Johnson And SWP Face Anxious Wait While Barry Has Hope
City duo Adam Johnson and Shaun Wright-Phillips face an anxious wait to discover if they will be going to the World Cup with England.
Johnson only had six minutes to impress Fabio Capello on his debut against Mexico but within two minutes almost set op a chance for Jermaine Defoe. SWP played the full second half of Sunday’s laboured 2-1 win over Japan but with Aaron Lennon and Theo Walcott not particularly impressive for England, SWP’s chances of making the final cut may just have improved.
Keeper Joe Hart enjoyed another 45 minutes in goal, making three good saves and keeping a personal clean sheet for the second successive international, giving his chances of appearing at the finals no harm at all.
Meanwhile, Gareth Barry will be given up to the last minute to prove to Capello that he will be able to figure in South Africa. The City midfielder limped off during the second half of City’s last home game of the season against Spurs and his fitness will be assessed before Capello names his final squad.
The Italian will be advising the unlucky seven by telephone on Monday before naming his final squad on Tuesday, although he has already confirmed that he knows what his final squad will be.
Should both Johnson and SWP make the final 23?
City Needn’t Be Concerned Over UEFA Ruling
Okay, so Michele Platini looks to have got his way over Europe’s big spending clubs and his plans to tackle overspending could be implemented by the start of the 2012/13 season. Should we be worried about what Platini has panned for teams like City?
Recent news reports have mentioned City’s potential participation in Europe as being under threat due to the fact that we are owned by mega-rich Sheikh Mansour, who is apparently using his money to buy new players rather than the money generated by the club, which will be against the ruling once it is in force.
The proposals are aimed at clubs who spend beyond their means and with City’s reported £93m loss last year, they are obviously prime candidates to fall foul of Platini’s latest brainchild. But, should the plans go through, they will not come into force until 2012, giving City two years to buy the players we need and start winning trophies again. Not only that, but finances will then be monitored over a three year period, meaning that the first time clubs could face barring from European competition is 2015.
Now, call me optimistic, but I for one would not imagine City will still buying half a team or more every summer in the next five years without getting something in return. And if we are, then there would be something seriously wrong with the signings being made. Last season’s summer bonanza is probably the only time it will happen at the club, despite the rumoured millions set to be spent this year.
Once the nucleus of the team in place we will only need to buy two or three players in the summer at that so it is likely that, by 2015, the club will be spending well within their means and under no threat from being banned in European competition.
However, the club that should be most concerned is Chelsea. Since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003, they have won the Premier League twice, the FA Cup three times and the League Cup once, while finishing runners up in the Premier League three times, League Cup once and Champions League once, yet they are still running at a loss.
So I don’t see any reason to be concerned just because we ran a loss last year. By 2015, the club will be in a healthy position and unaffected by Platini and his UEFA cronies.
Trio Touted But What’s Happened To Boateng?
With Edin Dzenko’s representative’s apparently in talks with the blues over a possible switch and Garry Cook allegedly in Spain talking to Real Madrid over Fernando Gago and Gonzalo Higuain, I can’t help but wonder what has happened to the Jerome Boateng deal.
It was only a couple of weeks ago that a deal for the Hamburg midfielder was imminent, but then City made a bid for James Milner and now these three. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see the Madrid duo come to City and I think all three would fit in nicely with the set up at Eastlands.
But it would be good if the club could at least confirm the signing of Boateng so we can have something more definite than the rumours that are constantly flying around.
Anyway, back to the Real Madrid pair. Garry Cooke has apparently travelled to Madrid to discuss the possibility of the pair signing for the blues. Higuain was a success story last season for Real, scoring 27 goals in just 28 La Liga games, while midfielder Gago was tracked by the blues during the January transfer window.
Hopefully, City will have some news on a new signing before the end of the weekend and give us something interesting to report on.
Edin Our Way?
Sky Sports report representatives of Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzenko is in talks over a possible move to City.
