Rest In Peace Dean Richards
I know this isn’t City related but at the end of the day, we are all football supporters and sadly today, former Spurs and Wolves defender Dean Richards passed away today.
The defender started his career with his home town club of Bradford City, before moving to Wolves and then onto Southampton in a free transfer. His performances for the Saints impressed the Spurs manager Glenn Hoddle to splash out £8.1m for his signature in 2001.
During his spell in North London, Richards suffered from dizzy spells and headaches and was forced to retire from the game in 2005 after seeking medical advice. He returned to Bradford as a youth team coach in 2007 after gaining his coaching qualifications.
Richards was just 36 years old when he died and his death will have rocked the football world in general.
From everyone associated with MCB, our condolences go out to his family at this sad time.
Dean Richards, 1974 – 2011, Rest In Peace
The Facts Speak For Themselves Sparky
Ahead of City’s clash with Fulham on Sunday, former boss Mark Hughes has had a pop at the club, saying it was he who signed the blues main performers.
Sparky was sacked by City in December 20009 and the blues received much criticism over the handling of his dismissal, when Mancini was unveiled as manager almost immediately.
During his time at Eastlands, Hughes signed stars such as Carlos Tevez, Nigel de Jong, Vincent Kompany, Gareth Barry and Kolo Toure and it is these players that Hughes specifically refers to.
But the former City boss doesn’t mention any of the players he signed that didn’t work out, but referred to them by saying “Along the way, some purchases haven’t worked for whatever reasons, not really in terms of the ability those players have, but because of circumstances and the thinking of the management team and the coaches. And that happens when there’s a change in management.”
So Jo was the mean goal-scoring machine while Hughes was in charge? He never had any problems with Adebayor? And we all that Robinho was so successful, he was loaned off to Santos before being sold to AC Milan. And a partnership at the back of Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott is debateable to say the least.
But while it is true that Hughes did sign some good players during his time at City, whether they would have performed any better under him is questionable. While he seemed to have the respect of some of the players, it didn’t apply to all, with rumours of dressing room unrest circulating almost every day.
And results on the pitch didn’t seem to help his cause. An away win, at Sunderland in August, was not repeated until a 2-1 victory at Everton at the end of April and at one point, Hughes’s expensive line up was just two places above the relegation zone, with his highest position all season being third in the league for one weekend. And the cup competitions were even worse as City crashed out of the League Cup at Brighton at the first hurdle before being hammered 3-0 at home by Forest in the FA Cup.
The following season, Hughes got off to a good start and it seemed that, when things were going well, he was fine but when the going got tough, Hughes didn’t. When City underwent a run of seven successive draws, he persisted with under performing players and just one win in ten saw City drop to eighth in the league.
By the time he was sacked, City had a total of 29 points, after the Sunderland game, but at least a League Cup semi final had been achieved. Away from home, which has always been a particular bug, City had again won just two games.
By comparison, when Mancini took over, his first away game was a win and the blues looked uncomfortable until a tactical change altered the game and City beat Wolves 3-0. By the end of the season, Mancini had secured 38 points, nine points more than Hughes and with virtually the same players, with Vieira and Johnson the only additions.
Hughes might have signed some good players, but it is Mancini who has got them playing and the facts really do speak for themselves. In 77 games, Hughes won 36 games, giving him a win ratio of 46%.
In 70 games, Mancini has won 37 and lost just fifteen, giving him a win ratio of 52%. Some of us might not have agreed with Hughes’ sacking at the time, but there is no denying that it was a good move by the City hierarchy and despite the controversy, it has been to the blues advantage.
Is Bobby Doing A Fergie?
Roberto Mancini is in danger of doing an Alex Ferguson as he bemoans City’s possible fixture pile up.
The United boss has made many rants over the years about the number of games that his club have had to take part in, which the United manager has claimed would damage his side’s chances of further success. While he has ranted on us blues, as well as many other supporters across the country, have just sat back and laughed at them.
But now Mancini has taken on Ferguson’s mantle and criticised the football authorities in England, saying they treat players like machines. City could play up to five games in just eleven days which has prompted Mancini’s outburst, as he feels that it will hinder the blues chances to qualify for the Champions League or win silverware this season.
