The Blues legend, whose name adorns the West Stand in the Etihad Stadium, is not keen to make comparisons between the current team and the one in which he starred and was crowned best in England back in 1967-68 when Manchester enjoyed a one-two.
But he believes that any possibility of a repeat result this time around will be built around a strong spine to Roberto Mancini’s team and the home record.
“Football has changed so much from when I played and I don’t think it’s possible to compare the team that won the league back in 1968 and the team of today,” he reasoned on the eve of the big kick-off against Swansea.
Everything is different and there is a more patient approach to modern football. In my day, the emphasis was on getting forward as quickly as possible but there are not many teams who play that way at present
...Colin Bell
“There are a group of players that I would select week in, week out if I was the manager. Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Nigel de Jong, and David Silva would be foremost amongst them.
“I think we have many more great players, but those I just mentioned. I’m sure too that Sergio Aguero will bring something different to the table and hopefully prove just as effective as Carlos Tevez.”
Bell admits he would prefer to see Tevez stay than go but knows, too, that football squads of today are much bigger and the turnover of players greater than his midfield heyday.
One thing hasn’t changed, however, and that is that all the dominant teams seldom lose at home.
“If we are to have any chance of winning the title, we have to really go for it at home and win most of our games here starting against Swansea,” he concluded.
“I’d like to see us set our stall out and attack teams at home because we have the players to do it. I want to see us turn teams over and make teams frightened to come to the Etihad Stadium.”
A current 16-match unbeaten run at home suggests Colin’s wishes are not far from being fulfilled.
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