The prolific marksman, who has scored 54 goals in 94 games, was linked to the blues last summer, but then manager Mark Hughes opted for Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz to boost his firepower.
Wolfsburg manager Steve McClaren was hoping to hold onto his star striker but has admitted the Bosnian has a clause in his contract that will allow Dzenko to leave for a set amount prior to 1st June. But it now appears that McClaren’s hopes will be dashed by City’s move for the player.
Dzenko is a powerful, 6’2” striker and will be seen as the perfect strike partner to Carlos Tevez and his aerial ability will be called into practice with Adam Johnson and possibly Shaun Wright-Phillips along City’s wings.
If the Bosnian signs, it could spell the end of the City’s careers for either one of Santa Cruz, Adebayor or Bellamy, with the latter rumoured to be interested in dropping down a division to join Cardiff.
What do you think? Is Dzenko the right man to partner Carlos?
Cardiff Set For £7m Bid
Cardiff City are apparently set to launch an audacious £7m move for City star Craig Bellamy, according to The Mirror, who also claim the Bellers is keen on the move.
The Bluebirds new owners are reported to have given manager Dave Jones permission to bid for the striker, who has also recently been linked with Spurs and Everton but Cardiff are looking genuine contenders to win Bellamy’s signature.
Bellamy has had several reported clashes with the City hierarchy since the sacking of Mark Hughes and is said to be willing to give up some of his hefty wages and European football, in order to secure the move.
Cardiff missed out on a place in next season’s Premier League after losing the play-off final 3-2 to Blackpool and signing Bellamy will be a huge boost to their squad, as well as their attendances.
Newcastle Target Onuoha
Newly promoted Newcastle are set to make a £3.5m bid for City defender Nedum Onuoha, according to the Daily Mail.
The Toon are looking to bolster their defence following their return to the Premiership and will turn to the City youngster who seems desperate to end his City career. Onuoha has made 113 appearances for City, scoring five goals, including his double against Birmingham last season and recently launched a scathing attack on manager Roberto Mancini, claiming the new manager didn’t like him and felt like he was taking a backseat.
The defender also claimed the Italian had ruined Joleon Lescott’s World Cup chances by saying the summer signing from Everton would miss the final two games of the season. But Onuoha claims the England man could have played as Lescott was back in training.
Should City let the defender go?
Onuoha has apparently grown despondent with life at Eastlands and recently criticised manager Roberto Mancini
De Jong Recommends Dutch Teammate
City midfielder Nigel de Jong has recommended the blues sign his Holland teammate Gregory van der Wiel.
The Ajax right back is rated at around £10m and de Jong has apparently pleaded with the club to sign him, claiming “we could use a good right back. I know Greg is on the wanted list. I’ve recommended him to City’s management.”
Van der Wiel was recently named Holland’s Young Player of the Year and is another name under the radar of Roberto Mancini. However, the youngster has also been monitored by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger but the youngster has stated in the past that he is only concentrating on the World Cup with Holland and is not thinking about interest from other clubs.
The defender is an attacking right back and has made 76 appearances for Ajax, scoring 8 goals in the process and has also made his senior international debut in February 2009 and has gone on to make a further seven appearances for Holland.
Johnson Pays Tribute To City
Adam Johnson has paid tribute to the blues after the winger made his England debut on Monday night.
Johnson came on with six minutes remaining and almost made a chance for Jermaine Defoe within two minutes of his introduction at Wembley and will be firmly in the mind of manager Fabio Capello while the Italian decides who to take with him on the plane to South Africa.
“It was brilliant,” said Johnson in reference to his first appearance in an England shirt. “To make my debut in front of 88,00o fans at Wembley is something I’ll never forget.”
