Erling Haaland's Eyebrows
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From David McDonnell in New York.
Edited for easy reading!
Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta has assured the deposed champions' fans that they have nothing to fear from the imminent appointment of Manuel Pellegrini.
Vastly-experienced manager Pellegrini is all set to take over from sacked Roberto Mancini on a two-year deal after confirming he will leave Spanish side Malaga at the end of their season on June 1.
City defender Zabaleta began his career under Pellegrini at Argentine club San Lorenzo a decade ago, and feels the 59-year-old is perfect to fill the void left by Mancini.Some Blues fans have expressed dismay at Mancini’s sacking and concern at what Pellegrini – whose only trophy success in Spain was winning the Intertoto Cup with Villarreal – will bring to the club.But Zabaleta has explained that Pellegrini’s teams play football the right way, always with attacking intent, and feels the Chilean has the know-how to turn the Eastlands club into a major force in the Champions League.
“When I was at San Lorenzo with him, I was in the second team,” said Zabaleta. "He did well when we were at San Lorenzo. He won the South American Cup.“After he left San Lorenzo, he went to River Plate. He was always keen on youth development and also won important things there. That makes him a good manager.
“When he went to Villarreal, he took a club who had been in the third division to the semi-finals of the Champions League.“They played Arsenal and were within a penalty kick of going to the final. He did great at Real Madrid as well and hopefully, if he comes to City, he can just carry that on with us.“He’s done well at Real Madrid, Villarreal and Malaga. Now we will see how he will do at Manchester City - if he comes.
His football is great. Someone I know and trust has told me that he’s a superb manager now.“He’s a very quiet person. He likes to play attractive football. Also his record in Europe is great – and that’s something we haven’t done so well in recent seasons.”
Although Pellegrini will be new to the Premier League, Zabaleta claimed City’s incoming boss, who steered Malaga to within moments of this season's Champions League semi-finals, will find it easy to adapt to English football.“He won’t have a problem,” said Zabaleta. “He’s worked in a lot of countries, but it will be his first experience of managing in England.“But when you have as much experience as he has, he will have everything very clear in his mind. He’s a clever person and he will know what to do when he takes over.“When you start off with a new experience like this, he will expect to do well straight away and if we work well he can be a success.
”While Mancini’s approach was typically Italian – building from a solid defensive base – the style embodied by Pellegrini’s teams is considered far more adventurous and attacking.And Zabaleta said City fans should relish the prospect of their team playing with far more attacking flair under the new man, while not losing sight of their defensive responsibilities.
On the contrast of styles between Mancini and Pellegrini, Zabaleta added: “We’ll have to see.“Both like to play good football, but Pellegrini likes to play with two wingers – get the ball out wide.“I think we will be more attacking.“You saw with Malaga that, whenever they played, they played to win. That’s something which is very important for a top team: Whenever you go to play, you should play to win.
“Although Mancini’s abrasive, divisive attitude to players and staff ultimately sealed his exit, Zabaleta was one City player who never fell out with the Italian.And he admitted Mancini’s impressive record in three-and-a-half years at Eastlands has made his sacking harder to accept for long-suffering supporters who grew to idolise the 47-year-old who made City champions of England.“The fans have shown massive support for Roberto and it’s always great to see support from the fans for a manager like that,” said Zabaleta.
“He came to the club, he won the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Community Shield. He took City to another level.“But often in football this happens. If you aren’t winning things then the situation can change very quickly.“It's hard when you don’t win trophies. “When you look at the squad we have, you expect to be winning silverware. We missed out in the FA Cup [losing the final to a Wigan side that was relegated three days later] which, in the end, was the only competition we had a chance to win.“It’s hard, but we need to move on and wait for the new manager to come in. We must keep working hard to make sure we come back stronger next season.“When a new manager comes in, you want to show you are worthy of keeping your place in the team and I’m going to show that in pre-season.“We’ve realised how difficult it is to defend the title, to retain it. Sometimes the pressure is massive for this club and the group of players.“That’s why I’m saying we need to be more competitive and show that we are working towards trying to become a top club in Europe.“Sometimes with big names, talent is not enough - you need to have that winning mentality to keep it going.”
City expect Pellegrini to start work as their new boss on June 3 - and one of his first jobs will be to resolve the immediate futures of several players.Carlos Tevez, Gareth Barry and Joleon Lescott all have just one year left on their contracts, and Pellegrini wants their situations clarified before moving on to new signings.Tevez is likely to be offered a one-year extension, but there is less certainty over Barry and Lescott, with both potentially leaving City this summer.Barry was one of Mancini’s trusted picks, but it remains to be seen whether Pellegrini decides to retain the 32-year-old’s services.Lescott was marginalised by Mancini and lost his status as skipper Vincent Kompany’s first-choice central defensive partner last season to Matija Nastasic.
