Are Mark Hughes Inspired Manchester City Now favourites to Break into the Top 4: Or will it be Everton, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Blackburn, West Ham or Newcastle?
Now Mark Hughes has taken over at Manchester City the shambolic last few months of the season seem a distant memory. The former Welsh International manager has proven himself an excellent Premier League manager in 3 and a half seasons at Blackburn and his appointment has led to renewed optimism at Eastlands.
Hughes will be reportedly backed by a huge transfer kitty for the first time in his career but it’s his ability to pick up bargains which could save the club millions in the transfer market. After all, he signed some amazingly successful players for miniscule amounts by today’s standards including Benni McCarthy (£2.5m), Ryan Nelsen (free), Christopher Samba (£400,000), David Bentley (undisclosed) and Roque Santa Cruz (£3.8m). Already Bentley and Santa Cruz are being linked away from Ewood Park for reported price tags of £15million each. Therefore Sparky’s eye for a player cannot be underestimated.
He inherits a relatively strong City squad with a youth system that has seen the club win last seasons FA Youth Cup so he has all the pieces in place to turn the Citizens into a side that can compete with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.
However, do you think his appointment alone can transform the club or do you feel there are teams such as Spurs, Everton, Portsmouth and Villa ahead of them in terms of development? Let’s hear your views.
Tags: Aston Villa, Blackburn, Everton, Manchester City, Mark Hughes, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Premier League, Tottenham, West Ham
June 5th, 2008 at 15:26
Spurs will be the side, City are decent but Spurs have the star quality with Modric and Dos Santos coming…expect many more for the best team in North London!
P.S why are West Ham in this and the Barcodes????
June 5th, 2008 at 15:28
A top centre forward - Santa Cruz and another right sided midfielder - Bentley and City will be the best team outside the top 4 just waiting for Arsenal and Liverpool to slip up…the rest of the clubs lack ambition compared to us….I am looking forward to seeing Ronaldinho next season…try and keep up lads lol!!!
June 5th, 2008 at 15:30
aston villa under martin o’neil are probley the best football’in team and look most likely 2 break into top 4 but being a city fan i hope its us!
June 5th, 2008 at 15:32
City are in a different class to Everton and Villa already in terms of who we can attract if anything Eriksson was too defensive and held back our creative players…watch out next season!
BLLLLLUUUUUUEEEEEE MOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNN!
June 5th, 2008 at 15:37
Spurs??? you are having a laugh most overrated side ever, how will a couple of attacking players improve your useless defence…the Hammers finished higher and will have everyone fit and be right up there!
June 5th, 2008 at 15:37
I have heard it all - every season the same - Spurs and City and then the reality strucks again. Until next season - you dont need to write new sentences just save them and use it 2009 it will be the same
June 5th, 2008 at 15:41
What are you all going on about. There’s only one team that’s going to break in to the top four in the next couple of season and that’s Everton. Are you all crazy and losing the plot with a couple of good signing this summer we will be giving Liverpool a good run for there money. In Moyes we trust.
June 5th, 2008 at 15:47
You might have heard it all before,but its different this time, Mr hughes and Mr Ramos warrent concern no?
June 5th, 2008 at 15:47
Spurs all the way. We can attract the best players and we have the best manager. What have the other managers outside the top 4 won recently? Only time will tell of course
June 5th, 2008 at 15:47
i think Rovers would improve if we could get Paul Ince in…loving his work so far and sounds more attacking then Hughes who was found wanting against big boys!
June 5th, 2008 at 15:48
Morten Gamst Pederson was signed by Souness, so you should cross that one off your list of bargains picked up by Hughes!
Regarding your question, I think that an Ince-inspired Blackburn are almost certain to break into the top four. We’ll just have to see whether or not Blackburn are smart enough to employ him!
June 5th, 2008 at 15:54
I would love to see SOMEONE break the top four cartel this season,that would be good for English football!!
June 5th, 2008 at 15:55
Mike, just because spurs have won their 1st trophy in years doens’t mean your automatically going to break into the top 4. Where did you finish last year?
