Manchester City Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours

eZe^

See you at the Gamper trophy on the 19th of August in the Camp Nou...

flahavaj

City after Kolo Toure again: www.football365.com

The Sunday Times claim that Manchester City want to sign Kolo Toure and 'expect' to recruit Arsenal defender, Joleon Lescott and John Terry before the transfer window closes next month.

According to the newspaper, 'Occasional Arsenal captain Toure has been seduced by City's standard double-your-money offer and following a season in which he was not consistently Arsene Wenger's first choice should be sold for around £15m.'

Toure's future at Arsenal has been in doubt for some time, with the defender understood to have handed in - and then withdrawn - a transfer request in January. More recently, he said he was back in love with the club. "People know I love the club, nobody can say I don't. I believe you can only truly love one club in your career and my club is Arsenal," he told The Daily Mail in May. On Thursday, his brother Yaya predicted he would stay at the Emirates.

therecklessone

Mark Hughes says Carlos Tevez poster was meant to annoy Sir Alex Ferguson

Mark Hughes has admitted Manchester City were deliberately trying to antagonise Manchester United with their now‑infamous Carlos Tevez poster campaign but insisted it was just "a bit of fun" and expressed bemusement about Sir Alex Ferguson's increasingly hostile attacks on the club.

From describing City as "all talk" at the time of their takeover to questioning their summer transfer spending, Ferguson has become increasingly outspoken about United's nearest rivals in the last few weeks, culminating in an interview over the weekend in which he branded them a "small club with a small mentality". The United manager was incensed that City had put up a poster in the city centre showing Tevez, his arms outstretched, above the slogan "Welcome to Manchester" – as if he was new to the city.

"It's City isn't it? They are a small club with a small mentality," Ferguson retorted. "All they can talk about is Manchester United; they can't get away from it. That arrogance will be rewarded. It is a go at us, that's the one thing it is. They think taking Carlos Tevez away from Manchester United is a triumph. It is poor stuff."

Hughes, however, pointed out there was a banner in place at Old Trafford since 2002 to poke fun at the number of years since City last won a trophy. "33 Years" is draped behind the goal at the Stretford End, and has changeable numbers so it can be updated at the end of every year.

"The poster campaign in Manchester is a bit of fun between the fans," Hughes said. "It is in a similar vein as the banner at Old Trafford which counts the time span since City's last trophy win. We're glad it's got so many people talking."

Great mind games from Hughes. I'm warming to him, despite the bottomless pit that is his transfer kitty.

Sizzler

Garden path springs to mind...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/jul/26/john-terry-commits-chelsea-future

wrote:

The name of John Terry can be added to Kaka and the other category-A footballers who have taken a good, hard look at the Abu Dhabi United Group's "project" at Manchester City and decided they do not want to take part in the process of experimentation after all, regardless of the bags of gold on offer.

The statement from Terry committing himself to Chelsea represents a deflating setback for City, even if the biggest spenders in English football had picked up enough bad vibes over the past few days to re-establish contact with Arsenal about signing Kolo Touré.

Along with City's already firmly declared interest in Joleon Lescott, having failed with an opening offer of £15m bid for the Everton defender 10 days ago, the negotiations to set a price for Touré will accelerate in the light of Terry's announcement that he is, after all, still "Mr Chelsea" despite several months in which he has openly fluttered his eyelashes in City's direction. No doubt it will not be long before Terry can be seen kissing the badge on his shirt again, and perhaps with even more enthusiasm than usual bearing in mind he will be getting a handsome pay rise from a six-month saga at the end of which the men in power at City could be forgiven now for suspecting was a wonderfully choreographed piece of business – for the player anyway.

Mark Hughes, for one, would be entitled to wonder whether he has been led up the garden path given some of the information he has received since he was first told that Terry apparently wanted, at the very least, to speak to City's billionaire owners.

That was back in January when a variety of messages were strategically sent to the City manager to say that Terry had various "issues" at Stamford Bridge and could be sufficiently tempted by City's immense financial muscle. Terry, it was said, had begun to feel as if he needed a new challenge.

He had been at Chelsea since the age of 12 and was intrigued by what was happening at City and the salaries on offer. Added to that, there were divisions inside Chelsea's dressing room.

Terry, moreover, was said to be alarmed about the frequency with which the club kept changing managers – particularly non-English speaking managers – and the way Roman Abramovich did not seem so free with his spending.

