Manchester City

[spiderman2]

Oh & i'm not doubting you're well supported, but taking away Forest travelling support yesterday, you only just filled half of your Ground so you, like the rest of the Fans in the Country, are not as great as you think you are but you shouldn't expect to be due to the Financial Crisis...

More to do with the demise of the FA Cup and clubs not lowering prices substantially to get the punters in, its been like this for years now in the earlier stages.

[spiderman2]

I dont think Mourinho will leave Inter this season with them still being in the Champions League.

Also I dont think many big name players will want to come to City in the January transfer window with them struggling like they are at the moment.

The players still at clubs in the Champs League wont sell, but the others will if theyre getting higher then above market rate.

[MSingh]

Oh & i'm not doubting you're well supported, but taking away Forest travelling support yesterday, you only just filled half of your Ground so you, like the rest of the Fans in the Country, are not as great as you think you are but you shouldn't expect to be due to the Financial Crisis...

More to do with the demise of the FA Cup and clubs not lowering prices substantially to get the punters in, its been like this for years now in the earlier stages.

True Mate but as i said, it's the same for everyone, we all think we're great supported, better than loads of others but none of us are that great, we're all very well supported compared to a lot of Continenetal Football Clubs, especially on our Travels, but as i say, if you take away the Away support at COM yesterday, the Ground was only just over half full, that ain't great support however you shape it up..

But.........there are loads of factors, some of which you pointed out which should really be taken into consideration..

[mrbojangles]

The FA Cup was Citys last chance to make something of this season and they blew it big style !

We're still clinging on to the hope of the UEFA Cup !

Bet Sven Goran Erikkson is having a quiet laugh about all this !

I bet he is too.

[JacknDanny]

jackndanny, think there are certainly some downsides. expectation level, pressure to deliver to fans, pressure to deliver in the short-term to the owners, the fact that clubs will hold you to ransom on players. . . .it's not an easy job.

and on mourinho, i'm not sure he would move to a club that isn't in the champions league anyway.

I agree with the downsides, but my point is that things like expectation levels and pressure to deliver to fans and owners, are a lot higher with successful clubs. City do not understand the word success, therefore our expectation levels with or without money , are a lot lower than say Utd or Chelsea. (as in look at the pressure Scolari is under right now)

[StevieH]

I agree with the downsides, but my point is that things like expectation levels and pressure to deliver to fans and owners, are a lot higher with successful clubs. City do not understand the word success, therefore our expectation levels with or without money , are a lot lower than say Utd or Chelsea. (as in look at the pressure Scolari is under right now)

different from chelsea etc yeah, but not completely. any manager who takes a job with a blank chequebook is pretty much damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. ranieri, mourinho, grant, scolari. . . .unless city's owners are prepared to go three or four years without a trophy and without champions league football then hughes will be in trouble.

[mrbojangles]

City owner tops rich list

Abramovich slips to third after losses in economic downturn

Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has toppled Roman Abramovich to head British football's rich list.

Sheikh Mansour, a member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi, has a personal fortune of £15billion according to the Football Rich List, researched and published by FourFourTwo magazine.

The 38-year-old bought City in the summer, while Abramovich, Chelsea's Russian owner, has slipped to third in the list - his wealth is estimated at £7billion and he has been said to have lost over £3billion in the economic downturn.

He has also been overtaken in the list by Lakshmi Mittal, the 58-year-old Indian industrialist worth £12.5billion who joined Formula One's Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore investing in Queen's Park Rangers.

David Beckham remains the richest player associated with British football - his personal fortune of £125million being streets ahead of his closest rivals Michael Owen (£40million) and Wayne Rooney (£35million).

Beckham is 38th in the overall list, while England head coach Fabio Capello is at number 73 worth an estimated £25million with a £6million-a-year contract and a £10million private art collection.

Sir Alex Ferguson is at number 78 in the list (£22million) and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger at number 92 (£14million).

Celtic shareholder Dermot Desmond, the Irish entrepreneur, is the richest person in Scottish football - he is eighth on the list and said to be worth £1.2billion. Rangers chairman Sir David Murray is 19th on the list, worth £600million.

Despite the huge fortunes of the wealthiest owners, football finance experts fear British football's bubble may be about to burst.

Professor Tom Cannon told the magazine: "Season-ticket numbers will probably be down by about 10% but renewals will be down by at least 15 or 20%. That's where the problems will be as you go down the divisions."

[mrbojangles]

From the City website:-

Bridge a miss for Chelsea, says Terry

England captain John Terry has today revealed his disappointment at Wayne Bridge's departure from Chelsea to join Manchester City.

