Roberto Mancini plans Italian route to Premier League title for Manchester City
Roberto Mancini has told his Manchester City players they need to be more boring if they want to build a serious Premier League title challenge.
Mancini has been delighted with the way his players have rocketed to top spot with a goal glut – scoring 36 times in just 10 league games.
But he has ruled out any chance of the Blues beating Chelsea’s record of 103 Premier League goals, set two seasons ago.
“That’s impossible,” Mancini said. “Records are there so that one team can beat them, but this one is impossible.
“We have good players. I hope we can continue to score but sometimes I hope we can do a 1-0. Sometimes, we need to win the Italian way.”
City’s transformation into the Premier League’s entertainers is a sign of just how far they have come since setting an unwanted goals record under Stuart Pearce five seasons ago.
Pearce’s Blues of 2006/07 managed only 10 league goals at home all season. It remains the lowest home goals tally in the entire 123-year history of English top-flight football.
By contrast, Mancini’s Blues took just four home league matches this season to pass that tally. But the Italian has made no secret of his desire to keep a defensive mean streak.
Last season, City let in just 33 Premier League goals, the fewest they have ever conceded in a top-flight campaign.
The Blues are certainly on course to match that achievement, having shipped only eight goals in their opening 10 league games this term.
But Mancini wants to ensure that City’s attacking verve does not come at the expense of defensive discipline and focus.
And he also wants the Blues to carry on being every bit as dangerous on their travels as they are at home.
The Etihad Stadium has become a fortress for City, who are unbeaten there in all competitions in 2011. But their ability to pick up big results elsewhere has been shown in their last three away matches too – with a 6-1 thumping of United, a 5-2 Carling Cup hammering of Wolves and a convincing 3-0 Champions League triumph at Villarreal.
“I think that we have totally changed our mentality from that of a year or two years ago,” Mancini said.
“Now, for us, playing away or at home is the same. We don’t change. This is important if we want to be a top team.
“The pitch is always the same, whether you are at home or away. Sometimes, when you go to play away, the game is different.
“We know that we can lose every game if we don’t always play well, if we don’t always play at 100 per cent, if we don’t focus.” MuEN
Manchester City have joined Real Madrid and Inter Milan in the hunt for PSV midfielder Kevin Strootman, after watching the Dutchman in Europa League action against Hapoel Tel Aviv.
The 21-year-old is regarded as one of the best players in the Eredivisie, having moved from Sparta Rotterdam to Utrecht, and then PSV in a whirlwind 12 months.
Strootman has also established himself as a key part of the Netherlands squad, and looks certain for another transfer in the coming windows.
Inter Milan appeared to be stepping up their interest last month, after sporting director Marco Branca asked Strootman's compatriot Wesley Sneijder about his qualities, only to see competition intensify this week.
Manchester City and Real Madrid have now joined the chase, and were in the stands last night as he scored against Hapoel Tel Aviv in a 3-3 draw.
PSV are keen to hang onto their prize asset, but it's thought a fee of around £18million would be enough to convince them to sell.
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