D-Day for City as United prepare for the onslaught

Well it's finally here, the moment that all City fans have been looking forward to since the Carling Cup semi-final defeat at the start of the year.

Only a few season's ago every City fan would have been looking forward to this game as the highlight of the season and a resounding victory against the munchers of Prawnville would have been treated as if winning a cup.

But that was then. This City is  a different animal. No longer a selling club or whipping boy for the top tier sides, but an equal in every sense of the word.

 This Blues side is a City full of belief , ability and with a defence that has got its act together and a manager who can formulate a game plan and actually see it through to the end.

And United fans, players and a certain red-nosed Scot can sense what may be coming. For whether its today, tomorrow or next season, every United fan and player knows that City are on the United trail like a pack of wolves on the scent of a wounded animal and sooner or later the game will be up.

The fear is now firmly with United whether they'll admit it or not and they are now the ones sweating in a pool of their own -well excrement for want of a better word.

The first league derby away from home was a barn stormer with both teams looking to send out a signal of intent to the rest of the league and more importantly one another.

Trafford may have won the game 4-3 but it was City who came away with the plaudits as they played some scintillating counter-attacking football with Craig Bellamy ripping the Reds' defence ragged.


The manner in which the rags scored their winner didn't help as an injury time goal by Michael Owen gave United the points after Craig Bellamy had equalised on 90 minutes.

The goal was scored in the 110 minute of stoppage time and although the victory was theirs the damage had already been done. Psychologically the Blue half of Manchester had proved to themselves that they could compete on level pegging with one of the best teams in Europe in their own back yard and they had nothing to fear.

City proved this in the second and third derbies of the season when the two rivals faced faced off in the two-legged League Cup semi-final.

City comfortably won the first leg at Eastlands 2-1 but United's experience in huge European ties and talisman Wayne Rooney dug them out of a huge whole with a 3-1 victory at Old Trafford to take them to Wembley.

Yet City will have again taken the positives from those games and the prospect of ruining United's record breaking title run coupled with a Champions League place will fire them up making them too hot for Fergie's fledglings.

Without a referee and command of the Old Trafford stop watch Ferguson will have to rely on the league's best defence to stay focused and Rooney to be fit.

One things for sure, Mancini will be telling his team to go for the jugular and in Tevez, Bellemy and Adebayor City have the teeth to really maul United.

Brum's The Word Joe!

Come this time tomorrow every Manchester Blue around the world will be thinking of one word Brum and Victory so thats two actually but anyway there's a point to be made here.

For Birmingham City arrive at Eastlands tomorrow with but one target in mind to throw a spanner in the City juggernaut works and spoil suave controller Mancini's party.

A win would go a long way to cementing Birmingham in the top ten and cap off a fantastic season for a team that has spent only a fraction of what their rivals have.

Yet listening to noises being made from both clubs this year their may be a more sinister agenda behind Birmingham's motivation for three points tomorrow.

For winning is one thing for the team that is already assured of Premiership football for another season, yet securing the services of arguably your best player in the process is quite another.

Joe Hart may not be playing for Birmingham tomorrow, but he could be the prize for the winner come the end of the afternoon.

Brum manager Alex McLeish has made no secret of the fact that he would move heaven and earth to be able to sign the best young goalkeeper in the Premier League on a permanent basis or even extend his loan period for another season.

Unfortunately, for them,  the noises out of both clubs seem to suggest that City are not prepared to let go of one of the best young talents in England and future England number one.

The deciding factor seems to hinge on the Blues qualifying for the Champions League and of course subsequent need for more quality in the squad to cope with the demands of three cup competitions and a league title challenge next year (I jest you not).

Tomorrows match is a must win in light of the Blues' run-in which includes United, Arsenal, Spurs and Villa. Both City and Brum know the importance of tomorrow's game for that reason and I would hazard a guess that the name Hart is the focal point of McLeish's team talk before tomorrow's crucial encounter.

So beware of the Brum tomorrow I say and only one hundred percent commitment from the lads will see us through to what is expected to be a relatively easy three points.

Take them lightly and it could mean more than missing out on Champions League football next season but also seeing the next England number one in Sky Blue too.

Wives Of All Premier League Fans

Today almost every Premiership football fan's wife could be forgiven for believing that this is the day that they have been dreaming of for an eternity.

A day without any meaningful Premiership football, for the top end anyway, and one of those rare occasions in the hectic Premier League calender when you can actually enjoy a Saturday for what it is meant for like a relaxing picnic with the family or a walk by the lake. Sounds lovely doesn't it?

Well think again ladies, as I'm afraid although hostilities between the top seven teams have ceased for a day, the burning passion and desire that embodies every Premier League fan will be burning as strong as ever.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United may not gaining any advantage in the table or on the pitch but both Arsenal and Man United will be hoping that Chelsea are ran ragged by Aston Villa and believe it or not receive a few minor or major injuries along the way.

For a pulled hamstring to Didier Drogba or a sprained ankle to Frank Lampard could be all it takes to give the advantage back to United or Arsenal and hand them the title that they both desire so much.

City, Spurs, Liverpool and Villa may not be gaining or losing any places in the race for that club changing fourth Champions League place, but they will all be thinking about each other intimately as Spurs and Villa play their respective semi-finals in the cup.

Both City and Liverpool managers, players and fans alike will be silently hoping that both their rivals come through their matches, scathed of course, to set up a final  between the two.

A final would mean one more match to think about in the run in and the pressures that go with it such as not wanting to pick up an injury and miss playing in the most famous domestic cup final in the world.

It would also stretch both squads even more than they already are especially Spurs who are spitting feathers as it is with their injuries to key players.

So whilst you are getting the picnic basket ready and looking forward to your leisurely walk by the lake whispering sweet nothings into your smiling love's ear,don't be surprised to find your words blocked by a pair of Sony headphones.

For that smile and glint in his eye that you naively thought was in reaction to the suggestion of a holiday in the Seychelles and the starting of a family was actually the snapping of John Terry tendon in his right knee as your fella listens to the football on Talk Sport.

So before you get upset at this inevitable happening or one like it, just be thankful that you got out of the house on a Saturday together in the first place and take comfort in the knowledge that he loves you more than anything else in the world ... well almost. 

Blue Murder As City Spill The Claret

Burnley 1 City 6

City went into this game under pressure to deliver against a side facing relegation and fighting for their lives.

Of course the endeavour of the home team would cause Mancini's men some problems initially behind a partisan crowd and Toure and the boys would need to stand firm in the face of an early tempest.

Every Blue was hoping that their side's class would then shine through taking them to another away win and into  fourth place in the Premiership after Spur's slip up at Sunderland.

That was the plan anyway but nothing ever goes to plan in football does it? Well no as this time City registered an away win record of the season by murdering the Clarets six one in, five in a first half blitz never seen before in Premier League history.

After three minutes Adebayor teed up a Johnson cross for himself to lash a volley past the helpless Jensen in the Burnley goal.

Things got better as Bellemy waltzed unchallenged into the area to pass the ball into the bottom right hand corner and then Carlos Tevez finished off another quick City counter attack.

Patrick Viera then scored a bullet header before Adebayor finished superbly after a great through ball sliced open the Burnley defence.

The score line unbelievably flattered the Lancashire side as City could have been seven or eight goals ahead come the break.

The second half was marred by atrocious rain and a waterlogged  pitch hampering City's passing game and encouraging Burnley to pressure for an abandonment to the game.

Vincent Kompany scored his second league goal in a carbon copy of Patrick Viera's in the first half before Burnley scored a nice consolation through Fletcher who finished with aplomb.

City overtake Spurs and take fourth position back and of course cut the deficit back by seven goals today.
We also received no suspensions going into the last five game of the season and can look forward to home games against inferior opposition before our trip to the Emirates.

Is an Italian Job being done right here?

                                           Who'd of thought Carlo would have come to England?


The latest reports about Roberto Mancini insinuating that a return to Italy is definitely on the cards makes you think about a previously harmless pattern of events that perhaps look slightly more pre-meditated to the cynics among us.

In an interview with Italian paper 'La Nazione' the City manager said,

"I'm ready to go back, if and when there will be a possibility," 

"How near I am to a return to Italy I don't know. Football is strange. It was probably right for me to broaden my horizons, but I will return sooner or later.

"As for Juventus, Juve is always Juve. They are going through a difficult period right now, but we are talking about a club with history and prestige."



No more than a few years back there were no Italian coaches in the Premier League with the best of them plying their trade in a thriving Italian League and enjoying considerable success in the European Cups to boot.

If you'd have asked Caesar Maldini as a manager or son Paulo Maldini as a player to move to even the most successful of English clubs they would have probably laughed to themselves before politely declining the offer.

Suddenly there has been an influx of Italian imports into Europes most competitive league and not the regular run of the mill either. In Capello,as England coach, Ancelotti, Trappetoni and Mancini we have undoubtedly their best talent and in Zola one of their best young talents too.

