3. The Ineffectiveness & Sale Of Mario Balotelli
Despite providing the assist for Sergio Aguero in the build-up to
that dramatic late title-winning goal last season, the enigmatic Italian was used sparingly by Roberto Mancini during what proved to be his final season at the Etihad. He only managed 14 Premier League appearances and his tally of three goals from his 20 overall appearances is a poor return no matter which way you try to spin it. Balotelli was always a player who threatened to undermine and derail City's charge for glory, and so it proved when he was involved in a training ground spat with his manager in January. He barely played again after that before being flogged to AC Milan, where, suspiciously, he has scored three goals in two appearances at the San Siro. Now, City only have three strikers - Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko. That's not an awful lot of firepower and during their tame surrender in the 3-1 defeat to Southampton, that much was evident.