The idea had immediately appealed to Hughes, and understandably so. Here was the England captain, exactly the type of fists-clenched, sleeves-up motivator Hughes wanted to help bring an occasionally rudderless team together and give them more of the winning mentality that Robinho, formerly of Real Madrid, had once complained did not exist at City.

Richard Dunne, the existing captain and centre-half, was having a "bad patch" he later admitted had lasted six months. Micah Richards had, at times, become a danger to his own team. Hughes has regarded the job of bringing in new centre-halves as a priority since his first few months in the job.

It is easy, therefore, to appreciate why the reaction from City is not just of disappointment, but also a sense of being let down.

It is only two Thursdays ago, after all, that Hughes was reassured Terry was not just determined to take City's offer, roughly estimated at £250,000 a week (though possibly even higher), but that he was willing to "do it the hard way" if necessary.

Hughes, an old colleague of Terry's, considered his background informationto be impeccable. Terry has a network of contacts with a foot in both camps, including close friends inside the City dressing room – two former Chelsea team-mates, Wayne Bridge and Shaun Wright-Phillips, as well as the goalkeeping coach Kevin Hitchcock, another former Stamford Bridge colleague with whom he still holidays.

The key question for City now is this: what is Plan B?

Ideally Hughes wanted to partner Terry and Lescott at centre-half, with Richards at right-back and Bridge on the left. It looked like a Champions League back four. Now, at best, it will be a back four of Richards, Touré, Lescott and Bridge – and that does not.

Terry, meanwhile, will get on with the business of being Mr Chelsea. "Me leaving Chelsea was never a possibility," he said.

Paparazzo

therecklessone wrote: »

Mark Hughes says Carlos Tevez poster was meant to annoy Sir Alex Ferguson



Great mind games from Hughes. I'm warming to him, despite the bottomless pit that is his transfer kitty.

This sums it up nicely:

Arrogance Comes In Different Ways
By golly, Manchester City have managed to get up Alex Ferguson's nose, haven't they?

They should be flattered, given that the level of Fergie's annoyance is a fairly reliable barometer of the threat they pose to United.

Talking about the (pretty funny) poster put up around Manchester by City (this one, if you have been asleep for a week), Ferguson said on Sunday:

"It's City isn't it? They are a small club with a small mentality.

"All they can talk about is Manchester United; they can't get away from it. They think taking Carlos Tevez away from Manchester United is a triumph. It is poor stuff."

Oooooooh Fergie - you bitch.

However, this rang a bell in Mediawatch's mind. We're sure Fergie has strong views on dismissing the local rivals of a 'big' club, and we're pretty sure he disapproves.

Just before his pathetic criticism of Rafa Benitez's 'gesture' against Blackburn last season, Ferguson said: "Everton are a big club, not a small one which Benitez arrogantly said."

In fact, if Fergie had actually read the 'quotes' to which he was referring, he'll know that Rafa didn't directly dismiss Everton in the way he belittled City.

Benitez said after a 0-0 Merseyside derby in 2007: "When you play against the smaller teams at Anfield you know the game will be narrow."

Not quite the same, is it?

So if Benitez is arrogant for saying Everton are smaller than Liverpool (something that all but the most one-eyed Toffee will agree with), what does that make Ferguson?

Still, at least Ferguson was right in one part of his rant against City. He said: "Arrogance comes in lots of different ways. I think it is daft."

Indeed it does Sir. And so do we.

http://www.football365.com/mediawatch/0,17033,8749,00.html

Instant Karma

Sizzler wrote: »

Garden path springs to mind...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/jul/26/john-terry-commits-chelsea-future

I don't buy it. I'm of the opinion that John Terry was never really a realistic transfer target for city, Hughes has consistantly been linked with deals for Toure & Lescott long before Terry was ever mentioned. I believe it has more to do with unsettling him at Chelsea and if something happened and he signed it would have been a bonus. However, I'm delighted he's not comming to City, I can't abide him.

Also, rumoured recently that Nedum Onuoha may be on his way to Everton as part of the Lescott deal, I hope this isn't true as I thought he was really good last season and can only improve, if anything I hope it's only on loan.

brayblue24

Instant Karma wrote: »

However, I'm delighted he's not comming to City, I can't abide him.

+1

I think people are rattled. I'm getting verbals all over the shop-for wearing the colours I have worn for years!!

Seaneh

Boj signed for Parma today.