The Stamford Bridge stalwart told his official club website, chelseafc.com: "He'll be missed and I'm still in shock a little bit, because it's a shame to see one of the lads go who you have grown up with and been with a long time. I'm disappointed but for him it was the right decision.

"I think he felt at 28 he had come to an age where he needed to play week in, week out and he will definitely get that at Manchester City and show people he is right up there with Ash [Ashley Cole]. Once Bridgey starts playing people will realise how good he is."

And it's not just on the pitch Terry had praise for the former Southampton defender has he added: "He was great to have around the place. A great professional too, coming in at eight some mornings to do an hour on the bike when he wasn't playing, just to keep his fitness there so when he was called upon he did well.

"The thing with Bridgey is he could play left back or left midfield and he is a great crosser of the ball and gets up and down, so we will miss him."

[MSingh]

From the City website:-

Bridge a miss for Chelsea, says Terry

England captain John Terry has today revealed his disappointment at Wayne Bridge's departure from Chelsea to join Manchester City.

The Stamford Bridge stalwart told his official club website, chelseafc.com: "He'll be missed and I'm still in shock a little bit, because it's a shame to see one of the lads go who you have grown up with and been with a long time. I'm disappointed but for him it was the right decision.

"I think he felt at 28 he had come to an age where he needed to play week in, week out and he will definitely get that at Manchester City and show people he is right up there with Ash [Ashley Cole]. Once Bridgey starts playing people will realise how good he is."

And it's not just on the pitch Terry had praise for the former Southampton defender has he added: "He was great to have around the place. A great professional too, coming in at eight some mornings to do an hour on the bike when he wasn't playing, just to keep his fitness there so when he was called upon he did well.

"The thing with Bridgey is he could play left back or left midfield and he is a great crosser of the ball and gets up and down, so we will miss him."

I think Terry's being kind personally or just plain talking sh*t ( wouldn't be the first time )..

Just posted the below in the Chelsea thread too but you Boys might be interested..

You won't miss peeople who play in less than 25% of the Games you play throughout the Season Mr Terry...

87 Appearances in 6 Years at Chelsea which is an average of 14.5 Games, in all Competitions ( & Chelsea play much more Games than virtually anyone else per Season rememeber, upwards of 60 ), per Season...

Not good enough if you ask me..

Man City getting him fit enough to justify that fee is very unlikely in my opinion based on the ^^

Good deal for Chelsea this one...

Edited January 8, 2009 by MSingh

[spiderman2]

Bridge a miss for Chelsea, says Terry

Terry's done well the last few years out of last ditch tackles due to bad positional play to make himself look better, he seems to be missing too many though recently ...... Anyway is he still throwing autographs at celebrities ....... the jumped up mockney tw4t.

Edited January 8, 2009 by spiderman2

[mrbojangles]

From the City website:-

Bridge a miss for Chelsea, says Terry

I think Terry's being kind personally or just plain talking sh*t ( wouldn't be the first time )..

Just posted the below in the Chelsea thread too but you Boys might be interested..

You won't miss peeople who play in less than 25% of the Games you play throughout the Season Mr Terry...

87 Appearances in 6 Years at Chelsea which is an average of 14.5 Games, in all Competitions ( & Chelsea play much more Games than virtually anyone else per Season rememeber, upwards of 60 ), per Season...

Not good enough if you ask me..

Man City getting him fit enough to justify that fee is very unlikely in my opinion based on the ^^

Good deal for Chelsea this one...

I would have thought before we bought him, that a VERY thorough medical had taken place. The fact he didn't play that much was that Cole kept him out of the place. Similar to Shaun WP who couldn't get in the team. And i for one am extremely happy with SWP contributions. Hopefully Bridge will prove himself.

[bkkjames]

With the exception of bridge, things are pretty quiet on the transfer front at City no?

When will we see Kaka, Messi and co lining up for your team? Unlike the start of the season when you had all year to get it wrong, time is not on your side and I suggest you get your saviors under wrap sooner as opposed to later.

[StevieH]

With the exception of bridge, things are pretty quiet on the transfer front at City no?

When will we see Kaka, Messi and co lining up for your team? Unlike the start of the season when you had all year to get it wrong, time is not on your side and I suggest you get your saviors under wrap sooner as opposed to later.

those kind of players aren't saviours though. if they sign bridge, santa cruz, scott parker and a decent centre back this window then they'll have signed well for the level they're at.