On that basis, who’s the only team who has actually broken into the top4 in recent year?
We’ve done it once and we’ll do it again
EVERTON FC
June 5th, 2008 at 15:57
City in the top 4 just because they’ve hughes as manager, get real, he was a great servant for us, but he’s done nowt as a manager.
Sven has a better track record and he couldnt do it, and he had money to back him.
June 5th, 2008 at 16:02
Are you all mad? Everton are the only team to do it and it took Moyes a couple of years to do it on a shoe string.
This shows how great a manager he is without cash. He buys a gem every year. MH is a good manager, but Mayes is just as good, which he has proven. If there is any team to break into the top four it has got to be Everton. Spurs fans are mad to think their team is going to break into the top four
When they can not even get a decent team together. As for Man City, they again are selling some of their best players, Dunne etc. It takes a manager with a good chairman, time to produce a good side. Look at Liverpool; they have throw money and the kitchen sink at trying to win the league. It is a good combination of patience, fans, manger and chairman that make things happen. Good luck though the more teams do well, the better the league will be. COYB!
June 5th, 2008 at 16:13
Why dont we all unite together in the hope that one of these teams break the top four? Its about time the monopoly of the big clubs was broken and I would be happy to see at least one of the sides here break the top four. As a neutral, I would say Spurs have the greatest chance, as long as they get a good DM, CB and GK. I’d then say Everton, Man City and Aston Villa are close. All depends on signings made tbh. BTW, I’m a West Brom supporter and I’m looking forward to meeting you all next season!
June 5th, 2008 at 16:17
The fact is there is very little to choose between everton, villa, spurs and man city and how succesfull a season each has normally depends on how well they start. Also to finish in the top 4 requires one of the ‘SKY4′ to have a bad season, which is what happened when we finished 4th in 2005. I obviosly hope that everton maintain the current progress but if its not to be us i hope that any one of the other teams manages to break the cosy cartell of the ‘SKY4′ as the pandering that SKY give them annoys me … Lets have some other team on GRANDSLAM SUNDAY just to disrupt the SKY monopoly ( like last season when the Reds were actually behind city - they still advertised it as GRANDSLAM SUNDAY tho’ !!! )
June 5th, 2008 at 16:21
Im a spurs fan..but i think we should let the football played on the pitch next season do the talking!
One comment on my own club is that they severely under-achieved last season. So here’s hoping for a much better start, with less injury’s to defence and a stable team and management.
June 5th, 2008 at 16:30
Everton are the most likely . A solid young defence , with the midfield creativity from Arteta and Osman and the goal threat of Cahill and Yakubu. Moyes has a solid plan which is working year by year and slowly adding to a small but effective squad . With a couple of quality signings the Toffees will push the overated reds harder next season.
June 5th, 2008 at 16:32
As a spurs fan ive got to say everton.they have a well balance side with only the strength in depth needed,which they should likely address this summer. They got a great manager too who has done wonders with a small budged. Spurs have the next best chance with the financial clout and superb manager to match our ambitions. I think we are still building and would need time to lay and assault on the top four. Man city would also need this time but who would know i how much time their chairman would give hughs. So i predict a top 6 fininish for spurs and perhaps a cup too. Pompey will also be stronge and newcastle and westham will have much better season than last but we will have to see who each club brings in to get a better picture.coys
June 5th, 2008 at 16:34
Everton fans - yes, Everton had a good league season in 2007-08, and Spurs had a bad one, after two 5th place finishes in a row.
But I think that we all know that Spurs won’t, under Ramos, have the kind of disasterous start that they had last season. Ramos will have a full pre season with the players. They will be supremely fit. They will have had time to groove in his pattern of play. Furthermore, Spurs will not have to blood a rookie centre back (Kaboul) alongside another centre back who needs an experienced partner (Dawson). With King back to full fitness and Woodgate now also in the squad, Spurs will have the experience where it matters (and that’s before further signings - of which, an experienced centre back will be one).
With Modric pulling the strings, Spurs will be less reliant on Berbatov’s creativity (regardless of whether he stays or goes). And if Ramos can also sign a top quality holding midfieldfer, Spurs will be a very strong team indeed.