So can it be more than a coincidence that all of these Italian maestros have found their way on these fine shores.After all, managers and players alike have been using these Isle and the Premier league for years and not just for its financial gain.

The Ronaldos, Anelkas and Robbens of this world came here to make a name for themselves with Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea alike before furthering their careers with the more fashionable Madrids and Barcelonas of this world.

Hundreds of players have chosen to sharpen their teeth and improve their physical fitness in what is in any peoples eyes footballs gladiatorial arena where only the strongest survive.  Players like Patrick Viera now at Man City is trying his hardest to regain his match fitness for the world cup whereas Pique Barcelona's classy centre-back toughened himself up at United.

Then there are of course there are those who come just before a world cup to perhaps look at the opposition and get the low down on all their key players from up close and personal.

There is also the small matter of a rapidly waning Italian league in its worst state for many years and in the worst world recession for decades. With the economic crisis showing no signs of getting better any time soon , the already cash strapped Seria A look more likely to be going the way of Argentina's top league than their Northern European cousins.

The quality of the Italian elite must be in its worst state for some considerable time. With the exception of Inter Milan and their mercurial Special One, no Italian club would finish in the top four of the Premier League and there are some that would suggest the likes of AC Milan, Juventus and Roma would struggle to compete with the likes of Fulham and Everton these days(Just ask Bobby Zamora!).

So a plan to drag the sleeping giant into the twenty first century is obviously whats needed although the cynics among us might be thinking it has already been hatched.

The Italian wouldn't have sent Capello, Trapettoni, Ancelotti, Mancini and Zola over on a fact finding mission surely-would they? Could their love for one of the traditional epicentres of football be that strong?

I'm sure the Italian's wouldn't stoop to such dirty tricks in an attempt to be one step ahead at the World Cup this summer and in the long term more importantly one leg back on the wagon in an attempt to put Seria A back on the map.

Of course, it was Zinedine Zidane who resorted to school ground name calling to win the 2006 World Cup against an imperious Italian side who were dominating them until that moment- wasn't it?

After all,  its not the winning that counts most of all. Its the respectful way in which it is done that matters isn't it lads?

'Beware of Greeks bearing gifts' goes the saying in reference to the Trojan horse and its murderous band inside. Anyone who has been abroad to Italy might be aware of the phrase 'Beware Italians eyeing up your missus!'.

Perhaps we could change the two to 'Beware of Italians eyeing up your players and football league' as it would certainly seem far more fitting in today's environment.

More Questions Than Answers City

The biggest question on every Blue's lips up until tonight's game was if City were capable of making that 4th spot their own? Could they then hold onto it and ultimately take that all important final Champions League spot.

The question on everyone's lips now is do we have the bottle for it and will we even finish in the top six after that spineless defensive second half performance?

The talk amongst the support will be of refereeing decisions that went against City and of dirty play and the stalling tactics from the Blue side of Liverpool.

Yet the true culprits lie on our side of the Blue line and their errors in judgement could ultimately cost us a European place.

The manager himself chose tonight's game to play his most attacking front five Tevez, Bellamy, Johnson, backed up by Ireland and Barry and for a while the selection looked certain to reap its rewards as for much of the first half like at Craven Cottage City bossed the game.

The difference this time was that we didn't convert any of our chances and were undone after a dodgy decision by a referee whose name I will never ever speak again in my mother tongue as it would do it a gross injustice.

Of course the players should have had the quality to come back and score at a ground they have failed to score only once all season.

Tevez a one man army grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and tried to drag City kicking and screaming back into it with moments of brilliance that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

Yet when it came down to it, just as at Tottenham the Sky Blues just weren't up to the task and in the end bottled it completely.

Toure and Kompany for all their attacking and ball-playing strengths just don't have the concentration needed to be world class centreback partnership as both switch off at key times and are susceptible to high balls.

Thats not to say that they were to blame for this defeat as Everton did their best impression of Stoke City and pressured, fouled and bludgeoned their way to this victory with their ten men behind the ball approach so credit where its due.

Moyes has obviously done his homework and knows that City cannot breakdown teams that adopt this old school style as they are missing a playmaker to unlock those tight banks of fours.

Any hope of City doing so had been fouled out of the game and after Stevie Ireland's exit there was more bad news to come. A woefully short of confidence Shaun Wright Phillips entered the fray and the quick incisive passing and triangles went in the opposite direction along with  City's hopes of equalizing.

Wright Phillips just doesn't have the passing ability to play in this front line and the fact he has now lost the confidence to run past a man has rendered him pretty useless as an attacking option.

Gareth Barry is another who is being found out to be one-dimensional, barging around giving or winning free kicks with his one paced, one-footed game designed to make up for his obvious lack of pace.

In fact any quicker, more physical opponent he comes up against manages to dominate him and draws more fouls than Jordan changes fellas.

The Manager of course has to take a large share of the blame for his changes and defensive tactics of playing with four defensive midfielders at one point when looking to get back into the game.

The fact that he went all out to sign Italian playmaker Cassano in January just illustrates what he thinks of his current options in that position.

So we began asking whether City could break into the top four and then hold onto their place. We end just asking if we really have improved since the demoralising loss to Spurs that signalled the end of Mark Hughes' tenure.

Have we progressed since then? Are we going to get that fourth spot? Is Mancini the man for the job? Are Barry, Wright-Phillips and a few others really upto the job?

One things for sure and thats the fact that every City fan will be feeling nauseous after tonight's performance. Some of you might even have to throw out a few broken things this time tomorrow- I know I will.

Robinho Beats Berbatov In Battle Of The Flops

According to a reporter in the Daily Star, Robinho may not be burning all of his bridges after all.

After weeks of interviews and speculation that he is unhappy at City and is looking for a way out The Star reports that he will rent Robbie Savage's Bling pad.

The £32.5million British record signing has beaten United flop Berbatov after he was blown away by the gadgets, boys toys and all-round bling factor of the annoying Welsh midfielder’s £2.35million home in Prestbury, Cheshire.

The paper quotes that Robbie will rent the pad for £10,000 a month until he decides on a permanent move.

A nothing story apart from the fact that most Blues and the footballing world are under the impression that they have seen him for the last time in a sky blue shirt of City.

Is this a sign of things to come or just more pap from the pappiest of newspapers? Would you like to see the mercurial yet self-centred Samba star return?

Ya Freddy Welcome To Manchester

This is just a quick mention to all City fans and other passionate fans from other teams to check out Ya Freddy's interview on the Official Club site.

In what at first sounds a little bit far fetched, Ya Freddy an African City fan and musician has written a new anthem to underline City's place as Manchester's only club called 'This Is Our City'.

His enthusiasm and vibrant personality really win you over and the song although no Wonderwall (my kind of music) is a fresh, fun contemporary take on what being a City fan is all about at the moment.

Check it out!

http://www.mcfc.co.uk/

Blues Academy Part I

History

Manchester City's Academy is responsible for our youth development at the club. Its staff is responsible for the education and footballing development of young players for the future.

The club's first youth team was set up by Albert Alexander in the 1920s when they were known as the A Team (no not that one).

It wasn't until 1951 however that the 'A' team would compete against reserve and youth teams of other clubs from North West in what was called the Lancashire League.

The next development in the system came in 1955 when a second youth team, the 'B' team, made up of younger players than the 'A' team competed in Division Two of the Lancashire League.

The academy system as we know it today came about in 1997 and it is at this time that legendary boss Jim Cassell came to us from Oldham Athletic.

Through his experience and drive the club's academy underwent a complete makeover and received official academy accreditation by the FA in 1998.

From that point we were able to complete in the elite FA Premier Youth League and the 'A' and 'B' teams were replaced by the Under 19's and Under 17's.

Today the academy is thriving with teams competing, from the age of nine up until the age of eighteen, to an elite level both in their domestic leagues and in international tournaments.

Over the past decade alone the Blues academy has produced a steady stream of professional footballers from pocket dynamos like  Shaun Wright Phillips and Vladimir Weiss to boy mountains such as Micah Richards and Michael Johnson.

Since winning the 2008 FA Youth Cup the City academy has rightly received the public adoration it deserves culminating in another final appearance last term.

But the Blues have been producing young gems for almost a century now and whilst some burst onto the scene early, not all have been a hit.

Some have shown great signs of early promise like Lee Croft but in the end failed to make the grade in top flight football. Others have broken through but not looked the part at all and gone elsewhere to further their careers like Leon Mike and Chris Shuker.

The Blues have been producing top level talent for more than a decade however with many stars graduating under the old system albeit to varying levels of success.

Some were told they were not good enough, only to go on to other clubs before becoming top professionals like Neil Lennon, Paul Warhurst and Colin Hendry.

Even now in the Premiership City have over ten academy graduates plying their trade for City or other teams showing its pedigree and why top youngsters choose us over more traditionally more fashionable clubs academies.

