Jose Mourinho: Manchester City B Team Could Fight For Title

[RealGM Wiretap]

Jose Mourinho noted the depth of Manchester City\'s bench, saying they could compete for a Premier League title.

“Four. Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool and the City B team. When I looked at the bench [against West Ham], the players not involved, I think even the B team could fight for the title,\" said Mourinho when asked how many teams could win the league this season.

Mourinho added that former pupil and current Chelsea manager needs time to develop his young players.

\"They need time, they are not playing to win the Premier League. You don’t buy players but you buy time,\" added Mourinho.

Via The Guardian

[ecuhus1981]

The Special One is sneaky.

He's absolutely right, Man City's second string would be favored against 15 PL squads this season. That's unreal depth. Even at clubs like Barcelona and Real, they may have 7 or 8 world-class player firming attached to the bench. But the thought of having a roster comprised of 2 top squads, that's amazing. I think that competing for a title is a bit of hyperbole, though.

The reason I call Jose sneaky, though, is that I think he's coyly attempting to drive a wedge in the Man City locker room. The cold war with Pep hasn't ended, and I'm sure it burns him up to be sitting without a job while his rival is having such success.

For fun, let's draw up City's 2-deep:

1ST TEAM (at full health)
Aguero
Sterling
Sane*
D. Silva
De Bruyne
Rodri
Mendy
Stones
Laporte
Walker


2ND TEAM
Jesus
B. Silva
Mahrez
Gundogan
Foden (probably the weakest link)
Fernandinho
Zinchenko
Mangala
Otamendi
Cancelo