabeletta due to come back from injury, and Bacary Sagna providing the assist for the winner on Saturday, I think Alexander Kolarov should be the one replaced. City need someone with more vitality on the left flank. They should turn their attentions to PSG’s Layvin Kurzawa, or possibly Wolfsburg’s Ricardo Rodriguez.</p>


Three things Manchester City must do to win the Premier League

Three things Manchester City must do to win the Premier League - World Soccer Talk

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Three things Manchester City must do to win the Premier League