Current City Graduates plying their trade

God's own team
Micah Richards
Nedum Onouha
Michael Johnson
Steven Ireland
Shaun Wright Phillips 

David Ball
Derek Boyata
Greg Cunningham
Ibrahim Abdisalem
Javan Vidal

Premiership
Joe Hart- Birmingham (loan)
Vald Weiss Bolton (loan)
Dickson Etuhu- Fulham
Wayne Hennessey- Wolves
Tyrone Mears - Burnley
Steven Jordan - Burnley
Daniel Sturridge - Chelsea
Glen Whelan - Stoke City

Championship
Kelvin Etuhu - Cardiff (loan)
Ched Evans - Sheffield United
Steven Elliott - Preston North End
Bradley Wright Phillips - Plymouth Argyle
Ishmael Miller -   West Bromwich Albion
Lee Croft - Derby County 
Joseph Barton - Newcastle United 


Division One
Shaleum Logan -Tranmere Rovers (loan)
Chris Shuker - Tranmere Rovers

Division Two 
Kasper Schmeical - Notts Cotts
Terry Dunfield - Shrewsbury Town

Scottish Premier 
Chris Killen - Celtic
Willow Flood - Celtic





Honours

FA Youth Cup: Wins 2

1985/86: Manchester City 3 - 1 Manchester United (1-1 and 2-0, 3-1 aggregate)

1 GK Steve Crompton,

2 DF Steve Mills, 3  DF Andy Hinchcliffe, 4 DF Ian Brightwell, 5 DF Steve Redmond (c)

6 MF Andy Thackeray, 7 MF David White, 8 MF Paul Moulden, 11 MF David Boyd

9 FW Paul Lake, 10 FW Ian Scott

Sub DF Steve Macauley

Manager Tony Book

2007–08: Manchester City v. Chelsea (1–1, 3–1)

First leg

3 April 2008

Chelsea 1 – 1 Manchester City

Attendance: 11,890

Referee: Peter Walton

Kakuta 66' Sturridge 49'

Second leg

16 April 2008

Manchester City 3 – 1 Chelsea

City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester

Attendance: 19,783

Referee: Peter Walton

Mee 23'

Weiss 34'

Ball 86' (pen) McGivern 6' (og)

Jacob Mellis

1 GK Greg Hartley

2 DF Dedryck Boyata 82', 3 DF Ben Mee (c), 4 DF Kieran Trippier 90+5',  5 DF Ryan McGivern

6 MF Andrew Tutte,  7 MF Vladimír Weiss, 8 MF Scott Kay, 11 MF Donal McDermott

9 FW David Ball,  10 FW Robbie Mak

Subs

GK Filip Mentel ,  MF Abdi Ibrahim 90+5', MF Angelos Tsiaklis 82', FW Alex Nimely-Tchuimeni, FW James Poole

(Daniel Sturridge played first leg)

Runners-up 4 times

1978/79: Millwall v. Manchester City (0-0 and 2-0)

1 GK Alex Williams    

2 DF Gary Fitzgerald, 3 DF  Dick Cunningham, 4 DF  Nicky Reid, 5 DF Tommy Caton   

6 MF Ross McGinn, MF McClure, 7 MF Leigh, 9 MF Clive Wilson       

10ST  Steve Kinsey, 11ST Kevin Glendon

1979/80: Aston Villa v. Manchester City (3-1, 0-1)1980

GK Alex Williams,

DF Andy May, DF Dick Cunningham , DF Gary Bennett , DF Tommy Caton

MF Ross McGinn, MF Keith Parkinson , MF Steve MacKenzie, MF Gary Bees,

ST Steve Kinsey, ST Clive Wilson

 1988/89: Watford v. Man City (0-1, 2-0 aet)

1 GK Martyn Margetson

2 DF Neil Lennon, 3 DF John Willis , 4 DF Mark Peters , 5 DF Gerry Taggart

6 MF Mike Quigley, 7 MF Ian Thompstone, 10 MF Michael Hughes, 11 MF Michael Wallace

8 FW Ashley Ward , 9 FW Jason Hasford

Subs FW Mike Sheron,  MF Colin Small

 2005–06: Liverpool v. Manchester City (3–0, 0–2)

1 GK Laurence Matthewson

2 DF Curtis Obeng, 3 DF Shaleum Logan , 4 DF Sam Williamson , 5 DF Garry Breen

6 MF Ashley Williams, 7 MF Paul Marshall , 8 MF Michael Johnson, 10 MF Michael Hughes,9 MF Karl Moore, 11 MF Michael Wallace,

10 FW Kelvin Etuhu , 11 FW Daniel Sturridge

Subs GK David Vadon, DF Micah Richards, DF Michael Daly, MF Christian Mouritsen, FW Ched Evans,  MF Clayton, S. Evans

Hall Of Fame

So who are the greatest academy players ever to be produced by the club. We at Vital and the5-1 Blog take a look at the Top 10 ever to play for the first team (sorry Ryan) and has taken into account the following criteria for the ratings.

Games played for the first team 
Key games for City
Achievements
Loyalty 
Potential
Focus

TO BE CONT... 

MCFC To Become Citizens Of America

According to latest reports City are attempting to succeed where the likes United and Chelsea have failed in conquering America.

Both Chelsea and United have tried to conquer the hearts of the American soccer public with  off-season tours against the likes of the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy.

Old Taggart has surrendered United's US campaign for fear of losing ground in the Far East an easier and traditionally more profitable market for the Reds.

City however it seems have found a use for CEO Garry Cook's 'skillset' and plan to conquer the US Soccer market one step at a time.

Instead of touring in far off places like Los Angeles where the population is predominately Hispanic and therefore favours South American or Mediterranean club sides through descent, Cook has no doubt sought to concentrate on the areas where Americans of Northern European decent are based.

Plans are under way to invest in a Major League Soccer franchise with Vancouver, Philadelphia and Portland, where Cook has major contacts, being touted as possible targets.



The acquisition would be the perfect platform to launch a US City Academy and allow Jim Cassell and his team to develop and send over the Friedels, Dempseys and Donovans of this world earlier to hone their skills to become better players.

It would also make the difficult task touring in places like New York and New England easier and Cook has held preliminary talks with MLS commissioner Don Garber this week in Manchester.

Garber apparently wants to improve the quality and profile of the MLS by getting European clubs involved and has already held talks with Barcelona and Real Madrid about investing in one of their franchises.

According to City sources, Cook has strong links with Portland, where he worked with Nike, and is said to be keen on a summer tour there as well as in Philadelphia and New York.

Garber on the talks said,

"Part of the relaunch of that team is for them to think strategically about their business and where international expansion fits into that, and where the US might fit into that.

"We've had very preliminary discussions about that."

Would it be a good idea for City to buy a MLS franchise? Are there better and easier markets out there like Asia or Australia who produce better quality players?

With all of the economic problems in the Argentinian League at the moment what about a team out there? In the shot term finding the new Messi, Tevez or Maradona would certainly seem more likely than in the MLS.

To improve the clubs brand on a global level it does seem like a sound and smarter strategy than the ones previously applied by Baconface and Co.

Wright- For Riches Or The Love Of The Game?

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has laid into City's hierarchy, claiming that they are not showing his adopted son Shaun Wright Phillips the respect he deserves.

But while fatherly concern in seeing his son sign a new contract seems sincere motive for this outburst there may be other reasons lying beneath the surface.

Firstly, its not as if Wright Phillips has no future in the game as his current contract finishes in August 2012 after he signed a four year deal on his return to the club in 2008.

Nor is Wright Phillips likely to want for anything after his career comes to an end. He has had a superb career to date with high profile moves to both glamour clubs Chelsea and City swelling the coffers in his bank account and making him a multimillionaire.

Of course, one can never have enough millions and  due to Wright-Phillips signing before the Arab takeover, his contract will undoubtedly seem meagre (to him) in comparison to those who signed thereafter like Tevez, Adebayor and Kolo Toure.

His brother and father haven't exactly done badly either meaning the family itself has amassed millions from the glorious game.

Wright doesn't go into specifics of the contract on offer and rightly so, but does talk about Marwood and Cook insinuating that the way they are dealing with a player who is Blue through and through is both arrogant and condescending.

Now taking the money and contract negotiations out of the equation, one thing that does stick out is Wright's final comments about Shaun making the world cup squad.

After failing to make any of the national teams squads for a world cup finals could it be that Wrighty is more anxious himself about his son missing the world cup finals and the pain that goes hand in hand in it.

No doubt Wright is living his dreams through his son still and his sharp and insightful punditry would certainly be more in demand over in South Africa if his son was in the team.

Is Wright Phillips' so beat up about this contract issue that it is affecting his performances and jeopardising his place on the plane to South Africa?

After all, the race for that England right spot is as hotly contested and stressful as the race for that Champions League final space and the same teams are involved in Tottenham, Villa and City.

Or is this just an unsubtle PR guilt trip by his outspoken adopted father in an effort to force the new and improved contract through more quickly by making it public knowledge?

