da dobrowin： With pre-season training now underway at most clubs up and down the country, Pep Guardiola should be settling into his role as Manchester City manager quite nicely by now.
da bet7： The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich man has a lot to do before the season starts in August but he’s already started his tenure with authority and direction. He brought in Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan without hesitation, despite the midfielder being injured whilst he’s also added Spain star Nolito the Citizens’ front-line.
Both are transfers with statements of intent from both the club and Pep himself. But what about things like formations and tactics? Guardiola is an unpredictable manager who commandeered the move of Phillip Lahm to centre-midfield after all- but this is something City fans should be excited about.
But what should Pep’s main priorities be as the season edges closer? Here’s five things he must focus on before his side face Sunderland on August 13th.
Bolstering the defence
It’s safe to say that Manchester City are generally a better team with this man leading them from the back.
Vincent Kompany is the heart and soul of the side and they are so much more defensively secure with him than without. When he’s in the side and playing at his best they look a match for any side but this is a concern for Guardiola.
He needs to either sure up that defence himself or find a way for Kompany’s fellow centre-halves to do it themselves.
Bring the average age of the squad down
Some of Roberto Mancini’s signings are on their last legs now but they still feature in a City side that just doesn’t have that fear factor anymore. The likes of Yaya Toure, Alexsander Kolorov, David Silva and Samir Nasri don’t look as if they can carry City to Premier League glory anymore so Pep needs to get in the market for some younger talent.
Assess the academy
City’s development squad and academy has a whole wealth of untouched talent that just needs a chance to perform. The likes of Enes Unal, Bersant Celina and David Faupala are all hotly tipped to go onto great things either at City or elsewhere, and it could be a case of giving them a chance.
Get Joe Hart back to top form
It’s been a tough summer for Joe Hart, who bore the brunt of plenty of fan frustration after England crashed out of the Euros. It seems he’s not at his best and for the sake of City, this can’t carry through into the domestic season.
Guardiola somehow needs to get the best out of his England number one once again: either through his own training methods or by bringing in some truly competitive competition. He can’t have it easy.
Get Aguero some support
One of City’s biggest players needs the support he so richly deserves. You can’t help feel that sometimes Sergio Aguero is left a little isolated as the attackers sometimes work too hard to get goals.
Especially in the big games, we saw the Argentina striker dropping far too deep out of frustration and it does little to get City firing.
Whether that means bringing someone like Iheanacho through and playing two up-front or just supplying him with better quality wingers, something needs to be done.
He can be their key man again, if Pep gives him the firepower to do so.