How big a threat are Man Shitty?

[suley]

The Arabs are clearly throwing stupid cash at fees and wages, and having secured Barry, Santa Cruz, Tevez and made a last-minute attempt to grab our new boy, there's no denying that there is a very, very decent squad being built at Middle Eastlands, and who knows what other money-hungry players will go there?

 

Eto'o perhaps?

 

We've all seen what chucking cash at shit clubs can do (hello Chelsea) and while they had a much better team to begin with, and a far superior manager in Mourinho, I'm getting a pretty worried feeling about the Manc Arabs.

 

So what do you think they can achieve next season?

 

It'll still take a while... they need to first get a decent manager in... and then they need to start finishing higher up in the table... it'll be a slow process trying to attract the best players to their team until they start breaking into the champions league spots... that will be the tipping point... because once they break into the champions league spots... players around the world will suddenly view them as not just a cash cow.... but a team going somewhere

[Megadrive Man]

If They get one of Eto'o or Tevez, which I think they will, most likely Tevez then this would be there strongest team next year :-

 

Given

Zabaleta Kompany Richards Bridge

De Jong Barry

Tevez Ireland Robinho

Santa Cruz

 

subs, Bellamy, Jo, Caicedo,Elano, Petrov, Onuoha,Taylor

 

quite a strong squad really, although only Robinho would be considered good enough for our first team, and his attitude and consistency leave much to be desired.

 

I think they will be 6th this year, behind the usual suspects plus Spurs, but ahead of Villa and Everton.

 

They must sort out there back four, Richard Dunne to Sunderland is a step in the right direction.

[Bourbon]

The in-the-know merchants at City are expecting more signings...

 

View topic - official move for Lescott today... - Manchester City Forum - Bluemoon-MCFC

 

Soon to be Lescott for around 18m cash if this is to be believed.

 

If they keep picking up decent players, they could be a wild card.

[Jose Jones]

As much as I dislike Chelsea, when they first started splashing the cash they did it in the right way.

They spent over the odds but bought players like Cech, Carvalho, Cole, Duff, Robben, Essien and Drogba who were young(ish) hadn’t been at big clubs before and were still really hungry for success*, but were also top quality. They also had Terry and Lampard there, two quality players. It worked well for them and they won a lot. It was when they started buying been there bigger names, Ballack, Shevchenko and Cashley that they started to have more issues and went backwards a bit.

Man City have been muddled by the facts that they seem to want to “raise their profile” by splashing out on biG NaMEz, and because they are not already challenging in Europe they can’t attract the up and coming players. They got desperate last season and chucked loads at Wayne Bridge and Bellamy just to try and stay in the division. I think Barry and Santa Cruz are similar types of signing, decent premier league players that Hughes knows and can work with – but not good enough to challenge for top honours at home and abroad. It’s a big If that the mix of those players with the likes of Robinho who is talented but not really arsed, will work. If Hughes can keep a small stable squad and make some shrewd signings they’ll be a threat, but I don’t think he has control of all the transfer targets, and I don’t know if he can get the right type of player in.

 

 

*If you look at our best signings over the past few years they have been the same, Reina, Torres, Mascherano, Alonso and to a lesser extent Agger and Skrtel. Quality, hungry and ready for the step up.

[G Richards]

They won't make CL next season but they will be in a small group of clubs alongsdie Villa, Everton and probably Spurs competing for UEFA Cup. This will give them a foothold nearer to the top four and then further spending next summer will make them challengers for a CL spot the following season.

 

All this assumes the top four stay same-ish. I would say Arsenal could possibly be vulnerable, and I'm hopeful that by the time Citeh gate crash the top four it is at the expense of the other team from Manchester (well, Salford) who will be struggling in the aftermath of Fergie. Lovely!

[silverlining]

Santa Cruz has exceeded the 10 goal mark in exactly one of his previous ten seasons. He's the Paragauyan Darren Bent.

 

Who has only scored less than 10 goals in one of his previous four top-flight seasons which include 22 in one season, and 17 last season, despite being on the bench for much of it.

[aws]

if they continue spending it's inevitable they'll either be one of the Big Four or there'll be a Big Five in 2-3 seasons' time

[rebel23]

Hughes has spent in 6 months what Benitez has spent in 5 years. in a few years we will have another Chelsea in the top 2/3, no doubt about it

[rebel23]

Now apparently have made a big offer for Eto'o along with Tevez, they should be thinking top 4 with that team.

[Xherdan]

According to Irish radio this morning they have had a £25m bid accepted for Eto'o and are willing to make him the highest paid player in world football. Whatever about Mark Hughes as a manager he is certainly not a thick shit. Im sure he realises that to challenge they will have to imporove their back four and possibly look at some more quality in the middle. If they do bring in two decent defenders, another creative midfielder, Tevez and Eto'o then they will be pushing the top four, no doubt.