Here's what Wrighty said: "I tell you what was really awkward, they called him in and he wants to sign his deal, wants to sign for the rest of his career so he can be settled and get ready to go (to the World Cup in South Africa).
Worry

"But there's these people like (football administration officer) Brian Marwood and (chief executive) Garry Cook mugging him off, treating him like a youth-team player and not someone who actually wants to be there because of what he thinks Manchester City can do."

Wright added: "When you have people like Marwood and Cook, who for me are just a bit full of themselves(pot kettle), I'm not sure they know exactly what they are doing deep down so I'm just a bit worried about that.

"I would love him to be settled so he could just concentrate on getting City into the top four, which would be brilliant for all of them.

"That's what he wants to do and then God willing he can end up getting on the plane and going to the World Cup, doing well for England and everything would be great.

"That's what I would like to happen. But you know how football is, it's different from one week to the next."

Spurs And Villa Out Of Champions League Race

Spurs and Villa are out of the Champions League race for fourth spot in the Premier League which is great news for their main rivals Liverpool and Man City.

That is according to Liverpool legend John Aldridge, who believes that both Liverpool's easier run in and City's ability to play attractive football and scores lots of goals will be the deciding factor.

"I personally think it's between Liverpool and Manchester City," said Aldridge, "It is obviously very tight, and I think it could go right down to the wire. We could be looking at the last day of the season being decisive.

"Manchester City are, at the moment anyway, playing the more attractive football, and scoring goals, but you look at Liverpool's run-in, and that to me gives them a slight edge."

If only it would be so easy to count out a strong Villa side and exciting Tottenham team both as keen as mustard to take this year's chance of qualification to the big boys league

Aldridge may be right about Liverpool's run in, but the form of Tevez might have something to say about about the final outcome and if City can keep their home record going then the tough matches against Everton, United, Spurs and Villa will be the key.

One things for sure, and that's the race for fourth is shaping up to be the most exciting in Premier League history and that can only be good for the league as a whole.

Terry Would Be Dead And Ballack I Just Don't Like

In an astonishing twist in the City Chelsea soap opera Carlos Tevez has taken the hate between the two squads to Defcom 2.

In an interview in the Sun Tevez launched a damning attack on the former England captain by claiming that he is a man of no honour. He said,

“I don't think you can do that with the wife of another player. "It's wrong. In my opinion, Terry has no moral code for what he did to Bridge."

 He even goes as far as saying Terry would not have got away with his sordid affair with French lingerie slut Vanessa Perroncel (Wayne you really must shop for tottie elsewhere next time) back in his homeland adding,

"In my neighbourhood if you do that, you lose your legs, or more - you don't survive."



Just when you thought it was safe to come out of the water uncharacteristically Tevez taunts Terry's Chelsea team mate Ballack, after 'Ze German's' cowardly two footed lunge in last week's Premier League humiliation.

"I have always had problems with Ballack but, you know, it is just football, not personal issues between us.

"I don't know, maybe he doesn't like me, as I don't like him."

Surprising words perhaps from the usually quietly spoken Argentinian who obviously felt the Chelsea player's 'I am the law!' routine was wearing a bit thin.

Bad blood between the players is one thing and will make for some added bite to the Premier League clashes next season, but how are the most important people, the fans, taking this latest episode?

City and Chelsea fans have traditionally had a good relationship though so I wonder how they see these latest comments?

Maybe they support the victims of their two bad boys and are fed up with the mindless actions of two waning stars or maybe their loyalty is clouding their dark blue tinted judgement.

Defoe For Bellamy - In Your Dreams 'Arry!

Now I know it is international week and all and the hacks have to focus on something to meet their quotas but this story really is beginning to grow old.

According to many of the usual suspects, used car salesman 'Arry Redknapp is trying to wheel and deal his squad away in an attempt to deflect blame away from his aesthetically pleasing but predictable managerial style of "Attack!"

Last season he tried to sign Craig Bellamy from West Ham but lost out to the deep pockets of Abu Dhabi's Man City owners and this year he has shown no signs of letting up in his pursuit of the pocket dynamo.

Now, according to the red tops, 'Ol' Nick Nack Paddy Wack' has been lurking in the shadows waiting for his moment to pounce and offer the Blues something they actually might deem worth having from White Hart Lane in Jermaine Defoe.

The story goes that he is willing to offer Defoe in part exchange for the flying Welshman and believes now is the time to pour oil on the fire that has risen after the training ground bust-ups between new boss Roberto Mancini and the Welshman.


So lets just consider that this story has an inkling of truth in it. Besides the fact that he's already bought and sold Defoe quite a few times, just why would Ol' Del Boy go to all that trouble bringing Defoe back just to swap him for a thirty year old dodgy-kneed trouble maker even if the Welshman is the better man on his day?

Defoe is explosive, quick  and a good finisher as his tally of 16 this year goes to prove, yet he is still not a crowd favourite with the Spurs faithful.



Spurs fans have complained at Defoe's one-dimensional game, lack of strength and stamina as well as his selfishness in front of goal. He is also not a big game player which could probably be the real reason for this rumour.


Bellamy may well have a reputation for being a 'Big Time Charlie' with the ability to start a fight in an empty room, according to Sir Bobby, but he still remains a fans favourite at every club he goes to.

Like it or not he is a leader, with a warrior heart and has proven he can play up front or on either side of a front three equally as well.






The real root of the mater might come down to who is the big game player and who can take the team to the next level?

Bellamy has this season alone scored multiple goals against each of United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool proving himself indispensable to the Blues top four challenge.

He has already fought off competition from Robinho, Petrov, Weiss, Bojinov and Shaun Wright Phillips to be the first name on the team sheet along with Tevez.


So maybe Redknapp sees him as a short term solution after seeing the younger England striker flatter to deceive with a third of his goals coming against Wigan Athletic this season.

On the other hand, maybe there is a more sinister plot line to this persistent rumour. After all, Bellamy has humiliated his nephew's Chelsea side on two occasions already this year and given the proverbial finger to Frankie's best mate the Chav King that is Mr Chelsea himself.

Could it be that Ol' Arry is thinking of buying another forward and leaving him on the bench until he has to loan him out? Do City fans really care and more importantly would any Blue swap Bellamy for Defoe anyway? Probably not.

Its more likely that the Spurs boss is looking for battle hardened yeomen in his attempt to toughen the obvious soft belly that Spurs have and Bellamy, love him or loathe him, is exactly the sort of player you want with you in the trenches.

With the resources on offer to City and with Tevez, Santa Cruz and Adebayor already at the club, do City really need Defoe?

You would think that it would be more likely 'The Citizens' would be interested in a world class finisher and all round footballer a la Torres, Villa or Fabiano to compliment our existing strike force.

You could argue that they don't even play in the same position as Bellamy has played wide right or left since his move to City and from that position is quite prolific in scoring 8 and providing 11 assists to Defoe's 16 and 2 as a striker.

One things for sure, City fans wouldn't swap Bellamy for ten Robinhos or five Petrovs, so why would they even think about swapping him for one measly Jermaine Defoe.

After all, if Bellamy was English I know who I'd rather have giving his all at the world cup this summer and he doesn't wear a diamond earring the size of walnut.

No he's the Welsh dragon with a chip on his shoulder the size of John Terry's black book and City fans love him all the same.

Vengeance or Mancini?

Manchester City never fail to surprise you one week losing to Stoke Rugby Football Club yet others frustratingly able to win against United, Arsenal and Chelsea at home.

So it should have come as no surprise that we pulled off one of the biggest shocks in Premier League history by defeating Chelsea four two at Stamford Bridge.



For no one before the game was thinking this is the time to play Chelsea, especially given the torrid start to 2010 that we've had.

Damage limitation was surely the best to hope for and then onto the business end of our season and the chase for that all important fourth place.

After all, Chelsea are quite simply unbeatable at the Bridge registering thirty seven from a possible thirty nine points before yesterdays game.


Yet it was our own 'Bridge' in Wayne that provided the catalyst we probably wouldn't have had to win this game.

If anyone ever tells you the media never do us  a favour continually hounding our club at every turn then let this be a lesson to them. For on tis occasion, the media circus that surrounded the Bridge-Terry saga more than served to pump up the victim and his team mates.


Prior to the match the usual suspects were at it leaking supposed stories of name calling by certain Chelsea players accusing Bridge of being a "bottler" and "coward" for not answering his mobile to the Chelsea captain.



Before Christmas Gareth Barry went to pieces on his return to Villa Park wilting under thousands of boos and cries of "Judas".

Bridge on the other hand is obviously made of sterner mental toughness as he brushed off a potentially calamitous occasion with all of the world watching and put in a performance to make Fabio Capello weep at the prospect of losing two top class left backs in the same month.

John Terry on the other hand had a nightmare afternoon being shunned by Bridge during the handshakes, called a "wanker" by Bellamy and teased, battered and outwitted by Tevez all afternoon.

After the match Bellamy and Tevez, Bridge's staunchest of supporters, further teased the Ex-England captain live on Sky Sports by claiming that JT is a love rat and the whole of the Premier League know it.


