Apologies for the delay in posts. Incredibly busy life at the moment, and i'm not going to be able to post for another week or so as i'll be in Turkey as of tomorrow morning.
Enjoy the Wigan and Napoli games!
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Confirmed Transfer: Owen Hargreaves
In one of the most intriguing developments of the final day of the window we signed Owen Hargreaves on a free transfer. Quite astounding, really. It's fair to say that no one saw this coming. After years stranded in the wilderness, struck down with several injuries and chronic bad luck, he was released by Manchester United only a matter of weeks ago. He even allegedly offered to play for free to prove his value, but to no avail. Not quite content with that, he then took the bizarre and unprecedented step of publishing a series of videos on YouTube of himself carrying out various exercises in a bid to prove his fitness and determination. To be fair, it did provoke some modest interest - he was linked to West Bromich Albion frequently, and there was even rumours of late enquiries from Aston Villa and Spurs.
You could say everything was going to script - he was going to sign a pay-as-you-play deal with a good, honest, hard-working club, and we'd all stand and cheer the fallen soldier from the sidelines as he heroically found his feet - and if he made it we'd all feel good about ourselves, and if he didn't - well no one would care.
And then we came along.
Reports surfaced from seemingly nowhere on Tuesday that he had been spotted at the Bridgewater Hospital in Manchester with an MCFC representative. Twitter went into a meltdown. Barely 24 hours later and the deal was confirmed. No one saw it coming. There were no rumours from any of the leading sports journalists - not even a hint. I certainly didn't expect anything, and I'm almost certain W.B.A, Aston Villa or even Manchester United didn't either. It was a complete surprise. But it happened.
So what does it mean? Where does he fit in? Do we need him? What is Roberto Mancini thinking? Has he lost it? Will he even play? If i'm being honest, I don't really know. I can only guess as I know as little as you.
On the surface, at least, it does seems questionable; we have a plethora of options in Hargreaves' position - Indeed, there's Nigel De Jong, Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry and James Milner. At a stretch we could even push Pablo Zabaleta there. We have some good young players too, notably Razak, who are capable of asserting themselves well - we're not exactly threadbare are we? However, there is an argument to suggest it's not quite as simple as that; Yaya Toure is arguably considered an attacking midfielder these days, Pablo Zabaleta is definitely a defender, whereas Razak is very green. This then leaves us with three midfielders for two designated slots, and given Roberto Mancini's penchant for experience, see Patrick Vieira, and a thirst for two players in each position, this does seem to add up. If fit (and that's as big an if as they come) Hargreaves is a very capable defensive midfielder. He's played at the very highest level throughout his career, be it with Bayern or Manchester United, and bearing this in mind a match-fit Hargreaves would surely help during the most intense fixture list build-ups. Even off the pitch his presence could be influential; he's experienced and determined - two characteristics that can only really have a positive impact on fellow teammates.
He's cheap too - reports suggest he's on a one year deal, with it being performance and appearance based. If it doesn't work out we can just release him. It's a cliche, but it does seem like a win-win scenario for us. We have very little to lose, and quite possibly we could be the catalyst for a minor miracle. The potential positives, however distant they seem, far outweigh the negatives. I'd love it to go well. It'd be quite wonderful for many reasons. He could be a great footballer for us, yeah, but there's more to it than that. It goes much deeper. It doesn't even need explaining why it'd be so much sweeter if he was to succeed in a blue shirt, given his unfortunate struggles in a red one. It just would. It's silly, I know, but that's football, and that's why we all love it.
So what does it mean? Where does he fit in? Do we need him? What is Roberto Mancini thinking? Has he lost it? Will he even play? If i'm being honest, I don't really know. I can only guess as I know as little as you.
