W

hat must mark this 2010-2011 Barclays Premier League season apart from previous years is the fact that none of the traditional big clubs have really dominated so far, even though kudos must certainly should be given to Manchester United for keeping their unbeaten streak till now.

I must admit enjoying such competition in the League, where teams like Blackpool can do the double over Liverpool, and the fact is that there are simply no easy games for the bigger clubs anymore!

Teams like Bolton, Stoke and Newcastle have shown ambition this season, and with quality players on their books, their managers know that they can put up a fight with the big boys any day!

Compounding matters, managers of the top sides have also been shooting themselves in the foot by not playing their best side as consistently as possible!

I certainly don’t believe in the concept of squad rotation, for the simple fact that it’s hard to get momentum going when your key players aren’t able to get crucial playing time and partnerships going because the starting eleven is always a different juxtaposition.

This has also made it difficult for star players like United’s Dimitar Berbatov and Liverpool’s Joe Cole to really shine, as their styles of individual play are dependent on familiarity with their teammates!

The Premier League has always had a history of the Eric Cantona’s, Dennis Bergkamp’s and Gianfranco Zola’s providing flair and thrills for the fans in the stands, but as I’ve mentioned before, the established stars of the Premier League like Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba and Cesc Fabregas have found it hard to really get going this season.

A combination of off-the-field matters and World Cup fatigue could have robbed the competition of its spark this year, but fortunately for football fans, this has not been the case, with Nani and Samir Nasri igniting the league with their brilliant play, and Tottenham Hotspur also proving a hotbed of talent in the form of Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael Van der Vaart.

As the Premier League comes towards “squeaky-bum” time, as Sir Alex Ferguson likes to put it, Manchester City could very well surprise us all with sparking football to win the big prize!

Under Roberto Mancini’s Italian sensibilities, the Citizens have been a prime example of a team that emphasizes collective organization over individual flair thus far.

This could all change with his recent acquisition of Bosnian hitman Edin Dzeko proving the last piece of the puzzle at Eastlands!

The former Wolfsburg man, should prove to be the perfect foil for a roaming Carlos Tevez, and if Mancini can let go of his penchant of playing two defensive midfielders, an attack including the guile of David Silva should prove too much for most defenses in the Premier League!  

After all the flak that the Italian has suffered since taking over from Mark Hughes, Mancini could very well have the last laugh!