The game showed doubters of manager Mancini that his tactics obviously work against the top sides, but probably nothing about his ability to motivate his players against lesser opposition.

A victory couldn't have been further from reality after the first half an hour of play with Chelsea completely dominating an ultra defensive City set up to counter attack and nick a one nil win.

As many a Blue has already stated though you can't sit back against a top quality side and not get punished. And punished City were after the superb Frank Lampard had put the hosts ahead linking up with the Chelsea forward line to shoot low past a helpless Given.

All suddenly looked bleak for Mancini's men as the game plan had gone right out of the window ....
or so it looked.

Not that the players were wanting for endeavour with each one giving a hundred percent, but you need more than that to even score at Chelsea and the heroes we needed stepped up to the plate.

Bellamy, Bridge, Given, Lescott and Barry had all been criticised by fans for their performances in recent weeks, yet it was these five along with the magnificent Carlito Tevez who took the game personally it seemed.

Only Spartan like determination repelled the Chelsea attacks and blew Chelsea out of the water with some top quality counter attacking play.

First of all, Bridge sent a long ball to Tevez, after Mikel had helped it along, who had Terry and Carvalho doing the foxtrot together as he weaved past them and slotted the ball past hilarious Hilario.

Next Bellemy received the ball from Barry on the left before leaving Mikel for dead and firing the ball past Hilario in the bottom right hand corner (are you spotting the weak Chelsea links yet!).

City fans couldn't believe what was happening and before you could feel any apprehension about an equaliser Chelsea were down to ten men.

Barry, City's new Hamman, cleverly tricked Chelsea sub Belletti and the ref into giving a penalty and Carlito Tevez smashed the ball into the net to make it three one.

To make matters even worse for Chelsea and better for City the defender was red carded and Daniel Sturridge was having no luck in finding a opening and getting clearly frustrated.

Then after the German cheat Ballack had escaped a yellow for an intentional handball in the City box he saw red for a cowardly tackle on Tevez two footed and from behind after the ball had left the Argentinian's feet.

If Ballack doesn't receive at least a four match ban for his actions then the powers that be at FA headquarters should be lined up and shot like the bent so an so's they are.


Of course Bellamy's second after an unselfish pass from Shun Wright Phillips was enough to send even the most negative of Blues into raptures before being reminded that this is Manchester City we are talking about .

For the nine men of Chelsea hit back with a Lampard penalty after Barry had caught the excellent Anelka in much the same fashion that he'd won his penalty for the Blues.

Chelsea put in a sterling effort but the nine men could n't find the miracle needed and a fantastic game ended with three gobsmacking points and fourth place in the Prem for God's own club.

Suddenly, the game against the tops sides don't look as daunting as they had done before and once again the Blues faithful  have began to believe the bumbling words of Mancini when he says that City can only throw away fourth position.

One things for sure if Tevez and Bellamy can keep fit City will surely be favourites to take that final Champion's League place.

One thing that isn't however is how much yesterday's win was down to the burning passion to put one over the Chav King of Chelsea and how much was actually down to the manager's tactics.

Tevez's celebration and both Bellamy and De Jong's comments after the match suggest that the players rallied around the grief-stricken England International and refused to be beaten.

If that's the case, its a shame that Bridge's ex-missus isn't Jordan as we'd have more vendettas than Charles Bronson and Mel Gibson together could muster and more points than Chelsea!

I suppose we'll all know the answer to that come the end of the season, but I certainly hope that it is the latter of the two as we'll have that claimed that vital Champion's League spot .

City 0 Liverpool 0

A nil-nil scoreline was all these sides could muster in what was a controlled but professional performance by both teams if not the referee who let a series of challenges go unpunished setting the tone for the game.

With a place in the top four the ultimate prize for both sides this year it was understandable that the fourth and fifth sides would be playing it safe.

The pre-match talk was of a derby style battle, but it was clear from the first ten minutes that there would be no excitement just for entertainment value.

Both sides had a penalty shout that could have settled this bore-fest but luckily both were turned down by the referee.

The first half was a tight affair with very few chances created. Gerrard saw a shot saved by Given and the lively Zabaleta a deflected drive go wide of the Liverpool goal.

Of the two keepers you would have to say Pepe Reina was the busier of the two making the outstanding save of the match diving low to his right hand post to keep out a rasping Adebayor volley.

Given on the other hand was pressured at close quarters on corners more than anything else with the Liverpool defenders tasked with pressuring the only weak area of the big Irish man's game.

The second half didn't get any better with both sets of players guilty of giving the ball away so many times that one could be forgiven for thinking they'd had a wager to see who could do it the most.

Just when City were looking set to edge the wager Liverpool upped the ante by deciding to run into team mates in an attempt to claim some bonus points .

Captain Gerrard and Insua at one point bamboozled the crowd with a double dummy that ended in them doing the hokey-cokey before man of the match Zabaleta decided enough was enough in making off with the ball.

Although there were no controversial decisions, the main influence on the game was referee Peter Walton who had chosen to let the game flow from the offset.

The result was a goalless stalemate as both defences were given the benefit of the doubt time and time again much to the frustration of the watching fans.

It is strange that Liverpool picked up as many yellows as they did as the game was allowed to flow and both sides showed respect for one another.

Perhaps there we to many friends on the pitch as Argentinians, Dutch and English Internationals played with passion, but didn't exactly try to get one another sent off.

One player who could have been sent off though was Liverpool's Macherano who after  series of challenges picked up a yellow and foolishly decided to slide in on Barry from behind.

The referee waved played on however and just when City fans were beginning to believe they deserved to win the game, Kompany's tired challenge on Benayoun in the penalty area was ignored as the Israeli foolishly decided to stay on his feet.

A draw doesn't do anything in the race for the final Champions' League spot, but neither side can truly say that they did enough to win this cagey encounter.

Let The Games Begin

City versus Liverpool not long ago would have meant one thing and one thing only- damage limitation. How many goals would we be beaten by and 'we're not really here' come the inevitable last minute winner- for them.

Things change though thankfully and for the first time in along while now City fans are going to games full of belief and expectation. In fact it speaks volumes for how far we have come that the trip to Chelsea next week is the first league game I have feared all season.

That's not because City themselves are poor but due to the obvious supremacy of a Chelsea side that can only throw the title away in many peoples mind this year.

Yet that same aura of invincibility that Liverpool used to have over most teams has vanished along with the scousers' title hopes this season and one can only wonder why it has come to this after so many years of success.

The answer of course lies in Jack Sparrow's famous question, "Where's all the rum gone?" The answer Jack of course being that the well has dried up and the replacement water stinks!

But there is more to the Liverpool mess than a few dollars as a certain Spaniard has been at the helm for more than a few years and has made some interesting buys to say the least.

Just ask any Liverpool fan how many of the current squad deserve to put on the famous red shirt on and they'll probably reach for the nearest can of Carlsberg hand a quivering.

For where quality Carling Premier once was, there is now Bud Light and well it just isn't what the passionate Liverpool wants to see.

Gone are the likes of Hypia, Alonso, Anelka (they could have kept him) and Arbeloa and in are the likes of Lucas, Insua, Babel and Riera who don't exactly make you quiver with fear at the prospect of facing them. 

Its a great shame as I like Liverpool a club full of passion and a history of winning and not to mention  the team that carried the fight to the rags whilst God's own club was having a kip for a few decades or so. 

City now of course have well and truly awoken from their slumber and have the only unbeaten home record in the Premiership other than Chelsea.

We are fourth on merit and also have their game in hand still to play after tomorrow. So for us we still have that safety net and that should help us come the whistle tomorrow. 

It is Liverpool who should be quivering in their boots with the likes of the past it Carragher and not ready for it Insua perhaps losing a bit of sleep at the thought of facing Bellamy, Wright-Phillips, Johnson and Co.

Liverpool have everything to lose, none more so than their Champion's League status and although there are those in Merseyside playing down the importance of today's battle, come the end of May, everyone on the City side knows that this is a six-pointer for them.

For Liverpool a loss would be devastating to both morale and their top four aspirations. Of course there is also the ill-advised guarantee of a top four finish that Rafa Benitez has promised to live up to.

Most Liverpool fans must be wincing at the thought of going to City tomorrow and their players should be feeling the pressure too.

City must get at them from the start and hope for an atmosphere as hostile as a few we've been accustomed to recently.The crowd will be a huge factor as we noticed at Goodison Park and The Britannia Stadium.

It is our time now to step up to the plate and the only thing that is really missing is the self-belief. By beating Liverpool tomorrow we will have beaten all of the 'Big Four' at home and sent a message to the whole league that we are the real deal.

More importantly it will give the player the confidence they need going into games against Stoke and Chelsea away and Tottenham. For Liverpool it will mean looking over their shoulders at Spurs and Villa and playing catch up for the remainder of the season.

 So let the games begin and may the best team win .. as long as they're playing in Sky Blue of course. 

Cometh The Hour Cometh The Men

Tonight is the night that City can prove to themselves, their rivals and their fans that they are the real deal and press home the first of their two game advantage over Spurs and Liverpool. 

