Checking in on New Friends: Manchester City Week 0

Since we're such good friends with Manchester City now, I figured it'd be nice to check in on them every now and against and see how they're doing. They're gonna have a tough go of it, with the English Premier League looking to be on the up and up this year. So let's see what they've been up to since leaving Los Angeles.

By the by, Man City ended up finishing second in the prestigious World Football Challenge. Real Madrid and Manchester United tied for first with seventeen points, while Man City finished with 13. Leaving LA they headed to Dublin, to take part in the Dublin Super Cup with Celtic, Internazionale, and Ireland's best XI. So it's not just MLS putting our best XI up against Super Clubs. Quite a few Asian countries also get in on the act. But I digress.

Man City took that tournament, despite never facing headliners Celtic. They beat Ireland's Best XI 3-0, which should be an encouragement to the MLS Best XI and to the Galaxy. After all this preseason tournament fofera, Man City were set to take on Manchester United at Wembley for the Community Shield. 

The two sides turned out a highly competitive cracker of a match, with Man City going up early 2-0, and Manchester United roaring back after halftime with three goals to win the Shield. Lescott and Dzeko scored for City, with Smalling scoring United's first goal and Nani scoring the equalizer and the game winner. 

Our newest friend Mario Balotelli came off in the first half, and went straight to the locker room. It was a match the drew comparisons to Leeds v Liverpol in the 70s, when Brian Clough was briefly at the helm, and Billy Bremner punched Kevin Keegan in the face (as seen in The Damned United). However, all the scoring opportunities were well won, and pretty to watch. 

Before the City friendly, I posted this chart, of who is in and out at City. 

Tevez is still technically a member of City, but very begrudgingly. After saying he wouldn't even return to Manchester on vacation, he is expected to report to practice tomorrow. City have since made another acquisition. 

Good amount of money spent. Anyhow, City should be a fun horse to follow this season, and I'll be keeping y'all abreast of the goings on in the blue side of Manchester.