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Manchester movers and shakers

Comment: 0 February 17th, 2012 by: admin

This season’s title race is certainly a nail biter with Manchester City currently in the lead with 60 while defending champions Manchester United are close with 58. As we near the twilight stages of the season, each victory for either team is crucial and a single defeat could determine in the long run who captures the silverware.

For the neighbouring rivals, their championship hopes may rely on the contributions of key players that could significantly strengthen their lineup and heavily influence match outcomes. These players are as follows.

MANCHESTER CITY

Sergio Aguero

Despite the whole Carlos Tevez fiasco and Mario Balotelli missing some games to for various reasons, City are still running strong in finding the net because of their another Argentine superstar, Sergio Aguero.

The 23-year-old forward has been nothing short of amazing for City, scoring a team-leading 15 goals and adding in five assists to his name. He has the complete package when it comes to an offensive arsenal.

He is also a steady fixture for the outfit, playing in 24 of the possible 25 games. He is very fit and proves to be comfortable with the physical nature of matches in the Premier League.

PROS: When Aguero is in his comfort zone (inside the box), he is virtually unstoppable. He has great pace with and without the ball and he can burst with speed that outclasses even some of the best defenders in the league. He doesn’t hesitate have an attempt on goal whenever the chance presents itself.

CONS: Sometimes, the Argentine can be a little too eager and create a play on his own, becoming too selfish with the ball instead of passing it to an open teammate.

David Silva

Though the main goal of an attacking team is to score goals, how they manage to do it is half the battle. While credit goes to the City goal-scorers like Sergio Aguero (15), Edin Dzeko (12) and Balotelli (nine), midfielder David Silva has given them most of the opportunities, directly or otherwise.

The Spanish national currently has the most assists for City (12), with Samir Nasri coming in second (seven). He also gives the outfit the much-needed width to execute their fierce firepower.

PROS: Silva can stretch the defence with his offensive arsenal if he is given the space. This leaves defenders with little chance to successfully cover the Spaniard when he sets his sights on goal.

CONS: The only possible knock in his impressive game is that Silva is considered a little small for his position. He can sometimes be easily muscled off by bigger midfielders and hulking defenders.

Joe Hart

As strong as City’s offence is, their defence is equally impressive. The squad having defender Vincent Kompany as captain says a lot about the unmatched quality of their back-end. And amongst their defenders, perhaps the strongest pillar is the person between the sticks: Joe Hart.

Not only is arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, he is also widely considered to presently be the best English shot-stopper, earning his stripes by being the No. 1 keeper for the Three Lions.

He was named the PFA Goalkeeper of the Year for the 2009-10 season and he just keeps getting better. This season, he’s had 71 saves and 11 clean sheets out of a possible 25.

And at 24 years old, he is in the contenders list as a possible replacement for John Terry for the captaincy.

PROS: He has great reflexes and is a huge figure in front of the goal. He also knows how to position himself well so that he can easily deflect shots.

CONS: While he still has some room to grow, the confidence given to him shows just how excellent he is.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Wayne Rooney

United and England’s striker is a feared competitor, highly regarded as one of the best players in the world. This season, he’s managed to stay fit, playing 22 matches and finding the net 17 times – five of those coming from the penalty spot.

Something not reflected in any stats-sheet is how Rooney shows his willingness to keep his teammates involved in the game. While some strikers focus on scoring goals, he makes sure that everyone is involved. He has been the successful link between the midfield and forwards in distributing the ball and creating chances for himself.

PROS: Deadly skills aside, as of recent years, “Wazza” has learned how to become an effective leader. In his most recent match against Liverpool at Old Trafford, he showed indifference in the heated controversy between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra. If a younger version of Rooney was present, he would have probably added to the fire of the situation.

CONS: With all the growth (and praises) that he’s had, there are still some instances where he seems surrounded by a mist and becomes a wallflower on the pitch. In some cases, his temper gets the best of him and he loses his cool. He also has the tendency to be easily frustrated when things do not go his way like the infamous World Cup bust-up against former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs is a 38-year-old Manchester United legend who exemplifies perfect consistency, making him one of the standard bearers of the club.

His strength is seen in his control of the ball, and in turn, control of the game. Whenever the ball is somewhere near the midfield, Giggs will most likely be trying to secure it for the Red Devils.  And his tackles are almost always successful.

PROS: Another weapon this Welsh international has is his ability to produce goal-scoring chances. In 17 games he’s played, he has given out nine assists and 29 crosses. Not bad for an old man, not bad at all.

CONS: Of course, with age come more injuries. Though he has not had any major problems with his health, one has to wonder how long he can go. On the pitch, his only flaw might be that he tries too many things, with a relatively low chance to complete. He has fancy flicks that may look pretty but do not give the Red Devils the advantage they need.

Phil Jones

Who says a youngster can’t make a difference in a game, much more play an important part in United’s chances to defend their title? A 19-year-old kid named Phil Jones proves everyone that he is up to the task.

A fearless defender with a keen sense of how to make the perfect tackle, he has been the perfect substitute for the injured Nemanja Vidic. While the veteran’s cleats are surely difficult to fill let alone replace, Jones has made the most of the opportunity. The Englishman has logged 1,515 minutes on the pitch and contributed an assist, a block, nine crosses and a goal.

PROS: The above statistics show that Jones is not limited to being a defender: he has great influence in the team’s attack. The centre-back has the capability to move forward and become a holding midfielder, threatening to attack while being a steady line of defence.

CONS: Unfortunately, this mindset has also taken credit for some of his weakness. He has, at times, been caught out of position and having to rely on pace and other teammates to keep the opponents from scoring. For a 19-year old, he has a lot of chances to improve.

The tie between these two powerhouses on 28 April will feature the clash of the would-be champion. In that match at the Etihad Stadium, mark these players to make the difference and ultimately decide who takes the glory and who will suffer in defeat.

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