Very good signing for them, him and Palochi up top this season will be a very good young strike force.

KittyeeTrix

http://www.mcfc.co.uk/Carousel?id=2881c80b-1a0e-4102-8d68-8fb619bc5e30

Official== Kolo toure joins City

bigstar

a defender at last and onouha signing a new deal. man we look strong for this season.

got the new jersey at the weekend, its feels like a cotton t-shirt, nice though.

everdead.ie

Everyone is going on about wayne bridge but i've never rated the guy granted he's good going forward but defensively i think he has a lot to be desired.

I hope this year breaks up the top 4 it'd be nice to see city come in 3/4 (as i think the team would need time to gel to challange for the title)

I think that chelsea aswell are getting more vunerable by the year as there aging midfield needs to be replaced but how do you replace a ballack or Lampard? Even Anelka or Drogba upfront?

I definitely believe that city can crack it this year but I hope even more so just to shake things up!

bigstar

another +1 from me on terry. i dont think we need another last ditch tackle/header classic english style defender, dunne/onuoha/richards all offer that. we need a good reader of the game like carvahlo compliments terry or ferdinand to vidic imo, gets rid of the danger before it happens type. toure is step in the right direction.

ShoulderChip

everdead.ie wrote: »

I think that chelsea aswell are getting more vunerable by the year as there aging midfield needs to be replaced but how do you replace a ballack or Lampard? Even Anelka or Drogba upfront?

Chelsea this year will be Chelsea last year
PLUS

Drogba (wasn't himself till end of last year, scored 5 league goals, 2 out of 2 under Ancelotti)

J.COLE who missed most of last year

+

Essien who missed most of last year

+
Carvalho who missed most of last year

+

Zhirkov - who had a wonderful man of the match display against milan and is tipped by many to be the signing of the year.

+

STRIKING OPTIONS
Last year we played one up front, this year it will be two up front every game in a 4-diamond-2 formation
We will play two out of
Drogba
Anelka
Sturridge - My tip for young player of the year
Kalou
Pizarro (28 goals for werder bremen last year)
Di Santo - may prove himself
+ possible Shevchenko, maybe the less said the better.

+ Deco may pick up or he may not, not a big risk.

Here are our first and second choice teams

---

Cech

---

Bosingwa ---- Terry -- Carvalho

---

A.Cole

---

Mikel

---

---

Essien

---

Zhirkov

---

---

Lampard

---

---

Drogba --- Anelka

---

---

Turnbull

---

Mancienne -- Alex -- Ivanovic --- Hutchison / Ferreira

---

Ballack

---

---

Beletti

---

Malouda

---

---

J.Cole/Deco

---

---

Di Santo/Kalou ---- Sturridge/Pizarro

---

not a team in decline if you ask me.

ps. sorry if I overdid this I got carried away.

everdead.ie

Sorry I didn't mean this year but in the coming seasons but point taken

Xavi6

Lol at tipping Sturridge for Young Player of the Year. That would mean he actually has to play more than League Cup games.

brayblue24

I must be getting old. I think Toure is a great signing but yet I'm happier Onouha has signed a 5 year contract. That kid has serious talent (memo:hope not to eat humble pie for this)

Xavi6

You're not getting old, though you're a bit OTT on the Toure signing. He's average at best and not an improvement on what we already have at the club. I think Ned is a class act and want to see him play week in, week out, but with this signing it's unlikely to happen which is such a shame. If we were going to buy a defender it needed to be an upgrade on what we already have. Toure doesn't fit that criteria for me.

Xavi6

Elano has apparently joined Galatasary on a 4 year deal.

Xavi6

Pics from training which are always good to see -

L'prof

Xavi6 wrote: »

Bellamy's wasting no time!!!

Kess73

Xavi6 wrote: »

Pics from training which are always good to see -

Bellamy holds his golf club just out of shot.

Eire-Dearg

Kolo talks to MCFC - http://www.mcfc.co.uk/Video/Interviews/Kolo-Toure-interview

KittyeeTrix

2nd offer for Lescott of 18 million rejected
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/30072009/58/barclays-premier-league-lescott-bid-rejected.html

Xavi6

Bridge gets his nose busted accidently by Bellamy in training -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgKJIKSQ21Y

Boggles

Jesus Christ you can actually here his nose break!! :eek:

flahavaj

It was Craig Bellamy, DEFINITELY intentional.:pac:

So many golden opportunity for caption contests with these City pics!

