Should City Focus on English Based Targets?
Rumors have circulated throughout the British press that Manchester City’s biggest transfer target in January could be David Villa. When watching Valencia, Villa has certainly been a footballer of highest class. Villa has been a prolific goal scorer in La Liga as well as with the Spanish National Team.
No doubt exists Villa would be instantly one of the most accomplished goal scorers in the Premier League. But would he have have similar trouble adjusting to the English game that other strikers who have moved from the continent have had? Villa is just the latest big name European footballer to be linked with City for the January transfer window.
With City teetering dangerously close to the relegation zone, should the club spend January trying to poach player from within England to try and finish mid table, and then pursue continental targets in the Summer?
My thinking is while City needs some more firepower desperately, it would be prudent for Mark Hughes to focus on domestic targets in January, otherwise City could become the highest payroll club ever to be relegated.
Manchester City 0-1 Everton: Post Match Thoughts
City was looking to end its poor run of form in Premier League play today against Everton at Eastlands. The Toffees have been very effective away from Goodison Park this season.
From the opening whistle Everton seemed confidently in control. Mikel Arteta hit the crossbar on a free kick in the first ten minutes and luckily for City, Marouane Fellaini missed the rebound off the post. A few minutes later Leon Osman appeared to be pulled down by Michael Ball, the penalty shout from David Moyes and Everton waved off. But upon review, while Osman exaggerated the contact, no question
Soon thereafter on counter Robinho sprung Benjani, but the City striker made a mess of things. Towards the end of the first half Shaun Wright Phillips looked lively and began to put Everton on the defensive. Right before the half a good save by Joe Hart on Fellanini preserved his clean sheet and a 0-0 halftime scoreline.
In the first half Everton dictated the play. Even when City looked dangerous going forward the change in pace of the match was temporary. The second half took on very much the same feel of the first. David Moyes team looked in control of the match and insertion of Jo for the injured and ineffective Benjani made little difference.
Robinho was replaced by Darius Vassell late, and interestingly the perennially out of form Vassell gave City an attacking spark that the high priced Brazilian failed to provide. However, Everton led by Tim Cahill playing in an attacking role due to numerous injuries was giving the City backline fits.
After a near City goal on a classic Tim Howard gaffe (I’m American and thus am accustomed to seeing Howard make mistakes at the highest level in the most critical matches ) Everton created a corner in stoppage time and Tim Cahill scored a deserved winner. Everton race out of Eastlands with all three points.
No question exists that City will upgrade its talent pool and squad depth in the January transfer window. However, anyway you view it, five points out of a possible twenty four in the last eight matches is relegation form. For all the hype surrounding this City side, the club is closer to the relegation zone than a European qualifying place in the current table. This team while not built with the Abu Dhabi consortium’s money yet, is the most expensive squad City has assembled since the 2003-04 season. That squad much like the current side underwhelmed and found itself closer to relegation than a European spot. That squad like this one was participating in the UEFA Cup thanks to the previous seasons Fair Play Table.
Recent history being a guide, City is more successful when the squad has some degree of continuity. This season has thus far brought countless transfer rumors coupled with below average football for an ambitious Premier League side. At this point City must view the January window as an opportunity to stabilize the squad and achieve a safe mid table finish in order to build the squad and the brand next Summer for a big 2009-2010.
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Upson a Hughes Target?
Much of the speculation about potential transfer targets for Manchester City has revolved around players either at big four clubs in England or on the continent. But with City under performing at the back and the Icelandic financial crisis crippling West Ham United, Matthew Upson has emerged as a player that could end up in City blue when the January transfer window opens.
Given Upson’s injury troubles signing him for a fee upwards of £10 million would be a risk. But City needs help in the central defense and signing a player from West Ham maybe relatively simple in the upcoming window. City will face competition for Upson however: the Telegraph reports that Harry Redknapp is interested in bringing both Upson and Rob Green to Spurs.
Would Upson be a good signing for City? I’m not sure his signing would provide anything but a short term fix at the back. Additionally Upson long history of bad injuries at both Birmingham City and West Ham is worrying. But Upson is attractive because any player at West Ham is probably going to be easier to sign this January given the current state of the club’s finances than any of the other defenders that have been publicly linked with City.
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