[mrbojangles]

With the exception of bridge, things are pretty quiet on the transfer front at City no?

When will we see Kaka, Messi and co lining up for your team? Unlike the start of the season when you had all year to get it wrong, time is not on your side and I suggest you get your saviors under wrap sooner as opposed to later.

those kind of players aren't saviours though. if they sign bridge, santa cruz, scott parker and a decent centre back this window then they'll have signed well for the level they're at.

I concur. The summer transfer window will be the time when we see how serious the Abu Dhabi's are.

[StevieH]

I concur. The summer transfer window will be the time when we see how serious the Abu Dhabi's are.

and even then, you still won't sign kaka or messi. the money's undoubtedly there but the very top players won't move to a club that can't offer them champions league football, particularly in a world cup year.

[chavy]

Is it too late for me to gloat ??

[mrbojangles]

Is it too late for me to gloat ??

No, not at all buddy. I've been waiting for you

[mrbojangles]

I concur. The summer transfer window will be the time when we see how serious the Abu Dhabi's are.

and even then, you still won't sign kaka or messi. the money's undoubtedly there but the very top players won't move to a club that can't offer them champions league football, particularly in a world cup year.

It's a fair point Stevie but they all have a fee that they will sell their souls for. It's upto to City to prove that they have high aspirations when they talk to these players. Time will tell.

[bkkjames]

I concur. The summer transfer window will be the time when we see how serious the Abu Dhabi's are.

and even then, you still won't sign kaka or messi. the money's undoubtedly there but the very top players won't move to a club that can't offer them champions league football, particularly in a world cup year.

It's a fair point Stevie but they all have a fee that they will sell their souls for. It's upto to City to prove that they have high aspirations when they talk to these players. Time will tell.

Let's see, thumb sucker sold his soul for $ while Berba sold his for Trophies.

[StevieH]

I concur. The summer transfer window will be the time when we see how serious the Abu Dhabi's are.

and even then, you still won't sign kaka or messi. the money's undoubtedly there but the very top players won't move to a club that can't offer them champions league football, particularly in a world cup year.

It's a fair point Stevie but they all have a fee that they will sell their souls for. It's upto to City to prove that they have high aspirations when they talk to these players. Time will tell.

true enough generally man, though i'm not so sure about the likes of messi and kaka. they both seem like nice boys, particularly kaka with his 'i belong to jesus' palaver.

it's a smaller pool of players that you're fishing in now though, as there are only so many really top players to go around and they want to play CL football. you should be looking for the so-called unproven players who are clearly waiting to make the breakthrough rather than absolutely established big names. bit like chelsea getting drogba and us getting torres.

[mrbojangles]

I concur. The summer transfer window will be the time when we see how serious the Abu Dhabi's are.

and even then, you still won't sign kaka or messi. the money's undoubtedly there but the very top players won't move to a club that can't offer them champions league football, particularly in a world cup year.

It's a fair point Stevie but they all have a fee that they will sell their souls for. It's upto to City to prove that they have high aspirations when they talk to these players. Time will tell.

Let's see, thumb sucker sold his soul for $ while Berba sold his for Trophies.

"Thumb sucker" has already proved his worth at City. Don't think you can say the same for Mr Miserable. Glad we only made you have to up the price and we didn't end up with him

[bkkjames]

I concur. The summer transfer window will be the time when we see how serious the Abu Dhabi's are.

and even then, you still won't sign kaka or messi. the money's undoubtedly there but the very top players won't move to a club that can't offer them champions league football, particularly in a world cup year.

It's a fair point Stevie but they all have a fee that they will sell their souls for. It's upto to City to prove that they have high aspirations when they talk to these players. Time will tell.

Let's see, thumb sucker sold his soul for $ while Berba sold his for Trophies.

"Thumb sucker" has already proved his worth at City. Don't think you can say the same for Mr Miserable. Glad we only made you have to up the price and we didn't end up with him

yes, berba only scored the winner against mid to keep us on pace with LP for the league title... perhaps babyface will do the same to keep you boys up on the last game of the season

[mrbojangles]

yes, berba only scored the winner against mid to keep us on pace with LP for the league title... perhaps babyface will do the same to keep you boys up on the last game of the season

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

Premier League top scorers

Anelka, Chelsea 14

Robinho, Man City 11

Zaki, Wigan 10

Agbonlahor, Aston Villa 9

Cisse, Sunderland 8

Crouch, Portsmouth 8

Gerrard, Liverpool 8

Lampard, Chelsea 8

Ronaldo, Man Utd 8

Van Persie, Arsenal 8

Adebayor, Arsenal 7

Bent, Tottenham 7

Defoe, Portsmouth 7

Ireland, Man City 7

Owen, Newcastle 7

[samuibeachcomber]

yes, berba only scored the winner against mid to keep us on pace with LP for the league title... perhaps babyface will do the same to keep you boys up on the last game of the season