On the surface, at least, it does seems questionable; we have a plethora of options in Hargreaves' position - Indeed, there's Nigel De Jong, Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry and James Milner. At a stretch we could even push Pablo Zabaleta there. We have some good young players too, notably Razak, who are capable of asserting themselves well - we're not exactly threadbare are we? However, there is an argument to suggest it's not quite as simple as that; Yaya Toure is arguably considered an attacking midfielder these days, Pablo Zabaleta is definitely a defender, whereas Razak is very green. This then leaves us with three midfielders for two designated slots, and given Roberto Mancini's penchant for experience, see Patrick Vieira, and a thirst for two players in each position, this does seem to add up. If fit (and that's as big an if as they come) Hargreaves is a very capable defensive midfielder. He's played at the very highest level throughout his career, be it with Bayern or Manchester United, and bearing this in mind a match-fit Hargreaves would surely help during the most intense fixture list build-ups. Even off the pitch his presence could be influential; he's experienced and determined - two characteristics that can only really have a positive impact on fellow teammates.
He's cheap too - reports suggest he's on a one year deal, with it being performance and appearance based. If it doesn't work out we can just release him. It's a cliche, but it does seem like a win-win scenario for us. We have very little to lose, and quite possibly we could be the catalyst for a minor miracle. The potential positives, however distant they seem, far outweigh the negatives. I'd love it to go well. It'd be quite wonderful for many reasons. He could be a great footballer for us, yeah, but there's more to it than that. It goes much deeper. It doesn't even need explaining why it'd be so much sweeter if he was to succeed in a blue shirt, given his unfortunate struggles in a red one. It just would. It's silly, I know, but that's football, and that's why we all love it.
It is basically the kind of transfer that Sky Sports News, and the '#deadlineday' crew, love. It almost, but not quite, vindicates the hysteria that surrounds the whole day; It won't change the footballing world, no, but there's a beautiful subtext underlying the whole event and it's much more exciting than any of this year's drawn out sagas. With this there's spontaneity and excitement. There's confusion, bitterness and rivalry. It shocked many, incited discussion and caused quite a stir. Had he signed for W.B.A no one would have really taken much of a notice. There would have been well wishers, yes, but it definitely wouldn't have garnered as many column inches. As it is, he signed for Manchester City, and that's what made it an incredible story. There really is no place more fitting for him to prove himself at than at the rivals of the club that have just deemed him dispensable. There really isn't. If i'm being honest, it excites me more than most transfers; It's beautifully weighted, almost mischievous, highly unpredictable and in some ways, poignant, and that's exactly why it's priceless. Sometimes football does this on the occasions - it conjures up these little scenarios that seem to encapsulate perfectly why we love football, and this transfer is one of them. It touches on the raw nerves of the tribalism and emotion that make football the game that it is, and this is exactly why this has elicited such a reaction from me. I can't wait.
Don't let me down, Owen.
Don't let me down, Owen.
Spurs 1 - 5 Manchester City
Well this was unexpected. An utterly emphatic victory. It was one of power, confidence and technical ability and it came with a completely authentic swagger incomparable to anything we've seen for a long time. Sat alongside the 4-2 result at Stamford Bridge last year, this was easily the best performance of the Sheikh's ownership and the most impressive display we've seen so far under Roberto Mancini. To win 5-1 against any team is impressive, but to do it at White Hart Lane is even more so. Our record against Spurs is to be quite frank, abysmal. We've habitually come unstuck against them over the years and this was very welcome. It was a performance brimming with potential and even though it occurred on a weekend where Manchester United destroyed Arsenal 8-2, the crushing nature of the victory was enough to ensure Manchester City's message resonated loudly throughout the premiership. To put it simply, City mean business and they want everyone to know.
Making his debut, Samir Nasri was exceptional in his simplicity. He provided three assists for Edin Dzeko, two more than his entire total last season for Arsenal, completed 97% of his passes and created eight chances for his teammates. He out-David-Silva'd, David Silva, you could say. We knew he'd settle in quickly, but no one could have predicted such fluidity so soon. Sat alongside Aguero, Dzeko and Silva, Nasri was every much a key figure in our attacking prowess - the interplay between the four was quite simply breathtaking at times. The movement and one-touch passing was bewitching and joyous to witness. They switched positions and made forward runs at will, dragging their markers all over the place leaving gaps for fellow blue shirts to expose, and that they did as we put Redknapp's men to the sword.
