Manchester City Thread [07/08]

[adobe_sun]

City's trouble is the fact they rely on midfielders to score the goals..
Johnson/Ireland/Petrov/Elano/... No one of them is a striker.. Sven definitely needs a winter signing ..
I hope Valeri comes back from injury soon, he will fit very well, i suppose.
Bianchi didn't empress me at all during his performances. As for Samaras and Vasel - they're no good too. Can play against MKDons in Charity Sheeld, but premiership starting lineup - rather not.
Mpenza is very slow too. He scored two headers against Fulham and Newcastle (after Martin's blocked shot and his crossing respectively), but nothing ever since...

I still don't get it why little Schmeichel was sent somewhere to train... His goalkeeping was very nice to watch.. Although he lacks experience, he has the willingness to learn and did very very well..

 

[rony31]

Schmeichel simply needed more playing time. with Isaksson returning from injury and the emergence of Joe Hart (who in my mind played better than Schmeichel when he was given the chance), Kasper wasn't going to get a lot of first-team action. wisest thing to do was to ship him off where he would. I wouldn't want him to leave permanently though, since he does have a bright future ahead of him.

as for the striker situation, it's really nothing new. but I thought with all of Sven's new strikers, it would change. Bianchi hasn't even been given a sniff, while Bojinov was unfortunate to be injured so early and severely. Sam & Mpenza are mediocre, yet they are both preferred over Rolando... retarded? very much. Rolando needs more action, it's not like he's even played badly to deserve warming the bench so much. and I just read that Sven's looking to sign Crouch in the winter. ummm... no. we don't need anymore attacking options. we just need to use the ones we have. when Bojinov is fully fit again and Sven stops turning a blind eye to Bianchi, we'll be a lot more competent up front.

 

[thetrooper37]

do you guys have any news on Bojinov?? Wasn't he supposed to be back january or something?

 

[rony31]

They say he's recovering well and may be back a bit earlier than first predicted. at first they said he was out until at least late January, but news now is that he may be back a few weeks early

 

[rony31]

bad result at Wigan, should've taken the 3 points. too much to ask for when Samaras plays 80+ minutes though honestly don't know what SGE's thought process is with this situation anymore. absolutely baffles me

 

[adobe_sun]

Just read in the newspapers of MC offering 45 mill to enroll both Berbatov and Modric (25 mil pounds for Berba & 20 mil for Modric)..
This would be wise.
Anyway, Sven needs to get rid of Samaras/Mpenza/Vassel, but only if he buys some fresh quality for the attack.

 

[rhizome17]

when we have a goal difference of four, and everyone else around us has one of double figures, and we know our defence is great (CHelsea game aside) then it is clear that we either need a proper striker as backup for Boijinov, OR we need to change system to 442 - someting I can;t see happening when Hamaan is getting on in age and no longer has the legs to play as single holding midfielder with both Petrov and Elano pushing up the field.

I doubt either Berbatov or Anelka would consider us at present, Anelka more than Berbatov maybe but we have been there once before... I reckon Sven would grab Owen if he could, but he is a risk injury wise.

Ah well down to fifth with Liverpool winning this morning, and an away trip at Tottenham next week.... we have them in the Carling Cup as well, and now we have an away trip to West Ham for the FA Cup, something I am not very happy about given our troubles on the road....

 

[rony31]

Brum just beat Spurs away... why cant we?

 

[adobe_sun]

An away win at White Hart Lane is very possible, i reckon. Expecially considering the latest results Spurs have.. Their only home win i can recall now is against the almighty Aalborg in the UEFA Cup with 3-2 after losing 0-2 at the halftime.

 

[rony31]

tough result today at Spurs.. Chimbonda's opener was an absolute joke, how you can miss both the offside AND the handball is beyond me. Bianchi comes on for more than 10 minutes for once and scores 3 minutes in with a thundering header. stupid part was he came on for Etuhu, one of our most positive players during the game, instead of Vassell, who did nothing all game. then Ireland's boneheaded lunge when there was no immediate danger to our goal cost us dearly... and THEN Vassell comes off for Geo, who should've been on earlier. well 1 point from 2 games, pretty much sums up our away form

 

[rhizome17]

well I think the loss has one positive thing - our position on the table is a far more accurate representation of where we are as a team. Third was always a fluke, I think sixth is a better representation because our away form sucks. At the moment we are pretty much treading water until the January transfer window. I think we are good enough to get revenge on Spurs and beat them next week in the Carling Cup since we are at home, and after watching the first half of yesterdays game I don't think Spurs are that good a team - lucky to take the game given the nature of their first goal really. I think Bianchi should get a start, and hopefully elano will be back on board sooner rather than later. Chuck Geovanni on in place of Ireland, and with Petrov we would have a very attacking frontline.