Victory will mean several things, the most important being we will be in the top four of the Premier League for the first time in many months. 

  

To our main rivals Liverpool, Spurs and Villa it will be a psychological victory as we stand above them with a clear advantage and home games against all of them.

If we can win both game sit will put us closer to third place and Arsenal than the other three and perhaps change our whole psychology for the end of season battle.

To our owners it is another yardstick in 'the project', a target achieved and one that must then be maintained from that point until the end of the season.

Most importantly though, it will send out a message to the fans clear and loud that we are the new City and not that 'typical' everyday one that everyone loves to condescend.

Time and time again, the team has proved in recent seasons that it has none of the true qualities required of a team looking to cement itself in the upper echelons of European football.

Qualities such as a never-say-die attitude, a pathological desire to win and the ability to travel to deepest darkest Mordor on a cold February night to defeat the enemy in  their own back yard.

Fans have been treated to a myriad of disappointment over the years, with early seasons full of promise only to see their beloved Blues fail at the business end of the season.

Under Sven-Goran Eriksson City bluffed their way through the first half of the season promising much and reaching the top of the Premier League at one point.

Post Christmas however saw business resumed as usual with an away record shouting relegation form and Sven's one-dimentional tactic found out. Fans needed a back up plan- alas there was none.

Enter Mark Hughes and another era of empty promises followed. The new and honour-bound owners were praised for their public backing of the manager and the time he would be given. City were showing signs of stability.

Early season was no walk in the park though as the new high profile City were scrutinised at every corner and results were not coming as quickly as first thought.

It was at this time Hughes' back up plan or 'blame culture' came into effect as the players brought in by former managers were blamed for the team's inadequacies and the famous 'my teams play after Christmas' line was played like a stuck record.

To be fair the team did improve, but a quarter final home win against Hamburg was the highlight when the team played magnificently in front of  packed house.

Yet that magical night at Eastlands masked the true City as yet again we had lost a key game and everyone knew that the first leg capitulation was what really counted in our UEFA Cup exit.

This season another early season sprint saw City right up there and Adebayor banging the goals in for fun until his mindless actions against Arsenal saw him suspended and out of the team.

A series of draws saw the Blues lose ground on the top three and after a key loss against Spurs cracks were beginning to appear. Hughes needed a back up plan, but he had already played his card the season before and unfortunately for him Garry Cook and Brian Marwood had their own in Roberto Mancini.



After a brief honeymoon period Mancini has some serious obstacles to overcome and prove he is the man to take the Sky Blues to the promised land.

With every loss those charming stammering Italian attempts to articulate will become annoying pauses of eternity a la Scholari as patience wears thin. The inability to understand the question will not be seen as a minor hindrance but a major flaw in communication to the first team.

Some might say that a Semi-final appearance is a major step forward in our progression and another yardstick to measure our success, others will point out that we threw away a fist leg lead and capitulated in the last half hour of the most important game for thirty years.

Amidst his recent Mediterranean mumblings one thing stuck out amongst the usual incoherence and that is that Roberto actually thinks we are playing good football and very well for that matter.

Now I am a fan of Mancini and the resoluteness he has brought to our sacred club, but can he really believe that we played well against Pompey, Bolton and Stoke?


Liverpool's Rafa Benitez would have you believe City's clash against Stoke to be irrelevant in the chase for that all important fourth spot and he may be right.

For it is tonight at Stoke that the real test begins on a cold February night in the Potteries against Stoke's Rugby XI hard, physical and determined to get to their forty point target of safety.

One things for sure, if we can pull out a win against these lot, the games against Liverpool, Spurs and Co will look a thousand times less daunting to both the fans and the players.

Whichever team is chosen, it will need to be at one hundred percent and the defence focused from the offset right until the final whistle.

Viera, Toure and Adebayor will need to perform for us to have any chance of winning and I hope they are ready to sound battle cry and wear the shirt with pride tonight.

If they do Mancini can look forward to some key but winnable home games against the likes of Liverpool, Spurs and the Rags and a damage limitation plan for the campaign against Chelsea.

So boys cometh the hour, cometh the men please and a couple of goals wouldn't go a miss either.

Seventh Heaven

The FA are considering revolutionising the way the Premier League takes place with a new initiative proposed by Richard Schudamore.

In his proposal, Schudamore sets out a new play-off system that would enable teams finishing fourth to seventh a chance at playing in the Champion's league.

The Guardian reports that the play-off proposal was presented on 4th February, and that Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League, is to return with further details in April of this year.

Although the proposal is at an early stage there is believed to be some support from the likes of Tottenham, Aston Villa and surprisingly Manchester City.

City who look certain to crack the top four monopoly in the next year or so would find the task altogether more challenging if the changes were implemented.

There is no surprise that the traditional 'big four' clubs of Chelsea, United, Liverpool and Arsenal are against the idea and considering the amount of games the top clubs have to play in today's modern era, it would be an added strain on their playing squads.

A 14-6 majority is required for the changes to be implemented, with rumours surfacing that they could well be implemented. Although the intricacies such as the format and timing of the proposed play-off competition are yet to be agreed on.

If the new plan does go ahead, it is possible that a two-leg home and away structure might be favoured in what would undoubtedly create end of season nail-biters and yet more excitement to an already action-packed Premier League.

Obviously lucrative in practice, the revenue generated would swell the coffers of all concerned, but the overriding factor for most fans would be the obvious injustice to the team who finish in fourth place but then miss out to the team in seventh.

After all, the Champions League has already been watered down enough from each nation's Champions to its elite. Surely adding a Fulham or Everton to the mix would only serve to further weaken the mix and quality of football in what is football's best club competition.

Chelsea Headhunting

The draw for the last eight of the FA Cup has been made and City will face the most difficult of challenges if they are to pass through to the next round.

Chelsea away is the news and if we beat Stoke later this month we are certainly in for a treat at Stamford Bridge.

If Mancini's men can pull those two out of the bag there should be no one else to fear in the competition and the players can go forward in the knowledge that they will be the favourites to lift their first title for many years.

The full draw:

Ties will be played over the weekend of March 6 and 7.

City's replay at the Britannia Stadium takes place on February 24th.

The draw in full:
Chelsea v Stoke City or CITY
Fulham v Bolton or Spurs
Reading or WBA v Crystal Palace or Villa
Portsmouth v Birmingham City

The Magic That Is The FA Cup

What should have been a welcome respite from the trials and tribulations of the Premier League campaign, turned out to be a lesson in heart and how not to play football.

As City have been trumpeting the importance of the magic that is the FA Cup, you could be forgiven for thinking that the City players would have been up for an encounter with home advantage and a prize of a place in the last eight.

One could also be forgiven for thinking that as we would be playing Stoke in midweek there would be certain individuals up for pressing their claims for an immediate start come Tuesday night.

In fact you wouldn't be wrong for expecting Mancini to have drilled his team in the defence of Wimbledon style attacks all week as Mancini's first game was against the long ball hustle and bustle that is Stoke City.

Finally it wouldn't be rude to have expected City to know about the only real weapon in their armoury that is Rory Delap's long throws.

So here is the odd thing, why when the whistle was blown did City disregard all of the aforementioned and consequently produce a fourth straight abject performance unworthy of a Tesco Supermarket kickaround never mind the most prestigious domestic cup competition in the world.

For once the whistle was blown, just like at Hull,  there was only one City up for this fight and it certainly wasn't our lilly-livered lot.

After a fortuitous opening goal when the Stoke defence did there best impression of the keystone cops, you would have thought we'd have relaxed and gone on to win quite comfortably.

Instead however City decided to play Stoke at their own game launching high balls to the ineffective Adebayor who was bullied out of the game by Huth and Co.

With the exception of Shaun Wright Phillips, Wayne Bridge and steady, if unremarkable, Barry City weren't at the races and lost every other battle on the pitch.

Fuller made mincemeat out of Toure and Lescott didn't fair much better begging the question is the rumour about Vidic true?  After all, if ever there is a team that needs a bully at the back then this is it.

When it came to a game plan, well it was either completely wrong from our Italian maestro, or the players completely ignored it. Neither scenario exactly covers City in glory in what should have been a very winnable match.

The Stoke eleven would not look out of place on a Rugby League field, yet City's answer to their 'up and at em' approach was to fight fire with ...well a small disposable bic lighter.

Out went total football and moving the ball quickly on the ground, a tactic that you'd think would be more suited when facing  a back line that turns slower than the Titanic after sinking.

The result was the equivalent of taking a toothpick  to a claymore fight as City were bludgeoned into a bloody mess that come Tuesday could see us shorn of yet more of our attacking options in the injuries to Ireland, Petrov and SWP.

So it was no surprise when Stoke fashioned an equaliser in fact it was more surprising that we didn't lose the game altogether.

The most surprising element of the game however was the manner in which Stoke scored. As no one  in their right mind could have foreseen what was to come next, from the fans watching at the ground, to those hundreds of thousands watching around the globe.