Edin Dzeko was the biggest beneficiary of Nasri's introduction, and it showed. He was imperious. He was everything we were promised when we signed him for an expectation-inducing £27m in January. It was a display of sheer power, finishing prowess and self-belief. He scored four goals, taking his tally to 7 in 4 games this season. Quite simply an astonishing turn around in fortunes for a man many hailed as a flop following an indifferent first six months in Manchester. His first and third goals were all about his opportunism as he turned in low crosses from Nasri and Yaya Toure. His other two were on a different level. His second was a beautifully cushioned header from another Nasri cross - running backwards from the goal he somehow managed to strain every sinew in his neck to flick a cushioned header back towards the far post and direct it past the stranded Brad Friedel. It was a finish of incredible difficulty, but his best was yet to come. His fourth came in injury time and it was almost Robinho-esque in its impudence. Winning the ball on the right, he skipped past a flailing challenge before playing a one-two Gareth Barry on the edge of the area. Without taking a touch he ran on the return pass and let fly with a sumptuous left footed shot that curled gloriously into the top left hand corner of Friedel's goal. It was magical stuff, and it capped a monstrous showing from the Bosnian. On this form he looks irreplaceable.
In the midst of the Samir and Edin show, there was time for Sergio Aguero to grab his third goal in as many games. It won't be remembered as strongly as his first two for the club, mainly as this game was all about Dzeko, and rightfully so, but it was another wonderful finish from the little man. It was his goal that effectively ending Spurs' chances in the game - chasing a pass down the left channel from Nasri, he collected the ball and turned towards goal. He instinctively knocked it past Michael Dawson and lifted a left-footed finish over Friedel into the roof of the net to make it 3-0. He'd been relatively quiet up until that point, though technically excellent throughout, and it was startling how simple he made it look. It was a goal out of nothing. One almost impossible to defend and yet another vindication of our title-challenging credentials.
For the third game running Mario Balotelli was left on the bench, and Carlos Tevez, too, was left to ponder his thoughts as they watched the game unfold. They must be wondering what they'll have to do to reclaim a regular first team spot if this was anything to go by. Tactically it just felt right and it looked and felt so natural. Despite threatening sporadically on the counter, similar to the Bolton game in many ways, Tottenham could never get to grips with us and as soon as we went ahead the result was never in doubt. I can't recall the last time i've seen a City team with such composure. We kept the ball for fun and we played with a confidence almost alien in concept to the Manchester City of previous years. This is a team who are clearly revelling in the freedom they've been allowed this year, and if anyone wasn't taking us seriously then they definitely are now.
Making his debut, Samir Nasri was exceptional in his simplicity. He provided three assists for Edin Dzeko, two more than his entire total last season for Arsenal, completed 97% of his passes and created eight chances for his teammates. He out-David-Silva'd, David Silva, you could say. We knew he'd settle in quickly, but no one could have predicted such fluidity so soon. Sat alongside Aguero, Dzeko and Silva, Nasri was every much a key figure in our attacking prowess - the interplay between the four was quite simply breathtaking at times. The movement and one-touch passing was bewitching and joyous to witness. They switched positions and made forward runs at will, dragging their markers all over the place leaving gaps for fellow blue shirts to expose, and that they did as we put Redknapp's men to the sword.
