He is a key player to our title chances also Real want spanish players we have every right to set a price an stick to it, found it very funny Real are always trying to bully and get whoever they want and expect it to work everytime.

Losing Alsonso will be a Massive (c) blow to Liverpool. I'll say one thing, I thought they'd struggle to get 21 million for him - looks like I was way off beam. Although to be fair this is the most bonkers transfer window ever.

Fitness permitting I expect De Jong to start nearly every match

I agree
If i was Perez i'd be right royally p'd off with Benitez right now.

As a Liverpool fan i'd love to see Xabi stay but i would prefer to see him go now his loyalties and mind seem to be very much back in Spain

Is Lescott a £20-25m defender though, as that what it looks like it'll take. I think that's an awful lot of money for him. Of their centre back pairing, I've always felt that Jagielka is the better of the two.

I'd say it's a trait of world football now that there's so few decent defenders, the cost is increasing, I mean £16m for Toure, wow. The Premiership arguably has the best crop of central defenders kicking aroud of all the leagues, difficult to come up with too many options outside of the league.

If I was City, and we're going down this 'dominant centre half' route to compliment Toure, I'd look at Ryan Nelson, nice calm influence, solid, has a presence. I think he's one of the most underated defenders in the league. Back end of the season, Blackburn were miserly. Hughes would know him well too. I know he's the wrong side of 30, I just think he'd be the right man for now. He'd bring along the likes of Onouha, who for me, is the best centre back prospect in this country, I like him alot.

JWP, I strongly disagree. There are good players, then there are top players. Nelsen is a decent PL defender, but nothing more. Upson, Hangeland, Lescott, heck, even somebody like Bassong from the Championship would be better buys, for me. Dunne is a better player than Nelsen I think, if they're to buy a defender, it has to be somebody that improves them, as well as be able to be part of a project for the best part of five years. Nelsen just doesn't tick those boxes.

you think so Cibaman?? not done anything wrong the lad but i think Barry is a better option breaks the play up well and has a lot better disrubution that De Jong cant see how he would fit in. What would you go with Cibaman>??

No room for £15 million Toure, then?

That side lacks balance for me, Oggy.

In this league it's all about winning the midfield battle, where it's playing extra midfielders or asking a forward to drop back and graft, it's key to win the midfield battle. I don't think Barry on his own can do it, and I think asking Ireland to do it takes away a part of his game that City will need if they want to be at the top.

Man City will struggle to make the top 7 imo.

Not good enough. Midfield isent strong or good enough and no pace in the attack. Santa Cruz, Tevez and Adebayor are all very similiar.

How is Adebayor similar to Tevez?

Well indeed.



As for this:



Sorry, but that's risable.

After being done out of roughly £20-25 million by Madrid in the last few years (Macca went for free when he was worth £10-15 million and Owen went for £8 million when he was worth closer to £20 million) I don't think Liverpool can be seen letting a third player leave for less than what they want for him. I know it wasn't Madrid's fault that they got Macca and Owen cheap but some fans would feel like we were getting stiffed again. However, Alonso isn't worth more than £20 million and if that's what we get I'll settle for it. Wouldn't mind some of the millions being handed out though, the amount Madrid have attempted to turn Alonso's head this summer.



I'm afraid I have to agree. I think Alonso seems to be a decent chap and thinks that by not requestiong a transfer, he will be seen to be doing the right thing by the fans. He's wrong. I'd rather he admitted one way or the other how he felt and we could bring this charade to an end. We're 3 weeks from the start of the season and we need to restructure out team if he goes. Lets get on with it.

I

My jaw had dropped that far after the initial that I managed to miss the midfield bit.

Hardworker? Check
Creative player? Check
Mongrel? Check.

I'm not sure what City will do this year, I don't care frankly. To pick on their midfield and attack is clueless though. They'll have arguably the best set of strikers in the Prem and the midfield isn't too shabby at all.

I'd forgotton how slow Robinho, Wright-Phillips and Tevez were as well.

I know where you are coming from. I just think there's so much happening at City for the future, just get somebody for the now. Get a centre half who's decent in the air, has got a voice, will rollock you if you lose your man at set pieces etc, an old fashioned type defender, get a defender who wants to defend like.

FWIW, I think Ounouha may be this, I know he's young, but there's no messing with him, I don't think he's too fussed about bring the ball out, he just gets on with the basics, that's what City need.

You see, I'd take Taylor before Bassong at Newcastle, I think there's a decent defender in him, I'm just not sure we'll ever see it. He's got that Terry about him, in that he'll throw himself in front of anything, that bravery etc. He just seems to be missing something, maybe a brain.

Forgetting the whole 'leaving players out' problems. If City were to play the Chelsea style 4-3-3 of the Mourinho days, I think they'd have great balance.

De Jong sitting a la Makelele, Barry & Ireland as Essien & Lampard. Say, Robbie, Adebayor and SWP. Looks strong & balanced to me, check the bench too.

You're flattering him.

Poor midfield? We have Barry, Ireland, De Jong, Kompany, Johnson, Elano and Zabaleta who can all play in the centre of midfield.


Robbie Rotten - you're spot on (again) about our midfield.

I would imagine we will be playing 433. I think you are right about our midfield line up. My main worry is De Jong's distribution. He does everything else very well.

I don't think you are right about front three. I would think that Tevez, Adebayor and Robinho will be first choice. With SWP, Bellamy and RSC as back-up

They're both ugly bast*rds! with sh*t hairstyles!

I can't see Tevez not starting. I think he'll play slightly right with Robinho playing left. Tevez brings work rate and mongrel to the forward line to compliment Adebayor's power and Robinho's flair.

De Jong, Barry and Ireland behind that, I agree. That's a nice blend IMO.

Yeah, I wasn't really meaning who'd play, just how you'd look really, more answering the balance point. It's almost what Chelsea did under Mourinho with options at every stage.

Chelsea had Robben & Duff, J.Cole & SWP as left & rights.

City will have Petrov & Robbie, Tevez & SWP, so you'll have game changing options, as Chelsea used to have.

An identical almost midfield three, in what they do naturally. It just feels the same, Chelsea were built of soild stuff at the back, see what Hughes brings in.

Options from the bench, probably the best in the league.

De Jong, Kompany and Zabaleta are shockingly poor imo. Michael Johnson is not a first team player untill he spends more than one week fit next season. Elano will leave.

Barry and Ireland are the only decent midfielders you have and neither are game breakers in the big games.

Having said all that. I dont rate Adebayor, Robinho or Santa Cruz either.

Ps. im not a City basher. I hope you do well and do the double over the Scum but i really cant see it.

Kompany is a better Centre Half to be fair. Zabaleta is solid, but nothing special. He's more a defender aswell.

De Jong will have a far better season alongside Barry. He will fit better into City's system this year.

Chelsea won the league with Parker, Geremi, Kezman etc.

It's about a squad, and having folk who can come in and do a defined job. Zabaleta et al will prove their worth in this role.

You have to have folk who don't spit dummies when they don't play but offer you an option when required.

Belletti does this well for Chelsea now, yet folk would slate him.

The difference is that Chelsea had a world class first 11 and decent back up. City only have a decent first 11 imo.

Robinho is not a match winner in the premiership imo. Maybe in Spain but he is not strong enough for the premiership - which showed last season. He gets absolutely murderd in away games against the likes of Hull and Stoke.