Premier League: Manchester City's tranquil summer proves a successful one

"City’s best business was done in-house, with the contract extensions for Sergio Agüero, Samir Nasri, Vincent Kompany, Edin Dzeko, David Silva and Aleksandar Kolarov."

Andy Brassell tells us why Manchester City's relatively quiet summer in the transfer market looks set to be reap rewards with the club extending the contracts of some of their major stars and the improved form of Stevan Jovetic...

No longer are Manchester City dominating the headlines when it comes to transfer speculation. Now, the fireworks are on the pitch, with Monday night's win over Liverpool continuing what has been an engaging and satisfying beginning to the Premier League champions' title defence. The noisy neighbours, it appears, have piped down at last.

There is always a hint of concern when reigning champions have a quiet summer in the transfer market. With a position of strength the best one from which to strengthen, there is the feeling of laurels being rested upon, of decompression and dropping of intensity, and lack of a clear next objective going forward.

Witnessing the positivity of City's display against last season's runners-up, it is clear that none of these accusations could be levelled at them. Set two distinct and contrasting challenges in their pair of opening games, Manuel Pellegrini's side have responded well. They snuffed out the threat of an ambitious and new Newcastle side, before mastering Liverpool with far greater assurance than they did on The Reds' last visit to the Etihad.

Besides, City's board has hardly been idle between seasons. As Jamie Jackson pointed out in Tuesday's edition of The Guardian, City's best business was done in-house, with the contract extensions for Sergio Agüero, Samir Nasri, Vincent Kompany, Edin Dzeko, David Silva and Aleksandar Kolarov. Their few, select signings - notably Fernando and Eliaquim Mangala - fulfil very specific needs and suggest complementarity with the existing group of players.

This suits the coach. Pellegrini, as was apparent during his best work at Villarreal and Malaga, is infinitely happier having a core of trusted players to work with than having stars thrown at him to subsequently incorporate. Clearly, the quality available to him is far greater than it was at either of those two rather more modest clubs, but the club are happy for the Chilean to create fairly similar working conditions for himself.

It works for the club too, with their initial plan to attract Pep Guardiola involving the presentation of a less sprawling, opulent squad and its replacement with a tight group. Clearly players to supplement and improve the excellent level that exists requires significant investment, which would also put City further at odds with UEFA's Financial Fair Play principles.

The rare signings have been notable, and will continue to be so. Fernando was the only new boy to start, but he showed just how vital he will be as the team's fulcrum. His accurate passing helped City grab a firm hold on midfield, and he was rarely called upon to make any interventions like the one which denied Ayoze Pérez an equaliser at Newcastle last week. Fernando can do containment just as well as destruction.

Mangala will grow into being a dominating presence alongside Kompany, and Willy Caballero - one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in La Liga over the last few seasons - will look a bargain at £6m even if his only function is to keep Joe Hart performing at a high level.

Pellegrini's sanguine nature is also a key attribute in making sure City make the most of everything they have. Plenty of coaches would have ditched Stevan Jovetic after his tough opening year in English football. Instead, Pellegrini persevered, and got his immediate reward against Liverpool. The Montenegrin's regular role with City may end up being a deeper one but for now, his form means no risks need to be taken with Agüero as he attains optimum condition.

City are still second favourites at 3.02/1 to retain their crown, behind Chelsea, 2.427/5. It is hard to choose between the two at the moment but Pellegrini's men make a persuasive case, and are unlikely to go out much longer in the coming weeks.

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The 5 most successful Grand National trainers

Features / Dan Fitch / 16 February 2011 / Leave a Comment

Dan Fitch takes a look at the men behind the horses that have won the Grand National, as he profiles the trainers who've had the most success in the race.

Behind every great horse is a great trainer. At the 2011 Grand National, Nigel Twiston-Davies will attempt to win the race for a third time and join the elite brand of post-war trainers who have enjoyed more than two wins at Aintree.

Twiston-Davies will be looking at the likes of Hello Bud, who is available at [40.0], to allow him to enter the history books alongside the following legends of the training track. Here are the five most successful Grand National trainers.

Neville Crump picked up his first Grand National win in 1948, when Sheila's Cottage became the first mare to win the race since 1902, despite a starting price of an unfancied 50-1.

Crump's second winner came in 1952, when Teal was victorious, after the race had to be re-started when the forty seven runners charged the tape. His third and final win came in the first televised National in 1960, when the favourite Merryman II romped home.

It's fair to say that Tim Forster was a pessimist. When the American amateur jockey asked Forster for advice before setting off on Ben Nevis in the 1980 Grand Nationa, Forster replied: "Keep remounting." Despite his trainer's lack of faith, the 40-1 shot went on to win the race.

That was Forster's second National win, after first winning the race with Well To Do in 1972. His third came in 1985 with Last Suspect, but very nearly didn't occur. With Forster downbeat about Last Suspect's chances, it was only due to the insistence of it's jockey Hywel Davies that the horse ran. It came in as a 50-1 winner.

In the fifties, Vincent O'Brien achieved the notable distinction of training the winner of three successive Grand Nationals, with three different horses. He started the run in 1953, when the 20-1 shot Early Mist ran to victory.

1954 saw O'Brien train his second National winner when Royal Tan won the race, before completing a hat-trick in 1955, as Pat Taafe rode Quare Times to Grand National success.

In 1972 Lurline Brotherton put an inconsistent horse up for sale at an auction at Doncaster. Donald 'Ginger' McCain paid 6000 Guineas for the horse, on behalf of Noel Le Mare. The horse was called 'Red Rum'.

Red Rum and his trainer Ginger McCain would enjoy their first Grand National win in 1973 and would be victorious again in 1974, before completing a historic treble in 1977.

No jumper has ever won the National on more occasions, but McCain would prove that his success wasn't just a case of getting lucky with an exceptional horse, when he won a fourth Grand National in 2004 with Amberleigh House - a remarkable 31 years after his original triumph.

McCain's fourth National win equalled the record set by Fred Rimell, whose achievement was all the more special for the fact that his wins came with four different horses.

Rimell's first win came in 1956, when Devon Loch inexplicably collapsed to allow ESB to snatch victory. His second followed five years later in 1961, as Nicolaus Silver became only the second grey in history to win the National.

Gay trip provided Rimell with his third victory in 1970, but perhaps the greatest achievement was left till last. In 1976 Rimell's Rag Trade managed to pip the legendary Red Rum, to give his trainer a final victory.

Dan Fitch takes a look at the men behind the horses that have won the Grand National, as he profiles the trainers who've had the most success in the race....

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