Edin Dzeko was the biggest beneficiary of Nasri's introduction, and it showed. He was imperious. He was everything we were promised when we signed him for an expectation-inducing £27m in January. It was a display of sheer power, finishing prowess and self-belief. He scored four goals, taking his tally to 7 in 4 games this season. Quite simply an astonishing turn around in fortunes for a man many hailed as a flop following an indifferent first six months in Manchester. His first and third goals were all about his opportunism as he turned in low crosses from Nasri and Yaya Toure. His other two were on a different level. His second was a beautifully cushioned header from another Nasri cross - running backwards from the goal he somehow managed to strain every sinew in his neck to flick a cushioned header back towards the far post and direct it past the stranded Brad Friedel. It was a finish of incredible difficulty, but his best was yet to come. His fourth came in injury time and it was almost Robinho-esque in its impudence. Winning the ball on the right, he skipped past a flailing challenge before playing a one-two Gareth Barry on the edge of the area. Without taking a touch he ran on the return pass and let fly with a sumptuous left footed shot that curled gloriously into the top left hand corner of Friedel's goal. It was magical stuff, and it capped a monstrous showing from the Bosnian. On this form he looks irreplaceable.
In the midst of the Samir and Edin show, there was time for Sergio Aguero to grab his third goal in as many games. It won't be remembered as strongly as his first two for the club, mainly as this game was all about Dzeko, and rightfully so, but it was another wonderful finish from the little man. It was his goal that effectively ending Spurs' chances in the game - chasing a pass down the left channel from Nasri, he collected the ball and turned towards goal. He instinctively knocked it past Michael Dawson and lifted a left-footed finish over Friedel into the roof of the net to make it 3-0. He'd been relatively quiet up until that point, though technically excellent throughout, and it was startling how simple he made it look. It was a goal out of nothing. One almost impossible to defend and yet another vindication of our title-challenging credentials.
For the third game running Mario Balotelli was left on the bench, and Carlos Tevez, too, was left to ponder his thoughts as they watched the game unfold. They must be wondering what they'll have to do to reclaim a regular first team spot if this was anything to go by. Tactically it just felt right and it looked and felt so natural. Despite threatening sporadically on the counter, similar to the Bolton game in many ways, Tottenham could never get to grips with us and as soon as we went ahead the result was never in doubt. I can't recall the last time i've seen a City team with such composure. We kept the ball for fun and we played with a confidence almost alien in concept to the Manchester City of previous years. This is a team who are clearly revelling in the freedom they've been allowed this year, and if anyone wasn't taking us seriously then they definitely are now.
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Carling Cup Draw - Birmingham City
An epic battle awaits. We've drawn Carling Cup giants, Birmingham City, at home. It's the FA Cup holders verses the Carling Cup holders. The excitement is unbearable.
The game will be played on the 21st of September at the Etihad Stadium. You can read the rest of the draw here. Notably, Manchester United will travel to Elland Road to reignite their rivalry with Leeds. That should be fun.
The game will be played on the 21st of September at the Etihad Stadium. You can read the rest of the draw here. Notably, Manchester United will travel to Elland Road to reignite their rivalry with Leeds. That should be fun.
Micah signs a new contract
Good news.
Micah's improved considerably over the past year and he's powerfully forced his way into the team. He's started off well this season too, claiming a wonderful assist for Sergio Aguero's first goal in a blue shirt. He offers us width, pace, and bags of potential - he's still only young having only recently turned 23. Quite a turn around considering it looked possible that he'd follow fellow academy products Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha out of the door at one point. He's rightfully ahead of Pablo Zabaleta in the pecking order, and I love Pablo so it's not easy to admit that, and I hope he continues to develop as he all the tools to go on to be the best right-back in the league. He should surely be England's first choice too, though he may have to wait a while to wrestle his position back from Glen Johnson. For now though, let's just hope his City form continues."Manchester City is delighted to announce that Micah Richards has signed a new four-year contract with the Club" - mcfc.co.uk
Spurs preview
Ahh Spurs. Lovely, lovely Spurs with the lovely, lovely Harry Redknapp. Aren't they just lovely? I love them. I really do. There is nothing I enjoy more than a trip to White Hart Line... Honest.