City face Fulham on Sunday, which is then followed by the delayed FA Cup fifth round tie at home to Aston Villa. Wigan arrive at Eastlands three days later and, if the Villa game goes to a replay, a trip to Villa Park awaits just two days later, which is followed by a trip to Kiev in the Europa League three days later.
“In my life I have never seen this,” said Mancini. “We arrive in March and we could be playing every two days. Seriously, I have never known this in my career. It is not just us who have difficult fixture lists, of course, but it’s impossible. Something must be changed and we must start to respect the footballers.”
And Mancini believes this fixture pile ups could be the reason behind England’s poor performances at major championships. “Every time England reach the World Cup or European Championship there is a big problem because all the players are tired. We are not machines, we are humans.”
But Mancini has demonsrated how much he wants to be in the competition by saying he will not field any reserves for the Villa game and concedes that had he not done similar in the League Cup, things may have been different in the competition. “I will not play a weak side in the FA Cup. We want to win it. We left out some players in the Carling Cup and if we had not done that we would probably be in the final this weekend.”
At least the fixture pile up would have been worth it had we got to the League Cup final.
What do you think? Are fixture pile ups part and parcel of modern football or should more be done to protect the players from fatigue? Let us know your thoughts.
Now We Will See the Real Ed
Edin Dzeko’s two goal display against Aris on Thursday will hopefully open the floodgates to more goals that will bring glory to City this season.
A week ago, Roberto Mancini challenged Dzeko to perform better and the striker has answered the call by scoring three goals in two games as City progressed in both the FA Cup and Europa League and is beginning to look worth every penny of the £27m City paid for him.
The Bosnian striker will be hoping to break his league duck when Fulham visit on Sunday after saving all his goals for the blues for cup competitions. It would be ironic if Dzeko scores against Mark Hughes’ team on Sunday as it was the former City boss who first tried to lure the big hit man to Eastlands two years ago.
It often takes a player time to settle at a new club while he gets to know and understand his team mates, and that has certainly been the case with Dzeko, but the striker has now scored four goals in nine games for the blues and the fans and the player himself will be looking for more in the coming weeks, months and years.
And an encouraging sign of the future for City is Dzeko’s growing relationship with Carlos Tevez. Both set each other up for goals against Notts County on Sunday, while Tevez played the striker in for his second against Aris on Thursday.
After his two goal showing against Aris, Dzeko still believes his game can improve. “I am very happy because I scored two goals in one game for the first time for Manchester City and we are in the next round,” said ther Bosnian after the game, but also was disappointed he didn’t complete his treble. “I am not happy with the last chance of the first half, I have to work.”
And manager Mancini hailed his new strikers’s impact on the game by saying “Edin played well, he scored two goals, and for him it’s very important.”
Hopefully we will see the real Edin Dzeko, starting on Sunday against Fulham and with a bit of luck, he should hit top form for us by the time we travel to Kiev on March 10th for the Europa League first leg tie.
If he can start knocking the goals in, it could take us all the way and earn us all a trip to Dublin in May
Edin At The Double As City Cruise
Edin Dzeko answered Roberto Mancini’s challenge with two goals as City cruised into the last sixteen of the Europa League.
With the tie poised at 0-0 from the first leg, City had to be wary of the threat from Aris, who only needed on e goal to set the City nerves off. But Mancini decided on all out attack and started with three strikers, Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez playing alongside the Bosnian hitman, a clear sign that the City boss sees the competition as one they can win.
And with David Silva providing another attacking option, Aris didn’t really stand any chance against the blues, who threatened to run riot in the opening fifteen minutes.
For it was Dzeko calmed any nerves and fired the blues into a seventh minute lead. Nikos Lazaridis completely messed up Aleksander Kolarov’s through ball and Dzeko couldn’t believe his luck when he found himself through on goal and rifled home with his right foot to give City the lead.
It was Dzeko’s third goal since arriving at Eastlands and he soon made it four when he doubled City’s lead five minutes later. Silva’s ball into the middle of the park was forwarded by Tevez to the Bosnian on the edge of the area. Dzeko turned the defender before curling a superb left foot finish into the corner of the goal.
