Manchester City's cool manager Manuel Pellegrini has proved a quiet master in Premier League title race
Measured, urbane Chilean is a breath of fresh air following the edgy, often feisty approach of Roberto Mancini
Manuel Pellegrini, the Chilean guiding Manchester City on a switchback journey towards the title, has become fascinated by life in his temporary domicile and was recently in a Hale picture shop, getting old maps of the local area framed up. After this nervy victory over Everton here, Pellegrini left Goodison Park clutching the road-map pointing him towards the Premier League.
He knows the way now. He has almost reached the desired destination. City return to their Etihad home for the final two games, against Aston Villa and West Ham United, with expectation rampant amongst supporters that they will be crowned champions. City can almost touch the trophy now.
Pellegrini was very diplomatic, in fact very boring, when asked about the likelihood of a straightforward route to glory now, about a tour in an open-top bus through the streets on the maps gracing his walls. He was low-key, preferring to focus on the next game, on Villa. He made the same point to his players, that the Premier League race was not over, just as he had done after the defeat at Anfield on April 13. He stayed calm then. He stayed calm now.
In assessing his influence on City, it needs remembering that had Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard not slipped against Chelsea then the road to the title would not have opened up again. It needs recording that Pellegrini inherited good players, leaders like Vincent Kompany, strikers of the quality of Sergio Agüero and Edin Dzeko and a goalkeeper of Joe Hart’s calibre.
But the 60-year-old had to blend them, prepare them tactically and withstand the threat of Chelsea, Liverpool and, earlier in the season, Arsenal. Nobody has handed Pellegrini a free ride towards the trophy.
He had to respond to adversity here. His tactical tweaks helped reclaim the game, particularly in dealing with the storm in blue-and-white that was the marvellous Ross Barkley and, later on, Gerard Deulofeu.
The changes were simple, just doubling the sentries and squeezing the space around the pair, but he did it and City survived.
For all his achievements in Chile and Argentina, Pellegrini still has a lot to prove in Europe which is why this season, and this result, is so important. City’s board welcomed Pellegrini last June by claiming he would bring a more “holistic” approach, effectively removing the tensions multiplying like weeds under Roberto Mancini. His measured style was well-received by the players. The dressing-room temperature was lowered. Training-ground incidents all but disappeared. Peace broke out.
Club staff acknowledge that the new manager is tough, stubborn at times, but he clearly treats his players with respect. For those who err, the cultured Chilean tends not to admonish loudly but will still makes his criticism firmly. He’s popular. Abu Dhabi, who like their staff to behave like ambassadors, appreciate Pellegrini’s non-confrontational style.
His unfair, unwise criticism of the Swedish referee, Jonas Eriksson, after defeat to Barcelona was deemed an aberration from his usual restrained post-match verdicts. He is guarded in interviews, giving little away, a habit that inevitably distances the media which still remains slightly lukewarm to him. Pellegrini is not worried about being popular with the press, preferring to let his team shape the headlines. He is no Mourinho.
City fans, who mourned the departure of the feisty, title-winning Mancini, have taken to the Italian’s successor, singing his name before kick-off at Goodison, loudly when City equalised and then took the lead and euphorically at the end. They enjoy the attacking nature of his football, a philosophy that has now seen them reach 150 goals in all competitions.
For all his likeability and low-maintenance nature off the field, Pellegrini will be judged on results. Winning the Capital One Cup underlined his potential. He needs this title, though. City actually fell behind early on because of Barkley’s brilliance. The England youngster was given far too much room, scoring a gem from 20 yards and continuing to dribble through as Gwladys Street chanted “olé”.
Pellegrini turned and surveyed his array of talented substitutes and indicated to Fernandinho to warm up. It seemed that Javi García could be the man in danger of being removed. Then Agüero equalised but injured his left adductor. Pellegrini sent Fernandinho on to partner García, beginning to restrict the space around Barkley, snapping at his heels, forcing him deeper.
Pellegrini pushed Yaya Touré up, playing off Dzeko, who grew in influence.
Pellegrini’s calm, perceptive man-management has earned him many friends at Carrington and the Etihad. On being appointed, his first call was to Dzeko, whose form had dropped under Mancini, the Bosnian feeling isolated. Pellegrini explained that he believed in Dzeko and would give him a chance to fight for his place. Dzeko responded, scoring 24 times for City this season, including the imperious header before half-time and then finish to make it 3-1 to City, totally repaying Pellegrini’s faith.
The manager’s handling of Hart’s error at the Bridge should be studied on Pro-Licence courses. He did not lecture the chastened keeper publicly but dropped him and encouraged him in training. Hart responded superbly, returning to the team and constantly impressing, and making a magnificent save from Steven Naismith early in the second half at 2-1 to City and then again from Gerard Deulofeu at 3-2 to City. Huge saves.
After falling out with Mancini, Samir Nasri has been rejuvenated under Pellegrini and his late equaliser against Sunderland grows in importance in retrospect. It was the Frenchman’s vision and touch that created Dzeko’s second. Nasri has become a significant influence under Pellegrini.
He has also lifted the spirits of Aleksandar Kolarov, who had begun to exasperate City fans. When Romelu Lukaku made it 2-3 with 25 minutes remaining, Pellegrini made a huge call, taking off the talismanic Touré, a midfielder with 19 league goals to his name this season, and sent on Kolarov.
Pellegrini insisted that it was because Touré was tiring, and was removed as a precaution. His replacement, Kolarov, played his part in protecting the lead. He came on in on the left flank, shielding Gaël Clichy, who was struggling against the lively Deulofeu. Kolarov nicked the ball off Lukaku and then closed down Deulofeu.
Pellegrini was out of his dug-out for long periods here, communicating with his players, urging them on, even being evicted from Roberto Martínez’s part of the technical area late on. The togetherness fostered by Pellegrini with occasional team-bonding sessions, a meal out here or there, kept City strong as Everton pressed hard late on.
City fans launched into Blue Moon as the final whistle came and then sang Pellegrini’s name. They know how important this result was. They know what an impact Pellegrini has made.
Pellegrini shook hands with Martínez, embraced Martin Demichelis but stayed composed. There are more obstacles to overcome, on the pitch against Villa and West Ham, and then the huge challenge of FFP as Uefa is expected to punish the over-spending club with a salary cap in Europe, a possibility that will mean Pellegrini juggling his squad, bringing in more youngsters.
He will stay calm at that prospect, simply finding another road-map, another way. In his brief spare moments, and when not admiring local maps, Pellegrini has taken to exploring England, spending a day wandering around historic York. He is getting to know the country, certainly getting to know the country’s league. Pellegrini is an educated man, a gentleman and as a City are finding, a winning manager.