June 5th, 2008 at 16:38
Spurs all the way!!!!
June 5th, 2008 at 17:18
YidYank and Yid Yid, Bad time for predictions, before the transfer window opens, City have a new manager with reportedly a £50m kitty. Stu b, which exactly of City’s best players are being sold? Oh yes Dunne, wasn’t it? The cornerstone of Spurs new defence. Wake up lads. Dunne’s doing a u-turn now and he’s under contract anyway. NO-ONE will be sold who City don’t want sold. Samaras anyone? Mills? Don’t be as big an idiot as you sound. Fact is in 2008/9 City will be as big or bigger as they were in 2007/8. Get your friggin tin hats on.
June 5th, 2008 at 17:21
It’s got to be Villa. Spurs, Everton, Man C are all good second string clubs but you will always be in the shadows of your better neighbours.
June 5th, 2008 at 17:25
Anyone but the usual 4 would be welcome.
In fact let’s hope two sides can break into the top four!!
June 5th, 2008 at 17:52
There is only one club who is going to make the top 4, regardless wether Man C sign Ronaldinho, Henry and Eto’o its Spurs all the way, especially if we keep the main man Berbs. Our defence when fit if the best outside the top 4 by a country mile, plus its attacking, you don’t score 100+ goals in a season for two years in a row if your not a good attacking team. Defence wise, as expected we will sign a Goalkeeper, and for that Man C fan who said Dunne a cornerstone at Spurs, maybe Man C, but Spurs he’s third choice with Dawson and 4th when we get our experience centre back. Add to all of this that we now have one of the best creative midfielders in the world in Modric and an up and coming star in Dos Santos, plus any further signings including possibly Garcia of Zaragoza and you will realise there is only one team who has the SQUAD and manager to get top 4 and they won a cup last season
June 5th, 2008 at 17:59
Betting odds
2.50 Tottenham
5.50 Everton
6.50 Aston Villa
11.00 Man City
11.00 Newcastle
13.00 Portsmouth
June 5th, 2008 at 18:12
Spurs are improving again the wrong areas they dont need attacking players – they need defensive ones + GK. Spurs season was over in February so I cant really judge them so lets wait and see.
City fans are so impressively deluded its unreal – there is no magic trick to turn mid-table team into world-beaters, almost half of the squad are not sure for their future and if Dunne and Richards leave it will be a disaster, moreover MH will need time to turn the things around and make them thick - 6-th place at best.
Villa have small squad and got lucky with injuries last term, they need quality CB as replacement for the departed Olof and 2-3 squad signings at least. Petrov didn’t impress me since his move Reo-Cocker is also not the leader in the middle of the park and now with Liverpool lurking around Barry – all their chances of breaking Sky 4 will hinge on his decision.
Everton have small squad as well and I was very, very impress with their performance last season they had to cope without their 3 influential African players for a month and came short only when their entire creative midfield – Cahill, Arteta, Pienaar were injured during the run in. In fact it’s a testament of Moyes work that they managed to finish 5 points clear from the rest with Carsley and Neville playing CM?!?
However they have also major decisions this summer with Moyes still not signing new contract and midfield reinforcements urgently needed – at least 2 quality players and maybe a striker as Johnson doesn’t fit the bill. They have the best defence outside Chelsea and MU and settles first team IMO
All in all I think that Everton are the major challengers for breaking Sky 4 closely followed by Spurs and Villa, for City it will be team building season regardless with or without Ronaldinho.
June 5th, 2008 at 18:22
None of the teams above will break into the top 4, because of the financial situations of the top 4, playing in the champions league, etc, what wrold class player would want to play in the uefa cup? Spurs fans living in dreamland again, talking about how great they are and how next season will be there season etc, lol get a grip you are average, Everton, Man City, Pompey, Blackburn all have a better chance of breaking into the top 4 ahead of the scum
June 5th, 2008 at 18:31
I personnel believe its between Everton and spurs who can do it this coming season, hopefully both. Everton have been amazing with the resource they have and have made them selfs a team no one likes to play, even the “big 4″. Spurs did have a bad season but this was mainly down to the boardrooms stupid manner regarding Jol. And have the best squad outside the top 4.