Just twelve minutes in and Dzeko was just a header away from the perfect hat-trick as the blues tried to press home their superiority, but the visitors began defending in numbers. But that didn’t stop Balotelli firing a shot that was well saved by the visiting keeper, while Tevex fizzed a shot just wide of the post.
The blues then lost Vincent Kompany through injury and his replacement, Pablo Zabaleta, also fired just wide as City sought a third. And it should have arrived in the final minute of the half when Dzeko had a golden chance to complete his hat-trick.
Silva played the striker clear and Dzeko rounded the keeper but just failed to get his shot away early enough, giving the keeper chance to get a hand to the ball that allowed the defender to clear. That was the final chance of a half that City dominated and with three quarters of the tie gone, City were looking good value for a place in the last sixteen.
Aris put up more of a fight in the second half but still never really threatened Joe Hart in the City goal and the blues threatened to knock the Greeks out of sight. Mario Balotelli’s brilliant shot was a lick of paint away from making it three in the 65th minute as his shot bounced off the post and Aris cleared.
But ten minutes later, Yaya Toure wrapped the tie up and booked a meeting with Dynamo Kiev. A Kolarov corner was not cleared by Aris and the ball fell kindly to Yaya, who’s powerful shot took a slight deflection before nestling into the back of the net.
Mancini replaced Tevez and Silva with Patrick Vieira and Shaun Wright-Phillips, but by this time, City were more than comfortably through.
City now face Russian side Dynamo, who hammered Besiktas 8-1 on aggregate, for a place in the quarter final.
Good Luck Lee
I meant to put this on yesterday when I first heard about this but was too busy arguing with United muppets about a previous article.
Anyway, as you will no doubt have seen, former City midfielder Lee Crooks is off to Afghanistan to kick some Taliban backsides.
As a player, Crooks joined the blues in August 1994 as a 16 year old and made his debut just two years later, during City’s fight against relegation from the Premier League, a fight that the blues ultimately lost. However, Crooks became a regular in the City side and was a member of the team that emerged victorious during the 1998 play off final against Gillingham.
Unfortunately for the midfielder, he soon found himself dropping down the Maine Road pecking order and eventually left the blues in 2001, moving to Barnsley for £190,000. Released by The Tykes three years later, Crooks stayed in Yorkshire and joined Bradford City, before later joining Rochdale on a 12 month contract in 2006.
Crooks ended his playing career and joined the RAF and passed out as a leading aircraftman in February this year and now he’s off to help the struggle in Afghanistan with thousands of other service personnel.
Hopefully, Lee’s gunning ability in the RAF will be better than his goal scoring on the football pitch but, all joking apart, we wish for a safe return for Lee and all our service men and women in Afghanistan.
Good luck in Afghanistan mate.
Blackpool favour But Arsenal Widen Gap
A couple of Premier League games were played over the last two days, both significant to the City cause.
On Tuesday, Blackpool did us a huge favour as well as boosting their survival hopes by beating Spurs 3-1 at Bloomfield Road. By all accounts, I understand the home side were battered throughout the game but took their chances when Spurs didn’t. The result means City remain third, two points ahead of Spurs with the same amount of games played. City also have a better goal difference.
But last night, Arsenal stretched their lead over City and kept up with United at the top of the table with a 1-0 home win. Arsenal are now one point behind United in second place, but seven ahead of the blues.
Champions Chelsea look well and truly out of the title race as they languish in fifth spot, four points behind City with a game in hand and ten points behind United, who they meet at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday.
City of course, welcome back Mark Hughes and his Fulham side on Sunday, who will be looking for revenge after they were thrashed 4-1 at Craven Cottage.
What Next From The British Media?
David Silva has rubbished claims that he is unhappy in Manchester and has ruled out a swift return to La Liga.
“I was as surprised as anyone else here to have read those reports,” said Silva. “I do the odd interview with Spanish press but I have never come out with these quotes that may or may not have been attributed to me.”
Silva spoke after claims, notably in the Daily Mail, that the Spaniard was homesick and was looking for a return home, possibly with Atletico Madrid, but now Silva has spoken out to quash the rumours and hopefully that will be the end of it.
The Carlos Tevez affair looks set to rumble on after money grabbing agent Kia Joorabchian claimed he was looking to take Tevez back to Brazil with Corinthians, but admitted it may be about a couple of years before that happens.