 

[rony31]

Elano will be back to face Bolton this Saturday. depending on how well he copes with the injury, he might get the nod for Spurs in the Carling Cup as well.. time will tell.

but definitely, I think Geo deserves to start ahead of Ireland.. other than his 2 wondergoals this year, Stevie's been pretty useless, while Geo's a better attacking threat.

------------------Bianchi
-------------Elano
Petrov---------------------Geovanni
-------Johnson---Gelson/Didi

probably our best formation, with Ireland and Etuhu as options off the bench, we'd have a fairly formidable attack.. but other than that, not too much depth. enter January.

 

[Schweinsteiger]

Agree twice.

We miss Elano so much right now. And I agree, Geovanni before Ireland any day. Need to beat Bolton to escape slipping further down the ladder

 

[jimorrizon]

Nery Castillo (shaktar) ----> Manchester City (1 year loan with option)

just minor details but will probably be announced tomorrow morning....

 

[adobe_sun]

Nery Castillo (shaktar) ----> Manchester City (1 year loan with option)

just minor details but will probably be announced tomorrow morning....

woo-hoo! great news, now this is what i call a real player
Neri will bring some more technique, and Vassell, Samaras and Mpenza will sit on the bench now.
Btw, i did not get it, why did Shakhtar bought Neri from Olympiacos for loads of cash and then did not use him throughout CL... Weird thing!

 

[jimorrizon]

woo-hoo! great news, now this is what i call a real player
Neri will bring some more technique, and Vassell, Samaras and Mpenza will sit on the bench now.
Btw, i did not get it, why did Shakhtar bought Neri from Olympiacos for loads of cash and then did not use him throughout CL... Weird thing!

supposedly according to Mexican media. Shaktar's coach never wanted Nery the one who wanted him in the team was the Russian millionaire you could say he was a whim....

 

[rony31]

Abramovic syndrome... but that would be a great winter deal, getting a player we originally wanted for no transfer fee when we need some attacking options most

a great spirited comeback today, worked hard in the 2nd half to get the 3 points. Bianchi starts and scores, but also just very solid at handling the ball, holding it up and nodding it on to the midfielders, just a smart player unlike Sam & Mpenza... Vassell worked his ass off again today, gets the winning goal to show for his effort, a scrappy one at that. and who can forget Etuhu with his first after wonderful play from Garrido, who looked great after he came on (given everyone else was tired and he had limitless space to work with Bolton always attacking)

now onto the negatives. our defense in the first half (and times in the second) was scary. Dunne & Richards lacked communication for a lot of the time, and Bolton were always looking to take advantage. very rare, especially at home. but it got sorted out later on, which was comforting.

and Pompey lost at home to Spurs, so we've got 4th all to ourselves now, with Pool playing manure tomorrow. a draw would be nice

 

[adobe_sun]

Now this was a terrific game! What a comeback. Haman and Vassel had a key role this time. Defending was bad, Dunne is very tired if you ask me.. And Corluca's first mistake i have seen a long time now gave Bolton their second goal.
Btw, what is going on with Onuoha? i haven't heard of him a long time now is he injured? He really impressed me at the beginning of the season.

Neri Castillo will be a perfect signing! I could not understand how on earth would a coach set a player like that on the bench, just to play an old italian forward like Lucareli and a not-so-talented one like Brandao..

I should admit, Martin played today not as well as he did previous games. He assisted for Vassel's backheel flick, but i cannot recall a game he didn't play at least 70 mins in, he is struggling now, i hope he doesn't get injured. Last season in Atletico he got a bad injury, Maxi Rodriguez got one too, and Atleti played nearly the whole Primera without wingers.. I guess their midfield looked something like Luccin-Maniche-Costinha-...

 

[Schweinsteiger]

Super win City.

Vassell played his heart out as did the midfield. I was also surprisingly impressed with Mpenza when he came on late in the game.

Defence looked tired out there and against a better attacking team we would have been in real danger of conceding 4+ goals. The winter break should be good to refresh the back 4.

And agree, Castillo would be a great signing, as would Anelka.

Also, did Nolan piss you guy's off last night too? He's a little brat that boy

 

[rony31]

aye, his stamp on Petrov warranted a possible red, glad to see Didi came right back and clocked him a minute later