There are some games that will never be welcome and Spurs away is one of them. It never will be. Not even given the fact that we've just signed a whole host of Galácticos, or in light of news that Carlos Tevez is apparently planning to stay, or even if we're now supposedly blessed with a squad as powerful as Barcelona's, according to Harry. Along with Everton, they're the physical formation of a recurring nightmare - our most annoying detractors. They're unshakeable, and even though last May we did take a significant chisel to the curse they have over us, it's difficult to approach any game against them blessed with optimism. We've lost to Spurs 11 times out of our last 14 meetings - to put it quite simply, our record against Spurs is awful.
Despite the pessimism, there are reasons to be positive. As I mentioned, we did beat them last May, unexpectedly too, and i'm not sure if you knew but we've also just signed a whole host of Galácticos; We are a stronger team than last year, and that has to count for something right? Spurs are also undergoing a mini crisis of sorts, with a battle of wits between Harry Redknapp and Daniel Levy threatening to undermine their (riot-delayed) start to the season. Harry wants to sell Modric to Chelsea, Levy doesn't. Typically, Harry has been at his conniving best as he's attempted to manipulate the situation in his favour, spewing quote after quote to various media outlets, usually Sky Sports News, stressing the need for reinforcements. This will only be possible if they sell Modric, against his best wishes of course. Harry hates having to buy three or four players. It goes against his natural instincts to wheel and deal, obviously.
Off the pitch politics aside, there are rumours that Modric could return for Harry's men. If he's declared mentally fit - he stayed in London on Monday following the rejected Chelsea bid as Spurs were turned over 3-0 at Old Trafford. This would be a huge positive for them given the threadbare nature of their midfield at the moment; Sandro is unfit, as is Tom Huddlestone, and they've taken to pairing Nico Kranjcar and youth product Jake Livermore together. A rather unorthodox twosome, and one surely not strong enough to match Yaya Toure and co. Either way, this is Spurs, and they never fail to start well against us. They'll come flying out of the blocks, and we'll need big games from everyone and, most importantly, our fullbacks if we're to come away with a result. Micah Richards and Gael Clichy are musts - they have the pace to match Lennon and Bale, and I wouldn't be overly confident if Zabaleta or Kolarov lined up tomorrow.
For City Samir Nasri is expected to make his debut as Nigel De Jong is still a doubt - he didn't train yesterday. I'd expect Samir to slot into Yaya Toure's normal role, with Yaya dropping deeper to accomodate Nigel's absence. I also wouldn't be too surprised to see Carlos Tevez earn his first start of the season, possibly at the expense of Sergio Aguero. There's an argument for going with what we know for this game as Spurs are clearly a much tougher proposition than Swansea or Bolton and Carlos' Premiership experience could prove useful. Regardless of the selection I expect Mancini to get it right, and I presume we'll look to contain Spurs early on before imposing ourselves on the game. It should be a fascinating 90 minutes, and if we really want to make a statement and prove that we're credible title challenges then, well, tomorrow is our chance. A confident victory will really put the cat amongst the pigeons and prove that anything Manchester United can do, we can do as well, if not better. If we're to do that we'll have to break the habit of a lifetime and win the games we don't normally do. Let's start tomorrow.
Prediction? I daren't. I'll leave that up to you...
There are some games that will never be welcome and Spurs away is one of them. It never will be. Not even given the fact that we've just signed a whole host of Galácticos, or in light of news that Carlos Tevez is apparently planning to stay, or even if we're now supposedly blessed with a squad as powerful as Barcelona's, according to Harry. Along with Everton, they're the physical formation of a recurring nightmare - our most annoying detractors. They're unshakeable, and even though last May we did take a significant chisel to the curse they have over us, it's difficult to approach any game against them blessed with optimism. We've lost to Spurs 11 times out of our last 14 meetings - to put it quite simply, our record against Spurs is awful.
