Will Manchester City's "Dream Team" Work?

The dust finally seems to be settling on the phenomenal transfer deadline day on the 1st September. Claims that Manchester City will become the new Chelsea have been greeted by worried fans agreeing, and sceptical fans saying what they consider to be the reality, far from the dreamland Man City fans are in.

Some have even foreseen the end of this takeover already. I myself am more in the first camp than the second. I believe that Manchester City will be in the top four by the end of next season.

This is bad news for almost everyone in the league. The newly-promoted sides will have another superpower to deal with, while the teams like Everton, Portsmouth and Blackburn, who were competing with City before the takeover, will fall another place down the Premier League pecking order.

Mid-table teams such as Tottenham, Newcastle, and Middlesborough have less chance pushing for a UEFA Cup spot as well. Of course, this will take time. Man City will not be able to experience instant success just because of the purchase of Robinho. This season they will be fighting for UEFA Cup rather than Champions League football.

However, come January, we will see the true potential of Manchester City. Abu Dhabi United have outlined their plans to build a Dream Team. It's what every ten year old football fan loves doing, but now these people are planning to make it a reality.

However, will City be able to attract the very best to their club? Well, in January we will find out just how loud money talks nowadays. Players aren't likely to go to City to play in UEFA Cup football ahead of going to the likes of Chelsea to play in Champions League football.

Unless, of course, they are offered the type of money that Bill Gates would struggle to put together. Robinho is a prime example of this. Chelsea didn't offer as much money, as they are now being sensible with it. However, it seems that Robinho went for the money of City rather than the Champions League of Chelsea.

On the other hand, Real Madrid didn't let him go to Chelsea because they received a better offer from Manchester City, which throws up the next reason why players may go to City. Say, for example, Manchester United offer Barcelona £20 million for Henry, and Manchester City offer them £30 million.

Barcelona is only likely to accept the bid from City, giving the player only one choice of the team to go to. It only takes one or two big signings before more follow, as then the best players will see the potential of Manchester City to be the best, and this, coupled with record-breaking wages, will entice almost anyone.

However, is it all that easy? If Manchester City manage to put together this Dream Team will it work? On the other hand, will it be a case of the best 11 players, rather than the best team?

Obvious comparisons can be drawn with the Real Madrid Galacticos. Madrid gathered the best in the world, the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Figo, and David Beckham etc. and were largely unsuccessful during this era.

Another potential problem for City will be defence. Abu Dhabi have given the list of players they want to sign. It includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Thierry Henry, Ronaldo, Cesc Fabregas, and David Villa. Any defenders? No.

Which means, if they pull this Dream Team off, they will have probably the best attack in the world, but still an average defence. I can't see Abu Dhabi paying £20 million for a defender.
There are many stages Man City could stumble at, but if they come through those stages then they may well become the best in Manchester, the best in England, and then the best in the world.