So you can imagine the manager and the players' surprise when a veteran Irishman came of the bench and without warning threw a thunderbolt into our area out of the blue.

Captain Toure was the first to be dumbstruck standing deadly still as the ball  flew uncontested into his area to be met by Ricardo Fuller's sizeable head.

Fans might be forgiven for thinking that Shay Given being an Irishman might have heard of this unknown threat forged from his motherland. Obviously not as the City keeper remained firmly rooted to his goal line as the ball sailed bast him.

So forgive me for seeming a little miffed but this Blue is wondering just what Mancini has brought to the table and what the players are doing going into the most crucial part of the season.

One things for sure and that's the next few games will provide the answers to all of these questions and tell us if another summer of wholesale changes is on the way or not.

Garry Cook's uneasy shifting in his seat on Saturday could be early evidence of just that and we are not just talking about the players Garry.

The Future Is Sky Blue

Yes its true City are in a great position going into the Stoke game. Two wins and just look where we could be.


Barclays Premiership Pld  Pts
1 Chelsea 26  58
2 Manchester United 26  57
3 Arsenal 26  52
4 Liverpool 26  44
5 Manchester City 24  44
6 Tottenham Hotspur 26  43
7 Aston Villa 25  42
8 Birmingham City 25  37
9 Everton 25  35

And if  you're asking then yes I am getting excited!

City 2 Bolton 0

Tuesday 09 February 2010, 7:45PM

City of Manchester Stadium Att: 42,016
Barclays Premier League

Referee:
Mike Jones (Chester)
Teams
Manchester City:

Given, Zabaleta, Toure (Lescott 54), Kompany, Bridge (Wright-Phillips 68), Vieira, De Jong, Barry, A. Johnson (Sylvinho 84), Adebayor, Tevez

Unused subs:
Taylor, Petrov, Onuoha, Ireland

Bookings:
None
Bolton Wanderers:

Jaaskelainen, Muamba, Knight, Steinsson, Ricketts, Cohen (M. Davies 74), Wilshere (M. Taylor 77, Robinson, Lee, K. Davies, Elmander

Unused subs:
Al Habsi, Samuel, Gardner, Basham, A. O’Brien

Bookings:
Muamba (62), Robinson (75)

A super display by six million pound signing Adam Johnson and a welcome ninety minutes for Patrick Viera were the stories of this encounter and both provided the assists that got City the three points.

Bolton simply had no answer to the pace, trickery and directness of the young England home debutante and City fans were treated to the uncovering of yet another wing wizard at the illustrious club.

A first half penalty from Carlos Tevez after Robinson had brought down Johnson and a sublime strike from Adebayor after a superb Viera pass ensured the Sky Blues could see out the final few minutes of the game.

Mancini started the game with a three man defensive midfield of De Jong, Barry and other home debutante in Patrick Viera much to the surprise of many watching the game.

City at home surely should be taking more of an attacking approach although Wright-Phillips' performance when he came on did little to suggest he is full of confidence at the moment.

Fair play to Bolton who kept knocking on the door but without Klasnic up front and Cahill at the back they are seriously lacking quality and goal scorers.

The win was enough to take City to fifth in the table on the same points with Liverpool but having played a game less.

A draw would be nice tomorrow although a Liverpool win wouldn't be the end of the world either.

Premier League

3 Arsenal 25 30 49
4 Liverpool 25 17 44
5 Man City 24 15 44
6 Tottenham 25 20 43
7 Aston Villa 24 13 41

Robinho Playful Artisan Or Carnie Conman

Lets go back to the good old days of the 2008/9 transfer window and City have just pulled off one of the transfer shocks of football history aligning them with such clubs as Real Betis.

Betis of course came to prominence over a decade ago when they signed arguably the last 'next Pele' from Brazil in Denilson.

The impish wing wizard had forged a glowing reputation with some dazzling displays for both club and country and 'that' Nike advert had made him into arguably the hottest property of any of the Brazilian Globetrotters.

Looking back now his time was a huge failure and some years later, after returning from a stint in Brazil, he returned to Europe to play in the Greek league for AO Kavala in Greece where he is plying his trade today.

In Greece at this very moment there are hundreds of mercenaries who after some success at larger clubs have come for the money, sun and sea.

AO Kavala, a team from one of the most obscure parts of Northern Greece, with their suitcases of money have managed to lure many of them this season with the likes of Denilson, Smolarek and Rincon eager to take the money and lap up the Mediterranean sun.

There are of course some genuine footballers. The first young loan stars like Joe Hart sent out on loan to improve themselves and come back stronger players.

The second are the unknown players from  far away corners of the earth who have made it this far on hard work, luck and scouting networks like Yaya Toure from the Ivory Coast or McDonald Mariga of Kenya.

Then there are those masters of their trade who play for the love of the game and the pure adoration of the crowd al a Rivaldo who went to Greece and played his heart out for the final few years of his glittering career.

Youri Djorkaeff and Ali Bernabia were of the same mould and gave everything to the cause for as long as their legs would allow them.

Then there is Róbson de Souza or Robinho. Starting out at Santos like so many of his brethren, dancing and tantalising his way through the Brazilian Super League full of natural talent and enthusiasm.

Then the most glamorous club in the world came calling, and I'm not talking about City this time, turning him instantly into one of the most recognisable faces in world football.

Now, its at such times that people's character really come to the fore as they show their talents and intentions. After all, they have achieved a dream.

Its like a gambler winning the lottery or a chocoholic finding Willy Wonka's final ticket or maybe Steven Reid finding half a Mars bar under his couch, as these men are footballers.

Robinho has marketed himself as the golden boy of Brazilian soccer with his boyish good looks, charming smile and gentlemanly conduct on the pitch.

After a decent start, in which he scored some mesmerising goals attempting to become the world's best player, the smiling assassin saw his career stall after a series of lack lustre displays and off field antics.

Once untouchable cracks have begun to appear and  even his most ardent of supporters like Pele thought it right to criticise him publicly about his lifestyle after disappointing the uber-expectant Brazilian public.

The real fun started whilst being benched at Real Madrid and the smiles and pro-Real statements of content were marred by independent and shameless self-publicizing in an attempt to find another suitor for his talents.

His 'piece de resistance' came in a press conference that he'd set up to tell his story and of course force Real's hand into selling him to the highest bidder- City. 

Contrast his time at Real Madrid to his time at City so far and you can see similarities in how the little Brazilian has carried himself. At the clubs he goes to he seems to say what the players and fans want to hear.

Forget the rape accusations, late nights out and going AWOL form last year's winter break in Spain to go back to Brazil.

For there are worse examples from more contemptible footballers - Amir Zaki, Joey Barton and Marlon King come to mind.

What is much worse than is off field shenanigans are the double agent style turn of phrases the Brazilian has now become famous for. 

The latest tour to Abu Dhabi being an excellent example, when he was pictured meeting the club's hierarchy all airs and graces. All seemed well and both the club and its supporters seemed to be getting what they'd hoped for.

"I am extremely happy to be at City and look forward to achieving both the club's and my potential to be the best in the world" Robinho said.

Once out of the camera's eye however his stance changed and the following week he was shamelessly promoting a move away in  a foreign newspaper, Barcelona being the latest at that time.

Of course just like at Madrid a series of abject performances resulted in the Brazilian being dropped to the bench in what was to be the beginning of the end.

Sent out on loan to Santos for sixth months he has lost no time in repeating his former feats of fantasy. This time he chose a Hollywood entrance landing with Pele in a helicopter at the Santos ground his name resonating around every orifice of the stadium- sound familiar?

His latest comments come after a debut goal when the Brazilian cheekily finished off a Santos move with a back heel. He followed it with some badge kissing of the highest order before claiming he will be the best player at the World Cup come summer- shameless really.

Talking of his latest manager's tactics, Robinho told the Daily Mail:

'He has a different way of thinking. In Brazil, the coach respects the player's characteristics.

'In Europe, they are used to playing with two lines of four players and they don't want to know what you can do.

'There, if you are a forward, the coach sends you on to the pitch just to run. You have to run and that's it.'

Not the most courteous any more is he, of the man who only yesterday reached out another olive branch in a message of support for his troubled star.

Mark Bowen gave a more telling insight into his former charge's attitude at City

"He took a lot of stick, but he did massively underperform, especially away from home,"  

"I just thought that, physically, he wasn't really up to the challenges of the Premier League."
 
"We always felt he could possibly blossom and get used to the Premier League but he wasn't really up to the week in week out challenges."

One things for sure the Robinho City Circus has yet to reach its final destination and who's to say how it will turn out for both the impish Samba star or Manchester City.

Once the jewel in the crown at City, albeit self-proclaimed, the real question is do any of us really care anymore? This Blue certainly doesn't.

See you in Greece in a couple of years!

Hull 2 - 1 City

Quick Report

City were given a lesson today by the tenacious tigers of Hull City as they dropped more points in their quest for the coveted fourth spot.