Despite the pessimism, there are reasons to be positive. As I mentioned, we did beat them last May, unexpectedly too, and i'm not sure if you knew but we've also just signed a whole host of Galácticos; We are a stronger team than last year, and that has to count for something right? Spurs are also undergoing a mini crisis of sorts, with a battle of wits between Harry Redknapp and Daniel Levy threatening to undermine their (riot-delayed) start to the season. Harry wants to sell Modric to Chelsea, Levy doesn't. Typically, Harry has been at his conniving best as he's attempted to manipulate the situation in his favour, spewing quote after quote to various media outlets, usually Sky Sports News, stressing the need for reinforcements. This will only be possible if they sell Modric, against his best wishes of course. Harry hates having to buy three or four players. It goes against his natural instincts to wheel and deal, obviously.
Off the pitch politics aside, there are rumours that Modric could return for Harry's men. If he's declared mentally fit - he stayed in London on Monday following the rejected Chelsea bid as Spurs were turned over 3-0 at Old Trafford. This would be a huge positive for them given the threadbare nature of their midfield at the moment; Sandro is unfit, as is Tom Huddlestone, and they've taken to pairing Nico Kranjcar and youth product Jake Livermore together. A rather unorthodox twosome, and one surely not strong enough to match Yaya Toure and co. Either way, this is Spurs, and they never fail to start well against us. They'll come flying out of the blocks, and we'll need big games from everyone and, most importantly, our fullbacks if we're to come away with a result. Micah Richards and Gael Clichy are musts - they have the pace to match Lennon and Bale, and I wouldn't be overly confident if Zabaleta or Kolarov lined up tomorrow.
For City Samir Nasri is expected to make his debut as Nigel De Jong is still a doubt - he didn't train yesterday. I'd expect Samir to slot into Yaya Toure's normal role, with Yaya dropping deeper to accomodate Nigel's absence. I also wouldn't be too surprised to see Carlos Tevez earn his first start of the season, possibly at the expense of Sergio Aguero. There's an argument for going with what we know for this game as Spurs are clearly a much tougher proposition than Swansea or Bolton and Carlos' Premiership experience could prove useful. Regardless of the selection I expect Mancini to get it right, and I presume we'll look to contain Spurs early on before imposing ourselves on the game. It should be a fascinating 90 minutes, and if we really want to make a statement and prove that we're credible title challenges then, well, tomorrow is our chance. A confident victory will really put the cat amongst the pigeons and prove that anything Manchester United can do, we can do as well, if not better. If we're to do that we'll have to break the habit of a lifetime and win the games we don't normally do. Let's start tomorrow.
Prediction? I daren't. I'll leave that up to you...
Friday, 26 August 2011
Confirmed Transfer: Dedryck Boyata joins Bolton on loan
Now that we have the additions to our squad tied up it seems that all our efforts are being put into removing those not needed, and the pace has firmly picked up. Following Adebayor's departure, and the rumours that Roque Santa Cruz is set to have a medical tomorrow with Real Betis (what could possibly go wrong?), Dedyrck Boyata is the latest to move on. He's joined Bolton on a season long loan deal. Unlike Adebayor and Santa Cruz, Boyata still has a future at the club but he needs to further his education and the arrival of Savic, combined with the return of Kolo Toure, has left him quite far down the pecking order. It's a good move for both parties. Boyata should get some games, City get to assess his development from nearby, and Bolton get a good young defender to soften the blow of possibly losing Gary Cahill to Arsenal.
Owen Coyle has an eye for taking a young talented player on loan, with Daniel Sturridge and Jack Wilshere being noticeable examples. Both players excelled once given first team football at The Reebok Stadium; Wilshere went on to break into the Arsenal team and many expect Sturridge to force his way into the reckoning this year at Chelsea. It'll be a little more difficult for Boyata to push for an immediate starting place next season with City, regardless of how well he performs for Owen Coyle, but it'll certainly be a fantastic opportunity for him to improve and show he deserves to be considered alongside Vincent Kompany next year. I personally feel he's a great young prospect and he has the talent and potential to make it at the club. It'd be a shame if he doesn't, because after all it'd be a waste of such a fantastic chant....
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