Edited for easy reading!
Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta has assured the deposed champions' fans that they have nothing to fear from the imminent appointment of Manuel Pellegrini.
Vastly-experienced manager Pellegrini is all set to take over from sacked Roberto Mancini on a two-year deal after confirming he will leave Spanish side Malaga at the end of their season on June 1.
City defender Zabaleta began his career under Pellegrini at Argentine club San Lorenzo a decade ago, and feels the 59-year-old is perfect to fill the void left by Mancini.Some Blues fans have expressed dismay at Mancini’s sacking and concern at what Pellegrini – whose only trophy success in Spain was winning the Intertoto Cup with Villarreal – will bring to the club.But Zabaleta has explained that Pellegrini’s teams play football the right way, always with attacking intent, and feels the Chilean has the know-how to turn the Eastlands club into a major force in the Champions League.
“When I was at San Lorenzo with him, I was in the second team,” said Zabaleta. "He did well when we were at San Lorenzo. He won the South American Cup.“After he left San Lorenzo, he went to River Plate. He was always keen on youth development and also won important things there. That makes him a good manager.
“When he went to Villarreal, he took a club who had been in the third division to the semi-finals of the Champions League.“They played Arsenal and were within a penalty kick of going to the final. He did great at Real Madrid as well and hopefully, if he comes to City, he can just carry that on with us.“He’s done well at Real Madrid, Villarreal and Malaga. Now we will see how he will do at Manchester City - if he comes.
His football is great. Someone I know and trust has told me that he’s a superb manager now.“He’s a very quiet person. He likes to play attractive football. Also his record in Europe is great – and that’s something we haven’t done so well in recent seasons.”
Although Pellegrini will be new to the Premier League, Zabaleta claimed City’s incoming boss, who steered Malaga to within moments of this season's Champions League semi-finals, will find it easy to adapt to English football.“He won’t have a problem,” said Zabaleta. “He’s worked in a lot of countries, but it will be his first experience of managing in England.“But when you have as much experience as he has, he will have everything very clear in his mind. He’s a clever person and he will know what to do when he takes over.“When you start off with a new experience like this, he will expect to do well straight away and if we work well he can be a success.
”While Mancini’s approach was typically Italian – building from a solid defensive base – the style embodied by Pellegrini’s teams is considered far more adventurous and attacking.And Zabaleta said City fans should relish the prospect of their team playing with far more attacking flair under the new man, while not losing sight of their defensive responsibilities.
On the contrast of styles between Mancini and Pellegrini, Zabaleta added: “We’ll have to see.“Both like to play good football, but Pellegrini likes to play with two wingers – get the ball out wide.“I think we will be more attacking.“You saw with Malaga that, whenever they played, they played to win. That’s something which is very important for a top team: Whenever you go to play, you should play to win.
“Although Mancini’s abrasive, divisive attitude to players and staff ultimately sealed his exit, Zabaleta was one City player who never fell out with the Italian.And he admitted Mancini’s impressive record in three-and-a-half years at Eastlands has made his sacking harder to accept for long-suffering supporters who grew to idolise the 47-year-old who made City champions of England.“The fans have shown massive support for Roberto and it’s always great to see support from the fans for a manager like that,” said Zabaleta.
“He came to the club, he won the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Community Shield. He took City to another level.“But often in football this happens. If you aren’t winning things then the situation can change very quickly.“It's hard when you don’t win trophies. “When you look at the squad we have, you expect to be winning silverware. We missed out in the FA Cup [losing the final to a Wigan side that was relegated three days later] which, in the end, was the only competition we had a chance to win.“It’s hard, but we need to move on and wait for the new manager to come in. We must keep working hard to make sure we come back stronger next season.“When a new manager comes in, you want to show you are worthy of keeping your place in the team and I’m going to show that in pre-season.“We’ve realised how difficult it is to defend the title, to retain it. Sometimes the pressure is massive for this club and the group of players.“That’s why I’m saying we need to be more competitive and show that we are working towards trying to become a top club in Europe.“Sometimes with big names, talent is not enough - you need to have that winning mentality to keep it going.”
City expect Pellegrini to start work as their new boss on June 3 - and one of his first jobs will be to resolve the immediate futures of several players.Carlos Tevez, Gareth Barry and Joleon Lescott all have just one year left on their contracts, and Pellegrini wants their situations clarified before moving on to new signings.Tevez is likely to be offered a one-year extension, but there is less certainty over Barry and Lescott, with both potentially leaving City this summer.Barry was one of Mancini’s trusted picks, but it remains to be seen whether Pellegrini decides to retain the 32-year-old’s services.Lescott was marginalised by Mancini and lost his status as skipper Vincent Kompany’s first-choice central defensive partner last season to Matija Nastasic.