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

Premier League top scorers

Anelka, Chelsea 14

Robinho, Man City 11

Zaki, Wigan 10

Agbonlahor, Aston Villa 9

Cisse, Sunderland 8

Crouch, Portsmouth 8

Gerrard, Liverpool 8

Lampard, Chelsea 8

Ronaldo, Man Utd 8

Van Persie, Arsenal 8

Adebayor, Arsenal 7

Bent, Tottenham 7

Defoe, Portsmouth 7

Ireland, Man City 7

Owen, Newcastle 7

yes but look where they are in the league,for a team with many good players,something is wrong.

[bkkjames]

yes, berba only scored the winner against mid to keep us on pace with LP for the league title... perhaps babyface will do the same to keep you boys up on the last game of the season

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

Premier League top scorers

Anelka, Chelsea 14

Robinho, Man City 11

Zaki, Wigan 10

Agbonlahor, Aston Villa 9

Cisse, Sunderland 8

Crouch, Portsmouth 8

Gerrard, Liverpool 8

Lampard, Chelsea 8

Ronaldo, Man Utd 8

Van Persie, Arsenal 8

Adebayor, Arsenal 7

Bent, Tottenham 7

Defoe, Portsmouth 7

Ireland, Man City 7

Owen, Newcastle 7

what did he get, 4 against one team, 2 against another and 2 more. how many wins does s*ity have?

[StevieH]

yes, berba only scored the winner against mid to keep us on pace with LP for the league title... perhaps babyface will do the same to keep you boys up on the last game of the season

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

Premier League top scorers

Anelka, Chelsea 14

Robinho, Man City 11

Zaki, Wigan 10

Agbonlahor, Aston Villa 9

Cisse, Sunderland 8

Crouch, Portsmouth 8

Gerrard, Liverpool 8

Lampard, Chelsea 8

Ronaldo, Man Utd 8

Van Persie, Arsenal 8

Adebayor, Arsenal 7

Bent, Tottenham 7

Defoe, Portsmouth 7

Ireland, Man City 7

Owen, Newcastle 7

that's ridiculous, city along with arsenal and chelsea are the only sides with two players in the top scorer charts. city are 13th in the league with a +8 goal difference, comfortably better than anyone apart from the top five. bizarre position to be in.

[bkkjames]

yes, berba only scored the winner against mid to keep us on pace with LP for the league title... perhaps babyface will do the same to keep you boys up on the last game of the season

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

Premier League top scorers

Anelka, Chelsea 14

Robinho, Man City 11

Zaki, Wigan 10

Agbonlahor, Aston Villa 9

Cisse, Sunderland 8

Crouch, Portsmouth 8

Gerrard, Liverpool 8

Lampard, Chelsea 8

Ronaldo, Man Utd 8

Van Persie, Arsenal 8

Adebayor, Arsenal 7

Bent, Tottenham 7

Defoe, Portsmouth 7

Ireland, Man City 7

Owen, Newcastle 7

that's ridiculous, city along with arsenal and chelsea are the only sides with two players in the top scorer charts. city are 13th in the league with a +8 goal difference, comfortably better than anyone apart from the top five. bizarre position to be in.

easy to figure out, when city wins, they win big, when they lose (relatively often), they lose by a little

scored the most goals at home 24 and conceded the second worst away at 19.

Edited January 9, 2009 by bkkjames

[mrbojangles]

yes, berba only scored the winner against mid to keep us on pace with LP for the league title... perhaps babyface will do the same to keep you boys up on the last game of the season

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

yes but look where they are in the league,for a team with many good players,something is wrong.

Yeah i know. If anything we have improved our players from Sven's reign. Probably shows that most of them don't want to play for Hughes.

[mrbojangles]

that's ridiculous, city along with arsenal and chelsea are the only sides with two players in the top scorer charts. city are 13th in the league with a +8 goal difference, comfortably better than anyone apart from the top five. bizarre position to be in.

Tis indeed bizarre Stevie. It seems that when we do gel, we're looking really good and then the next week they look like they are a bunch of complete strangers.

[mrbojangles]

what did he get, 4 against one team, 2 against another and 2 more. how many wins does s*ity have?

What's up Raghead, don't you like the facts?