Comments on: Manchester City: You Can’t Buy Class

By: Phil Gregory

Phil Gregory — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:28:23 +0000

DBTH – its looking at City’s potential to break the top four at our expense. Perhaps that’s slightly unclear if you missed the earlier articles. Tevez got slated, but that’s not to say he’s an awful player – he still warranted the bench slot.

By: Ben Dover

Ben Dover — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:57:15 +0000

hey phil nice article, that team would probably win the premiership at the moment. i can’t believe City paid that much for Lescott, there must have been better, cheaper options elsewhere. more money than sense.

By: Jonny Neale

Jonny Neale — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:48:54 +0000

Just a tad harsh DBTH.

Toure doesn’t really get slated and who are the superior players in that position? Lescott – maybeeee – but it’s a close call. Anywho its an opinion piece and you know what they say about them

I hope Toure gets a suitable reception for his years of impeccable service and that Ade gets one equally suited.

This, on paper, should be a good game. If it’s open I think we will take it but losing Arshavin is a real blow.

Here’s hoping Eduardo sticks it to them big time.

By: don't believe the hype

don't believe the hype — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:36:11 +0000

Very confused article and I’m not sure what your point is? You slate Toure and Tevez in the main body and then put them on the bench ahead of far superior players? I don’t really see the point of this exercise at all.

By: Phil Gregory

Phil Gregory — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:29:11 +0000

Thanks for the compliments everyone. I haven’t seen enough of De Jong to make a fair assessment, but I will say this: Hughes has an enormous squad, full of options. It’ll be horses for course, we could well see Barry as a CM, with De Jong holding tomorrow (more defensive set up). Perhaps De Jong on for the bench would’ve been fair in hindsight, but who to drop??

on Kompany, he seems to have been one of the highest rated young centrebacks for as long as I can remember. Perhaps, with extra bodies in midfield, he’ll drop back and be competition for Lescott-Toure. I can’t see him as a DM – he can play there, but I think he was there due to their lack of better options last season. Now, they have the options, and I just can’t see him getting minutes in midfield anymore.

And yes, that mixed team is hellishly good!

By: LRV

LRV — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:48:23 +0000

Phil, as Cape Gooner pointed out, you forgot Kompany & De Jong. I am sure one of them will show up in midfield alongside Barry for them tomorrow. Even so, I expect us to beat them.

However, I find myself agreeing with your line up only because of injury to our boys.

By: Marc

Marc — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:25:32 +0000

Last seasons defeat to Man City was our worst performance of the season and we owe them. As far as Man City’s performance over the course of the year. They are clearly unbalanced and in Robinho and Adebayor they have players who will leave for RM, Barca, Milan etc the first chance they get. I’ve said for a couple of months now that Hughes will be sacked next summer (unless he gets the boot at Christmas!) irrespective of where they finish in the PL. The owners need a “name manager” to attract the players they want and Hughes does not come close. I will also predict that while Adebayor will have a good season he will repeat what he did at Arsenal as soon as the novelty of his new pay packet wears off.

By: Gooner

Gooner — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:02:34 +0000

That would be an awesome lineup. Robinho and Arshavin circling Eduardo would just be too much for any defence to handle.

By: walter

walter — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:56:43 +0000

Sorry for going off topic but yesterday had a great day at the Emirates in London and when driving home with the Eurostar we got the message that we would have tickets to go to Liège to see us play against Standard.
What a wonderfull day it was for me.
So is any one else coming to that game from our regulars here at the site ?

By: Pete the First

Pete the First — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:21:56 +0000

A little one-eyed, but hey that’s what this site does! Think you’re a bit harsh on Toure.

After the kamikaze defeat at Old Trafford we could do with a victory. Going to be hard without Rasputin though.

By: Cape Gooner

Cape Gooner — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:15:26 +0000

Not sure that you have the midfield right Phil. Lots of people wanted us to buy Kompany last year, and I think that de Jong is a class player. In addition, he has two good youngsters in Johnson and Etuhu.

Centre back is a problem for everyone. There are not a lot of good ones about. Seems we did well to find Vermaelen. Onuoha and Richards are not bad backup for Toure and Lescott.

I think Given will give them the edge over Spurs. In keeping with the sentiments expressed by other posters, I foresee a four way battle for 3rd thru 6th.

By: Cujo

Cujo — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:08:57 +0000

Always enjoy these articles. I agree with that other dude, tottenham look set to take 4th place, liverpool taking 5th. Im not hating on liverpool, i just think their lack of depth will affect them severely this season. One injury to gerrard or torres and the whole team chemistry is altered for the worse. The season is long.. They seem to be the weakest link in the ‘top 4 chain’ . Maybe im wrong, but we’ll see what happens come may 2009, GO GO GUNNERS!

By: Armin Medic

Armin Medic — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:55:15 +0000

I expected Hughes would strengthen creative middle this summer, and maybe add one offensive player. But I really expected he will try fill the team with missing players. Talking about their back, I really don’t think they are (expect Given, but he came last season anyway) more solid now than they were. Hughes fall in trap of “fantasy football” adding players by their rating rather than adaptive abilities.
And as said in Phils great article they have plenty of choice in attack. But did they thought of what will happen if opponent decide to play football against them? What if they confront with team who wont park bus in front of goalie, so they have to fight in middle?
If you ask me, I believe Citeh can outplay any team who decide to defend whole game, they just have so much choice in attack that sooner or later they will spot hole in defense end exploit it. First real test they will have tomorrow, not just can they win (I hope they can), but also can they “play”.

With all respect Phil, I only agree about Given, all the rest should be Arsenal.

By: Abhishek

Abhishek — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:46:34 +0000

Hi Phil

Nice article. I think that you sounded reasonably good but I would put Spurs ahead of them. I guess us and Chelsea fighting for top 2 while Liverpool and Manyoo fighting for 3-4 with Spurs giving them a scare.

I know I am biased after looking the matches this season but its simpler and better for me other than looking at the whole historical analysis.