[ToxtethTerror]

They should be challenging for the title with that team if true, no excuses.

[Guest the boy]

They should be challenging for the title with that team if true, no excuses.

 

a buffoon of the highest order.

 

 

n a few years we will have another Chelsea in the top 2/3, no doubt about it

 

if they continue spending it's inevitable they'll either be one of the Big Four or there'll be a Big Five in 2-3 seasons' time

 

no, it's not.

 

people convieniently forget that Chelsea's spine was already in place; Lampard, Gallas, Terry and Gudjohnson were all vital to their success. As has been noted, under Ranieri they then pursued a policy of youth; in hindsight Drogba, Makelele, Cech, Duff and Robben were worth every penny. Only once they veered off into the ridiculous, offering Shevchenko a £30,000,000 fee and 5 year contract at 29, did that team start to break down as a unit.

 

City have skipped the initial process, and gone right for the ridiculous. Instead of Drogba they've gone for a Paraguayan journeyman; Barry will be their Lampard and presumably Lescott their Terry. They are full to the brim of players who are on the fringe of their international team, and have already plateaued in terms of performance. To get that squad into the top 4, I feel they'll need to rip it up and start again. The direction they're following is boggling.

[rebel23]

this is Chelsea on drugs, they're richer

 

thank fuck the Sheikh' didnt buy Everton.

[Ted]

Eto'o? Haven't they already got 17 strikers?

[fowler9]

Eto'o highest paid player in the world? what a joke he is great and everything but thats bollocks, tbh cant see him doing much more than Bellamy would if they played him instead

[rebel23]

Eto'o? Haven't they already got 17 strikers?

 

they're stockpiling players like Chelsea did, they will just play the best ones (and Eto'o and Tevez would be top of the pile) and eventually get rid of the ones they don't need

 

do they care? they're a bottomless pit it seems.

[coop]

Personally if i was Wenger i would be a bit nervous.

[rebel23]

Personally if i was Wenger i would be a bit nervous.

 

yeah it's not like we're vulnrable to a couple of injuries to key players or our best players wanting to leave for Spain

 

I think we should all be nervous at this because we dont know how it will play out. it might help us in the short term if they can take points of Chelsea and Man Utd but in the long term this is not what we need

[Unrighteous]

With their offense, IF they complete the signings of Eto'o and Tevez (and buy a decent CB)? They could very well finish top 4, even with that idiot Hughes at the helm.

 

If they sign Tevez, and more midtable type guys? They'll finish top 10ish...

[Unrighteous]

if they continue spending it's inevitable they'll either be one of the Big Four or there'll be a Big Five in 2-3 seasons' time

 

Unless we miss Europe and go bust.

[fowler9]

yeah it's not like we're vulnrable to a couple of injuries to key players or our best players wanting to leave for Spain

 

I think we should all be nervous at this because we dont know how it will play out. it might help us in the short term if they can take points of Chelsea and Man Utd but in the long term this is not what we need

 

 

Arsenal are a bunch of shite pussys so we can chillax, even if Xabi and Masch went i would rather have Lucas and a replacement than have to play the likes of Song every week!

[RobbieOR]

One swallow doesnt make a summer. They have signed 3 strikers to add to a list of about 10. With ego's like Robinho and Eto'o in that team and a manager who canth andle it they will be fucked.

[Original202]

I disagree. I think he's already a very good manager and has the potential to be great. He has a track record of slow, but steady improvement with both teams and individuals. Access to better players will speed that up, assuming - as now seems the case - he is the one with his hand on the tiller. If the players know he has the owner's respect, I think he could easily get them into the top four, if not higher, and win a domestic trophy next season (assuming they sign another three or four top class players).

 

I agree with Paul. I'm surprised people have such a low opinion of Hughes. I can understand any personal dislike given the clubs he played for, but not as a manager.

 

He got Blackburn into the top 6 on a shoestring budget and built them into a solid, if unspectacular, team. I think he's capable of building a good squad at City if he's allowed the time and if the club concentrate on signing players like Bridge, Barry, Bellamy and Santa Cruz who are established premiership players but not quite good enough for the top 4.

 

They don't need to sign superstars and they don't need a fashionable manager. They just need a bigger squad. Villa's first team is good enough to get into the top 4, but they failed last season because they lacked depth.

 

I don't think City are enough to worry the top 4 yet but they won't be far off next season.

[Xherdan]

Arsenal are a bunch of shite pussys so we can chillax, even if Xabi and Masch went i would rather have Lucas and a replacement than have to play the likes of Song every week!

 

 

 

Negged for use of 'chillax'.

[Unrighteous]

Arsenal are a bunch of shite pussys so we can chillax, even if Xabi and Masch went i would rather have Lucas and a replacement than have to play the likes of Song every week!

 

Negged for use of 'chillax'.

 

Seconded.