Tevez’ situation has not been helped by Mancini claiming he is unsure whether he can keep the Argentine at the club. But the big fact is that, Tevez is currently a City player and will remain that way until the club decide to sell him. That may be in the summer, next year or in five years time and Joorabchian will have to deal with that.
So what next from the British Media?
New signing Edin Dzeko to quit blues to complete dream move to Grampus Eight? Adam Johnson wants Darlington move? Micah Richards to leave the blues to open his own bling factory?
It seems like they will print anything at the moment to unstable the blues. In the summer, newspapers reported that new signing Yaya Toure wanted to return to the Nou Camp one day and Mario Balotelli eyed a return to Italy, despite the fact that both players had barely played for the club.
There is no hiding the fact that, at the moment, the media see City’s intrusion into the top four as unwelcome, preferring to see teams like Spurs ahead of us. In 2007, Spurs spent heavily in the transfer market and the media loved it, but when City did the same, we were vilified.
Over the last two years, the British media have tried to unstable City at every available opportunity, even if it comes down to making things up about the club that are blatantly untrue.
I know we will get used to it and that media intrusion is now part and parcel of football and we will continue to make a mockery of their lies.
It’s just a pity it’s something we have to.
End Of The City Line For Shay?
Shay Given’s City career could be over after manager Roberto Mancini the Irish keeper would sidelined for three months with a shoulder injury.
Given has struggled with a shoulder injury since he first dislocated it during a 0-0 draw at Arsenal last season which, of course, prompted the furious debate over whether City should have been allowed to sign an emergency keeper. Given didn’t finish the season and it seems now that the problem has re-emerged.
Given has barely featured this season since losing his place to England’s new number one keeper Joe Hart and has had to be content with a place on the bench for much of the campaign. And boss Mancini has stated that Given will be allowed to leave Eastlands once a replacement has been signed.
It looks like being a sad ending for the keeper, who signed from Newcastle in January 2009. Given went straight into Hughes’ side, replacing youngster Joe Hart and went on to perform heroics in the City goal, and kept the blues in the UEFA Cup with two penalty saves as the blues beat Aalborg in a shoot-out in Denmark.
After taking the number one shirt from Hart, Given remained between the sticks for the following season while Hart was loaned out to Birmingham for the season but, with the young keeper performing well, Given was subsequently relegated to the bench for the opening game at Spurs and has seen his appearances limited to just four, one in the League Cup and three in Euro ties and has not featured at all in the Premier League.
If it does turn out that Given has played his last game for City, we wish him well for the future.
The Obsession With City Is Spreading
Love Is Contagious, sang some bint in the1980’s but the obsession that some club’s supporters have with City is even more so.
We’re used to United having a daily pop at us, with the likes of The Republik of Mancunia on the scene, but having a look around the web this evening, it seems the obsession is moving further than the borough of Stretford.
Truly Reds has run an article on Mike Summerbee (again) City’s attendance against Notts County and just anything in general, basically because it’s a slow news day in Trafford and they have to report something.
And it comes to something when United fans trawl City sites like this one to find articles so they can make stupid comments that rarely get published. Just for the record, MCB articles do not get listed on the United page of NewsNow so their obsession with us is pretty obvious.
But that is nothing compared to the idiot who wrote the next article.
It comes from as far a field as Newcastle, where Newcastle Mad editor Nu Mad (original) claims “Man City Are Conning Themselves” before launching into a little tirade about, you guessed it, our attendance on Sunday and money.
“75,000 watched Man Utd play Crawley, while 26,000 watched Man City play Notts County. City maybe the money club of European football, but their fan base hardly deserves it,” whinges the editor.
Now forgive me for saying this, but what the f*** has our attendance on Sunday or the amount of money we have got to do with Newcastle and their supporters? There are all sorts I could write about that particular team that would keep this site’s content going until Christmas.
“The team is challenging for honours, but the reality is there in the figures,” his moan continues. No mate, the reality is that we are third in the league position, still in the FA Cup with a good chance of reaching the quarterfinals and also in the last 32 of the Europa League. And where are Newcastle again?
I think some supporters need to get over their obsession with City and concentrate on their own team’s fortunes, particularly when the team you’re moaning about is in a much better position than yours.
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