From start to finish Phil Brown's men worked their socks off and showed the desire that will probably keep them in the Premier League this year.

Hunt, Boetang, Fagan and Altidore shone but the rest of the team stuck to the game plan and saw the game out.

A super finish by young American striker Altidore and a wonder strike from the edge of the box from veteran Boetang were enough to see off Mancini's timid City who just didn't want it as much as Hull.

City did make a fist of it in the last twenty minutes through Adebayor from close range after a goal mouth scramble and some good work by Toure.

But it was a case of too little too late for the Sky Blues as they were guilty of some woeful finishing, misplaced passing and not keeping the ball on the deck.

The football we play when we keep it on the floor can be exquisite, but today we didn't do it enough and were guilty of lack of composure from the back right through to the front.

The were some positives to be emerge from this latest away debacle as Wayne Bridge made his long awaited comeback and received a warm welcome from both sets of supporters.

Debutantes Adam Johnson and Patrick Viera also came off the bench for the disappointing Bellamy  and unimposing Ireland.

Johnson looked direct and whipped in some good crosses on occasions and looks like he could be starting a game sooner rather than later in an attempt to rest some of the more jaded  players.

Viera played well enough with some assured passes and feisty challenges although he was booked for a challenge on young Carney.

He will take some time to get up to speed but gives us an aerial presence in the middle of the park that has been badly missed.

Hull deserved the win as they wanted it more, as did Everton and quite frankly Portsmouth last week. The question is what is Bobby Manc going to do about it and how can we turn our away form into something that at least resembles a top four challenge.

A very disgruntled Blue

City 2 Pompey 0

Barclays Premier League
City of Manchester Stadium
31 January 2010 

13:30

City:
Given, Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany, Garrido, De Jong, Ireland, Barry, Petrov, Tevez, Adebayor.

Subs: Taylor, Onuoha, Wright-Phillips, Sylvinho, Bellamy, Boyata, Ibrahim.

Portsmouth:
James, Vanden Borre, Ben-Haim, Wilson, Hreidarsson, Mullins, Basinas, Jamie O'Hara, Webber, Utaka, Boateng.

Subs: Ashdown, Piquionne, Finnan, Hughes, Owusu-Abeyie, Ritchie, Sowah.

 Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

City started this game against a beleaguered Pompey believing that they could repeat the six nil scoreline of last year.

After a bright start though there was only one team hungry enough  to impose themselves on the opposition and that wasn't the one looking to challenge for a Champions League place.

Portsmouth were hungrier, more organised and more composed for much of the first half creating most of the chances and unlucky not to go ahead when the sunlight made Given misjudge a cross from the right but Utaka couldn't convert.

The longer the match went on the more frustrated the Sky Blues got after Pompey had hit the post and it got worse when Zabaleta, one of the more determined players on the pitch, was withdrawn due to a broken nose after a stray arm from Boetang.

Just when doubts were beginning to creep into the thoughts of both players and fans alike, Adebayor marginally beat the offside trap to control and smash the ball though the diving David James.

Then to compound Portsmouth' brave but seemingly futile attempts, Vincent Kompany after several tries finally converted a corner with a thunderous header.

City didn't deserve it but were two nil up and Portsmouth had everything to do in the second half.

The second half was again not the tonic that the emotionally tired fans and players needed as Pompey set about City with incisive passing and non-stop movement. 

Again O'Hara, Boetang and Basinas were controlling the run of play and City were as incohesive as they had been for a long time.

But Portsmouth need more than their midfield brawn and raw pace of Utaka to survive this season as their five goals away from home strongly highlight the fact they need a goalscorer.

With twenty minutes to go City brought on the rested Bellamy and the dynamics of the game changed with him terrorising Van Der Borre at left back and City hitting the post through Tevez in the last few minutes.

Two nil was bad enough, so  three would have been a travesty after the effort the Portsmouth players had put in.

Maybe we can loan them Benjani back if nobody comes in for him. Either way I hope they stay up as their fans are top notch and we always seem to do well against them!

For City it was a flat abject performance that Mancini knows could have gone another way, but a win is a win and we can now look forward to gaining six points against Hull and Bolton.

Pizza .. Now Mancini Gone Gago For McDonald's!

After last week's revelation that Mancini believes pizza, red wine and pasta are great but fun alternatives to a footballers diet, Mancini has gone a step further this week.

His initial plans to go for Flamini and Gago of Real Madrid and AC Milan respectively have drawn a blank and it now seems that he'll be ordering a McDonald instead.

According to the Daily Mail's well respected 'Sports Mail Reporter'. The next on the list is Parma midfielder McDonald Mariga a Kenyan international (yes Kenyan).

One things for sure, and thats his stamina shouldn't be in any doubt if he has any of the sporting genes that his international track team mates possess.

A host of clubs including Inter Milan have also been tracking Mariga, with the Italian club recently putting heir interest on hold after the loan arrival of the exciting Chilean Manuel Fernandes from Valencia (yes him from Football Manager).

Ol' Arry Redknapp also tried to sign the six foot two inch Mariga for old club Portsmouth when he was playing for Swedish side Helsingborg three years ago, but failed to secure a work permit.

Apparently City are ready to offer cash and Valeri Bojinov for Mariga, according to reports in Italy in a deal that could be worth around six million pounds.

Of all the City stars on loan around the world at the moment the Bulgaria striker Bojinov is probably the one Blues' fans have the most time for.

After an injury plagued few seasons for City the striker was loaned out to Parma and has scored four goals in fifteen appearances.

The most telling factor could be that he is keen to stay in Italy n what has become his adopted homeland after two different spells there.

Mariga has a record of nine goals in around a hundred appearances at club level and although not a goal scorer could be a future Yaya Toure in the making.

City do need a bit of height in the centre and it looks like this kid might fit the bill and in turn get to learn from a master in Patrick Viera along the way.

Signings On The Way

Now that the novelty of the cup has passed, its on to more important issues for Roberto Mancini and the Sky Blues.

Apart from the arrival of Potless Pompey(and I do sympathize) on Sunday we have the time to concentrate on strengthening the playing staff.

Whether you agree with it or not, Robinho is on the verge of signing a six month loan deal with Brazilian club Santos and has already made noises that he doesn't want to return.

I'm a big fan of Robinho's prodigious talents, I just wish he could pull them out of his backside and use them more often.

Add that to the fact that the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz has more heart than the ultra laid-back Robbie and you have a player that we will not miss one bit in this frame of mind.

Come to think of it, both Jo and Elano have the same languid attitude and we know what happened to them. Brazilians have not exactly lit up the Premier League over the years bar a Juninho or Gilberto Silva.

Roberto Mancini has come in with his own philosophies and players in mind and has been linked with a raft of Seria A players. Now I'm no expert,but Italians haven't exactly been raging successes in England over the years either.

Paulo Di Canio, Vialli  and Zola come to mind, but too many others like Maccarone, Corradi and Bianchi (shudders) have failed to adapt to the rigours of our league.

Northern Europeans and Argentinians such as Kompany, Tevez, De Jong and Zabaleta all seemed to ave acclimatised much easier to the passionate hstle and busytle of the Premier League and if you believed all the papers you would be slightly worried.

Of course Mancini has already pulled off a masterstroke by bringing in the supremely experienced leader that is Patrick Viera to the club and when he comes back his qualities will be invaluable to the team (he might have made a difference last night).

Amongst the Seria A and a Liga names mentioned are Gago of Real Madrid and Motta of Roma. I can't confess to know much about the latter, Gago has always flattered to deceive when I've watched him strolling around the park for both club and country. 

Madrid reportedly turned down City's thirteen million pound bid and want another four million for the Argentinian's signature.

The unhappy twenty three year old's agent, Marcelo Lombilla, said:

'We want to speak again with (Real director general) Jorge Valdano and perhaps then the situation will change.'

Gago, who is also wanted on loan by Boca Juniors himself said:

'I want to play and that has become impossible at Real.'


Two players continually mentioned and sure to suit the Premiership would be Chellini from Juventus and Cassano, the Bellamy of Italian football. The latter could be our Di Canio and creative spark and Chellini is the best defender in Italy at the moment and plays on the left.

For me Bayern's Ribery would be a great signing and would look great in an attack of Bellamy and Tevez away from home. The claims that he is a lazy player are ill-founded and he certainly has the skill  and winning mentality to go with his desire.

The fact that he is injured could be a blessing in disguise, as normally world class players don't move in the January transfer window.

More likely however would be the signing of Borough's England U21 winger Adam Johnson who for me is a more complete player than Moses of Palace, our other Championship target.

I've seen him quite a bit for club and country and looks a very good prospect, although Bolton's midfielder Muamba  often looks the best player on the park at U21 level.

One things for sure, and thats come Sunday night we'll know how good the manager is in the transfer market during what is traditionally a difficult time to get quality trouble-free players in.


Players we should get in:

Chellini
Cassano
Ribery

Players we are likely to sign

Motta
Johnson
Cassano
and perhaps Gago