Raskolnikov

Xavi6 wrote: »

Elano has apparently joined Galatasary on a 4 year deal.

No harm, he was mostly useless.

Gillington

Raskolnikov wrote: »

No harm, he was mostly useless.

I woulda liked to see him stay but understand his leaving to get in the Brazil squad plus he's goin to play under Frank Rijkaard.If you look at our midfield there is not much creative spark bar SWP and Stevie Ireland.Hopefully we get someone else in along the lines of Mr.Blumer

Raskolnikov

Gillington wrote: »

I woulda liked to see him stay but understand his leaving to get in the Brazil squad plus he's goin to play under Frank Rijkaard.If you look at our midfield there is not much creative spark bar SWP and Stevie Ireland.Hopefully we get someone else in along the lines of Mr.Blumer

I saw him against Hamburg in the UEFA Cup last year and he played like a god. The problem is, that for each game like that, he had one where he was a contender for the worst player on the pitch.

craiginireland

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news/2009/08/01/dominic-king-man-city-should-go-to-the-bottom-of-the-class-100252-24286530/

What do you guys make of that?

Kirby

Just bitter writers. If you want success, you are going to piss people off. Its just the nature of sport. If you want to keep the persona of a friendly "every man" team, you won't win anything. People only complain when they feel their own team under threat.

Btw, that nose break sounded so bad :eek:

gosplan

Hey City fans.

Quick question for my fantasy football hopes. Will Petrov and Wright Phillips start this year - is that possible?

Xavi6

gosplan wrote: »

Hey City fans.

Quick question for my fantasy football hopes. Will Petrov and Wright Phillips start this year - is that possible?

SWP will feature regularly. Petrov won't be anything other than a squad player unless something serious happens to Robinho/Tevez.

pablodunlop

Seems like Fabian Delph is on his way to you. He's a great talent and I hope the deal includes him being loaned back to us for the season, he needs game-time to develop but has the raw ability to be a real quality player.

brayblue24

Lescott left out of Everton/Coventry friendly. Has a "knock" apparently.

pokerface_me

Just got a text from someone very close to the city setup saying Lescott has signed.

Xavi6

pokerface_me wrote: »

Just got a text from someone very close to the city setup saying Lescott has signed.

I'm hearing something similar myself.

ShoulderChip

It might have just originated from talksport.

If Lescott goes through are ye done?
are will ye be looking for another cb? or a lb?

personally I would probably look try to get a world class cm, and if none is plausible leave it be till jan.

bigstar

id be happy enough to leave it at lescott, he can play left back too which gives us decent cover and competition across the back line.

im getting excited at the thought of the new season starting in a couple of weeks, what a summer weve had, fingers crossed we get a good run up to xmas. thinking of going to the arsenal game meself.

brayblue24

bigstar wrote: »

thinking of going to the arsenal game meself.

Burnley in November for me. (Bleedin' pay levies). Flights for the day trip are fluctuating wildly for this one (Nov. 7th) but I got 2 returns for bout €40. Must try to get a ticket now:rolleyes:

bigstar

€75 for flights to arsenal, not so sure now when other days are nearly half that. actually its €10 return for the hammers 2 weeks later, ah damn. no tickets on the 2nd tier for the arse game either, never been up there.

curry-muff

Know ive already posted this on the celtic thread, but just incase any of you dont check it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/8186533.stm

Respect To Craig Bellamy :D:D

Eire-Dearg

curry-muff wrote: »

Know ive already posted this on the celtic thread, but just incase any of you dont check it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/8186533.stm

Respect To Craig Bellamy :D:D

Saw that earlier.

"Ah come on" "No chance."

WTF @ a Rangers fan not only wanting an ex Celtic player to sign his jersey, but first and foremost a player not associated with the club whatsoever?!

curry-muff

Musta been just doing it for the tv, but fair play to Bellamy for being honest in front of the camera :pac:

Xavi6

Official team photo -



No Johnson is very strange.

Eire-Dearg

LOL @ Bellamy and Richards.

The bloke to the left of Toure is the spitting image of a friend of mine.

therecklessone

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

LOL @ Bellamy and Richards.

What about Given falling asleep?

James Forde

Vincent Kompany

quarryman

wow, never realised how good a squad city have until i seen that photo.

jesus_thats_gre

Hopefully Johnson is on his way to Liverpool