The winger went on to praise City’s role in helping the youngster gain his first international cap, saying “Middlesbrough were great for me but coming to City has been fantastic. If I’d stayed where I was, I doubt I would have had this opportunity. The last six months have been fantastic”
Johnson will be hoping not to be among the seven unlucky stars who will be left out when Capello names his 23 man squad for the finals on 1st June, although that could be reduced to six if Gareth Barry fails to recover in time from injury.
City To Be Disgusting Again?
City could be set for another summer battle with David Moyes and Everton following rumours the blues are set to make a £20m offer for midfielder Mikel Arteta.
Last summer, the two clubs were embroiled in a bitter war over defender Joleon Lescott’s transfer to Eastlands, with Everton continually rebuffing City’s advances for the defender before finally agreeing to sell for a figure between £25m and £28m. The Everton boss later condemned City’s relentless pursuit as ‘disgusting.’
The blues are in the hunt for a creative midfielder and have already had a bid for Aston Villa’s James Milner turned down and the club are reportedly weighing up a second bid for the England man but may turn to the uncapped Spaniard instead.
Arteta has made 143 appearance for Everton, scoring 23 goals in six seasons at Goodison and the Spaniard has also been linked with a move to Arsenal as a possible replacement for Barcelona bound Cesc Fabregas but, just as in the James Milner case, City are set to make the first move.
Everton have moved quickly to tie down their best players this summer by offering stars such as Tim Cahill and Jack Rodwell further contracts and hope Arteta will follow.
But with the blues ready to throw another huge sum towards the Merseysiders and an offer of a large increase in wages, City will be hopeful of landing the player which may allow Stephen Ireland to have his wish granted and leave the club.
What do you think? Is Arteta the answer or should we pursue Milner?
City Can Wing Their Way To Success
Over the years, City have been renowned for their wingers.
Neil Young and Mike Summerbee were both prominent figures along the wings during City’s glorious era of the 60’s and 70’s, with Francis Lee providing the steel and Colin Bell the creativity in the middle of the park. It was a combination that brought major success, which saw the blues win trophy after trophy at home and abroad.
In the 80’s, Paul Simpson burst onto the scene and later combined with David White to terrorise opposition defences. Indeed, it was those two who effectively destroyed Huddersfield Town in November 1987, with Simpson providing three converted crosses and an inch perfect ball for White to run onto to complete his hat-trick during the 10-1 thrashing. But in those days, it was Neil McNab and Paul Lake that pulled the strings in midfield.
Although Simpson left the following season, City still gained promotion and Mark Ward arrived in late 1989 and City, after surviving relegation, went on to achieve two fifth placed finishes in the two following seasons.
But since those days, the blues have had a variety of players that could operate on the wing but with very limited success. City have tried different combinations, such as Darius Vassell – an out and out striker – and Elano (amongst others) on the right, while Kiki Musampa and Albert Riera briefly showed glimpses of quality.
But now City have an opportunity to return to the basics of using wingers that have given us success in the past. Adam Johnson, a natural left-footer, can play on either wing while SWP’s most effective position is on the right flank. Both are quick and can deliver many a telling ball into the area and City should use their skills to their advantage.
Johnson has adapted well to the fast pace of Premiership football since his arrival from Middlesbrough, has rightly earned a call-up to the England squad and is now one of the favourites to travel to South Africa. SWP has had a difficult second season back at Eastlands but proved his worth in the final game of the season at West Ham when he scored with a far post header. But even though he also received a call-up, it is debatable as to whether or not he gets a plane ticket too.
With Martin Petrov and Craig Bellamy rumoured to be on their way out of Eastlands, City should replace them both with a creative midfielder, someone capable of making things happen and who can provide the perfect pass for SWP and Johnson to use their pace.
Finding a midfield partnership to allow a winger system is an arduous task but if Mancini can get it right, he will bring out the best in City’s midfield and allow us to push for major honours next season.
It is an opportunity that Mancini cannot allow to pass by.
What do you think? Should Mancini use both wingers next season? Who would be best in midfield to allow this system to work?
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