Villa have a great young team who will improve again but not top 4.
June 5th, 2008 at 18:37
Spurs didnt have a bad season last season, if anything they overachieved, finishing 11th is a major achievement for a small club like them, but Everton, Man City, Villa and Pompey all have better squads than spurs.
June 5th, 2008 at 18:46
yidyank il tell you why we are in this little hunt for 4th place is because we are genuine contenders. can you please remind me where you finished in the league this season after spending loads of cash on overrated players like bent and kaboul? you forget we finished ahead of you by being forced to play our 2nd team for most of the season.
as for spurs its always the same promises every year, “this is definitely going to be our year” - change the record. you havent got the consistency to get into the top 4 and the one time you did, you f**ked up with a few lasagne meals!
June 5th, 2008 at 18:54
Hughes has a reasonable but very short managerial record and he’s won… sweet FA. With an ‘interesting’ and ‘colourful’ character in the boardroom and lots of money to spend to satisfy the crowd with strange and ever more bizare purchases that make headlines for a few days, together with a manager who is a legend in his own mind, I think it willl be more entertaining that Billy Smart’s Circus. Bring it on. I see a Leeds United type vision before my eyes. Man City have less chance of breaking into the top four than I have of being the next Pope, and I’m not even Catholic!
June 5th, 2008 at 19:59
(never again) u f*ckin mug your obviously a deluded pr*ck everton, pompey ,man city,villa have better squads. well i bet they wouldent mind berba keane modric santos (when we get him)and hutton . your obviously worried about us. history shows its only spurs and everton who can challenge the top 4.
June 5th, 2008 at 20:04
Is Mark Hughes a better manager than Sven, I don’t think so he did a good job at Blackburn but with the big money flying around at City not sure he will know what to do with it! Not convinced the city chairman won’t want to run the team himself come Christmas can just see him a tracksuit in the dugout.
June 5th, 2008 at 21:05
you would have to be ever so slightly off your trolley to think Man City will finish in the top four. Clearly Spurs will be a much better side next year with King, Modric, Dos Santos and a Quality Gaffer at the helm and will be the nearest. With Arsenal losing players and Mourinho liable to take Chelsea’s best it is looking good for someone to break into the “sky sports” sycophantically described big four.
June 5th, 2008 at 21:32
You’d have to say that league positions don’t lie…this season’s top four will be the top four again (thanks to CL and Sky) with Everton the best of the rest. Spurs may well do better, but they’ve an awful lot of ground to make up. On their day, Spurs can challenge - just too inconsistent, however.
June 6th, 2008 at 13:29
I think Spurs are making all the right noise but it depends largely on how good the defence is - if woodgate or king get injured (nad lets face it, they are injury prone) then it could scupper there chances, but they will be there or there abouts.
Everton will be close like they always are, just waiting for one of them to mess it up - solid to the core, they will improve marginally - but i feel everton will miss out again due to the big spending nature of liverpool etc.
Villa have a good young squad, so some improvement through development is likely but i doubt it will be anywhere near enough. A more solid midfield is needed along with a quality right back - Top 8 im confident of, but not top 4.
Man City - They will probably spend big, and become a reporters favourite so to speak - but i just cant see it this year. Like Villa, they will be in the mix, but no matter how heavy you spend, you need a solid core thats been together before, and i think the new manager may take a season to really be able to push on.
As for Blackburn, and West Ham - they would need to over acheive to stand a chance (like most of the above in fairness) but i think they will just end up battling for UEFA.
As for Newcastle - i really dont undertand why they are considered a big club!?! They always spend too much aon players and then fall horribly short. Prepare for another mid table finsish from them!
June 6th, 2008 at 17:45
Mike you stupid twat why on earth would i be worried about spurs, you are no threat and never will be to the top 4, another deluded spurs fan who thinks that they are better than what they are, keep dreaming mike and maybe one day spurs might challenge the top 4, but it wont be in your lifetime!